Skip to content
Currier & Ives print

Gallery Report: Currier & Ives print rolls to $62,500 at auction

ATLANTA – At the start of each month, ACN columnist Ken Hall gathers top auction highlights from around the United States and beyond. Here’s what made headlines since last month’s Gallery Report (prices include the buyer’s premium unless stated otherwise):

Currier & Ives print

1868 Currier & Ives print, $62,500, Swann Galleries

An 1868 print by Currier & Ives, titled Across the Continent/Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way, sold for $62,500 at a Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books Sale held Dec. 13 by Swann Galleries in New York. Also, a double-page engraved map of eastern Canada and the Atlantic seaboard by Samuel de Champlain & Pierre du Val (Paris, 1664) brought $22,500; and 100 hand-colored lithographs by Honore Daumier & Charles Philipon (Paris, 1836-38) hit $18,750.

 Currier & Ives print

11-carat diamond ring, $103,250, Miller & Miller

A platinum ring with an 11-carat diamond center stone sold for $103,250 at a jewelry and watches auction held Nov. 24 by Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd. in New Hamburg, Ontario. Also, a 1960s men’s Rodania Geometer wristwatch in great condition brought $25,960; a World War II-era Omega ‘Weems’ Royal Air Force pilot’s watch soared to $8,260; and a Cartier 18K, diamond and sapphire ‘Arcadie’ bracelet went for $26,550. Prices are in Canadian dollars.

Currier & Ives print

Tiffany pocket watch, $12,500, Bruneau & Co.

A circa 1920 Tiffany & Co. platinum repeater pocket watch sold for $12,500 at an Estate Antiques & Fine Art Auction held Nov. 24 by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers in Cranston, R.I. Also, a 2003 U.S. $25 Liberty Eagle gold coin climbed to a new record $4,688; a Chinese Qing Dynasty celadon white jade plaque finished at $2,812; a coastal Maine seascape by George Hallowell (Massachusetts, 1871-1926) made $3,125; and a circa 1920 14K Art Deco cigarette case hit $6,875.

Currier & Ives print

Chinese Hunan One Tael silver coin, $6,875, Holabird Western Americana

A Chinese Hunan one tael silver coin weighing 35.6 grams sold for $6,875 at an auction held Dec. 5-9 by Holabird Western Americana Collections LLC in Reno, Nevada. Also, an unissued capital stock certificate for the Alaska Commercial Co., Alaska’s largest rural retailer, rose to $4,000; a stock certificate for Mass Mining Co. of Pittsburgh, dated 1881, finished at $3,375; and an 1860s soda bottle from Pioneer Brown & Co., Idaho City, Idaho, went for $2,625.

Currier & Ives print

Rolex ‘Paul Newman’ watch, $578,100, Morphy Auctions

A Rolex Daytona Ref. 6241 ‘Paul Newman’ 18K gold chronograph watch having a ‘John Player Special’ dial with gold subdials, sold for $578,100 at an auction held Dec. 5-6 by Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pa. Also, a Tiffany Studios Poppy table lamp, with a signed leaded glass shade on a signed, decorated bronze base, coasted to $141,450; and a Tiffany Studios Jonquils / Daffodils table lamp with a signed leaded-glass shade on a signed bronze base lit up the room for $135,300.

Currier & Ives print

Hugh Hefner typewriter, $162,500, Julien’s Auctions

The vintage Underwood Standard Portable typewriter used in college by Hugh Hefner sold for $162,500 at a sale of items from the estate of the Playboy magazine founder held Nov. 30-Dec. 1 by Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, California. Also, Hefner’s complete personal set of bound volumes of Playboy magazines (from 1953-2013) brought $76,800; and his 14K yellow gold ring with a black onyx plaque in the center that opens to reveal a hidden Viagra pill made $22,400.

Currier & Ives print

Tiffany Peony table lamp, $93,750, Heritage Auctions

A Tiffany Studios leaded glass and bronze Peony table lamp sold for $93,750 at a Tiffany, Lalique & Art Glass Auction held Nov. 15 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas. Also, a Tiffany Studios leaded glass and bronze-red Poppy table lamp illuminated the room for $81,250; a monumental limited edition Jean-Philippe Richard for Daum pate-de-verre glass Charlotte sculpture realized $47,500; and a Lalique glass masque de femme plaque with metal stand hit $11,875.

Currier & Ives print

Witch atop mechanical cat, $21,600, Bertoia Auctions

A large witch seated atop a mechanical black cat on wheels, circa 1920, sold for $21,600 at an Annual Fall Auction held Nov. 9-11 by Bertoia’s Auctions in Vineland, N.J. Also, a Carlisle & Finch derrick crane on a flatbed car, 2 gauge, American-made, circa 1905-1907, made $19,200; a rare glass-icicle-bearded belsnickle, German, 20 inches tall, brought $15,600; a French Fernand Martin Roller Skater windup toy, cloth/tin, made $13,200; and a German glass-eyed dog skittles set rose to $12,000.

Currier & Ives print

Giacometti cast bronze, $81,250, Millea Bros.

A cast bronze by Diego Giacometti (Swiss, 1902-1985), titled Chat maître-d’hotel, circa 1967, with reddish-brown patina, sold for $81,250 at a Select Auction held Nov. 15-17 by Millea Bros. in Boonton, New Jersey. Also, a circa 1862 oil on canvas painting attributed to Honore Daumier, titled Third Class Carriage, knocked down for $68,750; a 2003 stoneware mask by Eva Hild (b. 1966), titled Complex B, netted $40,000; and two cast bronze garden lions by Arturo di Modica (b. 1941) made $32,500.

Currier & Ives print

Tiffany Studios table lamp, $108,000, Milestone Auctions

A Tiffany Studios ‘Fruit’ leaded-glass table lamp, correctly marked on both the 24½-inch shade and base, sold for $108,000 at a Winter Spectacular held Dec. 8 by Milestone Auctions in Willoughby, Ohio. Also, a Tiffany Studios ‘Poinsettia’ leaded-glass table lamp, also correctly marked on shade and base, earned $28,800; a 1932 Hudson one-quarter scale factory-made model of a four-door sedan sped away for $18,000; and a painting by Guy Carleton Wiggins brought $5,760.

Currier & Ives print

Dickens signed quote, $23,597, RR Auction

A Charles Dickens handwritten signed quotation from his book A Christmas Carol sold for $23,597 in an online auction held Nov. 16-Dec. 5 by RR Auction in Boston, Mass. Also, an Al Capone signed Christmas-New Year’s card breezed to $13,581; a Beatles-signed 1963 PYX program with classic Hoffman cover went for $17,762; a Robert E. Lee handwritten letter from 1861 earned $13,021; and items recovered from the USS Arizona after the Pearl Harbor attack made $12,154.

Currier & Ives print

Spindle-back rocking chair, $34,375, John Moran Auctions

A spindle-back rocking chair by Sam Maloof (California, 1916-2009) sold for $34,375 at a 20th Century Art + Design Auction held Nov. 13 by John Moran Auctioneers in Monrovia, Calif. Also, an artwork by Fong Chung-Ray (Chinese, b. 1934), titled 89-32, also achieved $34,375; Systrarna (Sisters) by Carl (Wilhelm Emile Milles) made $26,250; Samura Esfumado by Rodolfo Nieto (Mexican, 1936-1988) brought $11,250; and a painting by Harry Marinsky rose to $9,375.

Currier & Ives print

Pair of canvasback decoys, $153,400, Guyette & Deeter

A pair of canvasback decoys by James Holly sold for $153,400 at a Fall Decoy & Sporting Auction held Nov. 7-8 by Guyette & Deeter Inc., based in St. Michael, Maryland. Also, a pair of 1936 model pintails by the Ward Brothers flew away for $42,480; a hollow carved brant by Nathan Cobb Jr., realized $31,800; and a black-bellied plover shorebird decoy by John Dilley went to a determined bidder for $24,190.

Currier & Ives print

Patek Philippe wristwatch, $24,000, Cordier Auctions

A model 3417 dress wristwatch by Swiss maker Patek Philippe sold for $24,000 at a Fall Antique & Fine Art Auction held Nov. 10-11 by Cordier Auctions in Harrisburg, Pa. Also, a Simon Willard rocking ship tall-case clock chimed on time for $9,000; an 18th century Windsor settee fetched $5,000; an elaborately carved Baroque Revival sideboard hammered for $2,700; an antique gemstone lizard brooch realized $3,300; and a 14K 1.6-carat diamond solitaire ring made $4,200.

Currier & Ives print

Tim Brown Heisman Trophy, $435,762, Goldin Auctions

Wide receiver Tim Brown’s original 1987 Heisman Trophy sold for $435,762 in a Holiday Auction held Dec. 8 by Goldin Auctions, based in Runnemede, N.J. Also, a near set (25 of 30) of 1910 E98 baseball cards, plus nine additional variation cards, brought $171,850; a 2002 Aston Martin Vanquish signature car from the 50th anniversary of the Basketball Hall of Fame hit $78,877; and the handcuffs used to arrest Lee Harvey Oswald after JFK’s assassination rose to $76,105.

Currier & Ives print

Zhang Daqian painting, $443,250, Clars Auction

A 1967 painting by Zhang Daqian (Chinese, 1899-1983), titled The Lotus Pond, sold for $443,250 at an Asian Fine Art & Antiques Auction held Dec. 15-16 by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland, Calif. Also, a Chinese bronze Gui ritual food vessel breezed to $52,275; a Chinese blue and white plant container netted $43,050; a Japanese anonymous scroll from the Edo period went for $33,825; and a rare Patek Philippe 18K yellow gold Lorgnette pendant watch with 14K gold necklace made $24,600.

Currier & Ives print

Antique French dining table, $20,320, Benefit Shop Foundation

A French antique wood farm-style dining table, 10 feet 6 inches by 41 inches, sold for $20,320 at a Red Carpet Auction held Dec. 5 by the Benefit Shop Foundation in Mount Kisco, New York. Also, a Lavar Collection Kerman Persian carpet, 13 feet 10 inches by 19 feet, rose to $6,985; an English oak folding top table with frieze drawer on barley twist and turned legs went for $4,762; and a handcrafted copper lighthouse topper, later electrified as a light fixture, gaveled for $2,857.

Currier & Ives print

United Air Lines Disney poster, $6,000, Potter & Potter Auctions

A 1950s-era Stanley Walter Galli United Air Lines Disneyland poster sold for $6,000 at a Vintage Travel Poster Sale held Dec. 1 by Potter & Potter Auctions in Chicago. Also, a United Air Lines travel poster for Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland realized $4,320; Fly TWA Hollywood and San Francisco posters brought $3,120 each; and an India Car Festival at Puri poster hit $3,120.

Currier & Ives print

Chippendale mirror, $298,000, Freeman’s

A Philadelphia Chippendale carved mahogany looking glass with phoenix cartouche, attributed to John Pollard (1740-1787) and Richard Butts (active 1768-1778), circa 1770, sold for $298,000 at an American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts Auction held Nov. 14 by Freeman’s in Philadelphia. Also, a large pieced and appliqued quilt, Baltimore, Maryland, circa 1842, brought $31,250; and an Aaron Willard carved mahogany tall-case clock, circa 1800, rose to $26,250.

Currier & Ives print

Cesare Lapini marble sculpture, $62,500, Clarke Auction Gallery

A marble sculpture by Cesare Lapini (Italian, 1848-1893), titled Odalisca, sold for $62,500 at an auction held Dec. 2 by Clarke Auction Gallery in Larchmont, N.Y. Also, a Tiffany Studios Crocus table lamp, signed on the base and 16-inch diameter shade, gaveled for $33,750; an oil on canvas by Gustave Jean Jacquet (French, 1846-1909), titled Normande Girl Holding Chalice, brought $31,250; and a pair of S. Kirk & Son coin silver ewers changed hands for $8,125.

 

Currier & Ives print

1917 Russian savings bond, $12,810, Archives International

A 1917 Imperial Russian government 4 percent savings bond specimen sold for $12,810 – a new auction record – at a “50” Milestone Auction held Dec. 3-4 by Archives International Auctions in New York City and Fort Lee, N.J. Also, a Mercantile Bank of India 1941 issue banknote rarity realized $5,100; an Australia, Camp Seven Bank Hay Internment Camp 1941 2 shillings note brought $4,000; and a Yale National Bank (Conn.) 1902, $5, Charter 796, rose to $3,900.

Currier & Ives print