An original 1910 oil painting by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, titled Le Bouquet, sold for $657,250 at an American & European Signature Art Auction held Nov. 8 by Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas. Also, Daniel Ridgway Knight’s Young Woman Knitting realized $143,400, Martin Johnson Heade’s Red Roses in a Japanese Vase on a Gold Velvet Cloth, circa 1885-1890, topped out at $53,775, and Edmund Henry Osthaus’s sporting painting English Setter With Grouse changed hands for $41,825. Prices include a 19.5 percent buyer’s premium.
United Motors neon sign, $6,325, Matthews Auctions
A large and rare United Motors Service oval neon and porcelain single-sided sign, 42 inches by 72 inches and rated 7.9 out of 10 for condition, sold for $6,325 at a Fall Petroliana & Advertising Auction held Oct. 14 by Matthews Auctions LLC in Peotone, Ill. Also, a USL Batteries single-sided porcelain self-framed sign, saying “Economical – Dependable,” brought $3,850, and a rare Marathon Gas die-cut embossed neon sign, “Best in the Long Run,” with running man logo, hit $4,740. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
Jasper Cropsey painting, $660,000, Leslie Hindman
An original painting by Jasper Francis Cropsey, titled Dawn of Morning, sold for $660,000 at a sale of the personal collection of Cleveland rheumatologist Dr. Paul J. Vignos Jr., held Nov. 6-8 by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago. It was the fourth-highest price ever paid for a work by Cropsey. Also, John Bunyan Bristol’s Gate, St. Augustine, Florida rose to $73,200, William Trost Richards’ Rocky Coast breezed to $170,800, and a Greek pottery skyphos went for $41,480. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Jackson Pollock print, $102,000, Swann Galleries
A circa 1944-1945 untitled drypoint engraving by Jackson Pollock, printed by Gabor Peterdi and inscribed “2nd proof 1967,” sold for $102,000 at an Atelier 17 Sale held Oct. 27 by Swann Galleries in New York. A second impression of the same work, one of 50 produced for the Museum of Modern Art, made $19,200. Also, Willem de Kooning’s 1986 color lithograph Quatres Lithographies realized $19,200, and Robert Motherwell’s color aquatint and etching The Red Queen topped out at $22,800. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Marlin model 1893 rifle, $109,250, Cowan’s Auctions
A Grade 15 model 1893 rifle, factory-engraved by John Ulrich Marlin, made in 1894 and with a white copy of the original letter from the Cody Museum, sold for $109,250 at a Historic Firearms & Early Militaria Auction held Oct. 25 by Cowan’s Auctions Inc. in Cincinnati. Also, an 18th century raised carved Kentucky flintlock long-rifle by U.J. Graeff hammered for $74,750, a first model Smith & Wesson U.S. marked revolver realized $54,625, and a Harper’s Ferry flintlock 1808 wall gun made $51,750. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Roman marble torso, $134,000, Doyle New York
An ancient Roman marble torso, measuring 19 inches in height and depicting a partially draped female, sold for $134,500 at a sale of Important English and Continental Furniture & Decorations held Oct. 26 by Doyle New York. Also, a handsome pair of William and Mary Japanned fold-over writing tables, circa late 17th century, breezed to $62,500, and a depiction of a young woman by Jean Baptiste Greuze (French, 1725-1805), from the estate of actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr., went for $62,500. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Benton lithograph, $1,150, Copake Auctions
An original, signed Thomas Hart Benton lithograph, titled Aaron, measuring 13 1/2 inches by 10 1/4 inches and retaining its label on the back, sold for $1,150 at a Cataloged Estate Auction held Sept. 24 by Copake Auctions in Copake, N.Y. Also, a sword, signed and dated “G. Borowski Warsaw, 1914,” 39 inches in length, achieved $2,070, a 19th century oil on canvas portrait of a child in a blue dress realized $1,035, and a New England miniature silhouette of a woman, 3 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches, brought $920. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Elmer Crowell duck decoy, $241,500, Guyette, Schmidt
A one-of-a-kind standing redhead duck decoy by the renowned carver Elmer Crowell sold for $241,500 at an annual Fall Decoy Auction held Nov. 9-10 by Guyette, Schmidt & Deeter in St. Michaels, Md. It was a new world auction record price for a decoy by Crowell. Also, a rare and important swan decoy by John Williams changed hands for $131,500, also a new world auction record price for the carver. Multiple auction records were set at the auction, which grossed about $2 million. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
Architect’s wooden model, $4,485, Antique Acquisitions
An architect’s wooden model of Rhode Island Hospital, done in 1893 by A.C. Morse, sold for $4,485 at an auction held Oct. 29 by Antique Acquisitions LLC in Pawtucket, R.I. Also, a mixed media artwork by George Grosz brought $3,450, a metal Henry Ford plaque from 1948 went for $402, a movie poster for the silent picture The Ninety and Nine coasted to $345, a Simpson Beverages tin litho garnered $172, gold watches averaged $503 each, and fountain pens averaged $300 each. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Ben Austrian painting, $82,950, Pook & Pook
An oil on canvas painting of a cat and dog by Ben Austrian, signed lower right and dated 1905, 20 inches by 26 inches, sold for $82,950 at a sale of the collection of Lester and Barbara Breininger held Nov. 11-12 by Pook & Pook Inc., in Downingtown, Pa. Also, a 19th century Pennsylvania redware figure of a man, 8 inches tall, drinking from a jug while sitting on a stump, climbed to $35,550, and an early 19th century Pennsylvania painted poplar chest of drawers fetched $13,035. Prices include an 18.5 percent in-house buyer’s premium, and 21.5 percent via the Internet.
Dale Nichol painting, $72,000, Shannon’s
An oil on canvas painting by Dale Nichol, titled Arizona Twilight, sold for $72,000 at an auction of American and European paintings, drawings and sculptures held Oct. 27 by Shannon’s in Milford, Conn. The top lot of the sale was Jasper Cropsey’s oil on canvas work titled Greenwood Lake, which realized $252,000. Also, Martha Walter’s The Blue Umbrella breezed to $66,000, Howard McLean’s Mott Street Fiesta garnered $48,000, and Luigi Lucioni’s landscape work The Pine Through the Birches made $43,200. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Ivory bodhisattva, $5,581, Clarke Auc.
A 14-inch-tall carved figural ivory bodhisattva sold for $5,581 at an auction held Oct. 23 by Clarke Auctioneers in Larchmont, N.Y. Also, an original oil painting of a beach scene by Heywood Hardy topped out at $25,850, one lot consisting of a carved jade-handled letter opener, a carved elephant and a carved snuff bottle soared to $15,275, a Nakashima spindle-backed settee commanded $2,937, a pair of Mont wood and upholstered chairs hit $1,997, and an Eames yew wood and chrome desk made $1,410. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Ritchfield Aviation lens, $15,400, Matthews Auc.
A Ritchfield Aviation Gasoline 15-inch single lens in a high-profile metal body, just the fourth such lens known and rated 9 out of 10 for condition, sold for $15,400 at an auction held Nov. 26 by Matthews Auctions LLC in Raymond, Ill. Also, a single-sided oval porcelain road sign (or historical marker) for the Santa Fe Trail coasted to $3,520, a Shell “Aviation Service” 5-inch by 16-inch porcelain pump plate sign brought $2,530, and a Power-Lube Motor Oil porcelain sign made $2,200. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
William P. Phelps oil, $18,400, Louis J. Dianni
An original oil on canvas painting by William Preston Phelps (American, 1848-1923), titled Carving the Pumpkin, circa 1855, still housed in its original frame, sold for $18,400 at an auction held Oct. 9-10 by Louis J. Dianni in Hartford, Conn. Also, an 82-inch work by Antonio Jacobsen of the tugboat George K. Kirkha went for $16,100, a three-piece set of Mughal empire armor consisting of a shield, a helmet and a gauntlet, circa 18th century, rose to $9,200, and a Middle Eastern scene by Lockwood de Forest made $7,110. Prices include the buyer’s premium.
