Tiffany desk lamp, $81,000, Rago Arts
A jeweled Venetian gilt-bronze table lamp with a four-socket 13-inch shade and a stamped base sold for $81,000 at a Craftsman Sale of Early 20th Century Design held June 13 by Rago Arts & Auction Center in Lambertville, N.J. Also, a large and exceptional Marblehead vase, incised and painted with stylized brown and yellow roses on a polychrome band, soared to $27,600; a Lalique vase of deep blue glass (circa 1926) realized $27,600; and a Grueby tile incised with a family of elephants hit $26,400. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Andre Derain painting, $21,850, William J. Jenack
A coastal watercolor painting by the French Fauvist artist Andre Derain (1880-1954), 8-3/4 inches by 12 inches, sold for $21,850 at a multi-estate sale held May 17 by William J. Jenack Estate Appraisers & Auctioneers in Chester, N.Y. Also, a huge, 62-inch-tall cuckoo clock went for $3,565; an American School watercolor of the bark Aurelie, with Capt. Samuel Osborne’s log of an 1885 New York to Cape Town voyage, made $2,990; and an oil painting by William J. Aylward (Am., 1875-1958) hit $2,415. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Carved spoon rack, $7,344, Garth’s
A n American carved spoon rack (circa 1780-1820), probably New Jersey in origin, sold for $7,344 at the third annual Ohio Valley Auction held May 23 by Garth’s Auctions, Inc., in Delaware, Ohio. Also, an eastern Ohio or western Pennsylvania decorated pine cupboard hammered for $5,993; and a whimsical stoneware bank with a bright cobalt glaze and incised decoration of a child, flowers, a bird and the inscription “Barberton Ohio Earma L. Cox was born Dec. 25, 1908,” changed hands for $5,875. Prices include a 17.5 percent buyer’s premium.
1787 Hanukkah lamp, $314,000, Skinner, Inc.
A rare and important silver and silver gilt Synagogue Ark-form Hanukkah lamp, originating in Brody (Galicia) and dated 1787, sold for $314,000 at a sale of Fine Judaica held May 21 by Skinner, Inc., in Boston, Mass. Also, a Russian silver Temple-form Hanukkah lamp from Kiev rose to $189,600; a Polish silver Hanukkah lamp from the early 19th century went for $142,200; and a Polish Torah crown (circa 1840) climbed to $65,175. More than 200 lots of antique and artisan Judaica sold. The sale grossed $1.2 million. Prices include an 18.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Newcomb College vase, $169,200, Neal Auction
A Newcomb College art pottery high-glaze vase made in 1904 sold for $169,200 at a Summer Estates Auction held June 27-28 by Neal Auction Company in New Orleans, La. It was a new world auction record for a Newcomb object at auction. The vase, 13 inches tall and 5-½ inches in diameter, featured an incised design of jackmanii climbing clematis in blue, green and yellow underglaze. The base was marked with the Newcomb cipher, the decorator’s mark and Joseph Meyer’s potter’s mark. The price included a 17.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Adler flatware service, $15,525, Leland Little Auction
An important and complete 132-piece modern hammered sterling flatware service for twelve by the renowned California silversmith Allan Adler sold for $15,525 at an Historic Hillsborough Auction held June 13-14 by Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd., in Hillsborough, N.C. Also, a French mid-19th century Raingo Freres figural mantel clock brought $9,775; a signed Tiffany Studios desk lamp realized $8,912; and a 19th-century American still life theorem (watercolor on velvet work) hit $8,625. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Two Chippendale chairs, $163,800, Pook & Pook
A pair of Chippendale-style mahogany dining chairs after a design by Manwaring sold for $163,800 at a sale of the collection of Elroy P. and Helen Livinggood Masters of Berksveldt Farm, held June 19-20 by Pook & Pook in Downingtown, Pa. Also, a carving of a painted tiger by Wilhelm Schimmel, 4½ inches tall, brought $81,900; Georgian two-light candelabra (circa 1776), 16½ inches tall, realized $39,780; and a George III painted three-tier wrought iron flower stand (circa 1800) hit $18,720. Prices include a 17 percent buyer’s premium.
70-carat lady’s necklace, $88,500, Kodner Galleries
A vintage 70-carat diamond, emerald and platinum lady’s necklace sold for $88,500 at a sale billed as the Bernie Madoff Victims Auction held May 20-21 by Kodner Galleries in Dania Beach, Fla. Proceeds went to help victims of Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. Also, a bronze sculpture by Harriet Whitney Frishmuth (Am., 1880-1980), titled Rhapsody (circa 1925), commanded $30,680; a 19th-century carved Continental ivory knight figure triptych brought $29,500; and a 19th-century Swiss carved ivory tankard hit $17,700. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
Middleton painting, $100,800, Jackson’s
A 26-inch-by-39-inch watercolor painting by John Izard Middleton (American, 1785-1849) sold for $100,800 at an auction held June 23-24 by Jackson’s International in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It was a new world auction record for a painting by the artist. Also, an oil-on-canvas landscape scene by Marvin Cone (Iowa, 1891-1964), titled Pageantry II (circa 1958-1960, 18 inches by 24 inches), made $96,000; and an oil-on-canvas painting by Edward E. Simmons (American, 1852-1931), 40 inches by 32 inches, hit $93,600. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
Tiffany Studios Clematis lamp, $69,000, James D. Julia
A Tiffany Studios Clematis lamp with flared shade and featuring pastel flowers over a mottled amber background sold for $69,000 at a Rare Lamp & Art Glass Auction held June 19-20 by James D. Julia, Inc., in Fairfield, Maine. Also, a Duffner & Kimberly Louis XV leaded lamp realized $47,150; a Pairpoint Puffy White Owl lamp, one of only seven known, flew to $42,550; a large Tiffany vase with wheel carved and cameo decoration fetched $37,375; and a Tiffany leaded lamp with leaded shade earned $17,250. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
1948 Indian Chief motorcycle, $25,300, Matthews Auctions
A nicely restored yellow 1948 Indian Chief Roadmaster vintage motorcycle sped away for $25,300 at the lifetime estate sale of Don Fiedler held May 2-3 in Cedar Point, Ill., by Matthews Auctions, LLC, of Nokomis, Ill., in conjunction with Gavin Pope Auction Co. Also, a 1949 Harley-Davidson motorcycle went for $22,550; a rare AFM Register Repair Shop (for motorcycles) porcelain flange sign realized $10,725; and an Art Deco style Milwaukee model #860 clock-face gas pump made $5,170. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
5-pc. bedroom suite, $51,700, Stevens Auction
A stunning 5-piece rosewood Victorian bedroom suite, signed Mitchell & Rammelsberg (circa 1860), sold for $51,700 at the living estate sale of Katherine Creamer of Mobile, Ala., held June 13 by Stevens Auction Co., in Aberdeen, Miss. Also, a rosewood half-tester plantation bed by C. Lee (circa 1855) achieved $22,000; a rosewood marble-top etagere attributed to Daniel Pabst (circa 1855) realized $13,750; and a German mahogany grandfather clock with 9-tube Westminster chime, 8 feet tall, hit $4,675. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
Marklin Iowa battleship, $46,000, Noel Barrett
A Marklin circa-1903 Iowa painted-tin battleship, 22 inches long, in immaculate condition, sold for $46,000 at a Toys of Summer Auction held June 19-20 by Noel Barrett in New Hope, Pa. Also, a tinplate crank-operated Vielmetter Clown Artist with four changeable cams, enabling the clown to “draw” portraits, rose to $10,350; a French-made Fernand Martin tin wind-up Black Waiter gaveled for $16,100; and a pair of Issmayer clockwork tin trolleys, made in Germany for the U.S. market, made $9,200. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Patek Philippe watch, $44,840, Ivey-Selkirk
A Patek Philippe 18k gold man’s automatic wristwatch with a gold link Patek Philippe bracelet sold for $44,840 at a sale of Fine and Decorative Art, American Paintings, Sculpture & Jewelry held June 6-8 by Ivey-Selkirk in St. Louis, Mo. Also, an oil-on-canvas painting of a New York rainy street scene by Paul Cornoyer (Am., 1864-1923) topped out at $40,120; a Chinese Peking enamel wall plaque went to a London phone bidder for $25,960; and a Persian Hamadan palace carpet (circa 1930) realized $23,600. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
French Art Deco clock, $158,500, Doyle N.Y.
A French Art Deco clock, made around 1935 by Cartier and encased in spinach jade and trimmed in blue enamel and 18k gold, sold for $158,500 at a Belle Epoque Auction held June 3 by Doyle New York. Also, a Tiffany Studios bronze and leaded Favrile glass bamboo lamp hammered for $68,500; a bronze work by Henry Kirke Brown (American, 1814-1886), titled Choosing of the Arrow, brought $86,500; and a striking micromosaic circular table top depicting scenes of Rome topped out at $50,000. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Redfield painting, $163,800, Alderfer
An original 1920s painting by Pennsylvania artist Edward Redfield, depicting the quaint river town of Center Bridge, Pa. (near New Hope, where the artist lived), sold for $163,800 at a Fine and Decorative Arts Auction held June 11-12 by Sanford Alderfer Auction & Appraisal in Hatfield, Pa. Also, a work titled Mill Road at Night by fellow Pennsylvania Impressionist George W. Sotter rose to $96,000; and a period Louis XV French ormolu mounted bureau-plat writing desk changed hands for $81,900. Prices include a 17 percent buyer’s premium.
Mary Cassatt etching, $118,000, South Bay Auctions
A drypoint etching by Mary Cassatt, titled Les Canards and depicting two women and a young girl in a boat near a group of ducks, sold for $118,000 at an auction held June 20 by South Bay Auctions in East Moriches, N.Y. Most of the sale comprised the estate of Cynthia Phipps. A portrait of the Phipps’ thoroughbred horse, Oedipus, painted by Franklin Brooke Voss in 1951, achieved $30,680; another etching by Cassatt, titled The Banjo Lesson, brought $93,220; and a Tiffany linen-fold shade hit $17,700. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
The Federalist Papers, $95,600, Heritage Auction Galleries
A first-edition copy of The Federalist Papers, America’s first important political philosophy treatise, sold for $80,000 at a Rare Books & Historical Manuscripts Auction held June 16 by Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas. The consignor was Capt. Nathan Harlan, an Indiana National Guardsman preparing to ship out for his second tour of duty. Under the circumstances, Heritage waived its customary seller’s fee. Also, an historic second-edition copy of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense rose to $56,760. Prices include a 19.5 percent buyer’s premium.
