Men’s Longines watch, $50,600, Cottone Auctions
A rare and handsome men’s Longines wristwatch, purchased in the 1940s and descended in the same family ever since, sold for $50,600 at an Advertising, Scientific and Art Auction held May 31 by Cottone Auctions in Geneseo, N.Y. Also, a Chelsea “Wardroom” clock, made by the American Ship Building Co., Cleveland, Ohio, chimed on time for $15,000; a set of 12 Royal Doulton hand-painted and relief gold leafed plates fetched $8,050; and a Merchants Union Express Co. lithograph gaveled for $6,500. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
English cameo art glass vase, $260,000, Woody Auction
A museum-quality, finely carved English cameo art glass vase by Thomas Webb, 9 1/2 inches tall and signed “G. Woodall 1887,” sold for $260,000 at Part 2 of the sale of a lifetime collection of fine art glass and porcelain held May 29 by Woody Auction in Wichita, Kan. Also, another Thomas Webb English cameo art glass vase, signed “G. Woodall” brought $45,000; and a 17 1/2-inch-tall Tiffany art glass vase with a beautiful red body and green iridescent decorated neck also went for $45,000. All prices quoted are hammer.
Tiffany Studios fire screen, $90,000, Morphy’s
A beautiful Moorish bronze jeweled fire screen attributed to Tiffany Studios sold for $60,000 at an estates auction held May 18-19 by S & S Auction Inc., in Repaupo, N.J. Also, a monumental pair of 19th century gilt French mirrors gaveled for $15,600; an 18th century Dutch burl walnut tall-case clock, marked Gerrit Knip & Zoon of Amsterdam, chimed on time for $15,600; a Danish rosewood tambour sideboard made $4,500; and a set of six Hans Wegner teakwood sawbuck chairs went for $3,000. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Queen Anne highboy, $32,500, Ahlers & Ogletree
A mahogany carved and figured Queen Anne highboy, probably made in Massachusetts, circa 1730-1750, sold for $32,500 at an estates auction held June 6-8 by Ahlers & Ogletree in Atlanta, Ga. Also, a Federal eagle-inlaid and figured mahogany tall-case clock attributed to Matthew Egerton (active 1785-1837) rose to $23,500; an oil painting by the Dutch artist Charles Sayers (1901-1943), titled Bali Street Scene, fetched $17,000; and a late 19th century Regina Corona Model 34 nickelodeon music player made $14,000. All prices quoted are hammer.
Set of five UAE banknotes, $16,520, Archives International
A specimen set of five nondenominational banknotes from the United Arab Emirates, a 1973-1976 issue, sold for $16,520 at an auction of U.S. and worldwide banknotes, scripophily and security printing ephemera held May 20 by Archives International Auctions in Fort Lee, N.J. Also, an Australian 10-Shilling replacement/star banknote, circa 1961-1965, graded Gem 65, garnered $6,000; and an unlisted Banco de Portugal specimen note rose to $2,832. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
Diamond and platinum ring, $143,000, Clars Auction Gallery
A stunning fancy brownish pink diamond, near colorless diamond and platinum ring sold for $143,000 at a Fine Art, Jewelry & Decoratives Auction held May 17-19 by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland, Calif. Also, a Chinese hardwood huanghuali coffer climbed to $77,400; a monumental artwork by German-American artist Friedel Dzubas (1915-1994), titled Dark Barrier (1983), garnered $53,600; and a gorgeous 1954 Chevrolet Corvette in original condition went for $65,500. Prices include a 19 percent buyer’s premium.
Apollo 15 hand controller, $610,063, RR Auction
A hand controller used by Dave Scott during the Apollo 15 mission to land on the moon’s surface in 1971 sold for $610,063 in an online auction that began May 15 and ended May 29 by RR Auction, based in Boston. Also, a flown Crewman Optical Alignment Sight (COAS) flown to the surface of the moon on board Apollo 15, rocketed to $126,179; and Buzz Aldrin’s Apollo 11 NASA-issued lunar “comfort” glove, worn at Tranquility Base in the first lunar landing, hit $61,212. Prices include a 22.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Certified jade ring, $11,800, Michaan’s
A certified jade ring – a beautifully translucent jadeite cabochon offset by a wide band of 18K white gold encrusted in over 50 diamonds – sold for $11,800 at an estate auction held June 1 by Michaan’s Auctions in Alameda, Calif. Also, another jade ring sailed past its $600-$800 estimate to fetch $3,245; a vibrant geometric Navajo wool rug reached $5,900; a mixed media on paper by Leonel Gongora, titled Exorcismo, rose to $3,245; and a Chinese carpet with intricate dragon motif design hit $2,655. Prices include a 17 percent buyer’s premium.
Carved wooden Bassa figure, $90,000, Kaminski Auctions
A carved wooden Bassa figure from Liberia, previously thought to be a Nkishi power figure, sold for $90,000 at a sale of African art and artifacts held May 10 by Kaminski Auctions in Beverly, Mass. Bassa figures are classified as ancestral figures, the use of which is unknown even to scholars on the subject. According to the tribal arts collector who purchased the item, the figure appears to be just the second example ever seen by the general public. It will now undergo carbon-14 dating to confirm its age. The price includes a 17 percent buyer’s premium.
Assembled jewelry set, $19,200, John Moran
An assembled set of amethyst and 18K gold jewelry – a brooch by Jean Schlumberger and ear clips by David Webb – sold as a single lot for $19,200 at a Fine Jewelry & Luxury Auction held May 20 by John Moran Auctioneers in Altadena, Calif. Also, a fine pair of earrings set in 18K white gold, with natural oval-cut rubies, Burmese in origin, fetched $14,700; an 18K gold, enamel and pearl ring in the Renaissance Revival style gaveled for $9,000; and an IWC Portuguese seven-day automatic wristwatch made $7,200. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Rare Louis Vuitton trunk, $16,100, Carlsen Gallery
A rare Louis Vuitton split-top trunk sold for $16,100 at an auction held June 8 by Carlsen Gallery in Freehold, N.Y. Also, an oil on canvas by Asher B. Durand, titled Nature Study, changed hands for $24,150; a pair of cast-iron dalmatians realized $7,475; a pair of diamond solitaire earrings went for $5,750; Socks by Pavlos Dionyssopoulos hammered for $5,750; and an oil on canvas titled View of Norton Hall and the Park brought $5,750. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Art glass miniature lamp, $11,500, Jeffrey S. Evans
A rare English cameo floral and leaf pattern art glass miniature lamp, white to citron yellow, with a satin finish, white floral leaf and butterfly décor, sold for $11,500 at Part II of the Marjorie Hulsebus collection held May 31 by Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates in Mt. Crawford, Va. Also, a cameo Fuchsia Glory and Leaf pattern art glass miniature lamp realized $8,625; a hanging cast-iron miniature triple-arm chandelier lamp, embossed “Fire Fly,” brought $8,625; and a Santa Claus figural miniature lamp hit $6,900. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Marble-top serving table, $41,480, Schwenke’s Woodbury
A Georgia marble-top carved mahogany serving table sold for $41,480 at a Spring Anniversary Fine Estates Auction held June 8 by Schwenke’s Woodbury Auction in Woodbury, Conn. Also, a framed oil on canvas Chinese export scene of Macao, 20 1/2 inches by 33 inches, hammered for $10,800; an American folk art carved and decorated figure of an alligator coasted to $7,200; a small Pennsylvania walnut Queen Anne hanging wall cupboard earned $2,800; and a signed Simon Willard banjo wall clock made $3,000. All prices include the buyer’s premium.
David Hammonds artwork, $1.2 million+, Heritage Auctions
Feed Folks, 1974 – a mixed media work by David Hammonds that, along with another artwork was once traded with the artist for a Volkswagen Beetle – sold for a little more than $1.2 million at a Modern & Contemporary Art Auction held May 31 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas. Also, a vibrant untitled work from 1988 by Sam Francis realized $515,000; Francis’ Bright Saddle (1985) went for $257,000; and Story of Golden Apple vs. History of Siren’s Appeal (1994), by Lui Liu, went for $149,000. All prices include the buyer’s premium.
Map of Kyoto, Japan, $93,750, Swann Auction
A 17th century map of Kyoto as the imperial capital of Japan sold for $93,750 at a sale of Maps, Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books held June 3 by Swann Auction Galleries in New York. Also, a 19th century collection of U.S. postal route road maps by W.L. Nicholson, etc., excluding Florida, hammered for $47,500; and a first octavo edition of John James Audubon’s The Birds of America (1839-1844), with 500 hand-colored lithographed plates in seven volumes (N.Y., Phila.), hit $37,500. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Five huanghuali chairs, $143,800, Clars Auction
A group of five Chinese hardwood and huanghuali official’s hat armchairs sold for $143,000 at a Fine Art, Jewelry & Decorative Arts Auction held June 14-16 by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland, Calif. Also, two Chinese hardwood and huanghuali small compound cabinets brought $131,000; a jadeite and platinum ring featuring one free-form jadeite cabochon went for $29,000; and an oil on panel work by Emilio Sanchez-Perrier (Spanish, 1855-1907), titled Man in a Boat on a Lily Filled Pond made $17,900. Prices include a 19 percent buyer’s premium.
Samuel Betts English clock, $109,250, Jeffery S. Evans
A 17th century English ebonized-case bracket clock made by Samuel Betts of London sold for $109,250 at a sale of Americana, Antiques and Fine & Decorative Arts held June 21 by Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates in Mt. Crawford, Va. Also, a Chippendale side chair attributed to the shop of Robert Walker in Fredericksburg, Va., circa 1745-1760, finished at $28,750; and a Limoges dinner plate from the Lincoln White House, with rim damage, went to a descendant of Mary Todd Lincoln for $9,200. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
