Walnut pie safe, $1,760, Doan
A walnut pie safe sold for $1,760 at a sale of the estate of Betty Jane Wheatley held May 16 by Doan & Associates in Marietta, Ga. Also, a gentleman’s chest realized $990; a step-down Victorian dresser made $715; a small oak desk topped out at $715; a kitchen cabinet went for $688; a shaving stand gaveled for $413; a coffee grinder earned $413; a Victorian beaded wall pocket achieved $385; a large unsigned jug brought $385; a field desk hammered for $330; and a barber shop cabinet soared to $440. Prices include a 10 percent percent buyer’s premium.
Tiffany floor lamp,$103,500, Cottone
A beautiful Tiffany Studios maple leaf floor lamp, in excellent condition and with the original patina, sold for $103,500 at a multi-estate sale held March 21 by Cottone Auctions in Geneseo, N.Y. Also, a Tiffany Indian Basket lamp, 17 inches tall with signed shade and bronze base, made $46,000; a rare 8-gallon presentation water cooler, 17 inches tall and made by Tyler & Dillon of Albany, N.Y., hammered for $57,500; and a signed winter landscape by Walter Launt Palmer (American, 1854-1932) rose to $34,500. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Josef Israels painting, $20,700, Converse
An original oil on board painting by the Dutch artist Josef Israels (1824-1911), titled Watching and Waiting, sold for $20,700 at a multi-estate sale held April 25 by Gordon S. Converse & Co. in Malvern, Pa. Also, a fine porcelain paneled gold gilt Swiss carriage clock, late 19th century, topped out at $4,312; a John J. Audubon print of the Great White Heron, signed by R. Havel (1835), rose to $2,415; and a Federal solid cherry high chest, circa 1800 and possibly Delaware Valley in origin, reached $2,012. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Canadian error stamps, $50,850, Philip Weiss
A block of six rare Canadian error stamps, never hinged, from the corner of the sheet, sold for $50,850 at a multi-estate sale held May 8-9 by Philip Weiss Auctions in Oceanside, N.Y. Also, a two-set, 10-volume compilation by Audubon – The Birds of America and The Quadrupeds of America, published around 1840 – also achieved $50,850; an original handwritten manuscript leaf page from the book Walden by Henry David Thoreau brought $18,080; and original art by Charles Schulz of a Peanuts Sunday comics page hit $29,380. Prices include a 13 percent buyer’s premium.
E. Howard no. 61 clock, $161,000, Fontaine’s
A rare and fine E. Howard & Co. no. 61 astronomical floor standing regulator clock sold for $161,000 at a sale of vintage clocks and watches held May 30-31 by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery in Pittsfield, Mass. Also, a massive E. Howard & Co. no. 87 floor standing regulator clock with jeweled pallets and four-jar mercury pendulum brought $80,500; a Rolex Model Ref. 4500 two-tone chronograph watch realized $8,625; and a Seth Thomas 25-jewel Maiden Lane pocket watch made $3,738. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Winchester die-cut, $18,858, SoldUSA.com
A rare Winchester three-panel triangle mobile-style die-cut poster – the mate to a similar one that sold in March – sold for $18,858 in an Internet and catalog auction that ended May 30-31 by SoldUSA.com, based in Matthews, N.C. Also, an original still-life watercolor painting by Adolf Hitler, signed and dated 1912, gaveled for $11,046; a Winchester “Double W” bullet board in near-mint original condition made $18,645; and a Peters Quick Shot 10-gauge shell box hit $3,616. Prices include a 13 percent buyer’s premium.
Georgia walnut cellaret, $120,750, Brunk Auctions
A walnut Georgia cellaret or liquor stand, circa 1810-1830, which had Confederate currency found strapped to the bottom, sold for $120,750 at a sale of the estate of Bill and Florence Griffin of Georgia, held May 30 by Brunk Auctions in Asheville, N.C. Also, a paneled sugar box in poplar and yellow pine, circa 1840-1860, hammered for $13,800; a John Abbot watercolor of a sparrow soared to $9,200; Abbot’s 1797 book on insects in two volumes made $57,500; and his watercolor of a painted bunting brought $20,700. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Peter the Great portrait, $11,700, St. Charles
An oil on canvas portrait of a young Peter the Great sold for $11,700 at an auction held May 30-31 by St. Charles Gallery in New Orleans. Also, a polychrome two-part bibliotheque realized $7,800; an English arched top inlaid looking glass went for $6,300; a fine Regency mahogany cellaret topped out at $5,760; an interesting oil on canvas by Robert Rucker titled Federal Steamer Empire Parish brought $5,760; and a pair of rosewood side chairs attributed to John and Joseph Meeks made $5,530. Prices include a 17 percent buyer’s premium.
Chinese brushpot, $126,000, iGavel.com
A recently discovered Chinese Imperial bamboo brushpot, which had been mounted as a lamp sometime in the first half of the 20th century, sold for $126,000 in an online auction held May 12 by iGavel.com. The brushpot was complete with a long inscription and scene depicting the cultivation of cotton. Also, a pair of 18th-century Huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs realized $21,000; and a pair of 18th-century Chinese gilt-decorated black lacquer armchairs brought $22,500. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Fern Coppedge work, $42,000, Rago Arts
An original work of art by Fern Isabel Kuns Coppedge sold for $42,000 at a Fine Art Sale held May 15-16 by Rago Arts & Auction Center in Lambertville, N.J. Also, a work by Ralph Scarlett soared to $20,400; a work by Frederick William MacMonnies went for $19,200; a work by Leonard Tsugoharu Foujita commanded $14,400; a work by Jan Matulka reached $12,000; a work by Francois Stahly changed hands for $25,200; and a work by Wojieck (Voy) Fangor made $42,000. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Hepplewhite hunt board, $33,350, CRN Auctions
A gorgeous Southern Hepplewhite walnut hunt board with a New England provenance sold for $33,350 at a multi-estate sale held April 25 by CRN Auctions in Cambridge, Mass. Also, a Caucasian rug measuring 7 feet by 13 feet 7 inches, circa 1800, with a replaced Persian border, climbed to $49,450; a watercolor portrait of a woman seated on a slope at Cape Porpoise, Maine, by Alfred Thompson Bricher reached $32,200; and a nice burl bowl made by Roland Hammer circa 1955 hit $27,600. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Chinese jade carving, $112,575, Skinner Inc.
A Chinese jade carving of a lion from the Han period, second century B.C. to second century A.D., sold for $112,575 at a sale of Asian Works of Art held April 24-25 by Skinner Inc., in Boston. Also, an 18th-century Turkish saber, embellished with emeralds, diamonds and rubies and housed in a repousse silver scabbard, soared to $118,500; a 17th- or 18th-century carved rhinoceros horn libation cup brought $59,250; and a 16th-century Tibetan gilt bronze image of a Buddha changed hands for $56,288. Prices include an 18.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Bahamas Police Band, $6,490, Old Toy Soldier
A Britains 25-piece toy Bahamas Police Band sold for $6,490 at an absentee and Internet auction held May 16 by Old Toy Auctions in Pittsburgh. Also, a Britains Territorials set, attired in Coronation dress, changed hands for $2,242; a Britains eight-figure Bahamas Police set, made in 1959 for export only and featuring a sergeant and other officer, went to an Internet bidder for $2,178; and a set of Johillco’s 1930s racing greyhounds, with six sleek dogs and a starter, hit $1,888. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
Dilling’s candy dispenser, $15,500, Dan Morphy Auction
A rare Dilling’s Butter Scotch 1-cent candy dispenser, patented July 25, 1899, sold for $15,500 at a Spring Sale held May 28-30 by Dan Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pa. Also, a circa 1930s Cadillac tandem pedal car made by American National of Toledo, Ohio, made $9,360; an occupational shaving mug that once belonged to American boxer Charles Hitte, who died in 1905 at age 40, hammered for $7,500; and a pre-1900 reverse-on-glass oval corner sign for Yuengling’s Brewery soared to $6,600. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
1942 Academy Award, $53,775, Heritage Auction
T he 1942 Oscar statue presented to Richard Day for best black and white art direction in a film, for This Above All, sold for $53,775 at a sale of Music & Entertainment Memorabilia held June 5 by Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas. Also, the first-ever Academy Award for best documentary feature film, for 1947’s Design for Death, realized $33,460; a guitar personally owned and used by Elvis Presley commanded $26,290; and John Denver’s 1994 12-string acoustic K15 staged-used guitar hit $13,145. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Looff carousel horse,$8,525, Mosby & Co.
A carved circa-1910 Looff jumper carousel horse with a ruffled mane and patriotic symbols on the saddle crossed the finish line for $8,525 at a May 15 auction premiere held by Mosby & Co. in Frederick, Md. Also, a Richard Runge reverse-painted Handel table lamp with a Teroma “chipped ice” glass shade realized $4,500; a prewar Japanese celluloid Uncle Wiggly in colorful tinplate windup car, made by Kuromachi, sped off for $3,630; and a boxed Issmayer penny toy paddle boat with box rose to $3,300. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
Letter from Lee to Grant, $57,600, Swann Galleries
A handwritten letter signed from Robert E. Lee to Ulysses S. Grant, dated Oct. 1, 1864 and proposing an exchange of prisoners of war, sold for $57,600 at an Autographs Auction held April 23 by Swann Galleries in New York. The request was ultimately denied, as Lee would not include black soldiers in the exchange. Also, a George Washington franking signature on a portion of an address leaf went for $12,000; and a letter from Thomas Jefferson, when he was secretary of state in 1791, brought $13,200. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Hardwood chest-on-stand, $74,150, Weschler’s Inc.
AAn Indo-Portuguese brass mounted bone and ebony inlaid hardwood chest-on-stand sold for $74,150 at a sale of European and American Furniture and Decorations and Asian Works of Art held May 16 by Weschler’s Inc. in Washington. Also, a Victorian silver centerpiece bowl realized $25,850; a silver plate fireman’s memorial with folk art frame from the American Hose Company No. 19 (New York, 1852) rose to $15,275; and a pair of Japanese earthenware vases from the Meiji period (1868-1912) hit $11,750. Prices include a 10-17.5 percent buyer’s premium.
