A contemporary work by Richard Joseph Anuszkiewicz, titled Fenced, sold for $68,750 at a Fine Art Auction held May 12 by Rago Arts & Auction Center in Lambertville, N.J. Also, Julien Stanczak’s Unrestful Space realized $59,375; an untitled work by Raymond Pettibon brought $50,000; George William Sotter’s A Little House, Winter breezed to $53,125; Frederick Judd Waugh’s Seascape hammered for $43,750; and a pair of bronzes by Harriet Whitney Frishmuth (Star and The Vine) made $22,500 and $13,750. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Paul Cornoyer work, $96,000, Shannon’s
An original oil painting by American artist Paul Cornoyer (1864-1923), titled A Spring Day, New York and depicting carriages in New York City, sold for $96,000 at a Fine Art Auction held April 26 by Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers in Milford, Conn. Also, a scene titled New York Harbor by Edward Moran (American, 1829-1901), done circa 1875, went for $75,000; a small Long Island harbor scene by William Glackens (American, 1870-1938) brought $60,000; and Francis L. Mora’s American Gladiators made $52,800. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Rare Masonic/eagle flask, $17,360, American Bottle
A rare and early blown glass Masonic/eagle flask, made circa 1822-1840 by the Keene-Marlboro Street Glass Works, sold for $17,360 in an Internet and catalog auction held April 27-May 6 by American Bottle Auctions (www.americanbottle.com), based in Sacramento, Calif. Also, a late 19th century target ball made by the Johnston Great Western Gun Works of Pittsburgh hit $12,880; an 1850s Wynkoop & Co. Tonic Mixture bottle rose to $8,400; and an Old Pioneer Whiskey bottle with a perfect 10 grade coasted to $6,720. Prices include a 12 percent buyer’s premium.
1855 Chinese banknote, $10,620, Archives International
An 1855 Chinese Year 5 Board of Revenue 3-Taels issued banknote, graded very fine, sold for $10,620 at an auction held May 15 by Archives International Auctions in Fort Lee, N.J. Also, an uncut sheet of 64 experiment specimen postage stamps (circa 1890-1910), with a Liberty vignette graphic, rose to $5,310; a 1933 National Bank Ltd., Dublin, Ireland currency commission 5-pound bank note brought $4,720; and an 1889 issue Espanol de Puerto Rico (San Juan) 5-peso unlisted specimen banknote made $4,425. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
Chinese bronze deity, $151,450, Sterling Associates
A three-section Chinese bronze deity with multiple arms sold for $151,450 at an Art and Antiques Auction held March 31 by Sterling Associates in Closter, N.J. Also, an original oil on canvas painting by Vittorio Matteo Corcos (Italian, 1859-1933), titled Portrait of Anna Maria Borghese, hammered for $52,425; an original oil on canvas landscape by the African-American contemporary artist Richard Mayhew changed hands for $11,359; and a jade-covered rosewood (or huanghuali) box topped out at $3,961. Prices include a 16.6 percent buyer’s premium.
Charles Perdew mallard hen, $184,000, Guyette, Schmidt & Deeter
A carved sleeping mallard hen by Charles Perdew of Henry, Ill., sold for $184,000 at the 26th annual Spring Decoy Auction held April 26-27 by Guyette, Schmidt & Deeter, based in St. Michaels, Md. The sale was held in St. Charles, Ill. Also, a John English canvasback drake flew off for $115,000, a new world auction record for the carver; a Charles Walker mallard hen realized $34,500; a Charles Clark curlew garnered $69,575; and a Daniel Lake Leeds ruddy turnstone made $41,400. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
Colt Navy revolver, $368,000, Rock Island
A serial no. 1 exhibition engraved and cased Colt Navy cartridge revolver, inscribed and presented to Colt employee Lewis Sheldon when he retired from the company in 1871, sold for $368,000 at an auction held April 20-22 by Rock Island Auction Co. in Rock Island, Ill. Also, an original 1883 Gatling gun fired away for $241,500; a Colt Cavalry model single-action firearm brought $161,000; and a rare cased presentation Colt No. 3 Paterson revolver with accessories went for $230,000. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Bouguereau paintings, $1.2 million, Hindman
Two paintings by William Adolphe Bouguereau (one shown) sold for a combined $1.2 million at a Contemporary, Modern, American & European Art Auction held May 2 by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago. The successful bidders were both from the United Kingdom. Also, Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky’s Woman in a White Hat soared to $292,000; Salvator Marchesi’s Altar Boys reached $36,600 (a new auction record for the artist); and an Antoine Blanchard street scene brought $31,720. Prices include a 12 percent buyer’s premium.
18th century blue flask, $270,000, Skinner Inc.
A disc-shaped, copper red and underglaze blue flask from the 18th century with the Qianlong mark at the base sold for $270,000 at an Asian Works of Art Sale held April 20-21 by Skinner Inc. in Boston. Also, a 17th century rhinoceros horn libation cup depicting several chilong commanded $67,375; a bottle-form vase from the K’ang-hsi period coasted to $79,625; a hanging scroll depicting branches, attributed to Qi Baishi, brought $65,175; and a finely crafted Chinese huanghuali table went for $41,475. Prices include an 18.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Bridgman painting, $270,000, John Moran
A magnificent North African street scene by American-born Orientalist Frederic Arthur Bridgman sold for $270,000 at a Fine Art Sale held April 17 by John Moran Auctioneers in Pasadena, Calif. Also, a rendering of expertly arranged apples on a reflective mahogany tabletop by William J. McCloskey hammered for $90,000; a work by Hanson Puthuff, titled Approaching Storm – Verdugo, climbed to $45,000; and Francis Altee Caldwell’s Beach Car made $21,600, a new auction record for the artist. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Baccarat perfume bottle, $63,600, Int’l P.B. Assn.
A Baccarat perfume bottle designed for Patanwalla and containing the perfume Bhagwan, showing a male deity with enameled detail and housed in its original luxury box, sold for $63,600 at an auction held at the 24th annual convention of the International Perfume Bottle Association in Jacksonville, Fla. Also, a continental figural perfume brooch of enameled sterling silver in the form of a rose realized $20,400; and a Viard figural bottle with blue patination, created for Ramses (Sphinx d’Or) made $19,200. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Whistler pastel work, $650,500, Doyle N.Y.
A pastel on paper by James Abbott McNeill Whistler (American, 1834-1903), titled White and Pink (The Palace), depicting the facade of a Venetian palazzo on the Grand Canal, sold for $650,500 at an American Art Auction held May 9 by Doyle New York in New York City. It was a new world auction record for a work on paper by Whistler. A record was also set for a work by Edward Gray. The price includes a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Untitled Tancredi oil, $225,950, Clars Auction
A framed, untitled oil on canvas by Italian artist Parmeggiani Tancredi (1927-1964) sold for $225,950 at a Fine Art & Antiques Sale held May 19-20 by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland, Calif. Also, a pair of Chinese huanghuali yoke-back chairs, Qing Dynasty, brought $59,250; and a bronze sculpture by Louis Ernest Barrias (French, 1841-1905), titled Nature Revealing Herself to Science, attained $24,885. Prices include a 19 percent buyer’s premium.
John Sloan painting, $84,000, Barridoff
An original oil on canvas painting by John Sloan (American, 1871-1951), titled Gloucester Seacoast, sold for $84,000 at an American and European Art Auction held April 25 by Barridoff Galleries, based in Portland, Maine. The sale was held in the Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art in Portland. Also, an oil on canvas by Martin Lewis (American, 1881-1962), titled Shadow Pattern, topped out at $49,200; and a painting by Luigi Loir (French, 1845-1916), titled Evening Champs-Elysees, commanded $48,000. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
George Bellows litho, $108,000, Swann Galleries
A lithograph of George Bellows’ boxing classic Dempsey and Firpo, arguably the greatest American sports painting of all time, sold for $108,000 at a sale of Old Masters through Modern Prints held April 25 by Swann Auction Galleries in New York City. It was the second-highest price ever paid at auction for the lithograph. Also, a set of six etchings from James Abbott McNeil Whistler’s Jubilee or Naval Review Set (1887), created to honor the 50th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Victoria, hit $78,000. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
6-panel Oriental screen, $61,360, Thomas Cornell
A six-panel carved Oriental screen sold for $61,360 at an auction held May 5 by Thomas Cornell Galleries Ltd., in Patchogue, N.Y. Also, two 18th century Italian wood carved angels changed hands for $12,980; a William and Mary period secretary went for $10,030; an 18th entury Dutch tall case clock chimed on time for $7,316; a Tabriz rug topped out at $3,540; and a Feregham Sarouk center medallion Oriental rug (6 feet 6 inches by 4 feet 6 inches), wowed the crowd for $8,968. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
Incised stoneware jug, $402,900, Pook & Pook
An incised, eagle decorated stoneware jug, made circa 1825-1830 by Absalom Stedman, 19 1/4 inches tall, sold for $402,900 at an auction held May 5 by Pook & Pook in Downingtown, Pa. Also, an early 19th century New England scrimshaw whale’s tooth, 6 1/4 inches tall, coasted to $88,875; a molded copper 10-point leaping stag weather vane, circa 1880, 33 inches tall by 37 inches long, hit $71,100; and a circa-1880 Chippendale maple two-part chest-on-chest attributed to Moses Hazen of Weare, N.H., made $35,550. Prices include an 18.5 percent buyer’s premium.