A very fine late 18th-century Southern desk and bookcase from Charleston, S.C., sold for $86,250 at an auction held Sept. 11-12 by Brunk Auctions in Asheville, N.C. Also, a watercolor over pencil on paper by Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009), titled Shore Pine (1939), hammered for $117,300; a signed oil on canvas by Percival Leonard Rousseau (Am., 1859-1937), titled End of a Perfect Day, Allen’s Flag and Queen (1923), made $75,000; and A.B. Frost’s watercolor work Summer Woodcock hit $55,200. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
George III armchairs,$53,325, Skinner Inc.
A fine pair of early George III carved mahogany library armchairs sold for $53,325 at a European Furniture & Decorative Arts Sale held Oct. 1-2 by Skinner Inc. in Boston. Also, a pair of Wedgwood solid blue jasper tea urns and covers from England, late 18th century, coasted to $47,400; a large gold-washed Chinese silver model of a scene at a gate, late 19th/early 20th century, realized $34,365; and a large Chinese export silver trophy urn, 19th century Hong Kong, by Wang Hing & Co. brought $30,810. Prices include an 18.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Tiffany bronze floor lamp, $135,600, Philip Weiss Auction
A Tiffany Studios leaded glass bronze floor lamp with a bamboo-style base and a dragonfly type shade sold for $135,600 at an estates sale held Sept. 24-26 by Philip Weiss Auctions in Oceanside, N.Y. Also, three original Peanuts comic strip, drawn by the legendary illustrator Charles Schulz, went for a combined $41,245; an archive of 1940s material pertaining to the short-lived Tucker automobile sped off for $19,200; and a figural statue of a boy and a girl by Romanelli Fratelli (circa 1888) rose to $20,340. Prices include a 13 percent buyer’s premium.
Mesa table, circa 1960, $56,250, Doyle New York
A mesa table designed circa 1960 for Widdicomb by Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings (Bristish-American, 1905-1976) sold for $56,250 at a semiannual Doyle + Design Auction held Sept. 28 by Doyle New York. Also, two circa 1950 steel and glass whimsical busts by Franz Hagenauer (Austrian, 1906-1986) realized $31,250 each; a Georg Jensen (Danish, 1866-1935) Grapevine pattern five-light candelabrum designed in 1920 brought $27,500; and an abstract work by Robert A. Goodnough (American, born 1917) hit $11,875. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Martin Lewis drypoint, $50,400, Swann Galleries
A 1930 drypoint by Martin Lewis titled Shadow Dance, depicting a bevy of lovely young women in cloche hats, sold for $50,400 (an auction record for the artist) at a sale of Prints, Drawings & Paintings of New York held Sept. 16 by Swann Galleries in New York. Also, Edward Hopper’s 1921 etching Night Shadows brought a record $38,400; Lewis Lozowick’s 1936 lithograph Mural Study: Lower Manhattan achieved a record $19,200; and Raphael Soyer’s 1933 lithograph The Mission made a record $18,000. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
John Brown painting, $192,950, Weschler’s
An original oil painting of a Young Aspiring Sailor by American artist John George Brown (1831-1913) sold for $192,950 at an auction held Sept. 25 by Weschler’s in Washington, D.C. Also, an oil portrait of a royal child by Hendrick Berckman (1629-1679) topped out at $39,950; a silvered bronze sculpture of La Fleur by Puerto Rican artist Angel Botello (1913-1986) garnered $29,375; and a Tiffany Studios Favrile glass and gilt bronze 12-light Lily floor lamp, made circa 1910, lit up the room for $43,475. Prices include a 17.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Flora Danica dinnerware, $44,702, Alderfer Auction
A pristine, never used Royal Copenhagen Flora Danica dinner service for 12 sold in several lots for a combined $44,702 at a Fine & Decorative Arts Auction held Sept. 9-10 by Alderfer Auctions & Appraisal in Hatfield, Pa. Also, a 25-inch by 30-inch painting by Bucks County (Pa.) artist Walter E. Baum, titled Winter Brook, achieved $19,200; a 19-inch-tall bronze sound sculpture by Harry Bertoia breezed to $16,800; and a 19th-century landscape by Xanthus Smith, titled The Ferry at the Mill, soared to $9,600. Prices include a 17 percent buyer’s premium.
Arthur Hennessey vase, $134,200, Rago Arts
An Arthur Hennessey Marblehead vase with blossoms sold for $134,200 at a 20th Century Design Sale held Oct. 1-3 by Rago Arts & Auction Center in Lambertville, N.J. Also, a David Hunter for Roycroft copper and silver candelabrum realized $51,850; a Roberta B. Kennon for Newcomb College-type vessel climbed to $42,700; a Louis Comfort Tiffany sketchbook made $42,700; a Tiffany Studios lamp with a daffodil shade brought $41,480; and a David Hunter for Roycroft table lamp fetched $39,650. Prices include a 22 percent buyer’s premium.
1856-O double eagle, $345,000, Heritage
An 1856-O double eagle gold coin, graded XF45+ by NGC, sold for $345,000 at a Signature U.S. Coin Auction held in September by Heritage Auction Galleries in Long Beach, Calif. Also, a 1796 50-cent piece with 16 stars (VF25) realized $69,000; an 1895 $1 piece with deep cameo (PR64) rose to $60,375; an 1876 $3 cameo gold coin (PR64) changed hands for $54,625; an 1886 $20 gold coin in XF45 condition topped out at $54,625; and an 1874-CC 10-cent piece with arrows (AU50) coasted to $50,313. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
American eagle shield, $9,487, Gould Auctions
A wooden shield with a paint decorated American eagle found a new owner for $9,487 at an auction held Aug. 28 by Gould Auctions at the Maine Sportsman Club in Gardiner, Maine. Also, a nice hooked rug with a large turkey in the center went for $9,200; a knife box with a heart-shaped cutout handle and finished in a vibrant red paint changed hands for $4,312; and a cute little carved folk art wooden squirrel reminiscent of a chalk figure crossed the finish line at $2,645. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Octagonal diamond ring, $158,600, Leslie Hindman
An octagonal step-cut diamond weighing about 15.20 carats set in platinum with baguettes sold for $158,600 at a Fine Jewelry & Timepieces Auction held Sept. 15 by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago. Also, a marquise-cut diamond weighing about 10.39 carats set in platinum brought $109,800; a yellow gold ring containing an oval brilliant cut diamond weighing about 3.62 carats with D color and VVS2 clarity realized $97,600; and irradiated green and yellow diamonds fetched $56,120 and $43,920 respectively. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Joseph Floch oil, $25,850, Clarke Auction Gallery
An original oil painting by Joseph Floch, titled Two Models in My Studio, sold for $25,850 at the eighth annual Fine Art Auction held Sept. 12 by Clarke Auction Gallery in Larchmont, N.Y. Also, a work by Indonesian artist Anton Huang, titled Three Balinese Dancers, signed and dated “Bali 93,” topped out at $18,800; a colorful screen print by pop art icon Andy Warhol titled Geronimo, from an edition of 250, went for $14,100; and a tempera on board by Carroll Cloar titled The Tryst gaveled for $12,925. Prices include a 17.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Leather fire buckets, $5,750, John McInnis
A pair of leather fire buckets believed to have come from a member of a fire company in Marblehead, Mass., sold for $5,750 at the on-site sale of the contents of the Pearson family homestead in Byfield, Mass., held Aug. 20 by John McInnis Auctioneers, based in Amesbury, Mass. Also, several millstones on the property were sold, including one for $1,955; an 18th-century sword with a hand wrought hilt and a reeded bone handle went for $3,355; and a carved Victorian blanket chest fetched $575. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
White jade ting, $115,000, Eldred’s
A Ch’ien Lung period Chinese white jade ting (incense burner form), carved with lattice, lappet and mask designs, sold for $115,000 at an Asian Arts Auction held Aug. 26-28 by Eldred’s Auctioneers & Appraisers in East Dennis, Mass. Also, a hu-form gilt-bronze vase from the Han dynasty (or earlier) went for $92,000; an 18th-century figure of an elephant that sold in a previous 1978 Eldred’s auction was sold again for $86,250; and a 10 1/4-inch Chou dynasty Hsuan-chi notched disk in brown jade rose to $57,500. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
T. Owens painting, $2,300, Applebrook Auctions
A 19th-century oil on canvas rendering of six cows, housed in an ornate gilt frame and signed T. Owens, sold for $2,300 at an estates sale held Sept. 24 by Applebrook Auctions in Southbury, Conn. Also, a large 19th-century oil on canvas depicting a classical genre scene and signed Heva Coomans (of Belgium), drew a top bid of $1,898; a set of 10 retro metal stacking chairs from the 1970s changed hands for $1,524; and a vintage Art Deco Orangina poster went to a determined bidder for $890. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Unsigned ship’s portrait, $35,550, Skinner Inc.
An unsigned ship’s portrait of the square rigger Rapphannock, a vessel built in Bath, Maine in 1841 by Clark & Sewall, sold for $35,550 at an auction held Aug. 14-15 by Skinner Inc. in Marlborough, Mass. Also, a Pennsylvania tiger-maple spice chest made in New London Township in Chester County breezed to $23,700; a late 19th-century flattened full-body ram weather vane with a detailed curly coat realized $15,405; and a pieced and appliquéd Baltimore album quilt commanded $15,405. Prices include an 18.5 percent buyer’s premium.