A 3.23-carat diamond ring sold for $33,600 at a Fine Jewelry Sale held Aug. 28 by John Moran Auctioneers in Pasadena, Calif. Also, a signed Cartier hand brooch, crafted with 18kt gold and old European-cut diamonds, realized $22,800; a man’s platinum, diamond and emerald dresser set fetched $6,600; a classic Louis Vuitton hard suitcase went for $3,300; and a late 19th century French pendant, peppered with rose-cut diamonds and seed pearls, changed hands for $2,700. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Roman gold Aureus, $203,150, Heritage
A gold Aureus coin of the Roman Emperor Macrinus, dated to 218 A.D., sold for $203,150 at Part 2 of the sale of the Shoshana Collection of Judaean Coins held Sept. 5 by Heritage Auctions in conjunction with the Long Beach Coin and Collectibles Expo. Also, a superb year 4 silver shekel from the Jewish War (66-70 A.D.) climbed to $66,725; a bronze prutah from Mattatayah Antigonus (40-37 B.C.) fetched $56,762; and a silver sela from the 132-135 A.D. Bar Kokhba revolt made $56,762. Prices include a 19.5 percent buyer’s premium.
Kelly’s Old Cabin bottle, $45,360, American Bottle Auctions
A Kelly’s Old Cabin bitters bottle, made during the Civil War and in a rare light green color, sold for $45,360 in an auction held Aug. 17-26 by American Bottle Auctions (americanbottle.com), based in Sacramento, Calif. Also, a Fine Old Port label under glass back bar bottle, made in the 1880s by S.B. Rothenberg (Oakland, Calif.), graded 9.5, commanded $30,240; and a Lafayette/DeWitt Clinton half-pint flask (GI-81a), in a nice medium olive and amber color, graded 9.7, hit $12,880. Prices include a 12 percent buyer’s premium.
Sinclair Aircraft sign, $5,860, $19,800, Matthews
A rare Sinclair Aircraft double-sided porcelain sign with plane graphics, rated 7.9 out of 10 on both sides for condition, sold for $19,800 at an auction held Sept. 14 in Ina, Ill., by Matthews Auctions LLC. It was the top lot in the sale of the single-owner lifetime collection of William “Bill” Dagg of Wayne City, Ill. Also, a Studebaker Cars-Trucks single-sided porcelain neon sign made $5,500 and a Campbell’s Condensed Vegetable Soup single-sided porcelain curved sign hit $5,225. Prices include a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
Beatles 1966 painting, $155,250, Philip Weiss
A painting done collectively by all four Beatles when the band was on tour in Japan in 1966 sold for $155,250 at an auction held Sept. 13-15 by Philip Weiss Auctions in Oceanside, N.Y. Also, a vintage 1965 Beatles autographed group photo, signed by all four band members, went for $22,200; a circa 1963 Beatles autographed album page signed in ballpoint ink by George Harrison and John Lennon brought $10,925; and an original watercolor collage painting by rock legend Frank Zappa made $10,925. Prices include a 13 percent buyer’s premium.
Steinway grand piano, $24,000, Alderfer Auction Co.
A Steinway & Sons living room grand piano from 1910 sold for $24,000 at a three-day estates sale held Sept. 11-13 by Alderfer Auction Co. in Hatfield, Pa. Also, a sculpture of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by Selma Burke realized $14,760; a bronze figural carved vessel, also by Burke, fetched $10,200; a Bovet watch hammered for $8,190; an eight-day tall-case clock by Jacob Hagey of Hilltown (Montgomery Cty., Pa.) brought $8,180; and a Patek Philippe 18kt yellow gold watch hit $6,600. Prices include a 23 percent buyer’s premium.
Sunken gold treasure, $172,500, James D. Julia
A fused cluster of three gold bars and a long gold chain encrusted in coral, from the Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de Atocha, which hit a reef off the Florida Keys during a hurricane and sank in 1622, sold for $172,500 at an auction held Aug. 21-24 by James D. Julia Inc. in Fairfield, Maine. Also, a 32-inch presentation American stoneware advertising jug from the Ottoman Brothers & Co., brought $103,500; and a rare pair of embroideries picturing 100 birds housed in rosewood frames hit $86,250. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Colt ‘Buntline Special,’ $546,250, Rock Island Auction Co.
A rare Colt 16-inch “Buntline Special” single-action Army revolver with original factory stock, one of only 10 made, sold for a record $546,250 at a Premiere Firearms Auction held Sept. 9 by Rock Island Auction Co. in Rock Island, Ill. Also, a Colt single-action revolver documented to have been taken off the hip of the slain highwayman Bob Dalton of the Dalton Gang brought $322,000; and a Colt Model 1890 Gatling gun with the original field carriage changed hands for $253,000. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Egyptian Revival chair, $40,625, Doyle New York
An Egyptian Revival chaise longue, almost identical to the piece used in the 1956 epic film The Ten Commandments, sold for $40,625 at a Belle Epoque Auction held Sept. 17 by Doyle New York. The bone inlaid mahogany chaise longue had panels decorated with seated pharaonic figures, kneeling attendants and Honus surrounded by scales, raised on front lion monopode legs and rear monopode legs with lion tails. The piece was 7 feet 3/4 inches in length and was expected to fetch $2,500. The price includes a 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Cartier dresser set, $9,775, Carlsen Gallery
A 14kt gold Cartier dresser set sold for $9,775 at a estates sale held Aug. 11 by Carlsen Gallery in Freehold, N.Y. Also, a room-size Kashan rug climbed to $9,200; a Tennessee sampler from the Hunt’s Female Academy breezed to $5,750; a group of cranberry glass vases went for $4,888; a woman’s platinum Asscher cut diamond ring sold for $4,600; a set of three 19th century copper measures changed hands for $4,600; and a Yamaha G3 grand piano played a sweet tune for $4,600. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Montegrappa pen, $5,520, Swann Auction Galleries
A Montegrappa Luxor Blue Nile Limited Edition 750 modern pen sold for $5,520 at a sale of Fine and Vintage Writing Instruments held Sept. 13 by Swann Auction Galleries in New York City. Also, Catherine the Great and Peter the Great Patron of Art Limited Edition Series pens by Montblanc went for $4,320; a Dunhill Namiki “Fern” Limited Edition maki-e realized $3,360; a circa-1905 Parker Lucky Curve #38 “Snake” pen garnered $5,520; and a 1920s early Montblanc Simplo Origino #8 chalked up $3,840. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Cartier necklace, $48,000, Weschler’s
A Cartier retro choker-length tested 18kt yellow gold, citrine and diamond necklace-brooch sold for $48,000 at a Capital Collections Estate Auction held Sept. 14 by Weschler’s Auctioneers & Appraisers in Washington, D.C. Also, three platinum solitaire diamond rings realized $21,240; an oil on canvas by John P. Beaumont (American, 1831-1876), titled View of Niagara Falls, climbed to $18,000; and a three-volume History of the Indian Tribes of North America, by Thomas L. McKenney and James Hall brought $37,200. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
Lazzell woodcut print, $106,200, Eldred’s
A white-line color woodcut print by Blanche Lazzell, titled Sail Boat and showing two men about to launch a sailboat from shore, sold for $106,200 at an Americana Auction held Aug. 1-3 by Eldred’s Auctioneers & Appraisals in East Dennis, Mass. Also, a whimsical painting by Ralph Cahoon titled Shocking Incident on Route 28 Cape Cod breezed to $56,050; an American School oil on canvas work depicting a baseball game changed hands for $14,160; and a 1917 Model T Ford chugged away for $3,630. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
N.C. Wyeth painting, $253,000, Thomaston
An oil on linen painting by N.C. Wyeth, signed in the upper left corner and titled The Great Blue Heron, sold for $253,000 at an annual Summer Auction held Aug. 25-26 by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries in Thomaston, Me. Also, a painting by Andrew George Winter (Am., 1893-1958), titled Happy Lobstering Ground, Whitehead Island, Lower Penobscot Bay, signed and dated 1940, realized $54,050; and a woman’s 18kt white gold ring with large natural oval-shaped emerald in the center hit $34,500. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Diego Rivera work, $9,700, Kaminski
A gouache on paper work by Mexican artist Diego Rivera (1886-1957), titled Mercedo des Flores, signed 1927 and including a booklet of documentation and the original sales invoice from 1944, sold for $9,700 at a 20th Century Decorative Arts Sale held in July by Kaminski Auctions in Beverly, Mass. Also, a Handel table lamp illuminated the room for $2,450; a La Verre Francais cameo glass table lamp achieved $2,400; and a sculpture by Mexican-American artist Feliciano Bejar (1920-2007) made $1,520. Prices include a 17 percent buyer’s premium.
