ATLANTA – At the start of each month, ACN columnist Ken Hall gathers top auction highlights from around the United States and beyond. Here’s what made headlines since last month’s Gallery Report. All prices include the buyer’s premium.
Saint-Gaudens statue, $506,000, Keno Auctions
A bronze sculpture of Diana by Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907), 18 feet tall and originally produced as a weathervane for Madison Square Garden, sold for $506,000 at an auction held Jan. 23 during Americana Week in New York City by Keno Auctions. Also, a Kinsman Portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart (1755-1829), topped out at $356,000; Frankenstein by William Hawkins rose to $41,000; and a Flambé Meiping vase with Qianlong mark hit $21,000.
Qing Dynasty tapestry, $12,500, Bruneau & Co.
A beautiful Chinese Qing Dynasty (or earlier) embroidered tapestry, nicely framed, sold for $12,500 in an online Estate Fine Art & Antiques auction held Jan. 28 by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers in Cranston, R.I. Also, a group of more than 50 items relating to fly fishing (slides, books, a belt buckle and artwork) fetched $4,688; a gouache on paper Arctic marine painting by William Bradford (1823-1892) hit $4,375; and a painting by Sacha Tebo (1934-2004) gaveled for $2,375.
Shooting gallery target, $27,000, Milestone Auctions
An 1880s hand-painted figural iron shooting gallery target depicting a drummer with carved-wood hands sold for $27,000 at an auction held Jan. 30 by Milestone Auctions in Willoughby, Ohio. Also, a Berdan Sharps model 1859 rifle, bore .52, brought $25,800; a Walther AC PPK pistol, .765 caliber, retrieved from Adolf Hitler’s ‘Eagle’s Nest’ mountain retreat, went for $16,800; and Sammy Davis Jr.’s .357 Magnum, 1965, with holster and belt bearing his name, hit $16,800.
John Wayne ‘True Grit’ rifle, $88,500, Old West Events
The 1892 Winchester saddle ring carbine rifle that John Wayne carried in the movie True Grit (and the sequel Rooster Cogburn), retrofitted so Wayne could do his signature one-handed chamber-loading move, sold for $88,500 at the 31st annual Mesa Old West Auction held Jan. 23 by Brian Lebel’s Old West Events in Mesa, Ariz. Also, a Sharps Creedmoor rifle with history to Montana pioneer Granville Stuart realiazed $53,100; and a Colt Model 1860 Army revolver went for $44,250.
Patrick Mahomes rookie card, $861,000, Goldin Auctions
A 2017 Panini National Treasures black #161 Patrick Mahomes signed patch rookie card, #1 of 5, graded BGS Mint 9/10, sold for $861,000 in an online auction ending Feb. 1 by Goldin Auctions based in Runnemede, N.J. It was the most ever paid for a football card. Also, a Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps #311 rookie card, PSA NM-MT 8, brought $1.6 million; and a 2012-13 National Treasures #151 Anthony Davis signed patch rookie card, #1/1, BGS Mint 9/10, topped $1 million.
Pair of Windsor chairs, $65,000, Pook & Pook
A pair of Philadelphia comb-back Windsor chairs, slightly mismatched, sold for $65,000 at an Americana & International Auction held Jan. 28-29 by Pook & Pook Inc. in Downingtown, Pa. Also, a Charles Morris Young oil on canvas brought $31,980; a beautiful winter landscape by Arthur Meltzer rang up $18,450; an Ohio painted Dutch cupboard realized $44,280; a small collection of Russian enamel wares finished at $23,124; and a New England chip carved wall box made $20,000
Angel Botello bronze, $68,750, Auctions at Showplace
A large bronze of a girl standing in the wind by Angel Botello (Spanish, 1913-1986), titled Coup de Vent II (circa 1975), signed, sold for $68,750 at an auction held Jan. 17 by Auctions at Showplace in New York City. Also, a complete portfolio of 13 Salvador Dali (Spanish, 1904-1989) signed lithographs, from the 1967 series ‘The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac,’ hit $22,500; and a Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973) earthenware pottery vase titled Face and Owl made $20,000.
Kernan football painting, $75,000, Swann Auction
An oil on canvas painting by Joseph F. Kernan, titled College Football (1932), used as cover art for an issue of The Saturday Evening Post and likely the inspiration for the iconic Heisman trophy design by Frank Eliscu in 1934, sold for $75,000 at an Illustration Art auction held Jan. 28 by Swann Auction Galleries in New York City. Also, Leslie Thrasher’s 1912 oil painting Conference on the Mound, also used as cover art for an issue of the Post, hammered for $37,500.
Copy of Batman No. 1, $2.22 million, Heritage
The finest known copy of Batman No. 1 (Spring 1940), graded 9.4 by CGC, sold for $2.22 million at a Comic & Comic Art auction held Jan. 14-17 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas. It was the most ever paid for a comic book featuring the Caped Crusader and is now the most expensive comic book ever sold by Heritage Auctions. Also, a copy of Detective Comics No. 359 from 1967, marking the debut of Batgirl, graded CGC NM/MT 9.8, changed hands for $132,000.
William Oliver painting, $40,960, Case Antiques
A romantic oil on canvas painting by William Oliver (France/U.K., 1823-1901) sold for $40,960 at a Winter Antiques Auction held Jan. 30-31 by Case Antiques in Knoxville, Tenn. Also, a small mid-19th century watercolor Caribbean landscape by Trinidad artist Michael Cazabon (1813-1888) realized $33,280; an oil landscape by Angel Botello (Puerto Rico, 1913-1986) brought $12,800; and an abstract sunburst on canvas by Burton Callicott (Tenn./Ind., 1907-2003) hit $28,800.
Roulette/gaming wheel, $7,200, Potter & Potter
A rare and unusual roulette/gaming wheel set from the 1930s sold for $7,200 at a Gambling Sale held Jan. 30 by Potter & Potter Auctions in Chicago. Also, Dai Vernon’s personally owned gaffed Faro box delivered $13,200; a first edition copy of SW Erdnase’s The Expert at the Card Table (Chicago, 1902) fetched $11,400; a complete file of six issues of Poker Chips Magazine from 1896 gaveled for $3,840; and a Hotel Fremont $5 faro casino chip went for $3,600.
Tiffany Dragonfly table lamp, $87,725, Fontaine’s Auction
A circa 1905-1910 Tiffany Studios Dragonfly table lamp having a “Pepper” base, 18 inches tall, sold for $87,725 at a Fine & Decorative Arts auction held Jan. 23 and 30 by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery in Pittsfield, Mass. Also, a self-playing coin-op Mills Novelty Co. double violano-virtuoso, circa 1913-1915, fetched $56,870; and a pair of Grohe Freres Louis XVI-style cabinets with gilt bronze mouldings, satinwood and fruitwood parquetry/marquetry rose to $24,805.
Bird of Paradise brooch, $28,125, Hindman
A multi-gem Bird of Paradise brooch by Nicholas Varney sold for $28,125 and a multi-gem “brick” bracelet by Varney brought $13,750 at a Fine Jewelry auction held Feb. 9 by Hindman in Palm Beach, Fla. Also, a multi-gem and coral brooch by Tony Duquette knocked down for $23,750; a cultured Biwa pearl, diamond and sapphire bracelet by Christopher Walling went for $17,500; and Walling’s abalone pearl and tourmaline flower brooch hit $10,625.
Soviet KGB spy purse, $32,000, Julien’s Auctions
A Soviet KGB spy purse with a concealed FED model camera known as “The Fly” (due to its insect emblem on the side of the purse) sold for $32,000 at a Cold War Relics Auction held Feb. 13 by Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles. Also, a Soviet spy coin with a hidden compartment brought $25,600 and a Soviet version of the Enigma code cipher machine known as the Fialka made $22,400.
Marcel Dyf still life, $9,450, Doyle
A still life painting of flowers by Marcel Dyf (French, 1899-1985), titled Nature Morte a la Mandoline, circa 1950, sold for $9,450 at a Doyle at Home auction held Feb. 10 by Doyle in New York City. Also, a painting by Dietz Edzard (German/French, 1893-1963), titled Danseuse avec Fleurs, circa 1936, finished at $6,930; a Still Life with Basket (1980) by Gregory Stewart Hull (American, b. 1950) brought $4,725; and a Meissen porcelain group titled Cupid in Trouble hit $6,930.
JFK’s Harvard sweater, $85,266, RR Auction
John F. Kennedy’s crimson wool cardigan sweater with a large black block-letter “H” for his alma mater, Harvard, sold for $85,266 in an online sale ending Feb. 18 by RR Auction, based in Boston. Also, a signed photograph of President Abraham Lincoln and his son Tad, one of only three known to exist, realized $135,472; a George Washington signed Mountain Road Lottery ticket achieved $25,712; and a letter handwritten by Ronald Reagan to his daughter rose to $23,716.
George Henry Hoyt archive, $43,750, Cowan’s Auctions
The archive of Lt. Col. George Henry Hoyt, who served as one of John Brown’s attorneys when the abolitionist stood trial for the raid at Harper’s Ferry, Va., sold for $43,750 at an African Americana auction held Feb. 18 by Cowan’s Auctions in Cincinnati. Also, a sixth plate daguerreotype of Joseph Jenkins Roberts, the first and seventh president of Liberia, brought $13,750; and a company sales badge for the Madam C.J. Walker Mfg. Co. went for $9,375.
Carl Moll painting, $4.7 million, Freeman’s
A painting by Carl Moll (Austraian, 1861-1945) titled Weißes Interieur (White Interior) that had been in the same family for more than 100 years sold for over $4.7 million at a European Art & Old Masters auction held Feb. 23 by Freeman’s in Philadelphia. Also, The Calm Sea, Nocturne by Jacob Schikaneder finished at $346,500; Roses by Pierre-Auguste Renoir fetched $302,400; and Yuri Pimenov’s The Lemonade Stand achieved $91,700.
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By KEN HALL
