Gallery Report: Vibrant untitled Lynne Drexler painting wins $450K

ATLANTA – At the beginning of each month, ACN columnist Ken Hall gathers top auction highlights from around the United States and the world at large. Here is the December 2022 edition of Ken’s Gallery Report. All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium, except where noted.

Lynne Drexler painting, $450,000, Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers

A 1963 untitled painting by Lynne Mapp Drexler (American, 1928-1999) sold for $450,000 at a Fall Fine Art auction held October 27 by Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers in Milford, Connecticut. Also, a 1940 oil on canvas by Daniel Garber (American, 1880-1958), titled Elm Bough, realized $262,500; a 2017 oil on linen by Scott Kahn (American, b. 1946-), dubbed The Woods, rang up $212,500; and Venice, a 1903 oil painting by Thomas Moran, made $162,500.

1936 Packard 1407 coupe, $140,400, Milestone Auctions

A 1936 Packard 1407 coupe with a rumble seat, a V-12 473 c.i. 175hp engine and 64,033 original miles on its odometer sold for $140,400 at an auction held October 15 by Milestone Auctions in Willoughby, Ohio. Also, a Wurlitzer classic Model 1015 Bubbler jukebox in excellent condition earned $7,500; a black and silver 1956 Chevrolet Corvette C1 convertible with an odometer showing 94,681 miles sped off for $78,975; and a single-cylinder cutaway motor for a 1916 Model K Indian motorcycle brought $6,000.

Duffner & Kimberly lamp, $72,000, Cottone Auctions

A Duffner & Kimberly Poppy hanging lamp sold for $72,000 at an Art & Antiques sale held Nov. 2-3 by Cottone Auctions in Geneseo, New York. Also, a 3.81-carat diamond and emerald ring slipped onto a new finger for $40,800; a German silver gilt heraldic lion cup went for $3,900; Court Room Scene, a painting by Clyde Singer (Ohio, 1908-1999), realized $3,300; and an oil on canvas by Emile A. Gruppe, titled King Street, Rockport, Mass., finished at $5,700.

Magic: The Gathering Beta set, $120,000, Weiss Auctions

A complete Magic: The Gathering Beta card set from 1993, the second MTG set produced, with a print run of 3,200 cards, sold for $120,000 in an online-only Comics, Comic Art, MTG Booster Boxes & More auction held October 19 by Weiss Auctions in Lynbrook, New York. Also, an original Peanuts daily comic strip dated “8-27-1962,” signed and inscribed by Charles Schulz, rose to $32,400; and a copy of Detective Comics #29 from 1939, with a Batman cover, made $46,800.

Three-stone diamond ring, $78,650, Ahlers & Ogletree Auction Gallery

A three-stone diamond ring, weighing 8.7 carats in total, sold for $78,650 at an Important Jewelry & Timepieces Auction held November 18 by Ahlers & Ogletree Auction Gallery in Atlanta. Also, a Laura Munder 18K garnet and diamond necklace achieved $37,500; a Vacheron 18K gold Tourbillon watch brought $39,325; a Nicholas Varney fire opal and diamond bracelet went for $36,300; a Henry Dunay emerald and diamond necklace made $33,275; and a Patek Philippe 18K Calatrava watch rose to $22,500.

Letter sent by George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, $2.39 million, Freeman’s

A letter sent by George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, announcing the completion of the Constitution, one day following its adoption by the Constitutional Convention in 1787, sold for $2.39 million at a Books and Manuscripts: Rare Americana auction held November 15 by Freeman’s in Philadelphia. At the time, Jefferson was the America ambassador to France, but Washington was eager to pass along the news of the landmark document.

Grandma Moses oil painting, $31,250, Dallas Auction Gallery

Grandma Moses’ 1943 oil with glitter on pressed wood painting titled We Have All Gone Sledding sold for $31,250 at a Fine and Decorative Art Auction held November 9 by Dallas Auction Gallery in Dallas. Also, a circa-1925-1930 oil on canvas signed by Edouard Leon Cortes, titled Le Boulevard Saint Denis au Crepuscule (Boulevard Saint Denis at Twilight) settled at $28,750.

Diamond and bloodstone box, $68,750, Hindman Auctions

An 18th-century antique diamond and bloodstone box featuring 25 carats of old mine, European and rose cut diamonds sold for $68,750 at a Gold Boxes and Vertu estate auction held October 18 by Hindman Auctions in Chicago. Also, a gold and enamel snuff box went for $17,500; a French gold figural compound scent flask, snuff box and hand-seal brought $13,750; and a French gold, diamond and mother-of-pearl cigarette case realized $53,125.

1966 Ford Ranger 250 camper, CA$82,600, Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.

A 1966 Ford Ranger 250 Custom Cab Camper Special pick-up truck with Avion camper and 39,966 miles on its odometer sold for CA$82,600 in an online Petroliana & Advertising auction held October 29 by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. in New Hamburg, Canada. Also, a 2006 Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe black cherry motorcycle with an odometer reading of just 51 kilometers went for CA$16,520. Prices are in Canadian dollars.

Astronaut’s gold watch, $1.9 million, RR Auction

Astronaut Wally Schirra’s Omega Speedmaster Professional gold watch sold for $1.907 million in an online auction ending October 30 by RR Auction, based in Boston. The timepiece was given to Schirra at a special gala dinner held Nov. 25, 1969 at the Hotel Warwick in Houston. Omega presented 26 of the engraved commemorative watches – known as the Tribute to Astronauts watch – to NASA astronauts alive and deceased.

Italian salt cellar, $28,350, Doyle

An Italian Renaissance patinated-bronze salt cellar (or inkwell) sold for $28,350 at auctions held Oct. 19-20 by Doyle in New York. Also, two circa-1810 Regency satinwood banded rosewood side cabinets achieved $16,380; a Worcester porcelain covered two-handled urn by Flight Barr and Barr rose to $10,710; Thomas Lawrence’s 1827 portrait of Mary-Ann Capel reached $15,120; and a painting by Pier Francesco Mazzuchelli (aka il Morazzone) went for $13,860.

Chinese Daoist watercolor, $8,125, Crescent City Auction Gallery

A large, framed Chinese Daoist watercolor painting on silk sold for $8,125 at a Major Estates Auction held Nov. 4-6 by Crescent City Auction Gallery in New Orleans. Also, an early 20th-century 15-piece sterling punch set by Whiting in a grape and vine motif achieved $3,750; a 19th-century American carved mahogany full tester double bed earned $2,375; and a salt glazed stoneware jardiniere with pedestal rang up $2,000.

Poetry book carried by Ernest Shackleton on an expedition, $96,000, Potter & Potter Auctions

A copy of Robert Browning’s Poetical Works, carried by Ernest Shackleton during the 1907-1909 Nimrod expedition, sold for $96,000 at a Fine Books and Manuscripts Sale held October 20 by Potter & Potter Auctions in Chicago. Also, a William Morris for Kelmscott Press edition of The Poems of William Shakespeare brought $16,800; a signed 1937 copy of Ulysses by James Joyce attained $45,600; and a copy of The Call of the Wild realized $13,200.

Swiss 18K gold snuff box, $10,625, Clarke Auction Gallery

A Swiss 18K gold and enamel snuff box having enamel decoration throughout sold for $10,625 at an auction held Oct. 29-30 by Clarke Auction Gallery in Larchmont, New York. Also, a painting signed by Roberto Matta, titled Se Conduire, achieved $57,500; a signed oil on canvas by Ivan Fedorovich Choultse, titled Garden, finished at $35,000; and a nearly five-carat diamond and platinum ring earned $30,000.

Buddy Holly concert poster, $447,000, Heritage Auctions

The only known Winter Dance Party concert poster from Feb. 3, 1959, promoting Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper and Dion – a date subsequently known as The Day the Music Died because all except Dion were killed in a plane crash that day – sold for a record $447,000 at a Music Memorabilia Signature Auction held Nov. 11-13 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. The previous record was $275,000 for a Beatles poster.

Galle French table lamp, $93,500, Woody Auction

A circa-1920 signed Galle French cameo art glass table lamp sold for $93,500 at the Part 1 sale of the Ron Blessing estate collection held October 29 by Woody Auction in Douglass, Kansas. Also, a circa-1910 Galle cameo art glass vase realized $40,250; a signed Daum Nancy cameo art glass pillow vase attained $21,850; and a museum-quality two-piece urn, signed Moser, changed hands for $17,000.

Caille Bros. slot machine, $246,000, Morphy Auctions

A circa-1904 Caille Bros. 5-cent Roulette floor-model slot machine with seven coin slots sold for $246,000 at an Antique Coin-Op Machines & Advertising auction held Nov. 3-5 by Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pennsylvania. Also, a 1920s Mills coin-op Deluxe Violano-Virtuoso with dual violins that played simultaneously went for $63,960, and a restored Regina Style 37 music box changer with more than 20 discs played a sweet tune for $23,370.

Sam Doyle folk art painting, $66,250, Slotin Folk Art Auction

A folk art painting by Sam Doyle titled Dr. Buz Ha Lo! sold for $66,250 at a Self-Taught Masterpiece Sale held Nov. 12-13 by Slotin Folk Art Auction in Buford, Georgia. Also, Doyle’s folk art painting of Jackie Robinson was a hit for $63,750; Beverly Buchanan’s SC House finished at $55,000; Bill Traylor’s Black Dog fetched $47,500; Joseph Yoakum’s Persian Plateau peaked at $29,375; and David Drake’s Storage Jar captured $27,500.

Chinese ink-on-paper hand scroll, $118,750, Lark Mason Associates

A Chinese ink on paper hand scroll showing a pair of antlers, signed Qianlong Emperor, sold for $118,750 in an online sale of works of Asian art ending November 3 by Lark Mason Associates in New Braunfels, Texas. Also, a Chinese Peking amber glass octagonal bottle vase reached $17,500; an ink-on-silk Korean four-panel screen by Kim K-Chang (1913-2001) made $18,125; and a pair of Chinese faux cloisonne porcelain jardinieres, dating to the mid-Qing dynasty, realized $25,000.

Kyser & Rex bank, $24,000, Bertoia Auctions

A Kyser & Rex (Philadelphia) Roller Skating cast iron mechanical bank with bright, colorful original paint sold for $24,000 at an auction titled Abby’s Attic Finds held October 14 by Bertoia Auctions in Vineland, New Jersey. Also, a 1950s Mark Haber second casting of a J & E Stevens Bull & Bear mechanical bank climbed to $7,800, and an Ives clockwork tin alligator with its original box earned $14,400.

View top auction results on LiveAuctioneers here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/