Gallery Report: Pegge Hopper painting lent Hawaiian vibe to Andrew Jones sale

 

ATLANTA – At the beginning of the month, ACN columnist Ken Hall collects and presents the most interesting auction results from the United States and the world at large. His Gallery Report for August 2023 features many standout sales. All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium, except where noted.

Pegge Hopper painting, $23,750, Andrew Jones Auctions

A 1984 acrylic on canvas by Pegge Hopper (American, b. 1936-), titled Three Strand Ilima, sold for $23,750 at a Design for the Home & Garden auction held June 21 by Andrew Jones Auctions in Los Angeles. Also, a limestone portrait bust of an Egyptian pharaoh on a white metal pedestal went for $52,500, and a portrait of a Moor in traditional robes by a follower of Horace Vernet (French, 1789-1863) brought $16,250.

1909 15-cent U.S. stamp, $1,080, Ahlers & Ogletree

A 1909 15-cent U.S. stamp (Scott #366) on bluish paper, mint and hinged, in fine condition, sold for $1,080 at a U.S. & World Stamps auction held July 13 by Ahlers & Ogletree in Atlanta. Also, an 1863 10-cent Confederate States of America stamp (Scott #10), blue, graded extremely fine, attained $1,020; a collection of British and Australian 1st issue stamps garnered $2,700; and an 1867 3-cent U.S. stamp (Scott #79), rose colored, in average condition, went for $960.

Sterling silver parade saddle, $50,820, Brian Lebel’s and Morphy Auctions

A circa-1930s Edward H. Bohlin sterling silver parade saddle with leather and silver carving sold for $50,820 at Brian Lebel’s 33rd annual Cody Old West Show & Auction, held June 23-25 in association with Morphy Auctions at the Community Convention Center in Santa Fe, N.M. Also, a two-page  Nov. 14, 1904-dated Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid pictorial ‘wanted’ poster brought $19,965, and a painting by Will James (1892-1942) of a cowboy roping a steer lassoed $36,300.

Gold and diamond evening clutch, $20,160, Doyle

A two-color gold and diamond evening clutch sold for $20,160 at a Fine Jewelry & Luxury Handbags auction held July 20 by Doyle in New York City. Also, an antique platinum, gold and diamond crossover ring slipped onto a new finger for $16,380; a wide gold and diamond bracelet finished at $11,970; a French gold, star sapphire and diamond clip brooch hit $9,450; and a Patek Philippe gentleman’s gold Gondolo wristwatch (ref. 1488) found a new owner for $7,560.

Tribal door carving, $20,000, Clars Auction Gallery

A dynamic figural door made in Toradia, Sulawesi Island, centering a monkey carved in high relief, sold for $20,000 at a Tribal Arts, Interiors, Art & Jewelry auction held July 14 by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland, Calif. Also, a painting by Arthur Hill Gilbert (American, 1894-1970), titled Monterey Oaks, brought $8,750; and a Bakota reliquary from Gabon, overall 22 ½in including stand, left the room for $8,750.

Howard Terpning painting, $2.36 million, Coeur d’Alene Art Auction

A 2008 painting by Howard Terpning titled Paper That Talks Two Ways – The Treaty Signing sold for $2.36 million at the Coeur d’Alene Art Auction held July 15 in Reno, Nev. It was a record price for a work by the artist. Also, Maynard Dixon’s The Pony Boy commanded $2.13 million, also a record for the artist; Gerald Curtis Delano’s Evening settled at $786,500; and William Herbert Dunton’s A Race for the Chuckwagon ($786,500) and Two Braves ($574,750) both did well.

Albert Einstein manuscript, $43,750, RR Auction

A one-page scientific working manuscript with equations handwritten and signed by the legendary physicist Albert Einstein sold for $43,750 in an online Fine Autographs and Artifacts auction held June 23-July 12 by RR Auction, based in Boston. Also, the Dr. Martin Breckstein presidential collection of 41 autographs, spanning Washington to Clinton, went for $47,768; and a Napoleon document from 1812, signed amid the disastrous Russian campaign, changed hands for $39,214.

Chinese porcelain vase, $20,910, Neue Auctions

A 17in-tall Chinese blue and white porcelain vase, probably early 20th century, sold for $20,910 in an online-only Fine Art & Antiques auction held June 24 by Neue Auctions in Beachwood, Ohio. Also, a pair of late 19th-century Aesthetic Movement leaded glass windows realized $7,995, and an early 20th-century carved and painted carousel giraffe, restored and attributed to Herschell-Spillman, sauntered away for $7,380.

Edison electric pen, $12,800, Nye & Company Auctioneers

A late 1800s Edison electric pen, No. 8263 on wheel, including stand, wire and stencil, sold for $12,800 at a Chic and Antique Estate Treasures auction held April 26-28 by Nye & Company Auctioneers in Bloomfield, N.J. Also, a circa-1440 framed portion of a leaf from the Sloan-Krech copy of the Catholicon, published by Gutenberg in 1459, secured $7,680; and a 19th- or 20th-century Louis XVI-style chinoiserie-decorated chest rose to $3,520.

Lalique chandelier, $14,080, Nadeau’s Auction Gallery

A Lalique Champs-Elysee chandelier sold for $14,080 at a Spring Outdoor, Mid-Century, Art and Furnishings auction held June 10 by Nadeau’s Auction Gallery in Windsor, Conn. Also, a painting titled End of Night by Arpana Caur (Indian, b. 1954-) achieved $7,680; a pair of Charles and Ray Eames Potato Chip chairs settled at $7,680; an Eames 670 lounge chair and rosewood ottoman went for $5,120; and a gilt metal cut glass and ruby glass eight-light chandelier attained $9,840.

Babe Ruth 1916 rookie card, $645,000, Heritage Auctions

Babe Ruth’s 1916 Famous & Barr Co. rookie baseball card, graded PSA Very Good / Excellent 4, sold for $645,000 at a Summer Sports Card Catalog Auction held July 14-15 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. Also, another Ruth card, the 1917 E135 Collins-McCarthy example, graded PSA Very Good 3, realized $144,000; a 1952 Mickey Mantle Topps card, graded PSA Excellent 5, made $162,000; and a signed 1952 Bowman Mickey Mantle card brought $99,000.

Jean-Baptiste Corot painting, $120,000, Thomaston Place Auction Galleries

A painting by the French Impressionist Jean-Baptiste Corot, titled Le Chariot d’Arras, sold for $120,000 at a July Splendor Sale held July 7-9 by Thomaston Place Art Galleries in Thomaston, Maine. Also, an untitled painting by Etel Adnan brought $68,750; a folk-art painting by Bill Traylor secured $51,000; an inscribed original watercolor remarque by Andrew Wyeth on a book endpaper from Christina’s World earned $34,375; and a Hans Wegner Papa Bear chair finished at $19,200.

Harry Houdini poster, $45,600, Potter & Potter Auctions

A 1911 poster colloquially known as the Houdini for President poster sold for $45,600 at a Summer Magic Auction held June 17 by Potter & Potter Auctions in Chicago. Also, a Ouija prediction watch magic apparatus changed hands for $21,600; a circa-1902 German Harry Houdini poster attained $36,000; a Thurston poster from 1928 achieved $5,280; a ringing alarm clock production stand earned $13,200; and a butterfly silk production illusion by Jon Martin made $9,000.

The Legend of Zelda, $7,188, Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers

A 1989 copy of The Legend of Zelda, a video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, factory-sealed and graded CGC 9.2, sold for $7,188 at a Comics, Toys & Video Games auction held May 6 by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers in Cranston, R.I. Also, a copy of Science Comics #1 (Feb. 1940, Fox Features Syndicate), with a cover by George Tuska, secured $6,250; and a copy of Captain America Comics #36 (March 1944, Timely Comics), graded CGC 1.5, brought $4,000.

 

 Va. /N.C. corner cupboard, $96,000, Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates

A Roanoke River Basin (Va./N.C.) carved walnut corner cupboard sold for $96,000 at a Premier Americana Auction held June 15-17 by Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates in Mt. Crawford, Va. Also, a pair of emerald green Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. notch-cut and pressed vases climbed to $10,800; a Yosemite landscape painting by Thomas Hill (British and American, 1829-1908) settled at $30,000; and a Staffordshire platter bearing the arms of Pennsylvania found a new home for $15,600.

Sculpture after Troubetzkoy, $18,750, John Moran Auctioneers

A bronze sculpture after Prince Paul Troubetzkoy (1866-1938), titled Danseuse Jambe Droite Levee (Lady Constance Stewart Richardson), 1921, sold for $18,750 at a ReDesign Sale held July 11 by John Moran Auctioneers in Los Angeles. Also, Shane Guffogg’s (b. 1962-) A Second from Now, from 1999, realized $2,000; two Hollywood Regency gilt bronze and glass nesting tables brought $2,000; and a 1961 Leica single-stroke 33mm Rangefinder camera captured $2,813.

2007 4GB iPhone, $190,373, LCG Auctions

A factory-sealed 4GB original 2007 iPhone sold for $190,373 at a Summer Premier Auction held in July by LCG Auctions in Baton Rouge, La. It was the highest price ever paid at auction for an iPhone. Three other 2007 iPhones – an 8GB, a 16GB and an 8GB European version – also sold, with all four lots combining for $264,962. Also, a factory-sealed 1984 Transformers: Megatron AFA 85 made $57,596, and a 1978 Star Wars: vinyl cape Jawa AFA 85 brought $22,206.

George Hughes cover art, $103,700, Case Auctions

A summer beach scene created by artist George E. Hughes (1907-1990) and used as the cover illustration for the Aug. 2, 1952 issue of the Saturday Evening Post sold for $103,700 at a Summer Auction held July 8-9 by Case Auctions in Knoxville, Tenn. Also, an Andrew Clemens sand art bottle with a flag motif achieved $35,600; a Herter Brothers signed easel changed hands for $48,640; and an earthenware Great Road jug attributed to Thomas J. Myers (Smyth County, Va.) earned $29,280.

Click to view top auction results on LiveAuctioneers: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/

Factory-sealed iPhone 4GB from 2007 rings up record $190K at auction

A factory-sealed original 2007 iPhone with 4GB of memory achieved $190,373 and a new world auction record for any iPhone on July 16. Image courtesy of LCG Auctions
A factory-sealed original 2007 iPhone with 4GB of memory achieved $190,373 and a new world auction record for any iPhone on July 16. Image courtesy of LCG Auctions
A factory-sealed original 2007 iPhone with 4GB of memory achieved $190,373 and a new world auction record for any iPhone on July 16. Image courtesy of LCG Auctions

BATON ROUGE, La. – A new world auction record was marked on July 16 by a factory-sealed 4GB original 2007 iPhone that achieved $190,373. Offered in the 2023 LCG Summer Premier Auction held by LCG Auctions, the final sale price represents the highest price ever paid at auction for any iPhone – 300% more than the previous record set in February when the auction house sold an 8GB version of the original iPhone for $63,356.

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20th-century design icons in the spotlight at Wright, March 30

Unique Carlo Mollino Copenhagen chair, estimated at $200,000-$300,000. Image courtesy of Rago/Wright, www.wright20.com
Unique Carlo Mollino Copenhagen chair, estimated at $200,000-$300,000. Image courtesy of Rago/Wright, www.wright20.com
Unique Carlo Mollino Copenhagen chair, estimated at $200,000-$300,000. Image courtesy of Rago/Wright, www.wright20.com

CHICAGO – Dedicated to the most influential and important designs of the 20th century, Wright‘s Design sale, scheduled for Thursday, March 30, is a celebration of visionary creators from across the globe. From iconic standards to one-of-a-kind works, this highly vetted auction brings together the quality craftsmanship and ambitious vision that defined the past 100 years and continues to shape the way we live today. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Gallery Report: Alphonse Mucha’s ‘Seasons’ suite triumphs at Everard

ATLANTA – At the dawn of every month, ACN columnist Ken Hall gathers top auction highlights from across the country and also the world. The March 2023 edition of Ken’s Gallery Report showcases a wealth of strong results. All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium, except where noted.

Alphonse Mucha suite, $40,625, Everard Auctions and Appraisals

A complete 1896 suite of four lithographs by Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939), titled The Seasons, sold for $40,625 at a Winter Southern Estates and Collections auction held February 28 and March 1 by Everard Auctions and Appraisals in Savannah, Georgia. Also, a circa-1910 Tiffany Studios 12-light favrile glass gilt bronze Lily lamp brought $35,000; a signed Tabriz figural carpet went for $8,125; and an Eldred Wheeler maple secretary bookcase brought $6,875.

Chippendale walnut table, $22,500, Nye & Company Auctioneers

A circa-1765 Philadelphia Chippendale carved and figured walnut dressing table sold for $22,500 in an online-only Chic and Antique Estate Treasures auction held Jan. 25-27 by Nye & Company Auctioneers in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Also, an Edison Electric Pen, including the original box, wires and stone sharpening tool, realized $21,250; a Daum Nancy Blackbird frosted vase rose to $18,750; and a set of six Queen Anne dining chairs attributed to William Savery settled at $10,880.

Maud Lewis oil painting, CA$44,250, Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.

A painting by the renowned Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis (1903-1970), titled Three Black Cats, sold for $44,250 in an online-only Canadiana & Folk Art auction held February 11 by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., based in New Hamburg, Canada. Seven paintings by Lewis in the auction brought a combined $198,380. Also, four paintings by Nova Scotia artist Joe Norris (1924-1996) realized a total of $49,560. Prices are in Canadian dollars.

Old West author / historian archive, $2,625, Holabird Western Americana Collections

An archive of material pertaining to Old West author, artist and historian Ernest L. Reedstrom (1928-2003) sold for $2,625 in Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC’s two-day Treasures from the Shelves auction held Feb. 18-19 in Reno, Nevada. Also, a USS Utah photo diary of the Tampico Affair of 1914 and the invasion of Veracruz, Mexico brought $1,750, and a circa 1894-1896 Oriental coffin flask bottle out of Lamar, Colorado, lavender in color, realized $1,500.

Eminem’s Nike sneakers, $40,625, Julien’s Auctions

Musical artist Eminem’s signed and worn Nike Air Max sneakers sold for $40,625 at a Musicares Charity Relief Auction held February 5 by Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, California. Also, Paul McCartney’s personally signed book The Lyrics brought $25,600; Taylor Swift’s signed 2020 Epiphone acoustic guitar garnered $25,000; a Joe Perry stage-played and signed Gibson Les Paul electric guitar made $22,400; and a Slash-signed Gibson Les Paul electric guitar commanded $22,400.

Hemingway book, $277,200, Freeman’s

A 1924 first edition copy of Ernest Hemingway’s book in our time sold for $277,200 at a Books and Manuscripts auction held February 2 by Freeman’s in Philadelphia. Also, a Reconstruction-era map of Galveston, Texas – the only known copy to have ever been offered at auction – brought $30,240, and an inscribed association copy of Stride Toward Freedom, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s memoir of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, finished at $12,600.

1958 double die Lincoln penny, $1.136 million, GreatCollections

A 1958 Lincoln cent, described as a ‘double die’ because it was mistakenly made with doubling in some letters on the coin’s obverse, sold for $1.136 million at a series of six auctions for the collection of the late Stewart Blay ending January 29 at GreatCollections of Irvine, California. It was the most ever paid for a Lincoln cent and was the finest of the three 1958 double dies known. Blay’s collection of 276 Lincoln cents, dating back to 1909 and all in mint condition, sold for a combined $7.732 million during the six days.

Pastel portrait by Beauford Delaney, $48,000, Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals

A vivid pastel portrait of a blue-eyed man by the Tennessee-born African American abstract expressionist Beauford Delaney sold for $48,000 at a Winter Auction held Jan. 28-29 by Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals in Knoxville, Tennessee. Also, a church picnic scene by the self-taught African American artist Helen Lafrance realized $25,600; a painted blanket chest from Wythe County, Virginia brought $40,960; and a Korean silver inlaid iron censer went to a determined bidder for $37,500.

C. Gilman shelf clock, $51,250, Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers

A 19th-century B. C. Gilman (Exeter, N.H.) Boston shelf clock sold for $51,250 at a Couture, Jewelry and Fine & Decorative Art auction held February 27 by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers in Cranston, Rhode Island. Also, an early 20th-century Duffner & Kimberly heraldic armorial table lamp brought $4,062; a Jose Reyes (American and Filipino, 1902-1980) Nantucket friendship basket hit $3,750; and an Old Master oil painting of Christ by Charles Robert Leslie made $3,750.

1952 Topps baseball brick, $873,300, Morphy Auctions

An unopened 1952 Topps baseball brick containing eight factory-sealed 5-cent wax packs sold for $873,300 at a Toys, Sports Cards & General Collectibles Auction held Feb. 1-3 by Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pennsylvania. Each of the eight packs held five cards and it was widely speculated they were likely from Topps’ first series. The brick could be traced back to a private purchase in Seattle in 1991. The new owner is a collector who wished to remain anonymous.

Five-volume maritime atlas, $38,525, Old World Auctions

A five-volume maritime atlas from 1764 by J. N. Bellin, including 581 maps of the world and continents, plus many regional maps and city plans and coastal charts, sold for $38,525 in a sale held Jan. 25-Feb. 8 by Old World Auctions in Richmond, Virginia. Also, A New Map of Texas, with the Contiguous American & Mexican States from 1837, by Samuel Augustus Mitchell, earned $14,950; and a carte-a-figures world map created in 1652 by Claes Janszoon Visscher achieved $10,925.

Tiffany Studios window, $237,500, Fontaine’s Auction Gallery

A Tiffany Studios Jesus in a Field of Lilies window sold to a church for $237,500 at a Fine and Decorative Arts auction held January 28 by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Also, a grouping of yellow diamonds from one estate, led by an 18K white gold, yellow gold and diamond ring, rang up $181,250; a circa-1910 Tiffany Studios Curtain Border floor lamp achieved $100,000; and a circa-1905 Tiffany Studios Moorish and Turtle Back chandelier rose to $81,250.

Wolfgang Paalen painting, $163,000, Hindman

A vibrant untitled 1943 painting by Wolfgang Paalen sold for $163,000 at a Figuratively Speaking auction held February 10 by Hindman in Chicago. Also, two other works by Paalen, from 1947 and 1943, went for $47,250 and $20,160, respectively; two paintings by Alice Rahon, Paalen’s wife, one untitled from 1946 and one dubbed Le Chat from 1943, each went for $13,860; and a portrait of the artist and critic Florence Arquin by Kathleen Blackshear earned $9,450.

Colt Model 1847 revolver, $105,750, Rock Island Auction Company

A C Company U.S. Colt Model 1847 Walker percussion revolver sold for $105,750 at a Sporting & Collector Auction ending February 17 at Rock Island Auction Company in Rock Island, Illinois. Also, an engraved Civil War New Haven Arms Company Henry lever action rifle hit the mark for $41,125; an early serial number 5 Colt black powder SAA in scarce 44 Rimfire made $18,880; and a Civil War-era LeMat Grape Shot changed hands for $16,450.

W. Jacobs’ Salthaven, $31,250, Potter & Potter Auctions

A first edition presentation copy of W. W. Jacobs’ (British, 1863-1943) book titled Salthaven, inscribed to and by Samuel C. Clemens (aka Mark Twain, 1835-1910), sold for $31,250 at a Fine Books & Manuscripts auction held February 16 by Potter & Potter Auctions in Chicago. Also, a near-fine set of J.R.R. Tolkien’s (1892-1973) the Lord of the Rings trilogy brought $19,200, and a 37-volume collection of The Works of Mark Twain realized $16,250.

Daniel Boone compass, $109,375, Heritage Auctions

A compass owned by legendary frontiersman Daniel Boone sold for $109,375 at an Americana & Political Signature Auction held Feb. 25-26 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. Also, a carte de visite signed by President Abraham Lincoln as a donation to a Sanitary Fair held Oct. 18, 1864 in Tazewell City, Illinois earned $106,250; a circa-1857 double partner’s desk designed by Thomas U. Walter made $40,000; and a display with signatures of both Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth rose to $37,500.

Marc Chagall artwork, $8,400, Nadeau’s Auction Gallery

An artwork by Marc Chagall (1887-1985), titled Daphnis et Grathon, signed and numbered (26/60), sold for $8,400 at a Midcentury, Modern Art & Contemporary Sale held January 28 by Nadeau’s Auction Gallery in Windsor, Connecticut. Also, a pair of Mies van der Rohe Barcelona leather lounge chairs left the room for $5,000; a 1981 landscape by Charles Griffin Farr (1908-1997), titled Tuolumme, reached $4,305; and Salvador Dali’s Manhattan Skyline finished at $5,700.

2007 factory-sealed iPhone, $63,356, LCG Auctions

A 2007 factory-sealed first-edition iPhone sold for a new record price of $63,356 at a Winter Premier Auction held February 19 by LCG Auctions in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Also, a 1978 Star Wars Boba Fett action figure (Canada 20-Back AFA 85) realized $22,206; a 1982 Masters of the Universe Battle Ram vehicle (AFA 85) sped off with $20,920; a 1983 G.I. Joe Dragonfly vehicle (XH-1 AFA 85) brought $9,418; and a 1984 Transformers Bumble Bee (AFA 85) earned $18,353.

Orville Bulman work, $63,000, Doyle

A 1967 tropical landscape painting by Orville Bulman (American, 1904-1978), titled Les Nouveaux Familles, sold for $63,000 at a Fine Art auction held February 15 by Doyle in New York City. Also, a 1991 sculpture by Olbram Zoubek (Czech, 1926-2017), titled Eve-Arrow, attained $9,825; an unframed color lithograph after Pablo Picasso, titled Tete de Bouffon, realized $9,450; and a 1992 painting by Hunt Slonem (American, b. 1951-), titled Chandelier 8, hit $8,820.

Click to view top auction results on LiveAuctioneers: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/

 

Factory-sealed first edition iPhone sells for record $39K

A factory-sealed first edition Apple iPhone, released in 2007, achieved a world auction record price of $39,340 on October 16. Image courtesy of LCG Auctions
A factory-sealed first edition Apple iPhone, released in 2007, achieved a world auction record price of $39,340 on October 16. Image courtesy of LCG Auctions
A factory-sealed first edition Apple iPhone, released in 2007, achieved a world auction record price of $39,340 on October 16. Image courtesy of LCG Auctions

NEW ORLEANS – A 2007 factory-sealed first-edition iPhone sold for a record price of $39,340 on Sunday, October 16 in the LCG Auctions Fall ’22 Premier Auction. The final price surpassed the previous record by nearly $5,000.

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