Newcomb College Vase Tops Rago Auction

The top lot, the Newcomb College vase decorated by Mary Butler, sold for $28,750.

LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. - "It was a surprisingly strong auction for us," commented auctioneer David Rago after this past weekend's two-day sale, May 17 and 18.

Dirk Van Erp lamp, $19,550.

The auction consisted of four sessions with high-end Arts and Crafts pottery and accessories offered first, followed by a session devoted to tiles, then a session on Majolica and finally a session featuring a broad selection of Arts and Crafts pottery. The top lot of the auction came as the first lot of the first session was offered when a Newcomb College vase decorated by Mary Butler with blue tulips and green leaves against a soft blue-green ground sold at $28,750.

A Dirk Van Erp hammered copper lamp with copper and mica shade did well at $19,550, a Fulper pottery mushroom lamp with slag glass inserts brought $18,400, a large Teco buttress sold well above the $¾ ,000 estimate bringing $13,800, a bulbous George Ohr vase with twisted neck and bottom $12,650, and a Grueby vase with jonquil floral decoration realized $12,650.

Prices include the fifteen percent premium charged.