Silver flatware services and animal — or creature — paintings held pride of place at auctions across the country this week. Litchfield Auctions’ 300-piece sterling silver Gorham set achieved $22,750, while a Reed & Barton service about half that size brought $6,440 at Mapes. Horses modeled for $31,980 at Santa Fe, a Westie sat for $4,875 at Sandwich and a pair of alien creatures by H.R. Gieger set a new auction record for the artist, $325,000, at Heritage. For these and more, read on.
Santa Fe Bidders Saddle Up For Berman Oil
SANTA FE, N.M. — Santa Fe Art Auction conducted a two-day Contemporary Art, Design + Photography sale on September 16-17. The two-day auction was led, at $31,980, by Eugene Berman’s (1899-1972) 1930 oil on canvas “L’Écurie,” which was estimated just $6/9,000. With strong provenance and exhibition history, the 44¼-by-37¼-inch framed work is moving on to its next collection. For information, www.santafeartauction.com or 505-954-5858.
Reed & Barton Serve Top Result At Mapes
VESTAL, N.Y. — On September 23, Mapes Auctioneers & Appraisers closed its 2025 Fall Antique Auction. Leading the selection was a 172-pice sterling silver flatware service by Reed & Barton in the Hepplewhite Plain pattern. Cataloged as “exceptionally large and fine,” this service was in a period mahogany case and the silver weighed 173.3 troy ounces. Bidders took the set to $6,440. For information, www.mapesauction.com or 607-754-9193.
Florida Scene Flourishes For Burchard
ST PETERSBURG, FLA. — In a 519-lot estate antiques, fine art and jewelry auction on September 21, Burchard Galleries’ highest price was earned by an oil on canvas St Augustine, Fla., scene depicting the Cathedral Basilica. Painted by Emmett John Fritz (American, 1917-1995), the work was in a Newcomb-Macklin frame that measured 30½ by 35½ inches. A private collector and regular buyer won the painting for $19,065 ($8/12,000). For information, www.burchardgalleries.com or 727-821-1167.
Folk Art Miniature Achieves Big Price At Thomaston
THOMASTON, MAINE — Though it only measured 6 by 4¼ inches as framed, a miniature folk art portrait of a young girl rose to the top of Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ September 19 Americana Collection – The Dubord Estate auction. As inscribed on the image, the pencil and watercolor portrait depicted “Francis H. Robbins, taken 1839.” After spirited bidding, little Francis sold for $16,800, far exceeding the $500/700 estimate range. For information, www.thomastonauction.com or 207-354-8141.
British Mortar Fires Up EAHA Bidders
WINCHESTER, VA. — The majority of lots in Early American History Auctions’ 215-lot sale on September 20 were manuscripts but the top lot was a circa 1776 Revolutionary War era British Coehorn mortar that featured the Royal cipher of King George II and was complete with its wooden block and carrying and firing base. With provenance to a Virginia museum, it had been estimated at $3,5/4,500 but did much better, earning $27,500 from a new buyer from Canada. For information, 858-759-3290 or www.earlyamerican.com.
Centennial Flag Flies High At Auction Barn
NEW MILFORD, CONN. — Achieving $25,200 and flying high above all other 425 lots in The Auction Barn’s September 21 auction was a Centennial Flag with the dates “1776 / 1876” in the canton. Despite overall wear, tears and stains, the 28-by-46-inch flag inspired significant interest, selling to an out-of-state buyer, who Brian Corcoran said was bidding by phone. For information, 860-799-0608 or www.theauctionbarnct.com.
Gorham Flatware Service Tops At Litchfield
LITCHFIELD, CONN. — A monumental 300-piece Gorham sterling silver Cluny pattern flatware service for 18 that was purchased at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exhibition in Chicago, (also known as The Chicago World’s Fair) as a 25th (silver) wedding anniversary present achieved $22,750 to lead Litchfield Auctions’ Art, Antiques & Design sale on September 24. A representative for the house noted it sold to a trade buyer and longtime client. For information, 860-567-4661 or www.litchfieldcountyauctions.com.
West Highland Terrier Charms Sandwich Bidders
SOUTH YARMOUTH, MASS. — Leading the pack of 284 lots of fine and decorative art, collectibles, toys and more in Sandwich Auction House’s September 24 Discovery sale was an American School portrait of a West Highland Terrier, oil on canvas in a 14½-by-12½-inch giltwood frame, that came in through the firm’s Mystic, Conn., office and was estimated at $200/400. It found a new owner — bidding online from Chicago — for $4,875. For information, 508-385-3116 or www.sandwichauction.com.
Heritage Sets Artist Record In Del Toro Collection
DALLAS — The original art for H.R. Giger’s The Tourist (circa 1980) sold for $325,000 — an auction record for the artist — to lead Heritage’s The Guillermo del Toro Collection: Bleak House Part 1 Hollywood/Entertainment Signature Auction September 26. Giger’s concept designs for the unproduced science fiction and horror script The Tourist reveals his unmistakable blend of organic anatomy and mechanical structure, creating a surreal and haunting presence. The total for the 131-lot sale was $1,651,062. For information, www.ha.com or 214-528-3500.
