$175,000 was the sale-high price awarded to “Le Quai de Honfleur” by Raoul Dufy (French, 1877-1953), 1928, oil on canvas, 28 by 31¾ inches framed, which had extensive provenance, publication and exhibition history ($100/200,000).

Review by Kiersten Busch

ASTORIA, N.Y. — Auctions at Showplace conducted an Important Fine Art & Design Auction on October 23; its second-to-last sale of the month, featuring just 145 lots. “I am thrilled with the results,” shared president Amos Balaish. “I think it was our strongest sale ever.”

Director of business development, Shawn Leventhal, further elaborated, “The bidding was vibrant on the phone, in the sale room and online. The sale featured strong showings across categories and an impressive sell-through rate. Clients ranged from collectors to gallerists from around the world. Bidders from London, Paris, Athens, Ghent, Nice, Toronto, New York, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Atlanta, Washington, DC, Miami, Dallas, Aspen, Bridgehampton and Palm Beach found success at the hammer.”

The sale was led at $175,000 by Raoul Dufy’s oil on canvas “Le Quai de Honfleur.” The painting had provenance to multiple galleries, private collections and a Christie’s, New York, sale in November 1988, as well as an extensive publication and exhibition history, including at the Museum for Contemporary Arts (Dallas) and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (Sarasota, Fla.).

“Tete de Femme” by Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), 1962, linocut in colors on wove paper, 43¼ by 37¼ framed, numbered “9/50,” stared down a $60/80,000 estimate to realize $137,500.

The other four top lots of the sale also belonged to the fine art category, including “Tete de Femme,” a linocut in colors on wove paper by Pablo Picasso. Done in 1962, the work was numbered “9/50” and was previously sold in Christie’s, New York’s The Collection of Victor and Sally Ganz sale in November 1997; it sold at Showplace for $137,500, surpassing its $60/80,000 estimate. Two other Picasso works sold, these being sculptures and not works on paper. First was “Chouette,” an engobe-glazed earthenware vase from Picasso’s Madoura studio which flapped to $16,250, followed by the purple corroso glass sculpture “Donna Seduta (Seated Woman),” a collaboration between the artist and Egidio Constantini (Italian, 1912-2007) created for La Fucina degli Angeli ($11,250).

Crossing the block for $87,500 was “Involvements and Memories” by American artist Romare Bearden, a 1974 mixed media collage on board depicting three figures around a table. It had provenance to a New York City collection and was housed in a 16½-by-20¾-inch giltwood frame. Leventhal shared another mixed media work that had impressive results: “A surprise was lot 143: Chinese/American artist Ting Shao Kuang’s ‘Reclined Figures’ mixed media from 1986. The work sold for $12,500 above an estimate of $3/5,000.”

At $75,000 was Kees van Dongen’s “Les Cavaliers au Bois.” The oil on panel work was made circa 1920 and contained Gasiunasen Gallery and Rodolphe Haller labels on its reverse.

Topping sculpture and four lots by Lynn Russell Chadwick (English, 1914-2003) was “Winged Figures,” 1975, patinated bronze, numbered edition “8/8,” 15¾ inches tall, which flew to $50,000 ($30/50,000).

Four lots of patinated bronze sculptures by Lynn Russell Chadwick, CBE R.A., from an Upper East Side, New York City, collection crossed the block for high prices, led by a pair of “Winged Figures” made in 1975. The work included the artist’s cipher to its reverse and was numbered “8/8.” It appeared in Dennis Farr and Eva Chadwick’s Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor: with a complete illustrated catalogue, 1947-2003. The work just reached the high end of its $30/50,000 estimate, clinching a $50,000 finish. The artist’s “Sitting Couple in Robes II” ($46,875), “Pair of Cloaked Figures II” ($21,250) and another edition of “Winged Figures” ($18,750) also found new homes.

Leading the design portion of the sale was a set of eight Africa dining chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, which were bid to $50,000. The circa 1976 chairs were part of the designers’ Artona collection and were made with walnut with brass details and brown leather seats. The next highest decorative arts lot was a pair of French Regence painted and parcel-gilt carved wood pedestals from the Eighteenth Century, which had provenance to a December 1993 Christie’s, Monaco sale; this time, they sold for $21,250 ($10/15,000).

An 18K gold bracelet by David Webb earned the highest price for jewelry, just passing the low end of its $40/60,000 estimate at $40,625. The bracelet, consigned from a New York City collection, was fabricated with sculpted gold links and adorned with five platinum prong-set old European cut diamonds and 187 pave-set round, faceted diamonds. Also excelling in the jewelry category were a Chaumet platinum, emerald and diamond brooch ($23,750), an 18K yellow gold Infinity Necklace by David Webb ($21,250), a Seaman Schepps 14K yellow gold and multi-colored gemstone pearl necklace ($17,500) and a David Webb 18K gold and platinum diamond ring ($16,250).

Prices quoted include buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 212-633-6063 or www.nyshowplace.com.