Vistas, both expansive exterior landscapes and more intimate interior scenes, were prominent price leaders in this week’s Across The Block. From an $8,500 Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre plaque at Skinner’s and a $7,500 scene by John Carlin of a young boy contemplating a bowl of apples at Bruneau to the $162,500 paid by Clars Auction bidders for Herbert Draper’s coastal seascape and an Indian watercolor possibly by Sita Ram that brought $15,000 at Hudson Valley Auctioneers, it is clear that bidders are attracted to other places. Additional highlights in this week’s roundup of top lots cross categories from furniture to porcelain, pianos to guns. Read on for more details.

French Clock, Indian Painting & Vintage Toys Strong At Hudson Valley Auctioneers

BEACON, N.Y. – Hudson Valley Auctioneers presented an unreserved antiques and estate auction with absentee, phone and online bidding on February 21. “The sale was quite good; we had several items that performed well,” said the firm’s Theo de Haas. “We had a bronze tower mantel clock by French clock maker Claude Mathieu, which sold for $11,875, and an Indian watercolor, “Agra from the North and near the Taj,” possibly by Sita Ram (shown) that brought $15,000.” A painting by Edith Varian Cockroft, a member of the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors in New York City, depicting a nude peeling an orange realized $5,000. “Also somewhat surprising was very strong prices on vintage toys, such as a lot of four vintage teddy bears that sold for $3,125,” said de Haas. For information, www.hudsonvalleyauctioneers.com, 845-480-2381 or 914-489-2399.

Red Carpet Bidders Stand Up For Wegner Halyard Flag Lounge Chair

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. – A standout in the Benefit Shop Foundation’s Red Carpet sale on February 23 was a Mobler Hans J. Wegner halyard flag lounge chair, selling for $10,965. White, lacquered and with a steel base, the chair featured a plaited halyard seat and back. Designed by Hans J. Wegner, it was manufactured by P.P. Mobler and the frame was stamped PP 19281. Including a sheepskin cushion, it measured approximately 47½ inches long. For information, www.thebenefitshop.org or 914-864-0707.

Royal Vienna Vases Flip For David Killen

NEW YORK CITY – The top lot in David Killen Gallery’s February 13 sale was a pair of 35-inch-tall cobalt blue and gilt bronze mounted Royal Vienna vases, circa 1900, which had been estimated at $200/300 but which topped off at $9,600. The buyer was a dealer in the area who Killen said immediately resold them to a private collector from Manhattan. The vases were from a private Long Island estate that had similar taste to the collection of Dr David Solomon, whose collection headlined the auction. For information, 646-590-2788 or www.davidkillengallery.com

French Landscape Tempts Bidders At Coyle’s

MEDWAY, MASS. – “Le Quatorze Juillet Vu de Paris,” an oil on canvas by Gustav Madelain (French, 1867-1944) that measured 17 by 21 inches and was both signed and dated 1919 brought $3,850 at Coyle’s Auction’s February 15 estates auction. It had been consigned by a family in Massachusetts and sold to an American buyer bidding on the phone who prevailed against competition on the phone and in the room. For information, 508-733-6868 or www.coylesauction.com.

Harper’s Ferry Rifle Fires Up Tim’s Auctions Bidders

BRISTOL, CONN. – Tim’s Auctions offered the lifetime collection of a former auctioneer and other collections beginning at noon on February 19, but the 1,073-lot sale continued through the night, with the final lot being gaveled down around 9:30 the following morning. The top lot of the sale was an 1832 Harper’s Ferry rifle by J.H. Hall and H. Ferry that measured about 52 inches long. It sold to a buyer in the Virginia area, who competed against interest from around the United States, for $2,688. Tim Chapulis said he had more than 140,000 registered bidders, including some who drove from across country to be in the audience; he also said he was in talks with the family for a second part – stay tuned. For information, 860-459-0964 or www.timsauctions.com.

John Carlin Genre Scene Highlights Bruneau Estate Sale

CRANSTON, R.I. – One of the top lots at Bruneau & Co’s February 21 fine art and antique online-only auction was an interior genre scene by John Carlin (American, 1813-1891), which brought $7,500 from a Philadelphia collector. The 12-by-10-inch oil on canvas work depicted a young boy kneeling on a caned chair with his arms folded on the table in front of him while looking at a bowl of apples and had been consigned from a Massachusetts collector, who a representative for the firm said was “amazed at how well his collection did overall.” For information, 401-533-9980 or www.bruneauandco.com.

White Lacquered Steinway Hits High Note For Showplace

NEW YORK CITY – The top lot of 280 offered in Auctions at Showplace’s February 20 estate auction was a Steinway B grand piano in white lacquer, made in 2006, which bidders played to $62,500. It had come from an Upper East Side townhouse and had an estimate of $15/25,000. For information, 212-633-6063 or http://nyshowplace.com.

Herbert Draper’s ‘Evening Calm’ Brings Excitement To Clars Auction

OAKLAND, CALIF. – Herbert James Draper’s (British, 1864-1920) “Evening Calm” enthralled bidders as one of several major artworks in the February 17-20 auction at Clars. Draper’s painting, demonstrating his classical style sea nymphs basking along a rocky coast, was estimated $70/100,000 but did better than that and finished at $162,500. Draper was known for painting mythological themes, having studied at the Royal Academy of Arts and traveling to Paris and Rome to further this knowledge of the style. For information, 510-428-0100 or www.clars.com.

Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre Plaque Brings Big Price At Skinner

ONLINE – The top price of $8,500 at Skinner’s online-only British Pottery auction that closed February 24 was a 7¾-by-10-5/8-inch Wedgwood Fairyland lustre “Elfin Palace” plaque, circa 1925 that was engraved S. Makeig-Jones and mounted in a giltwood frame. It had been published in Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre by Una Des Fontaines (pg. 193-194). For information, 508-970-3211 or www.skinnerinc.com.