This week’s block presented fine artifacts of luxury living. Two watches from famous makers, a Bentley and a Kangxi vase all found new homes. These were joined by fine art and furniture from country simplicity to postmodernism. Read on for more information.
Gromoll Chair & Ottoman Rock It With Thos Cornell Bidders
BELLPORT, N.Y. — Thos. Cornell Galleries’ July 16 “Important Estate Auction” featured the contents of a prominent Gold Coast Long Island estate as well as several from Manhattan. Among the nearly 300 lots on offer, a notably strong result was achieved for a Midcentury Modern rocking chair and ottoman by Carl Gromoll, which rocked its $2/3,000 estimate to $3,125. For information, 631-289-9505 or www.thoscornellauctions.com.
‘Rootbeer’ Rolex Watch Rolls Up Strong Price At Nathan Onsite Auction
LONDONDERRY, VT. — An onsite live estate sale by Nathan Auction and Real Estate on July 19 offered up everything from a John Deere tractor to a Rolex watch, Chevrolet pickup truck, modern furniture, firearms and more. A notable lot was a Rolex, GMT Master II “Rootbeer” model with steel and 18K rose gold Oyster bracelet. Complete with box, tags and original papers, it sold for $23,650. For information, 802-362-3194 or www.nathanre.com.
Automaton Bird Music Box Sings At Vero Beach Auction
VERO BEACH, FLA. — A mechanical tortoiseshell singing bird music box soared above its $2/4,000 estimate to sell for $11,210 after being pursued by two very competitive bidders at Vero Beach Auction’s July 15 Sale. The rare music box featured an enamel top hand-painted European landscape scene with flowers on the underside, with a feathered bird that pops out of a detailed gold gilt oval compartment, sings and flaps its wings. Attributed to the style of Freres Rochat, the automaton measured 3¾ by 2½ by 1 inches. For information, 772-978-5955 or www.verobeachauction.com.
Chinese Blue And White Vase Leads Topwells’ East/West Sale
NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y. — It was an early summer East/West fine arts and jewelry sale at Topwells’ Auction on July 15. A total of 319 lots included Chinese antiques, Western antiques and antique jewelry. Strutting its stuff was a Chinese Kangxi blue and white porcelain vase from a private Long Island, N.Y., collection that sold for $23,040. The vase was separated into two rows of four artistic designs alternating deer and “antiques,” the base with a leaf mark inside double rings. Height was 17¾ inches. For more information, 516-615-3511 or www.topwellsauction.com.
Benefit Shop Conquers With Muller Watch
MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. — The Benefit Shop’s latest installment of the Red Carpet Auction on July 19 brought almost 750 lots from nearby estates. The top lot came with the model name of a winner, a Conquistador Grand Prix watch from Frank Muller, Geneva. The chronograph automatic timepiece came with its gift and presentation box, as well as a certificate of authenticity and warranty. This model had a black titanium case with a black leather strap. Estimated at $3/6,000, the watch was bid to $9,875. For additional information, 914-864-0707 or www.thebenefitshop.com.
Flying Pig Steps Forward With Stepback Cupboard
WESTMORELAND, N.H. — Flying Pig Auctions conducted its Multi-Estate Diversified Antiques online auction on July 24. The sale brought more than 360 lots of eclectic folk art, furniture, textiles, antiques and more from New England and New York estates to the block. A large and “fantastic” Nineteenth Century stepback cupboard in red paint with dovetail joins was the highest-selling lot, and closed at $4,688. With three deep shelves in its bonnet, three drawers and another compartment behind a door, the cupboard was in great condition but would need quite the wall to occupy at 78¾ by 75½ inches. For more information, 413-537-4855 or www.flyingpigantiquesnh.com.
Presidential Ephemera Secures Executive Level Price At Winter Assoc.
PLAINVILLE, CONN. — More than 350 lots offered by Winter Associates on July 24 were highlighted by Viennese and Russian enamels, Italian micro-mosaics, French and Continental furniture and silver and Nineteenth Century fine art. At the head of the sale and securing a price of $5,400 against a $200/300 estimate, was a group lot of presidential and celebrity ephemera that included documents signed by John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, John Glenn and Ron Machtley. The unauthenticated lot came from a large New England estate and sold to an online bidder. For information, 860-793-0288 or www.auctionsappraisers.com.
Heritage Raises Nearly $50,000 For Couse-Sharp Historic Site
DALLAS — On July 22, Heritage Auctions conducted its second biennial auction to benefit the Couse-Sharp Historic Site, offering just 24 lots in a sale that tallied $48,344 by the time the last gavel fell. At the height of the sale was Porfirio Salinas’s (American, 1910-1973) “Summer’s Wild Verbena, Texas,” a 24-by-36-inch oil on canvas that bloomed to $7,813. Sculpture, photographs and a Navajo rug were among the offerings. For more information, www.ha.com or 214-528-4127.
Bentley Mark VI Sedan Drives Sloans & Kenyon Sale
CHEVY CHASE, MD. — The first lot of Sloans & Kenyon’s 631-lot estate catalog auction on July 27 was a 1947 Bentley Mark VI four-door sedan with rare Mulliner Razor Edge aluminum body that sold within expectations, and to an online buyer, for $44,450. Illustrated in Bernard L. King’s Complete Classics (2007) and with just 13,406 miles though not presently in running condition, the car was one of five from the Easton, Md., estate of Leonard Renkenberger Jr, a British car enthusiast who was a founder of the North American MGA Register and the Triumph TR6 Owners Club. For information, 301-634-2330 or www.sloansandkenyon.com.
