A George Nakashima Rochlis case made for Robert L. Hart topped auctions nationwide this week, selling for $60,000 at New England Auctions. Another piece of furniture offered by Red Baron Antiques, a Symphonium model 38B Eroica Upright three-disc music box with clock, played to $26,250. Humanoid figures — like a Venetian mannequin sold at Clars for $13,860 and a statue of a man by Matteo Lo Greco which made $7,670 at Woltz & Associates — also saw great interest from bidders. For these highlights and others, keep reading.
Huck Finn Takes Bidders On An Adventure At CT River Book Auction
GLASTONBURY, CONN. — Connecticut River Book Auction conducted its most recent sale on June 13, in which “187 absentee bids were recorded on the 210 lots prior to sale,” according to president Tom Gullotta. He continued, “The lot that commanded the highest selling price was Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. A first edition with the necessary first issue points, and in blue cloth, it sold for $5,975 in-house, to a New York dealer.” For information, www.ctriverbookauction.com or 860-908-8067.
Symphonium Music Box Sings The Winning Tune At Red Baron
ROSWELL, GA. — June 14 saw 329 lots cross the block during Red Baron Antiques’ Summer Sale Fresh to Market, which included property from several estates, such as the Milhous and Hogg collections. A Symphonium model 38B Eroica Upright three-disc music box with clock played a tune to the highest price: $26,250, just surpassing the low end of its $25/50,000 estimate. The 110-inch-high music box came with 12 sets of three discs and was made of walnut, ebony and fruitwood; it was consigned from the Milhous collection. For information, 770-640-4604 or www.rbantiques.com.
Trade Flintlock Musket Hits Mark At Sandwich
CAPE COD, MASS. — Sandwich Auction House conducted its June Discovery auction on the 18th of the month, offering a mixed bag of 304 lots. The sale was led by an Eighteenth Century British trade flintlock musket, which shot past its $700-$1,000 estimate to hit its target at $10,400. The musket — which contained brass hardware with a dragon-form lock bar — was etched “Kitland & Co.” on its lock plate and had a part-octagonal, part-round barrel. For information, 508-385-3116 or www.sandwichauction.com.
Matteo Lo Greco Statue Stands At Top For Woltz & Associates
ROANOKE, VA. — Woltz & Associates, Inc., were chosen by the P. Buckley Moss heirs to present their mother’s personal collection of fine art and antiques on June 19. The 514-lot sale was led by a statue by Matteo Lo Greco (Italian, b 1949) which stood at $7,670. In the form of a rotund man, the statue stood at 8 feet tall and had a wingspan of 7 feet. For information, 540-7657733 or www.woltz.com.
Venetian Mannequin Strikes A Pose At Clars
OAKLAND, CALIF. — On June 19, Clars presented the estate of antique historian, collector, artist and author Eddi Van Auken in its 209-lot Fine Curiosities Auction. Bidders put a life-size Venetian Rococo carved polychrome blackamoor mannequin figure in a strong position, raising it to the sale-high price of $13,860, which far exceeded its $2,5/3,500 estimate. The 66-inch-tall Eighteenth or Nineteenth Century figure, which was acquired by Van Auken from Il Segno del Tempo in Milan, Italy, had glass eyes, an open mouth and leather shoes. For information, www.clars.com or 510-428-0100.
Tiffany Paperweight Vase Brings Heavy Interest To Hyde Park
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — Several named estates and collections comprised Hyde Park Country Auctions’ June 22 Country Americana auction but a private Poughkeepsie family was the source of the sale’s top lot. Peaking at $4,522 was a 6¼-inch-tall L.C. Tiffany Favrile glass paperweight vase that was inscribed “Panama-Pacific,” indicating that it had been exhibited at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. A phone bidder from Texas prevailed against four other phone bidders to win the lot. For information, 845-471-5660 or www.hpcountryauctions.com.
Siamese Twin Letter More Than Doubles Estimate For Freedom
SARASOTA, FLA. — It took Brian Hollifield more than 14 hours to sell 1,100 lots in Freedom Auction Company’s June 22 Sideshow, Oddities, Wild-West Barnum & Magic sale. Among the highlights was an original letter written by famous Siamese twins Chang and Eng on April 10, 1838, to Captain Davison in Boston, inquiring about his forthcoming plans to voyage to Siam. The letter came from the Robert F. Houston collection and sold to a US bidder, for $5,625, well ahead of its $400/600 estimate. For information, 941-725-2166 or www.freedomauctions.com.
Boston Harbor Sets Possible Record For Giant Clamshell
NORWELL, MASS. — A 39-inch-wide South Seas tridacna gigas clamshell, weighing 166 pounds, was not the priciest lot in Boston Harbor Auctions’ Nautical, Nautical, Nautical Antiques sale on June 21 but the $8,750 it achieved may have been a record for the species, which the catalog noted to be the largest living bivalve mollusk. Acquired from a Cape Cod, Mass., collector, its new owner is in Rhode Island. For information, 617-451-2650 or www.bostonharborauctions.com.
At New England Auctions, Nakashima Rochlis Case Rocks
BRANFORD, CONN. — A special walnut Rochlis case, made in 1966 for Robert L. Hart by George Nakashima (1905-1990), led New England Auctions’ June 18 Intersection – Of Modern & Vernacular auction. Considered an exceptional example that retained its original floor stand, it sold for $60,000, multiplying its $20/30,000 estimate. The leader of the 218-lot sale had been authenticated by the Nakashima Foundation for Peace. For information, 475-234-5120 or www.newenglandauctions.com.
