No Coffee In This Cup: Meissen Set Leaps To $767 At Jenack
CHESTER, N.Y. – In an eclectic sale conducted by William J. Jenack on September 10, a Meissen decorated porcelain cup and saucer, signed, Nineteenth Century, surprised when the pair rose far above a $100/150 estimate to finish at $767 to an absentee bid. For information, www.jenack.com or 845-469-9095.
Frothy $15,990 Bid For Beer Brewery Sign At Morphy’s
DENVER, PENN. – The signs were promising at Morphy’s September 2-3 auction, especially for an Iroquois Brewery Beer porcelain corner sign. Measuring 24 by 15¾ inches, it realized $15,990. A wonderful sign with great graphics that rarely shows up for sale, it exhibited strong colors and gloss and retained its original cast iron bracket. Also getting love from bidders was a Queen Dairy porcelain buttermilk churn dispenser, 35 inches tall and bearing a $2/4,000 estimate. It achieved $7,380. For information, www.morphyauctions.com or 877-968-8880.
Diminutive Soap Hollow Chest Of Drawers Takes Big Price At Garth’s
DELAWARE, OHIO – Garth’s Auctioneers & Appraisers conducted its Americana auction on September 9, led by a Pennsylvania pine and poplar Soap Hollow chest of drawers. With two bowfront drawers over three graduated drawers, all dovetailed, turned feet and scrolled crest, plus original paint with stenciled initials “LAY 1870” and “Manufactor by John K. Livingston,” the 39½-by-29-by-15-inch piece sold for $12,600 This piece was passed down through the consignor’s family for four generations. The original owner was Elizabeth (Lizzie) Ann Yoder (1861-1930), an Amish woman from Johnston, Penn. She married Benjamin Shrock at age 19 in March 1880. Lizzie moved to Geauga County, Ohio, in the 1890s, where her husband started a slate roofing business. The chest then passed to the consignor’s mother, also named Lizzie Ann, who was born in 1918. She was the daughter of Lizzie and Benjamin’s second son, Moses. It was later given to the consignor. For information, www.garths.com or 740-362-4771.
Firearms Hit New Records At J. Levine
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. – Firearms are a hit at auction right now, according to J. Levine Auction & Appraisal. The firm set new auction records at its gun auction recently, including a James Purdey 1838 side-by-side .40 caliber gentlemen’s pistols (pictured) at $25,000; a New Haven Arms Henry .44 caliber lever-action rifle for $19,000; a Colt Thuer conversion 1860 .44 caliber percussion pistol, $7,000; a Colt Navy cartridge conversion model .36 caliber pistol for $4,250; and a Colt USMR Dragoon Sn. 12619 black powder pistol at $3,250. For information, 480-496-2212 or www.jlevines.com.
French Genre Painting Takes $4,130 At McInnis’ Single-Owner Sale
EXETER, MASS. – The lifetime collection of John “Jack” and Ellen Hodgins was the focus of a single-owner estate sold at public auction by John McInnis, conducted August 25 at Exeter Town Hall. Many local patrons may remember Jack and Ellen as the managers of the Inn of Exeter, on the Phillips Exeter Academy campus, from 1983 to 1996. Among the hundreds of antiques, furniture and decorative arts from the estate, top honors went to a painting (pictured) by Charles Bertrand D’entraygues (1851-1914), an oil on canvas depicting village children picnicking while a bemused donkey looks on, which was bid to $4,130. A bronze sculpture of German couple danced to $2,242. For information, 978-388-0400 or www.mcinnisauctions.com.
Bidders Drive Away With Vintage Muscle Cars At Nathan Auction
PITTSFORD, VT. – Muscle cars flexed their strength at auction on August 27 when Nathan Auction & Real Estate sold a private collection of them belonging to the estate of Curtis Scarborough. According to auctioneer Eric Nathan, a woman from California was left an amazing collection of the cars and related items by her father who recently passed away. Collected over many decades, the pampered cars across the block included a 1966 Corvette Stingray (pictured) at $47,300; a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Aire for $30,800; and a 1934 Ford Coupe taking $34,100, Also, a 2005 Bourget chopper motorcycle roared away at $11,700. For information, 802-362-3194 or www.nathanre.com.
PBA Galleries Sale Of Miniature Books Presents Library Of A Gentleman
SAN FRANCISCO – A complete collection of all six titles on master papermaker Dard Hunter from the press of Robert E. Massmann (pictured) sold for $1,200 at a special offering of miniature books by PBA Galleries on August 24. Highlights also included the Rosemary Press Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, one of 35 copies, for exclusive use of the member of the American Oriental Society at its 129th meeting, $1,080; 1773 Cicero in miniature with a fore-edge painting, $840; a charming Joe D’Ambrosio miniature book, A Nest of Robins, $780; and Punch and Judy, one of 45 copies, with moveable illustrations printed by the Poole Press, which fetched $660. For information, 415-989-2665 or www.pbagalleries.com.
Croatian Painting Tops Robert Slawinski Sale
SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIF. – A Jerolim Mise oil on canvas was the highest-selling lot at Robert Slawinski Auctioneers’ September 10 auction when it more than doubled its high estimate to achieve $9,600. The Croatian painter (1890-1970) was known for his portraits, still lifes and landscapes of Dalmatia. For information, 831-335-9000.
Stair Galleries Sells Japanese Work Again
HUDSON, N.Y. – Nearly quadrupling its high estimate in Stair Galleries’ September 9 art and design auction was a Shinro Ohtake (b 1955) oil on canvas “1, 2, 3 and Hats (Numbers and Pork Pie Hats),” 1986, which brought $13,000. The signed work was dated and titled on the reverse. It measured 89¼ by 71½ inches, unframed. It had sold here previously in 2006. For information, www.stairgalleries.com or 518-751-1000.
British Works Find Favor At Sotheby’s Made In Britain Sale
LONDON – Sotheby’s Made in Britain sale in London soared past expectations to realize a total of $3.3 million, with 90 percent of the lots finding a buyer and 71 percent these exceeding their high estimates. Spanning a plethora of different art forms, the auction saw strong results for an array of diverse yet quintessentially British works by Ivon Hitchens, William Scott, Mary Fedden and Richard Hamilton. Hitchens’s “Disused Lock” (pictured), oil on canvas, circa 1960, nearly doubled its high estimate to finish at $91,506. For information, +44 20 7293 5000 or www.sothebys.com.
