A coastal watercolor painting by French Fauvist artist André Derain (1880‱954) with choppy brush strokes and pure color was the top lot at the May 17 auction at William J. Jenack Estate Appraisers and Auctioneers. The 8¾-by-12-inch painting sold at $21,850, proving, as William Jenack said, that “the auction business today is like plowing on in the midst of unpredictability.” What was once fairly easy to anticipate in an auction is now difficult. “It’s so different, there is just no consistency,” he said, referring to the presale estimate on the Derain work, which was $1/1,500.
Jenack attributes the changes in the auction business to the widespread use of the Internet. “We get bids from all over the country now, and around the world,” he said.
“Years ago, that would never happen except for phone or absentee bids. Now, when we have Asian items, we get Internet bidding on them. Or, like the Derain, we have dealers and collectors from all over the country bidding,” he added.
Jenack had competitive bidders vying for many of the Asian lots he had on offer. A Chinese bronze, gold and silver dragon-form scholar’s weight had hard stone inlay. The 6¼-by-5¼-inch agate piece sold for $3,450 to a bidder in Taiwan. A Chinese yellow soapstone Tien Wang seal/chop sold well above estimate at $3,335, and an ivory immortal seated figure also went to Asia for $1,150. A Chinese Tang dynasty silver/gold wash handled cut brought $1,725.
The audience at Jenack’s has morphed from one of dealers to an audience of collectors and those who just want to find something nice for their home, at a better price, Jenack said. His bidders used to be mostly small dealers, but after some rough times, they are not showing up. So now, bidding freely from the floor are people who have never been at an auction before †”I can never predict what something is going to bring,” Jenack said again.
For example, a huge, 62-inch-high Black Forest cuckoo clock was so big the gallery had to show it without the eagle finial on top. “We had to hang the eagle behind it,” the auctioneer said. With a presale estimate of $800․1,200, a bidder in the gallery was so determined to have it, he drove the price to $3,565 and was ecstatic when he picked it up †luckily, he had driven in a van.
Another highlight of the paintings offered was an American School watercolor of the bark Aurelie , which was offered along with Captain Samuel Osborn’s log of a New York to Cape Town voyage in 1885. The log and painting came from descendents of Osborn, whose daily recordings on the weather, history of the ship and events of the journey sold to a floor bidder for $2,990.
William James Aylward (American, 1875‱958) was a well-known artist who during World War II did numerous paintings of naval vessels. Jenack offered a 1940s oil on canvas board of a US naval convoy at sail that sold for $2,415, well above the $1,200 high estimate.
Contemporary artist Alan Streets (clearly a nom de plume as he is resident of the streets of New York City), sells his works as his needs arise. Jenack has sold other pieces from the self-taught artist and thought his $1/1,500 presale estimate to be accurate for the 48-by-60-inch oil on canvas of the Brooklyn Bridge. And, after some competitive bidding, the work sold at $1,955.
Jenack’s wife is a gemologist, a profession that often stands the couple in good stead. Fine estate jewelry has been languishing at auction of late, but one piece from the several on offer was a signed Cartier brooch in platinum and diamonds. The two circles joined in the middle with a diamond design; it sold after some low expectations for $4,025 †”Sometimes it’s better to have low expectations,” Jenack said, “then you are pleasantly surprised when a lot takes off.”
As a full-service auction house, Jenack offers variety in each of his sales. Silver was highlighted by a pair of circa 1861‶2 London goblets with armorial crests that brought $920; an Art Nouveau Vienna café sectional, large and elaborate, went for $632; a vintage King silver sonic 2-B trombone with sterling silver bell and case, estimated at $300/500, sounded off at $862, the top of several lots of musical instruments.
Also, a pair of antique estate copper lanterns shone at $690; and a Gilbert majolica cased shelf clock, 14 inches high, with an open escarpment went just above high estimate at $805.
Not to be outdone, several smalls had large numbers of bids: an American flag shield, about 29 by 26 inches, that Jenack thought might have been on a train or used in a parade, had 42 stars. making it circa 1889. A few months ago, Jenack said he sold a similar shield for $650, so he estimated this one in the same range. He was surprised when it sold at $1,035.
A double-sided locket had two portraits painted on ivory; one side showed a man in a wig and Nineteenth Century dress, the other side was a portrait of a child. The 3-inch-high gold framed miniature sold for $575.
All prices quoted include a 15 percent buyer’s premium. For more information, 845-469-9095 or www.jenack.com .
