Art collectors congregated at Cowan’s Auctions on the morning of June 21 for the summer fine and decorative art auction. The event proved successful, with more than 900 total bidders and $826,984 in sales.
All eyes were fixed on the little stoneware pigs from Anna, Ill. The five lots of pig flasks sold for a combined total of $53,475. The top lot of the collection was a stoneware railroad pig that had been marked “Cincinnati the Pork City,” which sold for $14,950. Wallace and Cornwall Kirkpatrick of Anna Pottery are the most well-known creators of pig flasks. They often used the pigs as vehicles to express opinions of topical subjects, such as politics and corruption.
An Oriel Cabinet Company oak china cabinet topped the sale with a final price of $24,150, more than double its estimated price of $12,000. The gorgeous cabinet was adorned with full-bodied Norman soldiers along with a carved crest featuring cherublike figures and grotesques. These figural carvings are known to bring in strong results. The Oriel Cabinet Company was founded in Grand Rapids in 1880, and this particular cabinet was likely made in 1880.
Italian artist Marie Martinetti’s Orientalist genre scene generated interest from bidders and garnered three times its estimated price, selling for $12,075.
“Italian watercolor artists of Martinetti’s time produced works with both Italian and Middle Eastern subject matter,” said Graydon Sikes, a paintings and prints specialist for Cowan’s Auctions. “The paintings with Middle Eastern subjects, like the Orientalist genre scene, are generally five to ten times more popular than the Italian scenes and are something to look for when collecting artwork.”
Another auction highlight was “Children Along the Coast” by Adam Emory Albright (1862‱957). Albright, an American painter from Wisconsin, is most known for his paintings that prominently feature individuals, usually children, with beautiful landscapes in the background. This painting is a fine example of his work. He likely painted the frame himself, which added to the painting’s appeal to buyers. The painting garnered $10,925.
Weathervanes also fetched high prices on the auction block. A Massasoit Indian copper weathervane, which depicted a Wampanoag Indian chief, sold for $20,700. The large rooster copper weathervane and the “Lexington” standing horse weathervane each garnered $14,950.
A big surprise of the day came when the S.B. Terry balance wheel open escapement calendar shelf clock sold for $10,200. It had been estimated to sell between $700 and $900. Buyers also focused in on a Regina desk-type music box that sold for $13,800.
Mike Williams, co-head of the decorative art department, was pleased overall with the auction results. “It is great to see that high quality items are still achieving high prices, despite the sad state of the economy,” he said.
Prices reported include the 15 percent buyer’s premium. The next fine and decorative art sale will be in October. For information, 513-871-1670 or www.cowanauctions.com .
