The top lot in the sale was this circa 1960s George Nakashima double dresser from a New Paltz, N.Y., estate. Strong bidding action took it to $27,500, selling to an in-house bidder.
Review by W.A. Demers
LARCHMONT, N.Y. — Clarke Auction Gallery paid homage to the upcoming autumn solstice by conducting an End of Summer “Blockbuster” Auction on September 8. There was plenty of arm candy by Rolex in this sale, jewelry from Van Cleef & Arpels and blue-chip fine art.
“I’d say it was a strong sale, we were happy with it,” said the auction gallery’s owner Ronan Clarke. The sale totaled approximately $850,000 with an approximately 95 percent sell-through rate. “In-gallery attendance was light, probably because of the good weather,” said Clarke. Online participants numbered between 4,000 and 5,000.
The sale’s most notable price was achieved by a 1960s George Nakashima (American, 1905-1990) double dresser from a New Paltz, N.Y., estate. According to the firm’s senior appraiser, Whitney Bria, there was strong bidding action on it and it ultimately sold to an in-house bidder for $27,500. The dresser featured an exposed dovetail case, two small upper flush drawers over six deep drawers with recessed pulls and a recessed cross form base.
There were two additional notable lots from the Nakashima Studio. A rectilinear chest from the New Paltz estate was bid to $8,750; it featured a rectangular top and there was one blind drawer above three drawers, each centering a recessed, rectangular handle. The chest stood on vertical plank form legs. The New Paltz estate also contributed a pair of Mira stools crafted from black walnut, which went out at $8,125.
The New Paltz estate also contributed a pair of Nakashima Studio Mira black walnut stools, which settled at $8,125.
More Midcentury Modern furniture came in the form of six brass wheel back chairs attributed to Gio Ponti, which left the gallery at $2,750. From a Larchmont, N.Y., estate, the rare and original set included two armchairs and four side chairs. The condition was deemed good, although the set needed cushions.
Fine art was led by African American artist Vincent D. Smith’s (1929-2003) “Obeisance For Biko,” a 1985 composition in oil, sand and rope on canvas that combined to form a layered abstract with earthy tones. Selling at $23,750, it was signed lower right and measured 54 by 68 inches. There were two additional Smith paintings in the sale among the top performing lots. “Queen of the Nile,” an oil and sand on canvas work done in 1975 that depicted a female figure supine in burial form above a watery band filled with swimming creatures; it brought $17,500. Another oil, sand and rope on canvas painting from 1983, titled “The Root Detour,” was from Smith’s “Dry Bone Series” and took $15,000. All three works came from the Westchester County, N.Y., estate of the artist, each bearing a G.W. Einstein Company Inc., label verso.
French genre painter, Charles-Émile Jacque (1813-1894), was represented by a pastoral oil on canvas scene, “Sheeps and Shepherd,” that was signed lower left; a plaque on the frame’s lower center also identified the artist. On the back of the painting, which came from a Bronxville, N.Y., estate, were labels from the Brooklyn Museum (1920), Christie’s and Wildenstein & Co. In its frame, it measured 37½ by 48 inches, and it crossed the block at $11,250.
French pastoralist Charles-Émile Jacque’s “Sheeps and Shepherd,” an oil on canvas, came from a Bronxville, N.Y., estate and crossed the block at $11,250.
A final price of $20,000 was posted for a large 17-inch-high signed L.C. Tiffany Favrile floriform vase from a Scarsdale, N.Y., estate.
The top selling timepiece was a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona steel watch, which changed hands for $20,000. It was produced in 2010 and featured a 40mm round case with a smooth, high-polished steel tachymeter bezel calibrated up to 400 units. Luminous hour markers populated the watch’s black dial, which was complemented by luminous steel and black enamel baton hands, a central, high-polished steel chronograph seconds hand (retour-en-vol), a small seconds subdial at the six o’clock position, a 30-minute counter at three o’clock and a 12-hour counter at nine o’clock. All of this was fitted onto a stainless-steel Oyster bracelet. This watch came from a New Britain, Conn., estate, complete with a Rolex box, factory service booklet and a Rolex Official Chronometer Certification/Guarantee booklet.
Jewelry highlights, selling for $9,375 each and both from a Rye, N.Y., estate, were two Van Cleef & Arpels 18K bi-color white and yellow gold ribbed bracelets. Each had a hinged slide closure and were stamped, “VCA France 18kt ©2 K204.”
This 18K yellow gold foliate form jade brooch had an interesting story, according to catalog notes. The jade was purchased by the consignor in Japan in the 1960s, later fashioned into the brooch between 1966-67 by a small boutique jeweler in Geneva.
A piece of jade in an 18K yellow gold foliate form brooch, which made $4,000, was purchased in Japan in the 1960s. The brooch prominently displayed the central, prong-set carved jade. By consignor provenance, the jade was later fashioned into a brooch between 1966 and 1967 by a small boutique jeweler in Geneva. Though unmarked, the brooch was accompanied by an August 2, 2024, GIA report that stated it was a “pierced carving set in a yellow metal brooch, translucent, green, jadeite jade, type A.”
Notable Asian objects included a signed Chinese painting depicting a tiger, lion, lioness, leopard and a wolf, with offspring. The lower left corner bore two red seals and the painting, which sold for $5,250. The category also featured a conical Chinese official’s summer hat from a Clinton Corners, N.J., estate, which heated up from a $400/600 estimate to sell for $1,375. Comprising stiffened cloth decorated with red fringe, the hat featured a purple silk lining. Topping it was an oval cap finial or surknob; the lot came with two additional finials — one blue and one transparent crystal that denoted the fifth rank. The hat was further accompanied by a folding hat stand.
Untested and missing its power cord, this very cool vintage Philco Predicta television on its original and unusual stand nevertheless had the look that Midcentury futurist collectors crave. It found a successful bidder at $3,000.
And what Midcentury Modern man cave wouldn’t be complete without a very cool vintage Philco Predicta television on its original and unusual stand? The example in Clarke’s sale came from an East 19th Street, New York City estate and earned $3,000. The only thing keeping the successful bidder from watching their favorite 1950s sitcoms on it was the missing power cord. Catalog notes further stated, “We have not attempted to power up or otherwise test the TV.” Caveat visum.
All prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. For information, www.clarkeny.com or 914-833-8336.
