A vivid painting by Twentieth Century artist Friedel Dzubas (1915‱994) upstaged a strong lineup of early Southern antiques to become the top-selling lot at the Case Antiques Auction conducted on September 26.
The 40-by-40-inch acrylic on canvas titled “Malmoe,” dated from 1974 and bore the signature of Friedel Dzubas, a German-born painter who settled in New York in the 1940s and became associated with Color Field art in the 1960s. An East Coast dealer beat out bidders on eight other phone lines to win the painting at $24,175.
Other fine art in the sale included a portrait of a Southern belle attributed to Nineteenth Century Nashville painter Washington Cooper, which brought $2,837, and a small watercolor of a locomotive by noted train artist Howard Fogg, which realized $1,475. A landscape by one of Tennessee’s premier female painters, Willie Betty Newman (American, 1863‱935), sold for $2,156, with a Southeastern art museum among the underbidders. An early Nineteenth Century portrait miniature of Dr Hugh McGavock Kent of Virginia brought $1,702, and a portrait miniature of the same period depicting a child in red dress made $1,249.
Early Southern material, a mainstay at Case auctions, was in good supply, with rare pieces in excellent condition commanding the best prices.
A large North Carolina jug with distinctive glass rutile drip by Daniel Hartsoe (1836‱916) saw heated action from floor and phone bidders before hammering down at $8,172. “Of the relatively few marked pieces by Hartsoe that have come on the market, this was one of the best in terms of condition †almost pristine†and the price reflected that,” said company president John Case.
Other Southern pottery highlights included a Sand Mountain, Ala., double-dipped alkaline glazed jug, $3,632, and a 6-gallon cobalt decorated churn with retailer’s mark for W.R. Elam of Columbia, Tenn., $1,475. A whiskey jug bearing the mark of a Knoxville saloon earned $1,248, and a lot of two mid-Twentieth Century Tennessee Iron Mountain stoneware sculptures, one a Japanese-style racing vehicle, hit $1,135.
Leading the furniture was an East Tennessee press in figured cherry with arched pediment and carved pilasters at $9,080. A Federal inlaid slant front desk, attributed to Kentucky, tallied $7,264. A three drawer walnut chest with turned feet and inlaid half-crescent and circles on the skirt, signed Knoxville, brought $3,859. A Tennessee two-drawer cherry stand with well-turned legs tripled its high estimate at $1,816, and a small half-round table in old surface with square tapered legs and hidden drawer drew surprisingly heavy bidding at $1,078. A painted Mid-Atlantic Windsor settee sold for $1,135, and a period Sheraton globe stand with 1960s globe competed to $1,475.
Other strong regional material included a small Kentucky alphabet sampler signed and dated 1811, $908, and a Tennessee long rifle stamped William Beals (active 1850‱870), $3,632. A scarce 1844 Mitchell’s map of Missouri and Arkansas reached $1,248.
An Edward S. Curtis orotone titled “The Maid of Dreams,” in original frame with label remnants, made $7,377. An Alaskan baleen basket, made and signed by Marvin Sabvan Peter (1911‱962), brought $1,078, and a carte de visite (CDV) of the 10th US Calvary encampment, Grierson’s Springs, Texas, offered along with a CDV of three Native Americans, soared to $1,362.
A 15¼-inch diameter Hawaii Calabash poi bowl with numerous repairs brought $3,859, while four smaller poi bowls, signed Kamani, brought $737 and $794 per pair. Case said all of the bowls were purchased by the consignor’s grandmother from the Iolani Palace in the early 1940s. The winning bidder was acting on behalf of the Iolani Palace, which became a museum in 1978.
Other notable sales included a 1925 Steinway Model M baby grand piano, $10,442; an elaborate late Nineteenth Century carved ivory bust of Mary Queen of Scots, which opened to reveal a triptych with a scene from the assassination of Joseph Riccio, $2,610; and an elaborate rococo-style chased coin silver water pitcher with retailer’s mark for J.E. Caldwell, which descended in a Virginia family, $2,497.
Prices reported include the 13½ percent buyer’s premium.
For more information, 865-558-3033, 615-812-6096 or www.caseantiques.com .
