A late Eighteenth Century Pennsylvania Chippendale tiger maple desk, probably Lancaster County and crafted from strikingly figured tiger maple with poplar secondary, sold for $41,400 against a presale estimate of $5/10,000 at a multi-estate Historic Hillsborough auction conducted September 19 by Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. The desk was the top achiever of the more than 700 lots that changed hands.
It was just the second major auction to be conducted at the firm’s new, state-of-the-art gallery. Sold were hundreds of lots of fine art, period furniture, decorative accessories and more. Featured was the estate collection of the late W. Samuel Tarlton, the former respected art dealer and co-owner of an antiques shop in Raleigh.
The auction, which grossed a little under $1 million, attracted a standing-room-only crowd of more than 300 people. In addition, 752 bidders were registered online and more than 700 early bids were posted via the Internet. Phone and absentee bidding was active, as 1,200 absentee and phone bids were lined up prior to sale. In all, close to 1,000 people registered to bid live, by phone and through absentee bids.
The Chippendale desk came out of the Tarlton collection. Other furniture pieces from his estate included a set of six Knoll & Saarinen white tulip chairs, circa 1960, and pedestal dining table, which brought $3,336. Also, a mid-Eighteenth Century American Queen Anne maple center table, possibly from the North Carolina Chowan River Basin, fetched $4,830, and an Eighteenth Century Massachusetts Chippendale oxbow slant lid desk made $4,600.
Also from the Tarlton estate, a New Hampshire Federal bowfront chest of drawers, circa 1800‱810, 12-panel form, went out at $5,750; and an American miniature Hepplewhite inlaid chest, early Nineteenth Century, realized $2,530. Tarlton’s artwork featured a bronze by Anna Hyatt Huntington (American, 1876‱973) titled “Yawning Tiger,” which sold for $12,075, and a still life oil on board by Jacques Blanche (French, 1861‱942) that brought $4,140.
Fine art in the sale also included many pieces acquired in the 1960s and 1970s by the Mead Corporation of Richmond, Va. Top earners included an oil on canvas painting by Robert Harvey (b 1924) titled “Brother Home on Leave,” signed and dated 1964. It brought $4,370. An oil on canvas work by Jim Herbert (b 1938) titled “Oriental” and housed in the original frame finished at $1,840.
A nice pair of clocks got paddles wagging. One was a French cloisonné mantel clock with two matching candlesticks, stamped to indicate the maker won a silver medal in 1855, $5,520, and a late Eighteenth Century English Chippendale tall case clock, mahogany, 89 inches tall, $3,220.
Intriguing offerings included a Turkoman Asmalyk, circa 1890, wool and silk with all-over decoration, woven edging and five-sided camel decoration for the wedding procession carrying the bride, which brought $7,762; a pair of vintage concrete foxes with bushy tails and attractive weathering at $2,415; and an antique toleware tray, Nineteenth Century, with a painted harbor scene depicting a Spanish galleon, for $1,265.
A 163-piece sterling silver flatware service in the Pointed Antique pattern by Dominick & Haff and Reed & Barton climbed to $4,370.
Returning to fine art, a signed oil on panel by Julian Onderdonk (1882‱922) titled “Rock Quarries,” fetched $29,900; an oil on linen signed by French artist Adolphe Binet (1854‱897) and titled “Les Alezans” breezed to $23,000; an acrylic on canvas by John McCracken (b 1934) titled “Mandala IV” made $19,550.
A pair of works by Richard Anuskziewicz (b 1930) got the attention of bidders. An acrylic on canvas titled “Soft Cover Vermilion” topped out at $25,300.
Cellarets wowed the crowd. A George III example with mahogany veneer in the rare diminutive form, soared to $4,830, while an English wine cellaret, circa 1830, casket form on carved paw feet, hit $4,370.
Also, a 1930s Jugtown Chinese blue Persian jar, rich red with a strong blue contrast, achieved $16,100.
Prices reported include a 15 percent buyer’s premium. For information, 919-644-1243 or www.LLAuctions.com .
