Kaminski Auctions’ fine art and estates auction February 28⁍arch 1 attracted bidders both locally in Massachusetts and internationally via phone and live online bidding.
The auction offered a wide selection of fine art, antiques and collectibles, highlighted by a choice selection of fine art once owned by late newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.
The most anticipated lot of the sale, a Bellini School depiction of the Annunciation, did not disappoint. An oil on canvas once owned by Hearst, the painting boasts a detailed exhibition history.
With previous showings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., this piece garnered significant attention from bidders. The painting realized a final price of $40,250 after a feverish volley of bidding.
Additional fine art highlights included a Fifteenth Century Italian portrait of a Madonna. The piece is housed in an arched frame with cartouche, measuring 13¼ by 7½ inches. Originally estimated at $2/4,000, the painting surprised auctiongoers when it reached a final price of $9,775.
An Eighteenth Century Madonna and Child, represented in painted terra cotta, also inspired paddles to fly. The sculpture is set in a tabernacle frame and sold for $14,087, exceeding its high estimate by almost $10,000.
Furniture was also in high demand, led by a rare Eighteenth Century Queen Anne highboy that wowed bidders, climbing to $24,150. Connoisseurs of early American furnishings also saw an Eighteenth Century New England tiger maple tall chest sell well above its original estimate at $6,325.
The surprise lot of the day was a Chinese carved horn vessel. The piece boasts an intricately carved design, depicting scholars seated under a blooming tree. The vessel, originally estimated $250․350, drew the attention of both floor and Internet bidders and reached $4,715.
“It was a distinct pleasure to offer so many rare and valuable pieces, once owned by one of the most influential entrepreneurs of our time,” said Frank Kaminski.
All prices reported include a 15 percent buyer’s premium. For more information, www.KaminskiAuctions.com or 978-927-2228.
