Clarke Auction concluded its strongest summer season with its September 14 sale †one of its highest grossing auctions ever, according to founder and owner Ronan Clarke. “We had a fine July, a typically strong August, but the September auction was the topper †[it ranks] among our top five general sales in 11 years,” he said.
The auction’s top lot was a sleeper †a glass bowl, estimated at $100/150, that turned out to be a circa 1905 Tiffany piece that sold at $28,200. The piece, a mystery to the consignor with heavy wear obscuring any marks, had been pulled by Clarke from a stack of kitchen mixing bowls. He joined it with a Baccarat vase and gave the lot that low estimate. Six in-house bidders competed, with multiple phones with the bowl and a vase finally hammering down to a dealer in the room. “The buyer for the bowl got a Baccarat vase thrown in for his $28,200!” said Tom Curran of Clarke Auction.
The trade also took home a Tiffany Studios counterbalance lamp base, estimated at $600/900, for $2,350. A vintage Tiffany-style lamp and shade, estimated at $300/500, realized $2,700, whereas a similar lamp sold for just $300 in the very next lot.
Asian decorative arts were also strong as the auction coincided with Asia Week in New York City. A pair of Chinese vases as lamps realized $1,645; Asian lidded jars sold for $940 versus an estimate of $300/500; and a lot of two Chinese vases, with an estimate of $300/400, ended up at $1,116.
Decorative arts were strong throughout the night, and “reasonable” presale estimates were consistently broken. A Marcus & Co Arts and Crafts sterling ladle with a precious stone inset sold for $2,115 †significantly above its $300/500 estimate. A lot of Nineteenth Century German flatware realized $1,410, also well over its high estimate. Toward the end of the auction, a pair of decorative Royal Vienna plates brought $2,702.
Furniture also did well †a Mid-Century Modern coffee table of patinated steel, brass and glass, cautiously described as “in the style of Jean Royere’s Eiffel” table had a $300/500 estimate †it ended up selling for $6,756. Another Mid-Century highlight was an Edgar Brandt tea cart, which brought $1,293.
Antique and quality traditional furniture also went to good prices, with a Nineteenth Century French harvest table achieving $2,820 and a high-end reproduction Robert Jupe table going to a retail buyer just at its high estimate of $5,581. An early Nineteenth Century country harvest table with breadboard ends and beautiful surface had a $600/900 estimate, but realized $3,407.
Other furniture lots that commanded good prices include a French commode, Nineteenth Century, in excellent condition, which sold above its high estimate of $1,500 at $2,476; a pair of Edward Wormley Mid-Century Modern slipper chairs with metal Dunbar tags, from a Long Island home, had the same estimate and made the same $2,467 price. Another French harvest table, this one with two drawers, a lovely patina and scalloped edges, sold at $2,350.
Some other decorative accessories also brought prices well above estimates. A pair of giltwood mirrors, possibly Nineteenth Century with Greek key designs, went to $2,350, trouncing the $600/900 estimate. An antique English giltwood carved mirror in what appeared to be original patina also sold at $2,350.
Also among the top lots was a wonderful, large (21 inches high) sculpture in marble of a horse’s head with flying mane, on a base. It was listed as “probably midcentury Italian,” and estimated at $300/500; it sold for $1,762.
Some bargains were to be had, however, such as antique armoires, sofas and good, but generic, traditional furniture. For example, a Renaissance Revival armoire, estimated at $3/4,000, went for just $1,175.
The sale was strong, however, from top to bottom. Clarke observed, “we were flying five minutes into the sale, but almost five hours later, two vintage canes that I estimated at $100/150 sold for $1,050.”
All prices given include the 17½ percent buyer’s premium.
Clarke’s is at 20 North Avenue. For more information, 914-838-8336 or www.ClarkeNY.com .
