A complete Hudson River portfolio by Hill and Wall, including all 20 hand colored prints with accompanying text sheets, was the star attraction of Carlsen Gallery Inc’s annual March Madness antiques auction on March 19. The portfolio brought an impressive $196,875.

The assembled set, from the estate of Thomas Mickle, the contents of whose house Carlsen handled last fall, had been collected during the last half of the Twentieth Century and had been bequeathed to a family member, according to auction house owner Russ Carlsen.

“The set had been sent off to Cooperstown for light cleaning. It was a treat to see them in such great shape,” he said. “Overall, I would say they were in very good condition. It is rare to have such a complete set that includes the cover of the portfolio.”

Presale interest in the portfolio was apparent, said Mr Carlsen, but the trick was in determining the level of interest. He ended up adjusting the estimate to $90/110,000, and the portfolio opened at $20,000. From there, the action was pretty much between a determined phone bidder and a bidder on the floor, with the floor bidder ultimately prevailing.

Prices reported include 121/2 percent buyer’s premium.

A full report of the sale will appear in a future issue.