Skinner’s Discovery auction on June 16‱7 was a bang-up way to start summer, fetching a total of $465,428, with silver and jewelry offerings being a solid addition to the sale. This is typically the case with Discovery auctions that feature these specialty offerings, but with precious metal prices being so high, the Wednesday night session really took off.
The sale was nearing the end with fair prices resulting all around and a few standouts in the four figures when a sweet little octagonal tea table cataloged as Queen Anne-style example came up for bid.
The maple and pine table with paw feet crossed the block late in the sale and estimated at only $200/300, caused quite a stir when it soared to an impressive $17,775. It caught the fancy of two dealers in the audience and the bidding was aggressive until one prevailed.
As with all Skinner Discovery auctions, the fun is in the eclectic mix of things up for auction †there are always fun finds and this auction seemed ripe with them †several lots went wild with bidders really vying for what they wanted.
Among the quirky lots was a black-painted Arts and Crafts oak and copper dinner gong that sold for $4,443.
And finally, Skinner finds that big names usually net big prices on the auction floor. A testament to that premise was a Steinway & Sons mahogany baby grand piano that realized $9,800 and a late Nineteentharly Twentieth Century Louis Vuitton metal- and wood-mounted steamer trunk, 43½ by 21½ by 12¾ inches, that brought $3,675.
Rounding out the auction was a group lot of 13 pieces of assorted metalware and a glass decanter, including five brass candlesticks, a pewter footed jug and covered sugar, that went for $5,629.
Skinner’s next discovery auction will be July 21′2 in Marlborough, where the feature will be studio paintings.
All prices reported include the buyer’s premium.
For more information, www.skinnerinc.com or 508-970-3000.
