It was not all fun and games at Fairfield Auction on March 21, just some comic relief in the form of one lot. The chuckles subsided quickly and bidders got serious, however, when a rare Steiff stuffed Felix The Cat crossed the auction block. The mischievous little cat attracted a great deal of attention from the crowd, with the figure reaching into his “magical bag of tricks” to ultimately command a serious price.
Auction house principal Jack DeStories commented prior to the auction that he had never seen the figure previously, despite his extensive research in books, auction catalogs and on the Internet. The early stuffed animal, circa 1927, stood just over 9 inches tall and was marked with the “button” in its ear. DeStories estimated the lot at $2/3,000, yet active bidding from the gallery and the telephones pushed the piece beyond expectations, with it selling to a phone bidder at $4,887.
Another lot to provide some fun-time was a story board drawing from the Disney classic film Dumbo , a pencil drawing of Dumbo’s mother cuddling the young long-eared pachyderm. Marked with the “WDP” stamp in the lower corner, the charming drawing handily exceeded the $500/800 estimate as it rose to $1,380.
The top lot of the auction came from the selection of paintings, with a Percival Rosseau sporting-themed oil on canvas catching the eye of collectors. Depicting a setter in a marsh with a retrieved mallard in its mouth, the lot opened for bidding at $6,000. The 19-by-13-inch oil was hit by several in the crowd initially, although the majority of the final bids came from the four active phone lines. In the end, it came down to two phone bidders, with the lot going out at $9,487.
Other paintings sold included a Gustav Igler signed oil titled “The Playful Cat” that exceeded estimates as it sold for $4,887. A Henry Dawson oil, “The Valley of Trent,” depicted a man cutting wood and it realized $4,025. A nice painting titled “A Bird on the Window Sill” by Arthur Waddle saw spirited action, selling at $3,162.
“Cows on a Hilltop” by Oscar Adler sold reasonably at $2,587, as did a small painting of a tugboat signed “A.J.” and thought to be the work of Nemethy.
Americana included a nice leaping stag weathervane that sold reasonably for $3,975, while a folky album-style crib quilt with American flags, animals and motifs of childhood realized $2,070.
Numerous photographic images by Carl Moon of Native Americans were sold, with “Navajo Boy” leading the way at $1,265.
Smalls included a Royal Flemish vase that hammered down at $2,760, while a Tiffany enameled bowl went out at $2,185.
A German bronze lamp with a bear figure sold for $1,725, and a bronze overlay figure by Howard Chandler Christy brought $1,840.
Furniture included a chest of drawers and a card table that both carried a Samuel McIntyre attribution and sold for $1,955 and $1,150, respectively. A Dutch baroque burl walnut tabletop vitrine attracted attention, selling at $1,092.
A large stain-glass window depicting Whittemore Landing did well, selling at $2,875, and a sterling flatware service brought $3,450.
Prices include the buyer’s premium charged. For further information 203-364-1555 or www.fairfieldauction.com .
