Adriaen Cornelisz Van der Salm (Dutch, 1657–1720) rare maritime penschilderij (pen/ink painting) on oak panel was the top lot at $57,820.
Review by W.A. Demers
SARASOTA, FLA. – Midwinter typically sees northern snowbirds heading south to Florida for sunshine and warmth, but Sarasota Estate Auctions’ winter feature sale on January 14, along with an online-only component on January 15, witnessed some of its own fevered bidding action.
There were 2,783 registered bidders for the live auction component, and those packing the firm’s gallery on North Lockwood Ridge Road, settled in to compete on some 1,200 lots ranging from fine art, bronzes, statuary, Oriental rugs, silver virtu and objets d’art. The sale featured a 40-year collection along with estates in Palm Beach, Lake Worth and San Francisco.
Another maritime pen and ink drawing by Adriaen Cornelisz Van der Salm sold for $41,300.
Dutch Old Master drawings excited bidders, with two choice examples leading the overall sale. A rare maritime penschilderij (pen and ink painting) on oak panel by Adriaen Cornelisz Van der Salm (1657-1720) sailed far from its $8/16,000 estimate to lead the day at $57,820. The Dutch draftsman and painter utilized the labor-intensive technique of applying India ink with a pen onto a prepared cloth or panel, his intricate cross-hatchings conveying the drama of ships upon stormy seas. A second work by the artist, also on oak panel, bested its $12,000 high estimate as well, finishing at $41,300. Both works are heading back to Amsterdam, successfully won by a gallery there.
Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci (Italy, France, 1452-1519) was also represented in the sale, with a nicely executed ink-on-paper drawing attributed to him and depicting a lively scene of horses and riders finishing at $14,750.
“Dubrovnik,” a harbor scene by Predrag Milosavljevic (Serbian, 1908-1987), also found favor with bidders, who pushed the work far beyond its $700-$1,500 estimate to bring $13,310. There were three bidders competing on the phone for this painting, with a private collector in Serbia prevailing on the lot.
A couple of other notable fine art lots performed well in the sale. A John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) study of a young boy more than doubled its high estimate to garner $4,840, while $2,420 was the final price for George Gardner Symons’ (American, 1863-1930) Impressionist autumnal river landscape.
Predrag Milosavljevic (Serbian, 1908–1987), “Dubrovnik” harbor scene was bid to $13,310.
A Nineteenth Century bronze sculpture, “Le Melodie,” by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse quadrupled its high estimate as it was bid to $4,840.
Asian highlights included an early antique blue and white Chinese dragon vase at $2,541 and a Chinese wall panel with two calligraphy signed porcelain plaque insets that blew its $300/500 estimate away, changing hands at $8,772. It is heading back to China, won by an online bidder there.
Finally, a group of hand painted figures on bone from India realized $4,537.
Prices reported include the buyer’s premium.
For additional information, www.sarasotaestateauction.com or 941-359-8700.
