The star of the sale was this Chinese tou tsai porcelain covered jar with a mark indicating that it dated to 1735-1796. It brought $67,100 ($20/30,000).
Review & Onsite Photos by Rick Russack, Contributing Editor
SUDBURY, MASS. — Tremont Auctions’ four-man team —Cameron Ayotte, Matt Buckley, Jim Callahan and Brett Downer — assembled a diverse assortment for their May 4 sale, with strengths across the board. Chinese material included an Eighteenth Century covered jar that topped the sale. The auction also included a very unusual Pennsylvania tall case clock, mid-century furniture, glass by Twentieth Century masters, fine jewelry, dozens of paintings, Japanese woodblock prints, armor, cannons and more. One expected it would be an interesting sale, and it was, grossing $795,440.
Callahan is the firm’s Asian expert and Chinese items led the sale. A Chinese tou tsai porcelain covered jar was the star of the sale, realizing $67,100. It bore the Chien Lung (Qianlong) mark (1735-1796) and was of the period. Earning the second-highest price of the day was a pair of Chinese Eighteenth Century cloisonné and gilt bowls. They were described in the catalog as having “Running Gold” gilding with scrolling borders of champlevé archaic dragons on green enamel grounds. Each was engraved with four character seal marks on the base “zi, sun, yong, bao (treasured forever by sons and grandsons).” The pair of bowls finished at $46,360. There were more than 30 other Chinese items, including a 6-inch-long Ming period carved jade dragon belt buckle ($4,636) and a Chinese export porcelain fruit bowl with alternating figural and floral panels, more than 12 inches in diameter and made for the Arabic market ($2,880).
This large Macchia basket-form vase by Dale Chihuly, measuring more than 20 inches wide, led the selection of contemporary glass. It earned $9,150 ($7/10,000).
The mid-century decorative arts category included a selection of glass by Dale Chihuly and Dante Marioni. A signed, large Macchia basket-form vase by Chihuly, more than 20 inches wide, topped the selection, earning $9,150. The longer you looked at it, the more colors you saw: pink, red, blue, green and light orange. One of Chihuly’s six-piece Persian Seaform sets, which had one piece signed and dated “00,” earned $4,636 despite damage to one piece. A pink-brown 10-inch-wide Persian Seaform bowl earned $3,660.
The Marioni pieces were completely different from those by Chihuly, showing another aesthetic and technique, with inspiration from classical Greek prototypes. Marioni was born in 1964 to a family of glassworkers in the Seattle, Wash., area and has been well known in the world of contemporary glass since the mid 1980s. Two of his blown glass vases — a chalice vase and a goose beak-form pitcher vase — sold together in one lot and brought $2,318. Both were deep yellow, with red detailing. An 18-inch red chalice vase with black details sold on its own for $1,098.
Other mid-century items included a Chan coffee table by father and son duo Philip and Kelvin LaVerne. The signed table was patinated polychrome bronze, depicted Chinese figures in a walled landscape and realized $7,930. A signed, original Roy Lichtenstein lithograph and screenprint in colors, titled “Still Life with Portrait,” was dated “74” and reached $20,740.
The standout of the fine jewelry selection was an Edwardian 14K gold Ceylon sapphire and diamond brooch-bracelet. It was accompanied by a GIA report certifying that the deep royal-blue sapphires showed no signs of heat treatment; it traded hands for $24,400. Three pieces by William Spratling included an 18K gold and pre-Columbian jade bead necklace with three strands of graduated gold beads with small coral beads near the clasp that sold for $9,150. Also popular with bidders was a pair of Ilias Lalaounis 18K gold and freshwater pearl swirl-form earrings that achieved $5,856.
Leading the jewelry selection was this Edwardian 14K gold Ceylon sapphire and diamond brooch that could also be worn as a bracelet. The sapphires had been tested and were reported as “natural” with no signs of heat treatment. It finished at $24,400 ($12/18,000).
There will always be numerous lots of silver at a Tremont sale and this one included more than 50. Flatware did well, with a Tiffany & Company 77- piece set in the Marquise pattern finishing at $3,904. A Gorham service for 12, with additional pieces, in the Melrose pattern, earned $2,684. The same price was realized by a Welsch (Peruvian) set of six silver dinner plates, hand-hammered with shaped edges. Four sets of Georg Jensen sterling salt and pepper shakers, pattern number 834, were sold together as one lot and brought $1,464.
A large assortment of Twentieth Century woodblock prints, primarily by two artists, made for an eye-catching display in the gallery. One of the artists was Clifton Karhu (1927-2007), who was born in Minnesota and was stationed in Japan for two years following World War II. He would eventually settle in Kyoto, creating woodblock prints that he carved and printed himself. Two of his prints each earned $1,708; one was titled “Edo Sojurn” (1979), the other was “Shirakawa – Shinbashi,” an artist’s proof that depicted the Shirakawa river in Spring at twilight. This river held a special significance for the artist and is where some of his ashes were scattered. The other artist with several works in the sale was Elizabeth Keith (1887-1956). She lived in Japan for nine years and travelled extensively through other countries including Korea and China. Her work was popular in London, and one of her prints — “Wonsa, Korea” — led the selection of woodblock prints, selling for $3,904. Another of her prints, “Buddha’s Birthday” was hand-signed and dated “1919” in the plate; it realized $3,660.
After the sale, Ayotte said, “We knew the Chinese jar and the cloisonné bowls would do well. We had calls almost from the moment the listings went up online. Overall, it was a strong sale and we were all pleased with the $795,440 gross. I was glad to see that the Karhu woodblock prints were well received. We had a decent crowd in the gallery, and the consignors are happy. That’s what we want.”
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house.
Tremont’s next auction is scheduled for June 8.
For information, 617-795-1678 or www.tremontauctions.com.
