: Collectors and dealers were not intimidated by winter storm
warnings for the weekend of Hesse Galleries' February 7 auction
of the James and Roberta Frazier stoneware collection. The
auction gallery was filled to capacity with standing room only,
and total sales were just under a quarter of a million dollars.
Gailliard painting of Antwerp, $26,400.
The first piece of stoneware sold was a marked David Morgan
New York ovoid jug with incised pheasant. After serious competitive
bids both from the floor and the telephone, the Morgan sold to a
prominent collector for $38,500. The dominant stoneware pieces were
a stag churn at $18,700, a starface churn at $17,050, a standing
doe churn at $6,490, the Commeraws ovoid jug at $4,510, eagle crock
at $4,840, spotted blue bird jar at $4,070 and the Burger flower
pitcher at $2,970.
Also featured in the sale was a dated 1883 F. Gailliard painting
depicting a busy Antwerp, Belgium, street scene. Bidders from
Monaco, Brussels, London, Milan and the United States were active
via both telephone and written absentee bids, plus there were
bidders from the floor. After vigorous bidding from all quarters,
the painting sold for $26,400.
Stag churn, $18,700.
Other items of interest included a Mohawk Valley shoefoot
hutch table for $4,620; a Hepplewhite tall-case clock at $3,080; a
petite Queen Anne desk on frame for $5,830; an Eighteenth Century
Mohawk Valley hanging corner cupboard for $2,970; and a child's
wooden "freight" cart in original paint, which brought $1,155.
Overall the sale consisted of a wide range of categories, which
included early lighting, folk art, paintings, prints, stoneware,
redware, woodenware, wildlife carvings and textiles.
A good selection of slip and tobacco decorated redware brought
strong prices: a 101/2-inch pie plate sold for $1,320; a covered
dish with ramshorn handles brought $1,815; a pitcher with tobacco
splashed decoration sold at $1,155; and a two-color slip bowl
with cover sold for a high bid of $1,980.
All prices quoted include the ten percent buyer's premium.
