: Despite the fact that it was the first really nice weekend in the
season, Kaja Veilleux had a standing-room-only crowd recently at
his Thomaston Place Auction Galleries sale.
There were many terrific marine paintings offered in this
auction. The top lot of the sale, a stunning depiction of the
Ocean Herald, an American clipper ship, had been consigned
by the Skidompha Library of Damariscotta, Maine. This painting
had an impressive provenance. It had been descended from the
ship's builder, Charles Glidden Merry, to his daughter Elizabeth,
who donated it to the library in the 1960s. In an effort to raise
some funds, the decision was made to sell the painting. With
eight phones competing, the price soared to a solid $88,000,
disappointing some customers at the sale who had come just to buy
the painting.
Another big Nineteenth Century marine painting at this auction
was the clipper ship Western Shore of the Oregon Line,
also known as the Oregon Clipper. Retaining its original
gilt frame, it sold for $11,100.
There was plenty of American country furniture sold by Veilleux.
An Eighteenth Century American slant lid desk in old brown paint
with a simple eight drawer interior brought $1,375. A snappy and
good looking American red step back cupboard from the Nineteenth
Century with good proportions sold for $3,410. A simple, period
Queen Anne lowboy from the Eighteenth Century in maple and pine,
which had old repairs to the legs, sold for $1,980. Another
Nineteenth Century step back cupboard with a simple shaped crest,
four recessed paneled doors and a two-shelf interior sold for
$1,925.
This Nineteenth Century China Trade ship portrait, an oil on
canvas of the three-masted clipper ship Western Shore of the
Oregon Line, quickly achieved the selling price of $11,100. The
painting retained its original gilt carved frame and had been
relined. It measured 24 by 34 inches.
A Nineteenth Century Chinese Export Rose Mandarin covered
tureen, which had a hand painted exterior with gold highlights and
a wide footed base, sold for $1,925. An early outstanding Chinese
Export oversize straight side mug with applied serpent handle, hand
painted blue and brick red with gold highlights, sold for $825. A
Nineteenth Century Apache basket, circa 1880, a single rod coil
bowl in willow and devil's claw, Yanapi pattern, with seven human
figures with joined hands and heads turned towards the center sold
for $6,050. Another Apache basket, circa 1880, a single coiled
bowl, in willow, devil's claw and Yucca root, sold for $990.
Some significant jewelry was offered at the Thomaston sale. A
fabulous Art Deco platinum, imperial jade and diamond ring with a
pear-shaped jade stone, which had been appraised at $11,800, sold
quickly for $5,500. A stunning pearl necklace, which consisted of
33 cultured South Sea pearls, graduating from 11.5 to 15
millimeters, creamy white in color, sold for $6,050. A pair of
carved and gesso putti, Venetian, Eighteenth Century, with some
repairs to the toes and the rings sold for $3,300.
An American Nineteenth Century watercolor of the Rockies, a
landscape by Charles Partridge Adams (1858-1942), which was
signed on the lower left and dated 1898, brought $2,750. An oil
on canvas of Antwerp Harbor by Ludwig Hermann (1812-1888), which
was signed on the lower right and dated 1871, sold for $3,245.
Prices reported include ten percent buyer's premium.
For information, 207-354-8141 or www.thomastonauction.com.
