The top lot was a country
auction scene by Ellinger which fetched $17,050.
KIMBERTON, PENN. -- A selection of paintings from the estate of
the late David Ellinger topped a two-day auction this past
weekend, June 7-8, conducted by Ron Rhoads.
Leading the sale was a "wonderful" country auction scene
depicting an auctioneer in front of a barn with a ring of bidders
looking on that had been executed by Ellinger many years ago.
Rhoads opened the lot low for bidding and was subjected to a
flurry of hands in the air and numerous phone bidders attempting
to get in on the action. It was not long before the lot was being
hammered down for $17,050 to a buyer in the room.
One of a pair of portraits attributed to Martin Drexel, this
one featuring Harriet Phillips. The pair brought $11,000.
Ellinger, a Pennsylvania folk artist whose reputation has spread
well beyond his regional appeal, was a regular at Ron Rhoads
auctions who "loved to tell stories and talk about his paintings
with our other customers," commented Rhoads after the auction.
"His paintings have always had strong interest locally, but,
there is a national appeal quickly developing. We are sending
paintings from this past auction to phone bidders that called in
from all over the place, including Louisiana," he said.
Other Ellinger pieces included a paint decorated document box
selling at $10,120, a portrait of a young girl at $13,750, a
beehive painting at $6,380, a farm scene at $5,500 and a theorem
on velvet depicting a basket of fruit realized $4,100. A painting
by another Pennsylvania folk artist, Hattie Brunner, also did
well at $5,500.
A pair of portraits from the Regal homestead depicting Colonel
Jason Waters and Harriet Phillips, married 1815, were attributed
to Martin Drexel and sold to a representative of the Drexel
University after active bidding for $11,000.
A complete review will appear in a future issue.
