Miniature Sinumbra Lamp Nets Giant Price from Phone Bidder

A bid of $17,600 surprised even the auctioneer.

MOUNT MORRIS, N.Y. - Cottone Auctions recently conducted the first of its three fall antiques auctions. Starting the sale was a 1953 Morgan sports car which sold for $16,000. Several paintings were offered, the top lot being an oil on canvas by L.M. Wiles, a western New York Artist. His image of a sunset sold for $11,275, while another by Wiles -"Apple Tree Study" - brought $7,975.

An Emile Gruppe oil on canvas, with a birch tree as the focal point, realized $5,225, while another Gruppe winter scene sold for $6,875. A 22 by 16 inch painting by Charles P. Gruppe brought $5,830. A painting of a young girl, done by Auguste Ludwig, sold to an overseas buyer for $8,800.

Surprising auctioneer Sam Cottone was the price realized on a rare miniature sinumbra lamp with black amethyst base, which sold to a successful phone bidder for $17,600. Other lamps included a Wilkinson water lily, which brought $7,700, and a reverse painted Pairpoint which sold for $3,630.

Several estate Oriental rugs also sold to the highest bidder. A Serapi, with some wear, brought $18,700; a Bidjar brought $7,700; and a blue background Chinese rug sold for $7,425.

This marble and bronze French shelf example led figural clocks at $17,050.

A variety of figural clocks drew much pre-auction attention from across the country. A marble and bronze French shelf clock, with two seated marble figures, sold to a phone bidder for $17,050. A gilt bronze clock with Zachary Taylor figure, seven inches in height, sold to a Midwestern collector for $7,700, and an Austrian gilt bronze clock with dolphin figures realized $1,210.

A marble statue of Eve, with minor damage, sold to a New York City dealer for $7,150. A book with a gold gilt cover, The Artwork of Louis Comfort Tiffany, sold to a collector for $6,600. Several sets of sterling flatware were offered, including 109 pieces of Tiffany "Hampton," which brought $6,050, and 156 pieces of Tiffany "Wave Edge," which brought $5,225. A Deldare garden seat sold for $3,630, a Roycroft wastebasket brought $3,080, and an LJG bookshelf realized $1,650.

Indian items included a carved and painted cradleboard, which sold for $6,875; a Pima basket that brought $1,375; and an Indian pottery canteen that was hammered at $2,090.

Several pieces of Americana were offered. An inlaid Quervelle table brought $5,225; a carved inlaid classical mahogany pier table, with some veneer loss, sold for $2,640; a Boston drop leaf table realized $3,135; and a carved four poster bed brought $6,600. A Black Hawk weathervane, in original patina, brought $5,225; a cast iron sailor whirligig was hammered down at $2,310; and a Whites Utica one gallon ovoid crock with rooster sold for $3,960.

All prices include a ten percent buyer's premium.