: Cowan's Auctions' October 21-22 sale of the Americana collection
of the late J. John Auraden generated $660,000 from 800 lots of
furniture, decorative and fine arts, folk art and historic
Americana.
The highest selling item was a southern Ohio curly maple and
cherry tall case clock that sold for $25,300. Auraden of Hamilton
and Fairhaven, Ohio, was a longtime dealer who amassed an
enormous collection of antiques, including many fine examples of
furniture made in the German settlement of Oldenburg, Ind.
Cowan Auctions' founder Wes Cowan said he was pleased with the
auction results, noting that "Cowan's was thrilled to be able to
offer this unique collection, representing one man's lifelong
passion for Americana." Andrew Richmond, Cowan's furniture and
decorative arts specialist, concurred, saying, "The Auraden
collection features arguably the largest and finest collection of
Oldenburg furniture ever assembled."
The auction's top seller, the cherry tall case clock, was an
exceptional example of early Ohio cabinetmaking in a fine, old
finish, circa 1820. Although the cherry was veneered, the curly
maple was all solid with fantastic figure. The works, which may
be original, were an eight-day Black Forest movement signed on
the back of the dial Felix Dold, and with polychrome-painted
decoration with flowers in the spandrels and in the dial arch, 94
inches high by 181/2 inches wide by 11 inches deep.
A folk art painting of a cat sold for 16 times its estimate.
"Lincoln's Address in Cincinnati, September 17, 1859" by
Moerschel sold for $3,335. The scene depicts Lincoln speaking from
a balcony at 20 West Fifth Street, now Government Square. In the
background is the now-defunct Fifth Street Market, which once stood
on present day Fountain Square. In the center of the painting is a
tall flagpole with a raised American flag. At the bottom left is a
crew of workers setting off fireworks to commemorate the event. A
jubilant crowd faces Lincoln with some individuals waving their top
hats. The circa 1900 oil on canvas, unframed, measured 30 by 401/2
inches.
A total of $10,925 was paid for an Oldenburg walnut two-piece
eight-pane cupboard. The upper case featured two glazed doors,
cove-molded cornice and "sleigh-front" ends. The interior had
shelves with plate grooves and old, blue paint. The lower case
had two paneled doors, two drawers, scroll-cut skir and bracket
feet. Retaining its original pulls and original, dry surface the
cupboard measured 87 inches high by 571/2 inches wide by 19
inches deep.
A folk art painting of a cat sold for 16 times its original
estimate. The anonymous naive painting of a seated gray cat with
red collar, painted on a poplar beveled panel, measured 81/4 by
161/4 inches, unframed. It sold for $6,400.
John Cromwell cigar store Indian, $12,600.
A bidder paid $8,050 for a pressure dome and lamp from a
Cynthiana, Ky., fire engine. Stamped with an oval on lower part of
lamp "DeVoursney Bros./389 Brooklyn / New York," the brass
top-mounted oil lamp had four circular windows, each with a
different 51/2-inch-diameter beveled-edged, copper wheel-engraved
window. The lamp was surmounted with a triple-decker turned brass
finial with heat vents in underside of lowest turning. The interior
had a small oil burner with silvered copper font and brass burner.
A John Cromwell School cigar store Indian sold for $12,600. The
carved full-figure male Native American sported a feathered
headdress and a blanket draped across his left shoulder. In his
right hand he held a bundle of cigars, perched atop a square
snuffbox, while in left he clutched a knife and held two wrapped
packs of tobacco to his chest. Featuring carved feather necklace
and fine carved drapery fold clothing, the figure stood 48 inches
high and was mounted atop the original tapered wooden base with
four cast iron wheels for a total height of 74 inches.
An unsigned oil on canvas depiction of an Indian standing atop a
rocky outcropping overlooking an expansive river valley brought
$10,300. The Indian, wearing a red tunic and moccasins, was shown
gazing toward the luminous sky while light streamed through the
clouds. Appearing to be in its original ornate gesso and gilt
frame, the painting measured 46 by 383/4 inches with the frame.
Prices reported include the 15 percent buyer's premium.
