Sails Strong At Thomaston

THOMASTON, MAINE

: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.

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.