Eldred's Americana Led By Ralph Cahoon Painting

EAST DENNIS, MASS.

:More than 1,200 lots of Americana crossed the auction block during a sale at Eldred's on Thursday and Friday, August 4 and 5. The sale was attended by a large crowd made up of dealers, collectors and local vacationers that bid actively throughout the weekday sessions. The first day of the auction featured a selection of Staffordshire, Oriental porcelains, paintings and midline furniture, while day two offered many of the top lots including fine furniture, Chinese Export, marine paintings and Oriental carpets.

Paintings by Ralph Cahoon Jr are extremely popular subjects throughout the Cape and the islands and they claimed three of the top slots during the sale. Leading the way was a classic Cahoon oil depicting six mermaids knitting on the back of a whale. The piece with a whimsical flock of terns playing with the mermaids' yarn from above and a school of fish playing from below, also featured a lighthouse and clipper ship in the background. Bidding on the lot, estimated at $30/35,000, was brisk with it selling for $49,450.

Another Cahoon with a sailor rowing a mermaid in a skiff while she picked water lilies had a similar background and was equally sought after selling well above the $7/9,000 estimates at $32,200. Yet another oil by Ralph, depicting a boy carving a pumpkin on a rock while a mermaid looks on, did well, topping estimates at $28,750.

A Charles Drew Cahoon painting of bearded man and a young boy playing checkers in a wood-workers shop also handily exceeded estimates, bringing $29,900.

Other paintings in the sale included a primitive portrait of a sea captain with a telescope in hand and a harbor scene behind him that was attributed to the Prior-Hamblin school. Estimated at $5/10,000, the painting caught the eye of several in the crowd with it hammering down at $33,350.

Two large oils by Philip Leslie Hale were offered in the sale and both did well with a 37-by-72-inch work titled "Moonlit Pool" selling at $31,050, while a 20-by-30-inch oil titled "Niagara Falls II" sold above estimates at $18,400.

Other paintings included a J.J. Enneking oil titled "Cloudy Day, October" that was knocked down at $29,900, an Emile Gruppe oil, "Mending The Nets," brought $18,400, and a small Charles Cahoon view of Barnstable realized $9,200.

A Chippendale serpentine front, four-drawer chest with ball and claw feet and fan carved central drop pendant was the top lot of the furniture offered. The chest was in overall very good condition with minor shrinkage separations on the sides, an early refinish and old replacement brasses. Estimated at $15/20,000, the chest was bid by several in the gallery against the telephones with a price of $43,700 realized.

A nice dish-top tea table attributed to the Goddard-Townsend school sold at nearly three times the estimate bringing $21,850, while a Queen Anne highboy with flat top and fan carved lower drawer sold for $19,550.

A sweet paint decorated dresser box on tiny ball feet and with a lift-top was decorated in the manner of Rufus Porter. With a cream color ground the piece was decorated with a homestead scene on the front, an eagle on the top and a tole basket of fruit depicted on the inside lid. An active round of bidding saw a final price of $13,800 realized.

A presentation Liverpool pitcher with a two-masted sailing ship on one side and a tribute to Washington and Independence on the other went out at $10,925, while a pair of celestial and terrestrial globes by Cary of London sold at $7,475.

Prices include the 15 percent buyer's premium charged.

For further information contact Robert C. Eldred Co., 1483 Route 6A, POB 796, East Dennis MA 02641, 508-385-3116 or www.eldreds.com.