Graves And Glackens Lead Julia's Popular August Samoset Auction

ROCKPORT, MAINE - Always a summertime Coastal Maine highlight, James D. Julia's Spectacular Americana Auction was once again conducted before a large and enthusiastic crowd at the Samoset Resort. Each jaunt to the posh resort results in greater and greater numbers, both in quantity and quality for the Fairfield, Maine, auction firm.

The auction, which grossed nearly $3.4 million over its three-day run, marked Julia's most lucrative Samoset auction to date. Sale coordinator Bill Gage commented that he was amazed by the activity and participation. "We registered the greatest amount of bidders for this sale that I've seen. It was just extraordinary.

"American art fared extremely well," Gage remarked. "There has been a decided increase in the interest in this area, which has meant more being made available and their achieving greater results."

Leading the auction was a desirable oil on canvas summer scene by Abbott Fuller Graves depicting two young Victorian women looking out over a harbor. Termed a classic example of American Impressionism done at a time when America's finest artists were using this style, the painting was fresh to the market. Bidding on the lot was active with it quickly surpassing the presale estimate of $100/150,000 to fetch $201,250.

The first of three sessions was devoted entirely to the approximately 450 works by American artists and included many significant pieces. William Glackens' "Rockport, Mass 1936" impressionistic oil on board study of a beach in Rockport, Mass., featured bathers on a sandy and rock-strewn beach. The painting likewise sold for $201,250, just inside its estimate of $200/300,000.

Considered one of the more significant pieces in the auction was a work by Paul Sample with tremendous crossover appeal for both art enthusiasts and antique advertising collectors. "Coffee Time in America," commissioned by General Foods, became a focal point in a series of ads for Maxwell House coffee. The print ad campaign featured imagery depicting slices of American life in the mid-Twentieth Century. The large original oil on canvas showed a quintessential rural Vermont winter scene with three workmen taking a break from hauling logs to enjoy a hot cup of Maxwell House coffee with the lady of the house. Bidding was "good to the last drop" of the auction hammer, doubling estimates at $109,250.

A scene by Fredrick J. Mulhaupt entitled "Gloucester Harbor" showing two two-mast fishing boats along a dock while men scuttle about was beautifully executed and well-received. It exceeded the expectations of $40/60,000 to finish up at $69,000.

Other representatives of the Rockport-Gloucester school included Anthony Thieme whose depiction of fishing boats at dockside more than doubled estimates selling for $46,000. A similar scene, "Summer Morning, Gloucester" by Emile Gruppe depicting a cluster of boats moored in the harbor before a day of fishing, sold for $13,800, within its $10/15,000 estimate. Seascapes and other works with a nautical flavor did well with a James Fitzgerald watercolor depicting dinghies on a choppy moonlit sea done selling at $23,000, while a small oil on canvas of a Cliffside coastline by William Trost Richards brought $16,675.

Other highlights included a fine oil on canvas horse portrait of ribbon winner Ponce De Leon by Alexander Pope. Fitting that the horse was named for the fabled seeker of the fountain of youth, the work galloped past its $15/20,000 presale estimate selling for $31,625.

Three works by Antonio Jacobsen included portraits of the clipper ships Dreadnaught and Southampton. Masterfully executed, these portraits sold for $19,550 and $11,500 respectively, each selling at or above their particular estimates. William Pierce Stubbs' ship portrait of the Azariah Sears stood out as the only known example by this artist inscribed on the reverse. Evidently it was created as a gift for Captain William Morrissey, captain of the Maine-built ship. It sold within estimate for $9,775. Faring better than expected was Stubbs' portrait of the Gertrude E. Smith, which brought $6,325 against an estimate of $2/4,000.

An Eighteenth Century portrait attributed to John Singleton Copley of a regal-looking woman with her infant was a showstopper. Ignoring its $8/12,000 estimate, it finished up at a stately $46,000.

British artist Sir William Russell Flint, whose "Diaphenia & Hazel" was once exhibited at the Royal Academy in London, created a stir with an oil depicting two nudes in an interior setting that brought $57,500.

An oil by Antoine Garcia Mencia that likely served as the image for a Nineteenth Century holiday greeting card featured a white robed St Nicholas carrying a Christmas tree and sack over his shoulder following behind an enchanting angelic girl (complete with angel's wings). Utilizing nearly every phone in the room, bidders did not want to give in, ultimately ceasing at $35,650, almost triple estimates.

A selection of contemporary abstracts included an abstract work of colorful geometric shapes by Auguste Herbin with it selling at $39,100 against a $6/8,000 estimate.

The auction continued with a wide variety of folk art including a select grouping of weathervanes. Topping the list was an important and rare standing horse vane. This full-bodied copper horse with cast iron head, great old verdigris patina and marvelous form, despite some repaired bullet holes from long ago, sold for $28,750. A signed Cushing & White running horse weathervane also proved to be quite popular; it topped its $3,500/5,000 estimate to sell for $14,950.

Additional folk art included numerous carved eagles such as examples by George Stapf and John Haley Bellamy. A carved wood and paint decorated American eagle wall plaque, attributed to Stapf, depicting the patriotic icon grasping a shield and arrows in its talons behind a waving American flag sold at $22,425. A carved and painted spread wing eagle with banner attributed Bellamy proclaiming "Don't Give Up the Ship" brought $16,100, and a gilt carved mahogany plaque by Bellamy depicting an eagle with a curved arrow in its talons realized $12,362.

American furniture included a Chippendale mahogany block front desk from Boston with fitted interior, fan carvings, shaped drawers, and ball and claw feet that sold for $31,050. A shell of a Chippendale ball and claw foot period wing chair went for $10,350. A two-piece Chippendale cherry secretary with slant front, dental carved cornice molding and numerous doors, drawers and cubbies sold at $6,900. An inlaid Sheraton mahogany sideboard from a fine East Winthrop, Maine, home with bowed center on turned high legs brought $4,370, while a State of Maine Chippendale graduated tall chest from the late Eighteenth Century sold for $4,600.

Continental furniture included an English Chippendale walnut carved settee with nicely formed arms, feet, and legs with scenic needlepoint upholstery on the seat and back that went out at $6,900, a carved and inlaid French armoire with shaped paneled doors sold above estimates at $6,037 and an Elizabethan carved draw top table with paneled top brought $7,762.

A meticulously carved continental Eighteenth Century two-part carved walnut cupboard decorated in vine, urn and floral designs tripled its estimate to sell for $4,312.

A selection of silver included a covered soup tureen by Paul Storr consisting of an oval two-handled tureen atop a pedestal base, topped by a dome-stepped cover. It finished up at $16,675, while a George II English silver mug by noted goldsmith Paul De Lamerie went for $8,625.

More than 60 lots of Tiffany included a 173-piece flatware set in the San Lorenzo pattern that sold for a solid $10,925. A pair of tall sterling Tiffany Chrysanthemum candlesticks with blown out designs on the base, stem and top brought $4,600; an elaborate silvered bronze shell shaped boat center bowl accentuated with a cherub, winged woman and dolphins brought $5,635; and a large decorated oval Tiffany sterling silver fish platter whispered subtle simplistic elegance and realized $2,530.

A large bronze fountain by Tiffany depicting a nude boy kneeling atop a large turtle strapped with reins, and rigged so water emits from the turtle's mouth, did well at $12,650. Other decorative items included a terrific hand painted porcelain KPM plaque depicting a formally dressed man leaning over to kiss a woman who is reclining on a sofa that sold within estimates at $10,637.

Julia's next Americana and fine art auction will take place in January. For information call 207-453-7125, or email jjulia@juliaauctions.com.