Massachusetts Federal Tall Clock Stars At CRN's Nov. 20 Auction

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. - A handsome Massachusetts Federal tall clock with a case attributed to John and Thomas Seymour of Boston and a dial signed "James Doull, Charlestown" was the star of the day of CRN Auctions' November 20 sale when it sold for $92,000 after a lively bidding competition among a major clock dealer and several other bidders. The successful buyer was a collector.

A simply stunning classical mahogany breakfast table attributed to Philadelphia maker Anthony Gabriel Quervelle was of great interest and sold for $51,750. The 54-inch top was a lustrous flame mahogany with delicately formed brass inlay and the piece sat on three acanthus-carved supports above a triangular base that had a round white marble insert. The piece came from a Philadelphia family and sold on the phone to a New York dealer.

A Salem Chippendale four-drawer chest on ball and claw feet came from a Massachusetts family and sold on the phone for $31,050. The piece had a nice old finish and was thought to have retained the original brasses. An Eighteenth Century Salem Chippendale mahogany serpentine front chest had some changes to the brasses and sold for $5,750.

A New England Chippendale mahogany wing chair opened at $5,250 and sold for $9,775 and an Eighteenth Century North Shore Massachusetts Queen Anne walnut corner chair drew $5,362. A Portsmouth Federal inlaid bow front chest with tiger maple drawer fronts fetched $4,600 while a Rhode Island Chippendale maple six-drawer chest went to an area collector for $8,050.

A Connecticut Chippendale cherry five-legged demilune card table had a centered rear leg that pulled out to support the demilune lid. It sold for $10,112 to an absentee bidder. From the Connecticut Valley came Chippendale inlaid cherry secretary bookcase by a Lombard School cabinetmaker that had fan inlay and blind doors; it brought $3,738.

When Southern furniture appears in the market it is nearly always deemed desirable. In this sale a Kentucky cherry sugar chest brought $8,050 and an Eighteenth Century Federal walnut chest with fan inlay realized $4,600.

A pair of Nineteenth Century bronze and fire-gilt Argand lamps opened at $400 and raced away to $4,887.

A China Trade two-part campaign chest with inlay and inset brass hardware went for $5,420 while a pair of Chinese Export Rose Mandarin hexagonal garden barrels from about 1830 sold to an area dealer for $8,812 and a 16-inch Chinese Export rose famille punch bowl on a celestial blue ground drew $4,025.

While American furniture certainly held its own, English and Continental pieces attracted wide international interest and lots of telephone activity from England, Europe and Jerusalem. A few quirky lots were also well received.

It was a set of 12 Nineteenth Century Irish Chippendale style mahogany dining chairs that drew the greatest interest among the European and English furniture. The chairs sold for $21,850 to an Irish dealer. An Eighteenth Century Irish Chippendale mahogany three-tier dumbwaiter bearing the label "M. Butler Dublin" brought $1,265 and a handsome Eighteenth Century Irish Chippendale mahogany marble-top center table with ball and claw feet went to $5,750.

An English George III serpentine chest with brush slides was $11,150 from a phone bidder who also bought a smallish English George II walnut and veneer chest with four graduated drawers for $10,062. Seven phone bidders vied for a small English Regency three part mahogany banquet table that brought $6,562.

An English George III mahogany liquor box that auctioneer Carl R. Nordblom said was "the best I've ever had," went for $4,140 but a New England Federal example in mahogany with satinwood inlay was also $4,140. Style is still substance as a Nineteenth Century English George III style three-part breakfront with glazed doors in green and cream paint sold for $6,562.

A great looking pair of English Regency painted and gilded potpourri with ebonized winged hoof feet was a strong $6,900 and an unusual pair of George III Sheffield silver plate over copper andirons in flame form decorated with relief images of the king was $3,105.

Italian furniture and accessories were consistently strong. An Eighteenth Century Italian Rococo walnut serpentine fall front desk with exuberant ivory inlay that was made in Milan brought an impressive $14,950 from a bidder in the sale room while an Eighteenth Century Venetian commode with a shaped serpentine top and the original mustard decorated paint sold on the phone for $6,375.

A Nineteenth Century Italian carved giltwood center table with a specimen marble top signed "Orlandi Aristide, Roma Via Sistina 1873" was of interest and sold to a Rhode Island dealer for $10,587.

An Eighteenth Century Italian neoclassical carved giltwood wall mirror had great appeal and sold for $6,375.

A set of four Venetian reverse paintings on glass, three of which were cracked, was still of interest to bidders who propelled it to $5,405. The paintings came from the basement of a Cambridge home and their success was gratifying to the consignor.

A Nineteenth Century Italian pietra dura plaque with specimen marble within black depicting a woman removing a purse from the pocket of her sleeping husband appealed to many bidders and elicited a phone competition that ended at $4,887. On a serious theme, a Seventeenth Century carved and polychromed Continental Madonna and Child that stood 28 inches tall fetched $3,738.

An oval circa 1810 French Empire Paris porcelain and ormolu centerpiece was reticulated and supported by ormolu winged lions and gilded porcelain paw feet. It brought $9,200 while a pair of French Empire patinated bronze and ormolu five-light candelabra, each with four arms surrounding a central figure of Winged Victory, realized $6,037.

A Federal carved giltwood convex mirror with an eagle crest and dolphins on each side sold for $7,475.

An Eighteenth Century pair of Danish wall mirrors with unusual etched stars on the original beveled glass sold for $6,275. Also Eighteenth Century, a mocha tankard in yellow with cream swags in relief and intricate dark green floral decoration realized $1,035.

Paintings and other fine art also brought gratifying results.

The star lot was "September Sunshine" by Edward Dufner that sold on the phone for $26,450, double the estimate. A view of Rockport Harbor by Emile Gruppe sold for $19,550 as did another harbor scene by Harry Aiken Vincent that was framed under glass.

A 1915 bronze by Cyrus Edwin Dallin cast at the Roman Bronze Works in New York City realized $13,800 and "Volere d'Potere," a marble seated figure of child that was signed "C. Lapini, Firenze 1890," opened at $5,000 and sold on the phone for $11,500.

A full-plate daguerreotype of Niagara Falls bore the impression "Babbit, N Falls" and sold on the phone for $16,100.

Two China Trade paintings offered included a circa 1840 view of the house of Theodore Bliss, a Hong Kong merchant, and his wife Lilly Cunningham, a medical missionary, along the Pearl River. It sold on the phone for $14,950. An unsigned painting of a clipper ship was $4,025.

Speaking by telephone after the sale, Nordblom said of the sale, "I'm elated!" And, well he should have been.

All prices quoted reflect the 15 percent buyer's premium. For information call 617-661-9582 or visit www.crnauctions.com.