1,500 Bidders Compete At Neal's Post-Katrina Sale, New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, LA.

:Neal Auction Company's Winter Estates Auction had nearly 1,500 registered bidders, from countries as far-flung as the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Russia, Germany, Canada and the Caribbean - not to mention the United States - with 50 online buyers and numerous telephone and absentee bidders. The two-day sale realized a final total of $1,536,450 with 877 lots selling. With so many expressing concern about the state of things in New Orleans, Neal Auction is pleased to report on this, its first auction held at the New Orleans gallery, 4038 Magazine and 3923 Carondelet Streets.

Neal's sale of American Southern paintings demonstrated Neal's continuing position as a leader in the area. It achieved another world record sale in the category of Southern art with Ellis Wilson's (Kentucky, 1899-1977) "Four Sisters," selling $37,600 against a presale estimate of $20/30,000 to an out-of-state telephone bidder.

Neal Auction Company also continues to maintain the record in sales for works on paper by New Orleans artist George Louis Viavant (1872-1925). The sale on March 4 saw two Viavant watercolors hit the block: "Nature Morte: A Green Wing Teal," sold to a telephone bidder for $37,600 and "Nature Morte: Bobwhite Quail" sold for $10,575.

Other top lots in the paintings category included two Clarence Millets (Louisiana, 1897-1959) titled "Old Oaks on the Teche Village on the Creek" and "The Creek," which sold for $19,975 and $28,200 respectively.

William Aiken Walker's (South Carolina, 1839-1921) "Male Cotton Picker with a Basket of Cotton," exceeded expectation when it sold to a bidder from the Northeastern United States for $15,275.

"Mobilis," by Ida Kohlmeyer (New Orleans, 1912-1997) achieved $18,800 against a presale estimate of $7/9,000, selling in the room to an out-of-state collector.

A circa Seventeenth Century Italian painting "Saint Anthony of Padua with the Christ Child," sold for $14,087 to an online bidder; while Walter Hunt's (British, 1861-1941) oil, "The Hunt by the Riverbank," also sold to an online bidder for $11,025.

Gordon Hope Grant's (American, 1875-1962) oil titled "Port of Gloucester," realized $12,337 against a $4/6,000 estimate.

A first edition, seven volume set titled The Birds of America, From Drawings Made in the United States and their Territories after John James Audubon, dominated the day, selling for $49,350 to an out-of-state telephone bidder. While a set of leather bindings from The Easton Press sold in the room for $3,877.

Bidding was strong across the board for silver and decorations. Top lots included a Kirk sterling silver dinner and luncheon flatware service for 24, which sold in the room for $10,281, and a Twentieth Century large Baccarat crystal "Bambous Tor" 46-light chandelier, which realized $38,775 to the telephone.

A fine Persian carpet, also did very well, going for $11,456 to a New York telephone bidder. Also of interest to note was a pair of antique iron gates, which went well above their high estimate, achieving $9,106.

The top selling furniture lot was a mid Nineteenth Century American rococo laminated rosewood parlor suite attributed to J & J.W. Meeks, which sold for $38,187. Other top lots included a Nineteenth Century George III-style mahogany breakfront bookcase that sold to a salesroom buyer for $11,162; a Nineteenth Century Victorian tall case clock, $10,281 and a Nineteenth Century English chinoiserie commode, $6,168, also went to a buyer in the room; a Louis XVI-style Sevres porcelain and gilt bronze mounted center table sold for $11,750 to a California phone bidder; a Louis XV-style kingwood and gilt bronze mounted writing table reached $8,518 going to the floor; an Eighteenth Century Louis XV walnut buffet à deux corps sold to a telephone bidder for $11,162; and an American Renaissance inlaid walnut and burl walnut cabinet, which sold to an out-of-state phone bidder for $8,812 against a presale estimate of $3/5,000.

For more information, 504-899-5329, 800-467-5329 or www.nealauction.com.