:The arrestingly lovely portrait of 16-year-old Augusta Maria Foster, painted around 1836 by Ammi Phillips, starred at Skinner's June 3 sale of American furniture and decorative arts. Laid down on Masonite, the oil on canvas picture from Phillip's Kent Period sold by phone to two dealers in partnership for $314,000 ($40/60,000) including premium.
Bidding on behalf of a private collector, portraits specialist Joan Brownstein of Newbury, Mass., was the underbidder.
The work closely relates to a Kent Period portrait auctioned by Sotheby's in January as part of the Laracy Collection for $264,000. A third painting from the group is illustrated in "American Anthem: Masterworks From The American Folk Art Museum."
At press time, Skinner was negotiating the sale of the session's other key portrait, a family group by Peckham, passed at $150/250,000.
Phones lit up when a circa 1889 E. Howard & Co. No. 5 wall regulator clock with astro dial crossed the block, garnering $143,500, a record for the form.
The daylong Sunday sale grossed $2,360,939 including premium. Look for a complete report in future issue of
Antiques and The Arts Weekly
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