THOMASTON, MAINE – Kaja Veilleux’s two-day Summer’s Bounty sale July 18-19 at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, Inc., saw several great prices but the clear standout result came on the first day when a reverse-glass oil painting, probably by Mather Brown (United Kingdom / Massachusetts, 1761-1831), sold to an online buyer, competing against another online bidder, for $84,000 from an estimate of $6/8,000.

The circa 1793 work was captioned “To the Honorable, The East India Company, This Plate representing the Delivery of the Definitive Treaty by the Hostage Princes into the hands of Lord Cornwallis, Is with Permission humbly Dedicated by their faithful and obedient Serv.t Mather Brown,” with six-pointed star surround and housed in the original gilt cove frame. It came from an estate in Dark Harbor, Maine, that walked in during an appraisal day.

“We knew it was really great when it came in,” Veilleux said over the phone. “But the family had no restrictions and we were able to put a low estimate on it. There were other lots from the same family in this sale, and there are more to come in future sales.”

A more extensive sale recap will run in a future issue.