Made by Charles Cabrier II, part of the Huguenot clockmaking dynasty, this enclosed clock led all three auctions in price at $20,000 against a $400/600 estimate.
Review by Z.G. Burnett; Images Courtesy Schultz Auctioneers
CLARENCE, N.Y. — Schultz Auctioneers conducted a marathon three-day auction from August 17 to 19, offering 1,600 lots of almost every category of antiques imaginable from a range of estates. The sales included jewelry, art, antiques & more; dolls, stamps, antiques & more; and finally, decoys, crocks, military & more. Emphasis on the “& more,” the sales total for all three days was $621,013 with a 95 percent sell-through rate.
The first day’s results started off strong. The highest-achieving lot of all three auctions was a compact Eighteenth Century clock from Charles Cabrier, London, which was bid to $20,000. The green and gold-painted clock face and its shining engraved inner workings were enclosed in a small box, which could have appeared like any other hand-painted enamel box from this era. Part of a Huguenot family of London clockmakers, Cabrier was the second of his name and many examples of his work exist in museums worldwide.
The diminutive clock was followed in price by a large carved walnut sideboard inspired by the French Renaissance. Bought at Kyle’s Antiques, New Orleans, La., in 1994 for $25,000, the sideboard was a comparative steal at $7,800. Next were two table lamps; the first a Pairpoint Puffy Oxford 4-Flower lamp for $6,900 that surprisingly surpassed the second lamp, a signed Tiffany Acorn leaded glass lamp for $6,660 ($4/6,000).
This French Renaissance-inspired sideboard showed intricately carved scenes and decorations, and was bid to $7,800 ($3/5,000).
Conservative estimates of the second day’s auction brought favorable results. A menagerie of early felt animals, including two elephants, a cow, a cat, a camel, a stag, one small goose and one big goose sold together at $6,000 against a $100/300 estimate. Next in price was a group lot of figural Christmas ornaments with the same estimate that was bid to $3,600. Adding to the kitschy theme was a rare Hummel store display of a little girl in a tree, measuring 32 inches high, that grew to $3,000 ($1/1,500). An unusual Nineteenth Century double-sided cake board showing a detailed poodle on one side and a cat on the other also did well at $2,400.
Automobiles paved the way in the third day’s auction. Chugging along at the forefront was a 1928 Buick Sport Coupe with a rumble seat that raced to $7,500. Right behind the coupe was a 1961 Kobpobeu Russian motorcycle and sidecar that came in second place at $3,300 ($1,5/3,000). The next lot predated both of these by a couple hundred years, an engraved powder horn attributed to the French and Indian War (1754-63). The horn’s entire surface was engraved with soldiers of different armies, Native Americans, decorative swags, birds and even a woman; it was bid to $3,438. Back to the future, a Wurlizter wall speaker, model 4008, with a revolving center and flashing lights, surpassed its $1/1,500 estimate to $2,800.
This 1928 Buick Sport Coupe had extra tires, seats and an extra radiator, leading Day Three at $7,500 ($3/5,000).
Prices quoted are with buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, www.schultzauctioneers.net or 716-407-3125.
