A US stamp collection in a Scott album sold for $8,610, made more desirable by the mostly mint, never hinged examples, including some from the Nineteenth Century.
Review by W.A. Demers; Photos Courtesy Michaan’s
ALAMEDA, CALIF. — Michaan’s September 15 gallery auction was led by a US stamp collection in a Scott album, which sold for $8,610. Stamp enthusiasts are notoriously fussy collectors so this album containing mostly mint, never hinged examples, including some from the Nineteenth Century, proved desirable. Scott Publishing Co has long been the publisher of US stamp albums, as well as the comprehensive Scott International Album and a long list of country specialty stamp albums. The gallery sale offered treasures from around the world, its Asian art section with notable carved jade and silk embroidered robes.
Tied for top lot status, also selling for $8,610, was a Philip and Kelvin LaVerne “Fantasia” table. The makers’ names were incised to the outer edge and the table displayed patina to bronze throughout. Its approximate dimensions were 16 5/8 inches high by 48¼ inches wide by 36 inches deep. Considered a “gem” with repeating abstract motif and hand-painted enamels by Philip & Kelvin LaVerne, the “Fantasia” design is one of the LaVernes’ most modern.
A spiky pair of Pierre Chareau-style Nun “Drape” floor lamps surpassed the $1/1,500 estimate to bring $5,535. Their black lacquer bodies were tipped with alabaster shades and they stood approximately 74 inches high.
The Asian art section featured robes from the late Qing/Republic period. A Chinese Midnight Blue lady’s embroidered informal robe was estimated $1,5/2,500 but did much better, finishing at $4,920.
A Chinese midnight blue ladies embroidered informal robe was estimated $1,5/2,500 but did much better, finishing at $4,920.
An even stronger result was achieved by a Chinese carved jade “Peach and Bat” group on stand. It was estimated at $400/600 but ended up realizing $3,997. It was finely carved, rendered as three peaches partially covered with leaves and a bat. The stem was worked in russet, and it was placed on a fitted carved rosewood base.
Similarly, from a San Francisco Bay Area private collection, a Chinese carved celadon jade censer of circular form, raised on three short cabriole legs issuing from lion heads and bearing a domed cover centered with a qilin finial beat its $400/600 expectation to sell for $3,300.
For ephemera buffs, a lot comprising Black Panther, Black Power handbills, posters and the like performed well at $3,075. The lot consisted of a black and white poster Free the Soledad Brothers, Soledad Brothers Defense Committee, 1970-1971; a poster for the Black Panther Fundraising Benefit featuring the Grateful Dead, a litho on thin paper, “Revolutionary Intercommunal Day of Solidarity” featuring Seale, Huggins, Davis, Magee, Newtown and Cleaver; a poster, George Jackson Lives, Field Marshall Black Panther Party, Assassinated at San Quentin; a double-sided purple-on-pink Opening Salvos from a Black White Gun; a black and white poster, Pre-Erection Day Party, designed by A. Kitt; and a poster, Register Now, Peace & Freedom Party. Berkeley, Oakland, Calif., circa 1968-1971.
For ephemera and Black social history buffs, a lot comprising Black Panther, Black Power handbills, posters and the like performed well at $3,075.
Someone put together a collection of antique buttons in an album, which jumped its $500/900 estimate to leave the gallery at $2,767. The album had a black lacquer mother-of-pearl inlaid floral painted cover and contained nine pages of buttons categorized by the collector (611 total) into categories like “Birds,” “Insects,” “Fruit,” “Dogs” and more.
Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. For more information, www.michaans.com or 510-227-2505.
