Earning $3,306, this circa 1820 10-foot-long pine table was the top lot of the sale.
Review by Carly Timpson; Photos Courtesy Modern Day Auctions
NORWALK, CONN. — On March 7, Modern Day Auctions conducted the curated sale of a Wilton, Conn., estate situated along the banks of the Silvermine River. Many items from the home were purchased from top antiques dealers based in New York City. Among notable lots were vintage pub signs, decoys, several fine art prints and antique and contemporary furniture. Of the 136 lots presented in the sale, all but one sold, resulting in more than $25,000 total realized.
Furniture was the clear favorite among bidders as each of the top eight lots fell into that category. The top lot in the auction was a 10-foot-long antique pine table. Made circa 1820, the table had a honey-colored planked top and rectangular legs. Beneath the table top was a straight apron that had corner details on the two longer sides. The table was considered to be in good condition with marks and wear consistent with its 200-year age. Bidding for the antique table was competitive and it was ultimately won for $3,306.
Following closely behind was a circa 1710 two-piece English Queen Anne corner cabinet. The front of the cabinet was decorated with chinoiserie detail, including ox and dragon figures on the bottom doors. The top section of the cabinet had four shelves while the bottom had a single drawer above a one-shelf cupboard. The upper piece had arched double doors, a curved bonnet and two ball finials. Even the brass hardware on the cabinet added to its decorative appeal, and it was bid to $3,009.
This English Queen Anne chinoiserie corner cabinet, circa 1710, 40 by 19 by 95 inches, found a buyer at $3,009.
A circa 1810 square-top Regency-painted wooden chess table purchased from Hyde Park Antiques, N.Y., found a buyer at $1,446. The table’s leaf-painted apron had a single, nearly hidden drawer and was on four cabriole legs. The piece was sold with a custom-fit protective glass top.
There were two custom-painted antique walnut spool full beds refinished by Leonards, New England. As described by the auction catalog, the shaped headboards had “turned spool detail flanked by turned posts with shaped finials” and the footboards had “turned blanket rail above spool spindles flanked by turned posts with shaped finials, with round brass escutcheons joined by side rails.” The beds sold separately for $1,302 and $1,208.
Purchased from Florian Papp Antiques in 1996, a blonde oak Gothic Revival mirror achieved $1,050. The catalog note states that the antique mirror plate was housed “within an arched pediment with pierced quatrefoil detail flanked by carved spires and gothic motifs above cylindrical columns.”
This wool needlepoint rug by Michaelian & Kohlberg Designs, 160 by 116 inches, earned $690.
Selling for $690 was a wool needlepoint rug by Michaelian & Kohlberg. The 160-by-116-inch rug was in very good condition and featured a repeating geometric pattern, primarily in red and gold.
The sale featured several vintage pub signs. Earning $540, an arched wooden sign with a hand-carved turkey was the top lot in this category. Painted across the top of the sign with decorative flourishes was the name “Amelia” and the dates “1846-1851.” The hand-painted sign measured 32 by 39 inches and was in good condition.
While the artwork selection was not the strongest in this sale, a few Nineteenth Century engravings saw success. Notable results include hand-colored fox hunting scene plates from Fores’ National Sports and Herring’s Fox Hunting Series by John Harris after John Frederick Herring Sr (British, 1785-1865). The first plate from Fores’ National Sports, “The Meet,” earned $448, and the second, “The Find,” brought $354. Published in London in 1852, the two plates show men in red coats on horseback with hounds nearby in successive stages of the hunt. Published in 1867, “Full Cry” from Herring’s Fox Hunting Series made $431 and shows men on horseback attempting to cross over a fence.
A Nineteenth Century iron book press, 17 by 10½ by 14 inches, was sold for $289.
Standing out from the others, a Nineteenth Century iron book press found a buyer for $289. Measuring 17 by 10½ by 14 inches, the press was in its original form with molded details to the handle and trim around the body. It was in good condition, consistent with its age.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, www.moderndayauctions.com or 203-400-6000.
