Functional design was in the spotlight this week — from a sterling silver wedding ring centerpiece that achieved $121,00 to a wooden midcentury headboard, which achieved $15,000 to a majolica tea set at $28,750, the lots that crossed the block were as practical as they were beautiful. For these stories and others, keep reading.
Eldred’s Bidders Blown Away By Chihuly Persian
EAST DENNIS, MASS. — A 7½-by-9-by-8-inch hand-blown glass sculpture by Dale Patrick Chihuly took the top spot in the March 14 The Estate of a Lady auction conducted by Eldred’s. “Paradise Persian” is from Chihuly’s “Persian” series, described as “a celebration of wild symmetry and swirling patterns of color.” This one was less fluted than most and was held upright by the folded bottom lip and spherical base. The swirling blue and purple blown glass form with a bright yellow rim was housed in an acrylic display case and sold with a copy of Chihuly At RISD for $8,320 ($2,5/3,500). For information, www.eldreds.com or 508-385-3116.
Chinese Jade Urns Capture Top Spots At Clarke
LARCHMONT N.Y. — Clarke Auction Gallery presented American art, glass, jewelry and watches, clocks and Chinese décor in its Monster March Estates Auction on March 10. The highest price of the day, $42,500, was earned by a Chinese celadon jade lidded vessel ($6/9,000). A similar vessel, which sold for $35,000, was the second-highest sale. The top lot (pictured) was a 9-3/8-inch-tall urn-style vessel with incised detailing throughout the body and carved dragons and mask handles flanking the neck. Both of the carved Chinese jade pieces came from a White Plains, N.Y., estate and were sold to an in-house bidder. For more information, www.clarkeny.com or 914-833-8336.
North Carolina Corner Cupboard Catches Top Prize For Leland Little
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — In Leland Little Auctions’ March 15 Decorative Art Auction, the top spot was achieved by a corner cupboard made by John Swisegood, circa 1815-20. Swisegood crafted this one-piece cupboard out of timber milled from the Sink Farm in North Carolina, where he lived in a cabin on the property. Constructed with yellow pine and poplar secondary inlays, the cabinet had been in the Sink family since its origin. Standing at 91½ inches tall by 54 inches wide, it earned $39,600. For information, www.lelandlittle.com or 919-644-1243.
Set Of Six Empire Side Chairs The Main Attraction In Hesse Sale
SYDNEY, N.Y. — It was an old-fashioned unreserved auction presided over by Buzz Hesse Antiques and Appraisers on March 9 at the American Legion Hall. Up for bid was the living estate of Patricia Carrier, a collection full of Americana, stoneware and decoys. Leading the day was a set of six exceptional Empire original paint-decorated side chairs (three shown) that sold for $1,725. For more information, 607-287-5322.
Johnny Kan’s Restaurant Autograph Book Is Signature Lot In Michaan’s Sale
ALAMEDA, CALIF. — Kan’s San Francisco restaurant autograph book brought $20,800 at Michaan’s auction on March 15. The red leather hardcover book with gilt tooled lettering and cardboard sleeve was full of signatures of prominent figures from the 1950s to late 1970s, many with personalized notes or sketches. Signatures included Winston Churchill, Anne Bancroft, Terry Bradshaw, William Shatner, Joe DiMaggio, Marilyn Monroe, Monty Hall, Jack Cummings, Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman and many others. Kan’s was an award-winning restaurant in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Opened by Johnny Kan in 1953, it featured Cantonese haute cuisine and was frequented by many celebrities. For information, 510-740-0220 or www.michaans.com.
Strawser Brews Interest With Rare Minton Tea Set
KULPSVILLE, PENN. — On March 16, Strawser Auction Group conducted its second auction of majolica from the Flower Family collection. Offering 186 lots, the auction closed with a 99 percent sell-through rate. A rare complete Minton tête-à-tête set exceeded its $12/15,000 estimate to achieve $28,750. This circa 1875 tea set is just one of three known sets to include all its original pieces: a yellow lychee-form teapot, a yellow gourd sugar bowl, a thistle cream pitcher, two fruit and vine cups, two green leaf saucers and a quatrefoil tray with pierced trellis border. For additional information, www.strawserauctions.com or 260-854-2859.
Midcentury Headboard Is King At Hudson Valley Auctioneers
BEACON, N.Y. — Hudson Valley Auctioneers presented an unreserved antiques and estate auction with absentee, phone and online bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com on March 18. Notable was a large Gio Ponti for Singer midcentury king-size headboard with attached shelves and nightstands with drawers, which came out of a New York City Upper East Side penthouse. It sold to an internet bidder for $15,000. For information, 845-831-6800 or www.hudsonvalleyauctioneers.com.
Matisse Etching Leads Twentieth Century Art At Winter Associates
PLAINVILLE, CONN. — Twentieth Century prints were the focus at Winter Associates’ live auction on March 18, along with other artwork and eclectic furnishings. Leading the day was Henri Matisse’s (French, 1869-1954) “Jeune femme contemplant un bocal de poissons rouges (Young woman contemplating a bowl of goldfish),” 1929, etching, Duthuit 172, edition of 25. It met its high estimate, finishing at $10,200. For additional information, 860-793-0288 or www.auctionsappraisers.com.
Wedding Ring Centerpiece Anchors Woody’s ABCG Presidential Auction
DOUGLASS, KAN. — Two named collections — that of Wilbur and the late Mary Bluhm (ACGA president 2006-08) and the Leon and Carol Torline — both once presidents of the American Cut Glass Association — attracted much interest and successfully crossed the block in Woody Auction’s March 16 American Brilliant Cut Glass sale but it was a three-handled sterling mounted centerpiece by J. Hoare, in the Crystal City pattern, that rose to the top of the sale, achieving $121,000 against its $20/25,000 estimate. It had been published many times, came from the collection of the late Tom and Mildred Jacks and sold to a phone bidder outside of Kansas. For information, 316-747-2694 or www.woodyauction.com.
