“Sitting Poodle” by Frederick Thomas Daws (British, 1878-1956), 19½ by 17¼ inches, led the auction after soaring past its $1/2,000 estimate to achieve $35,200.
Review by Carly Timpson
PASADENA, CALIF. — On September 22, Treasureseeker Auctions conducted its End-Of-Summer Spectacular Sale, featuring 340 lots adding up to what the firm called “one of [its] best sales ever!” Rick Kaplan, owner, shared that the “collection of art glass was consigned by a father and son from Indiana who drove to our location here in Pasadena.” In total, the sale realized $180,000.
According to Kaplan, “The big surprise of the auction was Frederick Daws’ poodle dog painting, estimated $1/2,000 but sold for $35,200.” The oil on canvas work, “Sitting Poodle,” was done in 1944 and featured heavy brushstrokes texturizing the dog’s fur. Signed “F.T. Daws 1944” to the lower right, the work was in very good condition and rose to become the sale’s top lot.
Pets were certainly popular subjects in this auction, as several paintings of cats also exceeded their estimates. Achieving $6,600, more than double its high estimate, was a late Nineteenth Century oil on canvas by Jules Gustave LeRoy, Jr, depicting four mischievous cats playing in, on and beneath a set of drawers. Housed in its original ornate gilt frame, “Cats,” which was signed “J. LeRoy” to the bottom right, was in great condition. Dutch painter Cornelis Raaphorst’s “Three Kittens” was also mounted in an ornately carved gilt frame. The circa 1900s oil on canvas was signed “C. Raaphorst” and was in good condition and was bid to $3,200.
This vibrant two-tone matte glazed pottery vase by Grueby Faience Company, Boston, Mass., circa 1900, 6 by 8½ inches, brought $8,960 ($8/12,000).
Another strong category was pottery — led by a bulbous green and yellow vase made by the Grueby Faience Company of Boston, circa 1900. Bearing the company’s stamp and possible maker’s initials on the underside, the matte glazed vase had large green leaves with yellow buds and details. Coming from an Orange County, Calif., collector, the vase blossomed to $8,960.
An iridescent earthenware floor vase, standing 23 inches high, made by Clément Massier, rose to $7,680. Dated 1901, the conical tubular vase was signed “MCM Golfe Juan AM” and was detailed with leaves and other vegetation. With similar iridescence, a Bat Wing and Insects vase made and signed by the artist’s brother, Delphin Massier, brought $3,840. The conical vase had bat wing sides and both the body and wings were decorated with various insects and one side of the wings was further detailed with swirling vines.
At just 4½ inches high, a small Art Nouveau pitcher made a big impression on bidders. Cataloged as a “rare find,” the circa 1900 miniature Lady pitcher from the Hungarian pottery Zsolnay brought $3,125 ($2/4,000). The iridescent gold, blue and green pitcher had a figural woman-form handle and was illustrated in Zsolnay Ceramics: Collecting a Culture by Federico Santi and John Gacher (Schiffer Publishing, 1998). On the underside, the pitcher bore Zsolnay’s red Five Churches seal.
Delphin Massier’s (French, 1836-1907) Bat Wing & Insects ceramic vase, 17½ by 12 inches, flew to $3,840 ($1/5,000).
The female form was the focus of another Art Nouveau piece. This example, a large Amphora maiden, made circa 1900, depicted a nude woman standing on a conch shell. The porcelain figure, which sold for $1,920, was signed by Ed Stellmacher and had markings for Amphora and RSTK. The 26-inch-high maiden was illustrated in Byron Vreeland’s 2011 book, Monsters & Maidens: Amphora Pottery Of The Art Nouveau Era.
Bids sailed for Antonio Nicolo Gasparo Jacobsen’s 1886 painting of the steamship Chateau Lafite, which had both American and French flags flying. The oil on canvas work was marked to the lower right, “A. Jacobsen 1886 / 705 Palisades Ave West Hoboken NJ,” and it was bid to $5,440.
Making $5,000 was a four-piece tea set from Tiffany & Co. Each of the sterling silver pieces was completely detailed with repoussé flowers and leaf patterns and was monogrammed on the underside. The tallest piece in the set, a pitcher, was 8½ inches high and together the set weighed 2,120 grams.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, www.treasureseekerauction.com or 626-529-5775.
