Lighting up to $120,000, the sale’s highest price, was this circa 1905 Tiffany Studios irregular border Dogwood floor lamp on a senior pod base, leaded glass and patinated bronze, 6 feet 6 inches high by 24 inches in diameter ($60/80,000).
Review by Carly Timpson
GENESEO, N.Y. — In a sale spanning two days, Cottone Auctions offered 575 lots of fine art, antiques and clocks on November 21-22. The sale featured fresh-to-the-market paintings and prints, a large selection of Tiffany Studios and Duffner & Kimberly lamps, an assortment of antique clocks and estate jewelry, silver and Americana. In total, the two-day sale realized $1.7 million and Cottone’s marketing director, Michael Parsons, shared that the sell-through rate was 98 percent. “The sale was very much a success,” further noting that it was “a strong sale, but a tier down from our higher-end fine art sales in March and September.”
The strongest result in this auction — $120,000 — was achieved by a Tiffany Studios Dogwood floor lamp. The light green geometric shade had an irregular border with a ring of white and light pink dogwood flowers draping down. While the shade itself was a draw, it was paired with a 6½-foot-tall Senior Pod floor base with five electric sockets. According to auctioneer Matt Cottone, the circa 1905 lamp came from a good California estate and exceeded its $80,000 estimate, ultimately selling to a collector in the Midwest.
A Tiffany table lamp impressed bidders as well. This circa 1900 example had a red and orange Dragonfly Cone shade, which was designed by Clara Driscoll in 1899, per the auction catalog. The 17-inch shade was paired with a three-socket library base and had provenance to the estate of Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra cellist Monte Hoffman and will be staying in New York, heading to a collector on Long Island. With its original heat cap, the lamp was bid past its $50,000 high estimate to achieve $84,000. Cottone shared that this lamp was fresh to the market, coming from a home in Buffalo.
This Tiffany Studios Dragonfly Cone table lamp on a library base, circa 1900, leaded glass and patinated bronze, 23 by 17 inches, was bid to $84,000 ($30/50,000).
Intricate glass lamps by other notable makers of the same era also found themselves among the top lots. The second-highest price overall was achieved by a Duffner & Kimberly Italian Renaissance lamp. This circa 1906 table lamp, designed by Hamilton Tappan Howell, was featured several times in the second volume of Paul Crist’s Mosaic Shades (Paul Crist Studios, 2006). According to the auction catalog, “The workmanship of the bronze and quality of glass [of these Duffner & Kimberly lamps] was on a par with Tiffany’s lamps, with their premier lamps retailing between $300 to $500.” This example, acquired by a Buffalo, N.Y., family in the 1970s, sold to a collector in Pennsylvania for $102,000.
Verified by Paul Crist to be “an early and rare example by Handel,” a circa 1910 Hollyhock floor lamp was taken to $31,200. The red flowering vines of this shade were crawling up its orange geometric background and it rested on a five-socket electric base measuring just over 6 feet tall. Cottone noted that this lamp was from a collection near Pennsylvania and is headed to another collector in the South.
Exhibiting exceptional craftmanship and cataloged as “rare and impressive,” a Nineteenth Century Neo-Grec bedroom set more than doubled its $25,000 high estimate, ultimately closing at $64,800. The American set, attributed to Gustave Herter, included a queen bed and dresser with a nearly 12-foot-tall mirror. In addition to its fine carving, the furniture had intricate inlaid walnut and ebonized wood details with incised gilt accents. It was further adorned with French painted porcelain plaques depicting The Three Graces and other allegorical figures. Cottone commented, “that was a great set, whether it was Herter Brothers or another Aesthetic Movement maker. It came from a prominent collection in Pennsylvania and I believe was purchased by a consultant on behalf of a collector.”
Attributed to Gustave Herter (1830-1898), this American Neo-Grec bedroom set, walnut inlays with porcelain plaques and gilt details, more than doubled its high estimate, bringing $64,800 ($15/25,000).
The art category was led by a series of four chromium oxide woodcuts by Donald Judd. Untitled but cataloged as “Earth Green Vertical,” these 1991 prints lined up for $61,200. The auction catalog explained that Judd “is generally considered the leading international exponent of ‘minimalism,’ and its most important theoretician through such writings as ‘Specific Objects’ (1964).” These prints, which were in excellent condition, properly tabbed and mounted, had provenance to Brooke Alexander Gallery (New York City) and the estate of Charles E. Balbach, Orchard Park, N.Y., who was the former director of the Albright-Knox Art Museum (Buffalo, N.Y.), according to Cottone.
Andy Warhol’s “Flowers,” a 1964 lithograph of pink and orange flowers in a tress of green grass, was one from an edition of approximately 300. This edition had provenance to a Buffalo, N.Y., estate by inheritance from the collection of New York City-based clinical psychology professor and Pop Art collector, Dr Arthur C. Carr. Inscribed “Andy Warhol 64,” it sold for $48,000, nearly doubling its $25,000 high estimate, and will be staying in Buffalo with another collector. Also from Carr’s collection was “Morning Glories” by Sylvia Sleigh. This floral work, signed and dated “Sylvia Sleigh / Oct. 9 ’66,” was done in Aquatex on canvas. Estimated just $2/4,000, the painting did much better, realizing $32,400.
Luxury accessories had a moment on the second day of the sale, with a 1948 Vacheron Constantin stainless steel chronograph wristwatch leading at $18,000. The watch, which was a model 4178, was sold with authentication documents and its original pouch. In running order with some repairs, the watch descended in the family of its original owner and sold to an overseas buyer.
This 1948 Vacheron Constantin stainless steel chronograph wristwatch, reference number 4179, led on the second day, selling with documents and pouch for $18,000 ($7/10,000).
Another luxury item from day two was a 2.88-carat diamond ring. The old mine cut diamond was set in white gold and was surrounded by several smaller diamonds along the shoulders and shank. Paired with a GIA appraisal report, the size 6½ ring was taken to $17,400 by a West Coast buyer.
Some surprises included a stoneware presentation double jug stamped “George P. Flagg.” Estimated at just $2/4,000, the Nineteenth Century double jug went out at $16,200. In cobalt blue glaze, the jug was decorated with bird and leaf motifs and the letters “R” and “W” on the shoulders. Cottone shared, “it did very well. It came from a western New York estate and I believe it is headed to a museum.”
Another unexpected success was the $6,000 result for a New Haven Clock Company Albatross mantle clock. The clock, cased with Asian-themed J. & J. G. Low Tile Works panels, far surpassed its $700-$1,000 estimate. This one, Cottone said, “came from a collector in New England and went to a collector in Texas.”
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. Cottone Auctions’ next sale will be in January. For information, www.cottoneauctions.com or 585-243-1000.
