Leading the sale was “The Fall of the Leaf” by Sir John Lavery (Irish, 1856-1941), 1884, oil on canvas, 23¼ by 27¼ inches framed, which earned $130,290, far surpassing its $40/60,000 estimate.
Review by Kiersten Busch
SAN FRANCISCO — On November 30, Turner Auctions + Appraisals conducted its Fine Art & Estate Sale. The 225-lot sale offered an array of fine and decorative art, timepieces, Native American and Asian items, gold and silver and more.
“The Fall of the Leaf,” an oil on canvas by Sir John Lavery, led the sale, earning $130,290. The fall scene, depicting a woman and child walking hand-in-hand, was signed “John Lavery” and dated 1884 to its lower left corner. The auction catalog credited Kenneth McConkey, author of John Lavery, A Painter and his World (Atelier Books: Edinburgh, 2010) and guest curator of “Lavery, On Location 2023-24,” (National Galleries of Ireland and Scotland, Ulster Museum, Belfast), as a contributor towards the firm’s research on the painting.
Fine art from every era continued to enthrall bidders, as “The Beach At St Malo” by Scottish artist William Russell Flint made $14,190. The watercolor on paper depicted a beach scene with a clear blue sky and was signed lower right. Maintaining the aquatic theme, Michael Stidham’s “Four Permit fish in shallows” swam to a $4,193 finish despite a small hole in the canvas. It was signed by the artist to the lower left.
“Essence of Mulberry” by Helen Frankenthaler (American, 1928-2011), 1977, seven-color woodcut on buff paper, 44-3/8 by 23½ inches, numbered 22/46, grew to $50,310 ($20/40,000).
Prints were popular with bidders, as two of the top four lots fell into that category. “Essence of Mulberry” by Helen Frankenthaler, a seven-color woodcut on buff paper, earned $50,310, surpassing its $20/40,000 estimate to achieve the second-highest price of the day. The print, published in 1977 by Tyler Graphics Ltd., was number 22 of 46 and had provenance to the Merryman collection of Stanford, Calif. A screenprint on paper by Andy Warhol rose to $28,380, claiming the third-highest price of the sale. Printed in 1972, “Vote McGovern (Richard Nixon)” was numbered “2/250” and signed in ballpoint on its reverse.
Designer timepieces were well represented throughout the sale, with 21 watches from brands such as Rolex, Breguet, Ebel, Baume & Mercier, Jaeger LeCoultre, Gubelin, Omega, Longines, Bulova, Geneve, Girard-Perregaux and Rado offered, ranging in hammer prices from $70 to $6,500, with only one lot passed. Leading the selection was an 18K yellow gold and diamond Rolex Day-Date wristwatch ticking to $8,385, surpassing its $5/7,000 estimate. The watch, which was working at the time of inspection, had an aftermarket face, bezel and bracelet. Another yellow gold Day-Date Rolex sold three lots before the aforementioned example and earned $7,353.
Chiming at $5,483 was this 18K gold Horloger de la Marine wristwatch by Breguet; it was automatic and contained a date aperture and deployant clasp ($2,5/3,500).
Switching makers, an 18K gold Horloger de la Marine wristwatch from Breguet chimed at $5,483. The automatic watch had a date aperture and deployant clasp. Also included with the lot was an unassociated Breguet box.
For the numismatists in the bidding pool, two gold 50-peso coins from Mexico, dated 1947, sold for $2,903 each, landing comfortably within their estimates. The coins respectively weighed 37.5 grams of fine gold, or puro oro, as it was referred to in the auction catalog, and measured approximately 1½ inches in diameter each.
Ringing in the holiday season was an illustration of Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Snoopy titled “Christmas,” by Peanuts creator Charles Monroe Schulz (American, 1922-2000). The pen and ink on paper drawing saw the kids dancing around a Christmas tree, with Snoopy standing at the top of the tree like a star. The illustration came with a colored pencil onion paper overlay and was signed lower left; it caroled to $1,677.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 415-964-5250 or www.turnerauctionsonline.com.
