DETROIT — DuMouchelles conducted its first sale of the year over the course of two days, January 16-17, offering just under 600 lots for those itching to buy something new at the start of 2025.

Day one, Curated Selections, featured fine art from notable Grosse Pointe, Mich., and Bloomfield Hills, Mich., estate collections, as well as a selection of jewelry and other antiques. Day two, Online Only Exclusives, featured additional fine art, jewelry, sculpture and cultural treasures.

The auctions were led by “The Letter,” a heavy impasto oil on canvas by Iranian-born artist Manoucher Yektai (1922-2019), which earned $93,000 against an estimate of $40/60,000, including buyer’s premium. The 1967 painting was an abstract floral still life with a letter and vase that came to auction from its original owner: a private collector from Bingham Farms, Mich., who purchased it in 1970 from the Gertrude Kasle Gallery in Detroit. The still life, which was signed and dated by the artist, included the framing label of Birmingham Gallery, Inc. Additional lots from both days will be highlighted in an upcoming issue.