The top lot of the auction was this Theora Alton Hamblett oil on Masonite titled “Faithfully Waiting,” 1951, that attained $27,500 ($15/25,000).
Review by Andrea Valluzzo
BEDFORD, N.Y. — Despite heavy rains that brought flash flooding to parts of the tri-state area the morning of September 13, Butterscotch Auction Gallery remained steadfast, conducting its Fall Sale that drew a bevy of mostly online bidders.
“Luckily, the foul weather did not seem to inhibit anyone’s ability to participate, and we did have a decent crowd in the room, including some bidders who traveled from Pennsylvania to participate in person,” said Brendan B. Ryan, appraiser and auctioneer.
The far-ranging auction had substantial offerings in several key collecting categories from Americana, fine art and Asian arts to jewelry/silver and decorative arts. Crossing the block were designer jewelry, PAR Picture Puzzles from a US ambassador’s collection, decoys, weathervanes and more.
“We had a great sale on Sunday with a large turnout (albeit online) and a number of unexpected successes in areas that we have struggled with of late — Americana and antique furniture, for instance. The sale of 793 lots totaled $994,887 with an 83 percent sell-through rate, which is very high for an estate auction like ours where we sell a wide range of material,” Ryan added.
This Nineteenth Century carved polychrome ship’s figurehead of a woman holding a fan performed well over estimate at $8,960 ($2/4,000).
Not surprisingly, fine art dominated the auction’s top ten, with paintings accounting for half of those lots, each bringing five-figure sums and selling within or over estimate. “Fine art is usually the core element of our sales, along with jewelry, though we also tend to have strong representation in Asian art, Americana and antique furniture, as we had in this sale,” said Ryan.
The top lot was a moody oil on Masonite painting by Theora Alton Hamblett (Mississippi, 1895-1977) titled “Faithfully Waiting.” The 1951 work landed just over its high estimate at $27,500. Hamblett, who began painting in her 50s after taking art classes at a local university, is known for her folky paintings of spiritual visions, rural life or images inspired by childhood memories.
“I found the Hamblett painting in an old barn that had been utilized as an artist’s studio by the late Edward Giobbi,” Ryan shared. “The painting, titled ‘Faithfully Waiting’ in the lower margin, and showing a dog waiting on a road outside of a house underneath a moonlit sky, has wonderful charm and just about all the bells and whistles someone would look for in a piece of folk art. I found the angled perspective, showing only a sliver of sky, centered by an orange moon, to be quite attractive and engaging for the viewer. It was purchased on the phone and will be heading back down South.”
This Wolf Kahn pastel on paper “Trees of sunset orange” sold for $22,140 ($10/15,000).
Other robust performers among paintings was a Wolf Kahn pastel on paper, “Trees of sunset orange,” that sold for $22,140; an oil on canvas from the workshop of Martin van Meytens the Younger portraying the future Holy roman Emperor as a young man, “A Young Joseph II…,” which sold mid-estimate at $15,000; and a portrait of a woman attributed to Scottish artist Bessie MacNicol at $13,750.
Decorative statement pieces ranged from a circa 1973 Steinway Model B grand piano that was a good buy, selling just under estimate at $17,920, to a well-carved Nineteenth Century polychrome ship’s figurehead of a woman holding a fan that more than doubled its high estimate to bring $8,960.
As Ryan noted, the jewelry category was strong, led by such highlights as a Tiffany & Company 18K Italian textured twisted gold rope necklace easily outperforming estimate at $12,500, while a two-piece set of circa 1930s 9K gold cigarette and match cases in textured gold with rounded corners, made $10,455
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. Butterscotch Auction’s next sale date is yet to be announced, but it will be this winter. For information, www.butterscotchauction.com or 914-764-4609.
