“Walt Whitman,” daguerreotype attributed to Gabriel Harrison, 1850s. From the collection of the New York Public Library.
New High for ‘Mystical’ Marblehead Achieved at Premier Rago/Cohen/Fontaine Event
LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. – A record price paid at auction of $120,750 was established for a piece of Marblehead pottery this past Sunday, September 17, at the premier sale presented by Craftsman Lambertville.
The sale, conducted by the recently established trio of David Rago, Jerry Cohen, and John Fontaine, grossed an impressive $1.8 million for the 400 lots offered.
Bidding on the six-inch Marblehead pot, decorated by Hannah Tutt with carved tall stylized flowers in umber, black, and cream on a speckled matte green background, was fierce, with several in the gallery and numerous phone bidders getting in on the action. In the end a battle between New York City dealer Beth Cathers and a phone bidder, reportedly representing a West Coast institution, pushed the piece from the $40,000 mark to the record price of $105,000, plus the fifteen percent buyer’s premium, with the phone bidder winning out.
Auctioneer David Rago commented after the sale that the pot possessed a “mystical appeal” and “iconic Arts and Crafts qualities.” A complete review of the auction will appear in a future issue.
