Notable sales in our March 5, 2021 issue include a sundry of collectors’ interests. A Black Lotus R A – Alpha Set of Magic the Gathering cards reached well into five figures at Bodnar’s online-only auction. On the design front, a Paul Evans patchwork brutalist cabinet sold for just over $20,000 at Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, while a Nineteenth Century Chinese red lacquer center table decorated with topographical scenes and legs in the form of double elephant trunks saw active bidding at Kodner. Within the art scene, an oil portrait of a woman by an unlisted Russian artist topped the sale at State Line Auctions, while an oil on linen by Samuel Bak led at Hudson Valley. A foxy weathervane, a Vermont coin, and more lots made for active bidding at other auction houses across the United States.
That Old Black Magic Card Conjures $64,900 At Bodnar’s
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Back in June 2020, Bodnar’s auction received a phone call about an estate collection of Magic the Gathering cards. A collection had been left to a gentleman from a friend who had recently passed away. At that time Joe Bodnar, owner of Bodnar’s auction, had no idea how many cards were there, what condition they were in or whether they were new or old cards. After some research it was clear that this collection had value, but how much value? Significant, apparently, as revealed in the auction house’s February 18 online-only auction in which a Black Lotus R A – Alpha Set finished at $64,900. “It was the first lot of the sale, and it set the pace for the rest of the day!” reported a very pleased Bodnar. The 1993 card was Beckett graded 7.5 near mint plus with serial #0012507975. In all, 414 lots all sold for just over $600,000. “This was a record one day total for a single-owner collection in gross sales for Bodnar’s,” said the auctioneer. For information, www.bodnarsauction.com or 866-349-7378.
Little-Known Russian Artist Makes Statement For State Line Auctions
CANAAN, CONN. – Topping State Line Auctions’ February 14 estate auction was an oil portrait of a woman by an unlisted Russian artist who signed the work Kyemoyiekz. Estimated at $200/300, the 24-by-19-inch oil or gouache on canvas work sold to a collector in Connecticut who was bidding online for $9,102. According to Bruce Kalbacher, it was from a local collection of fresh-to-the market artwork, carpets and furnishings in a sale that was more than 96 percent sold and saw “interest all day long, which is nice in this crazy world.” For information, 860-453-4370.
Fox Weathervane Jumps For Copake
COPAKE, N.Y. – One of the top lots at Copake Auctions’ February 13 unreserved estate auction was a running fox weathervane that bounded past its $2/2,500 estimate to close at $4,613 to a local collector. The 30-inch vane, which came from a local estate, was one of more than 800 lots that achieved a sell-through rate of more than 97 percent. For information, 518-329-1142 or www.copakeauction.com.
La Dolce Vita Comes To Public Sale With A Pair Of Bitossi Vases
HUDSON, N.Y. – A curated collection of furniture, artwork, fixtures and architectural elements great for decorating spaces was presented by Public Sale on February 13. Included were many midcentury modern classics, obscure antiques and collectibles, vintage signs and advertising, folk art, Outsider art and more. Though not the highest price in the sale, a vibrantly colorful pair of Bitossi for Raymor Pottery vases with aqua, white, yellow, red, brown and gray stripes was a surprise, pulling in $1,740. For information, www.public-sale.com or 518-966-7253.
Samuel Bak’s ‘Sounds Of Silence’ Leads At Hudson Valley Auctioneers
BEACON, N.Y. – Outsider and Surrealist art came in from the cold on February 15 at Hudson Valley Auctioneers. A multi-estate affair offering everything from antiques to Midcentury Modern pieces, the sale was led by an oil on linen by Samuel Bak (b 1933) titled “Sounds of Silence.” Bak is an American painter and writer who survived the Holocaust and immigrated to Israel from Poland in 1948. Since 1993, he has lived in the United States. His 1995 work, 32 by 40 inches, depicting the destruction and dehumanization that make up his childhood memories in the form of allegorical figures making music in a war-torn landscape. It was purchased at Pucker Gallery, Boston, and came with the book Representing the Irreparable, The Shoah, The Bible and the Art of Samuel Bak in which the painting is mentioned. It sold for $13,125. For information, www.hudsonvalleyauctioneers.com or 845-480-2381.
Thomas Hirchack Flips 1786 Vermont Coin
MORRISVILLE, VT. – A top result at Thomas Hirchak Company’s online auction of more than 500 lots of toys, antiques, collectibles and musical instruments on February 15 was a 1786 Colonial Rupert Vermont copper coin, which bidders flipped for. A Vermont resident, bidding online, won the coin toss, taking it for $1,610. A representative for the auction house said that the sale attracted more than 400 online bidders. For information, www.thcauction.com or 802-888-4662.
Asian Carving Makes Peace For The Auction Barn
NEW MILFORD, CONN. – The tallest of the three figures measuring 9¼ inches, a carved wood Asian deity group brought $8,400 at The Auction Barn LLC’s February 15 sale. The three gilt figures appear on one pierced and carved base, the side figures sprouting out of a lotus-form flower. Bidders chased the sculpture well past its $200 high estimate. The central figure featured Guanyin in the “royal ease” pose with one knee raised. The auction saw other fine results for Chinese porcelain, including $3,125 paid for a tri-footed bowl on wood stand. For information, www.theauctionbarnct.com or 860-799-0608.
Elephant Trunk Legs Lift Chinese Table For Kodner
DANIA BEACH, FLA. – A Nineteenth Century Chinese red lacquer center table brought $10,285 at Kodner Galleries’ February 17 sale. The table was decorated with topographical scenes with figures to the top and floral and foliage around the apron and feet. It rose on legs that took the form of double elephant trunks. The work had provenance and came with its original 1975 bill of sale from Ralph M. Chait Galleries. For information, www.kodner.com or 954-925-2550.
Paul Evans & Midcentury Design Lead For Nadeau
WINDSOR, CONN.- A Paul Evans patchwork brutalist cabinet sold for $22,140 at Nadeau’s Auction Gallery on February 20. Evans produced the model PE-40A cabinet for the furniture company Directional in 1969. It featured four welded steel doors with variations of textured, pieced panels. The top featured a border of patchwork around a two-part slate. The work came from the estate of Alina Roisen along with a large collection of other midcentury design furniture that included names like Vladimir Kagan, Philip & Kelvin Laverne, Tommi Parzinger and many others. For information, www.nadeausauction.com or 860-246-2444.
