Notable lots for the January 7, 2022 edition includes Steph Curry’s 2009 Topps Chrome Rookie card that broke $1 million, meanwhile the personal iMac computer Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales used to create the digital encyclopedia sold at Christie’s for $187,500 in an online auction that ended December 15. A dozen of 1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti assorted bottles were bubbled up to $87,500. Read on to get your fix of auction results.
Roan Bidders Say ‘I Do’ To Bridal Painting
COGAN STATION, PENN. – The highest price realized during the two day “Pre-Christmas Auction 2021” sale, conducted by Roan Inc., Auctioneers & Appraisers December 17-18 was a painting of a bride by Charles Baugniet (Belgian, 1814-1886). The 23-by-29-inch painting, in a heavy giltwood frame, came from the estate of Henry Perciballi and was titled “La Toilette de la Mariee.” It sold for $28,800. For information, www.roaninc.com or 570-494-0170.
Steph Curry Rookie Card Heads Heritage Sports Showcase Auction
DALLAS – A PSA Gem Mint 10 copy of Stephen Curry’s 2009 Topps Chrome Rookie card made a slam dunk at Heritage Auctions’ Sports Showcase Auction on December 18 when it soared to $55,200, dominating the sale that realized $1,261,288. The Warrior’s phenom won his first MVP award in 2014-15 and led Golden State to a championship for the first time in 40 years that same year. Since then, he has added another two NBA Championships and seven All-Star appearances. For more information, www.ha.com.
Bidders Offer Their Best For Marble Altar Table At Artemis
LOUISVILLE, COLO. – Measuring 55 inches high, bidders were impressed with the scale of a late Roman/early Byzantine marble altar tabletop that brought $31,625 in Artemis Gallery’s December 2 sale. From the Fifth to Sixth Century, the top was inscribed with Ancient Greek text along one long side and Syriac Aramaic on the other. The auction house provided the translation of both texts: “The Ancient Greek text reveals that this was an altar table, translating to ‘Petros with his wife Kosmiane presented [this] as offering with gratitude’ and is followed by two palm leaves and three letters – X, M and the Greek letter gamma – which serve as a Christogram meaning ‘Mary is the mother of Christ.’ The Aramaic Syriac script likely bears a plea to God in return for the offering of the table.” For information, www.artemisgallery.com or 720-890-7700.
Carved In Marble, Boissonnade’s Reclining Nude Allures
NEW YORK CITY – A carved marble sculpture of a reclining nude woman on platform by French artist Henri Paul Marc Boissonnade sold for $15,000 – more than three times the high estimate – at Auctions at Showplace on December 19. The platform measured 33 inches wide and was dated to 1905. A student of Barrias, Cavelier and Vernet, Boissonnade exhibited his work regularly at the Paris Salon in the early Twentieth Century. For information, 212-633-6063 or www.auctions.nyshowplace.com.
Dulcimer Has The Look At Ledbetter
GIBSONVILLE, N.C.- A fine folk art dulcimer instrument with a carved woman’s head on the headstock sold for $5,313 at Ledbetter Folk Art Auction’s December 11 sale. The auction house dated the instrument to circa 1840-60 and said it was found in Virginia. The German scheitholt was the precursor to the dulcimer, though this instrument is notable in the amount of tuning pegs it has: ten, while most dulcimers had four. The carved head atop has painted eyes and the whole measured 42 inches long. For information, www.ledbetterauction.com or 336-524-1077.
Vollis Simpson Airplane Flies In North Carolina
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. – An airplane sculpture by North Carolina folk artist Vollis Simpson flew to $3,125 at Leland Little Auctions’ December 16 sale. Simpson founded Whirligig Park, an environment outside of Wilson, N.C., on his family’s farm where he displayed his kinetic sculptures. The present airplane has a red prop that turns on a rod and measures 21½ inches high. It came from the estate of Steve Leder, who lived in the same town as the artist. Leder is among those listed as a donor on the park’s website. For more information, 919-644-1243 or www.lelandlittle.com.
IMac Used To Create Wikipedia Brings $187,500 At Christie’s
ONLINE – The strawberry-colored personal iMac computer Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales used to create the digital encyclopedia sold at Christie’s for $187,500 in an online auction that ended December 15. It was accompanied by its original box; the other computer Wales used at Bomis, the company who initially oversaw and funded the Wikipedia project, has been lost. The estimate for the now-obsolete computer was given “upon request,” and Christie’s did not identify the buyer. For more information, 212-636-2000 or www.christies.com.
Drink Up! Romanée-Conti Assortment Case Pops Top Off Estimate
NEW YORK CITY – Twelve assorted bottles of 1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti topped the chart in Sotheby’s December 17 auction dedicated to bottles from that vintner and brought $87,500 against an estimate of $45/70,000. It was the top price in a 37-lot sale that bidders poured $1,191,501 into. For more information, www.sothebys.com or 212-606-7000.
Bonhams Realizes $15,300 For Earliest Printed Declaration Of Independence Facsimile
NEW YORK CITY & ONLINE – Leading Bonhams’ online Books and Manuscripts sale that closed December 16 was a broadside engraved by Peter Maverick after Benjamin Owen Tyler’s 1818 copy of the original 1776 manuscript. It sold for $15,300. Printed a year ahead of John Binns’ copy, it is the earliest known facsimile. For information, www.bonhams.com or 212-644-9001.
