From Snoopy to Sargent, a broad scope of American art was represented at auction this past week. Two tropical landscapes by Martin Johnson Heade (1819-1904) rose with sunny figures in New York City with Auctions at Showplace, while a primitive landscape of New Canaan, Conn., by Augusta Simon (1912-2000) stayed in town with a local buyer at Modern Day Auctions. Decorative arts were represented with a 1947 chair from Peter Hunt (1896-1967), which sold in Provincetown near his adopted home of Orleans, Mass. For jewelry, a 14K gold link leaf necklace designed by and from the estate of Carey Boone Nelson (1923-2021) adorned her estate sale at Lark Mason Associates. Read on for more sales of American-made finds.
Ward Elicker Nude Fountain Figure Tempts Kamelot Bidders
PHILADELPHIA – The highest price achieved over two days of sales in Kamelot Auctions’ May 11 and 17 Garden Statuary & Architectural Antiques auction was $9,375 for a 94-inch-tall cast bronze fountain figure in the form of a nude woman, by Ward Elicker (American, Twentieth Century). The piece had been estimated at $1,5/2,500. It was one of 667 lots offered in the firm’s semiannual Garden Antiques event. For information, www.kamelotauctions.com or 215-438-6990.
New Canaan Primitive Landscape Opens At Modern Day
NEW CANAAN, CONN. – A primitive bird’s-eye view of New Canaan’s Main Street and surrounding environs was the first lot out of the gate at Modern Day Auctions on May 17. Painted in the style of Grandma Moses by Augusta Simon (American, 1912-2000), the 30½-by-22-1/5-inch oil on board opened at just $1 but closed at $484, one of the highest prices realized in a sale of 118 lots of fine and decorative art, estate jewelry and household furnishings from a South Avenue home. For information, 203-400-6000 or www.moderndayauctions.com.
14K Gold Link Leaf Necklace Flies For Lark Mason Associates
NEW YORK CITY – One of the top lots in Lark Mason Associates’ sale of 133 lots of jewelry from the estate of Carey Boone Nelson was a 14K gold leaf-form link necklace designed by Nelson, which achieved $5,500 against an estimate of $3/5,000. Measuring 15 inches in length and weighing approximately 140 grams, the piece was stamped “Carey 14K.” For information, www.igavelauctions, www.larkmasonassociates.com or 212-289-5524.
Rolex Daytona Clocks Lead For Clars
OAKLAND, CALIF. – A highlight in Clars Auction Gallery’s May 19-22 sales was a circa 1974 Rolex Daytona chronograph wristwatch, ref. 6263, with black dial that came from the estate of a colonel in the US Air Force. Estimated at $30/50,000, it rose to $75,000 from a New York buyer. It was one of three Rolex wristwatches in the sale, which saw a total of 1,474 lots cross the block. For information, 510-428-0100 or www.clars.com.
Showplace Bidders Pay Heed To Heade Landscapes
NEW YORK CITY – In Auctions at Showplace’s May 22 Important Fine Art & Design Auction, two circa 1895-1904 Martin Johnson Heade paintings stole the show. “Florida Sunset,” (shown) an oil on board painting depicting marshes and trees beneath pink and purple clouds at sunset sold for $81,250, while “Florida Landscape” (also called “Tropical Landscape, Florida”) also an oil on board that showed a tropical landscape of Florida wetlands with palm trees at sunset sold for $56,250. Both works had provenance descending from Mr and Mrs Ernest Rosenfeld of New York, are noted in the artist’s catalogue raisonné and exhibition history from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in 1969. Both pieces were sold to a delighted South Florida bidder. For information, 212-633-6063 or www.nyshowplace.com.
Woodstock & Snoopy Comic Chirps Lead At Sarasota
SARASOTA, FLA. – A 1979 Peanuts comic strip by Charles Schulz (1922-2000) featuring Snoopy and Woodstock flew to lead Sarasota Estate Auctions’ two-day sales, May 21-22, when it brought $31,500 against an estimate of $400/600. The work attracted considerable attention prior to the sale, and in the end, it sold to an online bidder. A representative for the firm said they were “very surprised…and happy with the results.” For information, 941-359-8700 or www.sarasotaestateauction.com.
A Peter Hunt Chair Takes A Seat At Bakker Auction
PROVINCETOWN, MASS. – James R. Bakker Antiques conducted its spring live online fine arts auction on May 21. The auction featured artworks from local estates and several prominent Provincetown and Cape Cod collectors. Leading the sale was Ross Moffett’s gouache “Waterfront, Sklaroff’s Wharf,” which sold for $3,250, but also notable was a 1947 Peter Hunt chair (shown), one of multiple Peter Hunt pieces from family friends of the artist, which brought $1,188. For information, www.bakkerproject.com or 508-413-9758.
Elizabeth Nourse Orientalist Portrait Triples Estimate At Burchard Sale
ST PETERSBURG, FLA. – Elizabeth Nourse’s (American/French, 1859-1938) ”Algerian Man,” an oil on wood portrait, tripled its high estimate to finish at $6,500, one of the leading lots at Burchard Galleries’ May 21 auction. The 8½-by-5-inch painting was signed upper right ”E. Nourse, Tunis, 1897,” titled verso and was presented in a painted gilded gesso frame under glass. For information, 727-821-1167 or www.burchardgalleries.com.
John Singer Sargent Drawing Bears Noting At Nathan Auction
MANCHESTER VILLAGE, VT. – On May 19 Eric Nathan presented a sale featuring the Miller/Barr estate, a select 69-lot auction that included fine art, antique books, silver and more. Notable across the block was a John Singer Sargent (American, 1856-1925) pencil drawing on paper of a bare-chested young man, which brought $3,813. Signed upper left and presented in a gilded wooden frame, the portrait measured 8½ by 8 inches. For information, 802-362-3194 or www.nathanre.com.
