“Something for everyone” aptly sums up this week’s Across The Block column, featuring everything from coins to comics, Native American blankets to outboard motors. One of Centennial’s top lots combined coins with commemorative maps and SJD brought a desirable vintage receiver. Read on for more unusual finds.
Meta Meta: Art Celebrates Art In James Harrington Oil
BEACON, N.Y. – An oil on canvas painting, “The Picture Gallery,” by James Harrington (b 1929), depicting a male figure immersed in a spacious gallery, its walls filled with fine art, posted a total price of $4,063 at Hudson Valley Auctioneers on April 3. Harrington is an American postwar and contemporary painter known for marine painting, coastal views and figural genre works. For information, 845-831-6800 or www.hudsonvalleyauctioneers.com.
Premier Auction Galleries Puts Spring Antiques Auction To Bed
CHESTERLAND, OHIO – Premier Auction Galleries conducted its spring antiques, fine and decorative arts sale, including more than 300 lots from two private Ohio estate collections. Furniture weighed heavily in the upper lots, including a monumental European carved bed from the Nineteenth Century that was bid to $10,800 ($8/12,000). The bed was decorated from the headboard to the footboard with figural columns, foliage, crests, winged lions and faces in the Renaissance style. Measuring 75 inches tall, 65 inches wide and 91 inches long, the unique piece was one of the most elaborately carved beds presented at Premier “in years.” For information, 440-688-4203 or www.pag4u.com.
Native American Blanket Leads Jim Dixon’s Collection Sale At Capsule
NEW YORK CITY – On March 30, Capsule Auctions presented carpets from the collection of Jim Dixon, an esteemed landscape architect and longtime collector of rugs and textiles. At the head of the sale was an early Twentieth Century Native American blanket, 6 feet 2 inches by 4 feet 9 inches, which inspired spirited bidding on two platforms but came down to two very enthusiastic bidders. Eventually, a domestic buyer bidding online won it for $5,580, a significant increase over its $100/200 estimate. For information, 212-353-2277 or www.capsuleauctions.com.
SJD Cranks Up Tunes With Vintage Receiver
AMENIA, N.Y. – A vintage Marantz stereophonic receiver, model 2238-B #S17-2 that was described simply as “turns on – not fully tested” and which opened with a bid of just $5 ended up at $577 to be the top lot in in SJD Auctions’ 316-lot April 11 sale. Titled a “Pickers Paradise Antiques & Collectibles” auction, the sale was conducted online via AuctionNinja and was billed as ideal for those “looking to stock up for the upcoming Elephant Trunk & Brimfield Flea Markets, a DIY project or searching for that unique piece.” For information, 845-489-7408 or www.auctionninja.com/sjd-auctions/.
Jewelry Suite Leads Two-Session Day For Mid-Hudson Auction Galleries
NEW WINDSOR, N.Y. – Nearly 525 lots were offered by Mid-Hudson Auction Galleries on April 15 when the firm first offered an estate sale, followed by a private library from Roxbury, Conn., which featured an extensive collection of Easton Press leather-bound books, including 144 signed books, first editions and sets. The highest price of the day – $6,710 – was set in the earlier session and realized by an 18K gold, diamond and ruby jewelry suite comprising a ring, a pair of drop earrings and a necklace, all with cabochon rubies. For information, 914-882-7356 or www.midhudsongalleries.com.
Norway Harbor Landscape Attracts Burchard’s Bidders
ST PETERSBURG, FLA. – Burchard Galleries presented its Premier auction of antiques, fine art and jewelry on April 15, with nearly 550 lots. Earning the auction’s top price of $8,302 was a landscape of the harbor at Bergen, Norway, by Herman Henry Wessel (American, 1878-1969). Signed and titled, the oil on board view measured 17 by 18þ inches and retained part of an exhibition label for the Cincinnati Art Club. Cataloged as “fresh to the market,” it carried an estimate of $3/5,000. For more information, 727-821-1167 or www.burchardgalleries.com.
Gold Eagle Set Soars Above Centennial’s Coins Auction
NASHUA, N.H. – Centennial Auctions conducted the sale of The Jack Haroian Estate Collection; Coins, Currency & Exonumia on April 11. Out of over 700 lots of these categories, the highest price was won by a 1989 US Gold Eagle four-coin proof set at $5,310. The set included $5, $10, $25 and $50 pieces. The second highest lot was a 1936 York County, Maine, map (shown here) issued by the York Country Tercentary Commission that included a commemorative coin (numbered 3/100) in its frame. According to the Centennial catalog, “We’ve never seen another…” The map and mounted coin achieved $4,320. For information, 603-356-5765 or www.centennialauctions.com.
Outboard Motor Powers Bodnar Sale
MONMOUTH JUNCTION, N.J. – Revving right past its $1,2/1,800 estimate to bring $12,980 in Bodnar’s Auction’s April 13 sale titled, “History of the Industrial Age Estate Collection! Motors, Signs, Tools, Advertising, & More!” was an antique Waterman outboard porto motor. Cataloged as fully restored and in untested but excellent condition, the 36-inch-long piece was deemed to be probably complete. It was the highest price in two days of auctions that saw a total of 602 lots offered. For information, 732-951-2100 or www.bodnarsauction.com.
Heritage On The Case With Pulp Auction
DALLAS – The night was dark and the streets were perilous on April 13-14 when Heritage Auctions’ Pulp Magazine Showcase Auction brought $446,370 with almost 800 lots, featuring the Jack and Joanie Kump comics collection. The top of these was a June 1, 1923, issue of The Black Mask for $28,800. This was followed in price by a January 1935 issue of All Detective Magazine (shown here), which closed at $21,600. This was the periodical’s final issue, featuring “Doctor Death” whose own series continued in an early example of a spinoff. It was one of two copies Heritage has encountered, the first being eight years ago. Both top lots came from the Kump collection. For information, 214-409-1425 or www.ha.com.
