Atypical lots saw interest from bidders and buyers this week. Guns were more prominent in this week’s auction highlights than usual, with two Colt pistols earning top prices at Amoskeag Auctions ($39,000) and Milestone Auctions, where Audie Murphy’s single-action Army-issued revolver earned nearly $91,000. Other unusual lots would include a life size folk art skier that schussed to $6,500 at Fifth Avenue Auctions, and groups of industrial employee badges that DuMouchelles locked down at $28,380. Paintings, furniture and jewelry rounded out this week’s highlights.
A Spanish Colonial Sleeper Stuns At South Bay
EAST MORICHES, N.Y. — South Bay Auctions’ March 20 Fine Art, Antiques, Garden & Sporting Auction featured 320 offerings from estates and private collections. Claiming the sale’s highest honor was a group of four Eighteenth Century Spanish Colonial School oil on canvas paintings, collectively titled “Allegories of the Four Continents.” Clockwise from the top left, the unsigned works included “America,” “Africa,” “Asia” and “Europa.” After intense bidding, an in-house buyer claimed the lot for $34,800 — substantially exceeding the $600/800 estimate. For information, www.southbayauctions.com or 631-878-2909.
Twentieth Century Aesthetic Movement Screen Unfolds In Kaminski Sale
BEVERLY, MASS. — Kaminski Auctions presented an estates auction on March 16-17, offering a selection of jewelry, silver pieces, vintage watches, fine art and elegant furnishings sourced from estates in Palm Desert, Calif., Palm Beach, Fla., and multiple New England estates. Chief among the day’s fare was an early Twentieth Century Aesthetic Movement four-panel screen, which sold for $11,250. With stained and leaded glass, the four-panel screen was mounted in an ebonized frame with illuminating elements, measuring overall 104 by 96 by 11½ inches, each panel at 98 by 21½ inches. For information, 978-927-2223 or www.kaminskiauctions.com.
Industrial Employee Badges Pin Down A Bit Of Detroit History
DETROIT, MICH. — A pretty cool little slice of Detroit history crossed the block on Day 1 of DuMouchelles’ March 14-15 auction. Two lots of American/Detroit employee badges each sold for $14,190 — for a total of $28,380. They sold to online bidders based in the United States. They came from a Detroit collection, the consignor spent a lifetime collecting the badges, which range from large and small organizations in hundreds of industries: engineering, steel, brass, rubber, sheet metal, fabrication and auto suppliers. Auto manufacturer employee pins, badges and IDs were from a range of companies, including American Motors, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chalmers Motors, Continental, DeSoto, Ford, GMC and more. For information, 313-963-6255 or www.dumoart.com.
Cheers! 30-Year-Old Scotch Whisky Slakes Online Bidder’s Thirst In Kodner Auction
DANIA BEACH, FLA. — Jewelry, Japanese arts, antiques and collectibles were on the menu for Kodner Galleries’ March 20 auction, but it was a bottle of Macallan 30-year-old scotch whisky that raised the most paddles, selling for $3,528 to an online bidder. Nestled in its original box, the 750 ml bottle of premier spirits was in great unopened condition and bore an unbroken tax stamp. “Absolutely no returns!” warned the cataloging. For information, www.kodner.com or 954-925-2550.
Bulgari Necklace: The Gem Of Clars’ Luxury Jewels & Timepieces Auction
OAKLAND, CALIF. — A circa 1990s Bulgari gem-set and 18K gold Passo Doppio necklace with fringe design of collect-set cabochons on a fancy link chain was the highest earning lot in Clars Auction Gallery’s Spring Luxury Jewels & Timepieces auction on March 21. The Italian-made necklace was complete with 36 cabochons of tourmaline, amethyst, citrine and blue topaz and was accompanied by a signed pouch and box for safe-keeping. Estimated at $6/8,000, the colorful collar was ultimately sold to an international bidder for $20,160. For information, www.clars.com or 510-428-0100.
Factory-Engraved Government Model Colt Leads Amoskeag Auction
MANCHESTER, N.H. — A rare factory-engraved and El Paso-shipped Colt government model semi-auto pistol was the top lot in Amoskeag Auction Company’s March 24 auction, realizing $39,000. The 1914-made pistol was factory embellished with engraving featuring wide flowing foliate scrolls with fine line detailing and clean medium-sized punch-dot shading. The pistol wore a set of period smooth ivory grips, appropriate for a Texas gun. The arm shipped in a two-gun order on November 24, 1914, to the Shelton Payne Arms Co. of El Paso, Texas. For information, www.amoskeagauction.com or 603-627-7383.
Audie Murphy-Owned Colt Takes Top Spot In Milestone Auction
WILLOUGHBY, OHIO — A Colt single-action Army revolver owned by Medal of Honor recipient Audie Murphy sold for $90,675, leading Milestone Auctions’ first day in its March 23-24 premier firearms sale. The Colt archival letter states that this gun was shipped to Audie Murphy, North Hollywood, Calif., on March 17, 1958. Murphy was widely celebrated as the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II. He received America’s highest award, the Medal of Honor, for valor he demonstrated at the age of 19 for single-handedly holding off a company of German soldiers for an hour at the Colmar Pocket of France in January 1945, before leading a successful counterattack while wounded and out of ammunition. For information, 440-527-8060 or www.milestoneauctions.com.
Winter Landscape Holds On In Sloan & Kenyon Estate Auction
CHEVY CHASE, MD. — Sloans & Kenyon’s March 22 estate catalog auction offered Americana, antiques, furniture, paintings and sculpture, jewelry, silver, decorative arts and more. Leading the day was a painting that winter-weary folks could relate to days after the arrival of spring — an oil on canvas by Czech artist Alois Kalvoda (1875-1934) titled “Late Afternoon Winter Landscape,” a somber study of trodden snow with paths and fence leading to a barn and farmhouse. Signed lower right-hand corner and framed, the 25-by-25-inch painting sold for $9,144 to a telephone bidder. For information, 301-634-2330 or www.sloansandkenyon.com.
At 5th Avenue Auctions, Life-Size Folk Art Skier Schusses To Lead Position
NEW YORK CITY — Midcentury Modern and vintage design were lined up at 5th Avenue Auctions’ March 26 sale. However, it was a Nineteenth/Twentieth Century American life-size figure of an Olympic skier that charmed bidders to finish in top lot status. Bid to $6,500, the hand-carved figure, simply stunning in his full dress on skis, had all of his original vibrant paint in good condition. For information, www.5thavenueny.com or 212-247-1097.
