This week, auctions across the country saw success in a variety of collecting categories. Art highlights ranged from an abstract painting that generated $20,740 at Nadeau’s to an original comic art painting by Frank Frazetta that brought more than $3 million at Heritage. Precious metals were led by a sterling silver flatware service by Gorham that earned $6,500. For all these stories and more, read on.
Gorham Service Sets Table For Excellence At Sandwich
SOUTH YARMOUTH, MASS. — On February 18, Sandwich Auction conducted its February Discovery: Sandwich auction, offering 272 lots of silver, European and English art and design, Americana, decoys and sporting art, maritime antiques and collectibles, Asian art, paintings and more. Top-lot status was rewarded to a 109-piece Gorham sterling silver flatware service in the English Gadroon pattern. Made in the mid Twentieth Century, the service was a nearly complete set for 12 and set the table for $6,500 ($4,5/6,000). For information, www.sandwichauction.com or 508-385-3116.
Hopper Watercolor Proves Provenance Is Key At DuMouchelles
DETROIT — DuMouchelles’ two-day February 2026 auction was conducted between February 19-20 and spanned 646 lots. A circa 1924 watercolor on paper titled “Gloucester (House on a Hill)” attributed to Edward Hopper (American, 1882-1967) earned the highest price, selling on day two for $21,080 ($3/5,000). The work had provenance to the collection of Mr Henry Penn Wenger, the founder of Aurora Oil and Gas Company, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. For information, www.dumoart.com or 313-963-6255.
Parisian River Scene Flows To Top At Cornell
BELLPORT, N.Y. — A selection of slightly more than 600 lots of Midcentury Modern furniture, fine art and global antiquities made up Cornell Auctions, Objects & Trade’s February Fever auction. The highest-earning lot of the day was an “atmospheric post-Impressionist cityscape” depicting the River Seine in Paris by Constantine Kluge, which had provenance to the collection of a New York museum. The painting is headed to an antiques dealer in the South, who purchased the work for $3,670. For information, www.cornellauctions.com or 631-289-9505.
Abstract Painting Exceeds Estimates To Lead Nadeau’s
WINDSOR, CONN. — An oil on paper abstract composition in red attributed to Beauford Delaney (American, 1901-1979) led 453 lots in Nadeau’s Auction Gallery’s Custom Furnishings, Antiques, Art & Décor sale on February 21. Measuring 24 by 17½ inches (sheet), the work skyrocketed past its $800-$1,200 estimate to realize $20,740. For information, www.nadeausauction.com or 860-246-2444.
Rare Shaker Cabinet Realizes $45K At William Smith
PLAINFIELD, N.H. — A mixed bag of lots from a Scottsdale, Ariz., estate and selections from the collections of Mass General Hospital chief of urology Dr George Smith and US Ambassador David Kenneth Rush made up the 544-lot Important Winter Live Auction conducted on February 25 by William Smith Auctions. A rare Nineteenth Century small painted Shaker chest on wheels was the top lot, selling for $45,000 to a buyer in Michigan, just outside of Lake Huron. The chest had a pegged and paneled case containing four dovetailed graduated drawers and came with all of its original wooden knobs. For information, www.wsmithauction.com or 603-675-2549.
Music Box Plays At Synesael Davies
BROOKSTON, IND. — Making sweet music at Synesael Davies Auctions was a Porter Baroque music box that was inlaid and had fine veneer. Playing 15½-inch metal discs, the music box sold just over high estimate to a private collector bidding online for $4,025. Noted for having a wonderful tone, auctioneer Kenny Synesael explained, it came with copper punched discs, including several Christmas music titles. Nearly two dozen bidders were interested in the music box in advance, and six buyers actively competed for it. For information, www.synesaeldaviesauction.com or 765-404-5014.
Italian Tabletop Smashes Estimate At Stair
HUDSON, N.Y. — An Italian gilt-and patinated-bronze mounted pietra dura and mother-of-pearl square tabletop overperformed its $5/10,000 estimate to sell for $49,125 at Stair on February 26 in its auction of property from The Fortress, a historic home in Troy, N.Y. The tabletop was lavishly decorated and measured 45½ inches by 4 feet. For information, www.stairgalleries.com or 518-751-1000.
Bracelet Charms Golden Gavel Bidders
EAST WINDSOR, CONN. — In Golden Gavel Auctions’ weekly estate sale conducted on February 26, a 14K gold charm bracelet rose to the top of the price list. The bracelet, which featured two profile charms inscribed with dates and an airplane charm and totaled 44.8 grams, flew to $3,450. For information, www.goldengavel.com or 860-623-2100.
Vampirella Is The Hottest Heroine At Heritage
DALLAS — Frank Frazetta’s original art cover painting for Vampirella No. 1 (Warren, 1969) sold for $3,125,000 to lead Heritage’s February 27-March 1 Comic Art Signature Auction. Keen-eyed observers might notice a difference between how the character appeared on the cover of the issue and how she now appears on canvas. Frazetta was known to tinker with his originals even after they had already been published elsewhere. In this case, he painted over the Drakulon Queen’s outfit and boots to leave her wearing nothing but an armband and a bracelet. For information, www.ha.com or 214-528-3500.
