There are just shy of a million reasons to check out this week’s Across the Block, starting with a Brueghel The Elder canvas that started at $650,000 and brought the gavel down at $998,000. A beautiful Tiffany Turtleback Lantern lights the way to other notable results.
Brueghel The Elder Market Scene Nears
$1 Million In Hampel Auction
MUNICH, GERMANY – One of Europe’s leading auction houses, Hampel conducted a fine art sale on September 26 packed with blue-chip canvases. Leading the sale at $998,000 was Jan Brueghel the Elder’s (1568-1625) “A Village Landscape at the Water with Animal Market,” an oil on copper with wooden parquetting on reverse and measuring 10 by 14 inches. Other highlights included a Raoul Dufy (1877-1953) wintry work titled “Caèche À Falaise,” 1905, which went out at $650,000. For information, +49 89 288 040 or www.hampel-auctions.com.
Tiffany Turtleback Lantern Lights Up
Carlsen Sale
FREEHOLD, N.Y. – This Tiffany lantern was one of several purchased in the 1970s by an Albany family from the Fort Orange Club in Albany, N.Y., during a renovation. It is the third Tiffany lantern that Carlsen’s has sold for the family. Estimated at $10/20,000, bidding opened at $5,000 and quickly climbed, finally closing at $51,850, going to a private collector from “down South” who was bidding online against very active phone bidders. For information, 518-634-2466 or www.carlsengallery.com.
Large, Turned Wooden Bowl Quadruples Estimate At Daniel Buck Auctions
LISBON FALLS, MAINE – At Daniel Buck Auctions, Inc, on September 22, a large, Nineteenth Century turned wooden bowl with turned stepped decoration on the outside under a raised lip edge sold for $2,200. The bowl had what appeared to be the old and original deep brick red painted exterior; at 19¾ inches in diameter and 6½ inches high, it came to the block with a $200/400 estimate – which was left far behind after phone, in-house and internet bidders competed. Daniel Buck Soules, president, reported, “We had a number of telephone bidders as well as online bidding, but it sold in-house to a collector.” For information, www.danielbuckauctions.com or 207-407-1444.
Bayou Shore Scene Leads Selkirk’s
Fall Gallery Auction
ST LOUIS, MO. – Selkirk conducted its fall gallery auction on September 22 with a diverse selection of antique furniture, fine art, militaria and Asian art. The sale’s top lot at $22,800 was an oil on canvas painting by Joseph Rusling Meeker (American, 1827-1887) depicting “Lake Maurepas, La.” Signed and dated 1881 lower right and the back side titled with the artist’s monogram, date, and “St Louis, MO,” the bayou shore scene with a view out to an island with trees and herons nearly doubled its high estimate. For information, 314-696-9041 or www.selkirkauctions.com
Tiny Gem And Stone Encrusted Boxes Get
Big Prices At Roland’s Estate Sale
GLEN COVE, N.Y. – One of the highest prices – and certainly the highest multiple price paid against the estimate at Roland Auctioneers on September 22 – was $6,250 that was paid for two small gold boxes inlaid with stones. The auction house had cataloged them as late Twentieth Century Italian and valued them at $50-$100. Bidding quickly escalated beyond the $30 opening bid, closing a few minutes later to a buyer in the room, who was bidding against two other bidders in the room and one online. After the sale, a representative for the auction house identified the boxes as Tibetan or Indian. For information, 212-260-2000 or www.rolandsantiques.com.
Chinese Blood Amber Pieces Sell Ten Times Above Estimate At Quinn’s
FALLS CHURCH, VA. – At Quinn’s September 15 auction, a lot with two small pieces of jewelry came to the block with an $800-$1,200 estimate. Made from old Chinese blood amber, they sold for $12,200. Molly Huang of Quinn’s said that the two pieces had been in a box of costume jewelry from an estate. Recognized as blood amber (referring to the color), and from the Qing dynasty, they were pooled into one lot, with recognition that the plaque was the more important of the two pieces. The rectangular pendant, 2½ by 1¾ inches, had some condition issues, the 1¾-by-2½-inch fish pendant was in good shape. Huang said Quinn’s and the consignor were pleased by the strong price achieved for what the consignor thought was just “costume jewelry.” For information, 703-532-5632 or www.quinnsauction.com.
Godward Masterpiece Top Lot At Bonhams’ Nineteenth Century Paintings Sale
LONDON – “Dolce far Niente,” a masterpiece by the reclusive and tragic Victorian neoclassicist painter John William Godward, sold for $328,000 at Bonhams’ Nineteenth Century European, Victorian and British Impressionist art auction on September 26. The sale made more than $2.6 million. Godward (1861-1922) often depicted young women striking studied poses against meticulously rendered classical landscapes, very much in the style of Lawrence Alma-Tadema, under whom he studied. Rejected by his family who disapproved of his life as an artist, he spent much of his career in Italy, returning to England in 1921, a year before he committed suicide at the age of 61. For additional information, +44 20 7447 7447 or www.bonhams.com.
Locati’s Online Sale Offers Strong Results On A Range Of Unique Items
MAPLE GLEN, PENN. – Locati presented its September online sale, which closed on September 17. Comprising more than 700 lots, material ranged from rare Chinese porcelain to fine art and furniture. Said the firm’s co-owner Michael Locati, “Once in a while we offer something for the first time. This was the case with a small meteorite collection that surpassed our expectations and realized $5,050.” Another highlight was a Japanese cast iron and mixed metal teapot collection that brought in a total of about $20,000. For additional information, www.locatillc.com or 215-619-2873.
Kodner Kicks Off Prime Auction Season With Glittering Jewelry
DANIA BEACH, FLA. – “We had a good sale on September 26, including a collection of Russian objets de vertu, a big collection of Karl Springer and jewelry,” said Kevin Patrick Taylor of Kodner Galleries. “Seems the late September sale for us is the typical kick-off to our prime auction season.” The highlight of the sale was a pair of well-matched 15.37-carat total weight round brilliant cut diamond and 14K white gold ear studs selling for $96,800. For information, www.kodner.com or 954-925-2550.
