Top lot in the sale was a Nineteenth Century Chinese “Hundred Deer” hu-form vase, which leapt above its $3/4,000 estimate to land at $54,400. The 18-inch-high vase was decorated in enamels with the “hundred deer” motif, depicting a continuous scene of deer frolicking in grassy meadows beside a river, all within a rocky, mountainous landscape with pine trees.

Review by W.A. Demers, Photos Courtesy Roland NY

GLEN COVE, N.Y. – Collectors resolved not to miss Roland NY’s annual New Year’s Day estates sale on January 1. The event, live in the gallery and online, featured 500 fresh-to-the-market lots, many hand-picked from a prominent New York City estate, plus hundreds more from the estate of a New Jersey/Florida collector of Asian, American and European antique furniture and decorative pieces. Selections were sourced from multiple estates, with a highlight being a collection of a socialite from European nobility with properties at the Pierre Hotel in Manhattan and in Lloyd Harbor, Long Island. The collection offered everything from Louis XIV to Midcentury Modern, along with art, silver, jewelry and decorative items.

Among the rarest of the lots presented was a Nineteenth Century Chinese “Hundred Deer” hu-form vase, which leapt above its $3/4,000 presale estimate to land at $54,400. The 18-inch-high vase was decorated in enamels with the “hundred deer” motif, depicting a continuous scene of deer frolicking in grassy meadows beside a river, all within a rocky, mountainous landscape with pine trees. Its shoulder was flanked by a pair of coral-red, dragon-scroll handles. Bill Roland said the vase is heading back to China, won by a phone bidder.

It was an auspicious sale for both the consignor and Roland as well, for the auction posted the firm’s highest-grossing single day, and highest-grossing per lot, auction of the past year. The sales total came in around $750,000 with a sell-through rate of around 90 percent. Thousands of bidders were registered online, and about between 40-50 bidders were in the gallery.

Other sleepers in the sale included a pair of gilt bronze neoclassical-style urn-form wine coolers and a Tibetan thangka framed under glass. Decorated with swags and garlands, gadrooning and ram’s heads, the lids fluted with bone finials, the 31-inch-high coolers quickly shot up to a selling price of $46,875 against their $2/3,000 estimate, while the 52½-by-33-inch thangka ignored a $1/2,000 expectation to take $43,750.

A pair of George III mahogany games tables, circa 1765, went out at $37,500. Carved in the manner of Thomas Chippendale, the auction housed posited that they were possibly the output of a Scottish cabinetmaker emulating the latest French-influenced fashions to emerge from London.

It was a good day for antique furniture as well, evidenced by a pair of George III mahogany games tables, circa 1765, going out at $37,500. The carved serpentine fold-over tables, possibly Scottish, were in the manner of Thomas Chippendale, having re-entrant corners, two-tier scrolled decoration to the frieze and quatrefoil motifs to the front legs. The auction housed posited that they were possibly the output of a Scottish cabinetmaker emulating the latest French-influenced fashions to emerge from London.

An English mahogany breakfront cabinet, circa 1800, the late George III period, had been featured in The Dictionary of English Furniture from the Middle Ages to the Late Georgian Period by Edwards, Ralph & Maquoid, Percy (considered by many experts as The Bible of English Furniture). It sold for $10,000.

And bidders liked a unique early Eighteenth Century tortoiseshell and walnut cabinet on stand, a continental piece fitted with drawers surrounding a central door opening to three drawers, taking it to $5,625 and paying the same price for two carved giltwood Belter chairs with ornate figural and foliate carved backs on casters, the chairs were upholstered in cream silk jacquard fabric.

Jewelry highlights included a Van Cleef & Arpels Fleurette necklace and earrings set. In 18K white gold and diamonds, each fleurette featured a motif with seven round diamonds that were IF to VVS clarity, D-E color, and the set was bid to $23,750.

The ever-popular Cartier “Love” bracelet crossed the block. In 18K yellow gold, size 18, stamped QOR531, AU750 and in its original box, it won a bidder’s heart for $5,312.

A sleeper was this pair of gilt bronze neoclassical-style urn-form wine coolers. Decorated with swags and garlands, gadrooning and ram’s heads, the lids fluted with bone finials, the 31-inch-high coolers quickly shot up to a selling price of $46,875 against their $2/3,000 estimate.

Notable in the sale’s offering of fine art was a figural nude landscape, an oil on canvas painting depicting classical figures backed by a cityscape. Apparently not completed, the 79-by-53¼-inch work was signed, however, and found a buyer willing to pay $16,250 against its $600/900 estimate. Also, a Ferdinand Loyen du Puigaudeau (French, 1864-1930) oil on canvas landscape of a harvest sunset with a farmhouse and bales of hay earned $15,000.

It is always a sale’s selection of decorative items that make it a success, and that was no less the case in this one. Leading such items was an inlaid faux tortoiseshell tea box. Featuring ornate allover shell and gold inlaid faux tortoiseshell decoration and resting on carved mother-of-pearl paw feet, its inside compartment cover decorated with bees, the Twentieth Century piece sold for $12,500

Making the crossover from Asian material, a pair of late Nineteenth Century Chinese porcelain and gilt bronze mounted jardinieres took $11,875.

Fetching $10,000 was a Victorian brass and stained glass hall lantern, and selling for $8,750 a pair of palatial gilt and silvered bronze candelabra, each having seven arms around a center candle post on a Corinthian column base, also lit up action in the gallery.

Additional sale highlights included a pair of Palm tree gilt bronze candlesticks, possibly retailed by Tiffany’s, realizing $5,312; a pair of bronze dore and onyx pedestals with gilt bronze mounts garnering $5,625; and a pair of Twentieth Century Buccellati Italian silver candlesticks, marked on bases Buccellati / 925 / Made in Italy, the octagonal bases and reeded stems mounted with alternating lapis lazuli and malachite stones, selling $4,375.

Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. Roland’s next sale is January 28-29, Part I is frames on Friday and Part II on Saturday is art, furniture & decoration. For information, www.rolandantiques.com or 212-260-2000.

Selling for $8,750 was a pair of palatial gilt and silvered bronze candelabra. Each had seven arms around a center candle post on a Corinthian column base.