The top lot of the auction was this Eric Sloane (American, 1905-1985) oil on board titled “Cloud Mountains,” 33½ by 52½ inches framed, which attained $37,700 ($6/9,000).

Review by Andrea Valluzzo

LITCHFIELD, CONN. — Litchfield Auctions’ March 25 Antiques + Modern Design sale was blessed with an abundance of fine art that spanned art styles and eras. Seven of the sale’s top ten, in terms of highest price, were paintings, ranging from vibrant expressionist works and Pop Art to idyllic landscapes. The marathon auction, comprising nearly 700 lots, started at 10 am and ran for more than 12 hours. Attaining a sale total of $445,360, the auction attracted much interest, competitive bidding and had a sell-through rate of 83 percent.

Topping the auction overall was Eric Sloane’s oil on board titled “Cloud Mountains,” which attained $37,700, easily outperforming its $6/9,000 estimate. The signed painting depicted a dreamy and detailed view of cloud formations in shades of blue and gray. In all, a trifecta of oil on board paintings by Sloane were offered in this sale. “Cloud Mountains” was immediately followed by “Lightning Rod Vane,” which sold over its estimate for $11,115 ($4/6,000), while “The Barn and the Church” made $35,100 ($6/9,000). Both of the latter works went to the same buyer.

The Sloane paintings all came from an estate in Norwalk, Conn., as the parent of the estate executor had been friends with the artist and acquired these paintings early on. “Much of the bidding was online, but we had multiple phone bidders and in-house bidders that were interested, many just watching as the prices soared above their expectations,” said Nicholas Thorn, president of Litchfield Auctions. “It was certainly very exciting and great to see the enthusiasm for a local Connecticut artist whose prices have sometimes wavered over the years. But these were excellent paintings, so it’s really no surprise that they did very well.”

“Jumping in the Green” by Karel Appel (Dutch, 1921-2006), acrylic on canvas, leaped to $19,500 ($30/50,000).

Another highlight was an acrylic on canvas painting by the late Dutch painter Karel Appel, who is recognized for his expressive, natural style, marrying vibrant colors with an impasto style of brushwork. He was represented in the sale with “Springend in het groen (Jumping in the green),” which was a good buy at $19,500.

Another modern work was a Roy Lichtenstein lithograph in colors of “Shipboard Girl,” which made $13,650. Coming from an edition of unknown size, this work was pencil-signed, published by Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, and printed by Graphic Industries, Inc, New York.

Rounding out the fine art category was a nostalgic American School oil on board, Twentieth Century, depicting a Ford Model T driving down a country road. The work was unsigned but believed to possibly be by Sloane, so bidders drove the price past its $400/600 estimate to $10,400. Also going well over its estimate was William Apap’s “Two Dancers,” which realized $9,425. As Apap was from Malta, it made sense that the auction house saw an uptick in the number of bidders from that country registering for this auction, and one determined Maltese bidder brought the piece back home.

Furniture made a small appearance in the auction, but what there of it interested bidders. Leading the category was a Chinese hardwood and marble center table, late Nineteenth-early Twentieth Century, which performed well at $5,980. “The Chinese table had some lovely carving and, like many great Chinese pieces, it’s not too surprising when a good one exceeds its estimate,” Thorn added.

This Chinese hardwood and marble center table, late Nineteenth Century-early Twentieth Century, fetched $5,980 ($500/800).

Other highlights were a Nineteenth Century Regency rosewood breakfront side cabinet with carved details and ormolu mounts that sold for $3,770. Modern-inspired furniture, even if it’s of contemporary manufacture, shows no signs of going out of style, and this sale included a Pierre Paulin for Ligne Roset Pumpkin sofa, circa 2008, which made $3,380 ($1/2,000), while a circa 1970 Edward Wormley Tuxedo sofa in red stripes for Dunbar fetched $2,600.

Sterling silver flatware sets continue to perform well in many auctions of late, buoyed by the high market demand for metals, and topping this category was a Peter Hertz Vendome service that sold for $4,940, and a Gorham King Edward set at $4,810 ($4/6,000).

Other lots to do well included a collection of 22K gilded and leatherbound books from Easton Press (Norwalk, Conn.) that bested its $300/500 estimate to close a chapter at $2,340, and a pair of Murano Seguso Vetri d’Arte Scavo vases selling for the same price ($600/900).

Litchfield Auctions’ next sale will be Fine Arts, Antiques & Design on May 13.

Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, www.litchfieldauctions.com or 860-567-4661.