There was plenty of furniture, art and fine accessories to bid on at New Orleans Auction Galleries’ February 7 and 8 major estates event, but it was a “girl’s best friend” that shone the brightest in the sale.
A rare platinum and diamond lady’s square-form Art Deco ring, composed of a central Old European-cut diamond of 4.25 carats surrounded by a single row of 12 smaller diamonds, that sold within estimate at $42,000. Another ring bringing good money was a platinum, 18K yellow gold, emerald and diamond lady’s ring that realized $33,600.
Other jewelry highlights were a strand of South Seas baroque pearls comprising 22 pearls at $7,800 and a platinum, 18K yellow gold, sapphire and diamond lady’s ring, composed of a central prong-set Kashmir blue sapphire weighing 3.20 carats, going out at $6,000.
The auction of more than 1,000 lots got off to a rousing start with the first lot across the block, a Dutch mahogany and marquetry bureau cylindre, early Nineteenth Century, that fetched a respectable $9,300.
A standout in the sale was a rare New Orleans art pottery vase, circa 1890, by William Woodward (American, 1859‱939), embellished with a blue crab in relief that brought $14,400.
The fine art category was led by Eugene Galien Laloue’s (French, 1854‱941) “La Porte Saint Denis, Paris,” watercolor and gouache, fetching $13,200, along with Louisiana artist Robert Gordy’s (1933‱986) acrylic “Le Parc #3,” 1970, that brought $11,400.
Other paintings performing well were an oil on canvas by Jose Maria Cundin (Spanish/New Orleans, b 1938), “Paseo Liturgico,” 1966, that nearly tripled its low estimate to bring $11,100, while a George Louis Viavant (American/New Orleans, 1872‱925) watercolor and gouache, “Nature Morte: Cedar Waxwings,” dated 1918, realized $9,300.
Furniture highlights included a Charles X rosewood and marble top secretary commode, second quarter Nineteenth Century, for $6,900; an R.L. Schmidt, New Orleans, 12-piece neo-Renaissance oak dining suite, circa 1900, for $7,800; and a suite of ten William IV oak and fruitwood side chairs, second quarter Nineteenth Century, of gondola form, at $7,500.
Choice carpets crossing the block included an Angora Oushak measuring 11 feet 8 inches by 16 feet 2 inches that achieved $10,500; an Empire-style Aubusson, 12 by 18 feet, at $6,900; and an Oushak, 10 feet 11 inches by 12 feet 8 inches, that was a good buy at $9,600.
A lot that lit up bidding in the gallery was a large Italian cut glass, rock crystal and seashell six-light chandelier that soared above its $2,5/4,000 estimate to bring $10,500. The chandelier was in cage form in the Eighteenth Century “Grotto” style and veneered in abalone shell chips with scarlet coral embellishments. An oversized pair of French gilded brass, rock crystal and cut glass appliques, in the Bague’s Paris, Louis XVI style, modeled as rock crystal vases went for $8,700.
Also crossing the block was John Rocque’s (English, circa 1705‱762) “A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster and the Borough of Southwark,” circa 1749, comprising 24 sheets and accompanied by letters of authenticity dated 1993 from antiquarian book and manuscript dealer Harry Stern, Chicago. The lot brought $8,400.
Decorative standouts include a set of eight Royal Copenhagen porcelain soup plates, first quarter Twentieth Century, that realized $8,400 and a Napoleon III gilt and patinated bronze and Rouge Royale marble garniture clock, third quarter Nineteenth Century, cast by Henri Picard, for $8,100.
Rounding out the auction were an American neoclassical sterling silver five-piece coffee and tea service, third quarter Nineteenth Century, by Wood & Hughes, New York, for $7,200; an Apache polychromed coiled willow tray basket, circa 1900, at $6,600; and a Japanese crystal sphere on a monkey-form base, in the form of three monkeys depicting “Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, See No Evil,” for $6,300.
All prices reported include the buyer’s premium. The auction house’s next event will be an April 4‵ auction. For more information, www.NewOrleansAuction.com or 800-501-0277.
