This partial gilt bronze-mounted Royal Crown Derby porcelain and carved marble clock by Benjamin Vulliamy lead the sale, earning $162,500. The circa 1790 clock measured 80 inches in height ($150/250,000).
Review by Kiersten Busch
DALLAS — Heritage Auctions conducted its Furniture & Decorative Art Signature Auction on June 4, which prominently featured the collection of Mrs Henry Ford II. There were additional lots offered from the estate of Mr and Mrs Robert Morris Graham Sr, from El Paso, Texas, and from the collection of Ruth Nelkin. The 134-lot sale realized $724,238. “Overall the auction did well,” said Karen Rigdon, vice president of fine silver and decorative arts at Heritage. “There were many moments throughout the day of ferocious bidding.”
The top selling lot was a partial gilt bronze-mounted Royal Crown Derby porcelain and carved marble clock by Benjamin Vulliamy, which was from the collection of Mrs Henry Ford II. The circa 1790 clock rested on a mahogany and satinwood pedestal, bringing the piece to 80 inches in height. It was marked “Vulliamy,” and contained an inscription: “Fugit irreparabile tempus, Virg.,” (“It escapes, irretrievable time,” Virgil). Rigdon added, “The quality is exceptional: from the bisque figural group to the grisaille painted medallion. Even the small accoutrements on the stair are finely finished. Interested parties previewed in person from the United States and abroad. All were taken by its beauty.” The clock crossed the block for $162,500, within its $150/250,000 estimate.
Rounding out the top three best-selling lots was this Louis XVI-style gilt bronze eight-light chandelier from the Twentieth Century, containing rose quartz and crystal prisms, which realized $32,500.
Two Twentieth Century Louis XVI-style chandeliers rounded out the top three best-selling lots. “There was wide ranging interest in the sconces and chandeliers from the Graham estate. Multiple bidders vied for these lots with bidders on the floor, phones and internet. We often present chandeliers with hardstone prisms, but these did much better than any in recent history,” said Rigdon. The first chandelier was a 12-light amethyst, rock crystal and bronze chandelier, measuring 50 inches (length) by 31 inches (width) by 31 inches (height), which sold for $37,500. The second, exchanging hands for $32,500, was an eight-light gilt bronze chandelier with rose quartz and crystal prisms, with a height of 42 inches. Both originated from the Graham estate in El Paso.
Also from the Graham estate was a pair of Chinese two-handled vases from the Twentieth Century, which earned $32,500, far exceeding their high estimate. Each had blue and red floral and vine decorations on their bodies. The 20-by-12½-inch vases were in very good condition, and both came with a 9-inch wood stand. “The pair of Quing dynasty two-handle vases were in fine condition and the market recognized their value. Underglaze blue and copper red is quite rare, and sought-after by knowledgeable collectors,” commented Rigdon.
Selling above their high estimate were these Neoclassical gilt bronze-mounted green marble figural urns, with columnar pedestals ensuite. They each measured 81¾ inches high and exchanged hands for $15,000 ($7/9,000).
Another successful lot from the Graham collection was a pair of Neoclassical gilt bronze-mounted green marble figural urns. The pair came with columnar pedestals ensuite and each measured 81¾ inches high. They were in overall good condition and sold for just over their high estimate, for $15,000.
“Japanerin” by German sculptor Georg Kolbe was a wide bronze sculpture with dark brown patina, hailing from the Ford collection. The statue, completed in 1911 and signed on its base, was in the shape of a woman crouching and looking away from the viewer. Additionally, it contained a foundry mark, “H. Noack Berlin,” to its base and was in good condition. “Japanerin” was pushed to $15,000 by bidders.
A set of 18 Royal Copenhagen partial gilt porcelain dinner plates, in the Flora Danica pattern, from the Nelkin collection sold for $11,875, almost double their high estimate. “It is not surprising to see the Flora Danica do well,” said Rigdon, “There is never enough to satiate the interest of those who love it.” Each mid-Twentieth Century plate, save for one, had a “Royal” mark on its crown and a “Copenhagen Denmark, 20, 3553” mark on its waves.
“Portrait of Maria Caterina Farnese, Duchess of Modena” by Matteo Loves (Italian, active 1625-1662) and Giovanni Battista Pesari (Italian, fl 1645), circa 1633, oil on canvas laid on panel, 41½ by 37½ inches framed, found a new home for $11,875, just within estimate ($10/15,000).
One painting especially drew interest from bidders, “Portrait of Maria Caterina Farnese, Duchess of Modena” by Matteo Loves and Giovanni Battista Pesari. The circa 1633 portrait was originally started by Loves, but he fell seriously ill and entrusted the completion to his fellow artist, Pesari. Both men were the apprentices of famous Italian artist Guercino, who completed the original full-body portraits of both the duchess and the duke. Another copy of the full-body portraits by Loves are preserved at the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire in Geneva, Switzerland. While the whereabouts of the half-length companion to this painting are unknown, this one had provenance to the estate of Josephine Bory, Washington, DC, and a private collection in Florida, which acquired it from the Bory estate in the 1990s.
Heritage’s next furniture & decorative arts sale is scheduled for early December.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 214-528-3500 or www.ha.com.
