Topping $620,000 for more than 1,700 lots offered, Clars Auction Gallery’s two-day spring estate auction on April 1 and 2 was the highest grossing April auction in the firm’s 55-plus-year history. There were more than 1,000 registered bidders, both live and online, ready to vie for the selection of fine art, decorative arts and furniture.

Excitement and surprises came early in the sale when, during the intermediate Saturday session, lot 242 came to the block. It was the final selling price on a Twentieth Century Chinese scroll that stunned both the crowd and Clars president Redge Martin.

The scroll, an ink and color on paper, was an abstract depiction of a village screened by trees along a river. It was signed “Tu,” dated 1959 and came to the block with an estimate of just $25/50. Once it hit the floor, a bidding war ensued, hinting that perhaps this was something a bit more important than expected. That was confirmed when the final hammer dropped at $4,387.

Sunday also started off with a bang when a monumental hand painted vase signed and dated 1905 by Franz Bischoff came to the floor. Reportedly in the Paris Exposition of 1910, this lot had a presale estimate of $6/12,000. The hammer dropped on this lot at $17,500.

Shortly after this surprise, a signed oil on canvas titled “View toward Mount Diablo” by Carl Sammons (California, 1883-1963) was offered with an estimate of $2/4,000. The consignors had picked this piece up in a local thrift shop for just $1.99. The final sale price of $5,265 represented a solid return on a $2 investment.

This signed oil on canvas titled “View toward Mount Diablo” by Carl Sammons was purchased by the consignor at a local thrift store for just $1.99 and sold at auction for $5,265

Salvador Dali (Spanish 1904-1989) made an impressiveappearance on the block with a portfolio of 15 signed unframedlithographs titled “Les Floralies.” Estimated at $3/5,000, this setsold for $14,040. A signed Walasse Ting (Chinese/American, b 1929)also performed solidly. His signed acrylic on paper titled “Life isJust a Bowl of Cherries” brought $11,700. A good buy was had on asigned framed oil on canvas by Eugene Neuhaus (California,1879-1963) when it sold for $4,972.

Prices reported include buyer’s premium of 17 percent up to $70,000, and 10 percent thereafter for phone, absentee and floor bids; and 20 percent up to $70,000 and 13 percent thereafter for Internet bids.

For information, www.clars.com , 888-339-7600 or 510-428-0100.