The top lot of the day was this 62-inch-tall carving of George Washington that retained its original paint and sold to a buyer in London for $3,584 ($1/2,000).
Review by Madelia Hickman Ring; Photos Courtesy D.L. Straight Auctioneers
STURBRIDGE, MASS. — David Straight closed out summer on September 9 by offering exactly 448 lots in his “Summer Americana” auction, which saw more than 85 percent of which find new homes. When we reached him after the auction, he said that in such an unpredictable auction market, he was very pleased with the results.
A new buyer in London, who had never before bid with D.L. Straight previously, had the winning bid for several things, including the top lot of the day, a large wooden carving of George Washington that stood 62 inches tall and had been discovered in a Connecticut estate. Retaining its original paint, it had been estimated at $1/2,000 and brought a strong price of $3,584. Added to the same London buyer’s tab for $2,176 was a painted iron pub sign depicting Lord Nelson, which Straight said had come to auction from a large estate in Virginia that offered many nice things in the sale.
Nautical antiques were led at $2,560 by a double sailor’s shell valentine from a Cape Cod estate. Brian Coole’s (American, British, b 1939) oil on canvas painting of clipper ship outrunning a squall, 15 by 12 inches, sailed to $768, and a scrimshaw whale tooth with a whaling scene took a bite out of its estimate with a $704 result.
“That was very nice,” David Straight said of this double sailor’s shell valentine with “Heart and Home” and pinwheel decoration. It sold within expectations, for $2,560 ($2/4,000).
A Seventeenth Century Spanish trestle foot walnut table with old surface beat out a good selection of American furniture to lead the category with an above-estimate price of $2,048. Straight confirmed it was going to a buyer in California. A buyer in New England paid $1,920 for a William and Mary high chest, 1700-20, which was characterized in the catalog as “rare,” undoubtedly because it retained its original burl veneer drawer fronts and Quaker type locks. Following closely behind in price at $1,664 was a Queen Anne bonnet top highboy attributed to the Connecticut River Valley that sold to a buyer in North Carolina. Rounding out the furniture highlights at $1,536 was a Chippendale tiger maple chest on chest that will be staying in New England.
Speaking of tiger maple, Straight pointed out the $960 achieved for a tea caddy with boldly figured tiger maple wood and large conch shell inlays to both the top and front. It was one of several caddies in the sale, including tortoiseshell examples. One with shaped sides made $1,920; a sarcophagus example earned $1,664 and an octagonal one, with Prince of Wales feather inlaid, exceeded expectations with a $608 bid.
Leading a sizeable selection of more than a dozen tea caddies was this antique tortoiseshell example with shaped sides, that bidders chased to $1,920. It was also the first lot of the sale ($1/3,000).
Other noteworthy Americana results include the $1,280 paid for a two-sided sign for “The Squirrel Inn;” $1,216 for a large copper rooster weathervane; $1,152 for a Nineteenth Century mochaware pitcher with tobacco leaf pattern that stood six inches tall; and for $1,088, a Pennsylvania German decorated dome top box with original blue paint, red and white lovebirds, swags and tulips that dated to 1820-30 and retained its original snipe hinges.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house.
David Straight said he’d already started lining up “some fantastic things” for his next sale, which would take place in early October, exact date TBD.
For additional information, 508-769-5404 or www.dlstraightauctioneers.com.
