This 18K yellow gold Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet, 6¾ inches long, was from the Sweet Alhambra Clover collection and earned the highest price of the sale at $7,073 ($2/4,000).
Review by Kiersten Busch
ST PETERSBURG, FLA. — On February 22, Burchard Galleries conducted its Estate Antiques, Fine Art & Jewelry Auction, which featured 523 lots of museum quality antiques, fine art, sculpture and jewelry from several major estates, including that of Baroness Lizelotte von Schwarzbek of Austria.
Surpassing its $2/4,000 estimate to make a sale-high $7,073 was an 18K yellow gold Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet from the Sweet Alhambra Clover collection. It had a lobster claw closure, was signed “VCA” and measured 6¾ inches in length.
Several other lots of estate jewelry earned top prices in the sale, including a pair of 14K yellow gold, turquoise and diamond earrings. Backed in gold, the earrings centered two oval cabochon-cut turquoise which were encircled by 44 brilliant cut diamonds, 22 on each earring. The lot was sold with an appraisal by Florida Diamond Appraisers dated to December 22, 2025, for $10,750; the earrings’ new owners made off with a deal, securing the pair for $3,690.
Also earning $3,690 was both an 18K yellow gold and white enamel stylized swan brooch and a platinum, diamond and sapphire eternity ring, which sold separately. The swan brooch had one round cabochon cut ruby eye and a locking bar pin closure, while the ring contained 14 square brilliant cut diamonds and 12 square scissor cut sapphires. They were followed close behind at $3,321 by a pair of 14K yellow gold coin cufflinks depicting Russian Czar Nicholas II. The 5-ruble coin links came with chain, baton and ball closures and weighed 12.6 grams.
Setting the table for $6,458 was this monogrammed 88-piece Gorham sterling silver flatware service, approximately 91.66 troy ounces ($7,6/7,800).
Two sterling silver flatware services crossed the block, securing the second- and third-highest prices of the day. A monogrammed 88-piece Gorham service in the Chantilly pattern, weighing approximately 91.66 troy ounces, made $6,458, while a 64-piece Gorham service in the Melrose pattern, weighing approximately 80.24 troy ounces, set the table for $5,535; both sets came with a presentation case.
Two silver lots by Buccellati also attracted bidder interest, led at $3,567 by a lot of three sterling silver picture frames, two with floral and scrolled foliate motifs and one with shell motifs. Following at $2,214 was a lot with two sterling floriform bowls, both stamped on their undersides.
Fine art was led by an oil on Masonite work by Rodney Demps depicting a figure hanging laundry in the lee of a royal poinciana tree, their house in the background. It was signed lower left and dated “‘82.” Just surpassing its $2/4,000 estimate, the painting made $4,613.
Around ten Highwaymen painting sold, with prices ranging from $861 for an early Highwaymen-style scene of two men and a bike with a woman yelling by Mark Stanford (American, b 1959), to $3,198 for a beach scene with dark skies and palms by Sam Newton. Roy McLendon was the most represented Highwaymen artist, with four works selling. A scene with palms, a fishing shack and sailboat on the water ($2,583); a scene with a lagoon and pink sky ($2,583); a scene with palms, a beach road and a sailboat ($2,460) and a scene with a moonlit lagoon with wading birds and scrub ($1,230) all found new homes.
Sculpture was led at $3,075 by a life-size, 72-inch-high, patinated bronze statue of Major League Baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan. The sculpture’s base bore an incised signature reading “Jim Davidson.” Several other sculptures realized more than $1,000, including a kaleidoscope-form work titled “Gold Mining Nowhere Near Here” ($1,476), a carved wood Russian carved angel statue from the Nineteenth Century ($1,353) and a carved Chinese soapstone sculpture of the Three-Legged Money Frog (Chan Chu), a symbol of wealth and prosperity ($1,107).
This Florida Highwaymen beach scene with dark skies and palms by Sam Newton (American, b 1948), oil on Upson board, 27¾ by 39½ inches framed, sold under its $5/8,000 estimate for $3,198.
Lighting was led by a Roycroft hammered copper and mica helmet lamp, which illuminated a selection of just under 15 lamps for $3,998. The 14¼-inch-high lamp, which was Model 902, had leaf-form straps across its shade and was signed on its underside. An Arts & Crafts-style Roycroft hammered copper helmet lamp also sold, switching on for $1,230. Two gilt Tiffany Studios Harp desk lamps with shade number 424 followed after the initial Roycroft, realizing $3,321 and $2,091 respectively.
Nearly 25 carpets were offered during the sale, ranging from $215 for a Balouch design tribal rug, to $3,567 for a palatial Persian Lavar Kerman carpet made with 100 percent wool pile. The rug measured 10-foot-by-19-foot was previously appraised for $16,000 in October 2004 by Azhar’s Oriental Rugs.
Folk art samplers were bountiful, with a Nineteenth Century figural example wrought in 1843 by 11-year-old Mary E. Baker leading the group of 15 lots for $3,321. Featuring an “elaborately hand-stitched homestead scene with a house flanked by a male and female figure, a fence, ducks, dogs, trees and floral jardinieres,” the 18½-by-18¾-inch work was “encompassed by a floral vine border,” according to catalog notes. The work surpassed its $700-$1,000 estimate to make $3,321.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 727-821-1167 or www.burchardgalleries.com.
