Leading the overall sale was a US Specialty Series stamp book 1845-1976 that included a complete set of Colombian Exposition stamps. Estimated $3/5,000, the collection brought $13,200. According to Ben Schultz, the stamp book went to a collector bidding on the phone.
Review by W.A. Demers; Photos Courtesy Schultz Auctioneers
CLARENCE, N.Y. — An eclectic three-day sale hosted by Schultz Auctioneers on February 1-3 posted notable results for ephemera, Victorian furniture and decoys. The sale total was $487,581 with a sell-through rate of 95 percent. There were approximately 3,000 registered bidders.
Leading the overall sale was a US Specialty Series stamp book 1845-1976 that included a complete set of Colombian Exposition stamps. Estimated $3/5,000, the collection brought $13,200. According to Ben Schultz, the stamp book went to a collector bidding on the phone.
Also doing well was a Horner Brothers round oak dining room table with great carved griffins at $9,375 and a Lem Ward pintail drake duck decoy ($300/500) that floated to $5,313. According to Ben Schultz, the stamp book went to a collector bidding on the phone.
An early cloisonné duck plate surprised when it flew from its $200/300 estimate to alight at $4,063. It was very fine quality, depicted a bird arising in flight with a pale moon and bore a signature on the back. It was from the Kenneth Dukoff collection.
Astute auction patrons know that it’s never too early to begin shopping for choice holiday décor, and that was the case with a late 1800s clockwork nodder Santa that tripled its high estimate to fill a bidder’s stocking at $3,750. Standing approximately 27 inches tall and featuring glass eyes and an open mouth, the nodder was in working condition with original Christmas tree in hand.
In working condition with original Christmas tree in hand, a late 1800s clockwork nodder Santa tripled its high estimate to finish at $3,750. He stood approximately 27 inches tall, and featured glass eyes and an open mouth.
With slight damage to one paw, a world record class Kodiak brown bear taxidermy rooted out a final bid of $1,800 on the auction’s third day.
And also on the third day, Buffalo Bills fans thirsted for a vintage 1947-1949 Buffalo Bills football pennant that outperformed its expected $300/500 to wave proudly at $1,440.
Leading the way on the sale’s second day was a fanciful three-level uranium glass epergne. Estimated $200/300, it did much better, reaching to $1,750.
In the lighting category, an Arts and Crafts hanging light fixture offered on the first day swung to $2,625. With pierced cut heart decoration and green art glass shades, and in the style of Stickley, it came from the Kenneth Dukoff collection.
Fetching $2,625 was an oil on canvas street scene, one of the sale’s fine art highlights from the Dukoff collection. It bore a signature that was illegible.
Among fine art highlights from the Dukoff collection, this oil on canvas street scene bore a signature that was illegible and was bid to $2,625.
There were three lots among the notable highlights that achieved a final price of $2,280. One was a Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney signed bronze sculpture of World War I soldiers, approximately 20 inches high, stamped Roman Bronze Works N-Y and from the Kenneth Dukoff collection. During World War I, Whitney dedicated a great deal of her time and money to various relief efforts, one of which was to establish and maintain a fully operational hospital for wounded soldiers in a town about 22 miles northwest of Paris. While at this hospital, she made drawings of the soldiers, which became plans for her memorials in New York City as well as individual sculptures of the courageous American GIs.
Estimated $500-$1,000, a cast and bronze etagere also attained $2,280. From the Dukoff collection as well, it featured the design of Charles Parker Co. And third to reach $2,280 was a Nippon hand painted porcelain urn with Flying Geese and Moriage decoration standing 11 inches tall.
A Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney signed bronze sculpture of World War I soldiers, approximately 20 inches high, stamped Roman Bronze Works N-Y and from the Kenneth Dukoff collection achieved a final price of $2,280.
In addition, each reaching $2,520 were a 16-inch-high bronze bust of Oriel by Jacob Epstein (1880-1959), an American-British sculptor who helped pioneer modern sculpture, and a folky and colorful oil on canvas depiction of Noah’s Ark by James C. Litz (1948-2009), a Buffalo, N.Y., artist. It was dated “‘92” and signed.
Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. The next sale will be in April, date to be announced. For information, www.schultzauctioneers.com or 716-759-8483.
