At Harlowe-Powell Auction Gallery’s November 17 sale, nearly 700 lots found new owners. Situated in the hometown of the University of Virginia and Thomas Jefferson, the gallery draws an educated audience with a keen interest in the area’s history. This also created a good group in the gallery for the antiques offered on the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Harlowe-Powell has been in business since its founding by Bill Harlowe in 1968. Vernon “Pat” Powell joined the business in 1997, and Norman Dill bought out Harlowe upon his retirement in 2005. Both Powell and Dill are licensed auctioneers.
The company’s sales are made up principally from estates and consignments in the area but Dill has roots in Dutchess County, N.Y., where often he is able to receive additional consignment lots.
Near the end of the auction there was a wake-up call to the audience that accounted for the top lot in the sale. An 18K gold Gucci belt, hallmarked, having heavy gold chain links and gold buckle and tongue, 34 inches long with a total weight of 605 grams, achieved $10,300.
This sale featured many fine pieces of early American furniture, both hardwoods and pine pieces. It began quietly with the live online bidding for several pieces of Americana. A copper full-bodied running horse weathervane, resting on a bar, which in turn was mounted on a wooden base, sold as the first lot for $224.
The next object was from Page County, Va., a rural area in the Shenandoah Valley, where a folk art table was believed to have been made about 1800. In walnut with deep overhanging top and drawer, it was painted red with primitive painting of trees, and reached $448. Following was a Delaware Valley ladder back chair in excellent condition selling for $560. A maple youth chair with original tall height also in fine condition fetched $336. This piece was believed to also be Delaware Valley with shaped back splats, a tapered body and turned supports and stretchers.
Although Harlowe-Powell had conducted an auction of Oriental rugs the night before, and there were still some fine antique Persians held for this sale, it was an antique silk Chinese rug that was the star offering. The rug, having a floral trellis on a red background and with borders of floral and Greek key designs, measuring 10 feet 2 inches by 5 feet 10 inches, achieved $6,160.
The auction had great variety in the offerings with Asian antiques and textiles, Continental and English furniture, English silver and early American primitive articles. A Japanese kimono, either early Twentieth Century or late Nineteenth Century, in very good condition, embroidered in pink silk and silver metallic threads in a design of flowers and birds on a pale blue background and lined in scarlet, brought $168. A gold gilt pier mirror and matching console table, Renaissance Revival style, believed to be either Italian or French, was $952. From Massachusetts, a William and Mary period gate leg drop leaf table in good original condition with an older refinishing to the top hit $504.
There was an interesting pair of chairs at the sale. One was a Gothic Revival style from the Eighteenth Century and the other was a newly made exact copy; they sold together for $672. A pair of bronze urns signed L&F Moreau, each 19 inches high, realized $308.
The sale had a great deal of attractive American furniture representing many early styles. A Nineteenth Century tall server or sideboard was made with parquetry inlays, with a shaped crest over two rolled front drawers, Sandwich Glass pulls, and sold for $1,560, while a circa 1750 side chair, Queen Anne, probably Rhode Island, went up to $7,280.
Other furniture highlights included an Empire sideboard with mahogany veneers on pine and some maple detailing that went for $672; a pine chest, lift top, green painted and sides in black paint from Virginia was $212; a diminutive Georgian writing table in oak but unknown origin took $336; and a pair of American Federal mahogany side chairs in excellent condition, needing new slip seats, sold for $1,904.
Adding to the variety of the sale were also some snuffboxes, both from England and America. A sterling silver piece from Birmingham, England, dated by the English hallmarks as made in 1835, sold for $168, while a presentation snuffbox, marked Albert Coles and made in New York, was dated in the presentation as 1880, brought $140. A group of English George III spoons dated 1802 sold for $67.
All prices reported include the 12 percent buyer’s premium.
Harlowe-Powell has frequent sales with another double sale weekend January 25′6. The Friday night sale will be its fourth decorative arts of the Twentieth Century event and Saturday will feature antiques from several prominent Virginia estates.
For additional information, www.harlowepowell.com or 434-293-2904.
