A New York City collector won this still life by Tom Wesselmann depicting a bowl of fruit surrounded by flowers and a tea kettle, which was the day’s top lot at $13,750. Created in 1988, the hand-signed screenprint in pencil was numbered from the edition 88 of 100.
Review by W.A. Demers; Photos Courtesy La Belle Epoque
NEW YORK CITY — La Belle Epoque auction house presented its “Sizzling Summer” live auction on August 19 featuring an eclectic selection of contemporary and Modern art. A still life by Tom Wesselmann (1931-2004) depicting a bowl of fruit surrounded by flowers and a tea kettle led the day with a within-estimate showing at $13,750. Created in 1988, this screenprint was hand signed by the artist in pencil and numbered from the edition 88 of 100. It sold to a private New York City collector.
Also notable was “Reclining Figure/Indian Blanket” circa 1987, by Alex Katz, a color aquatint on Somerset Satin paper, published and printed by Crown Point Press, San Francisco, signed in graphite with edition lower center sheet, edition noted 53/60. It brought $11,250.
Highlights in the art arena also included a rare complete Norman Rockwell “Tom Sawyer” suite, 1973, presented in the original portfolio. Included in the lot was one lithograph (made with 12 plates) printed at Atelier Mourlot in Paris, and seven collotypes printed by Arthur Jaffe Heliochrome Co., Vienna, Austria. It was numbered 30/200 on the bottom right of each sheet and hand signed at the bottom right of each sheet by the artist in Stockbridge, Mass. It was bid to $5,625.
It was complete, and thus rose to $5,625. A rare Norman Rockwell “Tom Sawyer” suite, 1973, presented in the original portfolio was numbered 30/200 on the bottom right of each sheet and hand signed at the bottom right of each sheet by the artist in Stockbridge, Mass.
Fetching $1,500 was a bronze sculpture on a marble base titled “Trust” by Lorenzo Quinn (b 1966). It was marked “773/999 – US” with the artist’s fingerprint and autograph pressed into bronze. Quinn grew up in the United States and Italy working most notably for the United Nations in New York as well as the Vatican. He was commissioned to create a sculpture on the occasion of the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Anthony (patron saint of travelers).
The market for Japanese woodblock prints remains healthy attested to by a pair that were offered in the sale. “53 Stations of the Tokaido” by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) sold for $1,875. The complete suite of Meiji period polychrome woodblock prints comprised 55 plates. A Hiroshige “Hiratsuka” woodblock print depicting one of 53 stations on Tokaido Road (from Tokyo to Kyoto), printed in 1855, went out at $1,500.
Decorative items were not excluded from the notable lots. A Waylande Gregory “Mermaid” vase, circa 1940s, sold for $1,250. The glazed ceramic vase was signed, measured approximately 15 by 10 inches and was illustrated in Folk, Waylande Gregory: Art Deco Ceramics and the Atomic Impulse (2013).
Jewelry and fashion were represented with a Christian Dior couture crystal necklace, purchased directly from the Christian Dior 2001 Runway Collection in its original box, which realized $938.
A Christian Dior couture crystal necklace made a fashion statement at $938.
Bringing the same amount was a framed Alfred Steglitz “The Flatiron” photogravure from Camera Work IV, circa 1903, Plate 1.
The first lot across the block was a set of .800 silver flatware. Bringing $2,812. It had a weight of 159.47 troy ounces for the 151 pieces.
An antique firearm of note was an Eighteenth Century Wogdon & Barton flintlock pistol. Engraved “Wogdon London” on top of the pistol and featuring intricate silver details, it left the gallery at $1,500.
The world of baseball was celebrated with a lot comprising Golden Glove Award autographed baseballs lofting to $1,000. Among the hits was an autographed Brooks Robinson Golden Glove Award baseball with Steiner Authentication number 47/2000. A 16-time Golden Glove Award winner, Robinson remains revered as the best defensive third baseman of all-time. His 16 Golden Glove Awards at the position are the most of any position player in baseball history. Robinson was an 18-time All-Star, a two-time World Series champion and the 1964 AL MVP.
The world of baseball was celebrated with a lot comprising Golden Glove Award autographed baseballs lofting to $1,000.
A Yankees MVP autographed Rawlings baseball, hand signed by Reggie Jackson (World Series MVP 1977), Whitey Ford (World Series MVP, Cy Young 1961), Yogi Berra (1951, 1954, 1955), Phil Rizzuto (1950) and Don Mattingly (1985) sold for $625.
Boxing nostalgia pushed a Muhammad Ali vs Jerry Quarry Atlanta fight vintage poster to $813. The fight was conducted in Atlanta’s Municipal Auditorium on October 26, 1970. The framed vintage poster carried a LeRoy Neiman design of Quarry and Ali.
Proof that there’s a collector somewhere for everything, a French executioner’s axe from the late Seventeenth or early Eighteenth Century on a removable stand swung to $750.
And rounding out the sale’s notable lots, a 14K Baume Mercier opal mosaic dial dress watch found a new wrist for $625.
Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. For information, 212-362-1770 or www.labelleepoque.com.
