The highest price of session three, and the sale overall, went to this set of 11 Saint Dunstan illuminated volumes for Mrs Charles P. Cheney, illuminated by Ross Sterling Turner (American, 1847-1915), published in 1901-02 by The University Press (Oxford) for George D. Sproul, which realized $76,800 ($30/50,000).

Review by Kiersten Busch

EPPING, N.H. — Spanning March 13-15, Devin Moisan Auctioneers conducted its 30th Anniversary Antiques Auction, in which more than 1,200 lots were offered over the course of three days, sourced from two Brookline, Mass., estates; a North Shore, Mass., collection; a Meredith, N.H., estate and a Newport, R.I., home. With only 60 lots left unsold at press time, the sale garnered a 95 percent sell-through rate across its three days.

Session one’s top lot was a group of four Chinese glazed earthenware and porcelain vases, which earned 32 times its $300/500 estimate at $16,000. The group included a bottle vase with a six-character Guangzu mark, covered in mottled cowpea red glaze with a “garlic mouth,” and a bulbous vase covered in off-white glaze and decorated with a copper red prunus branch. The other two vases were covered in sang de boeuf and dark brown or black glazes and were unmarked. Another lot of Chinese earthenware and porcelain crackle-glazed vases followed behind, earning $6,080. Some were molded in ancient forms, while four had celadon glaze and three had tan or light brown glaze.

Just fewer than 20 lots of collectible coins crossed the block during session one, ranging in price from $448 for a set of five US American Eagle silver $1 coins, to $5,120 for three 2002 US Gold Eagle $50 coins, all of which sold separately. Two of the coins were of the MS69 variety, while one was MS70.

Sailing to $5,760 was this lot of 26 cold-painted diecast ship models by various makers, Twentieth Century, which included 18 models from the Classic Ship Collection ($800-$1,200).

A few unique lots also gained attention from bidders. First, a lot of 26 cold painted diecast ship models, which sailed far past their $800-$1,200 estimate to dock at $5,760. Hailing from various makers and all made sometime during the Twentieth Century, the lot contained 18 models from the Classic Ship Collection, including ships such as Mauretania, Queen Elizabeth, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse and RMS Titanic. The additional eight diecast ships came from various other makers.

While classic brown leather Louis Vuitton steamer trunks with the “LV” monogram usually make an appearance when auction houses have luxury items to sell, Moisan uniquely offered a pair of Louis Vuitton store display steamer trunks. Made of resin and painted white with molded flowerheads, stars and “LV” logos, the pair snapped their lids shut for $5,440 ($200/400).

Session two’s three highest-earning lots were bronze sculptures, led by “Indian Hunter and His Dog” by American sculptor Paul Howard Manship. Marked “1926 / Paul Manship” and “Alexis Rudier Fondeur Paris,” the patinated bronze work was mounted on a solid granite shaped and stepped pedestal and was accompanied by a letter of opinion written and signed by Paul K. Cavanagh, founder of Paul King Foundry. Before being acquired by the consignor, it had provenance to Philip J. Schiavo, owner of Roman Bronze Works (Queens, N.Y.), and Patrick Roberts, founder of the American Museum of Industry and Technology (New Preston, Conn.). It will now sit in its new home for $38,400.

“Indian Hunter and His Dog” by Paul Howard Manship (American, 1885-1966), patinated bronze, 22 inches tall (excluding base) by 24 inches long by 8 inches wide, ran to $38,400, the highest price of session two ($30/50,000).

Manship was represented by three additional works, including the third-highest price of the day, which went to “Leda and the Swan,” a bronze with gold-brown patina marked “RBW” for the Roman Bronze Works. It had the same provenance as “Indian Hunter and His Dog,” and earned more than eight times the high end of its $1,5/2,5000 estimate at $20,480.

Overtaking its $10/20,000 estimate at $33,280 was “Tête de la Pleureuse (Head of the Weeping Woman)” by Auguste Rodin. The bronze with dark brown patina was cast in 1925 after the original conceived in 1885. It was signed “A. Rodin” and inscribed with its foundry mark, “Alexis Rudier/ Fondeur Paris.” Its distinguished provenance included the Musée Rodin (Paris), philanthropist Jules E. Mastbaum of Philadelphia and both Sotheby’s and Christie’s New York. The bronze will also be featured in the forthcoming Catalogue Critique de l’Oeuvre Sculpté d’Auguste Rodin, which is being prepared by the Comité Auguste Rodin of the Galerie Brame & Lorenceau.

An Arts & Crafts “Lotus” pottery jardiniere by Grueby Faience Company (Boston) topped the decorative arts, attracting bidders with its large size at 19¼ inches in diameter. Made somewhere between 1894 and 1899, the piece was covered in a matte green glaze and was modelled and tooled with alternating lotus leaves and buds. It filled up for $10,880 ($3/5,000).

Session three’s furniture selections were led at $40,960 by this George Nakashima sled-base English walnut coffee table, 14 inches tall by 56 inches wide by 27 inches deep, which was sold with a copy of the original order card ($12/18,000).

Just more than 90 lots of furniture peaked at $7,040, thanks to a Centennial Chippendale mahogany secretary desk from the late Nineteenth Century. Also doing well was a set of eight cherry dining chairs by Thomas Moser ($5,120), a pair of circa 1980 Le Corbusier Petite club chairs for Cassina ($3,840) and an American late Sheraton tiger maple butler’s desk ($2,688).

Session three saw the highest price of the entire sale, when a set of 11 Saint Dunstan illuminated volumes, specially illuminated for Mrs Charles P. Cheney by artist and illuminator Ross Sterling Turner, turned a new leaf for $76,800 ($30/50,000). Published by The University Press (Oxford) for George D. Sproul in 1901-02, the volumes were printed on Italian parchment and extensively illuminated with initials and decoration in inks, gouache and gold. They were bound by Trautz-Bauzonnet Bindery in Moroccan leather.

Following the illuminated volumes was “Phenomena Tai-Chi,” an acrylic on canvas work by Paul Jenkins, which had provenance to Martha Jackson Gallery in New York City. According to catalog notes, the 1968-69 work was “originally purchased as artwork for the walls of a family’s Manhattan auto parts showroom. When the dealership closed, the painting was moved to the family’s home on Long Island. It had remained in the hands of the same family since its purchase.” It exceeded its $20/30,000 estimate to make $48,640.

“Phenomena Tai-Chi” by Paul Jenkins (American, 1923-2012), 1968-69, acrylic on canvas, 77½ by 51½ inches framed, exceeded its $20/30,000 estimate to earn $48,640.

Additional fine art that caught bidders’ eyes included “Cobb’s Barns, South Truro” by Edward Hopper ($14,080), “Picture of Miss Vienna Goodnow” by Thomas Ware ($10,938) and “Venetian Canal Scene” by Hermann Dudley Murphy ($10,240).

A pair of 14K yellow gold mint julep trophy cups of presidential interest sold for $46,080, the third-highest price of session three. The first cup was engraved “Keeneland / The Alcibiades Stakes / 1961 / Journalette” and was marked “DDE” for President Dwight D. Eisenhower; the second was engraved “Keeneland / The Phoenix Handicap / Kentucky” and was marked “JFK.” Both were stamped for their maker, “Mark J. Scearce / Shelbyville / Kentucky.”

Slightly more than 85 lots of furniture crossed the block, led by a George Nakashima sled-base English walnut coffee table that more than doubled the high end of its $12/18,000 estimate to make $40,960. The table had free edges, fissures and open knots, which were joined by a large inlaid bow tie or butterfly key. It was sold with a copy of the original order card, consigned by the husband of the original owner, Karen Loveland Adey, founder of the Motion Picture Unit at the Smithsonian.

Prices quoted include buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, www.moisanauctions.com or 603-953-0022.