Little was shared about Alice Robat, where she lived or who she was, but this double sided trade sign for her Armenian Needlework Shop was cataloged as circa 1920 and finished at the apex of the sale: $18,750 ($800-$1,200).
Review by Madelia Hickman Ring
BRANFORD, CONN. — The offerings Fred Giampietro gathered for New England Auctions’ February 13 American, Historical and Native American sale were varied and included everything from folk art to tools and everything in between. All but one of the nearly 325 lots traded hands and the house totaled $405,000, well ahead of the sale’s $350,000 aggregate high estimate.
“I’m very encouraged by the sale and state of the business; we had really solid numbers. It’s all about how you present things and has become a great entry point for all kinds of people,” Giampietro said.
A double-sided trade sign for Alice Robat’s Armenian Needlework Shoppe sewed up the highest price of the day, bringing $18,750. Measuring 25 by 38½ inches, the sign advertised decorative linens and laces and underwear made to order. Giampietro said it came to a bidding war between two private collectors who both really wanted it.
Carved wood animals are usually popular with buyers and one made in Glacier Park, Montana, by John L. Clarke (1881-1970) that depicted a bear standing on its hind legs while it scratched against a tree, charmed bidders. Standing 17 inches tall and with only minor surface imperfections, it rose to $16,250. Another of Clarke’s creations — a 9-inch-tall carved mountain goat — sold for $4,500.
John Clarke’s carved wood statue of a bear scratching against a tree had considerable appeal with bidders, who took it to $16,250 ($800-$1,500)
For historical importance, it would be hard to beat a seat of eight pastels drawings by Walter Shirlaw (American, 1838-1909) that were for his commission to paint murals of the eight muses of the sciences (physics, mathematics, geology, botany, zoology, chemistry, astronomy and archaeology) at the Library of Congress, circa 1897. Two of the panels had been appraised for $750 each in a 2014 episode of The Antiques Roadshow. Giampietro had all eight assembled and was asking $2,5/4,500 for the group but they did much better, soaring to $10,000.
An unusual group in the sale were five lots of antique and vintage wood planes and hand tools, that were offered consecutively more than halfway through the sale. The last lot of the group to be offered featured nine antique planes by makers including Stanley, Edward Preston & Sons, Sargent, Union Manufacturing Co., and Tower & Lyon; the lot traded hands for $7,500.
The auction featured 18 lots of swords and edged weapons consigned by the Deep River Historical Society, which had been given the collection “a long time ago but it didn’t align with their mission,” confirmed Giampietro. Most of the lots exceeded expectations and sold to a number of different buyers, with the highest price for the group — $6,250 — realized by a lot cataloged simply as “Asian Sword.” It had a 31-inch blade and was accompanied by a scabbard with metal mounts.
The highest-earning lot of 18 sold by the Deep River Historical Society was this Asian sword that brought $6,250 ($150/250).
Another category with a small but choice selection was a group of 15 lots of Shaker articles, from various sellers, which started the sale. Capping the group at $5,000 was a mid Nineteenth Century painted oval covered box that retained early and probably original yellow-green paint.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house.
New England Auctions’ will sell the Marc J. Matz collection on March 5 and, on March 6, American, Inuit, Asian and European Antiques.
For information, 475-234-5120 or www.newenglandauctions.com.
