Packing in with the highest price across both sales, this Louis Vuitton trunk, French, mid Twentieth Century, 18¼ inches high by 31¾ inches long by 18½ inches wide, went out at $15,360 ($3/5,000).
Review by Carly Timpson
BRANFORD, CONN. — Fred Giampietro and New England Auctions offered 848 lots across two days of sales: European, and South American Estate Collection on November 13 and Modern, Asian, Jewelry, Silver and Accessories on November 14.
European, and South American Estate Collection
The first day featured 421 lots of European and South American art, decorative objects, furniture and collectibles.
One of the great thrills at auctions comes when an unidentified work soars beyond its estimate, gaining greater recognition than anticipated. Such was the case with a South American Cuzco school painting that became the highest-priced lot in the first sale. The Eighteenth Century painting depicted a Catholic religious scene and was bid to $11,250 against its $2,500 high estimate. The catalog noted there were some minor areas of inpainting and a spill spot to the lower right, still, two determined bidders engaged in a fierce battle to claim it as their own.
An early Anglo-Indian tea caddy also stunned its estimates, making $5,632 against a high estimate of $1,000. The caddy, made of wood with engraved bone veneer, had two removable inserts with ribbon inlay around their lids. Framed within flowering borders on all sides of the chest were engraved tableaus including hunting, a village scene, waterfowl and several with dogs.
Finishing at $5,632 was this early Anglo-Indian tea caddy, wood with engraved bone veneer, 7½ inches high, by 10¾ inches wide by 6½ inches deep ($500-$1,000).
Paired well, two early English ceramic teapots brought $4,750 — much better than their $250/500 estimate. The circa 1800 teapots were both painted with shades of green and bore stickers from English pottery specialists, though their similarities ended there. One, measuring 5½ inches high by 7 inches wide from handle to spout, was of typical rounded form and had vertical green and white stripes throughout its body and lid. Its handle was formed like flower stems with buds on the body and it had a pierced collar.
The other teapot, of hexagonal shape, was mottled with green, yellow and burgundy. Each of its six sides featured an Asian-style scene with figures, birds and trees. On its base was a sticker from Martyn Edgell Antiques that identified it as circa 1770 creamware.
Modern, Asian, Jewelry, Silver & Accessories
Bringing higher prices overall, the second day featured 425 lots including a collection of early English ceramics, South American pottery, jewelry and works by well-known artists.
Packing in with the highest price on either day was a Louis Vuitton steamer trunk. This monogrammed French trunk from the mid Twentieth Century came from the collection of Edward C. Gude of White Plains, N.Y. Though it had a detached side handle, the original leather strap was included with the lot, as was a woven basket insert, and the trunk’s condition was consistent with its age. Exceeding its $3/5,000 estimate, the Louis Vuitton was taken to $15,360.
With service for 12, this Tiffany & Co., sterling silver flatware set in the Olympia pattern, 172.98 troy ounces minus the knives, sold for $10,625 ($10/15,000).
Going out at $10,625 was a Tiffany & Co., sterling silver flatware set. Designed in the Olympian pattern, the 100-piece set comprised 12 place settings plus large serving forks and spoons.
Jewelry was also popular, with two gold necklaces doing well. Leading in the category at $8,960, exceeding its $6,000 high estimate, was an 18K yellow gold chain necklace. The French necklace measured 78 inches long and was made of Art Nouveau-style links. A thicker 18K gold necklace, this one by Carlo Weingrill, a goldsmith based in Verona, Italy. The circa 1980s triple station necklace featured clusters of sapphire and emerald cabochons accented by diamonds. The auction catalog noted that the gemologist-inspected necklace’s “workmanship [was] excellent,” the “condition [was] very good” and estimated the diamonds to weigh a total of 2.1 carats. It went out at $8,750.
This blue sapphire, emerald and diamond triple station 18K gold necklace by Carlo Weingrill, Verona, Italy, circa 1980s, made $8,750 ($8/12,000).
In the art category, a Joan Miró aquatint, guaranteed to be authentic by the auction house, was bid just beyond its high estimate to achieve $6,250. The 1979 print, titled “Els Gossos IV (The Dogs IV)” was signed “Miró” in a blue box at the lower right and numbered “27/30.” The central abstract black dog had red and blue on its head and was surrounded by other abstract forms in black with yellow, green and red accents.
An Art Deco bronze figure danced its way to $6,250, exceeding its $500-$1,000 estimate range. The bronze woman was wearing a costume that included a bug-like hat and was holding a small chalice in her elevated hand. On a marble base, the circa 1930 figure was attributed to Ferdinand Preiss (German, 1882-1943) and measured 15 inches high.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction catalog. New England Auctions will present American Antiques Featuring the Collections of Robert Walin & Bob Giambalvo on January 8. For information, www.newenglandauctions.com or 475-234-5120.
