A buyer in France, making their debut purchase from NH Auctions, paid $13,200 for this pair of Art Nouveau doors that were decorated with Adam, Eve and the serpent ($1,5/2,500).
Review by Madelia Hickman Ring; Photos Courtesy NH Auctions & Appraisals
GOFFSTOWN, N.H. — Exactly 200 lots of fine and decorative art were offered at auction by NH Auctions and Appraisals on February 16. About 80 percent of the auction gaveled down successfully and Mike Reopel, one of the house’s three co-owners along with Ken Labnon and Gary Yeaton, confirmed the sale tallied about $80,000.
“There were a few things that went unexpectedly high that made up for those that didn’t sell or sold lower than the estimate,” Reopel said. “LiveAuctioneer bidders are usually in the United States, but we had a lot of new bidders on Invaluable, which has worldwide coverage. Some of the paintings were known and we had foreign nationals underbidding on some of them, so that really helped.”
The sale’s top lot bridged both fine and decorative art categories. Achieving $13,200 was a pair of Art Nouveau doors featuring Adam and Eve with a serpent in gilt decoration. Measuring 87 inches tall, the doors sold to a buyer in France who was previously unknown to the auction house.
The fine art category presented several strong results. Earning a seasonally appropriate and respective within-expectation result of $7,200 was a Paris winter scene attributed to Maurice Valadon Utrillo (French, 1883-1955) that the catalog described as being characteristic of the artist’s oeuvre. The springlike colors of a lake scene by Louis-Edouard Garrido (French, 1893-1982) appealed to bidders, who took it to $1,800, while a Nineteenth Century harbor scene showing numerous boats nearly doubled expectations when it sailed to $390. Alvan Fisher’s (American, 1792-1863) double portrait of a brother and a sister that had provenance to Boston’s Vose Gallery rose to $2,160, and an Old Master miniature portrait of a man in a hat attributed to Cornelis Dusart (Dutch, 1660-1704) brought $1,320.
Leading the fine art category with a second-place overall result of $7,200 was this Parisian winter scene, oil on canvas, 21 by 27 inches, by Maurice Valadon Utrillo. A Colorado buyer had the winning bid ($5/8,000).
Americana is a strength of the auction house and several lots featured prominently. Earning a solid third-place finish at $3,240 was an early Nineteenth Century Federal carved giltwood looking glass from New York that had been offered by Christie’s on January 16, 1999. Provenance to the now retired Yardley, Penn., dealers C.L. Prickett Antiques, undoubtedly helped push an Eighteenth Century Queen Anne walnut chest on frame to $3,120. The high estimate of $1,200 was reached by a 20-inch-long carved and giltwood spreadwing eagle in the style of John Haley Bellamy that was cataloged as being in “very good condition.” Rounding out Americana highlights was an early Nineteenth Century Federal mahogany tall case clock with a painted iron dial signed “Sykes Beverly” that timed out at $840.
Asian artifacts saw an apex with an eight-panel Chinese coromandel screen that had elaborate decoration on both sides. Despite some minor chips and other imperfections, bidders were encouraged by its $1/2,000 estimate and it found a new home for $2,760. Another double-sided Chinese screen in the sale — one with five panels — also had coromandel decoration and achieved $960, just shy of its low estimate. An early Southeast Asian cast bronze rain drum that was cataloged as likely Seventeenth Century or early Eighteenth Century finished at $1,200.
Though it was not dated or attributed, this 13-inch-tall marble sculpture bust of Ludvig van Beethoven played Canadian interest to $2,160 ($800-$1,200).
Marble sculptures were few — just two were in the sale — but both sold. Earning $2,160 and nearly double its high estimate was a marble bust of Ludwig van Beethoven (German, 1770-1827) that stood 13 inches tall and was unattributed. Stephen Huneck’s (American, 1948-2010) signed dog sculpture that depicted two black labradors with red collars measured 15½ inches high. The catalog describes the artist as “sculptor, painter, woodcut print maker, furniture maker, jewelry maker and New York Times best-selling author.” His whimsical piece charmed the hearts of bidders who ran it to $1,800.
NH Auctions & Appraisals’ next sale will probably take place in two months, exact date TBD.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For additional information, 603-731-9876, info@nhauctionsandappraisals.com or www.nhauctionsandappraisals.com.
