The Old Masters painting of an elderly woman with a dog, a relined oil on canvas, was estimated at $600․1,000, yet it became the top lot of the auction, selling at $16,520.

A couple of paintings came out of left field to garner the top prices realized during Nadeau’s Auction Gallery’s important estates auction on Saturday, March 31. Sold among more than 300 lots during the midday auction, the modestly estimated paintings sold for, in one case, 16 times the high estimate.

The auction got off to a quick start with a selection of silver. The first lot, a group of early coin silver spoons, sold above estimate at $805; a silver hot water pot on stand by Crichton realized $1,437, while two Tiffany trays went out at $649.

Cataloged simply as an “Old Masters” painting of an elderly woman with a dog, the relined oil on canvas carried a modest estimate of $600‱,000. Bidding took off at a rapid clip as the lot crossed the auction block, concluding moments later at $16,520.

A painting depicting horse-drawn trolleys also attracted a lot of attention. Cataloged as “marked on the lower right Childe Hassam,” the painting handily exceeded the $400/800 estimate as it sold for $13,800. Another surprise from the selection of paintings came as two Chinese oil on canvas scenes depicting children in gardens shot past the $500․1,000 estimate to bring $5,175.

Alexis De Leeuw’s oil titled “Herding Sheep in Winter†did well, selling at $4,887.

A painting by Alexis De Leeuw titled “Herding Sheep in Winter” did well, selling at $4,887, while a Pierre Auguste Renoir etching brought $4,255.

One of the star attractions of the auction was an Eighteenth Century Hadley chest with three carved front panels and retaining what was believed to be the original paint. Time had been both kind and unkind to the chest; retaining the original surface and also what was believed to be the original lift top, the chest had also been cut down from a blanket chest with lower drawer to a blanket box. Not only was the drawer missing, but the overall structure of the chest had been shortened. Still an attractive piece, the lot sold at $4,255.

The cherry Chippendale oxbow chest of drawers sold at $4,370.

A copper Black Horse weathervane did well, bringing $4,312, and an early Cherry Chippendale oxbow chest of drawers went out at $4,370.

Coming late in the auction, three Chinese carved ivory figures, with some damage, shot past the $100/200 estimate on their way to a selling price of $5,462.

Prices reported include the buyer’s premium.

For additional information, www.nadeausauction.com or 860-246-2444.