OAKLAND, CALIF. — Six phone bidders battled against online competition for a Madoura pottery “Visage Masque” glazed ceramic plate by Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), which ultimately led Clars Auction Gallery’s Important Modern + Contemporary Fine Art sale on February 9. Dated 1947, the rare, one-of-a-kind, non-edition piece measured 12¾ by 15 inches and had provenance to the Pebble Beach, Calif., collection of Ann and Norman Bikales, who purchased it from the Weinstein Gallery in San Francisco, in 2007. A buyer from France had the winning bid of $68,750, including premium, exponentially more than the lot’s $20/30,000 estimate. Keep an eye out for a more extensive sale recap of this auction in a future issue.