This Nineteenth Century Mexican School retablo depicting the Holy Trinity surrounded by angels and measuring 9¼ by 12½ inches (including the frame) took first place in the sale, the entirety of which was from the collection of a Northern California collector. The oil on canvas attracted several competing bidders before a New York buyer purchased it for $2,064 ($400/600).
Review by Jessica Kosinski; Photos Courtesy Turner Auctions + Appraisals
SAN FRANCISCO — Company president Stephen G. Turner presided over Turner Auctions + Appraisals’ “Retablos: The Art of Devotion” auction on Saturday, February 24. The auction featured retablos (devotional sculptures and paintings), relicarios (medallions), wood carvings, crucifixes and other devotional objects from one Northern California collection. The 232-lot sale totaled more than $72,500 and had a sell-through rate of 95 percent.
The seller’s collection, which took 20-30 years to amass, astounded previewers. Regarding auction activity, Turner said, “Forty states were represented, and three countries/territories: Spain, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Several international bidders also participated. The top dozen lots all stayed within the United States, and some buyers purchased multiple top lots. He also suspected but could not confirm most top lot buyers were private collectors.
A Nineteenth Century Mexican School retablo depicting the Holy Trinity surrounded by angels placed first. The unsigned, framed oil on canvas was popular with in-state previewers but ultimately went to a NY collector for $2,064. Two other top Mexican School retablos were an Eighteenth/Nineteenth Century “Ecstasy of Saint Teresa of Avila” oil on copper and a Nineteenth/Twentieth Century “Christ carrying the Cross” with a lamb at his feet oil on tin, both with age-related wear. Turner’s favorite was the example depicting Saint Teresa, which impressed him with its age, quality and medium. It fetched $1,419 ($600/800) from a Texas buyer. Several bidders competed for the retablo featuring Christ, which went to a buyer in New York for $903.
Second place went to this Nineteenth Century Bolivian relicario (medallion), which was one of several medallions among the top lots. Dated 1863, the dual-sided relicario featured images of the Mother and Child and an archangel. Despite the glass over the archangel being cracked, bidders recognized its high quality, and it was snapped up by a Washington, DC, buyer for $1,548 ($400/600).
Mexican retablos depicting patron saints Helena (new discoveries), Archangel Raphael (travelers) and Rita de Cascia (impossible causes/abused women) were next in order of price realized. Each oil on tin depiction had some age-related wear, including dents and pigment loss. A Texas buyer purchased the framed St Rita de Cascia for $967. Selling for $1,225 each and both unframed, St Helena went to Texas, while Archangel Raphael stayed in California.
Next came two dual-sided Bolivian Nineteenth Century relicarios, both depicting the Mother and Child. One showed an archangel on the verso, and the other St Joseph (patron saint of workers). Both went to buyers in Washington DC, and they fetched $1,548 and $1,096, respectively.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Republic of Mexico, featured in three of the top lots. First came two relicarios, one showing her alone and the other depicting a man at her feet. A devoted Texas collector took them home for $838. Second was an oil on canvas retablo of saints surrounding her, which sold to a New York buyer for $774 despite patch repairs.
This Nineteenth/Twentieth Century Mexican School oil on canvas showing Our Lady of Guadalupe surrounded by saints measured 25 by 19 inches, including frame. One New York buyer felt a deep attraction to it and paid $774 to take it home ($200/300).
A pair of Nineteenth/Twentieth Century Mexican School retablos completed the trio of lots. One depicted the patroness and the other featured Mary wearing a crown in red robes with a crescent moon. That lot stayed in California and also sold for $774.
Completing the top dozen were a relicario and a retablo framed together. The Nineteenth/Twentieth Century Mexican School works were both done in oil, the former containing printed paper cards and featuring an angel with putti heads on copper and the latter depicting Our Mother of Refuge on tin. Thanks to a Texas buyer, they more than tripled their highest estimate at $774.
Watches belonging to the retablo collector will be sold on March 24, when Turner Auctions + Appraisals presents, “Vintage Watches: One Man’s Collection.”
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For additional information, 415-964-5250 or www.turnerauctionsonline.com.
