These two oil on panel still life paintings by Severin Roesen, 17½ by 21-3/8 inches each, had always been owned by a Williamsport family. They will be staying there, purchased by a local collector for $88,000.
Review by Madelia Hickman Ring
COGAN STATION, PENN. — Williamsport, Penn., is about 15 miles from Roan Inc., Auctioneers & Appraisers so when the auction house auctioned off a few lots with history to Williamsport, locals took notice. Leading the firm’s two-day, 778-lot Annual Pre-Christmas auction December 20-21 was a pair of oil on wood panel still life paintings by Severin Roesen (German American, 1816-1872) that had been in Williamsport since they were acquired by the artist. One depicted grapes, a peach and nuts while the other featured flowers in a glass fish-bowl vase, a bird’s nest and eggs; both had been published in Judith Hansen O’Toole’s 1992 monograph on the artist, Severin Roesen (Bucknell University Press). Amanda Roan said the pair was purchased by an in-house bidder from Williamsport, for $88,000.
A new resident in Williamsport acquired for $14,300 a pair of antique wrought iron floor torchiere lamps that had once been used to furnish Williamsport’s Park Hotel. The 62½-inch-tall lamps had frosted globe shades that were inscribed “Park Hotel” and the two were described in the catalog as “an outstanding pair.” It was the second-highest result of the sale.
The Rowley House Museum in Williamsport has a dedicated group of supporters who turned out in force to win an antique Regina upright floor model music box and disc player for the museum. The mahogany case on stand had its original crank, door lock, key and a dozen 15½-inch discs. Interest took it to $6,600.
This antique Regina-style 35 Autochanger upright floor model music box and disc player, 68 inches tall, retained some of its original parts and sold to a group of supporters of the Rawley House Museum in Williamsport, for $6,600.
Alexander Calder’s (American, 1898-1976) pieces — both two- and three-dimensional examples — are usually fairly recognizable, but one from a storage unit in Jersey Shore, Penn., went undetected by a couple who acquired the unit in an auction. It was consigned to Roan’s, where bidders were quick to chase a framed watercolor scrolled abstract signed “Calder ’49” to $8,250 and the third-highest price of the event. Amanda Roan said an in-house bidder prevailed over their competition.
Though the sale offered about 50 lots of jewelry, the section offered just one men’s wristwatch, a Jaeger-LeCoultre example that featured a 1904 US $20 gold coin with Helvetia hallmarks that came from a Philadelphia private collector. For that lot — offered on the first day of the sale — an online buyer had the upper hand at $5,760.
The silver section was even smaller than the jewelry category but flatware services and holloware proved popular with Roan bidders and achieved some of the highest prices on the first day. Leading the section at $4,070 was a 148-piece cased sterling silver flatware service by Reed & Barton, in the Cameo pattern, that came from a private collection. A silver collector in State College, Penn., won the extensive set.
Standing 12 inches tall, this cobalt-decorated stoneware jug was marked “Cowden & Wilcox Harrisburg PA.” It came to auction from a Clinton County, Penn., home and found a new one with a Lancaster County, Penn., private collector, for $3,520.
More than 70 lots of ceramics crossed the block across both days and an antique stoneware jug stamped “Cowden & Wilcox, Harrisburg, Penn.,” and embellished by a single large cobalt flower topped the offerings at $3,520, despite chips on the spout, handle and base. The buyer was a private collector in Lancaster, Penn.
Four rifles — three antique or reproduction long rifles and a vintage toy example — were offered on the second day of the auction. One made by J. Douglass in Huntingdon, Penn., was embellished with silver inlay and a brass patch box with a heart design and engravings; noted to be from a private collector in Bedford, Penn., it achieved $2,090 from a local buyer.
While a sale total was not disclosed, 776 of the 778 lots auctioned gaveled down successfully, for a nearly 99 percent sell-through rate.
Amanda Roan noted upcoming sales would include antiques, coins and lighting collections, among other things, but dates have not yet been finalized.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house.
For information, 570-494-0170 or www.roaninc.com.
