This mid Twentieth Century oil on canvas street scene by Edward Brian Seago (United Kingdom, 1910-1974), titled “Piccadilly Circus,” signed lower left, 20¼ by 26¼ inches earned $72,600.
ATLANTA, GA. — An oil on canvas “Piccadilly Circus” street scene by Edward Brian Seago climbed to $72,600 and an oil on silk laid to Masonite still life painting by Le Pho realized $60,500 at auctions held October 9 and 10 by Ahlers & Ogletree, online and live in the firm’s Atlanta gallery.
The two-day Autumn Fine Estates & Collections auction contained nearly 750 exceptional lots that included fine art by renowned artists, fine watches and other luxury accessories, exquisite Chinese export porcelain and tableware, Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century furniture, hand-woven Persian textiles and rugs, Asian arts and decorative accessories. By the time it was done, the auction had totaled just over $859,000.
Edward Seago’s oil on canvas street scene titled “Piccadilly Circus” was the expected top lot of the first day and it more than doubled its $35,000 high estimate. The mid Twentieth Century work was signed lower left and had a gallery label to verso for MacConnal-Mason & Sons, Ltd. It was 20¼ by 26¼ inches without its frame. Seago was an accomplished self-taught artist who worked in watercolors and oils.
This circa 1972 oil on silk laid to Masonite board still life by Le Pho (Vietnamese and French, 1907-2001), titled “Les Dahlias Blancs (The White Dahlias),” signed lower right, bloomed to $60,500.
The circa 1972 still life by Le Pho titled “Les Dahlias Blancs” (The White Dahlias) was the top earner on day two, besting the $50,000 high estimate by more than $10,000. The painting was signed lower right, titled and inscribed “New York, Wally F. No. 44” to verso. It measured 19¾ by 25½ inches. Le Pho was born in Vietnam and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts of Hanoi and Paris.
The auction attracted around 30-40 people to the gallery in person each day. Internet bidding was provided by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Ahlers & Ogletree’s own platform, bid.AandOauctions.com. There were 38 phone bidders, and 78 absentee bids recorded.
Starting with day one, a charming late Nineteenth Century pair of 18K yellow gold, carved bone and polychrome enamel opera glasses by George Le Sache for Tiffany & Co. (American, 1837), with retail marks to the frame, rose to $15,730, tripling its $5,000 high estimate.
Zooming in on a $15,730 finish was this late Nineteenth Century pair of 18K yellow gold, carved bone and polychrome enamel opera glasses by George Le Sache (French, 1849-circa 1920) for Tiffany & Company.
An untitled “Mother Pulling on Baby’s Stockings” graphite pencil and chalk on watermarked wove paper signed by the artist Mary Cassatt (American, 1844-1926), which measured 13¼ by 10¼ inches without a frame, blew past its $2,000 high estimate to finish at $10,285.
An unsigned oil on canvas “Portrait of a Gentleman,” attributed to Thomas Sully (American, 1783-1872), measuring 32 inches by 27 inches, was pictured in the book Southern Interiors of Charleston, South Carolina by Narcissa G. Chamberlain; a copy accompanied the lot. It sold for $7,260, surpassing its $4,000 high estimate.
A ladies’ Rolex Oyster perpetual date stainless steel, 18K yellow gold and diamond bezel wristwatch with a perpetual jeweled movement, black dial and 10 round brilliant diamond markers weighing 0.20 total carats — graded SI for clarity — with newer boxes and tags, realized $4,235.
This ladies’ Rolex Oyster perpetual date stainless steel, 18K yellow gold and diamond bezel wristwatch with a perpetual jeweled movement, black dial and 10 round brilliant diamond markers ticked to $4,235.
A two-sided oil on board painting by William Samuel Horton (American, 1865-1936), with one side titled “The Demolition of the House of Degas” (1909) and the other side titled “Mountainside Houses in Landscape” (circa 1909), both works artist signed to the lower left, changed hands for $3,025.
On day two, a Nineteenth Century untitled oil on canvas portrait of a terrier by Rosa Bonheur (French, 1822-1899), unsigned, inscribed “Vente Rose Bonheur 1900,” with a paper label to verso for Robert Frank Paintings & Drawings, measuring 12¾ by 8¾ inches, reached $15,730.
One of the real sleepers of the sale was a Chinese figural bronze candlestick mounted as a lamp, cast in the form of a bearded pot-bellied man with draped tassels, standing on a base, apparently unmarked. It carried a modest estimate of $300/500 but ended up selling for $3,630.
One of the sleepers of the sale was this Chinese figural bronze candlestick mounted as a lamp, cast in the form of a bearded pot-bellied man with draped tassels. The unmarked lamp lit up at $3,630.
A pair of square corner Chinese rosewood cabinets in the Ming taste, each having double paneled doors opening to reveal two shelves, plus two drawers above double trap doors, riding on square legs, unmarked and measuring 71 inches tall by 54¾ inches wide, also found a new owner for $3,630.
A pair of Japanned black and gold lacquered tiered side tables by Maison Jansen (French, founded 1880), having a shaped top tier with a figural chinoiserie scene and acorn finials, over bamboo motif supports, a floral motif second tier and raised on bamboo motif legs made $3,328.
A pair of small-scale Spanish green velvet and leather tub chairs, each with side pockets and pleated skirts, manufactured around 1930 and apparently unmarked, knocked down for $2,722.
Ahlers & Ogletree will close out 2024 with three more auctions: a one-day Winter Fine Estates & Collections Auction on Thursday, November 14; a Modern Art & Design Auction on Wednesday, December 4; and their annual Winter Jewelry & Design Accessories Auction on Thursday, December 5. All three auctions will be held live and online.
Prices quoted include buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For more information, www.aandoauctions.com or 404-869-2478.
