Auctioneer Peter Stanton Imler was very pleased with sales at his most recent auction, February 20, where the nearly 500 cataloged lots and a few additions sold well.
The auction boasted strong interest from the audience, which included more than 200 registered bidders. Floor bids were active all evening and there were a great many absentee bids left for specific items. Staff was on the phones as well throughout the evening with more bidding action.
The sale began promptly at 5 with several items that had been left in the outdoor pavilion for examination. First were a group of four antique cornices, the outside frame and wood trim for windows. These sold for $168 and were followed by a group of nine cornices, which brought $224. Following that was a four-part store cupboard, about 10 by 8 feet, selling after active bidding for $605. A nearly life-size statue of a woman carved in teak sold for $308.
After those items the auction was all inside the hall, first with a selection of musical instruments: a Gibson Mastertone banjo in case that fetched $784, an elite Triple X banjo at $672, an antique violin with bird’s-eye back in a case with three bows at $224, and a Pfretschner violin in a case with one bow at $140.
Two Stradivarius copies sold for $140 and $112, respectively. A Holden & Co. trombone brought $34 and the last of the musical instruments was a Florentina accordion, which was $112.
Following that, Imler had a very large portion of the collection of Japanese prints, including some woodblocks mostly from known artists. One such print was described as depicting Niagara Falls and sold for $616. The remainder of this group of 17 pieces each sold in a range between $252 and $500.
Items sold quickly at this auction, with more than 100 lots per hour going out the door. Several pieces of Nineteenth Century pewter included two flagons, a coffee pot and a condiment set; the group fetched $112. There was great interest in two 1780 Scottish pewter basins marked “Success to the US.” which sold for $392 each and then a pewter waste bucket at $56.
An entire collection of early American iron tools, primarily for the kitchen, was sold piece by piece. An antique bird roaster with eight skewers was $476; a large footed cast iron cauldron with bale handle went for $420; and a sheet iron pig weathervane brought $224.
A Japanese Samurai sword from 1180 sold after very active bidding for $4,200. An original Bob’s Big Boy statue from the local restaurant owner brought $1,344.
There were many paintings offered throughout the evening by listed artists from the Nineteenth Century. A William Bruce 13-by-20-inch oil on canvas of a bridge and riverscape went for $3,360, a Hendricks Hallett 8-by-10-inch oil on board marine scene was $4,700, a Rockport dock scene on gouache by Norman Thomas was $952, and a Van Langen oil on porcelain, 9 by 11 inches, was $1,064.
An unsigned Hudson River School scenic realized $784, an Edward Deming 8-by-5-inch gouache of a shaman hammered down for $952, and a watercolor by Julian Oliver Davidson of a Western Indian fighter scene dated 1891 fetched a top bid of $840. There was a large assortment of paintings by local artist Dorothy Mount. This included oils, some watercolors and even some pastels with final prices ranging from $78 to $224.
Furniture was the big seller at this winter sale, with a very large collection going out for good values. It was said by a Sandy Hook, Conn., dealer, “I come here for good stuff at prices I can afford. Not everything, but enough to cover my time.”
A Massachusetts banister back side chair with good seat, circa 1750, sold for $308; an early blanket chest with five drawers, two of which were false for the lift top, went for $1,064; a George IV-period rosewood Canterbury went to a high of $840; and a ladder back armchair, circa 1780, possibly Bergen County, N.J., took $392.
Early furniture offerings included two Rhode Island Windsor sack back armchairs, one in old black paint at $1,064 and the other refinished at $616; a circa 1740 New England maple vase and ring turned gate leg table for $1,900; a late Eighteenth Century Queen Anne apple wood drop leaf table with cut corners at $1,568; and two candlestands thought to be Connecticut origin, circa 1775, selling at $952 and $588.
Furniture continued with a period Hepplewhite Connecticut cherry four-drawer chest with shaped skirt going out at $672; a circa 1730 American walnut and tiger maple arch molded four-drawer slant front desk at $2,128; two Pembroke tables, both American, one in cherry and the other in bird’s-eye and tiger maple, sold for $392 each.
A unique but unsigned walking wheel (spinning wheel) with a counterbalance weight as part of its working action sold for $336.
Other highlights included a rare Pairpoint purple pansy lamp selling for $4,700, a Belova acid etched desk lamp at $476, a stereopticon viewer from 1857 including some views for $1,456, and a rare French horse race mechanical game going for $532.
All prices reported include the 12 percent buyer’s premium.
Stanton Auctions has an auction almost every month with many items featured on its website before the sale. For information, www.stantonauctions.com or 413-566-3161.
