The James E. Buttersworth oil painting that had until recently been on loan to the New Britain Museum of American Art since 1979, was the top lot sold at Winter Associates’ July 30 sale.
Preview viewings were strong and a good crowd was present in person to see the auction of more than 250 lots take place. “Outstanding” and “mesmerizing” were the comments by potential bidders about the Buttersworth. The winner, who paid $112,125, was one of seven competitors bidding by phone in a room that was hushed during the fierce bidding and that congratulated the new owner with a round of applause.
A very different type of object, Danish artist Axel Salto’s freeform art pottery vase, also caused lots of excitement and a round of applause at the sale. The 22-inch-tall vase sold for $56,350, again to a phone bidder. Of the many who examined the vase, the consensus was that that the photographs “could not do justice to the beautiful glaze” and that it was an exceptionally handsome example of Salto’s superb artistry.
There is usually an interesting mix of items from local estates and museums at a Winter Associates auction and this sale was no exception. American paintings overall did well, including a James Franklin Gilman, somewhat naïve, watercolor on paper titled “The Old Home,” which attained $8,050. A Larry Preston oil on panel, highly realistic still life with a vase of lilies, sold for $1,725.
Interest in works by regional artist Marion Huse (sold for the benefit of a New England museum) was high, with a 24-by-30-inch oil on canvas depicting a New England village selling for $1,725. Sterling silver lots ranged from early Nineteenth Century to Modern and included a number of pieces of Georg Jensen jewelry.
An important pair of English covered entrée dishes, circa 1835, hallmarked Hy. Wilkinson & Co., Sheffield, fetched $3,450, while a Tiffany & Co. sterling silver three-tier sweet server brought $1,725 and a Jensen bracelet for $747. A set of six American classical early Nineteenth Century figured maple chairs went for a reasonable $1,495. The top furniture lot was a pair of English Chippendale mahogany arm chairs covered in early needlework that went to a bidder in the room after a long bout of bidding and ending at $6,210.
All prices reported include the 15 percent buyer’s premium.
Winter Associates’ first fall sale will be Monday, September 10, and includes more items from museums and three newly discovered Charles Ethan Porter oil paintings from a Vernon, Conn., home.
For additional information, auctionsappraisers.com or 860-793-0288.
