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Gallery Report

Gallery Report: April 2017

ATLANTA – At the start of each month, ACN columnist Ken Hall gathers top auction highlights from around the United States and beyond. Here’s what made headlines since last month’s report:

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Francisco Corzas painting, $9,375, Woodshed Gallery

An oil on canvas painting by Francisco Corzas (Mexican, 1936-1983), titled Two Figures, signed and dated 1963, sold for $9,375 in an online-only Master Artworks Discovery Sale held March 29 by The Woodshed Gallery in Franklin, Mass. Also, a gouache and ink on wove paper by Adolph Gottlieb (1903-1974), untitled, brought $6,250; a collage by Rodolfo Morales (1925-2010) realized $2,250; and a paint and ink on cardboard attributed to Jean-Michel Basquiat went for $1,875. Prices include a 25 percent buyer’s premium.

 

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Henry Moore sculpture study, $195,500, Cottone Auctions

A bronze maquette for the sculpture Draped Reclining Figure by British sculptor Henry Moore (1898-1986) sold for $195,500 at a Fine Arts & Antiques Auction held March 25 by Cottone Auctions in Geneseo, N.Y. Also, a painting by Norman Rockwell (American, 1894-1978), titled Bedtime, which served as cover art for the March 21, 1923 issue of Literary Digest, brought $109,250; and a Tiffany Studios Greek key lamp with a signed Roman base and shade hit $89,700. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.

 

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MAD magazine cover art, $57,242, Hake’s Americana

Original cover art for the September 1968 issue of MAD magazine by Norman Mingo (1896-1980), showing Alfred E. Neuman, the Beatles, Mia Farrow and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, sold for $57,242 at a Pop Culture Memorabilia Auction held March 14 and 16 by Hake’s Americana in York, Pa. Also, an 1884 photo of the integrated Belleair Globes baseball team with Negro League pioneer Sol White made $15,446; and a copy of Top-Notch Comics No. 2 (January 1940) hit $10,923. Prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.

 

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A.F. Tait oil painting, $62,400, Willis Henry

An oil on canvas depiction of a family of quail in a landscape setting by A.F. Tait (Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait, 1819-1905) sold for $62,400 at an Antiques Estates Auction held March 19 by Willis Henry Auctions in Rockland, Mass. The work was signed lower right in red, “A.F. Tait, N.Y., 1855” and was housed in the original carved and gilded frame with arched opening. The painting was in overall good condition, with in-painting in the sky. The estimate was $15,000-$20,000. The price includes a 20 percent buyer’s premium.

 

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Boston & Sandwich salt, $35,100, Jeffrey S. Evans

A rare Boston & Sandwich Glass Co. CD-4 Lyre covered salt in opaque soft violet blue with subtle mottling, one of only seven examples recorded, sold for $35,100 at a Glass Auction held March 18 by Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates in Mount Crawford, Va. Also, a colorless pressed lacy WN-2 Wagon, one of only three recorded, fetched $8,775; and an English cameo example, probably made by Thomas Webb and featuring a flowering tree design and silver rim gaveled for $1,638. Prices include a 17 percent buyer’s premium.

 

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Picasso “Face and Owl” vase, $25,620, Schwenke Auctioneers

A partially glazed earthenware “Face and Owl” vase made in 1958 by Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), from Madoura Pottery in France, sold for $25,620 at a Modern Design Estates Auction held March 29 by Schwenke Auctioneers in Woodbury, Conn. An abstract cityscape oil on canvas by Lamar Dodd (American, 1907-1986), titled City, signed and dated 1952, rose to $12,065; and a mid-century modern round marble breakfast table with a conical marble base made $2,928. Prices include a 20 percent buyer’s premium.

 

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Yo Youren calligraphy essay, $121,000, Clars Auction Gallery

A calligraphy ink on paper two-page essay by master calligrapher Yo Youren (Chinese, 1879-1964), discussing artists of the late Ming and Qing dynasties, sold for $121,000 in an auction held March 19 by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland, Calif. Also, an ink and color on paper by Zhang Daqian (Chinese, 1899-1983), titled Splashed Color Autumn Landscape, brought $33,275; and a 17th century English oak drop-leaf table hit $19,360. Prices include a 19 percent buyer’s premium.

 

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Charles Burchfield oil painting, $131,250, Freeman’s Auctioneers

An oil painting by Charles Ephraim Burchfield (American, 1893-1967), titled March Pools at Twilight, sold for $131,250 at an auction held April 6 by Freeman’s Auctioneers in Philadelphia, Pa. Also, a Chinese Han dynasty style inlaid and patinated archaistic bronze Hu vessel, realized $33,750; a Chinese lacquered bronze figure of a seated warrior went for $28,750; Joseph Stella’s Pittsburgh Steel Mill breezed to $20,000; and a 1994 floor lamp by Albert Paley (b. 1944), titled Sphere, hit $16,250. Prices include the buyer’s premium.

 

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John J. Audubon print, $78,000, Eldred’s

An elephant folio print by John J. Audubon, titled Carolina Parrot, engraved and printed and colored by Robert Havell, with the Whatman watermark, sold for $78,000 at an auction held April 6-8 by Eldred’s in East Dennis, Mass. Also, an early 19th century scrimshaw whale’s tooth depicting the battle between the Shannon and the Chesapeake during the War of 1812, attributed to the Lady Wellington engraver, made $72,000; and a Grueby vase in a matte green glaze went for $21,600. Prices include the buyer’s premium.

 

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“Invisible Man” movie poster, $274,850, Heritage Auctions

A poster for the 1933 Universal movie The Invisible Man sold for $274,850 at a Vintage Movie Posters Auction held March 25-26 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. Also, a poster for Casablanca (Warner Bros., 1953, 4-Fogli) realized $107,550; a poster for Bordertown (Warner Bros., 1935, 4-Fogli) fetched $33,460; a poster for It’s a Wonderful Life (RKO, 1948, 4-Fogli) finished at $28,680; and a one-sheet poster for the 1946 Columbia movie Gilda changed hands for $22,705. Prices include the buyer’s premium.

 

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Elongated slate birdstone, $43,200, Cowan’s Auctions

An elongated slate long-neck birdstone from the collection of Jan W. Sorgenfrei (Ohio, 1942-2012) sold for $43,200 at an auction held April 8 by Cowan’s Auctions in Cincinnati. Also, a Huron-Wyandot Native American beaded Wampum belt climbed to $25,200; a Tufa cast silver and turquoise cuff fetched $11,100; an Arapaho Tomahawk Society staff from the second half of the 19th century gaveled for $27,600; and a Dakota bear claw necklace changed hands for $16,800. Prices are inclusive of the buyer’s premium.

 

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TNW MG-34 machine gun, $4,400, Cordier Auctions

A TNW Model MG-34 8 mm semi-automatic machine gun sold for $4,400 at a Spring Firearms Sale held March 26 by Cordier Auctions & Appraisals in Harrisburg, Pa. Also, a World War II soldier-identified A-2 flight jacket and bomber shearling cap made $2,300; a Winchester M-1 carbine military firearm sold for $1,100; a Colt Python revolver, $1,800; a Winchester model 70 rifle, $1,600; and a Romanian PSL Marksman military rifle, $1,100. Prices include the buyer’s premium.

 

 

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Coca-Cola sample cooler, $17,835, Morphy Auctions

A circa 1929 Coca-Cola double Glasscock Brothers salesman’s sample cooler sold for $17,835 at a Spring Antique Advertising Sale held March 18-19 by Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pa. Also, a 1903 Coca-Cola bottle 5-cent tip tray, made by Chas. W. Shonk, breezed to $17,220; an Indian Rock Ginger Ale syrup dispenser with great graphics and strong color rose to $17,220; a baseball-themed Fan-Taz syrup dispenser made $15,990; and a 1901 Coca-Cola 5-cent serving tray hit $11,685. Prices include a 23 percent buyer’s premium.

 

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Alexander Calder mobile, $471,000, Skinner Inc.

An untitled standing mobile from around 1965 by Alexander Calder (American, 1898-1976) sold for $471,000 at a sale of Modern & Contemporary Works held Jan. 27 by Skinner Inc. in Boston. Also, an oil on canvas by Henri-Jean Guillaume (French, 1860-1943), titled La tour de Collioure (circa 1920), realized $375,000; a 1970 color screen print by Robert Rauschenberg (American, 1925-2008), titled Signs, reached $23,370; and a palladium print by Irving Penn gaveled for $22,140. Prices include the buyer’s premium.

 

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Little Big Horn Colt pistol, $460,000, James D. Julia Inc.

A Colt single-action Army pistol (SN 5773), used by one of Custer’s men at the Battle of Little Big Horn, sold for $460,000 at an Extraordinary Firearms Auction held April 11 by James D. Julia Inc. in Fairfield, Maine. Also, a cased 100 Guinea Lloyd’s Patriotic presentation sword for Capt. William Rutherford (1764-1818), a hero at the Battle of Trafalgar, brought $270,250; and an original condition 20-bore Parker A1 Special shotgun with scroll engraving and gold inlay achieved $253,000. Prices include the buyer’s premium.

 

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Lacour’s bitters bottle, $35,650, American Bottle

A Lacour’s early Western bitters bottle, made circa 1866-1875, the earliest variant and in a rare color, sold for $35,650 in a two-part online and catalog auction held Feb. 10-18 and March 3-11 by American Bottle Auctions of Sacramento, Calif. An E.G. Lyons & Co. Western bitters bottle made around 1868-1871, with a backwards “N”, also made $35,650; a Dr. Henley’s “Eye Opener” medicine bottle (1873) fetched $20,125; and a Catawba Wine bitters, circa 1860-1866, hit $18,400. Prices include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
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By KEN HALL

 

Gallery Report