COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Cordier Sells Unique Slant-Lid Chest/Desk On Legs For $263,250
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2018 • VOL. 49, NO. 8
Record-Breaking Pottery, Modern Design, Art Deco, And Studio Glass Lead Rago To $6.1 Million In Results Archives Of Albert Paley Among The Stars Of Three-Day Sale Rago Arts and Auction Center’s Design Auctions brought in $6,133,750 on Jan. 19, 20, and 21. A vast array of property, including the single-owner collection of Sire Records’ founder Seymour Stein, a record-breaking Arequipa pot, and the inaugural presentation of property from the archives of artist Albert Paley, These George Nakashima chairs sold for $11,875 during the propelled a consis- Mid-Mod portion of the three-day sale. tently strong sale across three days, six auction segments and almost 1,300 lots. Estimates were shattered and records broken during a sale that earned an 83 percent sell-through rate and suggested that the market for Art Deco is heating up, while desire for modern design overall remains strong. Of the over 400 lots of early 20th century design on offer, works by American makers were among the highest priced. Lot 600, an important squeeze-bag decorated vase by Frederick H. Rhead for Arequipa, sold for $93,750 – breakAn important squeeze-bag decorated vase ing the record for highest price by Frederick H. Rhead for Arequipa sold for achieved at auction for a piece of $93,750, breaking the record for highest Arequipa pottery. Lot 602, another price achieved at auction for a piece of vase by Frederick H. Rhead for Arequipa pottery. Steiger Terra Cotta & Pottery Works, defied its auction estimate in dra- Works from Tiffany Studios proved matic fashion, selling for $21,250 to be in high demand, representing against a high estimate of $1,500. six of the top nine lots in the Early 20th Century Design segment. Tiffany highlights include Lot 806, an enameled copper dragonfly tray that achieved $37,500, more than twice the high estimate of $15,000; Lot 832, a blue wave patterned table lamp that shattered its estimate of $4,500-$6,500 and sold for A rare Tiffany Studios mosaic pen wiper real- $28,750; and Lot 802, a rare mosaic ized $26,250 during the early 20th century pen wiper that sold for $26,250 against a high estimate of $10,000. design sale. Works of French Art Deco also sold particularly well. From the collection of Seymour Stein, Lot 434, a large Lalique Palestre vase, sold for $40,625, exceeding its high estimate of $30,000; Lot 423, a massive exhibition vase with base by Charles Catteau for Boch Freres, sold for The Paul Evans wavy front cabinet realized $31,250; and a rare Le Jour et La Nuit $43,750 in the Modern Design sale. Continued on page 2
After a long and extended bidding war between two phone bidders, an early-19th-century folk art painted chest/desk sold for $263,250 (including a 17 percent buyer’s premium) at Cordier’s Winter Antique and Fine Art Auction, held at the company’s Harrisburg, Pa., auction house on Feb. 11. “Obviously, I’m super happy,” stated the winning bidder, New Oxford, Pa., dealer Kelly Kinzle, following the auction. “Just blown away, honestly. I knew it was going to be tough to get.” Kinzle stated he purchased the chest for resale. The underbidder was a private collector who wishes to remain anonymous. If Kinzle was enthusiastic about his purchase, the consignors were ecstatic. “We’re just very, very happy. My grandmother used it as a toy box. She lived in southern Indiana,” said the consignor in the salesroom, who was visibly moved as the marathon bidding escalated
in thousand-dollar increments. The consignor says he is working with Kinzle on uncovering more about the history of the chest, including trying to put together a family tree to shed more light on its possible place of origin. It was cataloged as possibly being from Kentucky, but Kinzle suspects it may ultimately trace back to Pennsylvania. “It is yet to be determined,” said Kinzle. The unique find sparked interest from various institutions, according to Cordier. Appraisers at the auction house, based in the capital city, ultimately cataloged it as a southern sugar chest. Whether or not it should be termed southern or a sugar chest is not known. Typically, sugar chests had interior dividers and locks. This piece has neither. It is poplar, which grows in many regions of the country, and it dates to the first quarter of the 19th century. The odd large lollipop cut-out back
AAN Current News
Two Antique Shows To Be Held In Bath, Pa., On First Weekend In March on page 2
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Important George Washington Inaugural Button To Highlight Frent Collection Part II
Phil Michaelson Promoted To President At LiveAuctioneers on page 4
Heritage Feb. 24 Auction Will Also Present Mint Abraham Lincoln Ambrotype Badge The only inaugural button referring to George Washington as the “Father of His Country” (perhaps the earliest instance of the use of the phrase) will open for bidding at $20,000 when Heritage Auctions presents Part II of the David and Janice Frent Collection of Political and Presidential Memorabilia Auction on Saturday, Feb. 24. The auction offers 658 lots of extraordinary pin backs, banners, campaign flags and assorted campaign paraphernalia. “The record-setting debut of the Frent Collection realized a stunning $911,538 last October,” said Tom Slater, director of Americana
This George Washington inaugural button is stamped with the words “Pater Patriæ” (Father of his Country) and is the only portrait button in the accepted canon of Washington inaugural buttons.
Abner Zook Diorama Sells For $14,300 At Witman Auction on page 4
Items From Millicent Rogers Will Be Sold By Charlton Hall Auctions
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The iconic “Ship of State” silk campaign flag for Henry Clay’s 1844 campaign is considered the most desirable Clay flag variety.
Many photographic campaign items will cross the block, and a stunning 1860 brooch featuring an ambrotype portrait of Abraham Lincoln known as the “Cooper Union” pose will open at $12,000. The nation’s leading portrait photographer, Mathew Brady, took the image while Lincoln was in New York to give a speech at Cooper Union Institute in February of 1860.
In This Issue SHOPS, SHOWS & MARKETS . . . . . . . . . . starting on page 3 SHOPS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . on page 5 EVENT & AUCTION CALENDAR . on page 6 AUCTION SALE BILLS . . . starting on page 6
FEATURED AUCTION: Charlton Hall Auctions - February 22 and 23 in West Columbia, South Carolina - Page 10
AUCTIONEER DIRECTORY . . . . . on page 8 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . on page 15