STAIR GALLERIES' SUMMER AUCTION

Stair Galleries first summer auction was filled with many pleasant surprises. There were 155 registered bidders in the room and another 100 participating by absentee bid or telephone.

Among the many superior lots of furniture, a Regency mahogany and parcel-gilt center table did particularly well, sailing over its pre-sale estimate of $2000 - $4000 to make $9775. The top lot of the broad array of paintings offered was a large Italian School architectural fantasy that exceeded its estimate of $2000 - $4000 to fetch $8625. A comical pair of figural candlesticks in the form of French soldiers (one obviously berating the other) clearly amused a number of bidders and fetched $1725 against the pre-sale estimate of $150 - $250. A lot of 3 Delft plates catalogued as possibly by Sinclair and estimated at $500 - $700 brought $1725.

There were a number of lots of porcelain tableware in the auction. Especially notable was a superb KPM dinner service of over 200 pieces with a delicate floral design that sold over its estimate of $2000 - $3000 to make $4887.50 A very charming pair of naïve oval watercolors made $1380 against a $300 - $500 estimate. A summery-looking set of four Chinese Chippendale chairs brought $1840 against a $500 - $700 estimate. A lovely assembled pair of Dresden-type ivory glazed porcelain floral encrusted vases, mounted as lamps and estimated at $300 - $500, sold for $1265.

The next auction will be held Saturday, September 21, 2002 at the Hudson Elks Lodge. The catalogue will be online approximately 10 days prior to the sale.