2016: The Year in Review

We would like to thank our clients for helping us have another successful year!

April 30, Lot 555, estimate $80,000-120,000; sold $390,400.
April 30-May 1st, Lot 555, estimate $80,000-120,000; sold $390,400.

Several of the major highlights of 2016 are Russian — two of them are Fabergé pieces. In our April 30th – May 1st sale, we had on offer lot 555, the C.K.G. Billings “Loving Cup”, a massive Fabergé silver and shaded enamel presentation kovsh, Moscow, circa 1909, with an estimate of $80,000-120,000. Lot 555 sold at auction for a remarkable amount of $390,400.

In the same sale we had on offer lot 556, a Fabergé gold-mounted rhodonite etui, with an estimate of $4,000-6,000; it sold for $32,940.

October 29-30th, Lot 249, estimate $1,500-2,500; sold $100,650.
October 29-30th, Lot 249, estimate $1,500-2,500; sold $100,650.

In October, we came upon a marble portrait bust of a late 18th/early 19th century Russian Imperial military officer, probably Field Marshall Mikhail Gulenischev-Kutuzov, to be presented conservatively with an estimate of $1,500-2,500, lot 249 in our October 29-30th sale. This bust sold for a startling amount of $100,650.

In our 20th Century, Modern & Contemporary Sale on June 12th, we had on offer lot 52, Russian artist Kasimir Malevich’s Composition, pencil on paper, with an estimate of $2,000-4,000. This unusual work sold for $13,420.

Italian medieval and baroque religious sculpture was surprisingly strong, particularly in our October 29-30th sale. Lot 236, a large carved painted wood group, Madonna and Child, estimated at $3,000-5,000, sold for $54,900.

Lot 6 in the same sale, an unsigned Italian School painting, Death of St. Jerome, estimated at $1,000-1,500, sold for a surprising $36,600. Lot 226, a painted terracotta bust of a saint or an apostle, estimated at $800-1,200, amazingly sold for $27,450. A monumental marble fountain sculpture of Triton, lot 241, sold for $24,400. Italian painter Ottaviano Dandini’s Witches at a Black Mass, lot 7, estimated at $4,000-8,000, fetched $18,300. Lot 3, a large Neapolitan School painting, Lamentation, with an estimate of $4,000-8,000, sold for $17,080.

Lot 242, Italian School marble bust of a satyr, estimated at $2,500-3,500, sold for $36,600. Two large figures of Madonna and Child, lots 237 and 238, sold for $15,860 and $18,300, respectively. Paintings and sculpture aside, lot 535, a rare Italian walnut and fruitwood marquetry cassone, estimated at $3,000-5,000, fetched $13,420.

April 2nd, Lot 87, estimate $7,000-10,000; sold $51,850.
April 2nd, Lot 87, estimate $7,000-10,000; sold $51,850.

American late 19th century decorative arts held their own this year. Herter Brothers and Tiffany performed well. In our April 2nd sale, Principles of Design: The Collection of Judith Hollander, with Selected Additions, there were a few pieces by Herter Brothers offered, including lot 87, Herter Brothers ebonized, gilt-incised and gilt-metal-inlaid side chair, estimated at $7,000-10,000, which sold for $51,850. Also lot 83, Herter Brothers carved rosewood and marquetry library table, with an estimate of $8,000-12,000, sold for $41,480. Another Herter Brothers library table, lot 84, estimated at $8,000-10,000, sold for $31,720. A Herter Brothers side chair, lot 88, sold for $13,420. An American Gothic rosewood marble-top center table, lot 2, sold for a pleasing $30,500.

November 19th, Lot 204, estimate $8,000-12,000; sold $90,280.
November 19th, Lot 204, estimate $8,000-12,000; sold $90,280.

Modern and contemporary art continued with strength this year. In our November 19th sale, lot 204, Lawrence Poons’ Rumboat, estimated at $8,000-12,000, sold for $90,280. Lot 446, Armand Petersen’s bronze Coq des Indes, estimated at $3,000-5,000, sold for $48,800. In our June 12th sale, lot 201, Alice Rahon’s Dents de Lion estimated at $6,000-9,000, sold for $37,820.

Over the course of nineteen sales, the following are just some of the collections we have offered:

  • Property from a Distinguished Private Asian Collection
  • Property from The Bergreen Family Collection
  • Property from the Estate of Alexander Bing III
  • The Collection of Kenneth Paul Block
  • The Collection of Mamdouha & Elmer Holmes Bobst
  • Property from the Estate of Mary Sayles Booker Braga, Middleburg, VA
  • Property from the Estate of Alicja Corning Clark
  • Property from the Estate of Joseph Famularo
  • The Collection of William Frawley
  • The Collection of Kate Webb Harris
  • The Collection of Phillips Hathaway
  • The Collection of Judith Hollander
  • The Collection of Mr. and Mrs. James R. Houghton
  • Property from the Estate of Paul and Clara Kellner
  • The Collection of Ambassador John Loeb
  • Property from the Estate of Holland Roberts Melson, Jr., New York
  • The Collection of Ruth and Roy Nutt
  • Property from a Parisian Collector
  • Property from the Estate of Paula Peyraud
  • Property from the Estate of Mrs. Spellman Prentice
  • The Collection of George Subkoff, Westport, CT
  • Property from the Estate of Charlton M. Theus, Jr.
  • Property from the Estate of Monique Uzielli, New York
  • The Collection of Mr. & Mrs. James L. van Alen, Millbrook, NY
  • Property from the Estate of Jean van Waveren
  • The Collection of Alan Wanzenberg

As this year comes to a close, we want to wish everyone a very happy and healthy New Year!
See the slideshow above for more highlights of 2016.

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