A large 1920’s Acoma Pueblo olla realized $8,000 and a Ramses figural perfume in the shape of a sphinx saw $7,000 in Cordier Antiques & Auctions’ Two Day Antique & Fine Art Auction in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania on June 11 and 12. Other highlights of the sale included a Bakelite figural pin in the form of a pumpkin for $5,000 and a Herend dinner service for $6,500. The 769 lot auction was held in Camp Hill, across the Susquehanna River from Harrisburg.
The multi-consignor sale featured items from over one hundred consignors including estates and collectors. Over 300 people were in attendance during the two days in addition to phone and absentee bidders. More than 400 bidders were pre-registered to bid via the internet through ArtFact/Auctionzip which also provided an online catalog of the auction. Prices quoted do not include the buyer’s premium (10% to 15%).
Saturday’s sale began with paper including books, autographs, and ephemera. A Civil War archive from a Pennsylvania family realized $3,500 on an estimate of $1,500 to $3,000. The archive comprised items from two different family members who served and included an F. Horster presentation cavalry sword attributed to family member Edmund Mather and a soldier’s coat attributed to family member Newton Deeter. A rare Benjamin Franklin 20 shilling Pennsylvania note, the first to use Franklin’s invention of “nature printing” from leaf casts intended to prevent counterfeiting, in fair condition sold under estimate at $400.
Among autographs was a signature with inscription by astronaut Neil Armstrong that sold well above its $300 to $500 estimate at $900 and a Rockefeller archive that included a book signed by all six Rockefeller Brothers that realized $650. An archive of the Frank W. Woolworth Company relating to Pennsylvania Woolworth employee Harry Hoover that included three original Woolworth signed documents went well past its $150 to $300 estimate to hammer down at $550 to the internet.
Collectibles offered several strong lots. A Wurlitzer Model 1015 juke box and a circa 1880 Western Union Telegraph Co. stock ticker tape manufactured by T.A. Edison were back to back lots and interestingly both realized $4,500 to phone bidders. A 5 Cent Watling Baby Lincoln slot machine sold just under low estimate at $1,300 to the room. Among musical instruments was an early violin labeled for Jacob Weiss. Estimated at $200 to $500 the instrument saw strong bidding before hammering down at $750 to the internet.
Over fifty lots of silver were offered and prices continued to be strong especially for flatware services. A large selection of Mexican sterling was offered including a hot water kettle on stand by A. Torres that sold just under low estimate at $1,900. Pieces by Maciel, Sanborns and Los Castillos were also included. Other highlights included a large Hanau 800 silver reticulated bowl by J.D. Schleissner. A dealer in the room purchased the bowl within estimate at $1,300. This was also the case with a large and heavy five piece Chinese Export 90% silver tea set that realized $1,800.
Saturday included over 100 lots of fine jewelry including diamond, gemstone, gold, Mexican and Native American as well as a collection of lorgnettes. Among many fine pieces of diamond jewelry was a 6.24 ctw brooch that sold just under low estimate at $3,750 while an antique 2.25 ctw fleur de lis brooch sold above its $1,000 to $1,500 estimate at $1,900. A dealer in the room was successful on both a large 6.34 carat tourmaline and diamond brooch at $1,700 (estimate $1,000 to $1,500) and a 2.01 ctw diamond and platinum ring at $3,750 (estimate $2,000 to $4,000). Among timepieces was a man’s Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust at $3,000 and a lady’s Rolex 18K and diamond Cellini at $1,600.
A surprise and highlight of the jewelry section was a rare Bakelite pumpkin pin with googly eyes in the form of a scarecrow complete with straw arms and legs. Estimated at $2,000 to $3,000, the pin saw spirited bidding between the internet and a phone bidder. The internet bidder finally prevailed, winning the pin at $5,000.
Saturday’s session finished up with decorative arts, ceramics, glass, textiles and lighting. A wrought iron mirror by Edgar Brandt was offered in decorative arts. Estimated at $7,500 to $12,500, the piece failed to find a buyer. Among several dinner services offered was a large 129 piece set of Herend Indian Basket. Estimated at $3,000 to $5,000, the set included many fine serving pieces. Bidding was strong between the floor and a phone bidder with the phone bidder winning the set at $6,500.
The top lot of Saturday’s auction was a Ramses figural perfume bottle attributed to Baccarat circa 1920. In the shape of a sphinx in frosted glass with green patina on a clear base, the piece was estimated at $3,000 to $5,000. A phone bidder again was successful, winning the perfume for $7,000.
A pair of early Persian lamps was a pleasant surprise in lighting. Estimated at $200 to $400, the pair opened online at $700 but immediately became a battle between the phones with the pair eventually hammering down at $1,800. Also selling well above estimate was a unique cockatoo and turtle figural lamp at $1,500 (estimate $800 to $1,200) and a Handel table lamp with a cherry and leaf rimmed leaded glass shade at $2,000 (estimate $300 to $500).
Sunday’s session of the two day auction included clocks, furniture and rugs, and fine, Asian, ethnographic and Native American art. One of the highlights of clocks was a Reading tall case clock by Daniel Oyster (estimate $8000 to $10,000). The clock headed home to the Reading area with the winning bidder at $6,000. Also of note was a large French Napoleon III garniture set. In the Orientalist taste, the three piece set sold to the internet within estimate at $2,500.
Among the forty plus lots of furniture was a very large walnut Pennsylvania Dutch cupboard circa 1780 to 1800. Measuring nearly 8 feet tall, the piece sold to a collector just under low estimate at $6,500. A 19th century French tric trac gaming table with provenance tracing it to Monte Carlo was estimated at $5,000 to $7,000 but unfortunately failed to find a buyer. An early 19th century Windsor bench with provenance to Carlisle, Pennsylvania stayed in the area selling within estimate at $1,300.
A large part of Sunday’s sale featured ethnographic arts. Among 50+ lots of Native American was a large circa 1920’s Acoma Pueblo olla. In excellent condition, the olla saw strong bidding entirely online. Estimated at $1,000 to $1,500, the bidding opened at $550 then quickly accelerated before hammering down at a final price of $8,000. The internet was also successful on a circa 1920 to 1930 Teec Nos Pos weaving at $1,300, one of several Navajo weavings in the auction. Over fifty lots of African arts were offered including ivory, masks, and figures with expected results.
Over ninety lots of Asian arts were offered in Sunday’s session including ivory, jade, netsukes, ceramics, and woodblocks. By far the highlight of the entire two day auction, and the most surprising, was a 19th century Chinese dragon robe. Beautifully embroidered overall with circular dragon motifs and a sea wave design along the hem on an Imperial yellow ground, the robe was in fine condition and estimated at $750 to $1,500. However once bidding opened online at $16,000, it was clear the robe had garnered incredible interest. Bidding continued strongly on the internet with several phone bidders biding their time as the bidding approached $60,000. The bidding then continued between a single internet bidder and a single phone bidder before being hammered down to the phone at $67,000 amid a round of applause.
Additional Asian pieces saw very strong results as well including a small Chinese carved jade sculpture of a pomegranate. Estimated at $150 to $300, the piece hammered down to the internet at $1,300. Another pleasant surprise was a small brass Indian Avalokiteshvara figure having eleven heads and eight arms in different mudras. Retaining some of its original gilding, the piece soared past its $100 to $300 estimate to hammer down at $4,000 to a collector in the room. The same bidder was also successful on a Chinese carved ivory figure of Quan Yin at $1,800 (estimate $200 to $400) and a carved ivory covered tusk vase at $1,800 (estimate $500 to $1,000).
Sunday’s auction concluded with fine art including paintings, bronzes, and prints. The top lot of art was a large oil on canvas by Eduard Steinbruck (German, 1802-1882) portraying a woman seated on a rock with three small children. Estimated at $5,000 to $7,000, the painting sold within estimate at $6,000. A smaller oil on tin attributed to Steinbruck and entitled Le Jeu des Sylphides (The Game of Sylphs) also sold within estimate at $1,600. A watercolor by Marino Marini (Italian, 1901-1981) entitled Cavalier et Cheval, Jaune et Bleu sold just under low estimate at $9,000 while an oil on board of a nude by Warren Davis (American, 1864-1928) sold above estimate at $2,750.
Among prints and sculpture, works by Erte (Russian/French, 1892-1990) and Louis Icart (French, 1888-1950) continued to do well while five circa 1959 linocuts by Pablo Picasso (French, 1881-1973) each sold under estimate. A silver gelatin print entitled “NW1966 Main Line on Main Street 1958” by O. Winston Link (American, 1914-2000) sold within estimate at $3,100 as did the Robert Kipniss (American, B. 1931) portfolio The Four Seasons at $1,500. Of note among sculpture was a carved marble bust entitled “Beatrice” by Prof. G. Besgi. Mounted on a tall green marble base, the piece hammered down at $1,600 to the internet (estimate $1,500 to $3,000).
Information on Cordier Antiques & Auctions can be found at www.CordierAntiques.com. Questions can be directed to Cordier Antiques & Auctions at [email protected] or by calling 717-731-8662.
