An early 19th century German Empire mahogany temple-form roll-top desk intricately fitted with hidden drawers and compartments sold for $35,000 to lead Heritage Auctions’ Feb. 21-23 Fine & Decorative Arts Including Estates Signature Auction in Dallas. The $2.3 million sale featured more than 1,700 lots spanning 200 years of design.
“We saw strong interest across the board, but especially in furniture, porcelain, and Asian art,” said Ed Beardsley, Vice President of Fine and Decorative Arts at Heritage. “It’s also exciting to see a resurgence of interest among clock buyers.”
Among the diverse selection of porcelain presented, a pair of monumental Continental painted floral covered urns, standing 5 feet tall and adorned with intricate floral garlands and putti, which hammered for $27,500, and a Sèvres-style porcelain and gilt bronze mounted urn, realized $23,750.
Bidders pushed the hammer price of unique finds well past pre-auction estimates as a Chinese carved Jade Snuff Bottle, circa 1900 and 2-3/4″ high saw action from eight bidders over the internet before closing at $27,500 and an Asian carved coral figural group depicting a woman and child with three monkeys garnered interest at $15,000. An Anglo-Irish George II-style carved mahogany console table with verde marble top sold for $21,250, and a rare Edwardian Mahogany Circular Staircase, circa 1905, featuring a circular platform with swivel seat and hinged reading easel, sold for $19,375.
Victoire, a bronze after Mathurin Moreau, took top lot honors among the auctions’ selection of fine art paintings and sculpture after six bidders pushed it to $28,750. West of Walton, Early Afternoon, 1986, a sweeping oil on canvas by Keith Jacobshagen sold for $16,250. La clos sous la neige (A Small Farmhouse Under the Snow) an oil on canvas by Paul Emile Pissarro, closed at $11,250.
A Louis XV-style Blanc de Chine and Gilt Bronze Figural Clock, circa 1910, sold to an international buyer for $20,000, 154-piece Reed & Barton Love Disarmed pattern silver and silver gilt flatware service realized $17,500, and a pair of Louis XVI-style Patinated Bronze and cut Glass Figural 18-light Torchères on Marble Pedestals closed at $15,625.
Additional highlights include, but are not limited by:
A French 18 karat gold guilloche enamel patch box, circa 1900, ended at $13,750.
A set of 27 Michael C. Fina silver chargers, weighing a combined 579.32 troy ounces, realized for $13,750.
A pair of 20th century Modernist marble figural face chairs sold for $10,625.