Date: Fri 04-Sep-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: CAROLL

Quick Words:

Simpson-Auction-Houston-Tex.

Full Text:

Rare Porte-Musique Offered At Simpson's

(W/4 cuts)

By Rita Easton

HOUSTON, TEX. -- The estates of Dru Devereaux of New Orleans and Lt Col John

E. Clements of Houston crossed the block at a July 12 auction held by

Simpson's. The total number of lots was approximately 700, offered to a

standing-room-only crowd of more than 300.

Drawing admiring inspection from many who attended was a rare and exquisitely

carved porte-musique. The important Nineteenth Century south German mahogany

lot bore the Latin inscription "In Deo-Speravi," the initials "E.H.," and

stood 95 inches, with a depth of 16 inches and width of 56 inches. The

cabinet, in the shape of a cello, was heavily carved, with a hinged front

opening to shelves, and rested on the backs of two winged griffins seated back

to back.

Standing on the upper surface of the piece were two carved heraldic swans,

with the entire work surmounted with a cadeuceus. It was purchased by a New

York dealer at $8,500, the highest bid of the auction.

A Napoleon III painted and parcel-gilt trumeau mirror, 62 inches high, having

a painting of a pastoral scene of a hillside "in the style of Hubert Robert,"

said William Simpson of the gallery, reached $5,500; and American Rococo

pierce-carved rosewood server with mirrored etagere superstructure, circa

1860, attributed to John and Joseph Meeks, fetched $4,000; a Regency-carved

walnut fauteuil, 42 inches high, upholstered in rose damask, brought $3,500;

and an Eighteenth Century Flemish carved walnut armchair, upholstered in

watered blue Scalamandre fabric, made $3,000.

From a collection of early Chinese and Japanese porcelain, a 12-inch diameter

Ming dish with fluted border reached the highest bid of $3,500, while the

average for the rest was $2,500. The second half of the collection will be

offered at a future auction. Two antique carved Chinese ivory figures on

stands, each 12 inches high, a figure of Shou Lao and one of Kwan Yin, sold at

$2,000 each, both going to the same buyer.

A set of eight Victorian carved dining chairs, the oval backs and seats

covered in gros point, garnered $8,000; "Worker in the Field," a signed and

framed watercolor by Diego Rivera (Mexican, 1886-1957), made $6,500, going to

a collector of Mexican art; a collection of six of Tang and Sung figures, six

to eight inches high, averaged $2,000 each; and a New York dealer won a

50-inch-high Louis Phillippe carved and giltwood wall mirror at $6,000.

An American Federal period carved mahogany work table on animal paw feet

achieved $3,500; and an American Rococo pierce-carved mahogany, marble-top,

mirror-backed dresser/cabinet, from the estate of the late President Martin

Van Buren, 69 inches high, reached $3,200.

A limited edition lithograph, "Richard Coeur-de-Lion," by Pablo Picasso

(Spanish, 1881-1973), signed and numbered in the plate, framed, went out at

$2,000, and from a collection of Pre-Columbian art, a 16-inch-high Colima

vessel carried on the back of a jaguar, the head of the animal projecting

beyond the vessel with the rest of the animal's body "melted" into the vessel,

brought $3,500.

"We've now taken some very nice pieces from that same collection to auction in

September," Simpson noted.

Prices quoted do not reflect a ten percent buyer's premium.