Date: Fri 09-Apr-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: DONNAG

Quick Words:

Grueby

Full Text:

Spectacular Grueby At Rago

with 14 cuts as slides (3 pics)

By Carole Deutsch

LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. -- D avid Rago is known in the trade as a key figure in the

market for Arts and Crafts, and his March 7 auction exemplified why he is

thought to be so.

The catalogue read like a virtual "Who's Who," of key players from the

movement. Many of the finest examples from the period were offered in

approximately 430 lots of pottery, furniture, metalwork, lamps, and books,

setting record prices for Stickley, Marblehead, Brouwer, and Grueby.

"When I was given the final tally of $1,300,000, I thought there had been a

mistake," said Rago. "We average $3,250 per lot, the total was 30 percent

above the high estimate."

Piece for piece and dollar for dollar, this was one of the best sales Rago has

ever had. On average, hammer prices exceeded the catalogued high estimates.

The record-breaking sale topper was a spectacular matte green glaze Grueby

floor vase by Wilhemina Post, having tooled broad leaves alternating with

yellow buds and measuring 15«" by 10". The catalogued description read, "one

of Grueby's best forms, beautifully fired and in excellent condition."

Although the presale estimate was $17,5/22,500, Rago thought the vase would

bring about $35,000.

The bidding opened at $16,000 and galloped to $47,500, at which point the

audience became noticeably restless. The crowd seemed stunned when the vase

finally hammered down at $66,000, believed by the auction house to be a record

for this form. The vase came from Santa Barbara, Calif., and the owners had no

idea as to the value of the piece.

Audience participation and high prices remained strong right to the end of the

sale, which began at noon and concluded at 5 pm. Approximately 350 people were

in attendance with 250 registered bidders. Rago recorded 1,500 absentee bids

for 150 bidders, and supplied eight phone lines for 100 people including two

or three buyers who Rago refers to as "the dream team."

Previewers did not appear to be the average, casual, auction-going crowd.

These were serious collectors who previewed with an intensity equal to that of

a military mission.

According to Rago, his firm conducts what he terms "curated" sales, which are

designed to give a sense of what was going on in the period -- all pieces are

supposed to work in harmony.

"We strive for a well-balanced auction with a good representation in all

categories." He was particularly pleased with a group of Roycroft books

because they represented "the best of what the period had to offer, they will

probably not bring a good deal of money, but they are really great and

fragile. I'm proud of having them in my auction."

Happily, Rago was wrong; one Roycroft book from the collection of Albert

Cosgrove, entitled The Man of Sorrows, by Elbert Hubbard, printed on Imperial

Japan Vellum and bound in full levant, 1904-5 and signed by Hubbard, sold for

$2,750 against a presale estimate of $400/600. Another Roycroft book by Fra

Elbertus, Respectability: Its Rise and Remedy, bound in hand-tooled leather

with gilt edge pages, 1905, brought $2,530 against a presale estimate of

$200/300.

Other "through-the-roof" items included three lots from the 1902 Dreamwold

Mansion in Scituate, Mass., which are believed to be designed by Addison

LeBoutillier. They consisted of an extraordinary Grueby fireplace surround

composed of seven rectangular tiles decorated in curenca with a landscape

frieze, which realized $24,750, and two sets of four Grueby tiles in curenca

with haystacks in a landscape, which sold separately, one set for $7,700 and

the other for $6,600.

Catalogued as "the best example of Brouwer pottery Rago has seen since the

Berbarian sale of 1993" an exceptional, large Brouwer footed vessel covered in

a thick bronze glaze over a flame painted gold iridescent body, 12" by 8",

brought $10,450, setting a record that form, according to the firm. The piece

was one of only two that the auction house had ever seen. Active bidding on a

Marblehead corseted vase by Arthur Baggs set a record according to the auction

house, at $36,300. The 8«" by 4«" mint condition piece was a classic example,

with incised ribs and checkered bands at the top and base, in brown and three

shades of green matte glaze.

George Ohr's work was well represented at the sale. One large, restored ten

inch vase, with deep, full height dimples and a folded neck, covered in green,

pink, red and gun metal lustered glaze, hammered down at $14,300. An 1896 "Joe

Jefferson" mug by George Ohr, having a deep in-body twist and a superior

sponge glaze in blue, white and pink was incised with Jefferson's message,

"Here's to you and yours." The buyer, who paid $7,150, is now the second owner

of the piece.

The Arts and Crafts furniture offered prompted Reg Blauvelt, third generation

auctioneer and president of Lincoln Galleries, who was present at the sale, to

comment that many years ago, when few had even heard the same Stickley, his

firm was consigned a bedroom set out of an old house.

"We almost left it behind, but something told me it was worth selling. We got

$8,000 even then -- I can't help wondering what it would be worth now."

A rare Stickley server offered by Rago, designed by Harvey Ellis, opened at

$12,000 and escalated to $22,000, a record for this form, according to the

gallery. Another rare Gustav Stickley card table, circa 1902, realized

$22,000, and an unusual mahogany Gustav Stickley settee hammered down at

$18,700. Fine and unusual Stickley brought strong prices across the board.

Roycroft was also well represented at the sale. A week prior to the auction,

Rago predicted that lot 619, a Roycroft magazine stand with keyed

through-tendons on Macmurdo feet would "go crazy." It sold for $15,400 against

a presale estimate of $4/6,000.

If there was a bump in the road at this auction it occurred with lot 517 -- a

Grueby floor vase with a tall stovepipe neck and tooled yellow buds

alternating with leaves in a matte green glaze. The piece was one of only two

known and at 23¬" by 8«" is among the largest Grueby's two color vases -- it

was similar in character and color to the $66,000 Grueby piece. Catalogued

with a presale estimate of $25/35,000 but expected to bring much more, lot 517

initially passed at $19,000, due to a glitch in the phone lines according to

Rago, and was sold immediately after the auction to a phone bidder for

$27,500.

"I am surprised that the tall Grueby did so poorly and the sale's topper

Grueby did so well," said Rago.

When Tom Folk, a collector, scholar, and writer who was in attendance was

asked for his opinion for the wide divide between the two Grueby pieces, he

speculated that the paper label on the tall piece might have "scared people

away." Rago disputes this theory, stating that some collectors were not

enthralled with the character of the glaze and that some found the form

ungainly.

Folk went on to say that he preferred the taller Grueby vase. "Grueby is very

appealing because its character is almost organic, looking as through it grew

in a garden." For Folk, the taller piece did this best.

All in all, auction goers, dealers, die-hard collectors and dream-team bidders

had a wonderful day at the auction. For David Rago, the spirit of the Arts and

Crafts Movement was "to be a respite from the world, a salve to the wounds of

the workday." Indeed, people previewing the auction seemed as at ease in the

1925 former Old Silk Hosiery Mill as they might have been in their own living

rooms. A library and bookstore is situated in the corner of the auction floor,

comfortable sofas line the walls, and music is played throughout the

exhibition.

Fittingly, three enlarged black and white photographs of Arts and Crafts

heroes dominate the room: Gustav Stickley, Elbert Hubbard, and Frank Lloyd

Wright. Display cases are open and unattended. People are free to handle and

examine pieces to the hearts content; it does not seem to make anyone nervous

that previewers walk around holding $20,000 pieces to get a better look at

them by the windows.

On the contrary, Rago encourages people to come and browse for the joy and

education of it, and his New Collectors Auctions are designed with the

beginner collectors in mind providing affordable entry-level merchandise.

Articles that don't quite make the cut for his high-end sale or those items

that are in greater supply, are available at his venue in a more affordable

price range.