Date: Fri 27-Nov-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: JUDIR

Quick Words:

Defina-Austinburg-Americana

Full Text:

Defina Auctions

(with 13 cuts

AUSTINBURG, OHIO -- It was a beautiful autumn weekend October 17 and 18 when

DeFina Auctions hosted its annual fall Americana and Fine Arts sale and the

auction house was filled with knowledgeable and eager buyers.

Presented for bids was a vast collection of wonderful items, including Flow

Blue, sterling, fantastic lamps, furniture, rugs, art work and more with many

pieces coming from the estate of Earl F. McMaster of Cleveland heights, Ohio

and Jane D. Wynn of Ashtabula, as well as several private collections and

additions.

The show-stopper was an exquisite Tiffany table lamp with an Apple Blossom

shade with fractured glass background, (rippled glass border on top with a

brick border on the shade's base). This lamp also boasted of a telescoping,

cat's paw base that was signed and numbered. Still dressed in its fine,

original patina, the lamp came in at an impressive $93,500! Prices include a

ten percent buyer's premium.

A signed Handel table lamp whose shade had eight bent panels with panel

border, 19¬ inch diameter, sold for $4,125. Another Handel (#6993) lamp signed

and wearing Teroma decoration of trees and birds, obverse painting on its dome

shade, made $1,760, while a splendid Handel floor lamp with a sunset glass

shade, obverse painting and metal overlay, sold for $7,700.

Lamps by other manufacturers included a signed Jefferson table lamp (#2679),

shade with overall scenic of trees and water, base embossed and painted,

$2,310; a signed Pairpoint reverse-painted table lamp, overall scene of

fishing ships in port, artist signed H. Fisher, directoire-type base, $3,850;

a Pittsburgh desk lamp, Treasure Island design on the shade, $1,320; and a

signed Moe Bridges reverse-painted lamp with an overall woodland fall scene,

$1,320.

An interesting and varied collection of glass paperweights included examples

by important names such as Baccarat, Saint Louis, Trabucco, Banford, and St

Clair. A weight signed Banford, one black snake with yellow and orange spots

and one multi-colored snake, as well as emerging tadpoles on its cullet base,

sold for $710. A Saint Louis weight having a gilded salamander on pink to

white overlay, cut to clear, and a star cut base made $660, and a St Clair

weight done in pink crocus with seven stamen center and four green leaves,

signed Joe St Clair, realized $385.

The collection of Flow Blue was extensive with a soup tureen, Sobrean pattern

by Alcock, rose finial on its lid and professional restoration to its base,

selling for $825. A platter with well by Alcock in an Oriental pattern, 21¬ by

17¬ inches made $660, while a Flow Blue sugar and lid, Chapoo pattern, brought

$467.50.

Furniture filled DeFina's with an Ohio, two-piece corner cupboard in curly

maple and walnut which realized $4,950. Having pegged construction and six

original glass, Gothic style panes in each of its doors above five center

storage areas, the cupboard also boasted of a drop front compartment at the

top of its base over two chambered doors below. Standing more than 85 inches

high, this piece still wore its original finish and hardware.

A carved partner's desk originally from the estate "Longwood," home of John L.

Severance, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, made $4,400. The desk was of mahogany,

ornately carved and in three sections. The top was inset with tooled leather

and contained three drawers each with a cabinet on the reverse side. Quarter

cluster columns flanked all sides.

A massive Victorian etagere with high relief and pierced floral carvings, as

well as a central mirror flanked by three graduated shelves, commanded $3,850.

A three-piece marble top base with a single drawer on scrolled feet completed

the piece that stood an impressive 8'1" high.

A cylinder front secretary of walnut, with a burl veneer cylinder panel, sold

for $4,125, and a two-piece cherry corner cupboard with two eight-light doors

over two blind doors and a barrel back brought $3,575.

A lovely cherry Sheraton desk with drop front on long well-turned legs brought

$1,870, while a two-piece Empire secretary desk/bookcase with a mahogany and

burl veneer fold-out writing surface came in at $1,210.

A Jackson press in cherry with a dovetailed galley sold for $1,430, as did a

Victorian walnut etagere what-not. A carved sideboard with full body winged

gargoyles supporting the upper shelves realized $2,420.

An Austrian bronze bird in a basket with marks, including Geschutzt, sold for

$2,310; a bronze nude from the Gorham foundry by artist Harriet W. Frishmuth,

$2,860; while a Bergman Austrian bronze pheasant, #5724, brought $1,320.

Rounding out the sale was a vast collection of interesting items, most notably

a Polyphon, coin-operated music box and 13 discs that brought $6,600.

An 800 silver centerpiece footed bowl with lattice work and repousse figures,

as well as floral garlands, sold for $935, while a 115 piece set of Tiffany

sterling silver flatware in the Flemish pattern made $4,125.

A multi-colored Navajo exhibition rug woven by four sisters, complete with a

letter from "The Garden Mercantile Company," Durango, Colorado, sold for

$6,050, and a Navajo wall hanging in two sections with full fringe on one end,

done in red, gray, black, white and tan, (43 by 48 inches) realized $2,530.

A Turkish Oriental rug, possibly Ushak, circa 1920, all-over floral design

with cartouche main border, 18'3" by 10'11", sold for $6,150; and a Sarouk

Oriental rug, Persian, circa 1930 with centralized floral medallion on an

indigo blue field, 2'2" by 4', $935.

A set of four concrete figures of the four seasons, each 3 feet tall, brought

$2,310; architectural lion heads of carved stone, 14 inches high by 14 inches

wide, $1,210; and seven carved dwarfs by Silvio Zoratti, original paint, $660.

DeFina's next general auction will be November 28 and 29 with a large private

collection of vintage dolls and toys. Sunday's sale will also include the rest

of the Jane D. Wynn estate and others. The next Americana and Fine Arts sale

is slated for Spring.

DeFinas is always interested in consigning and buying quality antiques for its

sales. For more information, DeFina Auctions, 440/275-6674.