Date: Sat 04-Jul-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: JUDIR

Quick Words:

Albany-Gallery-Siena-College

Full Text:

Albany, Patrick Thomas Sells Siena Collection

(w/4 cuts)

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. -- On May 30, The Albany Auction Gallery, in association

with Patrick Thomas & Partners, conducted The Siena College Deaccession Art

and Antiques Auction held on the college grounds.

This event attracted an overflow crowd of bidders, evenly divided between

dealers and retail buyers, and hundreds of telephone and absentee bidders. A

high volume of international and American phone bidders included dealers from

England, Germany, Canada, Scotland, Ireland and Italy.

Guiseppe Sciuti's "Frederick Barbarosa's Triumphant Entrance into Palermo"

sold on the phone to a London dealer for $66,000. This 90 by 110 inch oil on

canvas generated pre-sale interest due partially to its historical

significance and composition and style.

American and European paintings included a collection of Old Masters, among

them Francois Bruneri's oil on panel, "The Cardinal," probably the finest work

of those sold, which fetched $51,700 from a London dealer. An oil on canvas

landscape of a woman standing on the bank of a pond by A.T. Bricher sold to a

California dealer for $42,900.

Other big hits included Adrien Moreau's oil on canvas, "Fete Galante," which

sold for $26,400; "The Chess Player," by Guilio Rosati, which brought $22,000;

and Eighteenth Century Dutch Master oil on canvas village scene, which

realized $19,800; Manfred Trautchold's "The Wedding Party," which garnered

$14,300; and a wooded river landscape by George Lambert, which rang up

$12,100.

Franz Burghardt's K.P.M., "Queen Louise of Saxony," was a surprise, selling on

the phone to a dealer in Ireland for $18,700.

Siena's four by seven foot carved and polychromed alterback, ("Reredos,")

dated 1529, realized $22,000.

The antique furniture category was led by an Eighteenth Century English

satinwood and inlay secretary desk, which sold for $15,400; followed by a

large marquetry top library table, with intricately carved griffins and

columned tressel, circa 1870s, attributed to Herter, which brought $7,150; and

an early Blackamore throne chair, probably Florentine, which brought $6,900.

Another winner in this category was an Eighteenth Century American Chippendale

secretary, which sold for $7,100.

More than 16 bronzes were highlighted by "St Michael Slaying the Dragon,"

signed E. Fremiet, which brought $5,100. A three-piece set of Joan of Arc and

two armored warriors holding candelabra, signed Gretcher, fetched $4,900 while

Pierre Jules Mene's "Fox Hunt" sold for $3,300, followed by Emmanuel Fremiet's

Joan of Arc at $3,100.

A monumental Oriental serpentine fountain with seven spouts attracted the

heaviest bidding in the garden category, bringing $7,200. Dog lovers pushed a

Nineteenth Century zinc dog to $4,100.

Two Edgar Brandt signed pieces, a wrought iron and marble top table and a

wrought iron plant stand, sold for $8,250 and $4,700 respectively. A Pairpoint

lamp, with a closed top floral 14 inch blown glass shade in a silver plated

base, brought $7,100, while a Pairpoint lamp, with pink papillon eight inch

shade on base, sold for $4,100.

Americana included an Eighteenth Century Philadelphia sampler, in a labeled

John Elliot frame, which realized $5,500. A retail buyer took home an Italian

night clock, a bronze figure of a woman and child, circa 1830s, for $3,200.

"Siena College is extremely pleased with the end result of the auction. The

event attracted global attention to Siena, while generating a sizable amount

of money to purchase new art for our new Standish Library," stated Fr Kevin E.

Mackin, OFM, Siena College president.

Sell through exceeded 95 percent. More than 320 registered bidders and over

400 bidders and spectators were present in and around the tent. Total sales

exceeded $650,000. The auction also included additions from local estates and

institutions.

Proceeds raised from the Siena College collection will be used to acquire

modern works of art and works by regional artists for its new library, which

will be completed in the fall of 1999, a $13.5 million facility.