ALDERFER’S FINE, DECORATIVE ART AUCTION SEES FIERCE BIDDING w/5 cuts

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HATFIELD, PENN. — Collectors of such diverse items as modern and Impressionist art, period furniture and Nineteenth Century Americana converged at Alderfer Auction & Appraisal September 7–8 for the company’s fall catalog auction.

With more than 750 people bidding live in the auction center, dozens more on the phone, and more than 1,200 registered online bidders, bidding was fierce and prices were robust for the $1.7 million auction.

Before the catalog auction began, Alderfer hosted its regular Discovery Art Auction of 325 works of art highlighted by an unsigned Hudson River landscape, which after fierce floor bidding sold for $9,200.

The fine art auction began at 4 pm on Friday and ran simultaneously online with 243 paintings in Modernist, Realist, Impressionist and classical styles. A collection of George W. Sotter paintings consigned by family members drew a great deal of attention, with the largest, “The Valley of the Delaware,” selling for $97,750. Another four Sotter paintings from the same collection all commanded solid prices.

Despite a myriad of condition issues, but achieving top lot status, a William Trost Richards’ woodland landscape with trickling rocks and a pond hammered down at $172,500, against a $20/30,000 estimate. The paintings, mounted on board, had some inpainting and an added signature.

“Winter Afternoon,” an oil on canvas board painting by Fern I. Coppedge, who is often represented by Alderfer’s, fetched $21,850, a strong price as it was an atypical tonal paintings with subdued colors. The same painting was sold at Alderfer Auction in the early 1990s.

A winter scene of a village with snow falling by Walter Baum sold for $31,625 to a phone bidder. Another artist often seen at Alderfer’s Fine Art Auction was Ben Austrian, whose painting of chicks sold for $21,850. This painting, while small (8 by 10 inches) was unusual as it included a butterfly.

New to Alderfer’s was Harvey Dinnerstein’s panoramic dinner scene (44 by 88 inches) of a Jewish dinner with 12 figures. This painting, which sold for $11,500, had been part of the Balsch Museum collection, deaccessioned earlier this year and sold separately at Alderfer Auction.

Pennsylvania Impressionist paintings included William Langston Lathrop’s “Clouds” at $25,300, with provenance indicating it came from the artist. “Gray Day in the Harbor” by Harry Leith-Ross was a good value at $14,950. “Pinnacle, Late Winter” by Arthur Meltzer brought $17,250.

A large crowd gathered on Saturday for ephemera, jewelry, decorative accessories, period furniture and carpets. Jewelry prices were robust across the auction. Highlights included a Dudley pocket watch with Masonic works and markings on the face at $4,600 and a tourmaline jade and aventurine necklace at $4,025.

Americana offerings included a Nineteenth Century parade fire hat in its original wallpaper box that sold for $31,625. The top hat was for the America Hose Company, circa 1850s, and was painted with the owner’s initials. A George Stapf folk art eagle carved of wood and bearing its original paint realized $57,500 despite some damage and loss.

Of numerous Schwenkfelder watercolors, the most unusual was a signed Abraham Kriebel depicting colorful town buildings with flowers that went for $48,875.

“The scope of our fine arts auction may be wide,” said Brent Souder, director of fine and decorative arts, “but collectors and dealers know they can count on us for high quality pieces, no matter what their area of interest. The auction included many pieces with excellent provenance documentation.”

For more information, www.alderferauction.com or 215-393-3000.

Alderfer’s Fine, Decorative Art Auction Sees Fierce Bidding

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The top lot of the sale was this woodland landscape by William Trost Richards that achieved $172,500, despite condition issues.

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Americana highlights included a folk art carved eagle by George Stapf that soared to $57,500.

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Schwenkfelder art highlights included this signed Abraham Kriebel watercolor of a town with buildings and a bird that fetched $48,875.

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A Walter Emerson Baum painting, smaller than the record-setting Baum work Alderfer sold in June, commanded $31,625.

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A Nineteenth Century parade fire hat, marked for the American Hose Company, circa 1850s, accompanied by its original wallpaper hatbox, sold for $31,625.