12/31

PAINTINGS LEAD FAIRFIELD AUCTION SALE DEC. 12 w/6 cuts, disc

TG – #613891

NEWTOWN, CONN. — Fairfield Auction’s December 12 sale included a good selection of paintings, antique furniture, folk art and fine silver. With more than 350 registrants, including bidders from England, France, Italy, Germany and Malta, auctioneer Rosie DeStories sold 360 lots in just over four hours, posting a sales total of $458,275.

Paintings provided the two most expensive lots. A large winter scene by Charles Reiffel, 1920, discovered in a local home, lead the sale when it sold to the trade for $43,800. A portrait of a setter by John Martin Tracy crushed its $5/8,000 presale estimate when it sold for $36,800. The pristine late Nineteenth Century canvas was found in a Connecticut basement, having been stored in a crate and long forgotten by the family since moving to the countryside in 1961.

Other paintings that did well include a Francisco Zuniga pastel at $4,025 and works by Luis Graner and Edward Herberte, both selling at $4,312. A large canvas by Wilbur Dean Hamilton was a good buy at just $2,760, as was an original illustration of an automobile race by Peter Helck at $1,150.

Three solid gold medallions originally presented to Charles M. Schwab all found buyers from Pennsylvania. The highest price, $17,250, was paid for a Tiffany 22K gold medal presented by the people of Bethlehem, Penn., for Schwab’s efforts leading American ship building in World War I. The largest of the medals, at 753 grams of gold, earned $8,625 and the other brought $3,162.

A good selection of silver contributed to the strong totals. A German silver mounted and carved ivory tankard was hotly contested on the phones and the gallery floor before selling at $21,850. A set of four French sweetmeat stands hammered for $8,337 and from the same estate a large French silver cup brought $3,737. A partial sterling flatware service by George Angell of London went more than double its high estimate at $6,325 and a Durgin tea set performed well at $4,025.

Eighteenth Century silver by American and English makers attracted bidders as well. A pair of Queen Anne petal based candlesticks by Thomas Gilpin earned a top bid of $5,175 and a celler by Charles Adam of London hallmarked 1706 sold for $1,495. An American silver cann by John Coburn brought $3,162 and a porringer by John Burt made $1,725.

Furniture was lead by a George II burl walnut fall front secretary, which sold for $8,625. A George II burl walnut slant front desk went within estimate at $3,737 while good buys were had on an Italian baroque bed at $1,380 and a period marble top Italian neoclassical chest at just $1,092. A French Egyptian revival bed earned $1,725 and a Hepplewhite bow front chest in good order, $862.

Americana included a pair of weathervanes bringing strong prices. A centaur lacking his bow and arrow opened at $2,000 and climbed to $23,000 while a 32-inch painted rooster also did well, earning a final price of $12,650. A federal tall clock signed “Benjamin Swan, Augusta” attracted several bidders before hammering for $7,187 and a pair of benchmade copies, one a shaped top Deerfield cherry chest and the other a New London diminutive notched top chest with quarter columns, earned bids of $3,450 and $3,105 respectively.

Other items of interest included a Victorian platinum and diamond ring at $3,565, a pair of German porcelain plaques at $4,025, a group of four woodblock prints by Ohara Koson at $920 and a matching pair of fine Handel boudoir lamps at $4,312. A collection of Sandwich Glass cup plates and salts was sold in four lots for a total of $4,830 while a pair of limestone garden benches exceeded estimates at $1,092.

All prices include the 15 percent buyer’s premium. Fairfield Auction will conduct its next auction of antiques and fine art in February. For information, 203-364-1555 or www.FairfieldAuction.com.

1-7 MELVIN ARION PRESENTS YORK ANTIQUE SHOW

FOR JANUARY 7 –

MELVIN ARION PRESENTS YORK ANTIQUE SHOW – NO CUT –

TG/jl set 12-22 #614097

YORK, PENN. —The 144th Semiannual York Antiques Show & Sale is scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, January 28– 30, at Memorial Hall East, with the York Fairgrounds Convention & Expo Center.

The winter edition of this event will feature 96 carefully chosen exhibitors in room settings offering a truly impressive range of antiques. According to Melvin L. Arion, show manager, merchandise at the show will run the full gamut from Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century American and English furniture, both formal period examples in beautiful hardwoods and country pieces in original paint and decoration, to fine early porcelain like Staffordshire, delft, Canton, and Chinese export and pottery such as redware and stoneware, Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century American and English silver to Oriental carpets, quilts, samplers, and other textiles, estate jewelry to early kitchen and fireplace accessories, and more.

Show hours are Friday and Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm.

Admission is $8 per person.

For more information, 302-542-3286 or during the show only at 717-718-1097.