Date: Fri 16-Apr-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: JUDIR

Quick Words:

Rago

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Arts And Crafts Records At Rago Auctions

LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. -- Prices for Arts and Crafts ceramics, metal and furniture

exceeded all expectations at David Rago's auction in Lambertville on March 7.

The sale, which grossed just over $1.3 million, was 96 percent sold at the

hammer and averaged over $3,000 per lot. The number of bidders, exceeding 500,

participating by phone, absentee and in-room.

The high lot was a fine two-color Grueby Pottery vase, recently discovered in

a Santa Barbara, Calif. estate. Estimated for $17/22,000, the vase blew past

its high estimate reaching $66,000. (this price, and all others include the

ten percent buyers premium) This price established a record for both Grueby

pottery and for any piece of Arts and Crafts pottery at public auction. The

previous record for a Grueby vase at auction was established at a Rago sale

last June, with a ten inch, three color vase hitting $42,000.

Marblehead Pottery, another key period Massachusetts ceramics, saw record

levels set twice at the same auction. An unusual tapering vase with stalking

panthers opened the sale at $18,700, several thousand dollars above the

previous auction high. Soon after, a handsome corseted vase with a

Secessionist flair brought a startling $36,300, well above its high estimate

of $12,500. It is interesting to note that both pieces had been purchased at

separate Rago auctions a decade ago, both setting records at that time for the

maker. The buyer of the second piece, who had been at the sale ten years ago,

remarked that he hadn't the money to buy it the first time around and was now

determined to own it.

There were nearly 100 lots of Mission furniture contributing to a carefully

balanced offering. Featuring high-end pieces by Gustav Stickley, the

Roycrofters, Limbert and L. and J.G. Stickley, prices were supported by

vigorous competition provided by the usual suspects. Much of the recent spike

in Mission prices has resulted from the same cadre of buyers traveling from

sale to sale across the country.

Several key furniture lots received the expected interest, and all of them

established new highs for their forms. A rare and early small, two-drawer

Gustav Stickley "Tavern table" with two short drawers mounted with faceted

wooden pulls, was blessed with its original, if slightly worn, finish. Fresh

from a New Jersey estate, the table brought $22,000.

Another early Gustav Stickley piece was a sideboard designed by Harvey Ellis.

From a Connecticut estate, and in good condition, it too brought a record for

the form at $22,000, well above its $16,000 high estimate.

While a Roycroft magazine stand from a private North Carolina collection sold

for less than either of these two pieces, it was perhaps the most surprising

furniture price of the auction. Magazine stands are valued and versatile

pieces, often doubling as night stands or small map tables in Period

interiors. This version, from the idiosyncratic Roycroft community, was a

sturdy example with a pristine, chocolate brown finish. Estimated fully at

$4/6,000, eight telephone bidders competed with a number of contestants in the

crowd, driving the price to $15,400.

Another Gustav Stickley piece was a rare and early "arched slat" settle. That

the form was found to be endearing is old news. That the wood was mahogany,

rather than the American oak from which the vast majority was made, was

news-making. It was only a matter of time before the disproportionate pricing

of oak versus non-oak would see a narrowing of the gap. The settle, in mint

original condition and from a private New York estate, sailed beyond its high

presale of $8,000 to $18,700.

Wrought metal, another of the period decorative arts, has remained a bulwark

of this auction series. Unlike Mission furniture, decorative objects such as

ceramics and metal were often one of a kind examples reflecting the whim of

individual artists "working in the moment." As such, a higher level of

expertise is needed to identify and evaluate such diverse works as those by

coppersmith Dirk van Erp or potter George Ohr.

There were several such advanced wrought copper pieces, two of which were van

Erp and brought well above their scrap weight. The first, intentionally

positioned as lot #1, was a "red warty" vase recently found in a Virginia

basement. The term for this work is derived from the process that formed the

piece. The "warts", or clearly-defined nubs are the original hammer marks that

raised the hollow form from flat copper. And its red jacket was from the

annealing solution van Erp used while making it. Though in some circles this

might be considered crude, in the Arts and Crafts vernacular, this is

essential. These works are considered rare and are aggressively pursued by a

small group of advanced, and monied, collectors. This vase, measuring only

nine inches, was large by most standards. With a high estimate of $8,000,

eight telephone bids were unsuccessful against a left bid of $13,000, and a

determined floor buyer who nabbed the vase at $15,400. It is the second

highest price ever paid at auction for a red warty vase.

A vase's patina is considered an integral part of a copper piece's decoration,

and an example bereft of one usually loses half its value. Another van Erp

rarity, a huge hand-wrought floor vase, had been stripped of its finish some

time ago, appearing in this sale with a new, excellent coating. Estimated to

sell for as high as $7,500, the vase brought a surprising $12,100. And an

early shade to a van Erp lamp, of copper and mica, with its original patina,

brought a strong $4,800.

As solid as the auction was, decorative ceramics remain the bastion of this

house. With over 200 lots by over 50 of the most esteemed potters and

potteries, the collection spanned a country full of advanced collector ware.

An exceptional Brouwer two-color drip vase, of exceptional execution and form,

set a new record at $10,500. Once again, the existing record of $9,900 was

earlier set by Rago. A curious piece of Rhead Santa Barbara, a large, bulbous

vase with sgraffito-decorated scarabs, established a record for this important

maker at $15,400. And yet another record was set for a pair of Charles Volkmar

pastoral vases painted in the Barbizon style. From a Connecticut estate, these

brought $5,500 in spite of damage to the glazing.

But the fireworks were reserved for the tried and true makers that have ridden

the crest of the market's revival. Newcomb College ware was comprised of 20

lots, with several extreme rarities thrown into the mix. George Ohr pieces

were similarly represented, as were the Rookwood and Grueby Potteries.

The high Newcomb College lot was an early three-piece high-glazed teaset,

decorated with incised and painted wheat. It brought just above its high

estimate at $15,400. An unusual scenic plaque from a New England estate was

equally solid at $7,150, and a lovely tapering vase with crisply carved,

bright yellow cactus blossoms, $13,200.

While none of the Ohr pieces matched the lofty heights set by the record price

of $44,000 achieved in Rago's last sale, the two dozen sold were more

consistently priced at or above high estimate ranges. The top lot, a tall

pleated vase with new restoration announced in the catalogue and by Rago at

the podium, still tripled its high estimate of $5,000 at $14,800. Also

noteworthy was a fine bisqueware vase with a deeply modeled "face," setting a

record for this nuance at $7,150.

In addition to the piece of Grueby that headlined the sale, other record

prices were paid for several forms, a fireplace from Massachusetts' famous

"Dreamwold" estate, with repair to each tile, brought $24,200; a fairly

simple, bulbous-bottomed vase with leaves reached $11,000, and another

smallish piece with repair called to the rim, $5,500.

Several pieces of Rookwood included an unusual carved porcelain vase by Kataro

Shirayamadani, decorated with wisteria sprays under a clear, high glaze,

$14,300; a bulbous and rare carved iris vase with dogwood blossoms by E.T.

Hurley, $4,800; and a smallish vellum plaque brought a hefty $4,100.

Rago has announced plans for his next Arts and Crafts auction slated for June

13, featuring the collection of well-respected dealer Raymond Groll, "The

Metal Man." Consignments are still being accepted for the next sale. Anyone

interested in consigning or purchasing its accompanying full-color catalogue,

call Rago's office at 609/397-9374, 33 North Main Street, Lambertville, N.J.

08530.