Date: Fri 23-Apr-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: SARAH

Quick Words:

ElDRED'S

Full Text:

Eldred's Americana At Auction

with 4 Cuts

EAST DENNIS, MASS. -- Spring arrived in time for the Americana at Auction held

April 3 at the Robert C. Eldred Co. The popular spring sale attracted a crowd

which meant standing room only in the auction room for a while and the parking

lot filled to capacity.

The top lot of the day was an oil painting titled "Winter Morning, 5th Ave."

by Guy Wiggins (American, 1883-1962) which was purchased for $26,400 by a

collector in the audience who bid against order bids and a bank of telephone

bidders. Other prized paintings were a large oval oil painting titled "The

Ausable River, New York" by George Henry Boughton which brought $6,050, an oil

of a moonlit harbor scene by Charles henry Gifford which sold for $4,290, and

a full-length portrait in watercolor of Daniel Bobb III (1797-1879) attributed

to Jacob Maentel (American, 1763-1863) which was hammered down at $3,960.

Three paintings each bringing $1,760 were an unsigned Nineteenth Century oil

on canvas of a fishing still life in a landscape, an oil portrait of a

two-masted schooner at twilight by Warren Sheppard (American, 1858-1937), and

an oil titled "Maine Shore" by Gifford Beal (American, 1879-1956).

The most notable clock was the late Eighteenth/early Nineteenth Century

mahogany tall clock by Isaac Brokaw (1746-1826) which was purchased by a phone

bidder for $17,050. Other clocks were a walnut calendar clock by Benjamin B.

Lewis & Son of Bristol which sold for $3,080, and an E. Howard & Co of Boston

lyre clock which wound up bringing $2,530. Furniture pieces attracting

attention were an antique American Chippendale secretary in mahogany bringing

$5,775, a Nineteenth Century Shaker eleven drawer tall chest reaching $4,950,

and two antique American pine stepped back kitchen cupboards selling for

$4,400 and $3,960. A Sheraton sideboard owned by a Cape Cod resident, who was

offered $200 for it prior to consignment, was thrilled to find it selling for

$3,960 at auction. An antique Pennsylvania six drawer chest in walnut with

three small drawers above three graduated drawers and an antique American two

door hanging wall cupboard in pine with six lights, each brought $1,430.

Notable silver lots were a George III silver inkstand with marks for Henry

Chawner and John Eames of London 1797 for $2,750, and a pair of Continental

silver mounted and cut glass claret jugs with Art Nouveau foliate motifs for

$2,640. Other silver lots were a sterling silver partial flatware service for

18 by Wallace in the "Grande Baroque" pattern bringing $2,860, a sterling

silver tray in the "Durham" pattern for $550, and a sterling silver flatware

service for eight by Kirk in the "Repousse" pattern for $990.

In the "smalls" category, there was a wonderful and rare papier mache

mechanical bulldog poll toy which was sold to a delighted breeder of bulldogs

for $1,980, a pair of octagonal hanging tin lanterns for $1,650, and a circa

1890 weathered, molded and gilded copper horse weathervane for $1,980. Other

items were an antique rose mandarin baluster form vase for $825, a Nineteenth

Century kaleidoscope $880, an Eighteenth Century blue and white delft charger

for $467.50, an antique American glass one quart cabin form bottle inscribed

"E.C. Booz's Old Cabin Whiskey" for $550, an antique Regency fire screen $550,

and a sailor made model of a three masted ship for $715.

An old eleven foot by 19 foot Bidjar was consigned by a family who had almost

thrown out the rug because it was threadbare and torn. $14,850 was the final

bid for it and experts said the rug will be beautiful after a two year

restoration. Other valued rugs were 7 foot by 10 foot Keshan for $6,160 an

eight foot by 10 foot Indo-Herati for $5,390, a nine foot by thirteen foot

Heriz for $3,300 and a four foot by seven foot Keshan for $3,080.

Eldred's next sale is the Fine & Decorative Auction on May 1, followed by the

Spring Oriental sale on May 22. Currently cataloging for the summer sales,

Eldred's urges interested parties to contact them at 508/385-3116.