December Sale Clinches Record Year for Clars Auction Gallery, Oakland, CA Clars Auction Gallery’s two-day “Wonderful Winter Estate Auction” was held on December 3rd and 4th in Oakland, CA with results of the sale making it the best December auction in the gallery’s 30+ year
News-Antique.com - Nov 30,-0001 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – December 12, 2005
For additional press information and photos contact:
Jayne Skeff
PR/Marketing Specialist
Clars Auction Gallery
(626) 296-6642
email: skeff@sbcglobal.net
For comments on this Auction, please contact:
Redge Martin, President Clars Auction Gallery
(510) 428-0100, email: redge@clars.com
December Sale Clinches Record Year for Clars Auction Gallery, Oakland, CA
Clars Auction Gallery’s two-day “Wonderful Winter Estate Auction” was held on December 3rd and 4th in Oakland, CA with results of the sale making it the best December auction in the gallery’s 30+ year history. The results of the December sale also contributed to making 2005 the most successful year overall for the company. Clars 2005 auction sales closed in at $7.5 million, an increase of 31% over 2004. Redge Martin, president of Clars Auction Gallery, attributes this year’s success to the new and aggressive marketing techniques they have implemented in addition to their live Internet bidding through eBay Live Auctions and Live Auctioneers.
There were over 1,000 registered bidders for the December sale. (Prices reflected in this release include the buyers premiums of 17% up to $70,000, 10% over $70,000 and 20% for online bidders). The Saturday session of the auction, which was the 2nd best in the firm’s history, proved unexpectedly exciting when a circa 1968 mid-century living room suite, which was estimated at $600 - $1,200, soared quickly in a bidding war to hammer at $8,775. The living room suite, which consisted of a pair of ebonized wood and waffle weave chenille boomerang shaped sofas and four side chairs, turned out to be designed by master modern designer Edward J. Wormley during the period when he was designing for Dunbar Furniture (pic #1). This living room suite sold on the Internet to a Los Angeles buyer.
The Sunday session of the two-day sale was the best December Sunday auction in the firm’s history with sales totaling in excess of $550,000. Fine art did particularly well with two paintings selling for well over their pre-sale estimate. The first was a signed and dated framed gouache on paper by Kitagawa Temiji (Japanese 1894-1989) entitled Jazz Musician (1935). Estimated at $3,000 - $5,000, this work sold for $9,360 (pic #2). The second was a signed framed oil on canvas by John Ferren (California 1905 – 1970) “untitled” (1950). Estimated at $1,000 - $2,000, this painting quickly soared to hammer at $7,605.
There were several lots of fine silver pieces. Among these lots was a pair of George III sterling silver lidded entree dishes by Paul Storr, London, 1793 (pic #3). This lot sold to Paul Storr’s great-granddaughter who was thrilled to have this work from her famous great grandfather. This lot sold for $12,870 (pre-sale estimate $14,000 - $18,000).
Three grand pianos were offered and sold in the Sunday session. Among these was a Steinway Model B grand piano, 1918, model number #190558. This piano sold for within estimate for $18,720 (pic #4).
Soaring well past pre-sale estimate was a Persian Tabriz, circa 1940. The pre-sale on
