Chippendale chest soars to $34,500 at Fontaine's sale A grorgeous reverse serpentine mahogany four-drawer ball-and-claw foot Chippendale chest sold for $34,500 at a multi-estate sale held October 18 by Fontaine's Auction Gallery in Pittsfield, Mass.
News-Antique.com - Nov 03,2008 - (Pittsfield, Mass.) - A gorgeous reverse serpentine mahogany four-drawer ball-and-claw foot Chippendale chest, measuring 39-1/2 inches wide by 34-1/2 inches tall by 23-1/2 inches deep, sold for $34,500 at a two-session, multi-estate sale held Oct. 18 by Fontaine's Auction Gallery. The chest was the top lot in a sale that saw around 500 lots change hands and grossed a little more than $1 million.
The first session, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., comprised about 200 lots from the estate of Henry Brownell, a longtime antiques dealer from New Bedford, Mass., who passed away earlier this year. His estate, most of it early American period furniture pieces, was sold without reserve. The second session featured about 300 lots from prominent local estates, plus consignments from Oregon and Cleveland.
“I was very pleased with the results of this auction, considering we're in the midst of uncertain economic times,” said John Fontaine of Fontaine's Auction Gallery. “I think savvy investors are getting out of the stock market and into tangibles. And quality antiques and collectibles have historically done very well.” The auction was held in Fontaine's showroom, at 1485 W. Housatonic Street in Pittsfield.
Following are more highlights from the sale. All prices include a 15 percent buyer's premium.
Vintage rifles scored a bull's-eye with bidders. A nice Frank Wesson rifle with long scope, 45 inches long, hit the mark at $26,450; a T. Ketland & Company rifle, 59 inches long, etched with “W. Mathenson,” brought $12,650; an .80 caliber Civil War rifle made by the London Armour Company realized $11,500; and a Springfield flintlock rifle with walnut stock, marked “Tower,” rose to $10,925.
Furniture pieces did very well. A 9-piece figural carved walnut parlor set with standing putti, figural maidens and classical scenes chalked up $24,150; a Queen Anne tap table in red paint earned $23,000; an 18th-century walnut bannister back stenciled arm chair hit $20,700; and an early pine 5-drawer salesman's sample gentleman's chest in red finish with graduated drawers gaveled for $9,488.
Table lamps lit up the room. A Tiffany Studios dichroic Greek Key border table lamp, 22 inches tall, coasted to $25,300; a Tiffany Studios dichroic acorn border table lamp, 29 inches tall, commanded $21,275; a Tiffany Studios pomegranate table lamp with signed shade and base, 24 inches tall, garnered $12,075; and a Handel reverse painted autumn scene table lamp (#6549), 23 inches tall, made $7,475.
Fine art was served up in abundance. The star of the category was an original oil on canvas work by Adolph Schreyer (German, 1828-1899), titled The Startled Team, that climbed to $21,275. The work measured 71-1/2 inches wide by 45-1/2 inches high. Mr. Schreyer was known for his figural paintings in the Arabian warrior genre. Other original works of art that got paddles wagging included:
A signed oil on canvas ocean scene by Charles Henry Gifford (Mass., 1839-1904), done in 1882, titled Lobstermen. The work, 13-1/2 inches wide by 9-1/2 inches high, went for $10,350. Mr. Gifford was a noted marine, landscape
