Two bronze figural dancers hit $60,950 at Leland Little A pair of gilt bronze figural dancers, executed by the French artist Agathon Léonard (1841-1923), sold for a combined $60,950 at a Fine & Decorative Arts Cataloged Auction held Dec. 5 by Leland Little
News-Antique.com - Dec 10,2009 - (HILLSBOROUGH, N.C.) – A gorgeous pair of gilt bronze figural dancers, executed by the renowned French artist and sculptor Agathon Léonard (1841-1923) sold for a combined $60,950 at a Fine & Decorative Arts Cataloged Auction held Dec. 5 by Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. It was the final sale of the year for the firm in its new state-of-the art gallery, at 620 Cornerstone Court.
Agathon Léonard was the pseudonym of Van Weydveldt. He gained fame in 1900 with the debut of “Jeu l’echarpe,” originally created for Sevres in fine porcelain as a centerpiece and based on the fluid movements of Loïe Fuller in her famous scarf dances. The sets sold out and Léonard created the figures in bronze in varying sizes. The two sold are 21-¾ inches tall and epitomize the Art Nouveau movement.
The bronzes were the top lots in a sale that saw nearly 750 lots change hands. Around 250 people packed the building, while over 700 bidders registered online, through LiveAuctioneers.com, prior to the sale. Also, pre-absentee and phone bids numbered 1,300. “This was a great sale to wrap up the first year in our new showroom,” Leland Little commented. “We look forward to continued success next year.”
The auction was preceded by previews, an evening reception and a special lecture by June Lucas, the director of research at Old Salem Museums and Gardens in Winston-Salem, N.C. Ms. Lucas’ talk was titled Wood on Canvas: the Paint-Decorated Furniture of Piedmont, N.C. It centered on the late 18th and 19th century furniture makers in the Piedmont region of the state and their use of paint decoration.
Following are additional highlights from the sale. All prices quoted include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
The next top lot after the Leonard bronzes was an extremely rare Edgefield District “Dave the Slave” 5-gallon ovoid form jug, with applied ear handles and an even medium brown alkaline glaze. The inscribed and dated (1857) piece sold for $26,450. Also, a Jugtown (North Carolina) Chinese blue “Tang” vase, Oriental translation form, with applied extruded handles and wine glaze fetched $1,495.
Fine art commanded strong prices. A still life on canvas by Paul Lacroix (NJ/NY, 1827-1869), housed in the likely original gilt wood frame and signed lower left, brought $21,850; an oil on canvas by Aldro T. Hibbard (MA/VT, 1886-1972), titled Snow Scene in Moonlight, signed and framed, hammered for $17,250; and a bronze creation by Anna Hyatt Huntington (1876-1973), titled Bear, realized $4,600.
American period furniture got paddles wagging. An early 19th century Southern chest on frame (Rowan County, N.C.), walnut with yellow pine secondary, rose to $17,250; a Southern Chippendale step-back cupboard (Western N.C., circa 1800-1820), one piece form, climbed to $13,800; and a fine Southern Hepplewhite inlaid cellaret (probably Virginia, circa 1800), mahogany, topped out at $6,900.
Also, a mid-19th century Southern Sheraton server (Guilford County, N.C.), cherry with poplar secondary, earned $2,760, about double the high estimate. Tops among Continental furniture pieces were a Louis XV-style Belle Epoque
