RAGO’S DECEMBER 2009 ESTATES, SILVER AND JEWELRY AUCTIONS BRING THE YEAR TO A CLOSE IN SPECTACULAR S Bidding opens at $2,500 for a pair of American Aesthetic Movement armchairs and closes at $390,400.
News-Antique.com - Dec 18,2009 - Lambertville, NJ Rago Arts and Auction Center ended the year in spectacular style with a two day sale that totaled $2,536,499 (reflects buyer’s premium of 22%.)
“I joked before the auction that the chairs would definitely sell for between $20,000 and $200,000,” said Tom Martin, the Rago Estates specialist who brought the chairs to auction. “Now David Rago will be making jokes about how low I estimated these for years to come.”
Saturday, December 5, 2009: Great Estates
• Hammer: $827,465
• Hammer + b.p. $1,009,507
• Top Lot: 133 - Pair of American Aesthetic Movement armchairs, ca. 1880/early 1890, similar to furniture associated with or executed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Sides, front, back and stiles embellished with glass mosaic. Sale Price: $390,400
Stored in a boiler room for 40 years, a pair of American Aesthetic Movement chairs with missing panels and parts sold for a hammer price of $320,000 + 22% buyer premium. The chairs were part of a larger consignment of property collected by a Philadelphia area couple whose hobby was weekend antiquing, inherited by their son and sold by his 70-year-old widow. The approximately 15 house and phone bidders came from throughout the Northeast, as well as California and Florida and were joined by more bidders online. A number were established clients at Rago’s, as it ranks in the top five of auction houses selling late 19th C./20th C. design in the U.S. Others had been contacted directly by Rago’s or found the sale online. Many bidders were still active in the $200,000 range, bested at the close by Mr. Eric Streiner, a New York collector.
1. Lot 44 Jade and cloisonne shrine, 18/19th C. seated Budda $103,700
2. Lot 60 Pair of Chinese cloisonne elephants, 19/20th C. $34,160
3. Lot 133 Pair of American aesthetic movement armchairs, ca. 1800 $390,400
4. Lot 498 Three Japanese Kutani vases, 19th C. $8,540
5. Lot 130 Regency style tortoiseshell chairs with horsehair upholstery $9,760
6. Lot 398 Dorflinger cut glass punch bowl set, early 20th C. $6,710
7. Lot 189 Grain-painted Pennsylvania Dutch cupboard, 19th C. $6,710
8. Lot 194 American red wash corner cabinet, ca. 1830-40 $6,100
9. Lot 264 William E. Skilling "Zebra" oil on canvas $5,795
10. Lot 317 Dog’s Head and Old Judge Cigarettes baseball cabinet card $5,185
Sunday, December 6, 2009: Jewelry, Silver, Watches, Currency
• Hammer: $1,251,633
• Hammer + b.p. $1,526,992
• Top Lot: 1327 - Cartier diamond platinum ring, circular brilliant cut, 3.15 cts. (G.I.A. certificate #15658339 states color grade F, clarity VS1, cut grade excellent, very good polish and symmetry, faint fluorescence), with eighteen round brilliants pave set in band, approx. .80 ct. TW. In original box. Size 6."$67,100
1. 1059 Wearable art collar by Art Smith, ca. 1950 $13,420
2. 1095 T150 Patek Philippe 18k yg wristwatch by Tiffany & Co, 2001 $42,700
3. 1174 French Belle
