Diverse Offerings: Asian Decorative Arts to a Pennsylvania Oil on Canvas Lead Sales at Garth's The diversity of the crowd reflected the range of lots offered as Garth’s Auctioneers hosted its 2010 opening auction of Fine Art, Furniture & Decorative Arts on January 29-30th.
inset with malachite and a base of stylized foliage and scrolls. A pair of bronzes, after Guillaume Coustou( French, 1677-1746), of facing 23” high statues of rearing Marly horses and grooms, raised the paddles of bidders until they sold for $2,585. A bold, rococo clock and candelabra set with brass clock works marked "E.J. Dupont, Paris" and the mark of "Boyer Fres. a Paris" on the candelabra were an easy sale at $2,115.
More 20th century items were available proving Garth’s has something for everyone. An assortment of Arts & Crafts furniture earned fair prices for the beauty, uniqueness and a high degree of artistic craftsmanship which is as important to buyers now as it was to the original followers of the Arts & Crafts Movement. A simple Roycroft chair with its original leather upholstery and finish sold for $1,058(Estimate $300-500). The Roycroft oak bookcase of tapering form with carved oak leaves on the sides may have had slight imperfections, but others may have seen that as an attraction driving the price to $4,406. The best of the Arts & Crafts items was the Roycroft blanket chest with mortised construction and a lift-lid with hammered iron hardware which sold for $8,435.
If your collection tends toward the more moderne, then the pair of chairs designed by Hans Wegner, ca.1965, commanded attention. A sleek oak design with cord seats, the chairs came with the original shipping invoice dated 1967 as well as the letter detailing ordering information and the brochure showing the chair. This trifecta of provenance information certainly aided the selling price of $1,880. For the true pop of color mid-century collectors often seek, bidders were drawn to the “Womb” chair and ottoman. From Knoll Associates of New York and designed by Eero Saarinen, the circa 1960-1970 chairs were constructed of bent steel, covered in a tomato red upholstery, and sold for a reasonable $1,821.
For more information about other outstanding prices achieved during the January 29-30 sale, please visit www.garths.com. The next Garth’s auctions will take place with an Americana sale featuring historic firearms on March 26 and 27, 2010 and an Eclectic sale on April 2nd. All catalogs are available for review approximately two weeks prior to the auction date at www.garths.com. If you are interested in consignments to these or future sales, contact Garth’s offices at 740.362.4771 or info@garths.com.
