ACOMOA PUEBLO OLLA & RAMSES FIGURAL PERFUME SHINE IN CORDIER AUCTION JUNE 11 & 12 A large 1920’s Acoma Pueblo olla realized $8,000 and a Ramses figural perfume in the shape of a sphinx saw $7,000 in Cordier Antiques & Auctions’ Two Day Antique & Fine Art Auction in Camp Hill, PA.
under low estimate at $6,500. A 19th century French tric trac gaming table with provenance tracing it to Monte Carlo was estimated at $5,000 to $7,000 but unfortunately failed to find a buyer. An early 19th century Windsor bench with provenance to Carlisle, Pennsylvania stayed in the area selling within estimate at $1,300.
A large part of Sunday’s sale featured ethnographic arts. Among 50+ lots of Native American was a large circa 1920’s Acoma Pueblo olla. In excellent condition, the olla saw strong bidding entirely online. Estimated at $1,000 to $1,500, the bidding opened at $550 then quickly accelerated before hammering down at a final price of $8,000. The internet was also successful on a circa 1920 to 1930 Teec Nos Pos weaving at $1,300, one of several Navajo weavings in the auction. Over fifty lots of African arts were offered including ivory, masks, and figures with expected results.
Over ninety lots of Asian arts were offered in Sunday’s session including ivory, jade, netsukes, ceramics, and woodblocks. By far the highlight of the entire two day auction, and the most surprising, was a 19th century Chinese dragon robe. Beautifully embroidered overall with circular dragon motifs and a sea wave design along the hem on an Imperial yellow ground, the robe was in fine condition and estimated at $750 to $1,500. However once bidding opened online at $16,000, it was clear the robe had garnered incredible interest. Bidding continued strongly on the internet with several phone bidders biding their time as the bidding approached $60,000. The bidding then continued between a single internet bidder and a single phone bidder before being hammered down to the phone at $67,000 amid a round of applause.
Additional Asian pieces saw very strong results as well including a small Chinese carved jade sculpture of a pomegranate. Estimated at $150 to $300, the piece hammered down to the internet at $1,300. Another pleasant surprise was a small brass Indian Avalokiteshvara figure having eleven heads and eight arms in different mudras. Retaining some of its original gilding, the piece soared past its $100 to $300 estimate to hammer down at $4,000 to a collector in the room. The same bidder was also successful on a Chinese carved ivory figure of Quan Yin at $1,800 (estimate $200 to $400) and a carved ivory covered tusk vase at $1,800 (estimate $500 to $1,000).
Sunday’s auction concluded with fine art including paintings, bronzes, and prints. The top lot of art was a large oil on canvas by Eduard Steinbruck (German, 1802-1882) portraying a woman seated on a rock with three small children. Estimated at $5,000 to $7,000, the painting sold within estimate at $6,000. A smaller oil on tin attributed to Steinbruck and entitled Le Jeu des Sylphides (The Game of Sylphs) also sold within estimate at $1,600. A watercolor by Marino Marini (Italian, 1901-1981) entitled Cavalier et Cheval, Jaune et Bleu sold just under low estimate at $9,000 while an oil on board of a nude by Warren Davis
