RARE NORTHWEST PERSIAN RUNNER STEALS SPOTLIGHT Dedham, MA - Grogan and Company's October Auction was a resounding success, achieving over 1.4 million dollars over two days and attracted over 1,000 registered bidders from sixteen countries.
News-Antique.com - Oct 31,2011 - The highlight of the auction, which comprised of an impressive and varied selection of items from several prominent New England estates, was a Northwest Persian/Trans-Caucasian Runner, circa 1860. The runner, rare for it's unusual white ground, sparked a lengthy bidding war between a collector in the room and a dealer on the phone before it finally hammered down for $33,350, well beyond it’s $1,500-2,000 estimate.
Highlights of Session one, the American and European Paintings offerings, included French Impressionist painter Henry Moret’s Les Glenans, Finistere. The pristine 12 x 18 inch oil on canvas drew international attention and sparked competitive bidding between 15 phone bidders, before finally selling for $54,625 (est.: $8,000-12,000). A set of Six Venetian Views attributed to 18th century Venetian artist Francesco Battaglioli, from a prominent Brookline estate, sold to a private collector for $37,375. Interestingly, the paintings, which were recently removed from the walls of the music room of a famous turn of the century art collector, will be installed in a newly constructed music room by the new owners once they are restored. The same Brookline estate also featured a Rare Pair of 18th century Venetian Three Light Mirrored Wall Sconces, which attracted significant pre-sale interest and sold over the phone for $21,850 (est.: $4,000-6,000).
Session two highlights included a 30 inch tall Native American Pictorial Coil Storage Basket, from a Little Compton Rhode Island estate sold to a California collector for $37,375 (est.: $15,000-30,000) and a an exceptional Wendell Castle Twisted Leg Writing Table, circa 1979, sold for $19,550 (est.: $15,000-20,000). An 18th century Russian Madonna of the Burning Bush Icon, bearing an exhibition label from the Hermitage Museum, noting the icon as formerly in the collection of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, last Tsarina of Russia brought $17,250 against an $8,000-12,000 estimate and a Russian Gilt and Silver Enamel Tea and Coffee Service, estimated at $5,000-7,000, sold for $6,900.
Earlier in the sale, an early Italian Crystal Intaglio Pendant depicting the Baptism of Christ in it’s original tooled leather case soared beyond it’s $1,000-1,500 estimate to sell for $13,800. The 5 ½ inch Pendant descended from Egerton Leigh Winthrop of New York and Newport. The sale concluded on a high note, when a substantial Art Deco Diamond and Platinum Bracelet, comprised of approximately 66 old mine cut diamonds totaling approximately 18.29 carats sold to a private collector for $31,050 over the phone (est.: $15,000-25,000).
“This was an exceptionally fun auction to conduct,” commented Michael Grogan, President of Grogan and Company, “We had more positive feedback from our clients than I’ve seen in some time.” With over 1,000 registered bidders representing sixteen countries across the globe participated in the bidding, Grogan and Company is getting ready to do it all again at their upcoming December Auction to be held on Sunday, December 11th. For more information about the auction or consigning items to our upcoming sale, please call the gallery at 781-461-9500.
