Sotheby's Important Americana Results

Sotheby's has released the summary on the recent Americana sale in New York.  Of course you are aware of the $5.9 million silver punch bowl I posted on the other day.  The American Sale totaled $13.33 million.  301 lots were offered for sale with 241 selling and 60 being bought in.  The sell through rate was a very good 80.1%.  The second highest selling lot in the sale was a Chippendale Figured Mahogany Bombe Slant Frond Desk selling for $689,500 against an estimate of $400,000/$1 million (see image).

Six of the top ten sold with the pre sale estimates, with another lot just over the high estimate (actually pushed over by the buyers premium) and three lots which sold for multiples of the high estimate, including the silver punch bowl, a two Federal paint decorated Baltimore Klismos side chairs, each selling as an individual lot for $194,500 against the pre sale estimates of $35k/$70k.

In addition to the main Americana decorative arts sale there was a single owner Chinese Export sale from the estate of Elinor Gordon.  This sale brought an additional $1.695 against a an estimate range of $850,000/$1.3 million. The Gordon sale sold nearly 95% of its lots.

Sotheby's stated

Leslie Keno, Head of Sotheby’s American Furniture, noted, “With over two thousand visitors coming through our exhibition and a packed saleroom, there was a noticeable energy and enthusiasm this season among both long-standing clients and many first-time bidders. We saw renewed confidence among buyers, which generated lively competition and strong prices.”

Nancy Druckman, Head of American Folk Art, said, “We were encouraged by the consistency of the quality of material on offer this season, and saw a perceptible energy and appetite among buyers.”

Leading the Saturday morning session of Important America including furniture, folk art and carpets was The Important Ranlett-Rust Family Chippendale Figured Mahogany Bombé Slant-Front Desk, Probably by Francis Cook, Marblehead, Massachusetts, circa 1770, which totaled $698,500 (est. $400,000/1 million). The desk is one of the rarest surviving examples of the esteemed bombé form; only twelve additional examples are known. Extensive research suggests the desk was made north of Boston, in Marblehead, Massachusetts and through careful
comparison with extant signed pieces the desk has been attributed to Francis Cook.

The Captain Samuel Morris Pair of Queen Anne Carved and Figured Walnut Rounded-Stile Compass-Seat Side Chairs, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa 1745, was also sought after, bringing $362,500 (est.$200/500,000). Standing as superior examples of the Philadelphia Queen Anne style, these side chairs display a unified sculptural design, extremely fine construction and high-quality carving rarely matched on other seating furniture in the era.

A recently discovered Important Federal Carved and Figured Mahogany Marble-Top Pier Table, attributed to Thomas Seymour with John Seymour, carving attributed to Thomas Wightman, circa 1805 sold for $218,500 (est. $100/200,000). The table is among the most sophisticated, ambitious and elaborate pieces of American Furniture made in the Federal period. Only three other tables of similarly ambitious design are known. The present table retains its original finish and imported marble top and has remained in a private Pennsylvania collection since the 1960s.

Two Federal Paint-Decorated Klismos Side Chairs Attributed to John and Hugh Finlay, Baltimore, Maryland, circa 1809 representing the apex of Federal style jumped to $194,500 each (est. $35/75,000 each).