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Marion Antique Auctions held its April Adventure Sale on April 12, featuring 599 lots from the estate of Newport, R.I., collector and dealer Alan Gaines, along with other local collections. The sale realized over $550,000 with a 97 percent sell-through rate, exceeding expectations despite economic uncertainties. Nick Taradash, junior partner at Marion Antique Auctions, expressed satisfaction with the results, noting that both bargains and high-value sales were achieved. The sale attracted bidders from across the globe, including the UK, New York, the Midwest, and Tennessee.
The top lot of the auction was Sue Fuller’s “String Composition #210,” a 1962 string and Lucite artwork that sold for $44,800, more than quadrupling its high estimate of $7/10,000. The piece, measuring 36¼ by 36¼ inches, came from a private collection in Dartmouth, Mass., and was acquired by a private collector in the UK. Fuller, an American artist known for her innovative use of string in geometric compositions, created this black-and-white work, which was mounted in a metal and plexiglass frame.
Another standout was Hannes Beckmann’s 1965 oil on canvas, “Summation,” a yellow and black tessellation of squares. It sold for $4,920 to a trade buyer in New York. The piece, measuring 41 by 41 inches framed, had provenance to Kanegis Gallery in Boston and the same Dartmouth collection as Fuller’s work.
Marine and coastal scenes were prominent in the sale. William Bradford’s 1864 Arctic seascape, “Rescue From The Rocks,” fetched $8,100 from a private collector. The painting, signed and dated, depicted two boats near a rocky coast with an iceberg in the distance and included labels from Boston’s Vose Galleries and Haley and Steele. Bruce Crane’s serene beach scene, featuring vibrant blues and greens, sold to a trade dealer for $7,200. Louis Tielemans’ oil on panel, “Titian’s Studio,” a detailed depiction of an artist’s studio, achieved $4,080.
Silver items also performed well. A Georgian silver repoussé tea kettle dated to 1817, made by Edward Farrell of London, sold for $17,400 to a trade bidder. The piece, which featured intricate Neo-Classical designs, was reportedly a wedding gift from a British ambassador, possibly David K. E. Bruce. A 246-piece Gorham sterling silver flatware set in the Lyric pattern, weighing over 215 troy ounces, fetched $6,600.
Furniture highlights included a circa 1970s acid-etched brass and enameled bronze sideboard designed by Bernhard Rohne for Mastercraft, which sold for $6,300. Taradash speculated that this might have set a record for a Mastercraft sideboard. The piece featured a Brutalist design and came with two pages from the Mastercraft catalog.
Sculptural items also drew keen interest. A figural bronze garden fountain after Frederick MacMonnies’ “Pan of Rohallion,” depicting the Greek god Pan playing musical pipes, sold to a Midwest collector for $5,040. A Nineteenth Century Classical bronze bust of Ephebe, mounted on a brown marble base, achieved the same price. A large Nineteenth Century gilded copper eagle, possibly from a ship’s pilot house or architectural element, soared to $4,992 and will reside in a Tennessee collection.
Propaganda posters were another highlight. A set of six World War I recruitment posters, including three by James Montgomery Flagg, sold for $4,800, far surpassing their $500 high estimate. Another lot of 10 Hadassah fundraising posters from 1941, relating to relief efforts in Palestine, sold for $2,816 against a $500 high estimate.
Taradash reflected on the sale’s success, stating, “We were thrilled with how the sale went, especially given the economic climate.” Marion Antique Auctions is now preparing for its next sale, tentatively scheduled for late August or early September, and is accepting consignments. For more information, visit www.marionantiqueauctions.com or call 508-748-3606. All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium.
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