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#AmericansAbroad #RonaldSearle #ArtAuction #FineArt #CollectorLife #SandwichAuction #EugeneSpeicher #DonaldDemers #AntiqueFurniture #SterlingSilver #CapeCodArt #ArtCollectors #AuctionHouse #ArtHistory #ArtMarket
Eldred’s relaunched Sandwich Auction, a venerable Harwich, Mass., establishment with nearly 50 years of history, in early 2024. Originally founded in 1974 by Janet Johnson, who conducted sales in a tent before building a permanent structure in Sandwich by 1976, the auction house was later managed by Duncan Gray from 2004 to 2020 before being acquired by Eldred’s during the pandemic. Josh Eldred, of Eldred’s, explained the relaunch as a way to offer an accessible entry point for new auction-goers while providing a venue for collectors and dealers to acquire moderately priced items. The first two sales under Eldred’s management, held in mid-February, were online-only: a 264-lot Discovery Auction on February 12 and a 143-lot fine art auction, Collect: Art 101, on February 14. Both sales were well-received, attracting both longtime Sandwich Auction clientele and new bidders.
The Discovery Auction featured a mix of decorative arts, silver, and furniture, while the Collect: Art 101 sale focused on fine art, including works from the estate of Jim Lyons, a self-taught collector from Roslindale, Mass. The top lot across both sales was Americans Abroad, a sepia ink and watercolor drawing by Ronald Searle (1920–2011), which soared to $7,800 after being sourced from a Connecticut estate. The piece had been published in the December 23, 1957, issue of LIFE magazine, a detail discovered post-cataloging. Another notable highlight was Bouquet of Flowers by Eugene Edward Speicher (1883–1962), which led the Collect: Art 101 sale at $2,340, nearly ten times its high estimate. The artwork, a still life of flowers in a vase, was bought by a private collector in Illinois.
Donald W. Demers’ Just Beyond, an oil-on-board depiction of Cape Cod dunes from the collection of Henry and Sharon Martin, sold for $2,600. Despite its exhibition history at prestigious institutions, it fell short of its $4,000–6,000 estimate. In the decorative arts category, a five-piece repoussé sterling silver tea and coffee service by S. Kirk & Son of Philadelphia, engraved with the name “Meisenhelder,” took top honors at $3,900. A 105-piece mid-20th century sterling silver flatware set by Reed & Barton followed at $2,860. Furniture highlights included a set of six modern Windsor bowback side chairs by Warren Chair Works Company of Warren, R.I., which fetched $2,210, and a 19th-century Welsh dresser that sold for $1,950.
The Collect: Art 101 sale featured a strong selection of works from Lyons’ estate, including Soft, Lovely Autumn by Leo J. Meissner (1895–1977), a mixed media on paper landscape that achieved $715. Other notable works included Morning Mist, Maine by Val McGann (1928–2016), which brought $975, and a half-length portrait of Napoleon inspired by Jacques-Louis David’s famous painting, which sold for $780. A 20th-century American School landscape of a farmhouse exceeded expectations at $423, while Return of Spring, a wintry landscape by Floyd Gahman (1894–1979), sold for $390.
Both sales emphasized affordability, with no lot surpassing five figures, but the results demonstrated strong demand and competitive bidding. Gray expressed satisfaction with the relaunch, noting the warm reception from former clients and the support from Eldred’s team. The March Discovery Auction is scheduled for March 12, continuing the tradition of offering a diverse range of items to collectors and dealers. For more information, visit www.sandwichauction.com or call 508-385-3116.
