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“California Sandstone” by Dan Corbin (American, b 1947), led Turner Auctions’ sale of the Applegate Collection with a $16,448 result. It will be going to a buyer in Pennsylvania ($8/12,000).
Review by Madelia Hickman Ring; Photos Courtesy Turner Auctions
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. — October 21 proved to be a day of contrasts for Turner Auctions & Appraisals, which presented two named single-owner collections in back-to-back auctions. First up, with 154 lots of Americana and English furniture and decorative arts, was the Davis, Calif., estate of Marian Hymel, who had been an antiques dealer in Los Gatos, Calif. The sale was more than 70 percent sold by lot and sold to buyers in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Later in the day, 125 lots from the collection of artist and graphic designer Reed Applegate, which offered primarily California contemporary art and found the bulk of buyers in California, successfully gaveled down more than 85 percent of lots.
“The Applegate sale did very well and what I expected it would do,” said Stephen Turner, president of Turner Auctions & Appraisals. “The Hymel collection was the first sale I’ve done in about 10 years that had furniture in it and I was surprised at how well it did. I was very pleased to get the collection and look forward to having more sales with a mix of furniture in them.”
Topping the Marian Hymel estate at $3,935 was this American red-painted hanging spice cabinet, 27 inches high, that dated to the first half of the Nineteenth Century. It sold to a buyer in Ohio ($200/400).
Marian Hymel Estate
Earning top-lot honors at $3,935 was an American red-painted hanging spice cupboard from the first half of the Nineteenth Century that brought nearly ten times its high estimate, from an Ohio buyer. Other painted boxes in the sale achieved $419 for a group of four painted ones and $290 for a red-painted small six-board chest with stencil decoration.
Fine art was a comparatively small category, with only about a dozen lots or so, but the examples in the sale achieved some of the higher results of the day, particularly folk art. A portrait of a young women, executed in oil on board and attributed to the Prior-Hamblin school, more than doubled expectations to trade at $3,161. A charming gouache on paper portrait of two sisters, each wearing green dresses with lace trim, more than tripled its high estimate with a $1,290 high bid. Making $355 and exceeding expectations was a Nineteenth Century American School watercolor on paper portrait of a young lady that was dated 1837 and cataloged as possibly by the “Puffy Sleeve” artist.
If estimated conservatively, American furniture did well. The top of the category was set at $2,967 for an Eighteenth Century Queen Anne maple wing chair from New England that was covered in a worn crewelwork upholstery. The chair was accompanied by a black and white photo that showed the chair without upholstery, suggesting the current upholstery was a later replacement. It was followed at $2,580 by a pair of Eighteenth Century Massachusetts Chippendale carved walnut side chairs with later needlework seats. Bringing $1,419 was a Connecticut Queen Anne carved maple flat top high chest from the third quarter of the Eighteenth Century that sported a later refinished and stained surface and replaced brasses.
This late Nineteenth or early Twentieth Century Serapi carpet, 9 feet 10 inches by 13 feet 10 inches, was a good buy at $2,322. The Massachusetts buyer who purchased it probably factored in the cost of shipping it across the country ($3/5,000).
Leading a small group of about a dozen carpets was a late Nineteenth or early Twentieth Century Serapi carpet, nearly 10 by 14 feet, which had been estimated at $3/5,000 but which seems to have been a bargain with a sale price of $2,322. A Northwest Persian rug, slightly smaller at about 9 by 12 feet, brought $2,193 and exceeded expectations.
Antique jewelry may have been one of the stronger categories. A group of three antique sepia mourning pendants and brooches brought $1,226 ($300/500), $1,161 for an antique diamond, ruby and 14K gold bangle bracelet ($600/800) and $903 for a lot of two gem-set and 18K gold rings ($200/300).
Applegate Collection
Results for the Applegate Collection seemed to outperform expectations, at least in the top lots. A mixed media figure of a female nude comprised of different sections of varying media by Dan Corbin (b 1947) titled “California Sandstone” stood 54¼ inches tall and led the sale, bringing $16,448 against an estimate of $8/10,000. It was one of two works in the sale by the artist; the other one did not sell.
Ira Yeager, oil and acrylic on canvas, 1969, “Elephant and Monkey with Flowers,” measured 95½ by 66 inches and sold to a buyer in Nebraska for $14,190 ($8/10,000).
Working in California, New Mexico and Mexico, artist Ira Yeager’s (1938-2022) untitled monumental oil and acrylic on canvas composition that depicted an elephant and monkey with flowers earned a second-place finish in the sale, going out at $14,190 and also exceeding its $8/10,000 estimate.
“It’s a Sealabration” by Maija Peeples-Bright (California, b 1942) was a colorful oil on canvas composition that abstractly depicted trees filled with sea lions, a yellow pillar filled with cheetahs, a sky filled with zebras and the bottom with blue, red and green fields. The $9,804 price may be a new world auction record for the artist.
Bidders who were hungry may have helped drive bidding on David Gilhooly’s (Oregon and California, 1943-2013) 1988 painted bronze “Tall Burger,” which stood 24 inches tall and depicted a frog on top of layers of hamburger patties, cheese and condiments. It was the top lot of 60 lots by the artist in the sale, most of which were prints; his “Fruit Descending the Staircase” brought $2,193.
Paul Wonner’s untitled acrylic on paper composition depicting a palm tree had an image size of 39-5/8 by 27-5/8 inches. It sold just above estimate, to an in-state bidder, for $8,772 ($6/8,000).
Paul Wonner (California, Arizona, 1920-2008) had two works in the Applegate collection; both sold, with his untitled pink acrylic on paper picture of a palm tree bringing $8,772 and a mixed media composition of landscape and figures bringing $1,290.
Rounding out the Applegate highlights at $5,289, Roy De Forest’s (American 1930-2007) untitled landscape with dog and heart was dated 1978. An undated lithograph titled “History of Flight” by de Forest that was number 12 from an edition of 30 sold within estimate for $968.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 415-964-5250, 888-498-4450 or www.turnerauctionsonline.com.
