By Carole Deutsch PASADENA, Calif. — Collectors who were looking for exceptional decorative arts had to go no farther than John Moran Auctioneers’ Feb. 18 auction. The 222 elite items that comprised the eclectic sale, which was characterized by its high quality and impressive provenances, were represented by Continental, English and American furnishings from the early 19th to the 20th century. Fine art and bronze sculptures, Asian artifacts, hallmarked silver from the finest makers, exceptional porcelains and an outstanding selection of clocks were all part of the sale that brought strong prices in every genre. Moran is a leading regional auction house that has earned a reputation for careful documentation and in-depth research of its product. Discriminating bidders competed aggressively for many pieces that were judiciously authenticated and cataloged in great detail, resulting in prices that exceeded presale estimates in every segment of the sale. A Gorham Martele .950 silver jardinière was cataloged with information derived from the Gorham archives, which stipulated that the bowl was begun Nov. 20, 1899, required 40 hours to make, and was chased by G.A. Achillertim, who spent an additional 108 hours on the piece. It was made in Providence, R.I., and bore an eagle mark over a canceled lion-anchor-’G’ mark, and was further marked ’’950-1000 FINE’’ and also had a sample number 2184 and a date mark. The oval-shaped bowl had an undulating everted rim that was chased with foliage and blossoms on stems extending downwards along the interior of the lobed walls. It stood on four foliage-decorated pad feet, was engraved at the center with the monogram ’’MB,” measured 4 ½ inches high by 18 ½ inches wide 14 ½ inches deep, weighed 80 troy ounces, and was derived from a private San Luis Obispo, Calif., collection. The catalog noted that the original production cost was $300, which did not hinder the eager buyer from paying a total of $34,513 for the sought-after item. Prices reflect a 20 percent to 25.5 percent buyer’s premium. Asian artifacts were in great demand as usual, but this sale recorded aggressive prices that toppled the estimates on many of the lots in surprising numbers. A Chinese carved jade bowl, bearing a Qianlong mark, was circular in shape with a moderately flared rim and stood on a circular short base. The exterior of the 6-inch-diameter piece was etched with four birds perched among flowering branches. The bowl, which opened at $500, was estimated at $1,000 to $1,500, but realized the sum of $20,400. A Chinese carved hardwood ruyi scepter from the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) had an oval head inset with a nephrite plaque carved with two bats and a peach. The 18 ½-inch piece had a pierced ’’S’’ form handle that was inset with nine carved plaques of various shapes and materials that included glass, turquoise, serpentine, and quartz. It was estimated at $3,000 to $5,000, but keen interest in this intricately detailed work drove the price to an unexpected $31,200. A Chinese two-piece erotic mystery panel from the late 18th to early 19th century was made of a silk-covered board that was polychrome-painted and applied with carved colored stone and bone. The inset sliding top lifted to reveal a couple in an amorous embrace in a garden setting. The 9 ¾-inch-high piece sold for more than five times the high estimate to achieve $11,685. An unusual cold-painted bronze figural lamp by Franz Bergman, circa 1900, Austria, had an impressed ’’B’’ amphora foundry mark and was stamped with illegible letters or numbers. It dramatically depicted an Arab figure seated on a camel beside a lagoon that was represented by a covering of rippled glass. A woman was portrayed drawing water from the lagoon that was shrouded with a canopy built into a palm tree, where woven carpets and a hanging lantern were suspended. This setting was elaborately detailed, stood an imposing 33 inches high by 10 ½ inches wide by 12 inches deep, and commanded $18,000. A sum of $14,400 was paid for a pair of figural Knights that were made in sterling silver, circa 1960, each one being partially gilt with an ivory face and hands. They were heavily laden with elaborately appointed armor; one carried a drawn sword, and the other held a spiked mace. Both were mounted on a green marble base and stood 21 ½ inches and 22 ½ inches tall. A late 19th to early 20th century white marble figural sculpture, titled Leda and the Swan, was an artistically excellent depiction of the Greek mythological legend. The work was unsigned and estimated at $880 to $1,200, but opened at $400 and sold for an impressive $5,700. Fine art featured a watercolor and gouache by Jean Dufy (French, 1888-1964), ’Port de Honfleur, that portrayed a French harbor village scene with boats and figures in the foreground. The catalog noted that the work will be included in the catalogue raisonne of the artist’s work, currently in preparation by Jacques Bailly, no. 4382. It sold with the original black and white photo certificate of authenticity, signed by M. Bailly and dated 6 November 2013, for $18,375, against an estimate of $6,000 to $8,000. A handsome late 19th to early 20th century French Boulle marquetry tall case clock was signed ’’F. Dardenne a Orleans.’’ The dial had white porcelain cartouches with Roman numerals set in a tortoise shell-inlaid case that had a figural image of Father Time as a central finial. The extensive Boullework was further embellished with a sunburst mask and pendulum and stood on acanthus-cast paw feet. The highly presentational piece stood 92 inches tall and commanded a price of $21,600. |