Rago Sells Work By Charles Rohlfs And Paul Evans In A 20th C. Auction Weekend
October 21st, 2014 - Lambertville, NJ
RAGO SELLS WORK BY CHARLES ROHLFS FOR $255,750 AND PAUL EVANS FOR $183,750
IN A $5.1 MILLION DOLLAR 20TH C. AUCTION WEEKEND, OCTOBER 18 AND 19.
Lambertville, NJ: Rago Arts and Auction Centers 20th C. Decorative Arts and Design Auction: $5,105,250 October 18 and 19, 2014.
Weekend Total Hammer: $4,093,000
Hammer + B.P.: $5,105,250
Low Estimate: $3,996,200
High Estimate: $5,609,450
Bidders in-house: 85
Bidders on phone: 295
Absentee Bidders: 102
Bidders online: 704 (Early 20th C. and Modern Ceramics and Glass); 808 (Modern)
Number of lots: 1077
Percent sold: 79%
Arts and Crafts was surprisingly strong, 90% sold and hammering well into the estimate range, said David Rago. In addition to solid performances by standards such as Newcomb College and Marblehead potteries (thanks to an important consignment from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art), we saw impressive prices for European work by French, English, and Hungarian makers such as Dalpayrat, Martin Brothers, and Zsolnay. The high lot of the sale, a rare and exceptional Gothic carved desk by Charles Rohlfs, brought $260,000, purchased by the Modernism Museum of Mount Dora.
Modern design, especially the Studio Craftsmen, a Rago speciality, were similarly robust. Paul Evans, George Nakashima, Phil Powell, and Wharton Esherick were nearly 100% sold and prices were among the highest paid since 2008, when the market first turned downward. Further, several contemporary furniture makers such as James Beardon and Burt Furnari had great traction, in spite of their recent entry into the secondary market. Finally, a strong collection of nearly 25 lots of Picasso/Madoura pottery blew away high estimates, and weavings after Alexander Calder were impressively solid.
Saturday, October 18: Early 20th C. Decorative Arts and Modern Ceramics and Glass
Hammer: $1,797,050
Hammer + 25% buyers premium = $2,246,313
Low Estimate: $1,415,800
High Estimate: $1,992,850
Number of lots: 504
Percent sold: 86%
16% of online bidders outside the U.S. (Early 20th C. and Modern Ceramics and Glass): Canada, France, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, Hungary, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, South Africa, Singapore and Australia.
Early 20th C Decorative Arts:
Hammer: $1,349,550
Hammer + 25% buyers premium = $1,686,938
Low Estimate: $1,020,250
High Estimate: $1,430,850
Number of lots: 320
Percent sold: 89%
Early 20th C. Decorative Arts Highlighted Lots:
77 Charles Rohlfs Drop-Front Desk $255,750
99 Newcomb College Tile Frieze $81,250
286 Galle Table Lamp $81,250
312 Tiffany Studios Dragonfly Floor Lamp $68,750
17 Harriet Joor / Newcomb College Early Vase $51,250
15 L. Nicholson / Newcomb College Early Vase with Bats $50,000
44 F.H. Rhead / Arequipa Vase with Pine Trees $32,500
222 Zsolnay Cobra Plate $32,500
1 George Ohr / New Orleans Art Pottery Vase $25,000
144 Giannini & Hilgart Chandelier $22,500broihier
Modern Ceramics and Glass:
Hammer: $447,500
Hammer + 25% buyers premium: $559,375
Low Estimate: $395,550
High Estimate: $562,000
Number of lots: 184
Percent sold: 79%
Modern Ceramics and Glass Highlighted Lots:
492 Yoichi Ohira Mosaico Vase $26,250
361 Maija Grotell Massive Vase $23,750
509 Stephen R. Powell Teasers Series $22,500
364 Peter Voulkos Stack Pot $21,250
413 Robert Arneson Self-Portrait Trophy Bust $21,250
494 Yoichi Ohira Polvere Vase $20,000
392 Gertrud and Otto Natzler Angular Light Vessel $18,750
488 Lino Tagliapietra Battuto Glass Vase $18,750
493 Yoichi Ohira Castagna Vase $15,000
515 Mary Ann "Toots" Zynsky Filet-de-Verre Bowl $15,000broihier
Modern Design: Sunday, October 19, 2014
Hammer: $2,295,950
Hammer + 25% buyers premium: $2,869,938
Low estimate: $2,580,400
High estimate: $3,616,600
Number of lots: 573
Percent sold: 74%
12% of online bidders outside the U.S.: Canada, Mexico, Paraguay, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa.
Modern Design Highlighted Lots:
601 Paul Evans Sculpture Front Cabinet $183,750
903 Harry Bertoia Monumental Sculpture Screen $135,750
830 and 831 Paul Evans Rare Wavy Front Cabinet $75,000 each
902 Harry Bertoia Mobile Tonal Sculpture $56,250
608 Paul Evans; Directional Deep Relief Cabinet $31,250
627 George Nakashima Persian Walnut Hanging Wall Case $46,250
663 Ado Chale Low Table $38,750
727 Gio Ponti / Singer & Sons Dresser $27,500
748 Ico and Luisa Parisi Pair of nightstands $17,500broihier
Consignments are now being accepted for the next 20th C. Design auctions, February 14/15, 2015 and all Rago winter/spring auctions: 609.397.9374 or info@ragoarts.com.
TO THE EDITOR
High resolution images/more information available on request.
About Rago Arts and Auction Center
Rago is a leading U.S. auction house with $30 million in sales in 2013. We serve thousands of sellers and buyers internationally with a singular blend of global reach and personal service. Rago holds auctions of 20th/21st c. design, fine art, decorative arts, furnishings, jewelry, militaria, coins and currency, Asian, historic ephemera, and ethnographic property. A world-class venue through which to buy and sell, it offers valuations for personal property (from a single piece to collections and estates), appraisals, estate services, exhibitions and lectures in house and online. Rago is based in New Jersey, midway between Philadelphia and New York City.
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