Date: Fri 27-Feb-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: SHIRLE

Quick Words:

Braswell

Full Text:

Record Sale For Braswell

w/6 CUTS

NORWALK, CONN. -- On February 9 Braswell Galleries held a record auction,

where, in one session, the firm sold over 1,700 lots for a total of $1.6

million. Featured were items from two New York estates; the estate of

Elizabeth Thibaut of Greenwich, Conn., and Long Island, N.Y.; as well as

late-coming items from the estate of Helen Silberfein.

More than 2,700 absentee and phone bids competed with a packed gallery and

annex building. Some 750 bidders were registered, among them participants from

Los Angeles, New Orleans, North Carolina, Boston, and points beyond.

"Coming on the heels of our tenth annual New Year's Day sale, itself a record

setter, this sale gives us great hope and enthusiasm for the coming year,"

said Braswell.

Among the highlights was a Venetian Eighteenth Century painted commode, which

sailed over its estimate of $8/10,000 to net $21,450. Other standouts included

a Regency rosewood canterbury, which sold for $2,900; a pair of rock crystal

sconces which sold for $10,950; a Regency Carlton House desk, which sold for

$13,000; an English Regency inlaid mahogany bookcase cabinet, which brought

$13,000; and Eighteenth Century hall table, inlaid, with a handcut marble top,

which sold for $9,075; and an American cherry Pembroke table, which sold for

$2,090.

A mahogany canterbury brought $1,980; a Neo-classical tric trac table, with

original ivory gaming pieces, realized $7,975; a double pedestal desk reached

$5,280; a Lifetime Mission oak bookcase rang up $2,920; a Louis XV Period

walnut commode fetched $17,600; a yew wood sofa table earned $4,840; and an

Eighteenth Century French Empire console, with rose marble-top sold for

$12,100.

A dining set with double pedestal mahogany table and 14 leather Empire style

chairs sold for $14,850; a pair of Eighteenth Century Continental walnut

consoles sold for $7,150; a Federal carved gilt wood girandole, with eagle

crest, sold for $7,150 (in poor condition); a Louis XV walnut commode sold for

$17,050; an Eighteenth Century Georgian tea table sold for $9,075; an

Eighteenth Century secretary cabinet sold for $14,520; and Eighteenth Century

tall case clock sold for $5,280; a rosewood drum table, with satinwood banding

and medallion inlays and unusual swing-out drawers, brought $13,750; a pair of

late Eighteenth Century consoles, in green paint with matching wall mirrors,

sold for $13,200; and an English Eighteenth Century mahogany wardrobe brought

$10,950.

A Tiffany Favrile glass bowl was hammered to $2,860, and Tiffany Favrile glass

floriform vase went for $4,180. Two pieces by Lalique, a smoky glass vase with

birds and berries, and an unusual green teardrop form vase went for $1,760 and

$3,080, respectively. A Rookwood vase with silver overlay netted $1,760, while

its twin, although cracked, went for $1,100. A Tiffany Studios desk set, in

grapevine pattern with slag glass, ten pieces, sold for $1,650.

A Zuni pottery jar brought $4,840; a pair of massive bronze and faux marble

sconces sold for $5,500; a matching pair with real marble sold for $9,625; a

Neo-classical marble and bronze chandelier sold for $7,700; a pair of

Nineteenth Century ormolu and cut glass girandoles sold for $7,172; and 14

bronze sconces with allegorical figural supports sold for $14,730.

A Winchester rifle, number 149910, went way over estimate to bring $7,172. A

Regency chandelier, Nineteenth Century, 38 inches tall, went for $8,250 and a

massive German porcelain framed wall mirror, with putti and floral garlands,

went for $5,225.

Fine art included an oil on canvas by Thos. B. Craig, which sold for $3,120; a

Hokusai woodblock print, which sold for $1,210; a Leonard Ochtman oil

landscape which made $4,070; a Walter Launt Palmer pencil and gouache winter

landscape, which sold for $6,610; and an Emile Gruppe oil on canvas winter

stream landscape which went for $9,350.

Among silver lots a Gorham Martele three piece child's set (bowl, plate and

mug) sold for $4,625, and a large Tiffany sterling bowl sold for $3,740. All

prices include a ten percent premium.