Date: Fri 19-Jun-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: DONNAM

Quick Words:

Braswell

Full Text:

Furniture Finishes Strong At Braswell

w/11 cuts

NORWALK, CONN. -- Remember May 30. Hours of thunder and lightning. It crashed

Braswell Galleries' computer system.

When staff arrived on the morning of the June 1 sale of 1,581 lots, they

panicked. As bidders entered only one machine was up to register them. Kathy

Braswell, however, worked some technological magic, and the gallery registered

the 450 plus bidders and handled the more than 800 phone bids and 1,500

absentee bids.

The auction started strong, with Gary Braswell on the podium selling to a full

house.

The first of the afternoon session was an Italian marquetry inlaid games

table, which was hammered at $1,265. Four Eighteenth Century Italian armchairs

went for $1,552, while a LXV center table with parquetry inlay followed at

$3,450. A pair of KPM porcelain lidded urns ended at $2,185 (est $1/1,500).

Continuing the strong start were a Nineteenth Century canape for $1,955, a

Nineteenth Century octagonal stand with sample marble top for $460, and a LXV

style writing stand with unusual marquetry inlaid top with scholarly motif for

$4,025 (est $2,5/3,500).

Other highlights included a Nineteenth Century LXV style work stand fitted

with porcelain medallions for $1,610, a LXV style bergere for $1,495, a pair

of fauteuils for $2,990, a fine rosewood canterbury for $2,645, a Nineteenth

Century Continental bench for $1,265, and a pair of large Italian busts of

male and female Moors in various marbles for $7,475.

The highest priced single lot was a Nineteenth Century bureauplat in walnut

with black leather top and figural ormolu mounts. It sold for $14,950 (est

$6/10,000). Phone bidding was fierce as four phones competed with a packed

house.

"I wasn't really surprised by how well this piece did," Braswell said. "We

knew it was terrific and fresh from an estate. Anyway, we do estimate

conservatively. All in all, this was a great sale with most items from a Park

Avenue estate and an additional New York estate. The heirs didn't want any of

this great stuff. They might be surprised by how well we did for them."

Additionally, a fabulous pair of Adams armchairs hit $3,737, even with damaged

cane. An Italian pietra dura table top on twin cast lion supports reached

$5,462.50. A pair of demilune cabinets achieved $5,175, a LXVI daybed hit

$2,070, a LXVI bergere in toile upholstery garnered $1,035, and a pair of

Dunbar armchairs were a disappointment at only $632.50, one of the few

bargains of the day!

A bronze sculpture by A.E. Gaudez, titled "The Young Scholar," reached $6,325,

well over the estimated $2/3,000. A still life, artist unknown, reached

$1,610, and n early Continental oil on canvas depicting Christ the Shepard in

a Rococo frame went to a phone bidder at $1,725. Other items included a John

Sharp oil on canvas still life, "Queen Anne's Lace," that hit $862.50, an oil

on canvas landscape, artist unknown, that reached $747.50, an S.Y. Johnson oil

on canvas, "The Old Bridge," that reached $863, an Edwin Armfield painting of

terriers that achieved $1,380 and an oil on panel attributed to Jan Brueghel

the Younger that sold for $2,070. A Mildred Crooks Deco mixed media went for

$1,150, a Ted Jaslow etching was a good buy at $46, as were some Daumier

prints that slipped by between $25-75 each.

A reproduction walnut chest signed "Gill & Reigate, London" went for $1,955, a

Charles Eames bentwood room divider with later painted chinoiserie decoration

to one side fetched $5,290 (est $1,5/2,000). A pair of Italian black marble

pedestals hit $1,725, an Edwardian bureau bookcase was $4,887, a Horner carved

lift-seat bench also brought $4,887, an Italian eight-light chandelier took

$1,840, a pair of Blackamoor figural torcheres sold for $1,437, and an antique

marble-top bench went for $1,840.

A Nineteenth Century Sheraton style sideboard was $6,325; an antique lifesize

terrier nodder went for $1,380; a pair of German newer bombe chests took

$3,220; an antique lady's writing desk was almost double the estimate at

$1,610; a Nineteenth Century trumeau mirror garnered $1,725; an antique Queen

Anne beveled mirror sold for $1,265; an Eighteenth Century Rococo shield-form

wall mirror brought $2,185; a Federal-style bull's-eye mirror went for $2,875;

a Nineteenth Century Hepplewhite style sideboard reached $7,187; and a simple

Eighteenth Century Continental semaniere with diamond inlaid drawers went for

$2,300 (est $1/1,500).

A Carlton House style writing table hit $1,380; an antique three panel painted

dressing screen reached $2,300; a pair of Nineteenth Century bronze urns, now

lamps, were $2,645; a pair of Chinese enamelled candlesticks went for $1,150,

with losses to the enamel. An antique French trumeau mirror was $3,450, and an

Empire secretaire sold for $1,495. The Eighteenth Century Italian fruitwood

side table sold for $1,495, while an antique Renaissance style sideboard, made

up of old components, took $1,725. A LXVI style chandelier with blue opaline

glass center stem reached $4,600, and an Eighteenth Century torchere in silver

gilt was $1,840.

A pair of Federal brass andirons went for $1,380; a Napoleonic bouilliote

table was $1,955; a Nineteenth Century bureauplat took $5,462; an Italian

terra-cotta bust of Caesar was $2,300; and an interesting pair of small

dioramas sold for $747.

A set of 17 Copeland Spode luncheon plates were an eye-opener at $2,300; a set

of Hutchenreuther china, approximately 180 pieces, went for $2,760; a fabulous

set of 18 Wahliss porcelain soup bowls and under plates reached $2,530; and an

antique chinoiserie lacquer cachepot with original copper liner hit $747.50.

A set of Copeland fish plates, all 12 with different aquatic scenes and all

signed "J. Wallace," reached $2,530; an antique five piece Paris porcelain tea

set was $575; a tallcase clock, Nineteenth Century with handpainted dial,

brought $2,588; and an Italian provincial side table with cloven feet went for

$1,610. A ten piece oak Stickley Brothers dining set for Wannamakers went for

only $1,265, while a pair of floral tole sconces hit $2,185. A pair of floral

tole sconces hit $2,185, and a pair of decorative obelisks from Italy reached

$1,840.

An Edwardian tortoise and sterling desk set was hammered at $2,990, and a

complete Towle sterling demitasse set with matching tray, also sterling, was

$2,875.

For information, call 203/899-7420.