Date: Fri 24-Jul-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: JUDYC

Quick Words:

EastCoast

Full Text:

Marbletop Victorian Table At East Coast

By Rita Easton

RUMSON, N.J. -- The personal collection of antiques from the mansion of Mr and

Mrs David Cafaro was auctioned on site on May 30 by East Coast Estate

Liquidators.

Museum quality and fine antiques, collected over decades by the Cafaros, were

offered for the first time. Included were 1,200 pieces of furniture,

glassware, listed paintings, more than 40 Persian rugs, estate jewelry, rare

books and accessories, and outdoor statuary and furniture. Four hundred people

were in attendance, generating a gross of nearly $1 million.

The coveted treasure of the day was a marbletop specimen table, an 1860

Victorian Renaissance example, the square top having a diameter of

approximately 40 inches, crossing the block at $44,000. The record price,

according to the gallery, was paid by a determined collector.

An oil on canvas signed "Carl Millner" depicting a landscape with water

reached $10,000; a mahogany pub bar sold at $10,000; a set of sterling silver

Francis I flatware by Reed & Barton reached $6,000 for 90 pieces; a tall case

clock in mahogany, circa 1910, a German-made Black Forest example, was

purchased at $18,000; and an important historic cuckoo clock with organ, from

John Carnegie's summer lodge in Jamestown, having figures of John Carnegie and

Henry Fipps, brought $9,000 for the lot in need of restoration.

A pair of mid-Nineteenth Century French bronze candelabrum in the form of

cupids holding upraised sconces, each sconce with four arms, realized $11,000;

a round oak table with winged griffin base, 60" in diameter, with heavily

carved apron, having ten leaves which opened the length to over 16 feet,

earned $6,800; and a crystal chandelier fetched $12,000. The 35 inch diameter

lot was attributed to Waterford, sold to a dealer, and achieved a record price

according to the gallery.

An oil on canvas signed "Francois Flameng," depicting a young gentleman

serenading a woman with a mandolin, reached $6,000; an oil on canvas of a full

length portrait of an elegant woman with a little girl, signed "Maude

Goodman," went out at $14,000; and a Gorham sterling silver tea set comprising

six pieces and tray, weighing approximately 300 ounces, reached $7,000.

A 3« foot high marble statue of a woman who appears to be feeding birds in a

garden, both hands broken off, achieved $3,500; a Tiffany & Company large,

fancy three-piece bronze clock set was purchased at $7,000; a five foot high

zinc garden statue signed "Fiske" went out at $6,000; an early American Empire

secretary, having double glass library doors with arched tops over the

slide-out desk, over two drawers, sold at $4,000; and a monumental walnut

figural sideboard with figural carved supports realized $12,000.

An Eighteenth Century Chippendale two-part linen press, having two panelled

doors over three drawers, reached $4,000; a Handel lamp, signed on the shade

and base, was hammered down at $3,200; and a fine Adams-style handpainted

commode with marble-top made $2,700.

Prices quoted do not reflect a required ten percent premium.