Date: Fri 29-Jan-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: DONNAM

Quick Words:

Cobbs-Easton

Full Text:

Coastal Scene Coasts To Top Slot At Cobbs

By Rita Easton

PETERBOROUGH, N.H. -- Following the spate of New Year's day auctions in the

area, The Cobbs hosted a January 2 auction at the Peterborough Town House,

featuring early American, Continental and custom furniture, dolls, Flow Blue

china, rugs, artwork, silver, and Oriental items.

Two hundred registered bidders competed for 400 lots, which included items

from a Massachusetts collector, a Vermont estate, a tribal rug collection, a

Francestown estate, and miscellaneous consignments. Charles Cobb presided at

the podium with a style defining auctions-as-show business, amusing the

audience with his wry asides.

Reaching the highest bid of the day at $9,900, an oil on canvas by Boston

artist G. Noyes depicted a New England coastal scene with a house on the

shoreline. It went to a private buyer on the floor.

Flow Blue was also a main attraction, with a large fruit compote with matching

underplate, stamped "Scinde," the underplate having pierced handles and a

pierced border, going to a buyer in the audience at $4,400. Flow Blue group of

six cups and seven saucers fetched $385, selling to a private buyer on the

floor; and a Flow Blue mug reached $77, going to a buyer on the phone.

A two-drawer lift top blanket chest with original brasses, standing on bracket

feet, made $4,950 to a member of the audience; and "MSA Company" knife with

stag leather and stag horn handle, having a Bowie style blade, circa 1915,

sold on the floor at $1,600; a grain painted blanket chest in old blue

achieved $2,750; and a Le Coultre pocketwatch made $1,650, selling to a

private buyer.

A French, Louis XV, six leg footstool reached $1,430; a Twentieth Century

French style walnut armchair upholstered in needlepoint fetched $720; a German

doll wearing original clothes sold at $1,430; and an elegant cast brass

candelabrum, standing slightly over 12 inches high, with a center candleholder

and two leaf embellished extensions on gracefully curved arms, having many

long crystal drops, was purchased at $330.

Prices quoted reflect a required ten percent buyers premium. The next auction

by The Cobbs will be held on February 20.