MT. CRAWFORD, VA, April 27, 2023 —- TheJeffrey S. Evans & Associates April 19-22 Fine & Decorative Arts Auction offered up a wide range of select merchandise and produced robust prices in multiple categories. The four-day format consisted of nearly 2,000 lots of high-quality material and generated very strong levels of participation for the firm, a solid indication of vigor in this diverse segment of the marketplace. Competition was intense throughout each day with over 4,000 registered bidders from numerous countries participating online, by phone, in house, and through absentee.
Wednesday’s session, April 19th, featured material from the collection of Ann Connor C. Jones, Winston-Salem, NC; the collection of Kathy and Dr. Joseph Arvay, Mendham, NJ; property deaccessioned by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association; plus others. The day’s offerings included a wide selection of fine silver and jewelry; Asian material of all types, including bronzes, jade carvings, and a wide selection of ceramics; decorative accessories; and a collection of fine art, featuring North Carolina artists such as Fran Speight. Highlights for the day included a vintage 14K yellow gold charm bracelet at $9,000 (Lot 2 – all prices include the 20% buyer’s premium); a large Chinese bronze foo dog censer at $4,500 (Lot 315); a Chinese Export Famille Rose garden seat at $3,900 (Lot 382); a pair of Chinese Export Famille Rose platters in the Tobacco Leaf pattern at $3,120 (Lot 377).
Thursday’s session, April 20th, featured the paperweight estate collection of Don Eckel of Lancaster, PA; objects deaccessioned from the Sandwich Glass Museum, Sandwich, MA; material from the Bennington Museum, Bennington, VT; plus others. The day’s offerings included a large selection of antique, vintage, and contemporary paperweights from makers such as Baccarat, Clichy, St. Louis, New England, John Deacons, Rick Ayotte, Bob Banford, Charles Kaziun Jr., Victor Trabucco, and others. Thursday’s session also featured a selection of American and European art glass, including a red iridescent Tiffany Favrile vase, a rare amethyst Steuben cut covered vase, as well as Lalique and studio glass. Highlights included a Victor Trabucco (American, b. 1949) lampwork super magnum paperweight at $3,480 (Lot 1123); a Steuben heavy cut art glass covered jar in deep amethyst at $2,640 (Lot 1365); a Tiffany Studios red iridescent art glass vase at $2,520 (Lot 1346); and a Lalique Hirondelles art glass night light / lamp at $2,400 (Lot 1391).
Friday’s session, April 21st, featured the miniature lighting collection of Gerry and Kathy Turner of Colorado Springs, CO., which included many rare miniature lamps such as Atterbury Swans; a rare English Cameo; various Artichokes including a rare amethyst example; and many figural forms, including a Santa Claus and a small Skeleton. The remainder of the day’s offerings included a wide selection of American, English, and Continental ceramics, including art pottery, as well as a collection of tea caddies and related decorative accessories. Highlights from the Friday session included a set of eight Hungarian Herend “Rothschild Bird” porcelain plates at $2,880 (Lot 2312); a Victorian decorated panel-optic miniature lamp at $2,880 (Lot 2058); and a figural Santa Claus miniature lamp at $2,640 (Lot 2001).
Saturday’s session, April 22nd, featured material from the estate of renowned sculptor Felix de Weldon, Newport, RI and Washington, DC, including an important group of maquettes relating to the production of a bust of John F. Kennedy; the collection of Ann Connor C. Jones, Winston-Salem, NC; the collection of Kathy and Dr. Joseph Arvay, Mendham, NJ; the Don Eckel Estate, Lancaster, PA; the collection of Williston and Josephine Cofer, Alexandria, VA; property deaccessioned by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association; the Bennington Museum, Bennington, VT; and the Valentine Museum, Richmond, VA; plus others. The day’s offerings included a wide selection of paintings, prints, and statuary; furniture from Georgian to American; antique Persian and Caucasian carpets; an excellent selection of 20th-century British and American studio pottery, including works by John Ward and Warren Mackenzie; and a large assortment of other mid-century modern material. Highlights from the Saturday session included a Giovanni Boldini (Italian, 1842-1931) watercolor portrait of a seated lady at $7,800 (Lot 3081); a rare early Edison Manufacturing Co. brass-blade bi-polar electric fan at $7,200 (Lot 3038); a fine Montague J. Dawson (British, 1890-1973) nautical watercolor at $6,600 (Lot 3058); and a John Ward (British, 1938-2023) studio pottery stoneware bowl at $5,700 (Lot 3149).
After the auction, company president and principal auctioneer Jeffrey S. Evans commented, “This sale generated robust interest across the board, from bidders near and far. Levels of online participation in our auctions continue to grow – a real indication that there is increased market demand for a diverse range of art and antiques. The overall excitement and strong sales results reflect the freshness and high quality of the merchandise offered.” Evans added, “Looking forward, we have a number of fine collections across multiple collecting categories in house that we will be featuring in the coming months and over the course of the year, so we are excited about the future at JSEA.”
The firm is currently accepting consignments for their next Fine & Decorative Arts Auction to be held in October 2023. For additional auction results, a schedule of upcoming sales, or more information, visit www.jeffreysevans.com, email info@jeffreysevans.com, or call 540.434.3939.