Fine Art On Day One Of Kaminski Auction Drives Summer Sale - Antiques And The Arts Weekly (2024)

Review by W.A. Demers

BEVERLY, MASS. — A diverse showcase of valuable items from various consigners awaited bidders when the gavel fell at Kaminski’s estates auction on June 15-16, but it was fine art on day one that drove the overall sale. It was then that an oil on canvas painting by Emil Carlsen (American, 1848-1932), “Still Life with Bottle and Tureen,” circa 1889, sold for a twice-high-estimate of $12,500. Signed lower left, the 29-by-36-inch work depicting said vessels on a table surrounded by fruit is registered with the Emil Carlsen archives and came from the corporate collection of Roman Bronze Works.

The two-day sale also dispersed an extensive collection of Chinese scrolls, paintings and porcelains from various collectors, as well as a selection of estate jewelry and a single-owner collection of baseball and sports memorabilia.

Colin Campbell Cooper (1856-1937), an American impressionist painter who favored architectural subjects, painted Notre Dame limned with snow. “Notre Dame,” oil on canvas, signed lower right and measuring 21¼ by 25½ inches came from a Beacon Hill, Mass., estate and finished at $3,500.

A summertime vibe, however, was evinced by Lois Mailou Jones’ (American, 1905-1998), Martha’s Vineyard beach scene, “Lobsterville Beach,” which depicted a popular spot in Aquinnah where visitors can fish, quietly relax or bird watch with two miles of shoreline to walk. Also fetching $3,500, the oil on artist board, signed lower right, came from a Westbury, N.Y., collection and measured 9 by 18 inches.

An Edward Hopper (American, 1882-1967) reminiscence in ink on paper took the form of the Nyack Marina gas dock, where the artist worked as a teenager. “Esso,” signed lower right and measuring 7½ by 5 inches, sold for $3,250. The consignor had originally purchased the work at Guild Hall in East Hampton, N.Y.

The Westbury collection contributed a summer forest scene by Nell Blair Walden Blaine (American, 1922-1996). The oil on board took $3,125. It was signed lower left, dated “’63” and measured 16 by 24 inches. Blaine was an American landscape painter, expressionist and watercolorist from Richmond, Va.
Putting pencil to paper, Juan Luna y Novicio (Filipino, 1857-1899) created a portrait of a classical male bust that realized $2,750. It was signed lower right, dated “1882,” measured 24 by 18 inches and also came from the Westbury collection.

American sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) was represented in the sale by a study for “Jean d’Aire” from “The Burghers of Calais,” which garnered $2,500. The figure was signed “A. Rodin” on the base and had an Alexis Rudier Fondeur Paris foundry mark on the back of the base. Standing 18-1/8 inches high, it came from a Newburyport, Mass., collection.

The same amount was posted for an Eighteenth/Nineteenth Century Venetian/Southern Spanish carved mirror. It featured a crest with a carved eagle on a globe that was mounted to an equally robustly-carved pier table. Its overall dimensions were 92 by 40 by 15 inches and it came from a southern Connecticut collection.

Sports memorabilia enthusiasts chased a 1951 Yankees World Series champions baseball, signed by Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Billy Martin, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto and others, 26 signatures in all. The late Leo Paksarian of Franklin, Mass., gave the ball to his daughter Maureen Assencoa of Ashland, Mass.; it was graded Excellent-Mint+ 6.5 and popped up to reach $5,000.

On day two, a large lot of sterling silver flatware held bidder interest, achieving $2,125. The set included napkin rings, mini spoons, souvenir spoons, serving pieces and weighed approximately 81.9 troy ounces; it came from an Acton, Mass., collection. Another silver lot from the same collection was a Gorham sterling silver Fairfax pattern flatware service for 12 that set the table at $2,875. Monogrammed, in a case, its weight was approximately 135.1 troy ounces.

The Acton collection also contributed the sale’s timepieces highlight, a 14K gold pocket watch by J.E. Caldwell, Philadelphia, selling at $2,125.

Fetching $1,250 was an 18K yellow gold lady’s Roamer wristwatch, a brand of high-quality Swiss watches by the company founded by Fritz Meyer (1859-1926). With a length of 7 inches and weight of approximately 35 grams, the timepiece was noted to be running at the time of inventory. It came from a Boston estate.

An 18K yellow gold and turquoise three-piece suite — brooch and a pair of ear clips — was missing three turquoise beads but that did not deter bidders from taking it to $1,375.

Other standout pieces in the jewelry category included a 14K yellow gold bead necklace, having approximately 7-9mm beads and measuring approximately 14 inches long. From the Acton collection, it crossed the block at $875.

A curious pair of Nineteenth Century French bronze ormolu shackled figures from an old Massachusetts family estate could not break the bonds of the $2/4,000 estimate, going out for just $1,375.

Notable Chinese pieces up for auction on day two included a bronze bodhisattva Guanyin, from the Tang dynasty (CE 618-907) or Song dynasty (CE 960-1280), with a baby Buddha in her hand. Seated on a fish, the 7-by-5-inch figure was inscribed on the back: “Respect adult like Guanyin.” From a Fairfield, Conn., it made $875.

An Eighteenth/Nineteenth Century finely dragon-phoenix-carved Chinese export swordfish rostrum or bill, 35 inches long, came from a private collection in Marblehead, Mass., and sold for $813.

Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. The next sale is July 20-21. For information, 978-927-2223 or www.kaminskiauctions.com.