Roan's Optimistic About Auction Futures

Four Recent Sales Mark Strong Season

July 10, 2014

For generations, the Roan family has been hosting their annual Memorial Day weekend sale at their gallery in Cogan Station, Pa., just north of Williamsport. This year's annual sale, held May 24, featured a variety of valuable antiques, including an oil-on-canvas still-life painting signed by American artist William Mason Brown (1828-1898) depicting a spilled brown wicker basket of peaches on a grassy ground surrounded by morning glory flowers and vines. Originally from a Williamsport home and set in a deep gold plaster molded frame, the professionally cleaned and vibrant century-old painting sold with provenance for a respectable $29,000 (prices do not include the 10 percent buyer's premium). Also, an interesting oil-on-canvas artwork signed “Gros 1881” by artist Luicien Alphonse Gros (1845-1913) of two gents seated in discussion at a library table with books and paperwork brought $3,200.
Antiques of unique interest had a strong showing, including a rare stoneware footed chalice-form baptism bowl with cobalt decoration and a blue scalloped rim, which sold for $5,250 despite having two chips on the rim and a light hairline crack on the body. A artist-signed electric table lamp marked “Pairpoint 3070” on a bronze tone cast metal base with a 17.5" reverse painted dome shade in color peacock with an urn and floral motif brought $2,700. A nice round-top mahogany pedestal with open-twist-carved column on a round tri-paw foot base sold for $1,100, and a variety of Oriental rugs in Tabriz and other styles sold individually in the $1,500 range.
A 1827 framed needlework decorated by 12-year-old Ann Black with motto reading "Virtue the chiefest beauty of the mind, The noblest ornament of human kind, Virtues our safe guard and our guiding star, That stirs up reason when our senses err" sold for $1,500. A Lancaster County, Pa., wooden hanging spice box with dovetailed drawer and tulip cut-out back brought $1,000. An oval softwood splint covered bride's box with original polychrome decoration of tulips all around and figure of a woman in a long red dress and black hat on the lid sold for $950. A nice softwood sewing stand with twelve metal spool rods and a cloth pin cushion on a carved stepped pedestal with original black vine and leaf decoration brought $625, and a colorful full-size bed quilt in sunburst star calico pattern with faded signature sold for $375.
The momentum continued on June 6 and 7 in Wellsburg, N.Y., with the sale of the historical contents of a Finger Lakes mansion that included items from the estate of Fredrick Robert Usher, a successful New York City builder associated with the John Downey Construction Company and responsible for overseeing construction of the old Waldorf-Astoria.
The collection featured a large variety of antiques, furniture and other fine furnishings, including an excellent oil-on-canvas painting signed “R.C. Holdrudge” of an Indian encampment on a mountainside with snow-capped mountains in the background, which sold for $6,600. In addition, a signed J.M. Culverhouse ice skating scene in a heavy gilt frame sold for $2,860, and a pair of similar cow paintings signed “Wm. Hart” brought $600.
Historical furniture included a signed Herter Bros. walnut sideboard marked “#769 Astor” that sold for $3,740; a pair of Danner sliding-glass-door bookcases, which brought $1,375; and a pair of walnut Victorian bookcases, which sold for $1,980. Also, an Arts & Crafts table lamp with copper base and caramel slag glass shade sold for $715.
On June 20, Roan's bi-annual specialty Firearms and Taxidermy Auction proved the current popularity of both historic and modern firearms. Rifles sold included a Remington 1849 model 1841 54-caliber Mississippi rifle with 33-inch barrel, walnut stock and cartouches that brought $1,485; a Winchester Model 1895 Grade 1 in 405 caliber, 24-inch round barrel, peep sight, Schnobel forearm and checkered walnut stock that sold for $1,320; and a Springfield M.I. Garand, 30-06, 24-inch barrel with walnut stock, sling and four clips of ammo that sold for $1,045. A Sharps-Borschardt military rifle, 45-70, 32.5-inch barrel with good bore, military sights, ramrod and walnut stock sold for $1,430, and a 1861 Wm. Mason contract rifle-musket, 58 caliber with 40-inch barrel, walnut stock and ramrod, marked 1863 on lock and 1864 on barrel, sold for $1,100. Various wolf, bear, deer, elk, fish and other taxidermy mounts were also sold at fair market prices at this sale.
On June 27 and 28 one of the last great estates in Towanda, Pa., was auctioned. The estate of the late Frances R. and David R. Smith was sold on behalf of the Smith family by the Roan family. The sale featured a one-of-a-kind American primitive oil-on-canvas painting inscribed on reverse “View of Towanda Bradford CO Pennsylvania painted by H. Walton 1851” by American painter Henry Walton (1804-1865), which sold for a commanding $86,000. This colorful and untouched work showed great detail, from figures and sheep in the foreground bank to boats with U.S. flags on the water, and a covered bridge over the Susquehanna River to buildings on the town side, some of which are identifiable today. It had the original gilt frame and original stretcher with most of the original paper label that read “James S. Earle 216 Chestnut St Philadelphia PA.” In addition, a pair of portrait paintings of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Mercur, also attributed to Henry Walton, sold for $4,000.
Two vintage automobiles included a 1971 Cadillac El Dorado that sold for $7,100 and a classic MGTD convertible that sold for $19,500. Jewelry included a ladies platinum filigree diamond ring marked “PLAT” and signed “HW” with a 1 carat center stone and five tiny accent diamonds (2.1-dwt), which sold for $4,200. A platinum set "ribbon wreath" brooch marked “PLAT 8996,” containing 39 total diamonds (2.21-carat/6.2-dwt), sold for $1,100. Silver featured a cased set of sterling flatware, 57 piece partial service for twelve of Gorham “Louis XV” pattern (approx. 59.97 t.oz.), that sold for $1,500, and another cased set of sterling flatware for $950. In addition, 22 Oriental rugs in a variety of styles and sizes, most in very good condition were sold, including the highlight of a runner for $1,100.
Overall, the experience of four successful sales in close proximity says a lot about the current markets, according to the Roan family. Art is strong. Firearms are in demand. Jewelry and silver are still valuable. Antiques sell best when they are rare and unique. Oriental rugs are generally a buyer's market except for the best examples.
The auction environment is changing into a new optimistic season. Three upcoming sales at Roan Inc. Auctioneers & Appraisers will include a vintage camera collection along with books, paper and ephemera; the estate of Harry Ward formerly of Bloomsburg, Pa., which includes a lifelong collection of still banks along with antiques, furniture, Bloomsburg memorabilia and other collectibles; and an additional session of the late Joe Valerio antique lighting collection of Hunter, N.Y.
For more information, visit www.roaninc.com.


 

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