Submitted by aarAdmin on Mon, 05/19/2014 - 00:00
There was barely breathing space at Philips Auctions May Fine and Decorative Arts sale as hundreds of registered bidders competed strongly all day for the chance to pick up one of more than 550 quality value items.
Auctioneer Tony Philips, who has now presided over three highly successful auctions this year, believes auction goers are recognising that, when estimates are realistic, auctions are great places to obtain good value furniture and collectibles.
“The auction started with a bang from the moment lot 1 (a fully fitted and wired American Cape Cod-style dolls house) was offered – and we cleared 80 per cent of the lots,” he said.
With an estimate of $300-$500, the dolls house was knocked down for $1298 (including buyers premium).
A collection of 46 Staffordshire dogs – the largest ever auctioned in Australia and brought to the country as part of man’s late Pennsylvania-based aunt’s estate – sold completely for $11,800 on a $4000 total unreserved expectation, while a Japanese Meiji Period (1868-1912) ivory covered pot changed hands for $2006 on a $800-$1200 estimate.
Silver also fared well, a typical example being the two boxed sets of French .950 silver cutlery that sold for $4012 on an $1800-$2400 estimate.
Among the glass items offered, a pair of Victorian glass lustre vases and a glass oil lamp (estimate $100-$200) changed hands for $1416 and a German porcelain pedestal table ($200-$500) for $708.
Even dinner sets were popular with a Royal Crown Derby 43-piece selling for $2360 (($800-$1000 estimate) and a Minton 40-piece for $1500 ($150-$200).
Several paintings in the auction fetched good prices including Jerzy Kossak’s (1886-1955 and from the Polish Realist School) untitled work, which changed hands for $2200.
Furniture appears to be making a solid comeback with an Italian solid cherrywood rectangular dining table (estimate $2000-$3000) selling for $4956 and an 1860s Victorian mahogany bookcase for $1298.
Similarly, a Victorian walnut veneer dressing table sold for $1180 on a $500-$800 estimate.
The latest disposal stage of the Geraldine Cooper furniture collection was highly successful – with every piece selling for a good price.
Ron and Geraldine Cooper owned until recently a shop in Riversdale Road, Hawthorn, which they established in 1987.
An interior designer, Geraldine was renowned for her influence in many of Australia’s beautiful homes.
The Monday night jewellery sale (with 129 registered bidders) fared equally well, with a 4.6-carat sapphire and diamond cluster ring changing hands for $9440.
A solitaire 4.1-carat diamond ring sold for $20,060 while a one-carat diamond changed hands for $11,210.
A glamorous pair of South Sea pearl and diamond earrings was knocked down for $3776 and a pair of sapphire and diamond drop earrings for $4956.
Even lower priced items were raising eyebrows with an art nouveau diamond necklet bringing $1652 on a $900 upper estimate.
Philips Auctions next sale will include Biedermeier furniture brought from America and more of the Geraldine Cooper collection.
