Enchanting cat painting claims $21,060

THOMASTON, Maine — A diverse and enticing selection of artwork attracted active bidding at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries Winter auction March 1-3.

“Sunset in Crimea,” a luminist oil on canvas harbor scene painting by 19th century Russian artist Ivan Aivazovsky (1817-1900), brought $132,000.

The sale produced a new auction record for a work by Dahlov Ipcar (ME/VT, 1917-2017). Determined bidders pushed her charming painting of two cats, titled “Encounter,” to a final sales price of $21,060.

A graphite drawing by renowned New England artist Winslow Homer (MA/ME, 1836-1910), “Portrait of John Murray Brown” (of Boston publishers Little, Brown & Little), also fetched $21,060; and an oil on canvas painting by Le Pho (France/Vietnam, 1907-2001) captivated multiple players and ultimately sold for $18,720. And, strong interest in Waldo Peirce’s famous work, “Nude in the Hay,” pushed its selling price to $16,380.

Several Chinese items also generated fierce bidding competition, including two early blue and white porcelain bowls, one with interior unglazed stacking band and the other with Phoenix bird decoration, that settled at $23,400; a Ming Dynasty gilded bronze figure of seated Shakyamuni Buddha that achieved $21,060; and a red lacquered carved seat Guanyin figure on lotus platform above a multi-tiered stand that brought $12,870.

The auction presented a variety of “smalls,” including a Patek Philippe gent’s wristwatch with 18K gold head and original black band that realized $18,000; a Gold Rush era compact push dagger by Michael Price of San Francisco that raised $13,200; a four-piece Josef Hoffmann Wiener Werkstatte silver tea set that raised $12,870; and a Tiffany & Company platinum ladies ring set with a 1.25 carat Columbian emerald flanked by round brilliant cut diamonds that brought $9,000.

Two Tiffany Studios lamps generated strong prices, including a table lamp with Acorn pattern leaded shade and bronze “Four Virtues” base that sold for $17,550, and a bronze Scarab desk lamp with iridescent green and purple luster Favrile glass shade that fetched $15,210.

Winter auction stand-outs from the antique furniture collection were a Sheraton mahogany sideboard attributed to the shop of John & Thomas Seymour that brought $14,040 and a pair of boldly carved Queen Anne mahogany lyre back armchairs that reached $11,115.

Several examples of contemporary hand crafted furniture that also attracted spirited bidding included: an Eldred Wheeler tiger maple Chippendale style secretary, $8,775; a tiger maple highboy by Eldred Wheeler, $7,605; and a set of eight D.R. Dimes Windsor chairs, $5,100.

A complete list of auction results can be found at www.thomastonauction.com. The next Thomaston Place Auction Galleries fine art and antique auction will take place June 1-2, 2019.

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