Vibrant ‘Peaches’ oil painting gavels at $29K

COGAN STATION, Pa. — A foursome of spring auctions hosted by Roan Auctioneers & Appraisers’ of Cogan Station, Pennsylvania, saw high varieties of art and antiques change hands.

The firm’s annual Memorial Day Weekend auction, held at its gallery in Cogan Station

on Saturday, May 24, 2014, saw an oil-on-canvas still-life painting signed by American artist William Mason Brown (1828-1898) showing a spilled brown wicker basket of peaches on a grassy ground with morning glory flowers and vines all around.
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. (Reported prices are exclusive of 10 percent buyer’s premium.)

A stoneware footed chalice-form baptism bowl in old grey with cobalt blue vine and leaf décor and blue scalloped rim sold for $5,250 despite having two chips on the rim and a light hairline crack on the body. An artist-signed electric table lamp marked ‘Pairpoint 3070’ on bronze tone cast metal base with 17 1/2-inch reverse painted dome shade in color peacock, urn and floral motif brought $2,700. An 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 wooden six-section hanging spice box with dovetailed divided drawer brought $1,000. An oval soft - wood splint covered bride’s box with original polychrome décor of tulips all around and figure of woman in long red dress and black hat on lid brought $950. The selling excitement continued June 6-7 in Wellsburg, New York, with the sale of the historical contents of a Finger Lakes mansion including items from the Estate of Fredrick Robert Usher, a 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 a signed Herter Bros. walnut sideboard marked ‘#769 Astor’ that sold for $3,740; a pair of Danner sliding-glass-door bookcases that brought $1,375; and a pair of walnut Victorian bookcases that sold for $1,980. An Arts & Craft s table lamp with copper base and caramel slag glass shade sold for $715; a Davis & Cook level brought $275 and a soft wood jelly cupboard in old red paint claimed $425.

On Saturday, June 21, 2014, Roan’s biannual specialty Firearms & Taxidermy Auction proved the current popularity of historic and modern fi rearms. Highlights include a Winchester Model 1895 Grade 1 in 405 caliber, 24-inch round barrel, peep sight, Schnabel forearm and checkered walnut stock that sold for $1,320; a Springfield M.I. Garand, 30-06, 24-inch barrel with walnut stock, sling and four clips of ammo that sold for $1,045; and an 1861 William Mason contract rifle-musket, 58 caliber with 40-inch barrel, walnut stock and ramrod marked 1863 on lock and 1864 on barrel that brought $1,100.

A noteworthy Towanda, Pennsylvania, estate was auctioned over the course of June 27-28. The estate featured an exceptional American primitive oil painting on canvas inscribed on reverse ‘View of Towanda Bradford CO Pennsylvania painted by H. Walton 1851’ by American painter Henry Walton (1804-1865). Held in its original gilt frame and original stretcher with most of the original paper label that read ‘James S. Earle 216 Chestnut St Philadelphia PA,’ the painting, impressive in its detail and provenance, sold for $86,000.
Roan Inc.’s next sale is an Antique Lighting Auction, scheduled for Aug. 30, 2014, beginning at 10 a.m. For more informa- tion, visit www.roaninc.com or contact 570-494-0170 or 800- 955-ROAN (7626).