Jacob Eby tall-case clock strikes $10,620
A 95-inch tall case clock by renowned clockmaker Jacob Eby sold for $10,620 during Ahlers & Ogletree’s August auction event.
ATLANTA, Ga. — A handsome early 19th century mahogany tall-case clock made by Jacob Eby of Mannheim, Pa. (1776-1828) rang up $10,620, and a colorful offset lithograph printed on wove paper by pop artist Roy Lichtenstein (Am., 1923-1997) titled Sunrise, fetched $7,080 at Ahlers & Ogletree’s Summer Collections & Estates Auction held Aug. 27-28.
The auction was held in Ahlers & Ogletree’s gallery, at 715 Miami Circle (Suite 210) in Atlanta. Just over 1,160 lots came up for bid, in a wide range of categories. Including the buyer’s premium, the auction grossed $710,000.
More than11,000 people reportedly participated online.
Jacob Eby Clock Wow
The Jacob Eby clock attracted bidders who were wow’d by the 95-inch-tall case. It features a hand-
painted dial (signed “Jacob Eby Mannheim”) and other outstanding features. All resting on bracket feet with a federal eagle inlaid roundel. The dial appeared under a moon phase, with Roman numerals showing within a chapter ring and fluted spandrels. A cove molded waist sits atop, with a flat panel base.
The Lichtenstein color litho, from 1965, was artist-signed in pencil and was in an edition from an unknown print run. It was a modern work, depicting the sun rising above undulating hills in red, with highlighted borders in blue. The unframed sheet measured about 18 1/4 inches by 24 1/2 inches. Lichtenstein, along with Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns, helped define American pop art. Works by Warhol and Robert Raushenberg sold as part of the fine art category.
The runner-up lot of the auction, just behind Jacob Eby and his detailed clock, was a late 19th or early 20th century British School oil on canvas depiction of a naval battle scene from the Napoleonic Wars, titled Battle of Trafalgar, signed “G. Watters” ($10,030). A circa 1990 mixed media figural neo-surrealistic painting on colored paper by Paul Pletka (Am., b. 1946), titled Yellow-Rumpted Cacique, artist signed, made $1,770.
Furniture and Fashion Change Hands
A French 19th century provincial style carved walnut secretary, featuring astragal glazed doors enclosed in an adjustable and shelved interior, above a slant front desk opening to four stepped drawers, 92 ½ inches tall, brought $7,080. Louis XVI-style gilt bronze six-light chandelier, after a similar design by Pierre Gouthiere (Fr., 1732-1813), 38 inches tall, rose to $3,245.
A ladies’ Art Deco platinum, diamond and sapphire necklace pendant of tapered form, boasting a one-carat central European cut diamond surrounded by sapphire accents, 17 inches in length, fetched $5,900. A polished chrome modern abstract sculpture, titled Double U, apparently unsigned but attributed to Mary Preminger (Am., 1920-1997), 19 ¾ inches tall, rose to $2,954. From the Asian category, a late 19th or early 20th century Chinese finely potted porcelain bottle vase with cobalt blue underglaze clouds and underglaze red and green dragons, 23 inches tall, knocked down at $2,360. A 19th century Japanese katana sword of traditional form, with a long chagreen handle and carved scabbard, sold for $1,298. A large Chinese School silk embroidery panel from the Qing Dynasty, depicting cocks fighting in a landscape setting, went for $5,310. A palace-size, hand-woven Persian Bakhtiari wool rug, 11 feet 7 inches by 15 feet 7 inches, hit $3,240.
Furniture lots included a pair of late 19th century English Gothic Revival stained and carved oak cabinets. Each had a square, beveled edge top above four paneled sides and with a central Gothic arch. Both measure 46 inches tall ($2,655); and a pair of Marcel Breuer (Hungarian, 1902-1981) “Wassily” lounge chairs made for Knoll (American, N.Y., 1938- ), designed in 1925 ($1,416).
To learn more about Ahlers & Ogletree and the firm’s calendar of upcoming events, visit www.AandOAuctions.com.
