Aesthetic Movement pitcher polishes up $26,550

ATLANTA, Ga. – An important American Aesthetic Movement sterling and copper pitcher made by Bigelow, Kennard & Company of Boston, circa 1870s, sold for $26,550 and an unusual French glass, gilt metal and enamel candy dish (or box) shaped like a “sad iron” from around 1880, went for $18,880 at an auction held October 17-18 by Ahlers & Ogletree in Atlanta.

The pieces were top achievers in a 1,136-lot, two-session sale of items pulled from prominent local estates and collections. Session I, on Saturday, Oct. 17, was titled Objets d’Art: Period Art Glass & Decorative Art and featured more than 500 lots. Session II, the following day, was an Autumn Fine Estates Auction, with merchandise from some of Atlanta’s finest estate homes.

The American Aesthetic Movement mixed metal water pitcher was of rectangular form, with chasing and repousse decoration. The front two body planes each featured an applied dragonfly and the underside was inscribed, “George and Lucy from Clarence, Oct. 16, 1879.” It also had the Bigelow, Kennard & Company mark. The pitcher, 8 3/4 inches tall, weighed 26.6 troy ounces.

The French “sad iron” shaped glass box was even more diminutive, at just 5 1/4 inches, and was unmarked. That didn’t deter bidders, however, who found the decorations of allegorical scenes depicting love (a heart struck with an arrow and a romantic courtyard scene with male and female figures and cupid sculpture) appealing.

By the time the last gavel fell at the end of the second day, just over $1 million in sales had been tallied (including the buyer’s premium). For those unable to attend in person, internet bidding was provided by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Bidsquare.com.

Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.

Asian lots performed particularly well. An unmarked Chinese palatial low porcelain center bowl with parrot decorations, 24 3/4 inches in diameter and likely made in the first half of the 20th century, went for $20,060. An 18th century Chinese Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) watercolor painting book, with eight finely painted and traditionally rendered scenes on silk and with each panel having lines of calligraphy and a red seal mark, brought $9,440; and a late 19th or early 20th century Chinese blue and white porcelain planter (or fish bowl), highly decorated and unmarked, 14 1/2 inches tall, made $7,080.

Fans of Fabergé, the Russian decorative arts firm founded in 1842, were not disappointed. An early 20th century gilt silver, diamond, ruby and guilloche enamel crucifix necklace pendant with diamond accented crown at the top, went for $9,440; while a Henrik Wigstrom (Fin., 1862-1923) for Fabergé silver and jeweled pill box of circular form, marked “HW”, hammered for $2,124.

From the fine art category, a 19th century unsigned French School oil on canvas rendering of a wheelbarrow in grass next to a hat, jacket and satchel, 17 1/2 inches by 20 1/2 inches (framed) garnered $7,080; and a pair of late 18th or early 19th century French provincial hand-carved and stained walnut wood sculptural wall hangings, each one 22 3/4 inches by 5 1/2 inches, hit $1,416.

American artwork was led by a signed oil on canvas by Harvey Young (1840-1901), titled The Hay Wagon and dated 1876, with figures and a horse-drawn hay wagon, 26 1/2 inches by 29 1/2 inches, framed ($5,015); and an American School oil on canvas painting, likely rendered by Ludmilla Pilat Welch (1867-1925), titled Resting Dog with Kittens and dated 1900 ($2,832).

A pair of distressed, Gustavian-style armchairs, made in Sweden in the 19th century, of rococo form, with arched backs decorated with two central carved flowers and having curved padded arms with knuckled hand supports, sold for $4,130; while a Tiffany Studios (N.Y.) early 20th century iridescent gold favrile art glass candlestick lamp, 14 1/4 inches tall, coasted to $2,006.

A Loetz jack-in-the-pulpit iridescent yellow Papillon art glass vase with Art Nouveau-style silver overlay and rim on a shaped mouth, 8 1/2 inches tall, unmarked, commanded $2,360; and a large, signed Moser (Bohemian, founded 1857) emerald glass cabinet chalice of typical form, with crenulated rim, signed to the floral cartouche at the base, 14 1/4 inches tall, made $1,770.

Ahlers & Ogletree is preparing for a two-day New Year’s event the weekend of January 2-3, 2016. The Saturday session will feature Modern merchandise, while the Sunday session will be traditional, with fine merchandise from prominent estates and collections.

To learn more about Ahlers & Ogletree, visit www.AandOauctions.com or contact the firm at 404-869-2478 or consign@AandOauctions.com.