Chinese blue and white dragon vase commands $426,000

OAKLAND, CA — Clars Auction Gallery’s June 27 and 28, 2015 sale featured exceptional offerings

of Asian art and antiques and the international bidding community took note.

The highlight of the $1.6 million sale was a Chinese underglaze blue and white porcelain stick dragon vase, which came from the Albert Braun Estate of Pennsylvania. The pear-shaped body of the vase tapered to a slender cylindrical neck and was painted with five striding dragons amid lotus tendrils. The base featured the Qianlong mark and measured 16.5” high. The bidding opened at $25,000 and competitive phone bidding drove the final sale price higher and higher finally selling for an impressive $426,000.

Strong results continued in this category throughout the sale. Intense bidding on a Chinese enameled plaque with a celestial court drove the final price on this lot to $27,300, well over its $400 - $600 presale estimate. Coming from the Dr. Graeme Hanson Collection, a Longquan dish from the Song dynasty, incised with floral sprigs, sold impressively for $22,600 and a Ge type arrow vase flew past its high estimate of $1,200 selling for $17,900.

The exciting June sale also produced a new world record for American artist Julia Thecla (1896-1973). A charcoal and gouache on paper titled "Signal-Sketch (1939),” achieved the new record price of $9,200 soaring past it’s $800-$1,200 estimate.

Another outperformer was a charming watercolor by Birger Sandzen (American 1871-1954) titled “Trees by the River,” which also went well past its estimate of $2,000-4,000 to fetch $6,710. An additional painting that fared well on the day was a nocturnal oil on canvas by Charles Rollo Peters (American, 1862-1928) titled “Gate to the Adobe at Night,” which sold for $7,100 against its $4,000-6,000 estimate. Always a favorite at Clars, Pal Fried’s oil on canvas board (American/Hungarian 1893-1976) titled “Reclining Nude,” also surpassed high estimate landing at an impressive $5,500.

Not to be outdone, the decorative arts and furnishing category also experienced significant results particularly on the two important clocks that were offered. A Chinese export automaton bracket clock

with shell carved crest and mother of pearl marquetry case, was anticipated to fetch $4,000-$6,000 but soared past high estimate fetching $27,400. Also achieving an excellent final sale price was a French Sevres-style Japy Freres gilt clock which sold for $15,500.

In special collections, a Marilyn Monroe signed black and white school photograph 1941, was a panoramic shot of the Ralph Waldo Emerson Junior High School summer class of 1941. This bit of Hollywood memorabilia realized $6,000. Items deaccessioned from The California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, (CA) were also offered. The highlights from this collection included two groups of ancient American arrowheads that realized $7,300, and a Pre-Columbian Zapotec guardian urn, Monte Albon, Mexico, circa AD500-800, which brought $5,400. The entire California Academy of Sciences collection earned $25,800.

Diamonds also did their job this sale with a stunning 3.05ct diamond solitaire and 18k gold ring selling for well over estimate at $25,000. This offering was followed by an elegant Edwardian ruby (2.06cts) and old mine cut diamond (approx. 2.21 cts) ring that also fetched over estimate, selling for $10,700. The June sale also featured the first offering of a special collection of timepieces and pocket watches. Taking the top spot in this first installment was a Lady’s Patek Philippe La Flamme diamond and 18k gold wristwatch, circa 1992, which sold nicely for $9,200. The next offering of this collection will be held on July 26th.

For more information and a complete list of prices realized for Clars’ June 27 and 28, 2015 sale, visit www.clars.com.