Decorative arts selling without reserve Oct. 7

DOUGLASS, Kan. – On Saturday, Oct. 7, there are more than 400 decorative arts items selling without reserves in Douglass, Kansas. Woody Auctions is selling art glass, antique clocks, Newcomb Pottery pieces, Chinese enamel, vintage lamps and more. The sale takes place online and in the Woody Auction gallery, located at 120 Third Street in Douglass, Kansas starting at 9:30 a.m. Central time.

Auctioneer Jason Woody explains, “Everything will be sold to the highest bidder, without reserve.”

For those unable to attend the decorative arts auction in person, online bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com. As importantly, absentee bidding will also be accepted via fax and postal mail.

According to the auctioneer, two lots in particular should get paddles wagging. A pair of French enamel on copper round portrait plaques, 14 inches in diameter, are the first. A Renaissance man is depicted on one plaque, and a Renaissance woman is depicted on the other. Each plaque is mounted in a 25-by-25-inch ebony frame with red velvet borders. They comprise a single lot.

A rare, hand-painted Old Paris porcelain mechanical ferner is the other top standout. The 19 1/2-inch-tall ferner features a bird and floral décor and gold trim highlights, as well as a vintage flower arrangement and a mechanical bird on a perch. A key-wound automaton mechanism operates the piece, and it's in full working condition.

In addition to the lots mentioned above, three other items will also be in the running for top lot honors. The first is a 17 1/2-inch tall Daum Nancy French cameo table lamp exhibiting a signature and a 19 1/2-inch diameter shade that shows a three-color cameo carved scene. The scene consists of a frosted white, green and dark red background with a lake and trees.

The second item to watch for is a Pairpoint Puffy table lamp having a Venice pattern puffy shade that, when lit, gives a needlepoint effect. The 21 1/2-inch tall lamp has a two-light, six-sided brass base with embossed floral design. The top center blossom features a pansy blossom with cobalt blue scrolls.

The third item is an 18th or 19th century French Sevres three-piece ormolu clock set. The clock case boasts 12 individual porcelain plaques featuring a king, a queen and their court, with armor highlights. The finial shows reclining women. The lot sells with two matching urns with knights and armor décor.

Continuing on, this auction offers opportunities to acquire Newcomb College art pottery. The winning bidder will take home a Sadie Irvine Newcomb College art pottery vase, 5 1/4 inches tall, with low relief carved purple coneflower design and multi-color matte glaze. 

Selling in Continental pottery is a pair of early Staffordshire figural rooster mustard jars, each 4 3/4 inches tall, showing life-like rooster heads with full combs and full-figure “chicken foot” spoons.

Decorative accessories for the glass aficionado will feature an unmarked Wavecrest egg crate mold hinged dresser box. The dresser box features rare robin decoration, surrounded by a profusion of apple blossoms, with gold enamel highlights and white and pink mottled border.

Moving along from England to France, the French offerings include a duo of noteworthy plaques. The first is a 23-by-15-inch porcelain example, with 1882 date. It includes the signature “A. Chaignon,” with a detailed Renaissance scene featuring a cathedral, other structures and people in the streets.

The second plaque is an enamel example, 9 1/2 inches by 6 inches, with a scene of classically dressed women that shows nice strong colors, in a 22 inch by 13 inch gilt wooden frame with cobalt enamel highlights. Also, a French enamel and porcelain tile, 12 inches by 18 inches, showing a detailed scene of six classically dressed men dueling is also selling. The artist-signed tile has colorful enamel highlights and is in a gilt wooden frame.

As always, antique clocks constitute an important decorative arts category.

The antique clocks in the Oct. 7 Woody auction include a burl walnut two-weight wall regulator with key and pendulum. Showing the variety available is a Vienna three-weight wall regulator, 52 inches tall, with gold dial and pendulum with decals of Michelangelo’s cherubs. Next in the lineup is an Ithaca double-dial calendar clock with walnut and ebony case, and an Ansonia crystal regulator with green marble base and top that will each sell without reserves.

In addition to decorative arts, many graphic and historical items will also sell. The sale includes a nice selection of vintage World War I propaganda posters are also selling Oct. 7. WWI posters include:

Once again, the decorative arts auction takes place online at LiveAuctioneers.com and in the Woody Auction gallery, at 120 Third Street in Douglass, Kansas starting at 9:30 a.m. CST. Instructions for off-site bidders include: internet bidders should register a day or two ahead of the sale. As importantly, Woody Auction should receive written bids no later than Thursday, Oct. 5. (Fax bids to 316-746-2145, or e-mailed to info@woodyauction.com.) Douglass is 35 miles southeast of Wichita, Kansas, and the gallery is a half-block from Woody Auction’s offices.

Woody Auction is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, call them at (316) 747-2694 or e-mail them at info@woodyauction.com. To learn more about Woody Auction and the Oct. 7 auction, visit www.woodyauction.com.