BEVERLY, Mass. – Kaminski Auctions sold a silver teapot for $18,000 on Jan. 17, a record for the auction house. Renowned New England silversmiths Michael and Maureen Banner crafted the 20th century vessel.
LiveAuctioneers chose the teapot (above) to feature in Art Daily as “Best Photo of the Day,” giving the piece added exposure prior to the auction.
Michael and Maureen Banner are 20th century silversmiths from Monterey, Massachusetts, whose work is represented in prestigious collections across the country, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. The hand-wrought modern teapot sold by Kaminski was crafted of sterling silver and enamel and stood 16 1/8 inches high and weighed approximately 26.0 troy ounces.
A porcelain teapot (below) crafted by Ralph Bacerra (American, 1938-2008) on a stand signed “Bacerra 90” sold for $10,200.
Meeting expectations, the top lot of the sale was a 19th century Russian porcelain figure of Bacchus (below) standing 12 inches high by 8 inches wide, which sold for $26,400.
Absentee and Internet live bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com.
Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.