ATLANTA – A 1923 oil on canvas painting by the noted American landscape artist John Fulton Folinsbee (1892-1972), titled River at New Hope, sold for $165,200 at Ahlers & Ogletree Auction Gallery’s annual New Year’s Signature Estates Auction held Jan. 6-7. The winter scene of Lambertville, New Jersey, was estimated at $25,000-$35,000. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.
The two-day event, typically one of the bigger auctions on Ahlers & Ogletree’s calendar, was held in the firm’s gallery at 715 Miami Circle in Atlanta. More than 1,000 quality lots, mostly pulled from prominent local estates and collections, came up for bid in a sale that grossed about $1.17 million. A stout 460 people attended the auction in person, despite the cold winter weather.
John Fulton Folinsbee was a member of the art colony at New Hope, Pa. He’s best known for his Impressionist scenes of the New Hope area and the painting sold was an example. River at New Hope (above) measured 31 ½ inches by 37 ½ inches in the frame and came with a letter from Folinsbee to Hugh Richardson, the Atlanta collector who acquired the painting in 1924.
A determined phone bidder claimed an 18K gold, emerald and diamond necklace pendant (below) for $35,400. It featured 18 modern round brilliant cut diamonds (1.29 carats total weight), plus one rose cut diamond and six fancy shape diamonds. The pendant also boasted 19 cabochon emeralds (22.99 total carats) and one large faceted oval emerald (11.17 total carats).
Session 1, on Jan. 6, focused on American art, furniture, decorative arts, modern design, contemporary art and an important collection of black and white photography. Session 2, the following day, featured English and Continental art, period antique furniture, antique lighting and textiles, and fine pieces of sterling silver. All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium.
A collage of acrylic and charcoal on papers by Juliao Sarmento (Portuguese, b. 1948), titled Arena (1985), apparently unsigned and impressive at 69 ¼ inches by 59 ½ inches (framed), went for $19,360.
A late 19th-century oil on canvas mounted on board by William Picknell (American, 1853-1897), titled Coast of France, artist signed and 42 ¾ inches by 54 ½ inches, made $14,160.
A scarce set of “Black Shoulder” hand-painted French china designed by Van Day Truex (American, 1904-1979) for Tiffany & Co., with all 103 pieces in the private stock set inscribed by Tiffany on the base, along with Atelier Le Talec marks, realized $12,400; while a large set of sterling silver flatware by Tiffany & Co. in the Chrysanthemum pattern sold for the same amount.
In the furniture category, an English Arts & Crafts mahogany inlaid wing armchair, made in the 20th century and from the estate of the historical and architectural author William R. Mitchell Jr., breezed to $8,470; and a 19th-century French Louis XV-style parquetry inlaid serpentine front commode made from satinwood, gilt metal and marble, unmarked, changed hands for $6,050.
Rounding out the auction’s primary achievers, a gorgeous Chinese Qing dynasty porcelain vase, 15 inches tall, fetched $3,025. The hand-painted famille rose enamel decorated tianqiuping bottle vase boasted a motif of peaches, birds, flowering vases, ruyi scepters and other precious objects. Made in the 19th century or a bit earlier, the vase was marked to the underside with double cobalt rings.
The collection of black and white photographs included signed works by such luminaries as Robert Mapplethorpe, John Coplans, Jimmy de Sana, George Platt Lynes and others. A gelatin silver print signed by Mapplethorpe (American, 1946-1989), titled Patrice (1977), dated and numbered (3 of 5) in ink, hammered for $14,880.
For more information contact Ahlers & Ogletree Auction Gallery at 404-869-2478 or email robert@aandoauctions.com.
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