OAKLAND, Calif. – Clars Auction Gallery wrapped up their impressive 2015-2016 fiscal year Sept. 17-18 with an exciting $2.1 million sale that brought to the market property from several major investment level estates including the initial offering of property from venture capitalist Thomas J. Perkins, the private collection of Allan Stone and the estate of Allen Singer, who was the attorney for the painter Gordon Onslow Ford. The September 2016 was Clars’ second highest September sale in their history bringing to a close their $16 million fiscal year.
Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.com.
From the estate of San Francisco attorney, Allen Singer, the rare and early work titled Escape by Gordon Onslow Ford (American/British, 1912-2003) realized the highest price for the sale, commanding an impressive $78,650 after a fierce bidding battle. Singer, an art collector, was also was legal counsel and friend of the artist, which made this particular painting especially desirable due to its provenance.
Another group of exceptional contemporary art that was sold on behalf of the trustee of the bankruptcy estate of Halsey McLean Minor, an early pioneer of the tech industry in the San Francisco Bay area, had very impressive results. One of which was the large acrylic on canvas titled Tenth Street Painting, 1996, (below) by Caio Fonseca (American, b. 1959), which came out of the gate strong with a flurry of telephone bidders from all over the country and finally settling at an impressive sale price of $48,500.
Tripling its estimate of $5,000-7,000, the beautifully executed oil on canvas titled Backyard, 2008 (below) by Alex Kanevsky (American/Russian, b. 1963) soared high as well to $21,780.
European fine art performed well with Studio per Bagnante (below), circa 1956, an oil on canvas by Ennio Morlotti (Italian, 1910-1992) surpassing all expectation and achieving $54,450.
The decorative arts and furnishings category was highlighted by the initial offering of select pieces from the Thomas J, Perkins estate. Topping these offerings was Perkins’ personal Steinway and Sons concert grand piano that sold impressively for $33,275. An exquisitely executed custom French-style double harpsichord after Blanchet/Taskin, made by Zuckerman (SHI), Stonington, Conn., sold for $16,940.
The Thomas Perkins Estate provided the highlight of the jewelry and watches offerings as well. A rare Mido “Ettore Bugatti” 18K yellow gold wristwatch (below), circa 1925, soared past high selling for $18,150.
The Asian art and antiques offered brought more than their share of excitement to the sale. Selling for almost 30 times its high estimate was a Chinese Ge-type hu form arrow vase [PHOTO 10] that sold for an astonishing $63,000.
A collection of Yu Youren seals and calligraphy from an estate of a prominent Republic period official also brought strong market attention. A set of four Yu Youren calligraphy dedicated to his son Yu Wangde in 1951, came to the sale with an estimate of $30,000-50,000, but sold for 57,475.
For more information email Clars at info@clars.com.
Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.
