Thomaston Place announces fall auction

Wed, 11/01/2017 - 10:30am

Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ Fall Auction, on Nov. 17, 18 and 19, will present a veritable feast of outstanding art, antiques and decorative items harvested from estates and collections from throughout Maine and Northern New England. The three-day, 1,490 lot sale will feature large groupings of important paintings, fine watches and clocks, rare Americana, Russian masterworks, early weaponry, fine antique and designer furniture, Asian items, and African and Oceanic artifacts.

The auction will begin at 11 a.m. EST each day. A complete, full color catalog, with detailed descriptions and photographs, is available, and all lots can be viewed at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ website, www.thomastonauction.com. In addition to live bidding in the auction hall, Thomaston Place accepts bids via absentee, telephone, and on the internet (via Thomaston Live, Invaluable, or Live Auctioneers). The buyer’s premium is 17 percent for live, telephone, and absentee bidders and 20 percent for online bidders. Please call 1-207-354-8141 for more information, or to reserve seats in the auction hall.

A centerpiece of the sale will be a portrait of a handsome young gentleman by Gilbert Charles Stuart (MA/RI/UK, 1754-1828). Other important art will include: a pastoral scene with farm girl, cows and sheep by Julien Dupre (France, 1851-1910); two paintings by Louis Jambor (NY/Hungary, 1884-1955), including a monumental 1920 oil on burlap work titled “The Picnic;” and two abstract expressionist works by Willem De Kooning (NY/Netherlands, 1904-1997).

The Friday auction will feature over 500 items from two large Wiscasset consignments – the collection of Richard French, esteemed antique dealer and collector; and the Estate of Richard Thompson. This incredibly diverse group of fine antiques and decorative pieces will be sold unreserved.

On Saturday, Nov. 18, the sale will include an excellent collection of fine Americana, such as: an 18th century Pennsylvania paint decorated dowry chest; an Abraham Lincoln signed Civil War era letter; two circa 1880 Rooster form weathervanes, both from the Rochester Iron Works (NH); a rare 19th century Brooklyn, New York (Hook & Ladder Co. #5) firefighting log book; and a Maine Chippendale grain painted hardwood tallboy.

There will be an outstanding group of ship paintings and marine items, including: two paintings by Percy Sanborn (ME, 1849-1929) ; works by John Hughes (UK, 1806-1880), Lars Thorsen (CT, 1877-1952), William Pierce Stubbs (MA/ME, 1842-1909), and James Gale Tyler (CT, 1855-1931); plus, scrimshaw, ship models, and nautical instruments.

The Saturday sale will also offer several rare clocks, including an early 19th century mahogany tall case clock by Asa Wilkens of Wiscasset, ME (active 1810-1832); an array of early weapons, many 17th century and earlier; Asian antiques and decorative items; and selections of African, Oceanic and Native American artifacts.

On Sunday, the auction will present an outstanding collection of rare wristwatches and small clocks, including: an A. Lange & Sohne Model 101.022 gent’s 18K gold watch; a Lacloche Freres French desk clock with diamond set jade case and diamond set hands; a Patek Philippe 5054 gent’s automatic wristwatch with 18K rose gold case; a circa 1900 gilded bronze French Grande Sonnerie carriage clock with Japonisme panels; and three watches by Franck Muller, Geneve.

In addition to the Willem De Kooning paintings, Sunday artwork will include pieces by: Wang Chi-Yuan (China/NY, 1893-1975), Elizabeth Shippen Green (PA, 1871-1954), Larry Bell (NM/CA/IL, 1939- ), Charles Hussein Zenderoudi (France/Iran, 1937- ), Andrew Wyeth (PA/ME, 1917-2009), and Thomas Hart Benton (MO/MA/KS, 1889-1975).

There will be an interesting group of Russian late 19th – early 20th century masterworks, such as: a large silver, shaded cloisonné enamel and jeweled kovsh; a silver and guilloche enamel picture frame by Faberge (workmaster Andrei Goryanov); and a Faberge 14K yellow gold mounted guilloche enamel bell form scent bottle (workmaster Henrik Wigstrom).

A great collection of mid-20th century Scandinavian designer furniture will be offered on Sunday, including pieces by Borge Mogensen (1914-1972) for Erhard Rassmussen, Copenhagen, Brouer Mobelfabrik, Yrjo Kukkapuro (Finland), Kaare Klint, and Arne Vodder. Additionally, an interesting array of modern art will be sold.

Other items of interest will include: a low mileage single owner 2014 Subaru Outback 2.5i automobile; 2 practical model steam locomotives; and a selection of A.G.A. Correa & Son Turk’s head design gold jewelry.

The gallery will be open for previews Monday, November 12 through Thursday, November 16, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from 9-11 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning before the auction begins.