Auction Results for Treadway Gallery and Rago’s

compiled by Kate Nixon

Editor’s note: this article has been updated due to a technical malfunction. All apologies for the inconvenience. 

Decorative Arts Auction

Hosted by Treadway Gallery on January 16th

treadwaygallery.com

On January the 16th, Treadway Gallery held their Decorative Arts auction in Cincinnati, including ceramics, furniture, lighting, art glass and fine art spanning multiple movements.

While Tiffany Studios objet had plenty of attention with some of the finalized prices reaching into the $10,000+ range, the early works of Stickley from a Hollywood collection, the varied offerings of Niloak Pottery, a Dirk Van Erp lamp, a Roseville “Della Robbia” vase and a couple Fulper vases proved why the bidding power of Arts and Crafts collectors is still alive and well. The auction included among the highlights; early Stickley works from the collection of Richard Gere, Stickley settees from both Gustav and L. & J.G as well as rare examples from Limbert. The interest in American art pottery works has also never been stronger as attention to the works of Newcomb, Niloak, Roseville, Rookwood among others all experienced all attracted attention from collectors across the country. Here are just a few of the Treadway highlights: 

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  A rare and desirable early Gustav Stickley sideboard with two half drawers with original iron star pulls sold for $15,600. 

  Lot 117 – A Tiffany Studios lamp base made of bronze with impressed marks “Tiffany Studios/New York/26874″ with original patina with paddle switches marked “Excelsior” saw a $15,600 realized price, selling for more than $9,000 higher than the high estimate of $6,000.

• Lot 136 – A Sea Green glazed Rookwood vase, measuring 10.75″h x 6″dia, designed by Sturgis Laurence in original condition sold for $3,000 past the $2,000 high estimate.
• Lot 147 – Among the works of Rookwood, even a small trivet featuring floating sea gulls designed by Sara Toohey was estimated to sell for $250 at the highest; it sold for $975.00.
• Lot 151 – An Iris glazed Rookwood vase designed by Sara Sax of impressive height and width from the Berger collection of Cincinnati and the Robert Bernard collection of Louisville KY. sold for $9,100, more than $5,000 higher than its high estimate of $4,000.
• Lot 205 – As Roseville Pottery got some attention in this auction, this example – a Baneda vase – in its original condition complete with paper label sold above the high estimate in excellent original condition.
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  A Niloak Pottery drink set ($500-$700) sold for $2,125. Photo courtesy of Treadway Gallery.

  Lot 208 – A small box executed by Gertrude Twichell, a master of copper and enamel, sold for $6,875, past the $5,000 high estimate. Featuring a ship in a very colorful nautical scene, this box from a Michigan collection was listed in very good condition.

• Lot 234 –  Featured in Stephen Gray’s The Early Work of Gustav Stickley and hailing from the Richard Gere collection, a rare and desirable early Gustav Stickley sideboard with two half drawers with original iron star pulls sold for $15,600.
• Lot 252 – A collection of eight marked Roycroft chairs made of oak and leather sold just over the high estimate of $4,500 for a realized price of $5,525.
• Lot 253 – Also from the Richard Gere collection, comes a Dirk Van Erp lamp with original mica and patina and an impressed mark selling for $12,350.
• Lot 256 – A pair of bronze candlesticks from Robert Jarvie in original condition with an excellent patina sold for nearly $3,000.
• Lot 260, 264 and 266 – The works of Niloak Pottery enjoyed a lot of attention from collectors; a drink set ($500-$700) sold for $2,125, a large vase with an impressed mark ($900 – $1,200) sold for $2,125 as well, and another vase listed in “excellent condition” with an impressed mark ($400-$600) sold for $1,625.

Here’s how our picks fared:

Ceramics

To see all other finalized prices, please visit click here to visit treadwaygallery.com.

Early 20th Century Design

Hosted by Rago Arts and Auction Center January 20th

ragoarts.com

In a sale that accumulated nearly 2.3 million dollars, several rare and extraordinary items shared the spotlight as the works of Frederick Hurten Rhead, George Ohr, Fulper and Roseville, Adelaide Robineau, Van Briggle pottery, Gustav Stickley and other exciting artists during the Early 20th Century Design auction at Rago Auctions and Art Center. Featuring works from the estate of Martin and Estelle Shack, Don Magner, Edward Gardner Lewis, and other important collections.

• The works of the Mad Potter of Biloxi himself George Ohr pull in truly impressive prices generally and the exceptional works here brought in plenty of interest. While nearly all Ohr pieces sold within or above their estimates, a few surprises came in the forms of a small vase with four different glazes, a pitcher made with some galactic colored glazes, and a scroddled bisque earthenware vase that all sold for more than $20,000 – far and above their estimates.
•  Two rare Fulper Vasekraft table lamps sold in the five digit range: one particular lamp, labelled as “rare and extraordinary” with the shade made of Leopard Skin Crystalline-glazed stoneware and leaded glass saw a finalized price of $16,250! Among the number of Fulper works for bid, a rare cattail vase (3,000 – 4,000) made of verte Antique-glazed earthenware sold well as did the other rare Vasekraft table lamp, a chinese blue flambe glazed base and shade with leaded glass (7,000 – 10,000) sold for $13,750. A leopard skin Crystalline-glazed earthenware vase by Fulper (1,000 – 1,500) brought $3,500 as a selling price with its impressive glaze.
• A few green Grueby vases were able to reach into the five-digit figures, especially the rare and large Daffodil vase (9,000 – 12,000) sold for $15,000 and a rare George Kendrick vase sold for $11,875. One of the biggest surprises was a rare Grueby circular tile with moths (7,000 – 10,000) that sold for 28,600!
• The works of Adelaide Robineau were well represented with a rare seaweed vase (25,000 – 35,000) acquired by David Rago that sold for $47,500, and a crystalline glazed porcelain vase (4,500 – 6,500) that sold for $10,625.  An example of this crystalline vase is now showing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibit Gifts from the Fire: American Ceramics from the Collection of Martin Eidelberg. 
• Among the several works from Tiffany Studios, one particular impressive work of green-glazed earthenware with a silvered copper floral overlay (2,000 – 3,000), sold for $27,500. An example of this work can be found in Martin Eidelberg’s Tiffany Favrile Pottery and the Quest of Beauty.
• An exceptional Frederick Hurten Rhead vase showing the design of a pikeman, made during his time at University City, sold for $81,250 while examples from his days at Roseville Pottery as Art Director were each purchased for prices into the $10,000 range, a couple selling in the $20,000 range.
• Stickley furniture also sold well in the tens of thousands with an early china cabinet of Stickley’s (5,000 – 7,000) selling for $30,000; the cabinet features two doors with mitered mullions concealing two fixed shelves over two doors concealing open storage.

Here’s how our picks fared during the auction:

George E. Ohr Exceptional vase

USA, 1898-1910
glazed earthenware

3¾ h × 7½ w × 4½ d in (10 × 19 × 11 cm)

estimate: $7,000–10,000

sold for $8,750

George E. Ohr Rare and Early pitcher

USA, 1892-94
molded and glazed earthenware

11 h × 8 w × 6½ d in (28 × 20 × 17 cm)

estimate: $4,500–6,500

sold for $8,125

Gustav Stickley Rare and Early book shelves

USA, c. 1902-03
made of oak

56 h × 73½ w × 12½ d in (142 × 187 × 32 cm)

estimate: $2,500–3,500

sold for $9,100