Milton Avery’s pastel on paper “Beach Loungers,” surpassed its high estimate to finish at $48,640, the top price in the two-day sale.
Review by W.A. Demers
SARASOTA, FLA. — Sarasota Estate Auction presented two days of fine and decorative arts auctions on August 24 and 25. Day one featured a Chiura Obata color woodcut, a lifetime collection of estate jewelry, art glass sculptures and more, while day two’s focus was on important fine art, antiques and silver. Leading both days, and in keeping with the last unofficial days of summer, was Milton Avery’s (1885-1965) pastel on paper “Beach Loungers,” which surpassed its high estimate to finish at $48,640. “We were very happy with the results,” said the firm’s auction manager, Mia McDermott. “There was a lot of interest prior to auction time. We started at an internet bid of $14,500 and it climbed all the way up! It ended up selling to an in-house bidder.” Depicting two women lounging on a golden beach with umbrellas at the edge of the ocean in the background, the pastel composition came loaded with provenance and included a note on the reverse that was signed, dated and authenticated by Avery’s daughter, the coexecutor of the Milton Avery estate. The note read, “this pastel was done by my father in the late 30s — March Avery Cavanaugh 10/2/69.” It is staying in Sarasota, according to McDermott, with both consignor and successful bidder happy with the outcome.
The sale totaled approximately $700,000 with an 85 percent sell-through rate. McDermott said she tallied about 8,000 registered bidders across the three online platforms, plus there were phones, left bids and in-house participation.
The name Felix Ziem conjures waterscape scenes with buildings. His full name was Felix Francois Georges Philibert Ziem (1821-1911), and he was born in France’s Cote d’Or. The buildings in his art come from his studies at the Ecole d’Architecture de Dijon, where, for a time, he intended to become an architect. Like many artists of his time, however, he was drawn to the Italian city of Venice and it is Venice that was depicted in his finest works. An oil on board landscape in this auction depicted a canal scene in Venice and was bid to $12,800. Signed in the lower left, it measured 28½ by 20½ inches.
Felix Ziem’s early studies at the Ecole d’Architecture de Dijon (France) and his love for the city of Venice come together in this oil on board depicting a Venetian canal scene, which realized $12,800.
Another Continental heavy-hitter, George Grosz (1893-1959), was represented in the sale by a mixed media satirical piece depicting pig-snouted and pock-faced gents and a prostitute mingling in a beer hall. The watercolor and ink on German text pages, circa 1925-30, sold for $6,720, more than twice its high estimate. According to catalog notes, Grosz was known for his caricatural drawings and paintings of Berlin life in the 1920s. During Germany’s Weimar Republic he was a prominent member of the Berlin Dada and New Objectivity groups. In 1933, he emigrated to the United States and became a naturalized citizen in 1938.
An early oil on canvas self-portrait of Sir Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577-1640), painted in 1623, gaveled for $5,440. From the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle, the painting bore old labels on the stretcher.
Leading the notable jewelry offered in the sale was a vintage bracelet that exuded 1960s charm. The emerald, diamond and platinum bracelet sold within estimate for $13,440. Lined up were 11 emeralds (4 carats), 88 round diamonds (10 carats) and 110 baguette-cut diamonds (3 carats). The lot was accompanied by an original appraisal from 1991 that valued the bracelet at $30,000.
The second lot across the block on day one was a signed 18K gold necklace with pendant, which surpassed its $5,5/7,300 estimate to finish at $11,520. The pendant resembled a face depicting the “Mouth of Truth,” an ancient Roman sculpture. With an open circle link necklace featuring both large and small links, the pendant was signed on the back. The hanging length was 20¼ inches.
This signed 18K gold necklace with a pendant surpassed its $5,5/7,300 estimate to bring $11,520.
An 18K gold signed geometric cuff bracelet sold for $7,360. Made in Switzerland, the flexible cuff exuded Modernism with small triangles stacked on top of one another, forming an abstract pattern.
Flexible, too, was a 14K gold Omega necklace that elicited $5,760, twice its high estimate. The simple design was marked on the clasp.
Also fetching $5,760 was a 14K gold, chunky woven link-style necklace that was marked on its clasp, and an 18K gold and lapis lazuli flexible bangle bracelet, marked on inside and featuring a large blue lapis lazuli stone in the center with a four-sided shape that covered the latching mechanism.
With 7 carats of diamonds and 3.5 carats of emeralds, a platinum, diamond and emerald brooch crossed the block for $5,760.
This platinum, diamond and emerald brooch, which crossed the block for $5,760, had 7 carats of diamonds and 3.5 carats of emeralds.
Additional jewelry highlights included an 18K gold Cartier-style diamond, emerald and amethyst ring, selling for five times its estimate at $5,440; an 18K gold and sapphire satin finish floral bracelet, nearly doubling its high estimate to bring $4,800; a long 14K gold Byzantine necklace, taking $4,480 — four times its expectation; and an 18K gold and diamond pave flexible cuff bracelet, going out for $4,160.
And a staple of today’s estate sales, an English Sheffield sterling flatware set weighing approximately 144 troy ounces, found a new home for $5,760.
All prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. The next two-day auction is scheduled for November 2-3. For more information, 941-359-8700 or www.sarasotaestateauction.com.
