Lambertville, NJ: Rago Arts and Auction Center’s May Design Auctions brought $4,000,188 in sales over the weekend of May 20-21, 2017. The Solana Collection of Lalique Glass enjoyed strong sale prices through-out, earning a sell through rate of 97% and hammering at 16% above high estimate. Works of Mid-Century and Modern Design, including designs by Wendell Castle, Gio Ponti and Vladimir Kagan, exceeded expectations with several lots by these makers selling above their high estimates. Works of American Arts and Crafts also made strong showings in the sale, including Lot 1197, a unique peacock lamp by Ernest Batchelder and Douglas Donaldson which sold for $62,500 against an estimate of $30,000-40,000 and Lot 1198, a pair of fine sconces by Greene & Greene which sold for $75,000 against an estimate of $15,000-20,000. Also of note: Lots 1173 and 1174, experimental Favrile pottery vases by Tiffany Studios which sold for $10,000 and $8,750, respectively, against identical estimates of $1,000-1,500; Lot 2691, a Venetian vase by Dale Chihuly and Lino Tagliapietra which sold for $26,250 against an estimate of $10,000-15,000; Lot 2172, Tête-à-Tête game table by Michael Coffey which sold for $32,500 against an estimate of $15,000-25,000; and Lot 2508, Robert Arneson’s “Love Me” earthenware sculpture which sold for $18,750 against an estimate of $5,000-7,000.
“With a sell through rate above 80% and an overall sale total just below the high estimate, we are very pleased with the performance of our May 2017 Design Auctions. I’ll admit to being relieved that the sale was as strong as it was, with so much Modern material coming to market in the next month. We’re already deep into preperations for our next Modern auction, scheduled for September, and it looks like it may be our best one in years. Stay tuned…”
– David Rago,Partner & Co-Director, 20th C. Design
“Despite the crowded field that this very busy time of year represents, our Spring 2017 Contemporary Glass sale proved strong for blue-chip names such as Lino Tagliapietra, Yoichi Ohira, Dale Chihuly, Dan Dailey, William Morris and Stephen R. Powell. We look forward to repeating this success in our September Design Auctions.”
– Suzanne Perrault, Partner & Co-Director, 20th C. Design
Weekend Total Hammer: $3,200,150
Hammer + 25% buyer’s premium: $4,000,188
Low Estimate: $3,001,150
High Estimate: $4,222,400
Bidders in-house: 69
Bidders on phone: 215
Absentee Bidders: 81
Number of lots: 994
Percent Sold: 80%
Online bidders: 1,153 from US, UK, Russia, Spain, Puerto Rico, Netherlands, Italy, France, Belgium, Hungary, Canada, Cayman Islands, Singapore, German, American Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Germany, Austria, China, Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Japan, South Korea, Slovak Republic, Monaco, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland and United Arab Emirates.
The Solana Collection of Lalique Glass
Hammer: $470,125
Hammer + 25% buyer’s premium: $587,656
Low Estimate: $277,700
High Estimate: $405,650
Number of lots: 115
Early 20th C. Design
Hammer: $508,000
Hammer + 25% buyer’s premium: $635,000
Low Estimate: $491,050
High Estimate: $703,600
Number of lots: 156
Mid-Mod
Hammer: $255,750
Hammer + 25% buyer’s premium: $319,688
Low Estimate: $341,750
High Estimate: $492,100
Number of lots: 254
Modern Design
Hammer: $1,369,450
Hammer + 25% buyer’s premium: $1,711,813
Low Estimate: $1,380,400
High Estimate: $1,885,200
Number of lots: 270
Modern Ceramics and Glass
Hammer: $591,725
Hammer + 25% buyer’s premium: $739,656
Low Estimate: $510,250
High Estimate: $735,850
Number of lots: 199
