124 lots from the Headley-Whitney Museum consignment achieves $1.05 million. Six antique Chinese rhinoceros horn libation cups total $470,000. Chinese painting of an Eagle soars to $125,000. Romantic Woodward oil quadruples its presale estimate to achieve $105,000.

Top 20 Lots

#1 ▪ Lot 104 ▪ RHINOCEROS HORN LIBATION CUP ▪ $185,000

 Headley-Whitney Museum

The highlight of Neal Auction Company’s February 23 and 24, 2013 Important Estates Auction was lot 104, an 18th century Chinese rhinoceros horn libation cup carved as a large open flower borne on openwork branches issuing fruit and flowers.  The extraordinary cup saw widespread competition from collectors around the world, ultimately selling for $185,000 to a US bidder on liveauctioneers.com vying against 17 telephone bidders, 6 absentee bidders, and lively salesroom participation. 

#2 ▪ Lot 101 ▪ CHINESE SCROLL PAINTING ▪ $125,000

Headley-Whitney Museum

Lot 101, a Chinese scroll painting of an “Eagle and Autumn Leaves” bearing the signature of Emperor Song Huizong as well as the collector’s seal of the Qianlong Emperor, also garnered considerable attention worldwide. The bidding for the painting started at $1,800 and quickly soared upward, selling to a Chinese painting collector in the room for $125,000.

#3 ▪ Lot 384 ▪ WILLIAM WOODWARD ▪ $105,000

Carrying a presale estimate of $20,000 to $30,000, lot 384, a 1921 William Woodward (American/New Orleans 1859-1939) oil on canvas depicting a romantic “Gulf Shore” scene sold to a Mississippi collector for $105,000. The work, which was painted as a wedding present for the consignor’s parents, featured two oaks with intertwined branches symbolic of the young couple’s love for one another.

#4 ▪ Lot 299 ▪ WILLIAM HENRY BUCK ▪ $87,000

Lot 299, a Mississippi River scene painted by William Henry Buck (American/Louisiana, 1840-1888) featuring a man poling on a raft beside sawn logs on the banks, achieved $87,000, selling to a New Orleans collector. The painting, contemporaneous with Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Hick Finn, powerfully captured the late 19th century way of life along the banks of the great Mississippi.

#5 ▪ Lot 625 ▪ RHINOCEROS HORN LIBATION CUP ▪ $62,000

Headley-Whitney Museum

Lot 625, a 17th/18th century Chinese rhinoceros horn libation cup carved as a partly rotten tree stump with new-growth chrysanthemum, peony and grasses, was won by a US bidder on liveauctioneers.com for $62,000 competing against 12 phone bidders, three absentee bidders, and several bidders in the room.

#6 ▪ Lot 445 ▪ IDA RITTENBERG KOHLMEYER ▪ $60,000

Lot 445, a vibrant, 1974 oil on canvas by Ida Rittenberg Kohlmeyer (American/New Orleans, 1912-1997) titled “Transverse #3,” saw active participation among collectors on the floor competing against six telephone bidders. The work ultimately sold for $60,000, against a presale estimate of $15,000 to $25,000.

#7 ▪ Lot 105 ▪ RHINOCEROS HORN LIBATION CUP ▪ $58,500

Headley-Whitney Museum

Lot 105, a small 18th century Chinese rhinoceros horn libation cup carved with two kui dragons clambering over the lip, sold for $58,500 to a US bidder on liveauctioneers.com competing against 11 phone bidders, several absentee bidders, and the salesroom floor.

#8 ▪ Lot 627 ▪ RHINOCEROS HORN LIBATION CUP ▪ $57,000

Headley-Whitney Museum

Lot 627, an 18th century Chinese rhinoceros horn libation cup carved with two kui dragons forming the handle, saw bidding from 11 telephones, the salesroom floor and liveauctioneers.com. The cup sold to a US buyer on liveauctioneers.com for $57,000.

#9 ▪ Lot 626 ▪ RHINOCEROS HORN LIBATION CUP ▪ $55,000

Headley-Whitney Museum 

Lot 626, an 18th century Chinese rhinoceros horn libation cup carved as an open hibiscus blossom borne on flowering prunus and tree peony branches was won by a US bidder in the room for $55,000 competing against a bank of 15 phone bidders and liveauctioneers.com.

#10 ▪ Lot 624 ▪ RHINOCEROS HORN LIBATION CUP ▪ $53,000

Headley-Whitney Museum

Lot 624, a small 17th/18th century Chinese rhinoceros horn libation cup beautifully carved as a curling veined lotus leaf with two dragons scaling the sides above swirling and cresting waves at the base sold to a US buyer in the room for $53,000 against competition from liveauctioneers, 13 telephone bidders and the salesroom floor.

#11 ▪ Lot 408 ▪ JOHN JAMES AUDUBON, BIRDS OF AMERICA ▪ $50,000

Lot 408, a 7 volume, first edition of John James Audubon’s The Birds of America, From Drawings Made in the United States and Their Territories received considerable interest, selling for $50,000 to a bidder in the room competing against eight telephone bidders.

#12 ▪ Lot 321 ▪ JOHN HENRY BELTER BEDSTEAD ▪ $36,000

Lot 321, a rare, circa 1850-1860 American Rococo Carved Rosewood Bedstead bearing the patent stamps of John Henry Belter, New York, saw competition from the salesroom floor and the telephones. The superb bed with beautifully restrained carving sold to a phone bidder for $36,000.

#13 ▪ Lot 106 ▪ CHINESE HARDWOOD LIBATION CUP ▪ $33,500

Headley-Whitney Museum

Lot 106, a rare, 17th/18th century Chinese “eccentric” carved hardwood libation cup modeled as an inverted mountain peak enveloped in the leafy branches and tendrils of a fruiting grapevine above a small squirrel at the base, sold to a telephone bidder competing against liveauctioneers.com, the salesroom floor, and eight other telephone bidders.

#14 ▪ Lot 471 ▪ WILLIAM HENRY BUCK ▪ $30,500

Lot 471, an oil on canvas by William Henry Buck (American/Louisiana, 1840-1888) titled “Louisiana Bayou: Live Oaks and Water Lilies at Dusk” discovered in the estate of a St. Louis, Missouri, collector, was won by a New Orleans collector in the room for $30,500.

#15 ▪ Lot 278 ▪ AMERICAN TALLCASE CLOCK ▪ $30,000

Headley-Whitney Museum

Lot 278, a circa 1845 American carved cherrywood tallcase clock by Thomas R. J. Ayers of Danville, Kentucky, sold for $30,000 to a bidder in the room competing against five phone bidders.

#16 ▪ Lot 372 ▪ NEWCOMB VASE ▪ $29,000

Lot 372, a rare and important 1902 Newcomb College art pottery vase decorated by Mary Wolcott Richardson (1873-1968) with panels of dancing African-American figures beneath the inscription “Rastus on Parade” was won by a telephone bidder bidding against stiff competition in the room and online.

#17 ▪ Lot 94 ▪ OTTOMAN EMBROIDERED TEXTILE ▪ $26,000

Headley-Whitney Museum

Lot 94, an 18th century Turkish embroidered silk textile exquisitely worked overall in couched metallic threads, saw great interest from the salesroom floor as well as from the telephones. The extraordinarily intricate textile sold to a bidder in the room for $26,000.

#18 ▪ Lot 351 ▪ MARY CASSATT ▪ $22,000

Lot 351, a rare, circa 1898 pastel counterproof by Mary Cassatt (American, 1844-1926) titled “Baby Embracing Her Mother” realized $22,000. The lovely example of the artist’s experimentation with pastel counterproofs was won by an absentee bidder competing against bidders in the room and on the telephone.

#19 ▪ Lot 280 ▪ BLANCHARD TEAPOT ▪ $21,750

Headley-Whitney Museum

Lot 280, an early 19th century Lexington, Kentucky Coin Silver Teapot marked A·BLANCHARD (wc. 1808-1838) sold for $21,750  to a bidder in the room competing against six telephone bidders and liveauctioneers.com.

#20 (TIED) ▪ Lot 66 ▪ ROCOCO OVERDOORS ▪ $19,500

Lot 66, a suite of four mid-18th century monochrome overdoors displaying “Putto’s Personifications of Comedy and Tragedy, and Lyric and Melodic Music” saw serious competition between bidders on the telephones and bidders in the room. The four canvases ultimately sold to a telephone bidder for $19,500.

#20 (TIED) ▪ Lot 279 ▪ BLANCHARD PITCHER ▪ $19,500

Headley-Whitney Museum

Lot 279, an early 19th century Lexington, Kentucky coin silver pitcher, marked A·BLANCHARD (wc. 1808-1838) sold for $19,500 to a telephone bidder competing against participation from the salesroom floor and five telephone bidders.

#20 (TIED) ▪ Lot 346 ▪ CHARLES FRANCOIS DAUBIGNY ▪ $19,500

Lot 346, an oil on canvas by Charles Francois Daubigny (France, 1817-1878) titled “Le Ru à Valmondois,” achieved $19,500 from a bidder on the salesroom floor competing against several telephone bidders.

#20 (TIED) ▪ Lot 974 ▪ J.S. MARSH ▪ $19,500

Lot 974, an 1872 oil on board by J.S. Marsh (American, 19th c.) featuring the “Mouth of the St. John’s River, Fla-Looking out to Sea” realized $19,500. Carrying a presale estimate of $5,000 to $8,000, this rare and early view of Northeast Florida saw vigorous bidding from several Florida collectors, the salesroom floor and five telephone bidders.

Prices realized include Neal Auction Company’s Buyer’s Premium. Neal Auction Company’s Buyer’s Premium is 22% of the hammer price up to and including $200,000, plus 10% of the hammer price greater than $200,000. For purchases made by cash, check or wire transfer the buyer’s premium is reduced by 2.5% of the 22%.