On September 7th, Kaminski held its most successful Modern and Contemporary sale to date. Headed by the 20th Century Department Specialist Kate Wilkins, the sale presented 382 carefully curated lots that together garnered over a half-million dollars in sales.

A portion of that success was due to a rare Hans Wegner upholstered Peacock chair that came up the podium halfway through the auction. Bids for the piece flooded in from domestic and international buyers alike over the phone and Internet. The final price set a new U.S. record for the Danish designer at $42,000 with buyer’s premium.

The auction also included Kaminski’s second sale of a Diego Giacometti piece within the past year, and the auction house is quickly building a reputation for successful sales. This month’s “Console Aux Oiseaux” sold within estimate for $204,000. The birds that appear on the table are among Diego Giacometti’s most characteristic motifs, making this table a desirable representation of his work.

Bidders on the phone and in house competed energetically for an exceptional set of Alexander Calder tapestries also presented in the auction. The striking tapestries were designed by Calder and woven by Les Atelier Pinton in Aubusson, France to celebrate the American Bicentennial in 1975. The series included six works in an edition of 200. Five of the six crossed the auction block at Kaminski, including “Le Sphere et les Spirales,” Les Palmiers,” “Le Tache Bleue,” “Les Spirales,” and “Les Vagues.” All were in remarkable condition and editioned 36 or 37 of 200. Offered at a conservative estimate of $2,000 to $3,000, the price for each soared to more than double the high estimates, with the highest achieving tapestry, “Trois Spirales,” achieved $11,400.

Furniture sales at the auction included an impressive collection of Dunbar furniture from a single estate, offered with many of the original advertisements and bills of sale. A large sectional couch upholstered in an eye-catching orange and yellow geometric print was the highest priced piece of the collection, reaching $3,900.

A lithograph by master Henri Matisse also caught the eye of many collectors. Editioned 24/50 and signed in the plate, the print depicted a reclining nude stretched out on a chaise lounge and surrounded by floral shapes and patterns. After much competition, it finally sold for $6,765, including buyer’s premium.

A painting by French artist Raoul Dufy also sold well. Presented as lot 3284, the small watercolor depicts the countryside of Provence, and bears Dufy’s signature along with the Atelier Raoul Dufy stamp. The piece was bolstered by good provenance with a label from the Gerald Norman Gallery affixed to the back, and a certificate issued by Arthur Tooth and Sons, London. Including buyer’s premium, the work fetched $19,680.

With the conclusion of this successful sale, Kaminski looks forward to its next Modern and Contemporary Auction to be held January 4th, 2015. Sales records and passed items available for after auction offers from the September 7th auction can be viewed online atKaminskiauctions.com.