Rago Arts and Auction Center ended the year in spectacular style with a three day sale that totaled $4,774,531 (reflects buyer’s premium of 25%). The largest known near-round natural saltwater pearl, also known as the Putlov Pearl Brooch, sold for $813,000, a new record for a single lot sold at Rago.

• Weekend Total: $3,843,625 (hammer)
• Weekend Total: $4,774,531 (hammer + b.p.)
• Percent sold: 89%
• Friday - Silver, Coins and Currency and Jewelry (Session One): $620,063 (with bp)
• Saturday -  Great Estates: $690,063
• Sunday – Jewelry: $3,501,188 
• Bidders in-house: 174
• Absentee bidders: 94
• Bidders on phone: 218
• Number of lots: 1490

“The auction on Sunday, December 7 was the finest jewelry sale to date at Rago. We hammered just below the high estimate at $2.8 million, selling 98% of the property and setting a new high for a single lot sold at Rago: $813,750 for lot 2557, the Putilov pearl brooch,” said partner Miriam Tucker.  “The Friday sale of silver coins, currency and jewelry averaged 92% sold and hit a number of high points, including the Aguilar flatware and Tiffany Japonisme. Saturday’s Estate auction was notable for the sale of a number of Asian pieces, bronzes and a New Jersey wall cupboard. But this was the weekend for our jewelry department and the Putilov pearl, without a doubt.”     

Friday, December 5, 2014: Silver, Coins, Currency, Jewelry (Session One)

• Hammer: $496,050 (estimate: $244,250-$361,850)
• Hammer + b.p.:  $620,063
• Number of lots: 291
• Percent sold: 93%
• 333 online bidders from: U.S., Canada, Brazil, U.K., Finland, Turkey, China, India, Germany, Denmark, France, Israel, Italy, Australia, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, and Pakistan.

Silver, Friday, December 5, 2014, Highlights

• 68  Hector Aguilar "Aztec" Silver Flatware Service    $ 31,250
• 24  Three Earl of Warrington Silver Serving Platters   $ 20,000
• 57  Tiffany & Co. Art Nouveau Silver Water Pitcher   $ 18,750
• 8    II Artel Enameled 88 Silver Sugar Bowl and Tongs    $ 15,000
• 9    Ruckert Cloisonné Enameled Silver Three Handle Cup    $ 11,875
• 5    Maria Semenova Russian Enameled Silver Kovsh   $ 11,250
• 13  1st Artel, Moscow Art Nouveau Silver Cane Handle   $ 9,375 
• 59  Gorham Mixed Metal and Sterling Centerbowl   $ 8,750
• 35  Tiffany & Co. Sterling Two Handled Waiter   $ 7,040
• 66  Jens Quistgaard "Champagne" Sterling Flatware   $ 6,250
• 63  Georg Jensen "Continental/Antik" Sterling Flatware   $ 6,250
• 84  Tiffany "Richelieu" Partial Gilt Sterling Flatware   $ 5,000

Coins and Currency, Friday, December 5, 2014, Highlights

• 213  U.S. Standing Liberty or Washington Quarters    $ 3,125
• 221 1904-S S$1 Morgan Silver Dollar   $ 3,125
• 201 1812 1C   $ 3,000
• 214 U.S. Barber Half Dollars   $ 2,875
• 218 U.S. Walking Liberty or Franklin Half Dollars   $2,625  

Saturday, December 8, 2014: Great Estates

• Hammer: $552,050
• Hammer + b.p. $690,063
• Number of lots: 627
• Percent sold: 80% 
• 992 online bidders from: U.S., U.K., Canada, Mexico, Paraguay,  Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Finland, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, China, Spain, France, India, Italy, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand.

• 1234  20th C. Bronze Abstract Sculpture    $ 18,750
• 1119  Hackensack Wall Cupboard    $ 16,250
• 1225  Franz Xavier Bergmann Bronze Figure of Elephant   $ 13,750 
• 1081  Tompkins Real Wild West Posters    $ 13,750
• 1050  Japanese Hand Painted Screen   $ 11,250     
• 1040  Chinese Opium Daybed  $ 10,625 
• 1015  Chinese Porcelain Plaques   $ 10,000 
• 1103  Elmer Crowell Canvasback Drake Decoy    $ 9,375
• 1574  Louis Vuitton Steamer Trunk   $ 8,750
• 1206  Johan Mari Henri Ten Kate Landscape of a Woman  $ 8,125

Sunday, December 7, 2014, Jewelry, Couture and Objets de Vertu

• Hammer: $2,800,950 (estimate: $1,762,700 - $2,874,600)
• Hammer + b.p.  $3,501,188
• Number of lots: 572
• Percent sold:  96%
• 689 U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, U.K., Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, Turkey, China, India, Germany, Denmark, France, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Indonesia,  Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Japan, and Thailand.

• 2557 Largest Known Near-Round Natural Saltwater Pearl    $ 813,750
• 2556 English Natural Pearl Diamond Platinum Bracelet   $ 65,625
• 2548 Van Cleef & Arpels French Diamond Platinum Clip   $ 62,500
• 2235 Massive Deep Orange/Red Coral Bead Necklace    $ 59,375
• 2502 3.76 Cts. Unmounted Oval Brilliant Cut Diamond   $ 46,875
• 2546 Exceptional Art Deco Diamond Line Bracelet    $ 38,750    
• 2527 Exceptional Columbian Emerald and Diamond Ring   $ 31,250 
• 2251 David Webb Turquoise, Diamond, Sapphire Bib  $ 28,750 
• 2190 Early Georg Jensen Silver Jewelry with Labradorite   $ 23,750 
• 2236 Jean Schlumberger Enameled Gold Bracelet, Tiffany   $ 22,500  
• 2166 Fourth Century BC Greek Gold Ring      $ 25,000
• 2459 Cartier Enameled Gold Rose Quartz Desk Thermometer  $ 26,250

Consignments are now being accepted for Rago’s April 2015 Great Estates and Jewelry and all of Rago’s Winter/Spring sales: 609.397.9374 or info@ragoarts.com. 

TO THE EDITOR

High resolution images/more information available on request.

About Rago Arts and Auction Center

Rago is a leading U.S. auction house with $30 million in sales in 2013. We serve thousands of sellers and buyers internationally with a singular blend of global reach and personal service. Rago holds auctions of 20th/21st c. design, fine art, decorative arts, furnishings, jewelry, militaria, coins and currency, Asian, historic ephemera, and ethnographic property.  A world-class venue through which to buy and sell, it offers valuations for personal property (from a single piece to collections and estates), appraisals, estate services, exhibitions and lectures in house and online. Rago is based in New Jersey, midway between Philadelphia and New York City.

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