Lambertville, NJ: Rago Arts and Auction Center’s 20th C. Decorative Arts and Design Auction brought a total $5,105,250 on October 18 and 19, 2014. 

“Arts and Crafts was surprisingly strong, 90% sold and hammering well into the estimate range,” said David Rago. “In addition to solid performances by standards such as Newcomb College and Marblehead potteries (thanks to an important consignment from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art), we saw impressive prices for European work by French, English, and Hungarian makers such as Dalpayrat, Martin Brothers, and Zsolnay.  The high lot of the sale, a rare and exceptional Gothic carved desk by Charles Rohlfs, brought $260,000, purchased by the Modernism Museum of Mount Dora.  Modern design, especially the Studio Craftsmen,  a Rago speciality, were similarly robust.  Paul Evans, George Nakashima, Phil Powell, and Wharton Esherick were nearly 100% sold and prices were among the highest paid since 2008, when the market first turned downward.  Further, several contemporary furniture makers such as James Beardon and Burt Furnari had great traction, in spite of their recent entry into the secondary market.  Finally, a strong collection of nearly 25 lots of Picasso/Madoura pottery blew away high estimates, and weavings “after” Alexander Calder were impressively solid.”

• Weekend Total Hammer: $4,093,000
• Hammer + B.P.: $5,105,250
• Low Estimate: $3,996,200
• High Estimate: $5,609,450
• Bidders in-house:  85
• Bidders on phone:  295
• Absentee Bidders: 102
• Bidders online:  704 (Early 20th C. and Modern Ceramics and Glass); 808 (Modern)
• Number of lots:  1077
• Percent sold:  79%

Saturday, October 18: Early 20th C. Decorative Arts and Modern Ceramics and Glass

• Hammer:  $1,797,050
• Hammer + 25% buyer’s premium = $2,246,313
• Low Estimate:  $1,415,800
• High Estimate:  $1,992,850
• Number of lots: 504
• Percent sold:  86%
• 16% of online bidders outside the U.S. (Early 20th C. and Modern Ceramics and Glass): Canada, France, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, Hungary, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, South Africa, Singapore and Australia.

Early 20th C Decorative Arts:

• Hammer:  $1,349,550
• Hammer + 25% buyer’s premium = $1,686,938
• Low Estimate: $1,020,250
• High Estimate: $1,430,850
• Number of lots: 320
• Percent sold:  89%

Early 20th C. Decorative Arts Highlighted Lots:

• 77  Charles Rohlfs Drop-Front Desk  $255,750
• 99  Newcomb College Tile Frieze  $81,250
• 286 Galle Table Lamp  $81,250 
• 312 Tiffany Studios Dragonfly Floor Lamp  $68,750
• 17  Harriet Joor / Newcomb College Early Vase  $51,250
• 15  L. Nicholson / Newcomb College Early Vase with Bats  $50,000
• 44  F.H. Rhead / Arequipa Vase with Pine Trees  $32,500
• 222 Zsolnay Cobra Plate  $32,500 
• 1   George Ohr / New Orleans Art Pottery Vase  $25,000
• 144 Giannini & Hilgart Chandelier  $22,500

Modern Ceramics and Glass:

• Hammer:  $447,500
• Hammer + 25% buyer’s premium:  $559,375
• Low Estimate: $395,550
• High Estimate: $562,000
• Number of lots: 184
• Percent sold:  79% 

Modern Ceramics and Glass Highlighted Lots:

• 492 Yoichi Ohira Mosaico Vase  $26,250
• 361 Maija Grotell Massive Vase  $23,750
• 509 Stephen R. Powell Teasers Series  $22,500
• 364 Peter Voulkos Stack Pot  $21,250
• 413 Robert Arneson Self-Portrait Trophy Bust  $21,250
• 494 Yoichi Ohira Polvere Vase  $20,000
• 392 Gertrud and Otto Natzler Angular Light Vessel  $18,750 
• 488 Lino Tagliapietra Battuto Glass Vase   $18,750
• 493 Yoichi Ohira Castagna Vase  $15,000
• 515 Mary Ann "Toots" Zynsky Filet-de-Verre Bowl   $15,000

Modern Design: Sunday, October 19, 2014

• Hammer:  $2,295,950
• Hammer + 25% buyer’s premium:  $2,869,938
• Low estimate:  $2,580,400
• High estimate:  $3,616,600
• Number of lots: 573
• Percent sold:  74% 
• 12% of online bidders outside the U.S.: Canada, Mexico, Paraguay, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa.

Modern Design Highlighted Lots:

• 601 Paul Evans Sculpture Front Cabinet  $183,750
• 903 Harry Bertoia Monumental Sculpture Screen  $135,750
• 830 and 831 Paul Evans Rare Wavy Front Cabinet   $75,000 each
• 902 Harry Bertoia Mobile Tonal Sculpture  $56,250
• 608 Paul Evans; Directional Deep Relief Cabinet  $31,250
• 627 George Nakashima Persian Walnut Hanging Wall Case  $46,250
• 663 Ado Chale Low Table  $38,750
• 727 Gio Ponti / Singer & Sons Dresser  $27,500
• 748 Ico and Luisa Parisi Pair of nightstands $17,500

Consignments are now being accepted for the next 20th C. Design auctions, February 14/15, 2015 and all Rago winter/spring auctions: 609.397.9374 or info@ragoarts.com. 

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.