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Post Sale Press Release - July 17th, 2004 Americana Auction
Michael and Seth Fallon of Copake Auction, Inc., report their Americana sale held on Saturday, July 17th was a great success with 211 registered bidders and close to 300 absentee and phone bids. Auctioneer, Michael Fallon, sold 505 lots in 4 ½ hours averaging over 100 lots per hour. “That is about the average pace for us, but usually summer auctions seem to go slower. This sale we had good bidders and the mid line offerings faired well, that part of the market can be extremely soft”.
The top lot, a Hepplewhite swell front chest with exaggerated French feet, came from a local home in Pine Plains, NY where it was stored in the back yard in a shed along with another piece, a 32” 18th c. Q.A. birch slant lid desk with pronounced bandy feet. The Hepplewhite chest drew much interest eventually selling to Harold Cole of Woodbury, CT who bid on the phone from the Maine Dealers Show against a prominent New York City dealer. The chest opened at $4000 and quickly was knocked down at $14300. The Q.A. desk again sold to Harold Cole and made $4540.
Another item out of a local home was a 19th c. painting by Adolfo Belimbau, it was a bargain selling at $4260.
Unquestionably the most interesting lot offered sold early in the sale, lot 58 a life size carved wooden bull covered with sheet metal which had mellowed to an exceptional patina. While on a buying trip, the auctioneer noticed a real estate sign on the barn where the bull had stood, he had admired the folk sculpture for many years so he stopped and negotiated the purchase. “We had to rent an industrial fork lift to load the bull, it was oppressively heavy”, Mr. Fallon commented. The sculpture sold for $6325.
Weathervanes have become a hot item at Copake, the auction offered some interesting examples this sale including a 1920’s car which brought $3850, a sailboat selling for $3960, a Boston eagle for $3740 and a running horse for $2200.
A Federal sofa in the style of Duncan Phyfe sold to a Salisbury, CT dealer for $6600, and from the same Kinderhook, NY home an exceptional R. Whiting tall case clock made $3740.
Other items of interest include a watchmaker’s trade sign which brought $1045; step back cupboard $2640; gameboard $1540; Victorian onyx and champlever lamp $1100; an unusual transitional Wm. and Mary Queen Anne armchair $2310; an English Sheraton flat top desk $2200; (3) watercolor paintings by contemporary folk artist Evelyn S. Dubiel ranged from $440-1210; lot 162 a seascape by John Ewbank sold to a dealer in London, England for $1100.
“We were very happy with the results of this sale. We had a strong audience and tons of absentee and phone bids which made for an exceptional sale”, noted Seth Fallon.
Copake Auction Inc.
266 Rt. 7A – Copake, NY 12516
Phone: 518-329-1142
Fax: 518-329-3369
Email: info@copakeauction.com
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