The auction was held on Sept. 2, 2009 at the Dallas Auction Gallery. The highlights are as follows:

Renoir’s "Le Chapeau Epingle"

• Pierre Auguste Renoir’s “Le Chapeau Epingle” planche lithograph in sanguine, signed and dated in plate, “Renoir 97″ and stamped in green lower right, “Renoir.” It was from an edition of 50 from a total edition of 200, circa 1897. The presale estimate was between $12,000 and $18,000 and it realized a price of $16,730.

• A Chinese Qing Dynasty Zitan altar table of rectangular form with humpback stretchers below the aprons, connecting the four square form legs with horse shoe style feet. Provenance from the estate of a collector and former ambassador to China under the last Emperor of the Qing Dynasty., circa 1644-1911. The presale estimate was between $30,000 and $40,000.00, and it realized a price of $56,762.

Chinese Ming Zhengde Imperial blue and white porcelain table screen

• A Chinese Ming Zhengde Imperial blue and white porcelain table screen depicting floral scrolls around a circular panel. The back and a narrow band at the base are unglazed. Six character mark below reads, “Great Ming Zhengde Production.” Similar to the one found at the Percival Foundation of Chinese Art exhibited at the British Museum of Art, circa 1505-1521. The presale estimate was between $20,000 and $30,000 and it realized a price of $47,800.

• A Joseph Emmanuel Zwiener (German, B. 1849) Table de Salon the shaped top with floral marquetry contained within a banded ormolu collar above two frieze drawers, the verso with two false drawers, supported by cabriole legs with ribbon tied cornucopia ormolu terminals and ormolu sabots. Stamped, “E. Zwiener,” twice to one drawer, circa second half 19th century. The presale estimate was between $15,000 and $25,000 and it realized a price of $17,925.

A French Palissy platter by Francois Maurice

• A French Palissy platter by Francois Maurice the mottled ground fading from blue to green to brown in color; the whole decorated with crisply modeled marine and bug life as well as fauna. Signed lower right edge, “F. Maurice.” The presale estimate was between $4,000 and $6,000 and it realized a price of $5,078.75.

For more information, visit the Dallas Auction Gallery Web site or call 214-653-3900.

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Royal Vienna-style vase.

A close-up of the hand-painted portrait of a Victorian woman with rosy cheeks and flowing hair.

Atlantique City is a massive antique show, held several times a year at the Atlantic City Convention Center, featuring hundreds of dealers selling quality antiques. One special “draw” to the show is that it offers free appraisals to the public, and last October show promoters invited several Worthologists to help evaluate the items brought in. That is where I met Linda Rubin.

Linda, and her husband, Arthur, were my second appraisal of the morning, following a “not-so-antique” set of collector mugs. It was a refreshing surprise when Linda reached into her bag and withdrew a carefully wrapped object that turned out to be a stunning porcelain vase. It stood nine inches tall and the background was a lovely iridescent emerald green, with alternating panels of flowers and blue jewels. There was a center medallion that had an exquisite hand-painted portrait of a Victorian woman with rosy cheeks and flowing hair.

As I examined the vase closer, it got even better, as I found the signature of the artist: Wagner. Wagner was an artist who worked in Austria painting some of the finest porcelain during the last quarter of the 19th century. I told the Rubins that the vase was in the Royal Vienna style and dated to the late 19th century. I also informed them that the name Royal Vienna—or Vienna Porcelain—refers to a style of porcelain painting that became very popular during the Victorian era, and that there were dozens of porcelain manufacturers in Germany and Austria that produced these magnificent portrait vases, plates and other porcelain articles. I estimated the value of the vase at $2,000. After the evaluation, I gave Linda my WorthPoint business card and assumed that was the last time I would see the vase.

But Linda and Arthur had been trying to downsize in anticipation of a move. They were going through their home, deciding on what to do with the many items that Linda had inherited from her grandfather and mother. Her grandfather was an antiques enthusiast who had amassed quite a collection. He passed these items down to Linda’s mother who, in turn, gave them to Linda. She decided to keep some of the heirlooms that she remembered fondly, like the grandfather clock from her grandparent’s home. Yet, when it came to the Royal Vienna vase, as beautiful as it was, she lacked a connection to it, and decided to sell. She also found a Royal Vienna cabinet plate with equally fine detail. In January 2009, she e-mailed me through WorthPoint, and said that she would like me to assist her in finding an appropriate venue for the vase and plate.

Picking an Auction House

Deciding where to sell porcelain required careful consideration. I wanted an establishment that dealt in quality antiques and that would advertise well to help get my client the best price. After much research, I found the perfect place—Dallas Auction Gallery—also simply known as DAG, has sold thousands of pieces of high-end porcelain and its past auction results were impressive. I contacted Adriane Shuford Crosland, vice president of Dallas Auction Gallery, who said that she would love to have the opportunity to sell the vase and plate. Ms. Crosland wanted to place it in DAG’s April 17, 2008, auction, and estimated the auction value to be between $500 and $7,000 for the plate and $700 and $1,000 for the vase. I was a little disappointed with the estimate of the vase, but as she pointed out, the economy was not working in our favor. Once again, I contacted Linda, who decided it was a go!

The vase and plate were rushed to Dallas and photographed for the auction. The photos were so amazing; they seemed to capture the true vibrancy of the vase. The pictures of the vase and plate were so clear that you could even make out fine details like the artist strokes. After seeing the items in the catalog and on-line, I was sure that they would attract many buyers and surpass the estimates. The auction was broadcast live on LiveAuctioneers.com, and the vase received six online absentee bids prior to the auction. In my role as broker, I felt that it was important to keep the Rubins informed and make them part of the process. I sent Linda and Arthur the Internet link so that they could watch the auction live and follow along with the bidding.

On the day of the auction, the vase sold for $1,800 and the plate for $600, not including the buyer’s premium. Linda was “thrilled” with the outcome of the auction and promised to keep sorting through her items as she continues to downsize in hopes of finding more hidden treasures. She also mentioned that it was hard to believe that a vase that was kept on a “wobbly table” could have been worth so much. As a WorthPoint broker, I thought that the sale was a successful match of item to auction house. But more than this, as an antique porcelain lover, it pleases me to know that the Royal Vienna vase is once again in the hands of someone who will treasure it as much as Linda’s grandfather did.

Audra Blevins is a Worthologist who specializes in French Limoges china and early American pattern glass.

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Reston, VA (PRWEB) April 5, 2008 — WorthPoint Corporation, the premier website for art, antiques, and collectibles, announced today that Dallas Auction Gallery has selected WorthPoint as a data publishing partner. Under the new agreement, Dallas Auction Gallery will provide WorthPoint with upcoming and historical auction data to be published on the WorthPoint web site. With information provided by Dallas Auction Gallery, WorthPoint is now able to provide more comprehensive data than ever.

“We are thrilled about our partnership with Dallas Auction Gallery,” said Will Seippel, CEO and Chairman of WorthPoint. “With this new relationship, we add the sales of American antique furniture and antique silver to our database, from the premier auction house in the Southwest. No one is more knowledgeable on the subject of antique furniture and decorative arts than they are, and WorthPoint is proud to include Dallas Auction Gallery’s records in its data collection.”

WorthPoint is a collector’s social network and search engine rolled into one. The website is changing the process of assessing worth for collectibles by providing a vast database of sales records wherein an individual can assess the worth of their own collection. Through WorthPoint, collectors connect with experts to learn more about authenticity and value in art, antiques, and vintage items. Through the WorthPoint online community, members can contact other collectors interested in buying, selling, or swapping stories, and they can share their insight and knowledge through the forums and wikis.
http://www.worthpoint.com

Dallas Auction Gallery is the premier full service antique and fine art auction house in the Southwest. With over thirty years of experience, Dallas Auction Gallery offers regular antique auctions and estate auctions, providing well-researched valuations and aggressive marketing to attract appropriate buyers. Auctions are held every six to eight weeks and feature local and regional consignments in the areas of antique furniture and accessories, art glass, antique oil paintings, contemporary fine art, Asian art, and antique silver.
www.dallasauctiongallery.com

Contact:
Eve Hyman
WorthPoint
404-477-3250
404-477-3251
eve.hyman@worthpoint.com
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