This 19th century Chinese pagoda form wood and ivory display cabinet in good condition brought $34,500 in a Dec. 3-4 auction facilitated by Leland Little Auctions & Estate Sales.

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. – A gorgeous 19th-century Chinese pagoda form wood and ivory display cabinet breezed to $34,500 at a two-session weekend cataloged auction held Dec. 3-4 by Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, making it the top-selling item in an auction saw 650 items sold.

The cabinet was describes as being in good overall condition and Asian arts seemed to dominate the Dec. 4 session. Other top achievers included a monumental late 19th-century Chinese tester bed—99 inches tall, made from mahogany with bone and lighter wood inlays throughout—which sold for $29,900, and a 19th-century Chinese porcelain jardinière (or goldfish bowl), with interior decoration simulating an underwater landscape of fish and plants, that brought $26,450 (all prices quoted include a 15-percent buyer’s premium).

Additional Asian objects included a Chinese Export orange Fitzhugh pattern platter, made for the American market and showing an eagle with spread wings ($10,350); a Southeast Asian standing Buddha, circa late 18th century, bronze and gilt bronze on a circular lotus base ($4,600); and a large Japanese cloisonné floor vase with flaring mouth and decorations ($3,680).

Online bidding was made possible by LiveAuctioneers.com, and phone and absentee bidding was brisk both days as well. The auction grossed $925,000, the second-highest ever posted by the firm.

“It was strong confirmation that our final cataloged sale of 2010 was such a success, a real statement to our dedicated team and quality consignments,” said Leland Little of Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales.

Following are additional highlights from the Dec. 3-4 auction:

The entire first session, on Dec. 3, was dedicated to fine wine, a category the firm has nurtured along in recent sales. Top lots included a pair of cases (12 bottles each) of 1982 Chateau Haut-Brion, a fine French wine. Each case sold for $7,820. Also, two lots of three bottles each of Chateau Lafite Rothschild (French, 2000), with the original tissue, hammered for $6,440 per lot.

Chinese Export orange Fitzhugh pattern platter, made just for the American market, sold for $10,350.

Continental artwork did exceptionally well. An oil on canvas by Abraham Bisschop (1660-1731), titled “Birds in a Landscape,” signed and dated (1695) realized $27,600; a signed oil on canvas by Albert Dawant (Fr., 1852-1923), titled “Eve of Austerlitz,” rose to $16,675; and an oil on Masonite work by Rafael Durancamps (Sp., 1891-1978), titled “Shoreline,” garnered $4,600.

American art did well, too. A woodcut by Anna Heyward Taylor (S.C., 1879-1956), depicting vendors at the Old City Market in Charleston, signed and numbered (23) hit $4,600; an oil on board by Adele Williams (Va., 1868-1952), titled Market Scene, signed, rose to $3,450; and an oil on canvas by David B. Walkley (Oh/Ct, 1849-1934), titled “Boat House,” made $3,220.

Southern American furniture was a big crowd-pleaser. A fine late-18th-century Eastern North Carolina center table, walnut with cedar secondary, topped out at $10,063; a circa 1800 Southern cellaret on frame, walnut with yellow pine secondary, rectangular form, made $8,625; and a North Carolina leather key basket with tooled line decoration changed hands for $4,600.

Two lots of three bottles each of Chateau Lafite Rothschild wine (2000) went for $6,440 each.

Tops in the Continental and English furniture category were an important 18th-century English Sheraton Pembroke table, satinwood veneer with oak secondary, coasted to $6,325; a finely crafted and visually stunning Louis XV-style bureau plat with a tooled black leather top went for $4,600; and an Italian gilded rococo-style console table with marble top brought $3,910.

Mid-century modern furniture featured a cabinet custom-designed by Tommi Parzinger in the early 1970s and consisting of a four-door front with central inset mirror ($3,910); a circa 1950 solid walnut sideboard attributed to Peter Hvidt and produced by John Stewart ($2,185); and an Eames-style modern reclining lounge chair with cream leather upholstery and chrome ($1,495).

Fine estate jewelry has been a strong and growing department for the firm. This sale featured a 2.10-carat diamond bypass solitaire ring nicknamed “Pure Perfection,” mounted by Claude Thibadeau in platinum and 18-karat yellow gold ($10,925); a fine 1.68-carat emerald cut diamond ring flanked by tapered baguettes ($9,775); and a suite of Victorian coral jewelry, to include a necklace, brooch, bracelet and earrings ($7,188).

This Victorian diamond and pearl bracelet with a pair of female period portraits on ivory gaveled for $4,600.

Additional jewelry pieces included necklace consisting of a long single strand of 89 near-round Akoya cultured pearls with great luster ($6,325); and a beautiful Victorian diamond and pearl bracelet with two finely detailed female period portraits on ivory ($4,600). Also sold was a circa 1920s Mariano Fortuny silk Delphos tea gown made of pleated silk, made in Italy ($6,038).

Continental silver wowed the crowd, beginning with a pair of George III entrée dishes and covers, each piece bearing the sponsor’s mark for Paul Storr (London, 1799). The set went for $10,925. Also, a George IV sterling silver tray with armorial crest (London, 1814) realized $6,038; and a Danish silver tea urn in the Regency style (Michelsen, 1980) brought $3,220.

American silver did nearly as well. A Tiffany & Company “Winthrop” sterling flatware service for 12, with the original price list dated Aug. 1921 and weighing 103.6 total troy oz., fetched $3,680; a set of 12 Mexican sterling stemmed wines, 81.28 total troy ounces, commanded $2,185; and a Towle “Old Master” sterling flatware service for 8, 35 total troy ounces, hit $1,725.

This signed oil on canvas by Abraham Bisschop (1660-1731), titled “Birds in a Landscape,” sold for $27,600.

The undisputed king of the Southern pottery category was a monumental Dave the Slave jar (Edgefield, S.C., inscribed Oct. 1857). The jar, ovoid form with applied wide ear handles, knocked down at $25,300. Also, a late 1920s C. B. Masten earthenware glazed footed vase sold for $1,610; and a fine pair of circa 1940 North Carolina earthenware floor vases made $2,300.

Tops among sculptures and bronzes was a large antique Italian blackamoor carving, circa 18th century or earlier, with polychrome decoration and attired in a plumed costume, on a custom black painted wood plinth ($10,925); and an Art Deco sculpture by Roland Paris (Ger., 1894-1915), depicting a dapper gentleman serenading a swooning woman with his guitar ($4,140).

Lighting examples illuminated the room, starting with a fine Georgian-style chandelier, made circa 19th century and featuring ten lights, draped with crystal cut swags and five upper bell form crystal arms ($10,925). Also, a pair of Empire bronze and ormolu mounted candelabra, converted to table lamps and each raised on a stepped square base with four paw feet hit $2,185.

Militaria also got paddles wagging, to include a Confederate officer tintype with an 1864 letter pertaining to cavalryman Capt. William Jones White of Warrenton, N.C. ($4,370); antique bronze models of a cannon and caisson, elaborately engraved and based on weaponry from the Napoleonic wars ($1,955); and a Confederate-used Pattern 1853 Enfield rifle-musket ($1,265).

For more information about this auction, call 919.644.1243, can e-mail to info [at] LLAuctions [dot] com or visit the Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Web site.

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