Double Polychrome Painted Game Board, 19th century, the Parcheesi playing surface with incised lines separating brightly painted stars, circles, and rectangles, the checkers playing surface with red and black squares, mounted in a custom frame, ht. 20, wd. 18 1/2 in.
MARLBOROUGH, MA – August Americana was another success for Skinner with an auction total of $2.7M (All prices realized include the standard buyer's premium). Stephen Fletcher, Partner and Americana Department Director said: "We exceeded our expectations and were thrilled to see fresh to the market material, with compelling provenance performing well and oftentimes with no regard to auction estimate.”
Skinner’s August Auction is much anticipated and a summertime destination for serious collectors and dealers from across the country, and around the world. Bidders did not hesitate to vie for property from the curated, well-formed and methodically researched Folk Art collection of Arthur & Sybil Kern. Property from New Hampshire collectors Don & Gail Piatt and Mid-western collector Robert Cooney also saw wide-reaching success.
The imprimatur of prominent early Americana collectors; Edgar Garbisch, Roger Bacon and Mary Allis saw items performing well beyond their estimates as buyers were eager to own property from recognized connoisseurs.
Brisk attendance for auction previews, a well attended scholarly talk on Saturday night and heavy participation by internet and telephone bidders to compete with absentee bids and bidders in the room resulted in a high sell-through rate and a wealth of items fetching five-figure results. To this mix, Skinner welcomed a significant number of first-time auction buyers.
Overall, for both bidders and consignors, August Americana was a resounding success. Consignments are welcome for the November 2018 auction.
AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS
Lot 305, Overmantel Painting, Sold for $67,650
Lot 408, Fritz G. Vogt (New York, 1842-1900) Residence of Mrs. Mary E. Failing. Fort Plain, N.Y., Sold for $46,125
Lot 363, James R. Osborne (Portland, Maine, fl. 1827-1832) Portrait of a Man and Wife, Sold for $45,510
Lot 309, Ruth Whittier Shute (New Hampshire, 1803-1882) and Samuel A. Shute (New Hampshire, 1803-1836), Portrait of a Girl in a Yellow Dress, Sold for $43,050
Lot 798, Double Polychrome Painted Game Board, Sold for $25,830
Lot 671, Paint-decorated Box with Houses "E.B.T.", Sold for $13,530
Lot 793, Black-painted Braced-back Windsor Continuous Armchair, Sold for $7,995
Lot 1458, A Four-oared Shell Race, Currier & Ives, publishers, New York, 1884, Sold for $10,455
