Lot 197: Art Deco Platinum, Jadeite, Pearl, Diamond, and Sapphire Necklace, sold for $90,000. Photo Grogan & Company
BOSTON, MA: Grogan & Company’s inaugural auction in their new Boston location drew standing room only crowds from both down the street and across the country. On Sunday, December 14th, Vice President and Gallery Director, Lucy P. Grogan, took the podium at noon and welcomed attendees to Grogan & Company’s new headquarters on Beacon Hill before kicking off the 545 lot auction. The sale featured items across all collecting genres including Fine Art, Jewelry, Silver, Decorative Arts, and Oriental Carpets.
The top lot of the day was an Art Deco Platinum, Jadeite, Pearl, Diamond and Sapphire Necklace featuring a carved rectangular jadeite pendant. After spirited bidding on the internet, phones, and in the room, the necklace sold for $90,000 to a gentleman in attendance, against an $8,000-12,000 presale estimate. While unsigned, the necklace was accompanied by a red leather and silk pearl folder by Cartier, which, according to the family through which it descended, is original to the piece. The carved jadeite pendant suspended from the necklace caused much interest for its likely early Chinese origin.
Lot 197: Art Deco Platinum, Jadeite, Pearl, Diamond, and Sapphire Necklace, sold for $90,000. Photo Grogan & Company
The fine Art Deco necklace featuring a carved jadeite tablet depicting two crabs and sea vegetation measuring approx. 2 3/8 x 1 3/4 in. suspended by an open rectangle channel-set with single-cut diamonds and sapphires from a pearl necklace accented with jade, diamond, and sapphire elements; length 24 1/2 in.; in its original red leather pearl folder marked Cartier. Estimate $8,000-12,000
Provenance: Property of a Lady, Brookline, Massachusetts.
Another highlight lot of the sale also originated in China. A Chinese Silk Needlework Hanging Panel, dating back to the 18th or 19th century, brought $42,000 against a conservative estimate of $1,000-2,000. The large horizontal panel brought significant international interest, finally selling to a client over the phone in Taiwan. A Japanese Carved and Polychrome Wood Guardian Figure of Fofo Myo-o, flanked by two smaller guardian figures, also soared above its $500-1,000 estimate, selling to the trade at $38,400.
Lot 454: Chinese Silk Needlework Hanging Panel, 18th-19th century, sold for $42,000. Photo Grogan & Company
decorated with bats, fanciful birds, peacocks, flowering vases, and branches among moon shaped medallions; length: 8 ft. 3 in.; width: 2 ft. 7 in. Estimate $1,000-2,000
The Fine Art portion of the sale also saw strong results. An oil on panel by Emilio Sanchez Perrier (Spanish, 1855-1907) titled Sevilla sold for $30,000; a watercolor by Stephen Scott Young (American, b. 1957) titled Sundown sold for $24,000; and David Hockney’s (British, b. 1937) lithograph and collage titled Moving Focus: An Image of Gregory sold for $21,600.
Jewelry garnered interest from private buyers and the trade alike. A 5.19 carat Platinum and Diamond ring sold for $60,000 to a private couple. A fine pair of Tiffany & Company Platinum, Gold, Diamond, and Yellow Diamond Pansy Earclips sold for $21,600 to the trade; while two Sapphire and Diamond Rings each sold for $18,000, both to private collectors.
Lot 171: 5.19 cts Platinum and Diamond ring, sold for $60,000. Photo Grogan & Company
prong-set with a square emerald-cut diamond weighing 5.19 cts. (10.03 x 9.54 x 6.27 mm.) flanked by two baguettes; 3.79 dwts.; size 5. Estimate $50,000-70,000
Accompanied by GIA report no. 2165556697 dated August 26, 2014 stating that the diamond is I color, VS1 clarity.
Lot 185: Platinum, Gold, Diamond, and Yellow Diamond Pansy Earclips, Tiffany & Company, sold for $21,600. Photo Grogan & Company
set with approx. 2.50 cts. of full and single-cut white diamonds and approx. 1.75 cts. of single-cut yellow diamonds; signed; 13.83 dwts.; length 1 in. Estimate $14,000-18,000
Additional highlights from the sale’s diverse offerings included a Suite of Three Yellow and Black Glass Vessels by Dante Marioni (American, b. 1964) which sold for $16,800; a Persian Heriz Carpet, ca. 1880, sold for $16,200; a Chinese Gilt and Patinated Bronze Figured of Buddha Seated on a Double Lotus sold for $14,400; and a Louis Vuitton Monogrammed Steamer Trunk sold for $11,400.
Lot 352: Dante Marioni (American, b. 1964), Suite of Three Yellow and Black Glass Vessels, sold for $16,800. Photo Grogan & Company
height of tallest: 34 in. Estimate $10,000-15,000
Provenance: Holsten Gallery, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 2004; Boston, Massachusetts Estate.
Notes: Dante Marioni is based in Seattle where he is part of the studio glass movement led by his father, Paul Marioni, and Dale Chihuly. He was named by his father for the Italian poet, Dante Alighieri. At a young age, Marioni became heavily influenced by the ancient tradition of Venetian glass blowing when he attended classes at the Pilchuk Glass School taught by Lino Tagliapietro from the Venini factory in Murano. He also studied at the Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. At age 21, he received the Louis Comfort Tiffany Award, and at 23 he had his first solo gallery show.
Lot 467: Heriz Carpet, Persia, ca. 1880, sold for $16,200. Photo Grogan & Company
13 ft. 1 in. x 9 ft. 11 in. Estimate $8,000-12,000
Provenance: Sotheby’s New York, December 3, 2002, Lot 138
Lot 434: Chinese Gilt and Patinated Bronze Figured of Buddha Seated on a Double Lotus, sold for $14,400. Photo Grogan & Company
with finely chased robe and Chinese characters on reverse of lotus; height: 11 1/2 in. Estimate $1,000-2,000
