OAK PARK, IL.- Toomey & Co. Auctioneers began its 2019 auction calendar on March 10 with a highly successful Art & Design sale featuring nearly 700 lots, which included fine and decorative artworks, sculpture, early 20th century and modern furniture, art pottery, lighting, silver, metalwork and jewelry. The auction was marked by significant bidder interest, with high in-person, phone and online engagement, which resulted in a 93% sell-through rate.

There were several Fine Art highlights in Art & Design with works by major artists represented. American Impressionist Frederick Carl Frieseke’s Woman with a Blue Dress, 1917 realized $75,000. Contemporary painter Joe Coleman’s Betrayal, 2001 brought $37,500. Andy Warhol’s After the Party, 1979 achieved $18,750. Charles Warren Eaton’s Among the Berkshires brought $23,750 and an After Alexander Calder Zebra tapestry sold for $10,000.

Results were also strong in our 19th and Early 20th Century Design session. A Tiffany Studios Acorn table lamp brought $16,250. We offered a Pyramid flatware service for twelve by Danish silversmith Georg Jensen that realized $9,375. Two elevator casings from the Chicago Stock Exchange circa 1893 by architect Louis Sullivan and his partner Dankmar Adler achieved a combined $8,125. American Arts and Crafts makers L. & J.G. Stickley’s china cabinet from the Onondaga Shops sold for $6,250.

Many lots in Modern Design exceeded their high estimates. George Nakashima’s turned leg dining table realized $35,000, an auction record for this particular form. Midwesterner Clyde Burt’s North Avenue wall hanging brought $10,000. Two iconic Sling sofas by George Nelson & Associates for Herman Miller totaled $8,187. Polish-American ceramicist and artist Polia Pillin’s gouache on paper sold for $2,625.

Following the achievements of the Art & Design auction on March 10, the remainder of 2019 is set to be a successful year for Toomey & Co. Auctioneers, with multiple auctions scheduled. On May 5, we will present a single-owner catalog sale, The Paul and Terry Somerson Collection of 20th & 21st Century Metalwork & Jewelry, which will include an expertly curated selection from the largest private collection of American Arts and Crafts metalwork and jewelry, along with works by modern and contemporary silversmiths and makers. Additional Art & Design auctions are currently scheduled for June 9, September 15 and December 8. Our second annual Tradition & Innovation auction of important works from the 19th century through the present is also scheduled for December 8. Last year’s inaugural Tradition & Innovation sale had a 94% sell-through rate and fewer than 70 lots brought a combined $1.3 million. In October 2019, we plan to hold an Interiors auction showcasing a wide range of fine art and 20th century design items.

Our next auction, The Somerson Collection, is scheduled for May 5. This sale will be open to the public and held at Toomey & Co. Auctioneers, 818 North Boulevard, Oak Park, Ill. Preview will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT starting April 29 through May 4, with extended hours on May 2 (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.).

Consignments are currently invited for upcoming auctions. Photos of items may be sent to info@toomeyco.com. For more information on past and upcoming auctions or to request an estimate, please visit toomeyco.com.