ATLANTA, GA.- A full-length oil portrait painting of Lady Bridget by Thomas Gibson (English, 1680-1751), and a bust oil portrait painting of a young man done by a French School artist in the late 18th or early 19th century, sold for $36,300 and $9,680 respectively, at a two-day New Year’s Signature Estates auction held January 15th and 16th by Ahlers & Ogletree, online and live in the Atlanta gallery.

The auction was loaded with an extraordinary array of items that include an impressive selection of Asian art, timeless 19th century furniture, fine and decorative arts and collectible sports memorabilia. In all, close to 800 premier lots crossed the auction block. January 15th featured many fine Asian items, while January 16th showcased a wonderful array of fine art from many established estates.

The full-length, life-size oil on canvas portrait painting by Thomas Gibson was the overall top lot of the two days. Measuring an impressive 68 1/4 inches tall by 44 ¼ inches wide (canvas, minus the frame), the work was titled Lady Bridget Daughter of John First Earl Poulett and Wife of Polexfen Bastard Esq. It carried a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-$4,000, but bidders pushed that to $36,300.

The French School oil on canvas painting, titled simply Portrait of a Young Man, was a bust portrait, apparently unsigned, that had a canvas size of 23 inches by 19 inches and was housed in a frame measuring 28 inches by 24 inches. The work came into the sale with a modest estimate of just $500-$700 but, like the Gibson portrait, bidders blasted through expectations to finish at $9,680.

Following are additional highlights from the auction, which attracted 20-25 in-person bidders to the gallery and grossed $814,270, including the buyer’s premium. Internet bidding was provided by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Ahlers & Ogletree’s platform, bid.AandOauctions.com. There were 31 phone bidders and over 400 customers either tuned in or checked in to the auction.

All prices quoted include a 21 percent buyer’s premium.



A seven-piece Reed & Barton sterling hot beverage service in the Francis I pattern (active 1907-2019), comprising a tilting kettle on a stand, a coffee pot, a teapot, a covered sugar bowl, a cream jug, a waste bowl and a tray, all marked appropriately, settled at $16,940 against a pre-sale estimate of $7,000-$9,000. The service in its entirety, to include all materials, totaled about 213.09 troy oz.



An Egyptian Revival style glass top and sphinx base center table having a silvered and gilt bronze base supporting a round glass top, apparently unmarked, 28 ¾ inches tall and 42 inches in diameter, changed hands for $10,890 against a pre-sale estimate of $1,200-$2,400.



An untitled (Forest Landscape with a Pond) oil on canvas painting by Auguste Emmanuel Pointelin (French, 1839-1933), rendered in 1869, signed "Aug. Pointelin" and dated lower left, had a $2,000-$3,000 estimate but realized $9,680. The work was 35 ½ inches by 51 inches (canvas, less frame).



An American Continental currency $20 bank note dated May 10, 1775 (Friedberg CC-9), printed on marbled polychrome paper sailed past its $1,000-$2,000 estimate to ring up $7,865. The paper for the note was supplied by statesman Benjamin Franklin. The face and back emblems plus the mottos were sketched by Franklin, serial number 7262. The paper note measured 2 ½ inches by 4 ¾ inches.



A pair of French 19th century cast stone winged gargoyle architectural elements, each depicted crouching on square base with their tongues out, accompanied by wood pedestals, bested the $800-$1,600 estimate by garnering $6,050. Each element was 24 ¼ inches tall on a 14-inch-tall stand.

The two-day event featured an impressive selection of Asian art, timeless 19th-century furniture, fine and decorative arts, and sports memorabilia. Among the highlights were a pair of Ming Dynasty polychrome wood Lohan figures, a magnificent 19th-century French Louis XIV Boulle Bureau Mazarin, and an exquisite 1934 signed watercolor by renowned American artist Charles Demuth.

While not all lots sold, many brought final prices that were well beyond even the high estimates.

Ahlers & Ogletree is always seeking quality consignments for future auctions, especially Asian arts and artifacts, and luxury jewelry and accessories. To consign a single item, an estate or a collection, call 404-869-2478; or, send an e-mail to consign@AandOauctions.com.

To learn more about Ahlers & Ogletree and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auction events, please visit www.aandoauctions.com. Updates are posted frequently. You can also follow Ahlers & Ogletree on social media, at Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.