OAKLAND, CA.- On September 16 & 17, 2017, Clars Auction Gallery hosted the final sale of their very exciting 2016/2017 fiscal year with their monthly Fine Art, Decorative Art, Furniture, Jewelry/Timepieces and Asian Art Auction. Fine Art was the star at this event but great success and surprises were seen across all categories. Overall, the September 2017 sale earned $1.7 million contributing to Clars’ $20 million year, making it the second most successful year in the firm’s history.

The Fine Art
Albert Bierstadt’s (American, 1830-1902) elaborate oil on canvas landscape titled Passing Clouds Over Mountains led this sale commanding the over-high-estimate price of $102,850. Measuring 42.25” x 32.5, this work was an excellent example of Bierstadt’s mastery in capturing the beauty of the American West.

Overall, paintings by American artists did very well at this sale. Selling for almost 6 times high estimate was a lavish Hawaiian landscape by George Stratemeyer (American, 1853-1909). This oil on canvas titled Waianuenue Falls (Rainbow Falls) with Mauna Kea in the Distance, 1891 was offered for $4,000 to $6,000 but sold for a very impressive $33,275. (Provenance: Collection of Francis McStocker (1854-1914), Collector General of Customs Hawaiian Republic)

The oil on canvas by Edgar Payne (American 1883-1947) titled Mountains in Winter sold nicely for $25,410. Achieving the same solid price was A Young Chimney Sweep, 1863, an oil on canvas by Jonathan Eastman Johnson (American, 1824-1906). Johnson is best known for his portraits and genre paintings and as co-founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Rounding out the top American offerings was Texas Blue Bonnets, 1943, by Robert William Wood (American, 1889-1979) which sold for $20,570 and New Mexico History Page 205A, 1991, an acrylic collage by James Harvard (American, b. 1937) which went for over high estimate at $10,285. (Provenance, Collection of Allan Stone, New York/San Francisco)

Latin American art was also prominently featured at this sale. Among the top performers in these works was an oil on burlap by David Alfaro Siquieros (Mexican, 1896-1974). This work titled Mountainous Landscape sold for $33,275. The ink on paper by Alfredo Ramos Martinez (Mexican, 1871-1946) titled Three Peasants, sold solidly for $13,310. The Mexican Masters Suite, 1973, a complete portfolio of eight signed lithographs by Rufino Tamayo (Mexican, 1899-1991), David Alfaro Siquieros (Mexican, 1896-1964), Jose Luis Cuevas (Mexican, 1933-2017) and Francisco Zúñiga (Mexican, 1912-1988) also sold very well for $9,680.

The exceptional Modern print offerings were well received by collectors producing excellent prices. Among the headliners in this category was Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987) whose color silkscreen titled Sunset, 1972, (PHOTO 5) signed and dated, sold for well over high estimate at $36,300. Also achieving $36,300 was the signed silkscreen in colors on Arches 88 paper titled I Love Liberty, 1982, by Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-1997). From Helen Frankenthaler (American, 1928 – 2011) her silkscreen in colors titled Flirt, 1995, achieved well past high estimate earning $9,075.

Rounding out the top performers in Fine Art was Untitled (Landschaft mit Haus auf einem Hügel), 1915, an oil on board by Artur Nikodem (Austrian, 1870-1940) which exceeded high estimate earning $25,410. By Sigmund Joseph Menkes (American/Polish, 1896 – 1986) was Meditation, an oil on canvas that brought $16,940. And in photography, Ansel Adams (American, 1902 – 1984) headlined with his gelatin silver print, Golden Gate Before the Bridge (1932). This work went for over high estimate selling for $21,780. (Provenance: Purchased at KQED Sacramento, California PBS annual auction (donated by the artist).

Decorative Arts & Furnishings
There were several great surprises in the Decorative Arts portion of the sale. Soaring well beyond expectation was a Continental micro mosaic plaque, circa 1790-1800, attributed to G. Raffaelli. The plaque, which depicts an exotic finch, came to the sale with an estimate of $800 to $1,200. The bidding opened at $400, the next bid jumping it to ten times that and onward up it climbed to an incredible final sale price of $21,780!

The Modern furniture portion of the sale also has it share of surprises. "Table Torsade," attributed to Diego Giacometti, was offered for $10,000 to $15,000 but competitive bidding quickly escalated the final sale to more than double high estimate bringing $33,275. An Ico and Luisa Parisi coffee table, circa 1950, executed in walnut, also sold very well for $11,495.

Collectors vied heatedly for the Gerald Wingrove 1:15 scale model of a 1930’s Bugatti Atlantic (EXK6). Coming to the sale from the estate of Thomas J. Perkins, San Francisco and Belvedere, CA, this lot has a great deal of pre-sale interest. Expected to achieve $5,000 to $7,000, bidding drove this lot quickly to the final sale price of $15,730.

A Mills Dewey 5 cent upright floor wheel slot machine also attracted collectors selling for $12,100. And a C. Bechstein Grand Piano flew past its high estimate fetching $11,340.

During the Saturday session, a group of commemorative medals stole the show. The medals related to militaria including one inscribed "For Services on the Island of Ceylon", another marked Wellington, Waterloo, Delhi Relief of Lucknow, Kandahar Kabul Charasia, Kirbekan the Nile, 1884-85, etc. This lot was expected to sell for $400 - $600 but sold for an impressive $7,865.

The Asian Art & Antiques
The Asian category once again highlighted by a Chinese censer. This example was rectangular in shape, executed in bronze and the body displaying Arabic figures. Expected to sell for $7,000, this lot nearly doubled that bringing $11,340.

Jewelry & Timepieces
A stunning sapphire, diamond and platinum ring, the sapphire weighing 4.5 cts. was the top seller in this category fetching $5,670. This was followed by a diamond, platinum-topped 18k yellow gold circle chatelaine-pendant-brooch, with total diamond weight of 5.50 cts that sold well within estimate for $5,142. More than doubling its high estimate was a Rolex Cellini 18k gold wristwatch that went out for $5,445.