Heritage Auctions, Dallas, TX, held a Tiffany, Lalique and Art Glass auction on June 4, 2020. The sale was diverse, with mostly middle-of-the-road items, but also included some important English cameo glass by George Woodall. Sales totaled $1,256,387, including buyer’s premium.
The top lot of the sale, #79087, was the cover lot — an English cameo, hand-carved vase by Thomas Webb’s most important artist, George Woodall. Entitled The Origin of Painting, it was signed by Woodall and dated 1887. The result was a little weaker than hoped. It sold just below its estimate of $100,000 – $150,000, realizing $118,750, including buyer’s premium.
The second best result of the sale was realized by lot #79001, the first lot of the sale. It was a decent, but not exceptional, Tiffany Studios 17″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp, on a simple base. It sold for $57,500, including buyer’s premium, against an estimate of $30,000 – $50,000.
Lot #79101 was an exceptionally fine Gallé 6″ marquetry vase with purple and green cyclamen flowers, signed Emile Gallé Étude 12 (Étude means study). It doubled its high estimate of $12,000, realizing $30,000, including buyer’s premium. I tried to buy this vase, but it went way beyond what a dealer could reasonably pay.
In my opinion, the strangest result of the sale was for lot #79040, a standard Tiffany Favrile trumpet vase. I sell these all day for $1,000 – $1,500 and this one realized $12,500, including buyer’s premium, against an estimate of $700 – $900. What the ??? The only possible explanation is a note accompanying the lot (Please note that this lot is depicted in a Jenness Cortez painting, commissioned by the consignor of this lot in 2008 and to be offered in Heritage Auction’s American Art auction on July 1, 2020.)
For the complete results of the sale, click here. You will have to sign in (free) to see the prices.