Do the Hustle: Results From Abell Auction Company’s Estate of Larry Flynt Sale

On Thursday, February 9, 2023, Abell Auction Company of Los Angeles, CA presented the second half of its Estate of Larry Flynt sale. Flynt (1942 – 2021) was the controversial publisher and president of Larry Flynt Publications. His company produced Hustler magazine and other adult content through branded television and videos. This 250-lot auction featured a well curated collection of 20th-century glass lamps and fixtures, fine and decorative art, furnishings and display units, and other treasures that once decorated Flynt’s offices– known as the Flynt Building– in upscale Beverly Hills, CA. Flynt personally selected these items and had a lifelong passion for fine antiques. All prices noted include the auction house’s 25% buyer’s premium.

This sale featured a number of impressive examples of Asian artworks, including lighting, furnishings, and decorative items. Lot #25, a set of four Chinese bone veneer figures, was the overall top lot in this eye-catching sale. Estimated at USD 400 to $600, the set realized a whopping $40,000 and generated 61 bids. Each of these intricately carved, partially painted male figures measured about 29 ½ inches by 9 ½ inches by 6 ½ inches. Two of the figures had beards and two were clean shaven; all wore traditional clothing and accessories and carried symbolic talismans including dragons, orbs, bottles, animals, and stringed instruments.

Larry Flynt had a fine eye for lighting and fixtures. This sale presented over three dozen stunning stained glass, art glass, and figural lamps from his personal collection. Lot #135, a Tiffany style “Dragonfly” table lamp, was estimated at $300 to $500, generated 36 bids, and realized $9,375. This 14 ½-inch tall example featured a textured, bulb-shaped bronze base and an unsigned leaded art glass shade decorated with blue and purple dragonflies with outstretched wings. The shade measured 7 ½ inches by 16 inches. And just how desirable are signed, authenticated Tiffany Dragonfly fixtures? During its April 27, 2022 sale, Toomey & Co. Auctioneers sold a jeweled dragonfly table lamp on a telescoping reticulated Queen Anne’s Lace base for $562,500.

Also on offer were a number of handsome pedestals, cabinets, and other display units that once graced Larry Flynt’s business headquarters. All were elaborate and highly decorative in addition to their functionality. Lot #29, a pair of carved marble figural pedestals, was estimated at $200 to $400, generated 22 bids, and landed at $5,312.50. These late-20th-century matching examples measured 34 ¾ inches by 12 inches. Each was in the form of three putti mischievously scaling a pillar with a distinctively shell-themed base.

Finely designed bronzes were also well represented in this celebrity sale, with many reflecting the idealized female form. Several examples based on the work of Art Deco-era sculptor Demétre Haralamb Chiparus (1886 – 1947) made an appearance in this auction. Lot #67, a Chiparus-style Art Deco bronze figure and pedestal, was estimated at $400 to $600 and delivered $8,750. It generated 35 bids. This unsigned sculpture of a woman in a dramatic, flowing dress and matching headwear measured 14 ½ inches by 20 ½ inches by 4 inches. It was mounted on a brown agate base and black stone pedestal. Chiparus’ work continues to appeal to collectors nearly eight decades since his passing. On February 14, 2023, Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers of St. Louis, MO sold his Shimmer from circa 1925 for $42,250.

This very visual auction rounded out with a fine range of paintings, with Biblical, religious, landscapes, racing, and hunting images among the selections. Lot #184, a spiritually-themed 20th-century work including a family, dove, angels, and a God-like figure, was estimated at $200 to $400, sold for $5,000, and generated 22 bids. This framed, oil on canvas example was dated 1994 and was signed “Eric Reed.” Not much is known about this artist, but his works generally have very classical themes and include portraits, exteriors, and images related to the afterlife. On February 27, 2021, Westport Auction of Norwalk, CT sold Reed’s full length portrait of a woman in a long silk dress for $1,500.

For more information on the recent Estate of Larry Flynt sale and to view the complete results, visit Abell Auction Company.

Looking for more auction results? Check out Auction Daily’s coverage of the first-ever auction dedicated to Lord of the Rings art.