Auction Industry

Fontaine’s summer-long quest to culminate in Sept. 14 auction

By Fontaine’s Auction Gallery

Published on Aug 26, 19

A rare Tiffany Studios leaded glass aquatic fish lamp ($80,00-$100,000) on a bronze pumpkin base has a shade surrounded by five swimming fish in gold mottled glass, 17½ inches tall with a 16-inch-diameter shade. Fontaine’s image

PITTSFIELD, MASS. – John Fontaine and his staff have been busy this summer acquiring hundreds of consignments from all over the country to kick off the fall auction season at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery, beginning on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 11 a.m. with an antique and fine art auction. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

This auction will include 450 lots of antiques and fine art, over 100 pieces of rare art glass by Tiffany Studios and Quezal; 19th and 20th century lighting by Tiffany Studios, Duffner & Kimberly, Handel, Pairpoint, Wilkinson and Unique; American Victorian, Gothic and figural carved furniture; leaded glass windows; fine clocks; music boxes and automatons; paintings; Royal Vienna and KPM porcelains; gold and diamond jewelry; fine silver; cameo glass; and bronze and marble statuary.

“We’ve taken our time in putting together a high-quality auction with top names from Tiffany to Hermes,” said Fontaine. “From elegant decorative objects like leaded glass lamps and French silver vases to fine sculpture and paintings, this auction will appeal to buyers with a taste for the finer things in life.”

An expected auction headliner is a large group of monumental and religious stained glass windows attributed to Joseph Lauber (1855-1948). Estimated at $50,000-$100,000, the window grouping depicting the Sermon on the Mount, circa 1905-1914, forms a scene of Jesus with a glowing halo, seated and delivering a sermon to various groups of people amid a detailed landscape. When fully assembled, the windows measure 25 feet high by 16 feet wide.

The four main windows use heavy drapery glass, multiple plating and acid burned flash glass while above them is a grouping featuring windows with Bible passages. Lauber apprenticed under John La Farge and worked for Tiffany Studios from 1888-1892. He was a talented artist having a range of works from windows, sculpture, mural painting and mosaic design. These windows postdate his employment with Tiffany Studios.

Tiffany Studios, not surprisingly, figures prominently in the auction, including several leaded glass lamps in some of the most desirable patterns the company designed. Among the standouts are a rare aquatic fish lamp (above) on a bronze pumpkin base ($80,000-$100,000); a Daffodil table lamp ($25,000-$35,000) with a 20-inch diameter leaded conical shade decorated with long green and blue leaves and golden yellow mottled glass daffodil flowers; a 14-inch Poinsettia table lamp ($20,000-$30,000) with a domical leaded glass shade having a band of pink and purple poinsettias with green and gold centers and a Tiffany Studios 16-inch Poppy table lamp ($20,000-$30,000) having a conical leaded glass shade in the poppy pattern with green and orange-amber poppies.

*Lighting up the auction block is this Tiffany Studios Woodbine table lamp ($12,000-$15,000). Fontaine’s image*

There will be approximately 100 fine pieces in the Tiffany Favrile glass category.

*Among fine Tiffany Studios highlights in the sale is this Tel El Amarna vase ($4,000-$6,000). Fontaine’s image*

Luxury accessories made in France by renowned craftsmen and designers will be plentiful in this auction and include two pairs of vases by Jean Puiforcat (French, 1897-1945). The first is a rare and signed pair of Art Deco silver flower vases, circa 1928 ($30,000-$50,000), 5 inches tall. The second, also signed, is a pair of Art Deco silver and fumed glass flower vases, circa 1936 ($20,000-$30,000), 14⅜ inches tall.

Another silver category highlight is a pair of signed Hermes silver wine coolers ($20,000-$30,000) tapered with an octagonal shape, having tubular handles, circa 1929, standing 11 inches tall.

The parade of renowned artists and designers across the block will continue with a Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973) Taureau faience pitcher ($30,000-$50,000). It is 12⅛ inches tall and stamped on the underside, “Edition Picasso” and “Madoura Plein Feu.”

Fine art, both sculptural and framed artworks for the wall, will be well represented in this auction, led by a 19th century set of Four Seasons carved marble sculptures ($20,000-$30,000). The sculptures are raised on four matching carved bases with cartouche shields, ribbons and fruit cluster garland. They range from 73 to 77 inches tall.

*A lot of 19th century ‘Four Seasons’ carved marble sculptures ($20,000-$30,000) are set on matching carved bases. Fontaine’s image*

Other fine art offerings include a Francisco Zuniga (1912-1998) pastel on paper ($10,000-$15,000), titled Mujer Somnolienta Desnuda, signed and dated 1975; sight 26 by 19 inches; and a James Crawford Thom (American, 1835-1898) oil on canvas ($10,000-$15,000), Children at Play by a Stream, signed and dated 1877, sight 23⅞ by 42 inches.

Several lots of heavily carved and R.J. Horner furniture are led by a three-piece oak dining room set ($15,000-$25,000). The sideboard and server have figural winged griffin supports on the heavily carved back panel and base with turned columns, scrolling filigree and seashell handles.

Rounding out the auction is a large marble and gilt bronze mantel clock ($10,000-$15,000). The clock has a 9-inch repousse brass dial with inset porcelain Roman hour numerals. It is signed “Paris Duryea et Potter New-York, Made in France.”