I’m encouraged by some of the prices realized at the Fontaine sale yesterday.  Here’s a sampling of some of the healthy results:

• Meeks Hawkins sofa - $10,000
• “Pottier & Stymus” Aesthetic Sideboard - $12,000
• Meeks  Rosewood Etagere - $50,000
• Belter 3-piece Milwaukee parlor set - $21,000
• Pierce-carved Belter slipper chair - $17,000 (expected $6-8k)
• “R.J. Horner” Library Table - $15,000 (interesting side-story)
  

Some of the items had some questionable attributions and the bidders affirmed that message with their bidding:

• Pair of Herter Brothers twin bedsteads - $1,250 for the pair
• Thomas Brooks marble-top table - $1,000

Some items did disappoint and Jelliff items were in that category:

• John Jelliff triple-back sofa - $1,750 (we’ve seen it sell for $5,750)
• Jelliff three-piece parlor set - $2,000

Following on my concern about some of the attributions, the basis of the Pottier & Stymus attribution for the sideboard was:

This piece has a 5 digit number on the back (10278) indicative of the work of Pottier & Stymus

I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine that P&S were the only makers that had 5-digit inventory numbers of the tens of thousands of shops in the world at the time.

Overall, however, I think the sale showed that the good stuff is still selling well (despite Wall Street tumult) and anything below that level is scraping by.

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For those of you who are avid VictorianForum.com visitors, you are already aware of this, that the Fontaine’s auction is approaching and now the listings have hit Ebay. I’ve created a custom search that isolates just the furniture for Fontaine’s here, which includes 139 high-quality pieces.

The Roux-attributed table above will be one of the top, if not the top, items to sell at this particular auction. Unfortunately it is not labeled, which I think would have added five-figures to the final hammer price. As it is, this table is expected to sell in the $75,000 to $125,000 range. I’m sure this table was just sitting out in some barn somewhere before this sale.

A few other items that caught my eye from in the sale:

I also have this identical Merklen Brothers table, but in better condition. I will be watching for valuation purposes.

Monumental Queen Size 3-piece bedroom set expected to sell in the $20,000-$30,000 range.

This credenza is attributed to Pottier & Stymus due to a very similar piece in the Herter book on page 69.

Nice 3-piece Rosewood Rococo parlor set, unattributed, expected to sell in the $5,000 to $7,500 range.

You will also find pieces by Belter, Meeks, Pabst, Kimbel & Cabus, Herter Bros., and Horner in the sale.

Related items for sale - hover mouse for more information