(1888PressRelease)
July 18, 2007 - WEST PALM BEACH, FL – Two back to back sales at Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches in West Palm, FL closed out an eventful year in the art market for auction owner Brian Kogan. The sale on May 21 featured three important paintings by Russian artist David Burliuk (1882-1967). These lots and quite a few more came from a prominent Boca Raton estate. The sale on June 25 featured art from the estate of Tanya Brooks, a long time resident and well known local art collector, socialite and gallery owner in Palm Beach. Many of her works of art had been in storage for over thirty years and were fresh to the market. Foremost among the items from this estate were sixteen paintings by Russian artist Vladamir (Volodia) Lazarev, Russian (b 1904).
The two sales featured 812 lots and had 540 registered bidders inhouse and online through Live Auctioneers.com. Online bidders played a major part in both sales taking home some of the top lots.
Two paintings by Burliuk held top sales honors in the May 21 sale closing at $19,550 each including the fifteen percent inhouse buyer’s premium. The paintings were "Bouquet and Mountain", oil on canvas, signed and dated 51 lower right and inscribed "Colorado" lower left. Verso bears "ACA Gallery, New York" label, 29½in by 15in with original wood carved frame and "Bouquet and the French Riviera", oil on canvas, signed lower right, 20in by 16in in carved and gilded frame. Another Burliuk, "Riverhead, L.I.", oil on canvas, signed lower left and inscribed,14in by 16in, closed at $10, 925 including the premium. A work by Gustave Bauman (German 1881-1971), "April", a four color woodcut, numbered 70/125 and signed in pencil lower right, measuring 14in by 13¼in, matted under glass in a simple frame, brought $9,775.
Art held the top spots in the June sale also. The December sale at the Gallery featured several works by Indian born artist Avinash Chandra (1931-1991) and the same consignor had another for this sale. This work, a watercolor on paper was entitled "Untitled", signed Avinash and dated '81 in lower left, measuring 22½in by 30in, matted under glass and framed, sold online for $7,320 including the 22 percent online premium. But the real action was the competition for the Lazarev works. Two collectors in New Jersey who happened to be father and son slugged it out with each other and a few other bidders winning thirteen of the sixteen lots between them. The top Lazarev was "St. Mark's Square Venice", oil on canvas, signed lower left , measuring 30in by 40in, unframed. It sold for $3,416 to one of the pair followed by "Montmartre Café at Night", oil on canvas, 30in by 36in, mounted in a gilt and painted exhibition frame, verso label reads "11-65-PB, Lazarev, Place Tertre" which sold for $3,172 to the other bidder. The rest of the Lazarev’s sold between $880 and $2,900. An etching by Salvador Dali (Spanish 1904-1989), "Portrait of Picasso", 37/200, signed in pencil lower right margin, measuring 28¾in by 19½ in, framed under glass sold well above estimate online at $1,586.
For sales focused on art, furniture and accessories did surprisingly well. A coffee table attibuted to P. K. LaVerne with a shaped top depicting interlocking circular forms raised on brass legs sold online to a Los Angeles bidder for $1,952 and a signed P. K. LaVerne side table decorated with fruit and interlocking circular motifs, raised on a finned brass pedestal, 16in diameter by 18in high, sold to the same bidder for $1,708. An 18th century Italian two piece secretary, hand decorated over gesso brought $4,313 and a Chinese mother-of-pearl inlaid carved table with carved frieze and leg brackets sold for $2,875. An Italian-Style carved wood vitrine, measuring 37in wide by 19in deep by 86½in high finished in faux marble raised on gilt-accented legs brought $2,070 while a gilt bronze and porcelain 6 arm Blackamoor supported footed centerpiece raised on a marble base, 14in by 6½in, 27in tall at the top of the candelabra went for $5,175. Another pair of candelabra also shone brightly. The pair, French circa 1900, in gilded bronzes of "Three Graces" signed F. Barbiedienne Fondeur, converted to lamps and measuring 6¾in square at the marble base by 26in high brought $3,163.
The final sale of art from the Tanya Brooks estate will be conducted by Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches on August 13.
For more information about these sale and upcoming sales call (561) 805-7115, email or visit the website.
The Gallery is located at 1609 South Dixie Hwy. Suite 5 West Palm Beach, Florida 33401.
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