Month: June 2018

RECORD! A 1978 Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi Sold for $76,000–an Auction Record for Any Single Production Action Figure

  
A 1978 Kenner Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure with a double-telescoping lightsaber and an AFA grade of 80 NM. Hake's Americana & Collectibles sold it in November 2017 for $76,700, setting a world auction record for any singly packaged production action figure.

What you see: a 1978 Kenner Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure with a double-telescoping lightsaber and an AFA grade of 80 NM. Hake’s Americana & Collectibles sold it in November 2017 for $76,700, setting a world auction record for any singly packaged production action figure.

The expert: Alex Winter, President of Hake’s Americana & Collectibles.

How many Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi action figures with the double-telescoping lightsaber did the Kenner toy company make? Exact production numbers are not known, but the change was made very early in the production run. This is the first of this rare version that we’ve sold. As far as I know, it is the only example sold by a major auction house in this AFA grade. We’ve had a number of other rare vintage Star Wars pieces over the years, but nothing in the same league as Ben–very little is. There are probably less than 20 known on the card [still in its unopened original packaging], and not all of those have been AFA graded and/or are in the high grade we sold. It being on its card is key. Loose figures are still in high demand and valuable, but not to the extent of carded examples–that makes it a “holy grail” item.

The lot notes say the card is ‘unpunched’. What does that mean, and why is that important? The hanger tab at the top of the card is intact. These tabs were to be punched out and the cards hung on the hooks of store displays. Any action figure that is unpunched commands a higher price.

How rare are circa 1977 unpunched Star Wars production action figures? Not crazy rare, but if you’re a high-grade collector, you want it unpunched. It adds to the value.

The lot notes say the figure has the ‘initial ‘Double-Telescoping’ lightsaber’. When and why did Kenner stop providing the double-telescoping lightsaber with its Star Wars production action figures? The first lightsaber was two pieces, with the inner piece telescoping out from the outer piece–it slides out, extending it an additional length. The production costs for this two-piece lightsaber were high, and it was thought that it didn’t add much play value for the cost. The lightsaber change was made very early in the production run to three figures: Ben, Darth Vader, and Luke Skywalker.

So there are also circa 1977 Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker action figures from Kenner with double-telescoping lightsabers? Yes. Luke is more common than the others. We’ll have a Luke in our next auction in July, and we expect it’ll get $25,000 or so.

What is AFA, and what does it mean for this toy to have an AFA grade of 80 NM? AFA [Action Figure Authority] is a professional grading company that authenticates and encapsulates all types of action figures and related toys. It’s like CGC, but for action figures. As we have seen with comic books, cards, and coins, having a third party grade items adds greatly to the value. The higher the grade, the more it impacts things. The 80 NM that the Ben had is a high grade for this figure, and it certainly added to the selling price. It also established that this was a legit double-telescoping lightsaber figure, so bidders had piece of mind about that, and again, it encouraged strong bidding.

Does AFA grade on a 1 to 100 scale?  Yes, but it’s not like CGC. It’s done by fives–80, 85, 90, 95. A 95 is extremely difficult to get on an action figure because they’re graded on three components: the card, the figure, and the blister [the plastic covering the figure, which attaches to the card]. All three can have distinctly different defects. For example, you can have a beautiful figure and a beautiful blister, but a card that’s creased. It makes action figure grading a bit more difficult, but it also makes sense. We had an AFA 95 Mint Luke Skywalker in the November 2017 auction that we estimated at $10,000 to $20,000 and sold for $50,622. The person [who won the bidding] didn’t want to wait and hope to find a 95 again. The next auction will have a 95 Darth Vader.

The record-setting Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure with the double-telescoping lightsaber is from the Russell Branton Collection. Who is Branton, and how does his provenance add value? And is Branton the only person who has owned this toy? Russell Branton established himself as a serious Star Wars collector who assembled one of the best collections of vintage original trilogy Star Wars toys. It contained key pieces, rare variations, foreign issues, proof cards, prototypes, and high-grade examples. There’s no way of knowing if he was the only owner of any of the toys. They came from a variety of sources with no clear record of their history prior to his acquisition, in many cases.

What was the previous record for any singly-packaged production action figure? By how much did this Obi-Wan figure with the double-telescoping lightsaber exceed the record? I don’t have exact results, but there have been others in the $30,000 to $50,000 range at auction for single-figure carded production pieces. I’m not sure by how much, but it is established that no production action figure has ever sold for more at auction.

I understand that Hake’s has never had a physical sale room–it initially took bids by phone and mail, and now takes online bids, too. How does that change the experience of watching as a world auction record is set? We’re online three weeks before the auction closes. Most of the bidding, in general, is done in the last couple of hours, but what’s a little different about key Star Wars pieces is there’s constant action through the three-week process and heavy hitting before the close.

Did you have a notion, prior to the auction, that this Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure with the double-telescoping lightsaber could beat the record for a production action figure? We promoted this figure, and the entire collection, many months prior to the inaugural Branton offerings. Early reaction from the collecting community let us know we were most likely going to set a record. We got the collection in March 2017 and between March and November we did comics conventions and toy shows. The excitement was building, and dealers told us, ‘You’re going to be surprised.’ Originally we were going to put a $25,000 to $50,000 estimate on the Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure. In the end, we did raise the estimate to $75,000 to $100,000 based on word-of-mouth. We thought it had a chance to hit $100,000. We weren’t disappointed with $76,000, but we knew early on that it was going to set a record.

How many bidders were there initially? How long did it take for bidding on the Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure with the double-telescoping lightsaber to narrow to two people? We had eight bidders in total, including three once the figure reached the $50,000 range.

How long do you think this world auction record will stand? That’s impossible to predict, as this is still a relatively new area in the hobby, especially the graded aspect. Hake’s is really setting a precedent with the Branton sale, but who knows what is to come? Star Wars remains as popular today as when it debuted in 1977, so I don’t see any downside to Star Wars collectibles anytime soon.

What effect do you think the sale of the Branton collection will have on the Star Wars market? I think it’s going to change in a positive way. The value is going to go up. We have six, eight, ten, twelve bidders on any given piece, and four or five can be at a very high level. Star Wars has a deep, passionate field of collectors, and they have the funds to take action figures to a level not thought of a decade ago.

What else is out there that could credibly challenge the auction record set by the Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure with double-telescoping lightsaber? I think it would take the same figure in a higher AFA grade. This Ben is impressive, but it’s only an 80. If a DT [double-telescoping] shows up in an AFA 95 grade, it’d certainly bring six figures. Maybe even a 90. A 90 or higher, Ben or Darth Vader. It’s hard to say that wouldn’t get six figures based on our sale.

More Star Wars material from the collection of Russell Branton is in Hake’s Americana & Collectibles current auction, which opened online on June 19 and closes between July 10 and 12, 2018.

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Hake’s Americana & Collectibles is on Twitter and Instagram.

Image is courtesy of Hake’s.

Alex Winter last spoke to The Hot Bid about a 1939 copy of Batman’s comic book debut, which ultimately sold for almost $570,000.

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SOLD! A Robert-Houdin Mystery Clock Fetches $36,000 at Potter & Potter

  
A mid-nineteenth century glass column mystery clock by Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin.

Update: The Robert-Houdin mystery clock sold for $36,000.

What you see: A mid-nineteenth century glass column mystery clock by Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin. Potter & Potter Auctions estimates it at $40,000 to $50,000.

Who was Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin? He was a self-taught French magician as well as a horologist, or clockmaker. His father, Prosper Robert, made watches, and Robert-Houdin later married into a clock- and watchmaking family, adding his wife’s surname to his own. At some point between 1831 and 1844, Robert-Houdin invented the mystery clock, a device that baffles by keeping time without any visible gears or clockwork. He invented or refined many magic tricks that are still performed today, and his 1859 autobiography became a best-seller. Eric Weiss, a struggling young American immigrant, was so inspired by Robert-Houdin’s life story that he referenced the Frenchman in his stage name: Harry Houdini. Robert-Houdin died in 1871 at the age of 65.

The expert: Gabe Fajuri, president of Potter & Potter Auctions.

How rare are Robert-Houdin clocks at auction? They’re very hard to come by.

Is there a catalog raisonné of Robert-Houdin clocks, or an accepted count, or… There’s no great count. Even his own property got scattered to family members.

How many Robert-Houdin clocks have you handled? Two other mystery clocks, and one electromagnetic that wasn’t a mystery clock. It was one of the most expensive ones we’ve sold.

How do you know this clock is by Robert-Houdin and not his son, who made some mystery clocks after his father’s death? That’s a tough one, especially because they worked in conjunction to some degree. Two expert horologists took it apart [for Potter & Potter] and did a 12-page report on all the clocks in the David Baldwin collection. Other clocks in the auction, on examination, were pieced together with old parts or done in the style of Robert-Houdin. Their estimates would be five times higher if they were original, maybe more.

How often do you see a Robert-Houdin mystery clock with this magnifying glass-like shape, as opposed to the one in lot 30, which has a square dial sitting in a frame on a marble base? You see just one glass dial most often. This [lot 28] is a double mystery. The single mystery is the glass dial–how does it keep time? The double mystery is the glass dial plus the glass tube.

And Robert-Houdin invented the mystery clock? For a Paris exposition, yes. If he wasn’t a magician, he would have been a clockmaker. He invented a lot of things, and he was fascinated by electricity. He was one smart dude.

How does the Robert-Houdin mystery clock reflect his inventiveness? It’s interesting because it’s the confluence of two things in his life–clockmaking and magic. Here’s a beautiful clock that you’d be happy to put in your salon, but at the same time, you think, how does it work? It’s both beautiful and miraculous.

Does it work? I got it to chime, but I haven’t seen its hand move. Robert-Houdin mystery clocks are notorious for needing adjustments. You’ll need to have a clockmaker look at it.

This Robert-Houdin mystery clock has an estimate of $40,000 to $50,000. The square dial clock in lot 30 carries an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. What accounts for the difference? It’s [the clock in lot 28] a much more uncommon form. One of the guys who did the examination for me thought it was quite unusual and original enough to be exciting to a clock collector.

Who fights more fiercely for Robert-Houdin mystery clocks–magicians, or clock collectors? I’ve had winners in both of those camps. It’s hard to predict.

What is this Robert-Houdin clock like in person? Does it make an impression? It certainly did when I walked into the [consigner’s] house to look at it the first time I saw the collection. He had 15 of them. You can instantly tell it’s something special.

How to bid: The Robert-Houdin mystery clock is lot 28 in the David Baldwin Magic Collection II auction at Potter & Potter on June 16, 2018.

How to subscribe to The Hot Bid: Click the trio of dots at the upper right of this page. You can also follow The Hot Bid on Instagram and follow the author on Twitter.

Follow Potter & Potter on Instagram and Twitter.

Image is courtesy of Potter & Potter.

Gabe Fajuri has appeared on The Hot Bid many times. He talked about a genuine 19th century gambler’s case that later sold for $6,765; a scarce 19th century poster of a tattooed man that fetched $8,610; a 1908 poster for the magician Chung Ling Soo that sold for $9,225; a Golden Girls letterman jacket that belonged to actress Rue McClanahan; and a 1912 Houdini poster that set the world record for any magic poster at auction.

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SOLD! A Rocky and Bullwinkle Scene Cel, Signed by Bill Scott to June Foray, Fetched $960 at Heritage

 
A Rocky and Bullwinkle scene cel, signed and inscribed by Bill Scott, the voice of Bullwinkle J. Moose, to June Foray, the voice of Rocket J. "Rocky" Squirrel.

Update: The Rocky and Bullwinkle scene cel, signed from the voice of Bullwinkle to the voice of Rocky, sold for $960.

What you see: A Rocky and Bullwinkle scene cel, signed and inscribed by Bill Scott, the voice of Bullwinkle J. Moose, to June Foray, the voice of Rocket J. “Rocky” Squirrel. Heritage Auctions estimates it at $1,500 to $3,500.

Who were Rocky and Bullwinkle? If these names are new to you, you have a treat in store. Introduced by Jay Ward, the two starred in one of the most exquisitely hilarious animated shows ever to grace a television screen. Rocky is a charming and peppy flying squirrel, and Bullwinkle is a charming but slow-witted moose. Together they dodge Boris and Natasha, Russian spies who try to catch and “keel” them. Other popular segments on the show feature the Canadian Mountie Dudley Do-Right and his nemesis, Snidely Whiplash; the time-traveling Sherman and Mr. Peabody; and Fractured Fairy Tales, which are exactly what you think they are. The show originally aired from 1959 to 1964.

The expert: Jim Lentz, director of animation art for Heritage Auctions.

What’s a scene cel? It’s a limited edition animation cel, not used in production.

How did this Rocky and Bullwinkle cel come to be? It post-dates The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. It never went on camera. Foray started ASIFA, a union for animators. They had cel sales in parking lots and malls to raise money for the union. This is one of the cels made for an ASIFA fundraiser, and it was June Foray’s personal cel. It’s inscribed by Bill Scott to her. That changes everything–it’s as close to Rocky and Bullwinkle as you’re going to get.

This Rocky and Bullwinkle cel was made after The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show stopped production. Would it still have value if it didn’t have a Bill Scott signature and inscription and a June Foray provenance? Any Jay Ward art is valuable because there’s so little out there. It’s maybe $500 without the signature. This is worth $1,500 to $3,500, in that range. There are very few with signatures, maybe a handful. Bill Scott is not a signature you see a lot out there.

Does the Rocky and Bullwinkle cel belong to the first offering of items from June Foray’s estate at auction? Yes. I knew June very well. She was one of the most giving and intelligent and smart women I’ve met in my life. She was the one who led the charge to get animation [included] in the Academy Awards. She was a tireless crusader for animation in general, and she was the single most important woman in animation. She was the voice of Rocky over fifty years. She was Natasha. She was Ursula in George of the Jungle. She was Granny in the Tweety Bird cartoons. She was Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Chuck Jones once said, “June Foray is not the male Mel Blanc. Mel Blanc is the male June Foray.”

Why does The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show endure? Why do we still love it? It takes three things to make a great cartoon: animation style, acting, and writing. The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show might have been one of the best-acted and best-written cartoon shows. When you can make a child laugh and an adult laugh at the same time, for different reasons, that’s phenomenal.

How to bid: The Bill Scott-signed, June Foray-owned Rocky and Bullwinkle scene cel is Lot 96003 in the Animation Art Signature Auction at Heritage Auctions on June 16 and 17, 2018.

How to subscribe to The Hot Bid: Click the trio of dots at the upper right of this page. You can also follow The Hot Bid on Instagram and follow the author on Twitter.

Heritage Auctions is on Twitter and Instagram.

Jim Lentz has appeared on The Hot Bid twice before, talking about a vintage Kem Weber-designed Walt Disney Studios animation desk that sold for $13,145 and a Walt Disney-signed original animation cel from Song of the South that fetched just under $9,000.

ASIFA-Hollywood’s website devotes a section to June Foray, who died in 2017 at the age of 99.

Image is courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

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SOLD! A Rare Marie Zimmermann Necklace Commanded $53,125 at Rago

An enameled yellow gold and gem-set collar necklace with turquoise, carved garnet cabochons, and blue enamel by Marie Zimmermann, circa 1937.

Update: The Marie Zimmermann necklace sold for $53,125, which is likely a record for her jewelry at auction.

What you see: An enameled yellow gold and gem-set collar necklace with turquoise, carved garnet cabochons, and blue enamel by Marie Zimmermann, circa 1937. Rago Auctions estimates it at $35,000 to $55,000.

Who was Marie Zimmermann? She was an American metalworker and jewelry designer who was active in the early 20th century, taking word-of-mouth commissions from well-to-do clients. She closed her studio and retired in 1940 after all of her close family members passed away in a five-year span. Zimmermann died in 1972 at the age of  93.

The expert: Katherine Van Dell, director of jewelry for Rago Auctions.

How often does Marie Zimmermann jewelry appear at auction? Pretty infrequently. She was a fairly prolific metal artist. She did make jewelry, but not in great quantities. The pieces that come to auction are few and far between. They’re quite rare.

Were the necklace and the Zimmermann ring shown in lot 2050 conceived as a set, or are they two separate pieces? They’re two separate pieces. It’s serendipitous that they came together for the same sale. The recipients knew each other, but their families do not know each other. The two go together, but they were not conceived as a set. It certainly would be lovely if someone wants to buy them both. I don’t want to play that down. But they were definitely not conceived together.

How did the Marie Zimmerman necklace come to be? Was it a commission? In the 2012 book The Jewelry and Metalwork of Marie Zimmermann, there’s a bracelet of the same design pictured and an ‘Egyptian-style necklace’ [is mentioned in the text]. The man who commissioned the pieces paid for them in installments. We don’t know if he never finished paying for them. It could have been that she made two of the same necklace. It could have been that he never paid it off and she kept it. But there’s at least one necklace and bracelet suite.

Did Marie Zimmermann design the jewelry and hand it off to others to make, or did she physically create her pieces? She had a hand in the making of the pieces, but she had workers and craftspeople who she employed to fabricate her designs. Even though not everything was done by her hand, they were all hand-done pieces.

What visual signatures does the necklace have that mark it as a Marie Zimmermann piece? It screams Marie Zimmermann because of its Egyptian Revival influence. It’s very evident in the necklace, and less so in the ring. The enamels and the rich metalwork are probably the visual giveaways. The necklace is unsigned, but the ring is signed with her cipher.

I see references in background material to Marie Zimmermann having closed her studio in 1940 after “her entire family died,” but I can’t find any more information than that. What happened? She didn’t have any children. She had a sister that died, I believe. She was largely dependent on her parents to fund her lifestyle. She surrounded herself with friends. She was a lesbian before people were openly lesbian, and she had a life partner.

Were Melita (Bessie) Stewart and Ida Egli–the household staffers to whom Zimmermann willed the necklace and the ring–among her friends? For sure, yeah. They became friends and companions. Clearly she was close enough to both that she left her estate to them. [Zimmerman willed her home in Punta Gorda, Florida to the two women.]

And Stewart’s and Egli’s descendants consigning the necklace and the ring to Rago now–that’s a coincidence? It’s a total coincidence. My hair stood on end when I figured it out. For the ring, I started talking to the [family] last summer. It came in in February. The necklace came in just before the deadline in April. The necklace is from a great-aunt, I believe. The consigner had done her homework. But I took the ring in first, from a family in Indiana. That consigner said [of Melita Stewart] ‘I’d only ever known her as Grandma Bessie.’ Given how infrequently they come up at auction, to get two Zimmermann pieces at the same time from the descendants of individuals who had the same life, it’s really phenomenal and really cool.

What’s the auction record for a work by Marie Zimmermann? It’s a jeweled box that Rago sold in 2005 for $125,000. [Unfortunately the lot results for the box are not online. – Ed.] It’s now in the Met. The necklace might beat it, I’m hoping. I think it stands to do quite well and might sell to an institution. Most of her things currently live in institutions or private collections. It speaks to the rarity of her pieces.

How to bid: The Marie Zimmermann necklace is lot 2051 in Rago‘s Fine Jewelry auction on June 10, 2018.

How to subscribe to The Hot Bid: Click the trio of dots at the upper right of this page. You can also follow The Hot Bid on Instagram and follow the author on Twitter.

Rago Auctions is on Twitter and Instagram. It also did a dedicated piece on the Marie Zimmermann ring and necklace.

The Friends of Marie Zimmermann have a website and a Facebook page.

Image is courtesy of Rago Auctions.

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SOLD! Arthur Rackham’s Image of Danaë and the Infant Perseus Commanded $22,100 at Swann

Danaë and the Infant Perseus, an original illustration in watercolor, ink, and wash on board by Arthur Rackham for the 1922 Hodder & Stoughton edition of Nathaniel Hawthorne's A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys.

Update: Arthur Rackham’s 1922 original illustration of Danaë and the Infant Perseus sold for $22,100.

What you see: Danaë and the Infant Perseus, an original illustration in watercolor, ink, and wash on board by Arthur Rackham for the 1922 Hodder & Stoughton edition of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys. Swann Auction Galleries estimates it at $10,000 to $15,000.

Who was Arthur Rackham? He was regarded as a leader in the Golden Age of British book illustration, which spanned 1890 to the onset of World War I. He enlivened editions of Alice in Wonderland, Rip van Winkle, Gulliver’s Travels, a Midsummer Night’s Dream and more. He died in 1939 at the age of 71.

Who were Danaë and Perseus? In Greek mythology, Danaë was the daughter of Acrisius, King of Argos. When an oracle told the king that his grandson would kill him someday, he locked his childless only daughter in a tower to thwart the prophecy. Zeus upended the plan by sneaking in to Danaë’s cell in the form of a shower of gold (yes, you read that right) and getting her pregnant with little Perseus. The king loaded his daughter and tiny grandson into a wooden box and tossed it into the sea, hoping that nature would take care of them. It did, but not the way he wanted; the box came ashore on the island of Seriphos. Danaë eventually caught the eye of that island’s king, Polydectes. Perseus, now closer to being grown up, agreed to kill Medusa and bring back her head to get Polydectes to leave his poor mom alone. The oracle proved correct when Acrisius went to Larissa to watch a sports exhibition. Perseus was there to play, and did not know that his grandfather was in the audience. He accidentally took the old man out when a discus throw went awry and clocked him.

The expert: Christine von der Linn, specialist in art books and original illustration at Swann Auction Galleries.

How was Arthur Rackham chosen for this 1922 project? He was known to work on Greek and Norse mythology and had done his own book in 1913, Arthur Rackham’s Book of Pictures, which had a lot of mythology. He was chosen by the publisher [for the 1922 release] because it was well known that he could execute illustrations of Greek and Norse myths, and that was what the Nathaniel Hawthorne book was about.

How many illustrations did Arthur Rackham do for the Nathaniel Hawthorne book, and how many for the Danaë and Perseus story? Sixteen color plates in all, and two for the story. This illustration was just used last year as the cover for a 2015 reissue of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s A Wonder Book. Arthur Rackham’s Book of Pictures has a different picture [of this scene in the story] that’s more Rackhamesque in a way. In this image, he concentrates more on the waves, and them being swept out. It’s more threatening. In the 1913 version, you don’t see Perseus’s face. He’s nestled into her breast. They’re in the same simple wooden box, and there’s clouds and wind, but there’s no forboding stormy sky. And the other one doesn’t have as much color as this one.

M37487-1 002

I saw a reference to Arthur Rackham having been influenced by Meiji woodblock prints. I couldn’t find more information than that before we spoke, but it made me feel less crazy when the waves in this illustration made me think of Hokusai’s The Great Wave. You don’t think of Rackham being influenced by Asian artists, but he was. He was the master of illustration in the time of three- and four-color printing. When he created an image for a book, the detail would often get lost in the four-color printing process. He’d often go back and re-ink pieces, and define the line very precisely. This image is Rackham, but it’s heavier and thicker than you’re used to seeing. If you cover Danaë and Perseus and just look at the left-hand side of the illustration, you’d think you’re looking at a Japanese woodcut.

Was Arthur Rackham prolific? He was one of the masters of the Golden Age of British illustration. He did a lot of magazine illustrations and job work before launching into his own deluxe editions. He dominated the Edwardian deluxe gift book market. His 1905 Rip Van Winkle cemented his reputation as a master illustrator.

How often do original Rackhams appear at auction? They come up with some frequency, and the prices are all over the place. The range in price depends on how well-known they are, and the amount of detail. A Wind in the Willows illustration sold last year in London for £52,500 ($70,700). It had all the hallmarks of a Rackham illustration, and it had the main characters in it as well. We sold one of his illustrations for A Christmas Carol–it was extremely popular and hotly contested at auction. It was Scrooge and the Ghost of Marley, and it sold for $32,500. The more iconic the image, the higher the price.

How did Danaë and the Infant Perseus come to you? This is from a private collection. It was purchased from a gallery in London several decades ago.

M37487-1 002

What qualities does this Arthur Rackham image of Danaë and the Infant Perseus have that makes it desirable to collectors? You have a scene taking place in nature, where the subjects are vulnerable to nature. Danaë and Perseus have this sort of sweet, pre-Raphaelite look to their faces–innocent features, very expressive, and the light touches of color enhance their expressions. And the treatment of the fabric is very Rackham-esque. You can see the figures beneath the clothing and you can tell the elements have affected them. He also shows the simple craftsmanship of the box and the wood grain and at the same time, shows how sturdy but delicate the vessel is. It’s also in how he puts the two figures in the foreground and on the right. Your eye goes to their faces, but you see the ferocity of the storm. It’s about them, but it’s about fear, and about the episode they’re about to face.

I’m surprised the estimate is as low as $10,000 to $15,000. It’s a strong piece, but the Rackham market is a little soft right now. While we love Rackham and he’s one of the greats of illustration and he’s still considered a favorite, he’s not among the greats for new, young collectors.

Why will this Arthur Rackham illustration stick in your memory? It’s a haunting image. It’s beautiful and haunting at the same time. It’s from one of my favorite works by Rackham. I love his treatment of Norse and Greek myths. I feel very few illustrators have been able to grasp the excitement and the drama of those myths like Rackham did.

How to bid: Danaë and the Infant Perseus is lot 38 in the Illustration Art sale at Swann Auction Galleries on June 5, 2018.

How to subscribe to The Hot Bid: Click the trio of dots at the upper right of this page. You can also follow The Hot Bid on Instagram and follow the author on Twitter.

Swann Galleries is on Instagram and Twitter.

Image is courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries.

Christine von der Linn has appeared twice before on The Hot Bid, speaking about a Rockwell Kent-illustrated edition of Moby Dick and original Erté artwork for a 1933 Harper’s Bazaar cover.

Would you like to hire Sheila Gibson Stoodley for writing or editing work? Click the word “Menu” at the upper right for contact details.

SOLD! Philip Lloyd Powell’s Double Bed Commanded $10,000 at Freeman’s

A double bed designed by Phillip Lloyd Powell circa 1960.

Update: The Phillip Lloyd Powell circa 1960 double bed sold for $10,000.

What you see: A double bed designed by Phillip Lloyd Powell circa 1960. Freeman’s estimates it at $10,000 to $15,000.

Who was Phillip Lloyd Powell? He was an American studio furniture maker, working alongside fellow masters who settled in New Hope, Pennsylvania in the middle of the 20th century. Sometimes he literally worked alongside fellow masters–he and Paul Evans shared a studio for about a decade and occasionally collaborated on pieces. He was self-taught and largely worked alone. He died in 2008 at the age of 88.

The expert: Tim Andreadis, department head of 20th century design at Freeman’s.

How prolific was Phillip Lloyd Powell? It’s estimated he produced upwards of a thousand pieces, but that might be a little liberal in retrospect. It might be 800 or so, and he did a lot of interior commissions, which would not have been freestanding furniture.

How many beds did Phillip Lloyd Powell make? I’ve only seen two or three come to market, and I’ve seen one or two other headboards or footboards come up. I’d rate those as a five or a six. I’d rate this bed as a nine or a ten–it’s fully carved, fully realized. I haven’t actually seen a four-poster bed quite like this.

Was this double bed a commission, or did he build it on spec? He did it specifically for this client [the consigner], who commissioned it around 1960. It has the wonderful sculptural detail that you want to see with Powell pieces. Undulating lines… it packs a lot of visual power. It’s not a quiet piece. And it has a built-in bench at the footboard. The design is elegant and functional. You can sit on the bed as you dress and put on your shoes. The client loved the bed. The only reason she’s selling is she’s downsizing and it won’t fit in the new place. When we met [for the first time–she has consigned to Freeman’s before], the bed was one of the first things she showed me. She’s very proud of it and understands that it’s a masterwork for Powell.

I understand that Phillip Lloyd Powell and Paul Evans shared a studio space for about a decade, and that time would have included 1960. Was Evans involved with this bed commission at all? No, no. My understanding, coming from the client, is that she only worked with Powell. Some clients were drawn to one or the other [Phillip Lloyd Powell or Paul Evans]. A lot of clients were very comfortable with Phil. He was really personable. He was not necessarily a businessman. He was not looking to scale up. Paul Evans wanted to scale up and take his art to as many people as possible. Phil liked an intimate relationship with a client, where they could really build something together.

What was Phillip Lloyd Powell’s attitude toward wood? Was he the sort who liked to squirrel away choice pieces for the future, like his neighbor George Nakashima did? He did. He put away slabs that would be useful on a project. And black walnut [which he used for this bed] is very carveable, easy to work with. With somebody like Wharton Esherick, wood was more of a means to an end. Powell was more in the Nakashima camp, with woodworkers having a love affair with the material. I can’t see him working with another type of material. I can’t see his works cast in bronze.

I see that Powell uses an ebony butterfly join in the headboard. Did he get the idea from Nakashima? Butterfly joins are a way to keep wood from splitting further. In this backboard the join is much more decorative, as the two pieces of wood are separate. The join is meant to be a focal point and meant to create visual interest. As for Nakashima, there must be some influence there, but I don’t know if he got it directly from George.

This is a four-poster bed. Does it actually function as one? Can you place a canopy on it? The client did not have a canopy on it. I don’t think it was ever intended to have a canopy on it. The posts give a sense of verticality to it. I think the client wanted to create a sense of height, give it another dimension. The ebony caps on the posts highlight the sense of height and upward motion that you wouldn’t otherwise have if there was just a headboard and a footboard. If you want a canopy on it, you could have one, but it would need to be modified.

Would modifying the Phillip Lloyd Powell bed to allow a canopy spoil its value? Not if it’s done correctly. I think it would be beautiful either way. What you lose is you won’t see the ebony caps on the top. The posts really draw your eye upward and you see the black detail, which echo the butterfly joins.

And this Phillip Lloyd Powell bed corresponds to the size of a modern double bed? It does, yes. It’s intended to have a mattress and a box spring.

Where does Phillip Lloyd Powell rank among the New Hope, Pennsylvania artisans? He’s right up there, easily in the top three. George Nakashima, Paul Evans, and Phillip Lloyd Powell are the big three of the period. He has a sensual quality to his pieces that you don’t necessarily get from the other guys. And I think a lot of people like the quietness of his work. This is definitely louder for a piece of Powell. They’re not always loud, but they pack a lot of visual impact.

Are beds harder to sell than other types of furniture? Beds can be tough. Not everyone is looking for a bed. But if you’re looking for a statement, this is that.

Why will this Phillip Lloyd Powell bed stick in your memory? I’ve never seen another one like it. I’ve never seen another bed this expressive. It’s a beautiful piece to see, to touch, to handle. Having met with the client and seen it in her home, where she had it for almost 60 years–that stays in my mind, how much it meant to her. It’s hard not to have the enthusiasm be infectious. I’m excited to see where it ends up.

How to bid: The Phillip Lloyd Powell bed is lot 74 in Freeman’s Design sale scheduled for June 4, 2018.

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Tim Andreadis previously spoke to The Hot Bid about a George Nakashima Sanso table with Conoid chairs, which sold for $187,500; an Albert Paley coffee table that commanded $8,125; and a Wharton Esherick sculpture that set a world auction record for the artist.

This entry on The Hot Bid appeared first on the Freeman’s website, posting on May 22, 2018.

Image is courtesy of Freeman’s.

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