Fine Art PR Publicity Announcements News and Information
Fine Art PR Publicity Announcements News and Information

CALIFORNIA ART, ASIAN ANTIQUES STANDOUTS OF CLARS JANUARY SALE

A painting by Granville S. Redmond (1871-1935), a California artist, was the highlight of Clars Auction Gallery’s January 5 & 6 auction, a sale that also featured strong results for a variety of Himalayan and Sino-Tibetan antiquities.
“Eucalyptus Grove,” an oil on canvasboard, fetched $16,380* and ultimately sold to a floor buyer after a period of intense bidding that included online and telephone bidders, as well. The painting, a close view of eucalyptus trees at sunset, was a rather uncharacteristic composition for Redmond, who is known more for his sweeping, sometimes panoramic California landscapes. Thus, the intense interest in the piece, far exceeding its $6000-8000 estimate, came as something of a surprise.
“Visitors at a Mission,” an oil on canvasboard by Lucia K. Mathews (1870-1955), another California artist, also fetched a strong price of $14,040. The Clars staff was prepared for the excitement surrounding this painting, however – in September 2007, they set the record for a painting sold by this artist, auctioning off a watercolor portrait of a child for $26,330.
Another popular California painter, Percy Gray boosted the art sale this January, as well. Gray’s small watercolor “Ranch Landscape” sold for $7,605.
The January sale at Clars also featured very strong showings for Asian art and antiquities. On Saturday, a Chinese painting of a beauty in European costume – a theme based on a Qianlong prototype – sold for $16,380 after a lengthy back-and-forth between a telephone bidder and several floor bidders.
During Sunday’s sale, Asian art objects drew significant attention – particularly Clars’s collection of Sino-Tibetan figures. A gilt bronze/copper alloy figure of Tsong-kha-pa fetched $12,870. Another Sino-Tibetan object, a gilt bronze/copper alloy tantric figure depicting the dharmapala Hayagriva sold for $8,190. A Tibetan copper-allow tantric figure depicting the tutelary divinity Hevajra, fetched $7,020.
Two more everyday Asian objects rounded out the collection: a tea-dust glazed pear form vase bearing an apocryphal Qianlong cartouche sold for $11,115, while a set of Chinese “imperial” seals in a zitan-stained hardwood box hammered down at $8,775.
The impressive results Clars staff saw this month bode well for Clars’s February sale, which, in addition to an extensive collection of important California and American art, will feature both antique and contemporary Asian art and art objects, as well as large collections of Tiffany glass silver and fine estate jewelry.

Clars Auction Gallery holds fine antiques and estate auctions each month. Their next Fine Estate Auction will be held on Saturday and Sunday, February 2nd & 3rd. For more information about Clars January sale or their upcoming February auction, visit their website at www.clars.com or call (510) 428-0100. Clars Auction Gallery is located at 5644 Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, CA. Bidding at Clars auctions is available in person, by phone, absentee and online through eBay Live Auctions/Live Auctioneers. A fully illustrated catalog of each sale is available on their website prior to each auction.

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