THE SALE OF THE COLLECTORS’ COLLECTIONS

Famous estates provide collectors’ treasures at Matheson’s AA Auction in Melbourne, FL.


Mathesons’ AA Auction owners Lloyd and Jan Matheson of Melbourne, FL had touted their upcoming September 30-October 1 sale as the one to attend to get some of what serious collectors collected. The sale featured inventory from the collections of Phoebe Morris, the grand dame of charity balls in Miami, fashion designer Bob Bugnand who designed outfits for Elizabeth Parke Firestone and Jacqueline Kennedy, Hanna Hale, an artist and sculptor from Woodstock, NY and items from the former home of rock diva Cher.

Ship – A half model of the SS Barrowmore, 107in long in a mirrored case, sold for $10,925.


The two day sale featured 890 lots and Auction Manager Carey Lucas said, “It was the most fantastic sale I have ever seen. Unbelievable.” She said it will take her two weeks to do all the paperwork and make all the shipping arrangements. It could easily take that long because she will have to ship items around the world to the many out of town and foreign bidders who were successful buyers. The Mathesons’ facility had two hundred bidders and standing room only in the room each day and ten phone lines in operation with as many as seven in use at one time. Lloyd Matheson called the entire mammoth sale which ended after the 9½ hour session on Sunday.

Mirror – An early 19th century Venetian mirror closed in the room at $7,474.

Art was one of the big attractions. The top lot of the sale was a maritime coastal scene by Holland born Anthony Thieme (1888-1954) who emigrated to the United Sates in the 1920s with studios in Rockport, MA and St. Augustine, FL. The 30 X 36in O/C of small fishing vessels at anchor sold within estimate to a private collector in the room for $22,425 including the fifteen percent buyer’s premium. A pastoral scene, O/C 18½ X 31in, of a flock of sheep, the shepherd and his trusty dog by Belgian artist Cornelius van Leemputen (1841-1902) sold for $7,763 and a 54 X 40 inch painting in the Cuzco School style of Peru went to Washington, DC for $6,900. A pair of oil on board works by American Henry Faulkner (1922-1981) fit into the market nicely. A scene of a garden pathway sold for $5,750 and a religious figure made $4,312. Two small works by American David Burliuk (1882-1967), both oil on board, sold to a bidder in Moscow for $3,163 and $2,875.


Thieme – This nautical scene by Anthony Thieme was top lot of the sale $22,425.


As in most well stocked auctions Mathesons’ had a few surprises. A signed Bergman Orientalist bronze lamp, estimated at $8,000 sold on the phone to a buyer in Germany, closing at $13,225. A half ship’s model of the SS Barrowmore of Liverpool was ensconced in a mirrored case giving the impression of a full ship. The 107in long model sold to a West Coast Florida buyer with a bid of $10,925 and another model, the SS Santa Rosa, built by Laird Brothers of the Birkenhead Iron Works, also stayed in Florida, going to an East Coast Florida collector for $5,750.
An elaborate large early 19th century Venetian mirror from the Bob Bugnand collection, 66H X 47in W, sold to a Florida dealer for $7,474 and a marble top 18th century kingwood French commode with ormolu mounts made the same price.

Tapestry – This 18th century Belgian tapestry, the first lot to cross the block, opened the sale on a good note at $8,050.

From Cher’s former mansion came a 52in high carved wooden oriental warrior figure, $5,175, a red lacquered 53in tall standing Buddha, $4,313 and a 14th century Thai bronze Buddha, 60in tall, $4,025.
When it was finally over Lloyd Matheson said, “People at this sale were interested in buying investment quality items.”
For more information call (321) 768-6668 or visit the website at http://www.mathesonsaaauction.com.







Calder – A woven tapestry designed by Alexander Calder in 1975 brought $7,130.