Leigh Keno held his Americana sale yesterday with solid results of $2.3m and 86%  of the lots sold, a third of the 164 buyers bid on the internet:

The sale had a small but excellent selection of American paintings, including the dramatic Boston’sExchange Coffee House Burning of 1818 by John Ritto Penniman (American, 1782-1841).  The picture was eagerly sought by several impassioned bidders in the room and on the telephone before selling to a Massachusetts-based client for $117,800 (est. $50,000-100,000).

The James Maxime DuPont Estate offered a stunning painting by William Trost Richards (American, 1833-1905) Gentle Surf, New Jersey Coast, 1905 which achieved $86,600 (est. $40,000-80,000) and was snapped up by New York dealer Andrew Schoelkopf, who was bidding on behalf of a client.  The painting is one of the last Richards completed and perfectly illustrates the broad sandy shelves of the New Jersey coastal terrain.  In a lifetime of capturing surfs with oil on canvas, the New Jersey coast was one of his favorite subjects.

The sale offered many exceptional pieces of American furniture including the Massachusetts Chippendale Serpentine-Front  Chest of Drawers from an Arizona collection.  The sale room buzzed with excitement as bidding escalated into a spirited battle between clients on the floor, telephone and online; the piece fetching a remarkable $117,800 (est. $50,000-80,000).

January 22, 2013 Auction Re-cap (Keno Auctions)