Maine Antique Digest March 2015

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18-C Maine Antique Digest, March 2015
Ceramicist, sculptor, and glass designer Gabriel Argy-Rousseau
(1885-1953) is credited with being a developer and promoter of
the pâte-de-verre technique, a method of combining crushed
glass and pigment into a heated paste and molding them into
forms with dramatic color effects. This 7½" tall French veilleuse
or night light, circa 1935, contains a scent infuser mounted over a
small bulb, and the glass was impressed with “Argy-Rousseau.”
When lit, the lamp glows with a rich magenta color. The interior
scent receptacle had some significant edge chips, but still the lamp
managed to sail past the $2000/3000 estimate and land at $7475.
A 19th-century Chinese court
robe with long cuffed sleeves and
a wraparound front with a side
attachment secured by gold but-
tons, decorated with a total of
seven embroidered dragons amid
cranes, bats, flaming pearls, and
various geometric designs, all on
a blue background, sold for about
twice the estimate at $6325.
Antonin Mercié (French, 1845-
1916) produced many patriotic
sculptures. Two of his best-known
works are his winged Gloria Vic-
tis and statues known variously as
David, David vainqueur (David the
Victor), and David après le combat
(David after the Battle), showing
the victorious David sheathing his
sword while standing upon the sev-
ered head of Goliath. There have
been numerous versions of it produced by various founders, some showing a fully
nude David and others, like this one, a late 20th-century copy of the 1872 original,
standing 69" tall, with a strategically placed loincloth, which sold well below esti-
mate for $1725.
Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000) was a
native Vietnamese artist whose
work shows the influence of his 18
years in Paris, France. His paint-
ings evince a combination of Orien-
tal and Western styles, usually por-
traying young women of his native
country with dark accents before a
lively Parisian-esque background.
Here are two of his oils on canvas.
One titled Maternite (right), dated
1966, 12¼" x 8½", sold well over the
$5000/7000 estimate for $13,800.
The other, called Composition,
dated 1969, was considerably larger
at 28" x 23" and sold for $10,925.
Thomaston Place photos.
Emile Albert Gruppe (1896-1978) oils on canvas have been pop-
ping up regularly at Maine auctions lately. (Small wonder. Over
a nearly 60-year career, he made thousands of them.) This 29"
x 35" Gloucester, Massachusetts, oil on canvas, titled on the
back Mending the Nets, came in a driftwood frame and left for
$10,350. Thomaston Place photo.
- AUCTION -
Antique tiger maple acorn top
bed, queen size, natural finish.
MENDES ANTIQUES
Rt. 44, 52 Blanding Road, Rehoboth, MA 02769
Open daily 9-6, Sunday 12-5
If coming from afar we
advise that you please call in
advance. (508) 336-7381
We carry a general line of
American antique furniture from
the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Specializing in antique four-poster
rope beds in all sizes for over fifty
years. Delivery New England, NY,
NJ, and PA. Shipments anywhere. or
Call 800-752-8521
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