129 / 213
Maine Antique Digest, March 2017 29-C
-
AUCTION -
29-C
Hap Moore uncovered a mini treasure-trove of
sketches and cartoons by well-known artists, and
he’s been offering them over several auctions. Here
are a few more. Keith Haring (1958-1990) became
a major figure in graffiti and cartoon art. His little
red demon with an arm and hand in place of its
head brought $517.50. Ward Kimball (1914-2002)
was one of Walt Disney’s team of animators known
as Disney’s Nine Old Men. He worked on dozens of
Disney cartoons and feature-length films, includ-
ing
Pinocchio
and
Mary Poppins
. But apparently
his name recognition wasn’t sufficient to drive his
pencil cartoon of a nasty-looking thug past $28.75.
LeRoy Neiman (1921-2012) created the character
known as Femlin in 1955 for
Playboy
magazine’s
party jokes page. Here she drew $97.75.
This sponge-painted dome-top storage box, decorated in
several shades of green, pulled in a solid $517.50.
The good old Maine red- and
black-painted blanket chest
(right) in red and black graining
was definitely worth $345. The
six-board blue chest (left) took
$776.25.
A large open-top stepback cupboard
rose to an appropriate $1725, aided
by a coat of reddish paint, a well-used
top surface, green-painted wainscot
backing, wooden pulls, and a tomb-
stone-shaped compartment between
flat panel doors in the lower section.
I know there’s a story behind this 46½" high carved wooden
and metal relief sculpture, but I just haven’t been able to get a
handle on it. The main material is probably cast spelter, and it
was listed simply as an “architectural plaque depicting scientist
with his books.” But who was the guy? A monk? A famous cler-
gyman? An alchemist? The paint is worn and flaking, but the
detail in the fully three-dimensional work is striking. A knight’s
helmet rests in the upper corner of the alcove, and a stack of
books lies at the man’s feet. The symbols and shields in the
corners of the frame might offer more clues. But for now it’s
an unsolved mystery worth $258.75. Moore believes he was an
alchemist, citing the books and what is apparently a chemist’s
flask on the shelf behind him.
Hap Moore photo.