Maine Antique Digest, March 2017

Maine Antique Digest, March 2017 23-D

AUCTION -

23-D

The Potomack Company, Alexandria, Virginia

Potomack Gets Presidential

by Walter C. Newman

Photos courtesy The Potomack Company

he Potomack Company held its

quadrennial auction of presidential,

political, and historical material on

November 5, 2016, at the firm’s gallery

and showrooms in Alexandria, Virginia.

While virtually all of the past presidents

of the United States were represented,

many of the highlights of the sale came

from a large selection of lots associated

with the John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy

years.

The Kennedy items included pieces

from the year before Senator Kennedy’s

election, as well as from his White House

years, the family retreat in Middleburg,

Virginia, and his final day in Dallas.

It is often said that antiques are

important not simply for what they

are but because of the stories that they

tell. That thought is made quite clear

when examining one group of lots from

the Kennedy-related items. John and

Jacqueline Kennedy owned a home in the

Georgetown area of Washington, D.C.,

while he served as a U.S. senator. When

John was elected president, the Kennedys

sold that home as they prepared to take

up residence in the White House. With

that seemingly insignificant event, a very

interesting time line emerges.

John Kennedy was elected president

on November 8, 1960. Nine days later,

President-elect Kennedy sent a telegram

confirming his acceptance of an offer

that had been made to purchase the

Georgetown home. The Kennedys

continued to live in Georgetown until

after the inauguration. In fact, they left

from the Georgetown home to attend

the inauguration on January 20, 1961. In

March 1961, John and Jacqueline signed

the deed transferring the title of the

Georgetown home to its new owners, Mr.

and Mrs. Perry Ausbrook.

In May 1961, Jacqueline Kennedy

wrote a lengthy letter to Mrs. Ausbrook

appealing to her to return a chandelier

that mistakenly had been left in the

Georgetown house when the Kennedys

vacated. Jacqueline stated that the “hall

lantern,” as she later called it, had been

a gift from her sister and obviously held

great sentimental value. Apparently Mrs.

Ausbrook did not agree immediately,

and one month later a second appeal

was sent by Jacqueline Kennedy. Finally

Mrs. Ausbrook agreed to return the light

fixture, and in her reply to the first lady

she agreed that she would begin to “start

looking [for a replacement] as soon as

possible.” Apparently the light fixture

dispute was ultimately solved to the

satisfaction of all parties.

Each component of this snippet

of history was offered for sale at the

Potomack auction. A photograph of the

Kennedys relaxing with their daughter,

Caroline, in the garden of the Georgetown

house was pictured with a lot that included

the home’s garden fountain, which was

in the background in the photograph.

The telegram agreeing to the sale of the

Georgetown home and the signed deed

were offered as a single lot. A photograph

of the Kennedys leaving the Georgetown

home for inaugural ceremonies

It is often said that

antiques are important

not simply for what they

are but because of the

stories that they tell.

The high lot of the sale was this

remarkable autograph album. The

volume contains 31 documents, each

signed by a U.S. president; all but

five were signed while the individual

was in office. The book is bound

in the Cosway style, with the cover

featuring portrait miniatures of George

Washington and Abraham Lincoln

mounted under glass and set beneath

the wings of a gilt eagle.The binding

is the work of the George Bayntun

firm of Bath, England. The autograph

album sold to a collector in the room

for $50,000 (est. $10,000/20,000).

This blue and white porcelain bowl is from

the 19th-century portion of Korea’s Choson

Dynasty (1392-1910). The bowl displays a

slightly flared scalloped rim and is decorated

with eight longevity characters evenly spaced

around the outer surface. There are eight

characters of good fortune on the inner bowl.

There is a single central character in the

center of the inner bowl. The 10" diameter

piece appears undamaged, and it sold for

$7500 (est. $6000/9000). Kalbak collection.

Here are two figural water droppers that

date from the 19th century or later. One

of the droppers is modeled as a 5¼" high

tortoise with a double gourd on its back. The

other example is slightly smaller and is in the

form of a peach. The two droppers sold to a

telephone bidder for $4062.50 (est. $600/800).

Kalbak collection.

Competition was intense for this 18"

high Chinese bronze figure. The piece

depicts a gentleman seated atop a stepped

platform base. The figure is dressed

in flowing robes and his hands appear

to hold a small vessel at his waist. The

most notable feature is his headdress,

which takes the form of a close-fitting

dome with flat sides and eight rows of

decoration running from front to back.

The figure sold to an Internet buyer for

$15,000 (est. $1000/2000).

This Sino-Tibetan cast bronze

figure of Buddha is only 4¾"

high. Buddha is seated on a

double cushion, with his right

hand in a meditative position

and what appears to be an alms

bowl in the other. The base

is sealed, with the underside

displaying an elaborate vajra

design with a central auspicious

mark. This little figure sold to

an Internet buyer for $5625 (est.

$300/500).

Here is a portrait of a

gentleman in military-

style dress with a

fine lace collar and a

brooch-like pendant

worn as a sash. The

painting is likely the

circle of Sir Anthony

van Dyck (1599-1641).

The portrait is framed

and measures 10" x 7¾"

(sight size). The oil on

panel sold for $1875 (est.

$1000/1500).

This portrait of an unidentified young

woman is by Jean Ernest Aubert

(French, 1824-1902). The oil on canvas

depicts the woman standing barefoot

against a low wall, looking out over a

body of water. The coloration is light

and hazy, giving the image the look

of a pastel. An inscription, lower left,

is dated 1892 and indicates that this

painting was a gift of friendship from

the artist. The painting measures 17" x

9¾" and sold to a telephone bidder for

$3125 (est. $1500/3000).

By all accounts Zhang Daqian (Chinese, 1899-1983) was one of the most prolific Chinese

artists of the 20th century. His works covered a wide range of styles and subjects, from

grand panoramic landscapes to intricately detailed single flower blossoms. His works

and style are often imitated, and ironically he was also considered a master forger.

This letter is written from Zhang Daqian to his friend and fellow artist Wang Jiyuan

(Chinese, 1893-1975). In it he thanks his friend for his assistance with expenses related

to their recent trip to New York, and discusses other personal news. The letter brought

$25,000 (est. $6000/9000).