CARROLLTON, Texas – Hands-on collectors virtually bypassed internet bidding in competing at the Dallas Fall Art Glass Auction, presented by Jaremos Art Glass Specialists on Oct. 30-31. The high-quality sale, featured the contemporary studio glass collection of Tom Dick, vintage glass from key makers, and the renowned Mt. Washington Collection of Gary Wheet.

“Twenty items passed and quickly sold after the auction closed, giving us a 100 percent sale rate,” said Bruce Orr, who cataloged the auction. Orr is regarded as the proverbial “go to man” when it comes to fine glass, and this sale had much to offer. In a pre-auction interview Orr accurately predicted the outcome and the cataloging reflected his spot-on assessments. “Works from master glass artists and hallmark makers will dominate the sale and sell as expected, but the Victorian segment will more than hold its own. We intend to raise the bar with this sale and spotlight the importance of many pieces that have fallen out of favor in the marketplace over the past years. Victorian Glass is alive and well.”

Birds managed to command the day when three separate items, all portraying bird themes, claimed the top three lots of the sale. In the first segment a rare and highly desirable Galle French cameo glass vase, made in blue glass in the ovoid form, was decorated with seven penguins as they stood on an icy shoreline. The 6-inch-tall piece was signed in cameo Galle and realized an impressive $12,915, more than doubling the high estimate.

Approximately 20 lots later another winter scene, dramatically depicted on a Daum Nancy frosted white and blue glass vase, achieved $10,030. The 5 ½-inch piece displayed a snow covered landscape that was centered by a snow laden tree with 17 blackbirds that were shown as perched, standing on the ground, and in flight.

The Victorian segment was topped by a Royal Flemish glass vase, the subject of which was a great horned owl standing on a tree branch in front of the moon. The back showed a pair of owls and both front and back representations were set in raised gold scrolled panels. To complete the narrative the top of the vase had two exaggerated pointed elements on either side that reflected the raised ears that are characteristic of the great horned owl. The piece stood 9 inches tall and sold for $8,850.

Another highlight among the Victorian pieces was a bulbous stick vase, decorated with a brown pulled feather design against the ground colors of pink and yellow. The vase stood 11 inches tall and carried a provenance from the Maude Feld collection to the Wheet collection. Thirty-five bidders competed aggressively for the piece that achieved a strong $4,425.

A Mt. Washington Daisy DŽcor vase, which was made in a bulbous form, was decorated all-around with diagonal bands of daisies, gold scrolling, and pointillism scrolling. The extensively embellished piece was 12 inches tall and was finished with a trifold rim. It fetched $3,245.

Another item that generated keen bidder interest was a footed Webb Chin Lung bottle form cameo glass vase created in cased opal and white. It had applied side mask handles and was decorated with a colorful cameo scene of Oriental life. The 8 ½ inch tall vase was acid etched, “Webb,” and brought $6,765.

A piece that also had an Asian aesthetic was a footed half-moon fan sculpture, in purple, rose, and green, done in Pate-de-Verre glass. The fan was decorated with a ripe raspberry bush, leaves, and insects. It was marked under a spider web, “Kimiake Higuchi, 2014.” The work was sold with the original wood shipping box for $6,785.

The next segment of the Gary Wheet collection will be offered by Jaremos in March of 2019 and bidders are already showing interest. Bruce Orr will also be curating what promises to be another crowd pleasing sale, the John W. Lolley Art Glass Collection. Lolley was influential in starting the Mt. Washington Art Glass Society and his collection will be offered on Feb. 6 by the Dallas Auction Gallery.

For more information call (630) 248-7785