The piano got its name in 1876 when William E. Steinway dubbed the line Centennial in honor of the World’s Fair held in Philadelphia honoring the 100th anniversary of U.S. independence. The model won “best concert grand piano. About 424 Centennial Concert Grand pianos were made during a seven year period. The one offered at Fontaines was made in 1877. The piano sold to a Texas buyer for $169,400.

“Buyers today are very selective and looking for high-quality pieces. This auction performed well, with great items bringing robust prices, from ornate leaded glass windows to American-made furniture,” said John Fontaine, owner of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. “The auction totaled $1,300,000, a noteworthy amount even given the technical issues that we overcame.”

The auction was originally scheduled for March 9 and about a dozen lots crossed the block that day, including the first lot, a 24-inch Tiffany Studios inverted hanging lamp that realized $66,550, before the phone and Internet connection with Spectrum failed, forcing Fontaine’s to stop the sale and reschedule it for March 23. When the auction started up again, it was all smooth sailing and many of the auction’s top lots performed within or above their estimates.

Embodying a timeless design that is always in style, leaded glass windows did well in this auction, with nine choice examples featuring intricate craftsmanship and vivid coloring that brought a combined total of around $200,000.

“We will sometimes get one or two nice examples of leaded glass windows but to have nine of them in one auction is a real coup,” Fontaine said. “They all had great color and their subject matter was compelling. We had a lot of presale interest and the final prices reflected their quality and desirability.”

The grouping was led by an 8-foot library window with fiery orange and green panels, griffins, cornucopias and a knight’s helmet over a shield, 103 by 76 inches, that made $66,550 and a pair of drapery windows depicting angels amid a scenic background in yellows and blues, 87 inches tall, which fetched $48,400.

Tiffany lighting continues to be popular with buyers and Fontaine’s has a knack for ferreting out good examples. In this sale, a stunner was the Tiffany bronze and art glass chandelier going for $54,450, which had a long reeded stem over a spherical cluster and six arms branching out to support the 21½-inch Gothic style ring below, overall 53 inches tall. A Nautilus desk lamp doubled its estimate at $16,335. Several other Tiffany items found new homes, including a 14-inch leaded Tulip shade at $21,175. Bringing the same price of $16,940 were an 18-inch Tiffany Studios Swirling Oak Leaf table lamp and a Tiffany Favrile Peacock art glass lamp base.

Clocks are a specialty and a headliner was an R.J. Horner mahogany rattail grandfather clock that made $45,375, despite condition issues. The 118-inch tall clock had a 12-inch silvered dial signed “Joseph Jennens, Skinner Street, Clerkenwell, London,” nine tubes striking Westminster and Whittington chimes and was in a carved R.J. Horner mahogany case with a large pierced and carved winged maiden crest and figural winged griffin corbels.

Along with the clock, ornate furniture and heavily carved pieces performed well in this auction, including a rosewood parlor cabinet attributed to Pottier & Stymus that sold within estimate at $39,325, featuring a long beveled center mirror with overhanging bonnet top and flanked by two crystal cabinets, 101 by 67 inches; and a pair of Renaissance Revival walnut breakfronts that bested their high estimate to earn $25,410. The rare pair of matched Victorian bookcases was notable for its size and style, featuring a marble top work shelf and classic breakfront styling, carved pulls and crests, gilt incising and ebonized trim. The pair measured 120 by 66 ¼ by 21 inches.

Rounding out the auction was a pair of bronze torchieres from a Chicago courthouse having large square bronze bases with acanthus leaf trim, 88 inches tall, that realized $21,175.

For more information call (413) 448-8922 or visit www.fontainesauction.com.