By Carole Deutsch GENESEO, N.Y. —Outstanding archaeological and ethnographic items from the Annette McGuire Cravens collection took center stage at Cottone’s Sept. 22 auction. Cravens, a renowned philanthropist, had a lifetime dedication to the arts. Her multi-million dollar donation of more than 1,100 items, some dating back to 4500 B., was used to create the highly applauded “Cravens World: The Human Aesthetic” exhibition, which is held as a permanent installation at the University of Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences. “This was an exciting sale for us,” said Matt Cottone. “There was a lot of competition among major auction houses to acquire it. I believe they accepted our proposal because we were able to sell it in its entirety, as collected, without segmenting it off into several different departments. Annette Cravens enjoyed the diversity of collecting and would likely have wanted it sold in a multiple genre staging. Also, we are all heavily involved in every sale and can offer that personal touch. We handle objects as if they were our own. When the family name is on the marquee it all becomes very personal.” Cottone noted the auction “reflects Annette’s 40 years of travel and acquisitions and her passion for art, ranging from prehistoric to modern day.” The items sold at Cottone Auctions were derived from Cravens’s personal collection. The top lot was an exceptional large Cycladic marble head described as a late Spedos variety, early Cycladic II, circa 2500 to 2400 B.C. The catalog cited that it was a prime example of the elegance achieved by Cycladic sculptors. The head was a segment of a larger figure that originally would have measured 20 inches in its entirety. The head itself was 5 inches. “Most of these examples are no larger than 3 inches and typically in bad condition, as they were often purposely broken as part of a funeral ceremony, Cottone noted. “This one was not only large, but in good condition, and it commanded a good deal of bidder attention. There were approximately 10 phone bidders and about half stayed in the game up to the $100,000 mark.” The coveted piece sold to a New York bidder for $188,800. The next highest lot was created almost 4,000 years later. The work by Alexander Calder (American, 1898-1976), titled Crayfish, dated to circa 1946. The sheet metal sculpture was painted in red and black and had an extensive and impressive global exhibition history. Fifteen phone bidders battled for the piece and although it stood a diminutive 3 3/8 inches tall it sold for the monumental price of $153,400. Sounding, one of Harry Bertoia’s (American, 1915-1978) ever popular sonambient sculptures, circa 1976, was also widely exhibited. The 33 inch tall piece was made of beryllium copper standing rods and realized $34,220. Although the majority of the Cravens collection sold well beyond the mark there were those items that shattered the estimate. One of these was a signed work by John Mason (American, B. 1927). The Spear Sculpture, circa 1963, stood 20 inches high and was constructed of stoneware with copper flashing and carried a presale estimate of $4,000 to $6,000, but soared past that amount to achieve $50,740. While Cottone is usually spot on with his estimates, in this case he said, “I never saw it coming.” He went on to say that her collection drew so much interest because she was highly respected for her knowledge and the quality of her collection, and it definitely influenced the bidding and drove the prices. Collectors of art pottery bid aggressively on several items. The sum of $56,640 was paid for a hand-thrown and decorated bowl with a manganese edge and foot. It was signed by Lucie Rie (English, 1902-1995), who is best known for her bowl and bottle forms. Her work is shown in prestigious museums world-wide. In 2009 her studio was moved and reconstructed in the new ceramics gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Cravens selected an object for its innate artistic excellence. This was well reflected in several of the more modestly estimated items that she kept in her personal collection. A lot of two Acoma vessels with a “Saw Tooth” design, circa 1991, by Dorothy Torivio (Native American, 1946-2011), carried a presale estimate of $300 to $500. The exceptional pieces, which measured 4 ½ inches in diameter and 7 ½ inches high, opened at $150 and finished at an impressive $3,648. An early Egyptian figural ibis, standing 5 ½ inches tall and dating from 1300 to 1200 B.C., was made of bronze and lapis and went well past the estimate when it sold for $10,030. A black pot with blue glaze and a red splash by Albert Green (American, 1914-1994), made in a square shape that was 10 inches tall and signed by the artist sold just above the high estimate for $1,062. Prices reflect a 23 percent buyer’s premium. Contact: 585-243-1000 www.cottoneauctions.com |