ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA – Brunk Auctions had another historic day on October 29, led by the singular and extremely important Mason-Dixon Line map. It was part of two important single-owner auctions that proved the resilience of the markets for both early American maps and American furniture, fine art and decorative arts. The top dozen lots from the Estate of Richard and Shirley Roberts achieved six-figure results, all but one lot from the estate sold and the auctions realized a combined $5,975,813 result and a 99.6% sell-through rate.

Andrew Brunk, president of Brunk Auctions, said, “The Brunk Auctions team is still exhaling from the whirlwind of interest and bidding in the Roberts Collection auction. Bidding was consistently spirited throughout the seven hours of the auction, and many of the prices recalled the height of the market 20 years ago. Most exciting was the entrance of so many new buyers, drawn by the quality of the collection. A number of the top lots were purchased by buyers who are new to us, a great sign of the future of the market.

“The Mason Dixon map is among the most important maps in American history, and brought media interest and ultimately a price in keeping with that importance. To our knowledge, the map achieved the second highest price for a map sold at auction worldwide, and more than doubled the price achieved in its previous offering in the Forbes Sale at Christie’s.”

The original manuscript map of the Mason-Dixon line was the highlight of a four-lot single-owner map auction dedicated to maps and historical documents related to the Mason-Dixon survey. With nearly a full house and press outlets watching from around the world, several phone lines, absentee bidders and a bidder in the room competed for the Mason-Dixon Line map; it ultimately sold to an anonymous bidder on the phone for $1,187,500.

Southern furniture was a strong component of the Roberts’ auction and all exceeded expectations. The auction’s top lot at $325,000 was an extremely fine and rare pair of Charleston Federal satinwood card tables that may have been made by Robert Walker and was one of just two known pairs of Federal satinwood card tables made in Charleston.

There was more Charleston furniture in the auction. A Queen Anne mahogany dressing table that had a history of ownership in the Simons, Vanderhorst, and Waring families achieved $81,250 and a Queen Anne mahogany serving table that related to well-published examples sold for $27,500. Realizing $11,875 was a Charleston Federal figured mahogany and satinwood Pembroke table.

Furniture from New England was predominant throughout the auction and all major furniture making centers were represented: Newport, Boston, Philadelphia, Salem and Connecticut. The category saw many of the highest prices, proving not only that the market for masterwork examples remains strong but that Brunk Auctions is well placed to realize the highest possible prices.

Earning the second highest price of the Roberts’ auction – $275,000 – and nearly tripling its high estimate was an exceptional Rhode Island Chippendale mahogany tea table, that is documented in the Yale Rhode Island Furniture archive. It was followed by other important Rhode Island furniture, not least being the extremely rare John Townsend labeled Newport Chippendale Pembroke table that is one of just three labeled examples and which finished at $150,000. John Goddards’ signed Chippendale mahogany slant-lid desk had a distinguished provenance that included several noteworthy previous owners and brought $87,500, while a pair of Chippendale side chairs attributed to Goddard’s shop traded at $112,500.

The Roberts purchased several pieces of furniture that renowned dealer Israel Sack deemed to be “masterpiece” or “superior”. These included the Storer Family Chippendale blockfront mahogany chest of drawers ($212,500), a Salem Chippendale mahogany bonnet-top high chest of drawers ($106,250), the important Major Martin Fearing Federal dwarf tall case clock ($87,500), a Connecticut Queen Anne cherry scalloped top dressing table ($68,750).

Fine art was a strong contender for “most valuable” category, carrying most of the highest pre-sale estimates going into the auction. Childe Hassam was represented in the auction by two works and both led the fine art section, with “Quai des Tuilleries” and “At the Writing Desk” realizing $212,500 and $162,500, respectively. Surpassing expectations were Jane Peterson’s vibrant “After the Race” ($200,000), Ernest Lawson’s “Early Morning” ($50,000) and Alfred Thompson Bricher’s “Crashing Waves” ($17,500).

The timing of the four-lot map auction was purposely scheduled to coincide with eleven maps in the Roberts’ collection. Drawing the most interest was Major Sebastian Bauman’s 1782 uncolored engraved map titled To His Excellency Gen. Washington… Plan of the Investment of York and Gloucester…, which achieved a third-place overall finish and $262,500 price realized.

Two rare botanical watercolor drawings by Georg Dionysius Ehret were rare depictions of Virginia flora. Bidders plucked “Catalpa bignonioides in bloom” for $27,500 and “Martagon Virginianum” for $20,000. Eleven naturalist bird and botanical prints by Mark Catesby attracted significant interest and the group sold for a combined total of $45,565.

Silver was a comparatively small but nonetheless choice section of the auction and denoted the Roberts’ careful eye and interest in both Georgian and Southern examples. Tripling its high estimate and realizing $23,750 was a George III Irish silver epergne made in Dublin in 1783 by Robert Breading. Two lots of Charleston silver achieved interest from Southern buyers, namely a pair of rare Charleston Coin Silver Candlesticks, marked by John Ewan ($13,750) and a Charleston coin silver pitcher, goblets, and tray, made by Grosjean & Woodward and retailed by Hayden & Whilden ($7,500).

All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium. For additional information, info@brunkauctions.com or 828-254-6846.