Major Surprises at Thomaston

Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, Thomaston, Maine

by Mark Sisco

Four continents were well represented at the two-day Thomaston Place Auction Galleries spring auction in Thomaston, Maine, on May 31 and June 1. Only South America, Australia, and Antarctica were not represented in the wide range of offerings. It's not unusual when an item or two goes wild and exceeds the estimate by a great margin, but when a dozen or more items take off, that's a bit more noteworthy.

A square cloisonné tray from the Japanese factory of Namikawa Sosuke (1847-1910) headed for the stratosphere. The 11½" enameled work showing a flowering cherry branch before a misty full moon, with an artist's seal beneath the glaze, drew an amazing $33,000 (includes buyer's premium) against a $1500/1800 estimate.

Another item that really sailed was an 8¼" x 5¾" (sight size) oil on ivory portrait of a Greek military ruler in a traditional fustanella, the classic attire worn by men in the Balkans until the 19th century. It is sometimes identified with the Evzones, the ceremonial Greek presidential guards. In this portrayal, the man is seated on an ornate gilt throne, before a background of columnar ruins. Estimated at a mere $1000/1500, the little painting pulled in a major-league $25,300.

On a lesser scale, a yardlong photograph of the 101 Ranch Real Wild West Show troupe, taken in 1915, their last year of full-scale operation, by Coles & Co. of Columbus, Ohio, beat the point spread by a good margin when it sold for $3850 (est. $500/1000).

According to the catalog the show was an offshoot of the 101 Ranch in Oklahoma, founded in 1871 by former Confederate Colonel George Washington Miller. The shot shows the entourage of over 200 members, with Sioux and Nez Perce Indians, cowboys and cowgirls, Cossacks, Turks, clowns, giants, midgets, and a host of others that had little to do with the Old West. Buffalo Bill Cody joined the show in 1908, but a series of misfortunes led to the show's eventual demise.

Around the time the photo was taken, the troupe departed for England, where they promptly had their horses, stagecoaches, and automobiles confiscated for use in World War I. Later, upon reaching Germany, some of the Oglala Sioux were arrested as Serbian spies. Zack Miller, George Miller's son, eventually secured their release and found them passage back to the United States. The show continued on a smaller scale until about 1927.

The biggest hit by a wide order of magnitude was a little Russian kovsh, a boat-shaped drinking vessel or ladle, implanted with two apple green cabochon chrysophrases and a sapphire, with an extended rudder forming the handle and an upturned prow. It had the mark for Fedor Ruckert in a rectangular cartouche and was monogrammed "MCPL." It was estimated at only $1500/2500, but when the bidding finally ended, it was hammered out for a staggering $85,250.

For more information, visit (www.thomastonauction.com) or call (207) 354-8141.

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