Courtesy: Maine Antique Digest

February, 2002

On November 13, 2001, Balfour & Wessels Framefinders Inc. held its second antique frame auction in New York City, far and the firm didn’t suffer a sophomore slump. The second sale, held at a new venue on East 84th Street, surpassed the firm’s first auction of May 17, 2001 (see M.A.D., August 2001). The November 13 sale offering 124 frames brought in $242,292; the May sale, which offered 170 frames, totaled approximately $225,000. The November total was further swelled when approximately $30,000 worth of post-auction sales were conducted.

An auction record price was paid for an 1890’s frame designed by the architect Stanford White. The frame reached $43,700 (includes buyer’s premium), selling to frames dealer Diego Salazar. This price exceeds the previous auction record Framefinders achieved for a Stanford White frame, $27,600.

With auctioneer Alasdair Nichol calling the sale, 85% of the frames sold. Highlights included a 19th Century Dutch-style Stanford White frame that sold for $13,800; a hand carved and incised frame made by Charles Prendergast, $13,800; and an American Hudson River school frame, $8,050. A small hand carved Foster Bros. frame measuring 8” x 10” sold for $3,220, and an American 19th Century Orientalist frame fetched $6,900.

A hand carved Arts & Crafts frame made by Foster Bros. sold for $2,990; a pressed wood and gilded Stanford White frame, 10” x 14”, $2,185; an Arts & Crafts frame by Hermann Dudley Murphy, $4887.50; a hand carved Louis-style frame from the 18th Century, $2,990; a 19th Century European cassetta frame, $4,025; a 19th Century ogee fluted cove frame, $5,175; a 19th Century Italian cassetta frame, $2,300; a 20th Century frame designed by Stanford White, $4,600; a hand carved Arts & Crafts frame, 25” x 30” $2,070; an unusual, hand carved Stanford White frame made by Newcomb-Macklin, $3,450; an a 19th Century applied ornament and gilded Whistler frame, $2,070.

Edward Charles Balfour, CEO of Framefinders, noted that the average price realized for each frame increased by 35% from the previous auction. The next auction will be held in May. For more information, call (212) 396-3896 or see the website (www.framefinders.com).

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