American Art Eclipses British Décor In Two Days Of Auctions At Brunk

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Brunk Auctions had two back-to-back days of sales with its British & Continental Auction on May 8 and An American Panorama: North, South, East and West on May 9. The more than 120 lots in the British & Continental Auction were from private and institutional collections, including objects deaccessioned from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, several Old Master drawings and fine silver. The American Panorama auction included nearly 215 lots of fine art from all across the United States. The highest price on the first day was achieved by an Earl of Granville ambassadorial set of four George III gilt English silver two-arm candelabras, each engraved with the Royal badge and the Leveson-Gower crest. Together, this set went out at $54,120 with buyer’s premium. The highest price overall was made on the second day. Coming from a private collection in North Carolina was “Sunlight and Blue Bonnets,” a 1916 oil painting by Julian Onderdonk (shown). The serene landscape surpassed its $40/60,000 estimate to finish at $147,600 with buyer’s premium. A more complete review of both auctions will be in a forthcoming issue.