Clars Auction Gallery Reaches All-Time High for Fiscal ... · Eugène de Blaas, The Proposal...
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PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | 3 October 2014 Clars Auction Gallery Reaches All-Time High for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 $21 Million in Sales and Multiple New Auction Records Set Oakland, CA – Clars Auction Gallery concluded their 2013-2014 fiscal year with their September 2014 Fine Art, Decoratives, Jewelry and Asian Art Sale. At the close of that sale, it was clear that the firm had reached a new-record level of $21 million in sales for the year. e Oakland-based auction house reported a robust increase of 57% over their previous fiscal year, the largest year-over-year increase in the firm’s history. Clars hosts a three- day sale each month that features an average of 2,000 lots. e average price achieved per lot for this fiscal year was $1,100 versus the $750 per lot average for the previous fiscal year. In additon, they handled the important Gerber Estate from Reno, Nevada which so far has sold more than four million dollars of property, the largest single estate in the company’s history. According to Redge Martin, President of Clars “e global reach of our marketing is core to our clients and consignors success. By broadening our global market with a presence on three live auction bidding platforms, we are able to attract a record numbers of new buyers, a key element in the success of our sales, which parlays into attracting high-level estates and consignments from around the world. Each month, we continued to see a significant surge of interest across all geographies solidly turning us from a regional auction house to a global force. In our September sale alone, buyers from more than 60 countries signed up to bid.”” e Categories | Statistics | Top Lots Clars has four departments within the firm to knowledgeably serve each estate and individual consignor. Each of these four departments, Fine Art, Furniture and Decorative Arts, Asian Art and Antiques and Jewelry, ex- perienced significant increases over the previous fiscal year. Fine Art – Fine Art sales accounted for 28% of total sales for $5.8M, a 39% increase over fiscal year 2012/13. e Fine Art Department is lead by Rick Unruh, Vice President and Director of Fine Arts. Under Unruh’s leadership and his team of specialists, the Fine Art collections and individual consignments garnered by the department have increased to expand across not only the U.S. but from around the world. Clars handled the sale of the Ruttenberg Collection of Chicago (IL) of prints and photographs which earned over $600,000. In addition, Clars has played an important role handling deaccessions for many museums and institutions, including the Honolulu Museum of Art and the Montclair (New Jersey) Art Museum. continues on page 2 5644 Telegraph Ave | Oakland | CA | 94609 | 510.428.0100 | www.clars.com 1
Transcript of Clars Auction Gallery Reaches All-Time High for Fiscal ... · Eugène de Blaas, The Proposal...
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P R E S S R E L E A S EF O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E | 3 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 4
Clars Auction Gallery Reaches All-Time High for Fiscal Year 2013-2014
$21 Million in Sales and Multiple New Auction Records Set
Oakland, CA – Clars Auction Gallery concluded their 2013-2014 fiscal year with their September 2014 FineArt, Decoratives, Jewelry and Asian Art Sale. At the close of that sale, it was clear that the firm had reached anew-record level of $21 million in sales for the year. The Oakland-based auction house reported a robust increaseof 57% over their previous fiscal year, the largest year-over-year increase in the firm’s history. Clars hosts a three-day sale each month that features an average of 2,000 lots. The average price achieved per lot for this fiscal yearwas $1,100 versus the $750 per lot average for the previous fiscal year. In additon, they handled the importantGerber Estate from Reno, Nevada which so far has sold more than four million dollars of property, the largestsingle estate in the company’s history.
According to Redge Martin, President of Clars “The global reach of our marketing is core to our clients andconsignors success. By broadening our global market with a presence on three live auction bidding platforms,we are able to attract a record numbers of new buyers, a key element in the success of our sales, which parlaysinto attracting high-level estates and consignments from around the world. Each month, we continued to seea significant surge of interest across all geographies solidly turning us from a regional auction house to a globalforce. In our September sale alone, buyers from more than 60 countries signed up to bid.””
The Categories | Statistics | Top LotsClars has four departments within the firm to knowledgeably serve each estate and individual consignor. Eachof these four departments, Fine Art, Furniture and Decorative Arts, Asian Art and Antiques and Jewelry, ex-perienced significant increases over the previous fiscal year.
Fine Art – Fine Art sales accounted for 28% of total sales for $5.8M, a 39% increase over fiscal year 2012/13. The Fine ArtDepartment is lead by Rick Unruh, Vice President and Director of Fine Arts. Under Unruh’s leadership andhis team of specialists, the Fine Art collections and individual consignments garnered by the department haveincreased to expand across not only the U.S. but from around the world. Clars handled the sale of the RuttenbergCollection of Chicago (IL) of prints and photographs which earned over $600,000. In addition, Clars has playedan important role handling deaccessions for many museums and institutions, including the Honolulu Museumof Art and the Montclair (New Jersey) Art Museum.
continues on page 25644 Telegraph Ave | Oakland | CA | 94609 | 510.428.0100 | www.clars.com1
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TOP FIVE FINE ART LOTS SOLD AT CLARS IN FISCAL YEAR 2013-2014
November 10, 2013$154,700
Eugène de Blaas, The Proposal
February 15, 2014$130,900
Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, "Possum Dreaming," 1994
February 15, 2014$47,600.00
George Rodrigue, The Blue Dog, 1991
September 13, 2014 $56,500 Leonor Fini, “Dialogue Impossible”
Furniture & Decorative Arts –Furniture & Decorative Arts accounted for 27% of total sale for $5.5M, 15% increase over fiscal year 2012/13.Furnishings and Decorative Arts is lead by Deric Torres, Vice President and Director of Decorative Arts &Furnishings. Throughout the past year, Torres and his staff of specialists have targeted and successfully wonimportant estates and collections which have both domestic and international appeal.
May 17, 2014 $53,600 Friedel Dzubas, “Dark Barrier”
TOP FIVE F URNI T URE/DECORAT IVE ARTS LOTS SOLD AT CLARS IN FISCAL YEAR 2013-2014
May 17, 2014$65,500
1954 Chevrolet Corvette July 13, 2014$47,600
Pair of Aboriginal Australian Shields
September 13, 2014Silas Seandel Cocktail tableSet of 3: $40,460
September 13, 2014$47,500Tiffany Studios 1910 Venetian Desk Lamp
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February 15, 2014$95,200
2001 Ferrari 360 Modena Spider
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Asian Art & Antiques – Accounted for 33% of total sales for $6.9M, a 136% increase over fiscal year 2012/13. The Asian Art and An-tiques Department is headed by Vice President & Director, Joyce Kwong. The astounding 136% increase inAsian sales for this fiscal year was driven by the increasing power of the Chinese and Asian global market andClars’ penetration into that market.
June 14, 2014$142,800Five Chinese Hardwood/Huanghuali Chairs
February 15, 2014$178,500
Chinese Huanghuali Table and Chairs
March 15, 2014$190,400
Set of Chinese Huanghuali Table and Stools
March 14, 2014$166,000Two Chinese Haunghuali Cabinets,
March 15, 2014$309,400
Chinese HuanghualiCompound Cabinets
TOP FIVE ASIAN ART & ANT IQ UES LOTS SOLD AT CLARS IN FISCAL YEAR 2013-2014
Jewelry & Timepieces – Jewelry accounted for 12% of total sales for $2.5M, a 53% increase over fiscal year 2012/13. Clars has alwaysbeen renowned for its exceptional fine and estate jewelry. Headed by Vice President & Director, Gary Crispino,the Jewelry Department’s 53% increase over last fiscal year is remarkable as the number of lots did not increasesignificantly, but the strength and market penetration did.
December 7, 2013 • $27,400Art Deco diamond platinum bracelet
May 17, 2014 $142,800Brownish pink diamond and platinum ring
June 14, 2014 $28,600
Fine jadeite and platinum ring
November 10, 2013$28,600
Fancy brown yellow diamond ring
May 17, 2014 $38,700
Jadeite, sapphire, diamond and platinum ring
TOP FIVE JEWELRY/T IMEP IECES LOTS SOLD AT CLARS IN FISCAL YEAR 2013-2014
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New World/U.S. Auction RecordsOver the course of fiscal year 2013/2014 the year, Clars set multpile new World/U.S. auction records. Among them were:
February 15, 2014New Record Price Achieved in the U.S. for a work by this artist
$131,000Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, "Possum Dreaming," 1994
October 5, 2013 New world record price of $31,130
set on this Moorcroft for Shreve circa 1905 silver laid loving cup.
September 13, 2014 New world record price of $26,000 achieved for
a work by Silas Seandel - the coffee table(group of 3 earned $40,000 total)
March 15, 2014 New world record price of $20,230
achieved on this Hugh McConnel and Frederick Adolph WillGold Rush Faro dealing box
September 13, 2014 New world record price of $19,000
achieved on this rare print, “Pie Cut,1964,” a woodcutby Wayne Thiebaud
March 15, 2014 New world record price of $19,000
achieved on “Nine Metalic Clouds,” an etching by MarcelDuchamp
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January 12, 2014 New world record price of $11,900
achieved for Alfredo Barbini with his art glass deisgn, “Aquarium Block,” for Pauly Murano
July 13, 2014 New world record price of $11,900
achieved for Douglas Hoffman with this oil on board titled“Madame Derrier.”
June 14, 2014 New world record price of $5,000
achieved for a Koran pierced brass box in the Safavid style.
January 12, 2014 New world record price of $3,867
achieved for photographer Danny Lyon on “Cell Block.” (The Ruttenberg Collection)
July 13, 2014 New world record price of $2,300
achieved for Tarmo Pasto with this oil on canvas titled, “California Foothill.”
June 14, 2014 New world record price of $5,355
achieved for Clyde Frederick Kelly with this oil on canvastitled “Soul Saver.”
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Looking Ahead to 2014/2015
President Redge Martin said, “In summary, the key to our record-breaking year has been successfully attractinga top-level professional staff, who were able to generate interest in Clars’ auctions from a substantial level ofbuyers. This, in turn, has directly resulted in winning top estates, important collections and individual consign-ments. We are, as a company, dedicated to providing the most successful sales experience for each of our con-signors and, to that end, have invested substantially in our global marketing as well as the whole new world ofSocial Media Marketing while continuing to maintain what are now considered ‘traditional’ marketing strate-gies.”
Clars will kick-off their 2014-2015 fiscal year on Saturday, Sunday and MondayOctober 11-13, 2014 with theirthree-day Fine Art, Decoratives, Asian Art and Jewelry Auction.
Bidding for Clars’ auctions is available in person, by phone, absentee and live online at www.clars.com, andthrough www.liveauctioneers.com, www.The-Saleroom.com and www.Invaluable.com. Clars Auction Galleryis located at 5644 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609.
Editors Note: All prices reported here include 19% buyer’s premium. Hi-res photos are available for all lots mentionedin this release. For hi-res imagery, please contact Jayne Skeff, Publicist for Clars at (414) 747-9177 or email: [email protected]
Clars Auction Gallery Department Contacts: Main Phone: (510) 428-0100 • www.Clars.com • [email protected] MartinPresident, Clars Auction GalleryEmail: [email protected]
Rick Unruh Vice President & Director of Fine ArtEmail: [email protected]
Deric TorresVice President & Director of Decorative Arts & FurnishingsEmail: [email protected]
Joyce Kwong Vice President & Director of Asian Art & AntiquesEmail: [email protected]
Gary CrispinoVice President & Director, Jewelry & TimepiecesEmail: [email protected]
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About Clars Auction GalleryClars Auction Gallery has hosted San Francisco Bay Area auctions of fine art, decorative objects, and jewelryfor 42 years and has built a strong reputation for knowledge and experience in handling quality estate propertyover the past four decades. Clars is now one of the largest auction houses in the Western United States andworks with buyers and sellers throughout the country and the world. In mid-2004, the gallery began offeringsimultaneous internet bidding on many of its lots.
Clars Auction Gallery conducts monthly three-day estate auctions of 2000 lots at its North Oakland location.The auctions and previews are attended by 3000-5000 people, and our online auction catalog is distributed tomore than 300,000 dealers and collectors worldwide. A calendar for upcoming Bay Area auctions is constantlyupdated and a new auction is held monthly.
Since 1996, Clars Auction Gallery has been run by Oakland resident Redge A. Martin. Mr. Martin has a Bach-elor’s Degree from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. After graduateschool, he worked for Ford Motor Company, Dole Foods, and Butterfield & Butterfield. Mr. Martin serves asPresident of the Gallery, as well as one of the main auctioneers and specialists. Founder Harvey Clar continuesto evaluate and conduct auctions of industrial and commercial property.
Since 2001, Clars Auction Gallery has sold over $140,000,000 of Fine Art, Furnishings, Jewelry, Vehicles andCollectibles. Follow Clars on Facebook and Twitter!
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75644 Telegraph Ave | Oakland | CA | 94609 | 510.428.0100 | www.clars.com
