Original Paintings and Asian Textiles Perform well in Bruneau & Co's Online Auction held February 21

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An original still life painting by the French artist Roger Mühl (1929-2008) climbed to $9,375 and an interior genre painting by John Carlin (N.Y./Pa., 1813-1891) brought $7,500 in an online-only Estate Fine Art & Antique auction held February 21st by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers. Over 350 lots, from estates and collections across New England, came up for bid.

The Mühl work depicted pale pink and red tulips in a celadon colored vase over polychromatic patches of color. Measuring 19 ½ inches by 20 ½ inches (canvas, minus the frame), the abstract painting was signed lower right and titled Tulipes Rouges on verso. Mühl studied at the National School of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg, and his paintings have been exhibited across the globe.

The painting by Carlin showed a young boy kneeling on a cane chair, with elbows on the table, staring at a footed center bowl full of apples. The work, 12 inches by 10 inches (canvas, less frame), was signed “J. Carlin” lower right. Carlin, who was born deaf and was also an accomplished poet, studied art in Philadelphia as well as London and France. 

“We had a great auction with strong results all around, and it was nice to see the 19th century New England artists perform so well in today’s market,” said Travis Landry, a Bruneau & Co. auctioneer and the firm’s Director of Pop Culture. 

Company president Kevin Bruneau, also an auctioneer, added, “Overall there was a great showing of online bidders, with a lot of the collection of Fall River paintings that were placed with collectors around New England.  As always, there was great interest in Asian textiles.” 

Following are additional highlights from the auction. Internet bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com, Bidsquare.com, bidLIVE.Bruneauandco.com and the mobile app “Bruneau & Co.” on iTunes or GooglePlay. All prices include the buyer’s premium. 

Two Asian textiles did particularly well. One was a fine Chinese silk gold thread dragon robe dating to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). The beautiful early robe of high quality, 29 inches long and 22 inches wide at the shoulders, was decorated with raised gold thread five-toed dragons flying amongst clouds with bats and cranes, and with a lower crashing wave border ($3,438). 

The other was an early 20th century Chinese Military 3rd Rank leopard badge, depicting a leopard facing right towards a red sun, surrounded by bats, flames and crashing water ($3,750). Each panel measured 10 ½ inches by 11 ¼ inches, and the badge had an overall size of 10 ½ inches by 22 ½ inches. Leopards were embroidered on separate patches and attached to the main textile. 

A still life painting by Herbert Cash (Mass., 1864-1914), depicting a plum, a pear and an apple nestled amongst red and green grapes over a glossy table, finished at $4,062. Cash, one of the aforementioned Fall River artists, studied under Robert Spear Dunning and Franklin Miller, and at the Art Students League in New York and in England under Edward Ertz. 

A pair of Mid-Century Modern floating couches by Milo Baughman (Utah, 1923-2003), featuring an angular wood frame over a floating wood base, with tan suede cushions, found a new owner for $4,062. The couches, each 25 ½ inches tall by 89 ½ inches wide, came from the collection of a Westport, Mass. gentleman. They had some wear from use.

To learn more about Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers, please visit www.bruneauandco.com.