TORONTO – June 4th, 2012 – Art Deco Noritake porcelain auction from the collection of Marilyn Derrin hit the auction block this past Friday and Saturday, June 1st and 2nd at A.H. Wilkens Auctions & Appraisals in Toronto, Canada. The collections primary focus was on Art Deco Noritake porcelain, and also included Nippon and Made In Japan export wares. This was the largest collection of its kind to come to the marketplace.
As expected, the auction set the standards for new values in the marketplace. The pieces rarely seen on the market soared past any price guide expectations. The exceptional but more common pieces held their value and the lesser examples hit peaks and valleys in their final pricing. “We were very pleased with the final prices, especially considering the majority of buyers hailed from The United States and Japan. This truly means that the internet dictates an auction, not a location” stated Andrea Zeifman, auctioneer and Vice President with A.H. Wilkens. Overall the auction showed that the market is still strong for Noritake porcelain.
Art Deco Noritake was produced from 1915 through to the 1920s with inspirations from the Western marketplace and culture. Most influential were the magazine ads by Homer Conant of the masqueraded ladies with their miniature pin cushions, Spanish ladies and the French inspired Pierot and Harlequins. Noritake primarily produced dresser pieces such as powder jars and perfumes, vases and smoking paraphernalia. Most desirable are the jars, lamps and flat powder puffs.
The Marilyn Derrin collection was acquired over a thirty year period through auctions, trades and antique shows. We no longer find pieces of this calibre in today’s marketplace, nearly all of them are held in museums in Japan or private collections.
The most sought after lot in the auction was 1105; The Maiden Dresser Jar which realized $14,040.00 (with 17% premium) and the Girl In The Red Dress, lot 1158 which sold for $6,435.00. Other noteworthy lots included the French inspired night light of a Girl In A Pink Blossom Dress which realized $9,945.00 and the other night light of Polly Peachum, selling for a record $6,435.00.
The ever sought after flat powder jars sold between $200 and $900 depending on their collectability and the rare larger dresser jars of seated ladies and oversized highly ornate skirts realized auction results of up to $4,446.00. The flapper lady tall jar of rare decoration, lot 1079, sold for $6,142.50.
About A. H. Wilkens
Together, Andrew Wilkens and Andrea Zeifman provide a well-balanced and thorough alternative perspective of the business. A.H. Wilkens blends an international standard of expertise and marketing with the efficiency and flexibility that only a provincial auction house can provide. Staff includes a leading silversmith and specialist in the industry, two former antique dealers, and a generalist with more than 25 years of experience in the antique industry. Together, the Wilkens team offers a full range of knowledge and expertise in the auction and antique industry.
