(Boston, MA) – Artfact Live! closed out 2010 on a high note thanks outstanding auctions from several of Artfact's Auction House Members. December's highlights include: Apple Tree Auction Center's Model Train and Railwayana auction on December 9th with more than 4,000 online bids totaling almost $200,000 in value; Alex Cooper Auctioneers' December 11th Guns, Books, Stamps and Pens auction with over 1,100 online bids; and Ewbank Clarke Gammon Wellers' three-dayWinter Antiques and Fine Art sale, which marked the Surrey-based auctioneer's most successful online sale since joining Artfact Live! in 2009.

Charlton Hall, “Francis D. Skeeter McNairy Estate, Day III” – December 4, 2010
Fine Tiffany & Co. Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Price Realized: $22,000
A prominent Savannah, GA antiques dealer, Francis D. “Skeeter” McNairy amassed an exceptional collection of American Classical pieces over more than 30 years. The December 3rd-5th auction of the late dealer’s collection was a bittersweet one for Charlton Hall where he was both an active client and friend. The sale, which attracted more than 650 online bidders, included 1400 lots from the McNairy’s estate and several other Southern collections. Hailing from a private collection in South Carolina, one Tiffany & Co. sapphire and diamond ring caught the eye of several online bidders. Set in a platinum mounting, the 8.0ct sapphire ring sold online for $22,000 – more than $10,000 above its pre-auction estimate.

Freeman’s, “Fine American & European Paintings” – December 5, 2010
John Fulton Folinsbee (1892 – 1972), “Rabbit Run Bridge”
Price Realized: $50,200
American landscape painter and member of the New Hope Art Colony, John Fulton Folinsbee (1892 - 1972) is perhaps best known for his impressionist landscape scenes. Painted in the early 1930s, “Rabbit Run Ridge” hints at the artist’s later style with its longer, looser brush strokes and dramatic contrasts of light and dark. After viewing the work at Phillips Mill in 1932, critic Dorothy Grafly noted that “Among the artists whose names have made the New Hope Art Colony, the strongest exhibitor by far is John Folinsbee...Adroit, handled with nice economy of composition and stroke, these [works] show the power of the artist.” Selling online for $50,200 (including buyer’s premium), “Rabbit Run Ridge” was among the highlights of Freeman’s December 5th sale. 

Gorringes, “Fine Art, Antiques & Collectibles” – December 8, 2010
A Good 19th Century Cantonese Carved Ivory Jewellery Casket
Price Realized: £16,500
Estimated at just £1,000 - £1,500 this 19th century Cantonese Jewellery Casket was the surprise sale of Gorringes'December 8th Fine Art, Antiques & Collectibles auction. With decorated panels depicting a royal procession, the carved ivory casket toppled estimates when it sold to an online bidder for £16,500.

Waddington’s, “Asian Art Auction” – December 13, 2010
White Jade Miniature Basin, Qing Dynasty, 18th Century
Price Realized CAD27,060
Following their highly successful LCBO Vintages auction in November, Waddington’s focused on another hot market for their December 13th sale – Asian Art. Traditionally the province of Western collectors, the market has recently seen an upsurge in the number of Asian buyers who have enthusiastically adopted online bidding platforms like Artfact Live! Estimated at CAD1,500 to CAD2,000, one 18th century white jade basin proved especially popular with online bidders. Selling for CAD27,060, the basin was one of many successful sales in a auction that generated over 2.7 million in online demand.

Note: Auction lot details and enlarged lot images available at www.artfact.com with free registration.

About Artfact:
Founded in 1989, Artfact is the largest global marketplace of fine and decorative arts, antiques, collectibles, and estate auctions. On January 1, 2009, Artfact launched Artfact Live!, its proprietary live auction bidding platform, enabling users to bid real time on auctions being held around the world by its prestigious auction house partners. Currently, over 1,000 fine auctioneers actively list their catalogs with Artfact.com and its U.K. sister site Invaluable.com, reaching the Artfact community of more than 10 million knowledgeable collectors and dealers worldwide. Artfact's industry leading database includes more than 58 million complete auction results totaling more than $204 billion in value, including information on more than 500,000 international artists. In 2006, Artfact acquired RFC Systems, the leading provider of enterprise software developed specifically for the fine art and antique auction house industry. RFC helps prestigious auction houses around the world manage their businesses by automating their day-to-day operations.

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