Several records at Marine and China Trade sale
At least four world records were achieved at Marine and China Trade sale at Portsmouth, N. H. on August 20 and 21. The previously undocumented Fitz Henry Lane portrait of the bark «Eastern Star» off Thatcher's Island, Gloucester, a circa 1853 oil on canvas, was the top lot of the auction, bringing $913,500.
A carved Bellamy eagle made a record $666,000. The 48-inch eagle bore a banner with the inscription «God is our refuge and strength». A Bellamy carved plaque with the banner «Don't Give up the Ship» was another record, this one for a plaque, at $165,500. A small pair of Chinese Export famille rose bottle-form vases with lotus blossoms were sold for a staggering $545,000, while had been estimated at a modest $400–600. A Chinese export porcelain covered cider jug decorated on both sides with an American eagle brought $127,000.A portrait of Benjamin Loring by John Singleton Copley (circa 1785) set another record with $473,500.
Among other highlights was a scrimshawed whale's tooth, carved with the image of a whale ship and four whale boats harpooning five whales by the Pagoda Albatross artist, which fetch $303,000. A second tooth, with an image of the whaler Pacific by Nantucket carver Edward Burdett, sold for $193,000. A carved elm figurehead of a woman in a purple and blue dress trimmed in gold was sold for $270,000.
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