INAUGURAL SALE FROM THE KENO AUCTIONS ACHIEVED $5,818,460 IN SALES

THE INAUGURAL SALE FROM THE KENO AUCTIONS, WHICH TOOK PLACE 1-2.MAY AT THE MARRIOTT STAMFORD HOTEL IN CONNECTICUT, ACHIEVED $5,818,460 IN SALES, OVER ITS PRE-SALE HIGH ESTIMATE WITH 87.5%OF THE 741 LOTS FINDING BUYERS, AND ESTABLISHED THREE WORLD SALES RECORDS. KENO AUCTIONS' PRESIDENT LEIGH KENO ANNOUNCED ON 5.MAY THAT POST-SALE ACTIVITY BROUGHT THE TOTAL TO $6,014,000. THE TOP LOT OF THE SALE WAS THE JAMES BEEKMAN CHIPPENDALE CARVED MAHOGANY CHEST OF DRAWERS FROM THE SHOP OF THOMAS BROOKMAN WITH CARVING ATTRIBUTED TO HENRY HARDCASTLE, NEW YORK, CIRCA 1752. THE HISTORIC LOT INCITED A HEATED BIDDING WAR BETWEEN DEALER TODD PRICKET, ON THE PHONE, AND NOTED AMERICAN COLLECTOR JOHN MCGRAW, WHO WAS IN THE ROOM. MCGRAW PREVAILED, WINNING THE CHEST WITH A FINAL BID OF $1,428,000, MORE THAN TWICE THE HIGH END OF ITS $200/600,000 ESTIMATE, AND SETTING A WORLD RECORD FOR A PIECE OF NEW YORK FURNITURE SOLD AT AUCTION. ANOTHER RECORD-BREAKING PRICE WAS ALSO ACHIEVED FOR THE PORTRAIT OF ANNA BRODHEAD OLIVER, ATTRIBUTED TO GANSEVOORT LIMNER, KINGSTON, NEW YORK, CIRCA 1743 (est. $40/80,000). THE BIDDING STARTED AT $50,000 AND RAPIDLY SURPASSED EXPECTATIONS, FINALLY SELLING FOR $1,118,600, ESTABLISHING A RECORD FOR AN 18th CENTURY AMERICAN FOLK ART. A THIRD HISTORIC MILESTONE WAS ATTAINED WHEN A PAIR OF AMERICAN SILVER ROCOCO SAUCE-BOATS BY PAUL REVERE, JR, BOSTON, CIRCA 1783 (est. $50/100,000) SOLD FOR $190,400, SETTING THE RECORD FOR A PAIR OF AMERICAN SILVER. KENO AUCTIONS' NEXT SALE WILL BE A MAJOR AMERICANA AUCTION JANUARY 2011 IN NEW YORK.