Beachwood, OH, USA, November 20, 2023 — A bronze fountain with greenish-gold and brown patina signed by Edith Barretto Stevens Parsons (American, 1878-1956), titled Frog Baby (1917), 40 inches tall, sold for $33,825 in an online-only Fine Art & Luxury Décor auction held October 28th by Neue Auctions. The fountain had the foundry mark for Roman Bronze Works (New York City).
Ms. Parsons studied with Daniel Chester French in New York and at the Art Students League. After marrying and starting a family, she began the series of garden sculptures for which she is best known, beginning with Duck Baby, which was the popular hit of the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, and later Turtle Baby, now on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
The 335-lot auction was packed with paintings, sculptures, Cleveland School, antique and luxury designer furniture and objects. The fine custom designer furnishings, in pristine condition from local estates, featured Dennis and Lean tables, Brunschwig & Fils furniture, Rose Tarlow, Minton Spidell, Patina Italia and Vladimir Kagan. The Parsons fountain was the sale’s top lot.
Following are additional highlights from the auction, which was clerked live on auction day by Neue Auctions team members and featured online bidding by LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. Phone bidding was also available on selected lots. All prices quoted include a 23 percent buyer’s premium. All of the auction’s top 12 lots exceeded even their high estimates.
To learn more about Neue Auctions and their upcoming auctions, please visit www.neueauctions.com. Cynthia Maciejewksi and Bridget McWilliams can be reached by phone: 216-245-6707; or via email: [email protected], [email protected].
