Nadeau's Auction Gallery's 2026 Annual New Year's Day Auction Soars To $3.5 Million!

Windsor, CT, January 13th, 2026- Nadeau's Auction Gallery, Connecticut's largest and fastest growing auction house, is excited to announce the results of their January 1st and 2nd 2026, Annual New Year's Day Auction. This signature sale had a 97% sell through rate and generated nonstop bidding throughout the two day event. It also featured merchandise from a number of outstanding collections from mid-Atlantic estates. These included the estate of Nina Silberstein, the former CEO of David Webb; materials gifted to The Bronx Historical Society by the estate of philanthropist Joan Schneeweiss; the estate of Barbara Rothschild Michaels and Roger Michaels of NYC and Ossining, NY with many of their many items passed through the family from the estate of art collectors Herbert and Nannette Rothschild; and the estate of philanthropist Sally G. Chubb of Bernardsville, NJ. Prices noted include the company’s buyer’s premium, which varies across selling platforms. Realized prices for all lots may be found on NadeausAuction.com.

The top lot in this extraordinary sale was #600, was a breathtaking 18K gold, rock crystal, and monkey sculptural objet d’art by iconic, award-winning jeweler to the stars David Webb (1925-1975). Estimated at $100,000-300,000, it delivered $207,400. This one of a kind work, signed by the artist, was in the form of a large, white rock crystal cluster decorated with five lifelike, well modeled gold monkeys in playful climbing and reaching poses. The crystal was mounted on a 2-1/2" tall raised and textured yellow gold base that resembled a natural rock formation. The total height of this centerpiece was 9-1/2" and the base measured 10" x 11-1/2". This remarkable focal point was a gift from Webb to his long serving employee and advocate, Nina Silberstein, (1922-2025) the President and CEO of David Webb Inc. from 1975-2010. 

Other David Webb decorative items from the Silberstein collection also made headlines at this sale. 

• Lot #601, a stunning 18K gold and malachite structural desk clock, was estimated at $50,000-100,000 and delivered $73,200. This equally decorative as functional work of art was signed by the artist and was made from a large, nearly oval shaped freeform malachite panel framed with yellow gold mounted accents. It rested upon a gold base modeled as a finely detailed geometric rock formation.  This organic looking timepiece measured 7-1/4" tall, with a 5" wide base.  

• Lot #603, a handsome 18K gold and crystal penguin sculpture, estimated at $5,000-10,000, sold for $39,650 - nearly four times its high presale estimate! This sideways-glancing aquatic bird came to life with a gold mounted beak, as well as well rendered flippers and feet. He stood upright upon a possibly tourmaline base that resembled a natural Antarctic rock formation. The base was accented with a draped and twisted gold rope chain. This example was signed by the artist and measured 6-1/2" tall. 

This sale also offered premier selections of fine, fully provenanced artwork and illustrations. 

• Lot #300, a set of twelve framed pictures depicting the manufacture and distribution of porcelain from Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province in southern China, was estimated at $15,000-$25,000 and realized $115,900. These early 19th century gouache on European paper illustrations had a sheet size of 17-1/2″ x 21″ and detailed each step required in porcelain manufacturing. Their style represented the early 19th-century Canton export painting tradition preceding the later Tingqua and Sunqua workshops. These works were originally prepared for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in 1803. They had provenance to collection from a NYC townhouse built by prominent architect Stanford White (1853–1906), with its interior spaces designed by award-winning New York City design firm Cullman and Kravis. They were also previously sold at auction in the UK in 2012 where they hammered for £110,000, were exhibited internationally, and referenced in several premier antique publications.   

• Lot #251, John Singer Sargent's (American 1856-1925) Jean Louis, was estimated at $15,000-$30,000 and realized $61,000. This lovingly rendered, three-quarter frontal pose pencil portrait measured 13" x 9". The sitter was the artist's nephew Jean Louis Ormond. It was inscribed and dated To my dear V: John S. Sargent… Aug. 15, 1911 on its lower bottom. Here, "V" is an abbreviation for Violet Sargent Ormond—the artist’s sister. 

Lighting and lamps were well represented in this premier sale. 

• Lot #206, a Tiffany Studios Turtleback Tile table lamp, was estimated at $20,000-$40,000 and sold for $52,460. This primarily green hued example had a 16" diameter leaded glass shade and stood 24" tall. The shade was detailed with favrile glass panels and favrile turtleback tiles. Its patinated, urn shaped bronze base was decorated with inset matching turtleback tiles and was mounted on a round base via an elegant tripod setting. The lamp was marked Tiffany Studios New York on the base and Tiffany Studios New York 7812 on the shade. Tiffany invented Favrile art glass in the 1890s by mixing chemicals including silver nitrate and dissolved tin salt into liquified glass. This treatment gave the glass remarkable coloration, texture, and luster which translated handsomely into the company's signature early 20th century lamp, vase, and stained glass window production. 

• Lot 214, a Swedish Gustavian 18th century style sixteen-light crystal chandelier, was estimated at $6,000-$12,000 and made $26,840. This stunning, impressively scaled and decorated sixteen-light chandelier measured 32" in diameter and 58" tall. It featured scrolling gilt-metal arms, each supporting a candle nozzle, surrounding a dramatic pair of deep cobalt-blue glass bowls. The fixture was generously embellished with strands of faceted crystal drops, prisms, pendants, cut-crystal swags, and pear-form drops. It came from a Park Avenue, New York, estate and was previously sold in London through 18th-century furniture and decorative arts specialty firm Ronald Phillips Ltd. in March of 2000 for $103,401.

Fine gems and jewelry were key categories in this premier New Year's Day event. 

• Lot #565, a string of natural Pinctada Species saltwater pearls, was estimated at $10,000-$20,000 and sold for a whopping $70,150. This necklace was made from 55 near-round and oval shaped light cream colored natural saltwater pearls and measured 17" long. The pearls, which had outstanding coloration, luster, and surfaces, ranged in size from 5.4 mm to 8.3 mm.  Pinctada Species pearls, which are natural sea pearls, are seldom seen on the secondary market and are highly valued among jewelry and pearl enthusiasts.   

• Lot #471, a platinum, diamond, and carved emerald pendant estimated at only $2,000-4,000, sold for over eight times its high estimate to realize $34,160. This 1-1/2 tall, pendant featured a large circular emerald plaque carved with floral motifs on the front and stylized scrollwork on the back. It was set in a diamond framed bezel with a geometric diamond-set bail accented with a baguette diamond. 

This emerald pendant, as well as the Pinctada Species saltwater pearls, and the Sargent Jean Louis portrait noted previously, were all from the Estate of John L. Hughes (1925-2023) of Southport, CT. Mr. Hughes served as the president and CEO of the Hearst Trade Book Group; his volunteer activities included volunteer leadership roles at  the Morgan Library & Museum in NYC, the Yale University Press, and the National Book Foundation.  

This signature sale came full circle with silver, furniture, carpets and rugs, and other category spanning antiques. 

• Lot #430, a late 19th century Oushak carpet from Western Anatolia in Turkey, was estimated at $30,000-$50,000 and sold for $36,600. This magnificent, 14′ 6″ x 20″ wool floor covering featured a soft gray field enlivened with bold terracotta, apricot, and saffron motifs in the form of oversized palmettes, stylized leaves, and linked medallions arranged in an open, generously spaced layout. This hand-knotted rug was framed by an ivory border with scrolling floral elements.  

According to Eddie Nadeau, President of Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, "Our 2026 New Year's Day sale was remarkable in many ways. Given the range of quality items on offer, we changed the event from one day to two. This turned out really well, and gave our customers more time to plan their bidding and to focus on the unique treasures on offer. The sale was also the highest grossing one - ever - in the history of our nearly half century long auction business. My family is so grateful for this business and vote of confidence! And of course, we are all thrilled with the sales results from the Silberstein David Webb collection. All of these magnificent items generated enormous international bids and attention, with several soaring past their presale high auction estimates. This auction excitement continues with our next event on Saturday, January 24, 2026. Our Mid-Century Modern sale includes furnishings, fine and decorative art, jewelry and silver, and other favorite early postwar era finds!"

Nadeau's Auction Gallery is a full-service auction house providing a complete range of estate offerings, nonprofit deaccession management, and fine art and personal property appraisals. The company presents about a dozen premier sales annually, with a focus on art, furniture, accessories, and important antiques.  A second-generation family company, Nadeau's enjoys a well-deserved reputation for outstanding merchandise, top-tier personalized service, and helping sellers realize the maximum value for their collections.  The company has been in business since 1985 - with the family starting in the antique business in 1945 - and today is one of the largest and fastest growing auction houses in New England. Its state-of-the-art auction facility is conveniently located right off Route 91 and easily accessible from all points in the mid-Atlantic and northeast. 

Nadeau’s Auction Gallery is located at 25 Meadow Road, Windsor, CT 06095 and can be reached by phone at 860-246-2444, fax at 860-524-8735, or email at info@nadeausauction.com.  For more information on this sale and Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, please see www.nadeausauction.com.