The Annual New Year’s Day Auction of Nadeau’s Auction Gallery on January 1st and 2nd, 2026 marked the best result ever for the antique auction, with a catalog of 719 lots.
How Nadeau’s signed the most profitable antique auction in its history
In Windsor, Connecticut, the two-day event on January 1st and 2nd, 2026, established Nadeau’s Auction Gallery as one of the most dynamic entities in the American Northeast. The sale, with a hammer rate of 97%, was the highest in revenue in the company’s 45 years of history.
The auction house, the largest and fastest-growing in Connecticut, recorded continuous bidding throughout the event. The auction catalog included antique artifacts from significant Mid-Atlantic estates, carefully selected.
Among these stood out the collection of executive Nina Silberstein, former CEO of David Webb; the assets donated to the Bronx Historical Society from the estate of philanthropist Joan Schneeweiss; the collection from the estate of Barbara Rothschild Michaels and Roger Michaels, with many items from the collection of historic collectors Herbert and Nannette Rothschild; and finally, the estate of philanthropist Sally G. Chubb of Bernardsville, New Jersey.
The prices reported include the buyer’s premium, variable depending on the platform. The complete detail of the realizations is available on the official website of the auction house.
Why did the David Webb collection catalyze the auction?
The top lot of the sale was lot 600, a stunning sculptural object in 18K gold, rock crystal, and monkeys, signed David Webb (1925-1975). Estimated at 100,000-300,000 dollars, it reached 207,400 dollars, confirming the market strength for unique works by the American jeweler.
The creation, signed, depicted a large white rock crystal, similar to a natural druse, populated by five finely modeled gold monkeys in dynamic poses. The block was mounted on a raised yellow gold base, 2.5 inches high, crafted to imitate a rocky formation.
The ensemble measured 9.5 inches in height, with a base of 10 x 11.5 inches. This extraordinary centerpiece was donated by Webb to his longtime employee and supporter Nina Silberstein (1922-2025), President and CEO of David Webb Inc. from 1975 to 2010, a provenance detail that strongly influenced collectors’ interest.
Other decorative objects by David Webb from the same collection achieved notable results. Together, they consolidated the perception of this core as one of the most important ever to surface on the secondary market.
What were the key results of the Webb lots?
Lot 601, a structural desk clock in 18K gold and malachite, was estimated at 50,000-100,000 dollars and was sold for 73,200 dollars. It is a piece at the border between watchmaking and sculpture, signed by the artist.
The structure featured a large, almost oval malachite panel, cut in a free form and framed by applied yellow gold elements. The ensemble rested on a gold base modeled like a geometric rock, measuring 7.25 inches in height with a base width of 5 inches.
Lot 603, a penguin sculpture in 18K gold and crystal, with an estimate of 5,000-10,000 dollars, surprised by reaching 39,650 dollars, almost four times the maximum estimate. The animal, depicted in profile, was animated by a beak, fins, and legs in carefully rendered gold.
The figure stood on a base, probably in tourmaline, evoking an Antarctic rocky outcrop, completed by a draped and intertwined gold chain. Signed by the artist and 6.5 inches high, the piece demonstrated the strong demand for the brand’s zoomorphic sculptures.
How did the figurative arts segment perform?
The sale included a section of high-quality works on paper and illustrations, all with rigorous provenances. In this context, lot 300 stood out, a rare set of twelve framed images dedicated to the production and distribution of porcelain in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province in southern China.
These gouaches on European paper, dating to the early 19th century, were estimated at 15,000-25,000 dollars and reached 115,900 dollars. The sheets, 17.5 x 21 inches, detailed every phase of porcelain production with great detail.
The style falls within the tradition of Cantonese export painting of the early decades of the 19th century, preceding the famous workshops of Tingqua and Sunqua. The cycle was originally created in 1803 for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, an element that enhances its historical and collectible weight.
The works came from a New York townhouse designed by architect Stanford White (1853-1906), with interiors curated by the New York studio Cullman and Kravis. They had already been auctioned in the United Kingdom in 2012, where they reached 110,000 pounds, and had been exhibited internationally and cited in authoritative antique publications.
Among the works on paper, lot 251 also stood out, the pencil portrait Jean Louis by John Singer Sargent (American, 1856-1925). The work, in a three-quarter frontal pose, measured 13 x 9 inches, with an estimate of 15,000-30,000 dollars and a realization of 61,000 dollars.
The subject is the artist’s nephew, Jean Louis Ormond. At the bottom is the inscription: “To my dear V: John S. Sargent… Aug. 15, 1911”, where “V” refers to Violet Sargent Ormond, the painter’s sister. An autograph detail that enhances the appeal for scholars and collectors.
What were the results for lighting and historical design?
The section dedicated to lighting and lamps showed solid demand for iconic names in historical design. Lot 206, a table lamp Tiffany Studios model Turtleback Tile, with an estimate of 20,000-40,000 dollars, was sold for 52,460 dollars.
The model, predominantly green, featured a leaded glass shade 16 inches in diameter and an overall height of 24 inches. The shade was enriched with favrile glass panels and turtleback tiles in favrile glass, a stylistic hallmark of the American maison.
The base, in patinated bronze in the shape of an urn, was decorated with additional inset turtleback tiles and rested on a round base with a tripod mount. The marking “Tiffany Studios New York” appeared on the base, while “Tiffany Studios New York 7812” was reported on the shade, guaranteeing authenticity.
Invented by Louis Comfort Tiffany in the 1890s, favrile glass is obtained by mixing substances such as silver nitrate and tin salts into molten glass, giving iridescent colors and changing surfaces. This technique marked the aesthetics of lamps, vases, and stained glass of the early 20th century.
Lot 214, a sixteen-light crystal chandelier in 18th-century Swedish Gustavian style, was valued at 6,000-12,000 dollars and achieved 26,840 dollars. Of great decorative impact, it measured 32 inches in diameter and 58 inches in height.
The specimen featured richly moved gilded metal arms, each with a candle mouth, embracing a scenic pair of cobalt blue glass cups. The body was sumptuously adorned with chains of faceted drops, prisms, pendants, cut crystal garlands, and pear drops.
Coming from a Park Avenue residence in New York, the chandelier had previously been sold in London in March 2000 by the gallery specializing in 18th-century furniture and decorative arts Ronald Phillips Ltd. for 103,401 dollars, an element certifying its historical presence on the market.
How did jewelry and gem collectors respond?
The precious sector confirmed the growing attention for rare materials and pieces with important provenances. Lot 565, a necklace of natural pearls of the Pinctada species from saltwater, was estimated at 10,000-20,000 dollars and reached 70,150 dollars.
The strand was composed of 55 natural pearls, almost round and oval, of light cream color, for a total length of 17 inches. The sizes varied between 5.4 mm and 8.3 mm, with exceptional brilliance, color, and surface, parameters that explain the interest of specialists.
Natural pearls of the Pinctada species, formed in open sea without human intervention, rarely appear on the secondary market and enjoy particularly lively demand among collectors and gemology enthusiasts. This explains the marked deviation from the initial estimate.
Lot 471, a pendant in platinum, diamonds, and carved emerald, with an estimate of 2,000-4,000 dollars, exceeded the maximum estimate by more than eight times, realizing 34,160 dollars. The jewel, 1.5 inches high, featured a large circular emerald plaque, engraved with floral motifs on the front and stylized scrolls on the back.
The stone was mounted in a circular bezel frame bordered with diamonds, with a geometric bail also pavé-set with diamonds and embellished with a baguette. A stylistic profile that combines deco taste and artisanal refinement.
What role did the legacy of John L. Hughes play?
The emerald pendant, along with the necklace of natural pearls of the Pinctada species and the portrait Jean Louis by John Singer Sargent, all came from the legacy of John L. Hughes (1925-2023) of Southport, Connecticut. The qualitative consistency of this core attracted cross-sectional attention.
Hughes was president and CEO of the Hearst Trade Book Group; on the nonprofit front, he held voluntary leadership roles at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York, Yale University Press, and the National Book Foundation. This cultural profile enhanced the appeal of his collection in the eyes of collectors.
How did carpets and furnishings complete the offer?
The sale ideally closed with a cross-sectional selection of silver, furniture, carpets, and other high-end antiques. Among the most significant pieces, lot 430, a late 19th-century Oushak carpet from western Anatolia, was estimated at 30,000-50,000 dollars and was sold for 36,600 dollars.
The wool carpet, 14 feet 6 inches by 20 feet, featured a soft gray background animated by large motifs in terracotta, apricot, and saffron, in the form of large palmettes, stylized leaves, and interlinked medallions, arranged in an airy and generously spaced layout.
Hand-knotted, the artifact was framed by an ivory border with scrolling floral motifs. Overall, it attracted both collectors of antique carpets and interior buyers seeking large historical formats.
What does President Eddie Nadeau say about this record result?
Commenting on the sale, Eddie Nadeau, President of Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, highlighted the exceptional nature of the 2026 edition of the New Year’s Day Auction. The decision to extend the event from one to two days, to accommodate the breadth and quality of the material, proved successful.
According to Nadeau, the formula allowed clients more time to plan bids and focus on lots of interest, generating a lively auction with numerous exceedances of maximum estimates. The President emphasized that this was the most profitable sale in the company’s nearly fifty-year history.
In particular, the David Webb collection from the Silberstein estate generated strong international competition, with several awards well above expectations. Nadeau expressed gratitude for the trust of the consignors and the enthusiasm of the collectors.
Looking to the future, the auction house will continue the calendar with the Mid-Century Modern sale scheduled for Saturday, January 24, 2026, dedicated to furniture, figurative and decorative arts, jewelry, silver, and other iconic post-war objects, in line with the growing interest in 20th-century design.
Nadeau’s Auction Gallery: a major antique auction
Nadeau’s Auction Gallery Inc. operates as a full-service auction house, with services ranging from the management of estates and institutional collections to appraisals of art, furniture, and personal property. It organizes about twelve flagship sales a year, focused on art, furniture, accessories, and important antiques.
A second-generation family business, founded in 1985 with roots in the antique trade dating back to 1945, the company boasts a solid reputation for the quality of the merchandise offered and highly personalized service. Today it is among the largest and growing auction houses in New England.
The headquarters, equipped with technologically updated auction spaces, is located at 25 Meadow Road, Windsor, Connecticut, 06095, near Route 91 and easily accessible from the Mid-Atlantic area and the Northeast. Detailed information on sales and services is available on the official website, while industry updates and auction results can be compared with market resources such as LiveAuctioneers and the Artprice database.
Overall, the New Year’s Day Auction 2026 confirmed Nadeau’s ability to attract high-profile collections and position itself as a privileged interlocutor for those wishing to enhance works of art, design, jewelry, and decorative arts on the international market.
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