Estate of prominent Washingtonian headlines Auction Week at Quinn’s
May. 31, 2007
( Falls Church, Va.) –Quinn’s announced today that on Saturday, June 9, it will auction the estate of a prominent Washingtonian, including a collection of more than 50 snuff bottles spanning several centuries. Snuff bottles, created in imperial workshops during the 17th Century, were often presented as gifts from the Emperor, beginning with the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1661-1722), to traveling dignitaries. These tiny art forms each had a cork stopper with a tiny spoon attached, and inside was a powdered tobacco called snuff, which was thought to have medicinal powers. Today snuff bottles are among the highest collectible art form, partly because their miniature size allows collectors to amass sometimes hundreds of specimens, but also because of the vast array of high-quality production techniques and materials. Quinn's sale will feature a 1.9-inch stand-out: a Chinese Imperial enamel-on-brass snuff bottle from the Imperial Palace Workshop, Qianglong, circa1736-1795, with reign mark, estimated at $20,000-30,000.
From the same estate, but a different continent and century, is another standout lot, a 170-piece sterling flatware dinner service by Johan Rohde for Georg Jensen in the “Acorn” pattern, estimated at $10,000–12,000, as well as other Jensen masterpieces. Collectors of modern, 20th century fine art will have the opportunity to purchase Pablo Picasso’s color lithograph “Imaginary Portraits,” 1/250; a Joan Miro, color lithograph, #69/75 pencil signed and limited; and a Tsuguharu Fijita color lithograph, “Nu Assis” that is also pencil signed and numbered 26/68. Two miniatures round out the fine art portion of this sale. One is a water color on ivory portrait measuring 3.25 x 2.625 inches, of a woman with a coral necklace, circa 1810 and estimated at $600-800 . The other is a 2.625 x 2-inch watercolor on ivory woven hair panel on reverse, portraying a British officer, circa1805 and estimated at $300-400.
On Wednesday, June 6, Quinn’s will also be hosting its bi-annual Antique Toys and Dolls sale. Featured is a large collection of the highly-collectible Barclay and Manoil lead Toy Soldiers; a large cast-iron horsedrawn fire wagon; a zoo of Steiff animals including an impressively large, 4-foot tiger; a 4-foot leopard; a family of “Slo” turtles; a “Record Hansi” rabbit on coaster; and antique dolls including C.M Bergmann, Armand Marseille and Recknagel and other finely attired antique dolls.
On Thursday, June 7, Waverly, a division of Quinn’s, will be presenting Thomas L. McKenney and James Hall’s “History of the Indian Tribes of North America,” one of the most distinctive and important color plate books in Americana. Thomas L. McKenney, the appointed Superintendent of Indian Affairs during the James Monroe administration, together with James Hall, compiled this historical account of Indian Tribes. All three volumes are in publisher’s full brown morocco gilt from 1855, with 120 color lithographs. Another important Americana publication, an incomplete copy of Ogilby’s translation of Montanus’ “America,” from 1671 in London, with a pre-sale estimate of $1,800-2,400, will also be auctioned. The same sale brings to the block prints, maps, and autographs as well as other fine and rare books.
The complete catalogs for all three sales by Quinn's can be found at www.LiveAuctioneers.com, where absentee and live online bidding is also available.
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