Clementine Hunter and John Genin works highlight Louisiana heritage at Crescent City May 10-11

John Genin, 'Portrait of Paul Henri Augustin Capdevielle & Pierre Emmanuel 'Auguste' Capdevielle, Children of Paul Capedevielle, Former Mayor of New Orleans,' estimated at $4,000-$8,000 at Crescent City Auction Gallery.

NEW ORLEANS — Works by Clementine Hunter and John Genin are star lots at the two-day May Estates Auction at Crescent City Auction Gallery Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11. The catalogs are available for review and bidding now at LiveAuctioneers.

Considered by many to be the queen of self-taught artists, Clementine Hunter (1886-1988) began selling her paintings for 25 cents. She was in her fifties when her art career took off, and she gained national attention for her depictions of Black American farm life. She had worked on Louisiana plantations her entire life, first as a field laborer, like her father. Wash Day is an untitled oil on canvas board in classic naive style. One element that makes this lot stand out is the painting is accompanied by a photograph of Hunter holding the work in her lap. Crescent City has estimated Wash Day at $4,000-$8,000.

John Genin (1830-1895) was born in France but came to New Orleans in 1860 and set up shop as a portrait painter for the Crescent City’s elite. He painted portraits of men, women, children, and the elderly, and his style was clearly influenced by the bitter rival of 19th-century portraitists everywhere, photography. His uncanny depictions of his subjects are eerily photographic, a testament to the increasing pressure artists were feeling with the rising popularity of photography in the portrait space.

Portrait of Paul Henri Augustin Capdevielle & Pierre Emmanuel ‘Auguste’ Capdevielle, Children of Paul Capedevielle, Former Mayor of New Orleans is from the 1886-1887 period, when Genin was hitting his stride with New Orleans clientele. Capedevielle was mayor from 1900 to 1904, making the inscription on the painting likely from the early 20th century. Paul Henri would live until 1950 and Auguste until 1940, so the work likely remained in the family for some time. Capedevielle is best remembered for launching New Orleans’ modern sewage and drainage system, and for receiving President William McKinley, the first American leader to visit the city while in office. The painting is estimated at $4,000-$8,000.

Clementine Hunter, 'Wash Day,' estimated at $4,000-$8,000 at Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Clementine Hunter, 'Wash Day,' estimated at $4,000-$8,000 at Crescent City Auction Gallery.

John Genin, 'Portrait of Paul Henri Augustin Capdevielle & Pierre Emmanuel 'Auguste' Capdevielle, Children of Paul Capedevielle, Former Mayor of New Orleans,' estimated at $4,000-$8,000 at Crescent City Auction Gallery.

John Genin, 'Portrait of Paul Henri Augustin Capdevielle & Pierre Emmanuel 'Auguste' Capdevielle, Children of Paul Capedevielle, Former Mayor of New Orleans,' estimated at $4,000-$8,000 at Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

Exquisite Fine Art Paintings and Prints presented in New York May 8

Circa-2000 Pointillist oil on canvas by Belgian-born French artist Maggy Clarysse, estimated at $2,500-$3,000 at Jasper52.

NEW YORK – On Wednesday, May 8, starting at 11 am Eastern time, Jasper52 will present its next Exquisite Fine Art Paintings and Prints sale. The auction, consisting of exactly 200 lots, is now available for review and bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

First among the highlights is a circa-2000 Pointillist oil on canvas by Belgian-born French artist Maggy Clarysse (1931-2011), who had an interesting life indeed. Initially, she aimed to be a fashion designer, and approached a Parisian couture house in hopes that they would take her on. They did, but as a model instead. She appeared in Vogue and, according to the lot notes,  ‘She was photographed by Terence Donovan and David Bailey, with one shoot ending up with her pushing the then-leading film star, Norman Wisdom, into a swimming pool – her reasons for doing so remain shrouded in mystery.’ Clarysse met her future husband in the South of France, an area that influenced her final career as an artist. This vibrant landscape comes directly from her estate and is estimated at $2,500-$3,000.

Also on offer is Boats in the Harbor at Sunset, a 1950s oil on canvas by French artist Josine Vignon (1922-2022). Vignon focused on her home city of Paris as well as Provence and the French countryside. The lot notes state ‘She painted with a beautiful style, largely influenced by the Impressionist and post-Impressionist techniques, but adding her own distinctive style and technique to each painting. Vignon’s works carry tremendous energy and enthusiasm, often painted with very thick impasto oil creating a rich and diverse texture, as well as painting with a tremendous palette range of vibrant and joyful colors.’ Boats in the Harbor at Sunset has an estimate of $1,500-$2,000.

Completing the highlights is a monumental 1985 Surrealist painting credited to the ‘Rainbow French School’. Measuring 77in high by 31in wide, the oil on canvas depicts an expanse of marble floor continuing into the distance, where it meets a blue sky festooned with white clouds. Columns flank either side of the scene, and a rainbow arches from the sky to the broken column at the right. This piece carries an estimate of $4,000-$5,000.

Circa-2000 Pointillist oil on canvas by Belgian-born French artist Maggy Clarysse, estimated at $2,500-$3,000 at Jasper52.

Circa-2000 Pointillist oil on canvas by Belgian-born French artist Maggy Clarysse, estimated at $2,500-$3,000 at Jasper52.

Josine Vignon, ‘Boats in the Harbor at Sunset’, estimated at $1,500-$2,000 at Jasper52.

Josine Vignon, ‘Boats in the Harbor at Sunset’, estimated at $1,500-$2,000 at Jasper52.

Monumental 1985 Rainbow French School Surrealist oil on canvas, estimated at $4,000-$5,000 at Jasper52.

Monumental 1985 Rainbow French School Surrealist oil on canvas, estimated at $4,000-$5,000 at Jasper52.

ACN Staff

ACN Staff

Content bearing the byline of ACN staff has been researched and written by multiple members of the Auction Central News team.

Ancient coins from lost civilizations come to market at Jasper52 May 7

Roman Empire Bronze Sestertius featuring Hadrian, estimated at $1,500-$2,000 at Jasper52.

NEW YORK — An auction of ancient and antique coins at Jasper52 offers a journey around the world and through time, from the Byzantine Empire to 18th-century Holland. The auction is scheduled for Tuesday, May 7 at 2 pm Eastern time, and the catalog is now available for review and bidding exclusively at LiveAuctioneers.

During the Mithridatic Wars, a conflict between Pontus and Rome, this silver tetra drachma was struck between 125 and 70 BC at the Odessus mint in Thrace. Weighing 16.6 grams and measuring 32mm in diameter, the coin was minted in the name of Alexander the Great (336-323 BC), reflecting the enduring influence of his legacy in the Hellenistic world. The coin is estimated at $1,500-$2,000.

During the reign of Theophilos (829-842 AD) in the Byzantine Empire, this gold solidus was struck between 831 and 842 at the Constantinople mint. This coin, weighing 4.3 grams and measuring 20mm, features on the obverse a draped and crowned bust of Theophilos holding a patriarchal cross and akakia, inscribed ΘΕΟΦΙΛΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ (Theophilos Basileus). It carries an estimate of $1,500-$2,000.

Dating to the Roman Empire, this bronze sestertius weights 25.7 grams and measures 33mm. Struck around 120-121 AD, the obverse showcases a laureate and draped bust of Hadrian (117-138 AD) with the inscription IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRI ANVS AVG P M TR P COS III. On the reverse is Libertas, the goddess of freedom, with the inscription LIBERTAS PVBLICA S C (Public freedom, decree of the senate). Minted in Rome, this coin is in near EF condition, and is estimated at $1,500-$2,000.

Silver tetra drachma from Thrace-Macedonia, estimated at $1,500-$2,000 at Jasper52.

Silver tetra drachma from Thrace-Macedonia, estimated at $1,500-$2,000 at Jasper52.

Gold Solidus Theophilos from the Byzantine Empire, estimated at $1,500-$2,000 at Jasper52.

Gold Solidus Theophilos from the Byzantine Empire, estimated at $1,500-$2,000 at Jasper52.

Roman Empire Bronze Sestertius featuring Hadrian, estimated at $1,500-$2,000 at Jasper52.

Roman Empire Bronze Sestertius featuring Hadrian, estimated at $1,500-$2,000 at Jasper52.

ACN Staff

ACN Staff

Content bearing the byline of ACN staff has been researched and written by multiple members of the Auction Central News team.

Yonezawa Atom Jet Friction Race Car leads our five lots to watch

Yonezawa Atom Jet friction racer, estimated at $10,000-$15,000 at Milestone Auctions May 11.

Yonezawa Atom Jet Friction Race Car

WILLOUGHBY, OH – Released in 1954, Yonezawa’s Atom Jet friction race car is one of the largest lithographed-tin toys made in postwar Japan for the export market. Measuring nearly 30in in length, the toy rides on rubber tires and has a noise generator when pushed along the floor.

It was accompanied by a plain hinged-lid box with a four-color label pasted on that is almost never found in today’s market, making loose examples more the norm. The design is a combination of elements: a tribute to the Bonneville Salt Flats land-speed record contenders of the early 1950s and the burgeoning robot / space toy market that grew out of American science fiction of the pre- and postwar periods.

Milestone Auctions returns with round two of the Elmer’s Toy Museum liquidation series on Saturday, May 11 and has this example as a star lot. Lacking its original packaging, it nonetheless carries a strong estimate of $10,000-$15,000.

Marion Tuu’luq, Untitled Work on Cloth (Humans and Spirits)

Marion Tuu’luq, ‘Untitled Work on Cloth (Humans and Spirits)’, estimated at CA$15,000-CA$25,000 ($11,000-$18,000) at First Arts Premiers May 9.
Marion Tuu’luq, ‘Untitled Work on Cloth (Humans and Spirits)’, estimated at CA$15,000-CA$25,000 ($11,000-$18,000) at First Arts Premiers May 9.

TORONTO – First Arts Premiers, specialists in First Nations and Native American Indian art, brings Untitled Work on Cloth (Humans and Spirits) by Inuit tribal member Marion Tuu’luq to market Thursday, May 9 as part of its Inuit & First Nations Art sale.

Tuu’luq (1910-2002) favored mixed media and textiles as she interpreted her Inuit heritage in art. She used embroidery thread, felt, and dense woolen fabrics to create contemporary large-scale embroidered textiles.

Originally purchased in a gallery in Winnipeg, Canada, Untitled Work on Cloth (Humans and Spirits) dates to 1988 or 1989 and is made from stroud, felt, embroidery floss, and cotton thread. Vibrant in green, red, yellow, and purple felt, it measures 26.25 by 29.25in. First Arts Premiers estimates the work at CA$15,000-CA$25,000 ($11,000-$18,000).

Circa-1955 Fotal Miniature Camera

Circa-1955 Fotal Miniature Camera, estimated at €7,000-€9,000 ($7,500-$9,500) at Auction Team Breker May 11.
Circa-1955 Fotal Miniature Camera, estimated at €7,000-€9,000 ($7,500-$9,500) at Auction Team Breker May 11.

COLOGNE, Germany – As the German economy in the Allied zones began to rebuild after the devastation of World War II, a number of traditional German trades began to recover first – most notably, optics. What served as superior glass for high-altitude bomber sights became photographic lenses for the burgeoning postwar photography market.

Fabrik Fotografische Apparate (FFA) was based in Lübeck, Western Germany, which was directly on the border of the Communist-controlled eastern zone of Germany, which became known as the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR). Having suffered heavy losses due to Royal Air Force (RAF) bombing runs, FFA rose from the ashes to create numerous consumer camera products.

This round-format Fotal miniature camera is resplendent in a fine red leather finish and can be worn around the neck. It shoots 10 exposures of special 16mm film and features an E. Rau Wetzlar Anastigmat Optar 2.8/20mm lens. A featured lot in Auction Team Breker’s Science and Technology, Mechanical Museum, Photography and Film sale scheduled for Saturday, May 11, the house notes that less than 100 examples of the Fotal were ever produced. Accordingly, the camera is estimated at €7,000-€9,000 ($7,500-$9,500).

Carl Rungius, ‘The Old Man of the Mountains’

Carl Rungius, ‘The Old Man of the Mountains,’ estimated at $120,000-$180,000 at Doyle New York May 15.
Carl Rungius, ‘The Old Man of the Mountains,’ estimated at $120,000-$180,000 at Doyle New York May 15.

NEW YORK – One of the leading American wildlife artists of the 20th century, Carl Rungius (1869-1959) was actually born in Germany and studied at the Berlin Art Academy in the late 1880s. His first trip to the United States in 1894 was at the invitation of his uncle, Clemens Fulda, to hunt moose. On his second trip he visited Wyoming, where he stalked big game for inspiration in later works. That trip convinced him to emigrate to the States, which he did in 1896.

As a Realist, Rungius’ art was almost photographic in quality. He depicted his subjects in their natural environments, and he focused solely on big game, with the moose being a favorite subject matter.

Doyle New York presents a particularly interesting Rungius oil on canvas in its 160-lot Estate of Bartlett Burnap sale, scheduled for Wednesday, May 15. Burnap was an avid sportsman and and collector, and one of the stars of his collection is Rungius’ The Old Man of the Mountains, a 30.25 by 45in work featuring a mountain bear overlooking a mountainous terrain. What makes it so striking is its soft focus and lack of trademark realism so commonly associated with his body of work. The painting was originally in the collection of Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, and was sold at Sotheby’s in 1993, where Burnap purchased it. The Old Man of the Mountains returns to market with a strong $120,000-$180,000 estimate.

Silver Edwardian Wine Cistern by Garrard & Co.

Silver Edwardian wine cistern by Garrard & Co. of London, estimated at $100,000-$150,000 at Heritage Auctions on May 16.
Silver Edwardian wine cistern by Garrard & Co. of London, estimated at $100,000-$150,000 at Heritage Auctions on May 16.

DALLAS – Almost 3ft (90cm) wide and weighing a massive 710 ounces, this 1903 Edwardian wine cistern is marked for Garrard & Co. of London. The exuberant design, featuring a Bacchanale scene in high relief and the British royal coat of arms on the front and the back, recalls the work of sculptor Edmund Cotterill (1794-1860), the head of Garrard’s design department in its Victorian pomp.

Although evidently an important aristocratic commission or diplomatic gift, its early history is unknown. It is first recorded on American soil in the 1950s, when it was used as a horse racing trophy in Detroit (a plaque on the wood pedestal reads ‘The Michigan Mile September 21, 1957, won by My Night Out, owner DH Wells’) and it was later displayed at the Churchill Downs racing complex in Kentucky. 

It will be the headline lot in Heritage Auctions’ Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu Auction on Thursday, May 16. The estimate is $100,000-$150,000.

Friedrich firearm and Gold Rush collection showcased again at Morphy May 7-10

Exhibition Engraved & Gold Inlaid Colt Officers Model Double Action Revolvers, estimated at $75,000-$150,000 at Morphy.

DENVER, PA — Dan Morphy Auctions will bring round two of the Paul Friedrich collection of firearms and Gold Rush memorabilia to the market on Tuesday, May 7, Wednesday, May 8, Thursday, May 9, and Friday, May 10. The complete set of catalogs is now available for review and bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

Part I of Friedrich’s time capsule of historical American arms and objects was presented on October 25, 2023 and realized a hefty $3.4 million, with a Winchester ‘1 of 1,000’ 1876 lever-action rifle leading the lineup at $358,000 with buyer’s premium.

The Friedrich collection features some of the most important Colts and Winchesters ever to reach the marketplace. This pair of pre-WWII exhibition-engraved and gold-inlaid Colt Officers Model Double-Action Revolvers come with a deluxe French-style case. The lot is accompanied by Colt factory letters, copies of descriptions from their sale at Little John’s auction house, plus other documentation, with an estimate of $75,000-$150,000.

Another top lot is a .44-40-caliber smoothbore Nimschke-engraved Colt Lightning magazine rifle that was custom-made and inscribed for a member of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. It was factory-shipped in 1888, as a shipment of one gun, to Schoverling, Daly & Gales in New York. Together with a Colt factory letter and other documentation, it is estimated at $75,000-$100,000.

A John Ulrich factory-engraved, nickel-plated Deluxe Winchester Model 1876 lever-action rifle was built in 1882 and chambered in .45-60 caliber. One of only 709 made with plating and one of only 127 with factory engraving, its action is stamped ‘J. ULRICH’ behind the trigger. It is estimated at $60,000-$90,000.

This pristine-condition Colt Frontier Six Shooter is accompanied by its original Colt factory-pink picture box. This gun left Colt as a .44/40 with a 4.75in barrel, blued finish, and stocks not listed. Originally shipped to C. W. Hackett Hardware Company in St. Paul, Minnesota, on December 13, 1895, it has a $60,000-$125,000 estimate.

Exhibition Engraved & Gold Inlaid Colt Officers Model Double Action Revolvers, estimated at $75,000-$150,000 at Morphy.

Exhibition Engraved & Gold Inlaid Colt Officers Model Double Action Revolvers, estimated at $75,000-$150,000 at Morphy.

Buffalo Bill Team-Used Nimschke Engraved Colt Lightning Magazine Rifle, estimated at $75,000-$100,000 at Morphy.

Buffalo Bill Team-Used Nimschke Engraved Colt Lightning Magazine Rifle, estimated at $75,000-$100,000 at Morphy.

John Ulrich Factory Engraved Nickel-Plated Deluxe Winchester Model 1876 Lever Action Rifle, estimated at $60,000-$90,000 at Morphy.

John Ulrich Factory Engraved Nickel-Plated Deluxe Winchester Model 1876 Lever Action Rifle, estimated at $60,000-$90,000 at Morphy.

Near New Colt Frontier Six Shooter With Picture Box, estimated at $60,000-$125,000 at Morphy.

Near New Colt Frontier Six Shooter With Picture Box, estimated at $60,000-$125,000 at Morphy.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

General W. T. Sherman’s personal collection heads to market at Fleischer’s May 14

Gen. W. T. Sherman's battle-used sword and trunk, estimated at $40,000-$60,000 at Fleischer's.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — For more than 150 years, the descendants of General William Tecumseh Sherman — Union Army hero and scourge of the Confederate States of America — have preserved and protected his personal effects and collection. But the time has come for these family heirlooms to move to new homes. Fleischer’s Auctions will bring nearly 250 lots to market Tuesday, May 14 as part of its Civil War & African American History: Sherman sale. A second day has been added as well, for Wednesday, May 15. The catalog is now available for review and bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

The Sherman family collection has many important and historic items, but two lots are incredible standouts. The first is Sherman’s personal first-edition copy of photographer George N. Barnard’s monumental work documenting Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, the famous ‘March to the Sea,’ and Carolinas Campaign. Published in 1866 and primarily held by institutions, intact copies of Barnard’s work are exceedingly rare. Signed on the front end free paper by General Sherman’s son and custodian of his library, Philemon T. Sherman, this copy is offered at $60,000-$80,000.

The second star lot is General William T. Sherman’s wartime saber and military trunk. Offered directly by General Sherman’s descendants through his daughter, Maria ‘Minnie’ Ewing Sherman Fitch (1851-1913), both the sword and chest were preserved by generations of the Fitch-Sherman family until now. General Sherman’s wartime saber is a seldom-seen variant of a standard cavalry officer model produced by Christopher Roby of West Chelmsford, Massachusetts. This ‘special order’ saber features a 30.5in blade and would have been an ideal weapon. Sherman himself stated he did not wear a sword after he succeeded General Grant in command of the Western Theater of the war in early 1864, dating it to the period of Sherman’s service when he saw action in numerous engagements such as the Battle of Shiloh, in which he was wounded twice and had three horses shot dead underneath him. The sword carries an estimate of $40,000-$60,000.

In 1865, likely after the surrender of General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, Sherman had his lieutenant general rank-insignia shoulder straps conveyed to a dark-velvet presentation mount and fitted with an engraved plaque reading W. T. Sherman / 1865 / Minnie Sherman Fitch. Later, his major general straps were added, possibly around 1872. This spectacular relic is estimated at $15,000-$30,000.

A final highlight is Sherman’s first edition copy of the Memoirs of U. S. Grant, in which he made numerous corroborating annotations as he read his friend’s accounts. On the last page of Volume I, Sherman wrote Read at St. Louis Mo. Dec 5 + 6, 1885. / This account of the Civil War is wonderfully accurate and him. W.T.S. The two-volume set with notes is estimated at $7,500-$15,000.

Day 2’s top lot is a remarkably well-documented First National Confederate flag captured in Nashville, Tennessee by Captain Charles Gibbs of the 69th Ohio Infantry. An August 13,1862 article in The Nashville Daily Union describes this flag’s capture: “On last Monday Captain Gibbs of the Sixty-ninth Ohio, on information given them searched the grocery of Mr. Buddeke on Market Sreet, and found a large and elegant rebel flag, which formerly belonged to one of the rebel companies of this place, concealed in the upper story of the building.” The flag is estimated at $15,000-$30,000.

General W. T. Sherman's copy of Barnard's 'Photographic Views of Sherman's Campaign,' estimated at $60,000-$80,000 at Fleischer's.

General W. T. Sherman's copy of Barnard's 'Photographic Views of Sherman's Campaign,' estimated at $60,000-$80,000 at Fleischer's.

Gen. W. T. Sherman's battle-used sword and trunk, estimated at $40,000-$60,000 at Fleischer's.

Gen. W. T. Sherman's battle-used sword and trunk, estimated at $40,000-$60,000 at Fleischer's.

General W. T. Sherman's rank insignia, estimated at $15,000-$30,000 at Fleischer's.

General W. T. Sherman's rank insignia, estimated at $15,000-$30,000 at Fleischer's.

General W. T. Sherman's annotated copy of 'Memoirs of U. S. Grant,' estimated at $7,500-$15,000 at Fleischer's.

General W. T. Sherman's annotated copy of 'Memoirs of U. S. Grant,' estimated at $7,500-$15,000 at Fleischer's.

General W. T. Sherman's personal copy of a map detailing his campaigns, printed in 1865 after the close of the war, estimated at $750-$1,500 at Fleischer's.

General W. T. Sherman's personal copy of a map detailing his campaigns, printed in 1865 after the close of the war, estimated at $750-$1,500 at Fleischer's.

Captured First National flag, estimated at $15,000-$30,000 at Fleischer's.

Captured First National flag, estimated at $15,000-$30,000 at Fleischer's.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

Madeleine Albright’s collection, including many of her celebrated pins, shine at Freeman’s Hindman May 7

Green and white rhinestone and metal snake pin by Kenneth Jay Lane, estimated at $200-$300 at Freeman’s Hindman.

NEW YORK – Madeleine K. Albright did a tough job, and she did it well. Serving as the US secretary of state is a stark challenge regardless, but being the first woman to hold the post adds an extra layer of difficulty. Albright (1937-2022) was chosen by President Bill Clinton for this crucial role in his administration, which she held from 1997 to 2001. She found a distinctly feminine way to wield her power and influence: through the brooches she pinned to the garments she wore. On Tuesday, May 7, Freeman’s Hindman will present The Private Collection of Secretary Madeleine K. Albright, and among the 142 lots are several of her celebrated pins. The sale catalog is now open for bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

Expressive pins became Albright’s sartorial signature when she was the US ambassador to the United Nations, a post she held from 1993 until 1997, when she accepted the secretary of state role. At one point during her tenure, her criticism of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein prompted his poet-in-residence to write verse scorning her as “an unparalleled serpent”, which the Iraqi government press duly published. Though Albright was not fond of snakes, she donned a snake-form brooch for her next meeting with Iraqi officials. The incident proved that a well-chosen pin could literally be a statement piece, rich with meaning. While the sale lineup does not contain the pin that launched Albright’s collection, it does feature a metal Kenneth Jay Lane snake-form pin festooned with green and white rhinestones and estimated at $200-$300.

Albright chose pins that reflected her journey and her life story. A contemporary glass and gold foil Breaking the Glass Ceiling pin designed by Vivian Shimoyama captured the historic nature of Albright’s tenure as secretary of state. A Town & Country article on her collection pictured her wearing the pin at an award ceremony for the second woman secretary of state, Hilary Clinton. The Shimoyama pin is estimated at $500-$700, while a second lot of suffragette-themed jewelry from Albright’s collection has an estimate of $700-$900.

Another choice in the May 7 sale speaks to Albright’s original nationality. She was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, but her family left for the US after her diplomat father, an anti-Communist, resigned his government post when Communists rose to power in 1948. This Art Nouveau owl-form pin in silver and enamel, after a design by Czech artist Alphonse Mucha and bearing a ‘Mucha’ stamp, has an estimate of $300-$500.

Albright’s family arrived in America in 1948, at Ellis Island in New York, as asylum-seekers fleeing Communist Czechoslovakia. Nine years later, she became a naturalized citizen. One of her favorite pin motifs was the eagle, a symbol of her new homeland. She wore a spread-winged eagle pin for her swearing-in ceremony as secretary of state as well as for her official secretary of state portrait. She also made a practice of bestowing eagle pins on her women counterparts from other countries as US diplomatic gifts. One of the lots on offer contains three costume jewelry eagle pins, including two by Carol Sarkisian, together estimated at $500-$700.

In 2009, an exhibit of her jewelry titled Read My Pins debuted at the National Museum of American Diplomacy and traveled to more than 20 other venues, including the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C. Albright attended the show’s 2012 opening at the Mint, and was presented with an 18K gold crown pin set with 26 round brilliant-cut diamonds and bearing her last name. It now carries an estimate of $1,500-$2,500.

Green and white rhinestone and metal snake pin by Kenneth Jay Lane, estimated at $200-$300 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Green and white rhinestone and metal snake pin by Kenneth Jay Lane, estimated at $200-$300 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Glass and gold foil ‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling’ pin designed by Vivian Shimoyama, estimated at $500-$700 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Glass and gold foil ‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling’ pin designed by Vivian Shimoyama, estimated at $500-$700 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Art Nouveau owl-form pin in silver and enamel after a design by Czech artist Alphonse Mucha and bearing a ‘Mucha’ stamp, estimated at $300-$500 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Art Nouveau owl-form pin in silver and enamel after a design by Czech artist Alphonse Mucha and bearing a ‘Mucha’ stamp, estimated at $300-$500 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Collection of costume jewelry eagle pins, including two by Carol Sarkisian, estimated at $500-$700 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Collection of costume jewelry eagle pins, including two by Carol Sarkisian, estimated at $500-$700 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Collection of suffragette-themed jewelry, estimated at $700-$900 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Collection of suffragette-themed jewelry, estimated at $700-$900 at Freeman’s Hindman.

18K gold crown pin set with 26 round brilliant-cut diamonds, given to Madeleine Albright at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C. at the 2012 opening of the ‘Read My Pins’ exhibit, estimated at $1,500-$2,500 at Freeman’s Hindman.

18K gold crown pin set with 26 round brilliant-cut diamonds, given to Madeleine Albright at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C. at the 2012 opening of the ‘Read My Pins’ exhibit, estimated at $1,500-$2,500 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Madeleine Albright, shown in her circa-1997 official portrait as the US secretary of state, prominently wearing a spread-winged eagle pin. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, which states that as a work of the US federal government, the image is in the public domain.

Madeleine Albright, shown in her circa-1997 official portrait as the US secretary of state, prominently wearing a spread-winged eagle pin. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, which states that as a work of the US federal government, the image is in the public domain.

Sheila Gibson Stoodley

Sheila Gibson Stoodley

Sheila Gibson Stoodley is the associate editor for Auction Central News. She has written and edited for Robb Report, Art & Antiques magazine, and Andrew Harper online. She also authored The Hot Bid, a blog devoted to intriguing and delightful lots coming up at auction.

American, European, and Asian arts and antiques from single-owner collection grace Tremont May 5

Chinese export oil on canvas of an imperial audience given by the Jaiqing emperor, estimated at $15,000-$18,000 at Tremont Auctions.

SUDBURY, MA – A Chinese export oil showing a Qing emperor at court leads a single-owner dispersal at Tremont Auctions on Sunday, May 5. The 338-lot sale comprises an eclectic Massachusetts collection of American, European, and Asian arts and antiques. The catalog is now open at LiveAuctioneers.

Commanding the highest estimate, at $15,000-$18,000, is an early 19th-century oil on canvas laid on board depicting an imperial audience given by the emperor Jaiqing (1796-1820). It is thought to depict the pavilions in the Old Summer Palace, the main imperial residence of the Qing emperors and the center of state affairs. It was largely destroyed by French and British troops in the final act of the Second Opium War in October 1860.

Although relatively rare, the scene is well known. A body color on linen version is housed in the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, and was brought back to England circa 1800 by Richard Hill, who served as a supercargo for the British East India Company. It is pictured in the influential book Chinese Export Art in the Eighteenth Century by Margaret Jourdain and Soame Jenyns, which attributes the work to the studio of Lam Qua (1801-1860), the Chinese painter from Canton who specialized in Western-style portraits intended largely for export.

Estimated at $14,000-$18,000 is a textbook White Mountain scene by Benjamin Champney (1817-1907). Signed and dated 1856, this 2ft 2in by 3ft canvas in its original frame depicts Mount Chocorua, the easternmost peak of the Sandwich Range. It is likely the painting exhibited in 1856 at the Boston Athenaeum titled N.H. Lake Scenery, Mt. Chocorua in the Distance. Champney had bought a house more than 50 years.

Chinese export oil on canvas of an imperial audience given by the Jaiqing emperor, estimated at $15,000-$18,000 at Tremont Auctions.

Chinese export oil on canvas of an imperial audience given by the Jaiqing emperor, estimated at $15,000-$18,000 at Tremont Auctions.

'N.H. Lake Scenery, Mt. Chocorua in the Distance' by Benjamin Champney, estimated at $14,000-$18,000 at Tremont Auctions.

'N.H. Lake Scenery, Mt. Chocorua in the Distance' by Benjamin Champney, estimated at $14,000-$18,000 at Tremont Auctions.

Namikawa Sosuke wireless cloisonne box and cover, estimated at $3,000-$5,000 at Tremont Auctions.

Namikawa Sosuke wireless cloisonne box and cover, estimated at $3,000-$5,000 at Tremont Auctions.

Ferdinando Vicchi, large marble sculpture of an allegorical figure, estimated at $9,000-$12,000 at Tremont Auctions.

Ferdinando Vicchi, large marble sculpture of an allegorical figure, estimated at $9,000-$12,000 at Tremont Auctions.

James McCabe, London Islamic trade pocket watch, estimated at $4,000-$6,000 at Tremont Auctions.

James McCabe, London Islamic trade pocket watch, estimated at $4,000-$6,000 at Tremont Auctions.

Barr and Barr Worcester Flight porcelain large oval plaques, estimated at $3,000-$5,000 at Tremont Auctions.

Barr and Barr Worcester Flight porcelain large oval plaques, estimated at $3,000-$5,000 at Tremont Auctions.

Roland Arkell

Roland Arkell

Roland Arkell is editor of Auction Central News and deputy editor at Antiques Trade Gazette. He has been writing about all aspects of the art and antiques market for more than 25 years.

Hermann Historica returns with powerful series of auctions May 7-16

Circa-1560-1600 Nuremberg, Germany suit of black and white cavalry armor, assembled from old components, estimated at €11,000-€22,000 ($11,760-$23,525) at Hermann Historica on May 16.

MUNICH, Germany – Hermann Historica greets spring with a slate of May sales spanning Tuesday, May 7 to Thursday, May 16 that cover a wide range of categories, from antiquities to military medals to collectible firearms to antique suits of armor. The catalogs are now open for review and bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

Prominent among the lots in the house’s Orders and Military Collectibles Until 1918 auction on Tuesday, May 7 is a large circa-1850 amphora-form vase by the Royal Porcelain Factory in Berlin, the initials of which translate to KPM. Centered on one side is a half-length portrait of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg, a then-independent region in what is now southern Germany. The coat of arms of the royal house of Württemberg appears on the other side of the splendid vase, which is estimated at €8,000-€16,000 ($8,560-$17,115).

An unmistakable prize in the Friday, May 10 Orders and Military Collectibles from 1919 sale, and the Hermann Historica May 2024 auction series overall, is an Enigma G cipher machine from the German Intelligence Service, known as Abwehr. Enigma machines have been auction darlings for years now, and many command sums in the high five-figure and the six-figure range. This one, number G 193, which the house describes as ‘The rarest Enigma model in good, untouched condition’, should generate serious interest. Of the 350 machines produced, 20 survive. The Hermann Historica Enigma G carries an estimate of €90,000-€180,000 ($96,285-$192,575).

Charging to the front of the lineup of the Tuesday, May 14 Works of Art, Antiquities & Ancient Art sale is a 4th century BC bronze helmet decorated with an image of ram’s horns and having U-shaped cheek pieces. It was made in the northern Black Sea area and sports a gorgeous dark green patina. Its estimate is €12,000-€24,000 ($12,840-$25,685).

The Fine Antique and Modern Firearms, Part I sale set for Wednesday, May 15 features a model 1891 Laumann system repeating pistol estimated at €15,000-€30,000 ($16,050-$32,105). The Laumann 1891 is considered by some historians as the first semi-automatic pistol, and the one to be presented at Hermann Historica comes with a copy of the gun’s construction drawings. The lot notes, which describe it as an ‘ultra-rare collector’s item’, also state: ‘There is no doubt that this gun was designed by Josef Laumann. The level of involvement of his financiers, the Schönberger brothers, is unknown.’

Thursday, May 16 concludes the May 2024 Hermann Historica series with two auctions on that date. Commencing at 1 pm Eastern time is Fine Antique and Modern Firearms, Part II, which is distinguished by a circa-1650 deluxe wheellock rifle with silver and mother-of-pearl inlays. Made in Vienna for Ferdinand III of Austria, the extremely elaborate embellishments reflect the work of the artisan known as the Master of the Animal-Head Scroll. An example of the unnamed 17th-century gunsmith’s oeuvre is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This firearm has an estimate of €35,000-€70,000 ($37,430-$74,860).

Completing the parade of delights is Hermann Historica’s Antique Arms and Armour auction, which begins at 4 pm Eastern time. It is highlighted by a circa-1560-1600 Nuremberg suit of black and white cavalry armor, assembled from old components and estimated at €11,000-€22,000 ($11,760-$23,525).

Circa-1560-1600 Nuremberg, Germany suit of black and white cavalry armor, assembled from old components, estimated at €11,000-€22,000 ($11,760-$23,525) at Hermann Historica on May 16.

Circa-1560-1600 Nuremberg, Germany suit of black and white cavalry armor, assembled from old components, estimated at €11,000-€22,000 ($11,760-$23,525) at Hermann Historica on May 16.

Circa-1850 large KPM porcelain vase with a portrait of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg, estimated at €8,000-€16,000 ($8,560-$17,115) at Hermann Historica on May 7.

Circa-1850 large KPM porcelain vase with a portrait of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg, estimated at €8,000-€16,000 ($8,560-$17,115) at Hermann Historica on May 7.

Enigma G cipher machine from the German Intelligence Service (Abwehr), one of just 20 known surviving examples, estimated at €90,000-€180,000 ($96,285-$192,575) at Hermann Historica on May 10.

Enigma G cipher machine from the German Intelligence Service (Abwehr), one of just 20 known surviving examples, estimated at €90,000-€180,000 ($96,285-$192,575) at Hermann Historica on May 10.

Bronze helmet decorated with an image of ram’s horns, made in the 4th century BC in the northern Black Sea area, estimated at €12,000-€24,000 ($12,840-$25,685) at Hermann Historica on May 14.

Bronze helmet decorated with an image of ram’s horns, made in the 4th century BC in the northern Black Sea area, estimated at €12,000-€24,000 ($12,840-$25,685) at Hermann Historica on May 14.

Laumann system repeating pistol, model 1891, designed by Josef Laumann, estimated at €15,000-€30,000 ($16,050-$32,105) at Hermann Historica on May 15.

Laumann system repeating pistol, model 1891, designed by Josef Laumann, estimated at €15,000-€30,000 ($16,050-$32,105) at Hermann Historica on May 15.

Circa-1650 deluxe wheellock rifle with silver and mother-of-pearl inlays, made for Ferdinand III of Austria and featuring embellishments by the artisan known as the Master of the Animal-Head Scroll, estimated at €35,000-€70,000 ($37,430-$74,860) at Hermann Historica on May 16.

Circa-1650 deluxe wheellock rifle with silver and mother-of-pearl inlays, made for Ferdinand III of Austria and featuring embellishments by the artisan known as the Master of the Animal-Head Scroll, estimated at €35,000-€70,000 ($37,430-$74,860) at Hermann Historica on May 16.

Sheila Gibson Stoodley

Sheila Gibson Stoodley

Sheila Gibson Stoodley is the associate editor for Auction Central News. She has written and edited for Robb Report, Art & Antiques magazine, and Andrew Harper online. She also authored The Hot Bid, a blog devoted to intriguing and delightful lots coming up at auction.

Harry Winston jewelry from the estate of a Baroness sparkles at Roland New York May 4

Harry Winston Diamond, Emerald-Simulant, and Gold Necklace, estimated at $60,000-$80,000 at Roland NY.

GLEN COVE, NY — Baroness Gabriele Langer von Langendorff was no stranger to the spotlight — or controversy — during her storied life as a New York socialite. Von Langendorff owned a fortune in Harry Winston jewelry, much of it given to her by beguiled suitors. She passed away in the summer of 2023, and a number of items from her estate will come to market at Roland New York on Saturday, May 4 as part of the house’s May 2024 Estates Sale, the catalog for which is now open for bidding and review at LiveAuctioneers.

Born in an undetermined year, she was raised in both Germany and The Netherlands and emigrated to to the United States after World War II. She began her social climb in the early 1960s when she married William Klopman, the founder of Burlington Textiles. He was a pioneer in the booming postwar synthetic fabric industry and, as a consequence, was beyond wealthy. So taken with his new wife was he that he built the 40-acre Villa Riele estate on the shore of Lloyd Harbor in Long Island, New York. Langer’s jewelry collection got off to a splashy start when Klopman purchased for her the fabled 77-carat Lesotho Diamond from Harry Winston. (The other half of the original jewel ended up with Elizabeth Taylor, herself no stranger to both high-end jewelry and controversy.)

Klopman passed away in 1974, and Langer didn’t miss a beat, marrying her late husband’s longtime friend, a perfume manufacturer known as ‘Baron’ Peter Langer ‘von Langendorff’ (he was neither nobility nor a von Langendorff, but adopted the title and surname as part of a professional nom de plume). Langer is best remembered as the creator of White Shoulders perfume, a popular postwar brand that he and his first wife dreamed up.

Gabriele went on to lead a jet-set lifestyle in New York, Palm Beach, and Monaco. Her clothes and jewels – she favored extravagant emeralds that complemented her red hair – were featured in society columns around the world. She maintained a lifelong friendship with Harry Winston, who helped create many of the items in her collection.

Alton S. Tobey (1914-2005) is best remembered as a muralist (he did WPA post office murals early in his career), but at some point he received a commission to paint a portrait of Gabriela. Resplendent wearing a huge emerald necklace and Harry Winston diamond earrings, she is depicted sitting regally before a window that likely overlooks Villa Riele’s gardens. The painting is estimated at $3,000-$5,000.

And those very same Harry Winston earrings she wears in the Tobey portrait are also included in the sale. Designed to resemble doorknockers, the pair is set with 182 round brilliant-cut diamonds, has been tested for 18K gold, and is estimated at $30,000-$35,000.

Gabriela’s Harry Winston diamond, emerald-simulant, and gold necklace features a foliate design. The band has graduating pendants set with a whopping 886 round brilliant-cut diamonds and a simulated emerald. The piece is accompanied by a photo image from the Harry Winston archives, and it has an estimate of $60,000-$80,000.

This Harry Winston pendant necklace features 151 round- and pear-shaped brilliant-cut diamonds and square- and baguette-cut sapphires. The pendant is detachable, and, like most pieces in the sale, comes with its signed Harry Winston box. It is estimated at $30,000-$40,000.

The final preview highlight is a Jacques Timey for Harry Winston pair of diamond, emerald, and gold earrings. Set with 146 round brilliant-cut diamonds totaling approximately 10.50 carats, the pair includes a maker’s mark for Jacques Timey. With a signed Harry Winston box, the pair is estimated at $15,000-$20,000.

Alton S. Tobey, portrait of Baroness Gabriele Langer von Langendorff, estimated at $3,000-$5,000 at Roland NY.

Alton S. Tobey, portrait of Baroness Gabriele Langer von Langendorff, estimated at $3,000-$5,000 at Roland NY.

Harry Winston Diamond and Gold Earrings, estimated at $30,000-$35,000 at Roland NY.

Harry Winston Diamond and Gold Earrings, estimated at $30,000-$35,000 at Roland NY.

Harry Winston Diamond, Emerald-Simulant, and Gold Necklace, estimated at $60,000-$80,000 at Roland NY.

Harry Winston Diamond, Emerald-Simulant, and Gold Necklace, estimated at $60,000-$80,000 at Roland NY.

Jacques Timey for Harry Winston Diamond and Emerald Earrings, estimated at $15,000-$20,000 at Roland NY.

Jacques Timey for Harry Winston Diamond and Emerald Earrings, estimated at $15,000-$20,000 at Roland NY.

Jacques Timey for Harry Winston Pendant Necklace, estimated at $30,000-$40,000 at Roland NY.

Jacques Timey for Harry Winston Pendant Necklace, estimated at $30,000-$40,000 at Roland NY.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.