September 10, 2009 - Auction Central News

Southern flavor to antiques in Case’s 400-lot Sept. 26 auction

American portrait miniature on ivory of child in red dress, 2½ in height. Estimate $1,200-$1,400. Image courtesy Case Antiques.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Objects from Southern estates with both regional and international appeal are among the highlights of the Fall Case Antiques Auction. The sale will be held on Sept. 26, with Internet live bidding provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.

Among the fine art offerings are several works by German painters, including an acrylic on canvas by Friedal Dzubas (German/American, 1915-1993), which epitomizes the artist’s abstract style and use of vivid colors. Also offered are a pair of oil-on-panel portraits by Christian Heuser (1862-1942) and an oil-on-board landscape by Julius Seyler (1873-1958).

A train watercolor by Harold Fogg (1917-1996) is among the fine American works of art, as well as a portrait miniature on ivory of prominent Virginia doctor Hugh Kent, three watercolors by Tennessean Carl Sublett (1919-2008), and an oil-on-canvas landscape, “French Poplars in the Mist,” by noted Nashville artist Willie Betty Newman.

“One of the rewarding aspects of our work has been bringing Tennessee’s finest artists to the national spotlight,” said company president John Case. “Newman was a highly talented female artist from Tennessee who painted in Europe and whose work was exhibited at the Paris Salon before she returned here for family reasons. Almost all of her work has changed hands privately if at all. Now, with the advent of internet bidding and online catalogs, more people are becoming familiar with her work and the work of others like her.”

Also featured is a rare 1909 orotone, “The Maid of Dreams,” by noted photographer of the American West, Edward S. Curtis. Western Americana is also present in the form of two CDVs depicting Native Americans and the 10th U.S. Calvary in Texas, and some important Mexican War letters from Major General Robert Patterson to his cousin, describing his situation in Vera Cruz in 1846 in vivid detail.

There are many unusual smaller items, including a Langdorff and Fils (Swiss) coin-operated music box with dancing dolls, and an elaborate late 19th-century carved ivory bust of Mary Queen of Scots, which opens to reveal a triptych with a scene from the assassination of Joseph Riccio.

A large 19th century Hawaiian poi bowl and other items with an oral history from the Iolnai Palace in Honolulu are being offered, as are several pieces of fine English and American silver. Those include a rare J.E. Caldwell sterling water pitcher with provenance, Southern coin silver, and a fine Gorham Japanonesque Aesthetic Movement flask.

Several lots of Chinese and Continental porcelain will also cross the block; and American pottery, a staple at Case’s sales, is highlighted by a large North Carolina jug by Daniel Hartsoe (Lincoln County, N.C., 1836-1916).

“We know Hartsoe was born in 1836 and served in the Confederacy during the Civil War, but signed, surviving pieces of pottery by him are extremely rare,” said Case. “We believe this jug represents an exciting find.”

An East Tennessee harvest jug by Lewis Haun, a cobalt-decorated Columbia, Tenn., churn, and a scarce Sand Mountain, Ala., double-dipped jug round out the top pieces in the category.

Furniture includes an exceptional East Tennessee cherry “Jackson Press” which Case described as “one of the best known examples of the form,” an inlaid Federal slant front desk and sugar chest, both attributed to Kentucky, a Federal inlaid sideboard with tambour-fronted desk, a Georgia grain-painted chest, and a fine paint-decorated Windsor settee.

Items of regional interest include an 1811 Kentucky needlework sampler, an 1844 Mitchell’s map of Missouri and Arkansas in leather case, two wire sculptures by folk artist Vannoy Streeter and a variety of other folk art, baskets, and quilts.

Civil War collectors will likely be interested in a CDV of General George Thomas, made in Nashville, and several weapons including a William Beals Tennessee rifle, a Spencer carbine rifle and a Harper’s Ferry Model 42 rifle.

The sale is expected to be Case’s largest to date, with more than 400 lots, most offered without reserve. For additional information on any lot in the sale, call 865-558-3033 or 615-812-6096. View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Click here to view Case Antiques, Inc.’s complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Abstract acrylic on canvas by Friedel Dzubas (German/American, 1915-1994), titled Malmoe, dated 1974, 40 inches by 40 inches. Estimate $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy Case Antiques.

Rare alkaline-glazed jug with glass rutile drip, stamped DH 5, by Daniel Hartsoe, Lincoln County, N.C., 18 inches tall. Estimate $2,000-$3,000. Image courtesy Case Antiques.

Late-19th-century carved-ivory triptych depicting Mary, Queen of Scots, 6 inches in height. Estimate $1,200-$1,600. Image courtesy Case Antiques.

French Poplars in the Mist, oil on canvas by Willie Betty Newman (American/Tennessee, 1863-1935), 29¼ inches by 21 1/8 inches, framed. Estimate $3,500-$4,500. Image courtesy Case Antiques.

Deaccessions from Denver Art Museum lead Clars’ Sept. 12-13 sale

Chinese reverse-on-glass painting of beauty from late Qing Dynasty or Early Republic. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Clars Auction Gallery’s September sale is traditionally the West Coast company’s largest event of the year. For its Sept. 12-13, 2009 edition of this much-anticipated auction, Clars’ team has prepared an especially strong selection of artworks, jewelry, decorative and Asian items, including important artworks deaccessioned from the Denver Art Museum. As always, Internet live bidding will be available through www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

The star of the sale is likely to be a sculpture by renowned modern artist Mathias Goeritz (German/Mexican, 1915-1990). With a pre-auction estimate of $50,000-$100,000, the massive golden-tin-covered wood panel piece (lot 6205) is a noteworthy example of the minimalist style that earned Goeritz entry into the permanent collections of such institutions as New York’s Museum of Modern Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The piece is a deaccession from the Denver Art Museum, part of a collection that includes other major artworks, furnishings and ephemera.

In addition to modern art, Clars will feature significant works by earlier European and America artists, including an oil painting by California Impressionist John M. Gamble (Californian, 1863-1957) titled Wild Flowers, Santa Barbara (lot 6336), and a granite sculpture of a hedgehog (lot 6218) by Bay Area favorite Beniamino Bufano (Californian, 1898-1970).

Notable decorative items include a New Hampshire tiger maple Queen Anne-style carved highboy from the late 18th century (lot 6525), as well as a 17th-century German silver figural gilt cup and cover by Leonhard Vorchamer (lot 6826).

This weekend’s Asian offerings include a Chinese reverse-on-glass painting of an elegant beauty from the late Qing Dynasty or Early Republic (lot 6557), and a Korean 10-panel, double-sided folding screen (lot 6579).

The sale will also include a collection of fine jewelry, highlighted by an 18K white gold diamond ring featuring a 2.45 ct. round brilliant-cut diamond with diamond accents (lot 7013); and a platinum and 10.18 ct. diamond necklace (lot 7001).

Clars will highlight several special collections during the sale, particularly a selection of Western Americana related to Wyatt Earp, a group of Pre-Colombian artifacts deaccessioned from the Denver Art Museum, and number of 17th- and 18th-century books.

For additional information on any lot in the sale, call 888-339-7600. View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Click here to view Clars Auction Gallery’s complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Minimalist sculpture by Mathias Goeritz. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.

John M. Gamble oil, Wild Flowers, Santa Barbara. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.

New Hampshire tiger maple Queen Anne-style highboy. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.

German silver gilt cup and cover, dating to 1630. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.

Treadway Toomey auction salutes 20th century design, Sept. 13

In excellent original condition, this Tiffany Studios lamp having a large Dogwood pattern leaded glass shade in the is estimated at $55,000-$75,000 at the 20th Century Art & Design Auction. Image courtesy Treadway Toomey Galleries.

OAK PARK, Ill. – Several stunning Tiffany Studios lamps will highlight the Treadway Toomey Galleries’ 20th Century & Design auction on Sept. 13. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding. The 1,100-lot auction will begin at 10 a.m. Central.

An exquisite signed Tiffany Studios lamp having a large Dogwood pattern leaded glass shade and a telescoping bronze base is expected to be the star of the auction. In excellent original condition the table lamp has a $55,000-$75,000 estimate.

Another Tiffany table lamp with a stick base and green leaded glass shade in a leaf and vine pattern has a $12,000-$17,000 estimate. A Tiffany Studios counter balance gilt bronze floor lamp fitted with a gold damascene shade in amber glass also has a $12,000-$17,000 estimate.

The auction will consist of four sessions, all on Sunday. It will begin with an Arts and Crafts/Art Nouveau session containing furniture, ceramics, lighting, metalwork, graphics, textiles, paintings, and glass. Session Two will feature 20th-century photography by the likes of Bert Stern, Bob Gruen, Leo Matiz and Alfred Wertheimer. Session Three will showcase fine art, including American and European oil paintings, prints and watercolors. The fourth session will be composed of 1950s/Modern furniture, lighting, ceramics, Italian glass, jewelry and decorative objects.

Most notable among the Arts and Crafts furniture is a Prairie School dining set consisting of a rectangular table (44 by 72 1/2 inches) on a platform base, six high-back chairs, and a trapezoidal china cabinet with architectural column supports. The set, possibly by George M. Neidecken, is in very good refinished condition and has a $20,000-$30,000 estimate.

For details contact John Toomey at 708-383-5234.

View the fully illustrated catalogs and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Click here to view Treadway Gallery’s complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

These armchairs are part of a Prairie School dining set produced around 1910, possibly by George M. Neidecken. The set also includes a trapezoidal china cabinet, a rectangular table on a platform base and four six matching side chairs. The estimate is $20,000-$30,000. Image courtesy Treadway Toomey Galleries.

Benedict Studios' distinctive cobra lamp of copper with a mica shade is 22 inches wide by 10 1/2 inches high. It has a $2,500-$3,500 estimate. Image courtesy Treadway Toomey Galleries. — Benedict Studios’ distinctive cobra lamp of copper with a mica shade is 22 inches wide by 10 1/2 inches high. It has a $2,500-$3,500 estimate. Image courtesy Treadway Toomey Galleries.

This is one of three ‘Art Attack on AIDS' artist's proof sceenprints by Keith Haring in the 20th Century Art & Design Auction. Each has a $15,000-$20,000 estimate. Image courtesy Treadway Toomey Galleries. — This is one of three ‘Art Attack on AIDS’ artist’s proof sceenprints by Keith Haring in the 20th Century Art & Design Auction. Each has a $15,000-$20,000 estimate. Image courtesy Treadway Toomey Galleries.

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Auctions Neapolitan offering fine works by listed artists, Sept. 12

Emile Levy oil on canvas of woman in doorway, estimate $9,000-$14,000.

NAPLES, Fla. – With access to many of southwestern Florida’s finest estates, Naples-based Auctions Neapolitan is known for its outstanding sales of fine and decorative art. Their next auction offering, on Saturday, Sept.12, features paintings by prominent listed artists, porcelains and china – including a superb collection of 19th-century Samson Armorial dinnerware – painted and gilt furniture, sterling silver, glass and bronzes. Internet live bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.

Among the highlights of the 413-lot auction event is a spectacular eight-arm Baccarat crystal chandelier. Measuring 40 inches (drop) by 28 inches wide, it is conservatively estimated at $7,000-$9,000.

A 1988 Erté (Roman de Tirtoff, Russian/French, 1892-1990) polychrome bronze statue of a woman, titled Rigoletto. is signed, dated and numbered 151/375. Standing 19¾ inches tall and with width of 18¼ inches at its widest point, the 31.5 lb. bronze could make $3,500-$4,500 at auction.

One of the most exceptional artworks in the sale is an artist-signed antique oil on canvas by Emile Levy (French, 1826-1890), depicting a beautifully gowned but barefooted woman in a doorway. The canvas measures 12 inches by 19½ inches, and in its original gilt frame with ornate floral-shield decoration increases its dimensions to 21 inches by 28½ inches. An accomplished artwork, it is estimated at $9,000-$14,000.

Of a different genre, an antique oil-on-canvas painting of a French soldier by Paul Louis-Narcisse Grolleron (French, 1848-1901) is signed at lower left and presented in a frame with affixed plaque identifying the artist. The painting measures 10½ inches by 14 inches (framed 17 inches by 24 inches). Auctions Neapolitan expects the picture to bring $5,000-$7,000.

Another noteworthy oil painting in the sale is Frank Harmon Myers’ (American, 1899-1956) depiction of fishermen walking dockside in their rain apparel. Myers was an Ohio and California artist known for his marine subjects. The 12-inch by 9-inch picture is artist-signed and dated 1927. The presale estimate is $2,800-$3,800.

For additional information on any lot in the sale, call Auctions Neapolitan at 239-262-7333. View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Click here to view Auctions Neapolitan’s complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Erte bronze statue titled Rigoletto, estimate $3,500-$4,500. Image courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com and Auctions Neapolitan.

Paul Grolleron oil on canvas of French soldier, estimate $5,000-$7,000. Image courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com and Auctions Neapolitan.

Sectional view of Baccarat crystal eight-arm chandelier, estimate $7,000-$9,000. Image courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com and Auctions Neapolitan.

Frank Harmon Myers oil on canvas of fishermen in rain gear, estimate $2,800-$3,800.

Cowan’s Corner: English silver by Hester Bateman

Crafted by English silversmith Hester Bateman, this silver teapot on stand with typical neo-classical decoration is expected to sell for $2,000-$3,000 in Cowan's Oct. 2, 2009 Fine and Decorative Art Auction. Image courtesy Cowan's.

Among collectors of English silver, works by women silversmiths are quite prestigious for their scarcity. One name in particular, Hester Bateman, stands out. She is best known and probably the most highly regarded silversmithess of 18th-century England, though her works are very affordable for a beginning collector.

In 18th-century England, silversmithing was perhaps the only trade considered “gentlemanly,” for one could create delicate objects of masterful skill and high style for an elite clientele. Believed to be a trade practiced by only by men, the art of working silver is labor intensive and requires strength and endurance and working with intense heat.

Little is ever discussed about the women silversmiths of 18th-century England, although there were several, including Hester Bateman. Most came to the trade serendipitously. Wives who had helped with their husband’s businesses, or daughters who has come into the trade by apprenticing for fathers, may have found themselves without the head of household and with the need to earn a living wage, so they came into the trade through the “back door.”

Married to John Bateman when she was about 15 years of age, Hester had little formal education. John was by trade a chain maker and silver worker, essentially a craftsman who performed small jobs for master silversmiths who were too busy to handle all of their commissions. Hester maintained a household and raised children while assisting her husband in every aspect of his business, including sales and hands-on metalworking. When he died of consumption in 1760, Hester filed the will the day after his death. John left her his business and his tools. From that day forth, Hester, with the assistance of her children, built a dynastic firm that lasted several generations and became an upper middle class provider of luxury items to their English clientele.

In 10 years’ time, Hester Bateman transformed “John Bateman, Jeweler, Chainmaker and occasional silverworker” to her own concern, “Hester Bateman, Silversmith.”

Striving to build a customer base, Hester kept a keen eye on stylistic shift. She predominately worked in the Adam style, the only style named after an architect rather than an English regent. Adam style was the essence of neo-classicism, and Hester’s work honors that spirit. Her hollowware is sparsely elegant with surface decoration, pierce work or ajouré, and engraving. An emerging middle class, intent on acquiring the accoutrements of upper classes, created a large demand for tea wares, or service pieces for the serving of tea, the telling ceremony of status. Hester and her family made perhaps thousands of teaspoons, tea caddy spoons and tablespoons, some more desirable today than others, in particular her bright-cut decorated spoons.

Her hollowware pieces are better examples for her best work, both as true interpretations of the neo-classical style and as magnificently executed metalwork. The irony here is that while highly desirable, Hester Bateman silver is oddly still affordable. The beginning collector can buy Bateman spoons ranging from $75 to $300 depending on the level of decoration and specialty of use. Hollowware Bateman pieces range from $500 for a simple waste bowl to several thousands for kettles-on-stands.

Sources for this article:

Hester Bateman, Queen of English Silversmiths, by David S. Shure,
Doubleday, New York, 1959.

Women Silversmiths, 1685-1845: Works from the Collection of the National Museum of Women in the Arts by Philippa Glanville and Jennifer Faulds Goldsborough , Thames and Hudson, 1990

George III and Other Old English Silver Including Examples by Hester Bateman – Part 3 of the Estate of Cushing Toppan [Parke-Bernet, Feb. 4-5, 1959]

Wes Cowan is founder and owner of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio. An internationally recognized expert in historic Americana, Wes stars in the PBS television series History Detectives and is a featured appraiser on Antiques Roadshow. Wes holds a B.A. and M.A. in anthropology from the University of Kentucky, and a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Michigan. He is a frequently requested speaker at antiques events around the country. He can be reached via email at info@cowans.com.

ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

A Hester Bateman silver tea caddy spoon with bright-cut decoration is estimated to sell for $300-$500 in Cowan's Oct. 2, 2009 Fine and Decorative Art Auction. Image courtesy Cowan's. — A Hester Bateman silver tea caddy spoon with bright-cut decoration is estimated to sell for $300-$500 in Cowan’s Oct. 2, 2009 Fine and Decorative Art Auction. Image courtesy Cowan’s.

Hester Bateman spoons remain reasonably priced. This berry spoon is estimated to sell for $250-$450 in Cowan's Oct. 2, 2009 Fine and Decorative Art Auction. Image courtesy Cowan's. — Hester Bateman spoons remain reasonably priced. This berry spoon is estimated to sell for $250-$450 in Cowan’s Oct. 2, 2009 Fine and Decorative Art Auction. Image courtesy Cowan’s.

These sugar tongs feature Hester Bateman's innovative ajuré and bright-cut decoration. They are estimated to sell for $400-$600 in Cowan's Oct. 2, 2009 Fine and Decorative Art Auction. Image courtesy Cowan's. — These sugar tongs feature Hester Bateman’s innovative ajuré and bright-cut decoration. They are estimated to sell for $400-$600 in Cowan’s Oct. 2, 2009 Fine and Decorative Art Auction. Image courtesy Cowan’s.

Susanin’s Premiere Auction on Sept. 12 holds world views

California's Sierra Nevada Mountains were Edgar Alwin Payne's favorite subject. His oil on canvas painting ‘High Sierra Lake' is estimated at $50,000-$70,000. Image courtesy Susanin's.

CHICAGO – Susanin’s Premiere Auction 76 on Sept. 12 will feature a diverse selection of paintings from around the world in addition to furniture, accessories, textiles, Asian arts and silver. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Among of the top paintings in the 700-lot sale is a landscape by Edgar Alwin Payne (American, 1883-1947), who devoted much of his later career to painting the California Sierra Nevada Mountains. His oil on canvas painting titled High Sierra Lake is 20 by 24 inches and has a $50,000-$70,000 estimate. Payne was well known in Chicago, having lived there and studied briefly at the Art Institute of Chicago.

An 8 1/4- by 10-inch painting titled Le Rendex-Vous by Vu Cao Dam, an important Vietnamese artist of the 20th century, is estimated at $6,000-$8,000. Born in Hanoi in 1908, Vu Coa Dam moved to Paris in the 1930s and was greatly influenced by the French impressionists and later by the work of his neighbor Marc Chagall.

Paris street scenes by Edouard Leon Cortes are often found at auctions, but the fine example Susanin’s is offering at Saturday’s Premiere Auction 76 measures about 20 by 25 3/4 inches and features Notre Dame cathedral in the is the background. The oil on canvas painting has a $15,000-$20,000 estimate.

The auction will begin at 10 a.m. Central with the sale of a Le Corbusier metal and leather chaise lounge designed by Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret in 1928 and manufactured by Cassina. The chaise lounge is inscribed “Le Corbusier, LC/4 620 1.” It has an $800-$1,000 estimate.

For details call 312-832-9800.

View the fully illustrated catalogs and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Click here to view Susanin’s Auction’s complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000) is considered one of the important Vietnamese painters of the 20th century. This small oil on canvas titled ‘Le Rendez-Vous' is dated ‘69' and has a $6,000-$8,000 estimate. Image courtesy Susanin's. — Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000) is considered one of the important Vietnamese painters of the 20th century. This small oil on canvas titled ‘Le Rendez-Vous’ is dated ‘69′ and has a $6,000-$8,000 estimate. Image courtesy Susanin’s.

British artist William James Muller's signature can be seen indistinctly at the lower left of this oil on canvas painting, which measures 24 by 42 1/4 inches. It has a $6,000-$10,000 estimate. Image courtesy Susanin's. — British artist William James Muller’s signature can be seen indistinctly at the lower left of this oil on canvas painting, which measures 24 by 42 1/4 inches. It has a $6,000-$10,000 estimate. Image courtesy Susanin’s.

Edouard Leon Cortes (French, 1882-1969) included the Notre Dame cathedral in this Paris street scene. The large oil on canvas painting has a $15,000-$20,000 estimate. Image courtesy Susanin's. — Edouard Leon Cortes (French, 1882-1969) included the Notre Dame cathedral in this Paris street scene. The large oil on canvas painting has a $15,000-$20,000 estimate. Image courtesy Susanin’s.

The diamond in this 14K white gold solitaire is 2.02 carats and has SI-1 clarity and H color. The ring is estimated at $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy Susanin's. — The diamond in this 14K white gold solitaire is 2.02 carats and has SI-1 clarity and H color. The ring is estimated at $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy Susanin’s.

Calif. court rules Holocaust survivor can sue for painting

Camille Pissarro, Rue St.-Honore, Apres-Midi, Effet de Pluie, 1897. Public domain image.

LOS ANGELES (AP) – An elderly Holocaust survivor from San Diego can continue his legal battle against a Spanish museum to reclaim a valuable painting he says was taken from his grandmother by the Nazis, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that 88-year-old Claude Cassirer’s case against the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid and the Spanish government can go forward.

Cassirer claimed his grandmother was forced to sell the 1897 painting by French impressionist Camille Pissarro for what was then $360 to get a visa to escape from Nazi Germany in 1939. He filed suit in California’s Central District in Los Angeles in 2005, and the defendants appealed in June 2006.

The painting, Rue St.-Honore, Apres-Midi, Effet de Pluie, depicts a Parisian boulevard lined with dark carriages, a few bare trees and a scattering of people braving the weather. Its value is estimated at $20 million.

The painting apparently changed hands several times after World War II, and its whereabouts were a mystery to the Cassirer family until a friend spotted it in the Madrid museum in 2000.

The Spanish government bought the painting as part of the Baron Hans-Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza’s collection, which was worth $327 million. It has been on display at the famous government-owned museum since 1993.

Baron Thyssen bought the painting from a New York art dealer in 1976. Cassirer tried to negotiate its return through Spain’s Ministry of Culture, but his request was denied.
Tuesday’s opinion was written by Judge N. Randy Smith, with a partial dissent by Judge Sandra Ikuta.

The ruling means the district court will have to determine whether Cassirer has exhausted all other legal options outside U.S. courts, said his attorney, Stuart Dunwoody.

“We’re confident we can do that, but it’s another step which slows things down, and a point upon which they can appeal,” Dunwoody said. “He hopes to see justice in his lifetime. He’s 88 years old, so we need to keep things moving along.”

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Foundation responded to the judge’s ruling by calling the claim “totally baseless.”

“The painting was acquired legitimately by the foundation in 1993, along with the rest of the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection,” it said in a statement issued Wednesday.

The foundation has previously said it possesses documents that prove Baron Thyssen was the legitimate buyer in 1976.

In 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to allow Los Angeles resident Maria Altmann, 88, to sue the government of Austria to retrieve $150 million worth of Gustav Klimt paintings stolen by the Nazis. The five Klimts were handed over by Austria in January to Altmann and other family members following a seven-year legal battle.

An estimated 600,000 works of art were looted by the Nazis during Adolf Hitler’s rule in Germany.

AP-ES-09-09-09 0830EDT

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