Black Forest dog grouping collars $30,590 bid at Auctions Neapolitan

Closeup of mother dog's face
Closeup of mother dog's face
Closeup of mother dog’s face

NAPLES, Fla. – There was plenty of bark and one winning “bite” at Auctions Neapolitan’s Jan. 23 standing-room-only sale as an exceptional 39-inch-wide Black Forest carved tableau of a St. Bernard dog and her three playful pups claimed top-lot honors at $30,590. Attributed to Swiss artist Walter Mader, the circa-1900 carving featured realistic feathering to the dogs’ coats, hand-colored limbs and glass eyes. The substantial 33-lb. artwork had been estimated at $6,000-$8,000.

“There was tremendous interest in that particular piece,” said Kathleen Pica, owner of Auctions Neapolitan. “There’s a sizable contingent of collectors worldwide for Black Forest pieces, and many of them were bidding, not only on the floor but also on the phones and via the Internet. What was unusual was that the bidding stayed strong throughout – there was no lull or hesitation once the lot was announced.”

The winning bidder, a major collector of Black Forest art for the past 30 years, participated by phone from his home in Colorado. “This was an incredibly rare piece, in beautiful condition,” the buyer remarked after the sale. “There’s a larger one in the museum in Brienz, Switzerland – the town where 2,000 carvers lived at the turn of the century – and there are two others in separate private collections in Paris. The two owners in Paris have stated that they will die with their pieces, so those examples are completely off the market.”

The buyer added: “Walter Mader’s only subjects were dogs – he didn’t carve anything else. Even though he never signed his work, it’s unmistakable. When you see the expression on the dogs’ faces and the flow of the carving, you know exactly who carved it.”

The word spread quickly about the St. Bernard grouping in Auctions Neapolitan’s sale, the buyer said. “My uncle called me from the Miami Beach Antique Show, which was taking place around the same time as the auction, and said there were many dealers aware of it and talking about it. You’d be amazed how many calls I got from fellow collectors, asking my opinion about its authenticity. I feel that even at the price I paid, I got a very good buy.”

Kathleen Pica said the tableau’s consignor, a Naples-area man, was “delighted with the result,” adding that he was also the consignor of the top lot in Auctions Neapolitan’s December sale – a C.E. Dallin (1861-1944) bronze of an Indian scout on horseback that sold for $25,500.

“I think the fact that we kept the auction estimate low helped the dogs achieve their excellent price,” Pica said. “I have found that when an auction house puts too high an estimate on an item, it scares off some of the bidders. They assume there’s a high reserve on it, and they don’t even bother.”

The vast majority of antiques, fine and decorative art offered by Auctions Neapolitan comes from Naples-area homes and estates. “Less than two percent of what we offer comes from dealers, and that has been the case since I first began conducting auctions in Naples over a decade ago,” said Pica.

Fine paintings were among the other highlights in the Jan. 25 sale. An Anne Packard (Massachusetts, b. 1934-) oil-on-board depiction of saltbox houses made $1,380; while a Josephine Osnaghi (1861-1939) oil-on-panel still life surpassed its estimate to settle at $1,667.50. Nineteenth-century French artist Maurice Rousseau’s pastoral oil painting titled The Sheepfold achieved $1,142.50.

Asian art also attracted attention. A petite Qing Dynasty carved celadon jade and camphorwood table screen estimated at $400-$600 easily garnered $1,495; and a circa-1780 Japanese Imari bowl decorated with two stylized rabbits ended its bidding run at $825. An antique Anglo-Indian box decorated with porcupine quills, ivory, bone and horn nearly tripled its high estimate to close at $862.50.

One-fourth of the auction lots sold to online bidders through LiveAuctioneers.com. “The Internet participation was very strong,” said Pica. “Postsale statistics indicated there were 43,000 hits to our online catalog for this sale, with 10,000 page views on the first day it published.” The top-selling Internet lot was a 15¾-inch (dia.) Lalique Cote d’Or charger adorned with three nymphs surrounded by grape vines. A rare, early version with the Lalique signature on verso, it sold for $1,782.50.

The 400-lot sale totaled $86,646. All prices quoted in this article reflect a 15% buyer’s premium.

To contact Auctions Neapolitan, call 239-262-7333 or email sales@auctionsn.com. Visit the company’s Web site at www.auctionsneapolitan.com.

View the fully illustrated Jan. 23 auction catalog with prices realized online at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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Click here to view Auctions Neapolitan’s complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Rarer than any breed at Westminster, a circa-1900, 39-inch-wide Black Forest carved tableau of a St. Bernard dog and pups took the blue ribbon at Auctions Neapolitan’s Jan. 23 sale when it sold for $30,590 against an estimate of $6,000-$8,000.
Rarer than any breed at Westminster, a circa-1900, 39-inch-wide Black Forest carved tableau of a St. Bernard dog and pups took the blue ribbon at Auctions Neapolitan’s Jan. 23 sale when it sold for $30,590 against an estimate of $6,000-$8,000.

A 19th-century Anglo-Indian wood box decorated with porcupine quills, ivory, bone and horn closed at $862.50.
A 19th-century Anglo-Indian wood box decorated with porcupine quills, ivory, bone and horn closed at $862.50.

19th-century French artist Maurice Rousseau’s The Sheepfold, oil on canvas, 13 inches by 18 inches, sold for $1,142.50.
19th-century French artist Maurice Rousseau’s The Sheepfold, oil on canvas, 13 inches by 18 inches, sold for $1,142.50.

This Chinese Qing Dynasty (late 19th-early 20th century) carved jade and camphorwood screen measures a diminutive 3 inches by 2½ inches. It realized an auction price of $1,495.
This Chinese Qing Dynasty (late 19th-early 20th century) carved jade and camphorwood screen measures a diminutive 3 inches by 2½ inches. It realized an auction price of $1,495.

A fine Lalique Cote d’Or charger of clear and frosted glass, decorated with three nude nymphs known as Trois Figurines et Raisins, sold to an Internet bidder for $1,782.50.
A fine Lalique Cote d’Or charger of clear and frosted glass, decorated with three nude nymphs known as Trois Figurines et Raisins, sold to an Internet bidder for $1,782.50.

A profusely detailed oil-on-panel still life by Continental artist Josephine Osnaghi (1861-1939), measuring 8 inches by 10¼ inches, exceeded its estimate to sell for $1,667.50.
A profusely detailed oil-on-panel still life by Continental artist Josephine Osnaghi (1861-1939), measuring 8 inches by 10¼ inches, exceeded its estimate to sell for $1,667.50.

Massachusetts artist Anne Packard (b. 1933-), who is known for her seascapes, painted this depiction of saltbox houses on a sunny day. It sold at auction for $1,380.
Massachusetts artist Anne Packard (b. 1933-), who is known for her seascapes, painted this depiction of saltbox houses on a sunny day. It sold at auction for $1,380.

This circa-1780 Imari bowl, 8 inches in diameter, is decorated in underglaze red and blue with gilded highlights. Its central interior panel features two stylized rabbits. Selling price: $825.
This circa-1780 Imari bowl, 8 inches in diameter, is decorated in underglaze red and blue with gilded highlights. Its central interior panel features two stylized rabbits. Selling price: $825.

New Orleans Auction’s Jan. 30-31 sale features Glade Collection

This Yaka Peoples mask is from the mid-20th century and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Luba Glade purchased the 36-inch high mask from the Davis Gallery, New Orleans, in 1991. It has a $7,000-$10,000 estimate. Image courtesy New Orleans Auction Galleries Inc.
This Yaka Peoples mask is from the mid-20th century and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Luba Glade purchased the 36-inch high mask from the Davis Gallery, New Orleans, in 1991. It has a $7,000-$10,000 estimate. Image courtesy New Orleans Auction Galleries Inc.
This Yaka Peoples mask is from the mid-20th century and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Luba Glade purchased the 36-inch high mask from the Davis Gallery, New Orleans, in 1991. It has a $7,000-$10,000 estimate. Image courtesy New Orleans Auction Galleries Inc.

NEW ORLEANS – Luba B. Glade, 87, who died Nov. 26, will long be remembered in her hometown for unwavering devotion to the arts community. The Newcomb College graduate was a driving force behind the creation of the Contemporary Arts Center. She was also an avid collector of fine art and African tribal art.

Approximately 200 lots of Glade’s collection will be sold at New Orleans Auction on Jan. 30-31. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.

“She was a remarkable woman,” said Charles Cage, office manager and silver specialist at New Orleans Auction Galleries Inc. “She traveled all over the world including Africa. She met and knew the tribes and acquired much of her tribal art directly from them.”

However, one of the top tribal pieces featured was acquired late in her life from the Davis Gallery in New Orleans. It is a mid-20th-century Yaka Peoples mask from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Made of wood, raffia fiber, canvas, wicker, resins, pigments and paint, the mask is surrounded by thick raffia fiber ruff and surmounted by an elaborate headdress with figures of a musician and a dancer. The mask is 36 inches high and 22 inches wide. It has a $7,000-$10,000 estimate.

Glade also liked her jewelry to be big and bold, and acquired many pieces on her travels. One of her favorite pieces was an unusual Mideast 20K yellow gold and coral necklace composed of gold faceted tubular links and faceted coral beads suspending imitation Arabic coins ad drops. The necklace has a $500-$800 estimate.

Glade operated the Glade Gallery in the 1950s and wrote art criticism for local and regional publications. She also collected art. Her obituary in the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that she bought what was described as minor pieces by major artists.

“She bought small pieces that reminded her of big pieces,” said her son Louis Glade.

Among the works by major artists is a 1980 color lithograph by Francis Bacon (Irish, 1909-1992). Titled Three Studies of the Human Body: Center Panel, the lithograph is numbered “109/250” and measures 39 1/2 inches by 26 inches. Glade acquired the work in June 1980 from the Marlborough Gallery in New York. It will sell on the second day of the auction.

Glade also supported local artists, including New Orleans photographer Clarence John Laughlin (1905-1985) Three gelatin silver prints by Laughlin from Glade’s collection will be offered with estimates of $800-$1,550.

Oil paintings in the auction include a Paris dance hall scene by Pierre Carrier Belleuse (French, 1851-1933) titled La Piste du Bal, Quadrille Metra. The 23 1/4- by 15 3/4-inch work has a $35,000-$50,000 estimate. It will sell on the first day of the auction.

A signed George Inness (American/New York, 1825-1894) painting titled Cattle Grazing in a Pastoral Landscape at Sunset dates to the 1880s retains a gallery inventory label on the reverse “Salander O’Reilly Galleries Inc., 20 East 79th Street, New York.” The 28- by 40-inch painting is estimated at $45,000-$70,000. It will sell on the second day.

Folk art in the auction includes an early 1950s painting titled Pruning the Banana Tree by Clementine Hunter (American/Louisiana, 1886-1988). The 12- by 15-inch oil on paper painting retains gallery label “Gasperi Gallery, 320 Julia Street, New Orleans.” The glazed and framed work has an $8,000-$12,000 estimate.

From a prominent New Orleans Garden District home comes a Steinway & Sons Model S baby grand piano in lightly used condition. It carries a $7,000-$10,000 estimate.

For details phone 504-566-1849.

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

Click here to view New Orleans Auction Galleries, Inc.’s complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Luba Glade acquired this Francis Bacon lithograph titled ‘Three Studies of the Human Body: Center Panel’ from Marlborough Gallery in New York in 1980. It is expected to sell for $7,000-$10,000. Image courtesy New Orleans Auction Galleries Inc.
Luba Glade acquired this Francis Bacon lithograph titled ‘Three Studies of the Human Body: Center Panel’ from Marlborough Gallery in New York in 1980. It is expected to sell for $7,000-$10,000. Image courtesy New Orleans Auction Galleries Inc.

Big and bold jewelry was one of Luba Glade’s trademarks. This unusual Mideast 20K yellow gold and coral necklace, composed of gold faceted tubular links and faceted coral beads suspending imitation Arabic coins as drops. It has a $500-$800 estimate. Image courtesy New Orleans Auction Galleries Inc.
Big and bold jewelry was one of Luba Glade’s trademarks. This unusual Mideast 20K yellow gold and coral necklace, composed of gold faceted tubular links and faceted coral beads suspending imitation Arabic coins as drops. It has a $500-$800 estimate. Image courtesy New Orleans Auction Galleries Inc.

Estimated at $25,000-$40,000 is this rare French First Standard (.950) four-piece silver gilt and enamel 'a la Russe' tea set crafted by Jules Gallerand of Paris in the fourth quarter of the 19th century. Image courtesy New Orleans Auction Galleries Inc.
Estimated at $25,000-$40,000 is this rare French First Standard (.950) four-piece silver gilt and enamel ‘a la Russe’ tea set crafted by Jules Gallerand of Paris in the fourth quarter of the 19th century. Image courtesy New Orleans Auction Galleries Inc.

Pierre Carrier Belleuse (French, 1851-1933) captures the excitement of a night at a Montmartre dance hall in ‘La Piste du Bal, Quadrille Metra.’ The signed oil on panel is 23 1/4 inches by 15 3/4 inches. It carries at $35,000-$50,000 estimate.
Pierre Carrier Belleuse (French, 1851-1933) captures the excitement of a night at a Montmartre dance hall in ‘La Piste du Bal, Quadrille Metra.’ The signed oil on panel is 23 1/4 inches by 15 3/4 inches. It carries at $35,000-$50,000 estimate.

Two da Vinci flying machines land at Nebraska museum

ASHLAND, Neb. (AP) – A traveling exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci’s amazing machines has landed at the Strategic Air & Space Museum near Ashland.

The exhibition is titled Leonardo da Vinci Machine in Motion. It runs through May 9.

It was created by scientists and crafts workers in Florence, Italy.

Da Vinci was born in 1452 in a small town near Florence. He became a scientist, inventor, musician, architect, engineer and artist. His most famous painting is “Mona Lisa.”

The full-scale machines are made mostly of wood and came from designs in da Vinci’s notebooks. They were constructed with tools and materials common in the 15th century.

Among da Vinci’s ideas were two different flying machines and a wooden tanklike vehicle that carried six cannons.

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On the Net:

Strategic Air & Space Museum: http://www.strategicairandspace.com/

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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-CS-01-26-10 0615EST

Historical society digitizing Civil War collection

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The Historical Society of Pennsylvania is putting its collection of Civil War memorabilia online.

Historical society officials say they will digitize thousands of letters, photographs and documents about the Civil War because of the upcoming 150th anniversary of the war.

Archivist Cathleen Miller says they’ve already stumbled upon interesting finds they didn’t know were in the collection, including documents that detail the lead-up to the Battle of Wounded Knee.

Historical society workers were setting up a digital camera to take pictures of the documents on Monday.

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Information from: KYW-AM, http://www.kyw1060.com

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-ES-01-26-10 0920EST

New Orleans a welcoming site for ACNA’s 2010 convention

Mike and Angie Becker, organizers of the 2010 ACNA Convention in New Orleans.
Mike and Angie Becker, organizers of the 2010 ACNA Convention in New Orleans.
Mike and Angie Becker, organizers of the 2010 ACNA Convention in New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS – Members of the Antiques and Collectibles National Association enjoyed three days of networking, seminars, field trips and fine New Orleans cuisine at their Jan. 10-13 convention in the French Quarter’s Hotel Monteleone. After the keynote address officially opening the convention, participants had the opportunity to attend their choice of 14 different seminars conducted at different times over the next three days.

Subjects and presenters included Marcia Brown, Costume Jewelry I & II; Fred and Gail Taylor, Antique Furniture Identification; DiAnna Tindell, Art Restoration and Frame Restoration; Bill and Carol Kearney and Christine Saltzman, Auctions and Estate Sales; Paul Boyd, Glass Repair; Barbara Mauzy, American Kitchen; Beth and Dan Walker, Silver Restoration; Debbie and Randy Coe, Going Green with Antiques; Jim Cottrell of M.S. Rau Antiques, Buying Art; and Kyle Husfloen, Ceramics.

Attendees were also treated to a private guided tour of M.S. Rau Antiques, widely regarded as one of the world’s finest retail antiques establishments, led by M.S. Rau Vice President Jim Cottrell. Among other things, members visiting the Rau gallery were able to view the $6.5 million monumental painting Alma Parens (The Motherland) by French master William Bouguereau (French 1825-1905); entire galleries of 18th- and 19th-century European and English furniture and art; and a circa-1830 pie-shape Regency extension table patented by Robert Jupe, one of only a handful known to exist.

The next afternoon was devoted entirely to a self-guided tour of the antiques district along Magazine Street. The shops were expecting the visit, and members were cordially greeted all along the route. Some shops even had refreshments for the visitors. Stops along the way included high-end European and American antique shops, Mid-century modern shops, antique malls and eateries, some of which offered discounts to the visitors.

The overall impression among attendees at the end of the convention was “If you weren’t here, you really missed out.” Typical comments included, “All the classes I attended were very good. Everyone was very knowledgeable on their subject,” “It was a very positive experience for me,” and “Thank you for a great opportunity. I enjoyed it.” All agreed that they left New Orleans better educated than when they arrived. Also, many new friendships were forged.

The ACNA offers a variety of services for antiques and collectibles dealers, mall owners, shop owners, show promoters and individual collectors including liability, inventory and building insurance, credit card processing, health insurance and collection insurance, travel discounts, shipping and supply discounts, special-interest vehicle insurance and a quarterly industry newsletter. For more information call 800-287-7127, visit the Web site at www.acna.us or email Angie Becker at angie@acna.us.

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Last call: Tavern on the Green announces Jan. 29-30 tag sale

NEW YORK – Tavern on the Green is now closed. But for two days – this Friday and Saturday, Jan. 29 and 30, 2010 – its doors will open for a massive, one-time-only tag sale in which thousands of items from the legendary restaurant will be sold.

Souvenirs and toys from the gift shop, china, glassware and beautiful tablecloths, fabulous holiday decorations, floral displays, collectible books and many more items will be available to purchase at a fixed price.

The Tavern on the Green tag sale will operate on Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tavern on the Green is located at 67th Street and Central Park West.

All items are available on a cash-and-carry basis only.

Additional information is available at www.guernseys.com.

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Internet bidders competed fiercely at Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches

An Internet bidder from China claimed this jade figure of a Buddha, which is modeled in a seated position on a double lotus base. The sale price of $4,250 was just shy of the high estimate. Image courtesy of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.
An Internet bidder from China claimed this jade figure of a Buddha, which is modeled in a seated position on a double lotus base. The sale price of $4,250 was just shy of the high estimate. Image courtesy of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.
An Internet bidder from China claimed this jade figure of a Buddha, which is modeled in a seated position on a double lotus base. The sale price of $4,250 was just shy of the high estimate. Image courtesy of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Substantial Internet live bidding bolstered the results at Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches’ sale Jan. 11. Among the top items was a 7 3/4-inch white jade figure of Buddha, which sold to an Internet bidder from China for $4,250. Prices do not include the buyer’s premium.

“The January auction was the beginning of our winter antiquing season in South Florida. The auction was well attended with about 100 gallery bidders, 75 telephone bidders and heavy Internet action,” said Brian Kogan of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches. He noted that approximately 50 Internet bidders won one or more lots.

LiveAuctioneers provided Internet live bidding.

Topping the jade items was large white mountain that sold to a local bidder for the midpoint estimate of $16,000. This deeply carved 9-inch figure was raised on a carved giltwood base made by Edward I. Farmer. A New York City art dealer in the 1920s, Farmer specialized in Chinese works and was known for mounting jades into his decorative accessories, rendering each piece unique.

A local bidder staved off Internet and phone competitors to purchase an intricately carved white jade vase and cover for $5,000, which equaled the low estimate. The Chinese vase with its cover and pierced knob finial stood 6 1/4 inches high.

The much anticipated signed Orville Bulman painting titled Charivari sold within estimate for $22,500. The 18- by 24-inch oil on canvas depicts the traditional American country custom of banging on pots and beeping horns in a raucous serenade to disturb a newly married couple on their honeymoon. The scene is also known as a “Shivaree” but the term “charivari” is used regionally, and is derived from an archaic French word meaning headache.” The well-documented painting had been in the collection of the Coastal Oil Co., Newark, N.J.

A William IV sterling silver salver by Paul Storr, London, 1834, sold for $14,000, falling short of the low estimate by $1,000. The circular tray, 20 1/4 inches in diameter, was stamped “Storr & Mortimer 213.” It weighed 110 troy ounces.

Selling at the low estimate of $4,000 was a fine George III sterling silver wine ewer by Charles Wright of London, 1778. The urn-form ewer stood 13 1/4 inches high and weighed 28 ounces.

A Baroque walnut sideboard, possibly Italian, from the early 18th century sold more than doubled the high estimate when it sold for $6,500. It stood 45 inches tall by 64 inches wide by 20 1/4 inches deep.

A floor bidder paid $4,250, more than double the high estimate, for a fine 19th-century Venetian mirror, 54 3/4 inches by 35 inches.

Another floor bidder paid $4,250, nearly the high estimate, to top an Internet bidder for a pair of large Lalique frosted crystal swans.

An Internet bidder also came up short on a large Japanese iron charger from the late Meiji Period, which went to a collector from Miami for $2,500.

Another Miami buyer won two abstract paintings by Byron Browne (American. 1907-1961). His signed and dated 1955 painting titled Provincetown, 20 inches by 26 inches, topped its high estimate, selling for $3,500. Aegean Myth, signed and dated 1954, 20 inches by 26 inches, sold within estimate for $2,200.

A Dale Chihuly glass blow, Seaform in Pink, 17 1/4 inches long by 8 3/4 inches wide by 6 3/4 inches high, sold within estimate for $3,400 to a phone bidder from Seattle. A 1980 signed Chihuly Threaded Cylindrical Vase, 12 1/4 inches high, reached $3,200.

The Goddess Isis, a 20 7/8-inch-high gilt bronze after Edouard Henri Delasalle (French, 1823-1851), signed “Delasalle, Paris,” more than doubled the high estimate, selling for $1,800. Again the backup bidder competed on the Internet.

For details phone 561-805-7115.

Click here to view Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches, Inc.’s complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Made in London in 1834, this William IV sterling silver salver by Paul Storr sold for $14,000. Image courtesy of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.
Made in London in 1834, this William IV sterling silver salver by Paul Storr sold for $14,000. Image courtesy of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.

Carved during the 18th century, this large white jade mountain group on a 20th-century giltwood base sold for $16,000. Image courtesy of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.
Carved during the 18th century, this large white jade mountain group on a 20th-century giltwood base sold for $16,000. Image courtesy of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.

Orville Bulman’s ‘Charivari’ depicts an old-fashioned shivaree, a noisy mock serenade to a newly married couple. The oil painting is sold for $22,500 plus premium to a Southern phone bidder. Image courtesy of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.
Orville Bulman’s ‘Charivari’ depicts an old-fashioned shivaree, a noisy mock serenade to a newly married couple. The oil painting is sold for $22,500 plus premium to a Southern phone bidder. Image courtesy of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.

Sea life in relief covers this 26 1/4-inch Japanese iron charger of the late Meiji Period. It sold for $2,500. Image courtesy of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.
Sea life in relief covers this 26 1/4-inch Japanese iron charger of the late Meiji Period. It sold for $2,500. Image courtesy of Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.

Cyprus police bust large antiquities theft ring

Cyprus is home to many ancient archaeological treasures. Shown here is the Temple to Apollon, outside the city of Limassol.
Cyprus is home to many ancient archaeological treasures. Shown here is the Temple to Apollon, outside the city of Limassol.
Cyprus is home to many ancient archaeological treasures. Shown here is the Temple to Apollon, outside the city of Limassol.

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) – Authorities have busted a smuggling ring in Cyprus and recovered dozens of ancient artifacts it planned to sell for euro11 million (15.5 million), including a miniature gold coffin, silver coins and terra-cotta urns, police said Monday.

In what is believed to be the largest antiquities theft case of its kind in the Mediterranean island’s history, police seized the artifacts dating back thousands of years from homes, storage sheds and vehicles where they were being hidden.

The artifacts include copper and silver coins, terra-cotta urns and clay and limestone figurines believed to date from the Copper Age to around 400 B.C., Cyprus Antiquities Curator Maria Hadjicosti told The Associated Press.

Ten Cypriots were arrested during the raids over the weekend, and authorities were searching for another five suspects, including a Syrian man, police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said. The suspects face charges of illegally possessing and trading in antiquities.

Police said the smugglers had planned to sell the artifacts in Cyprus, but would not identify the buyer. Authorities also said they were investigating where the artifacts had been obtained.

Katsounotos said this was Cyprus’ largest antiquities smuggling case in terms of the amount of recovered artifacts, their archaeological value and the number of arrests.

Most of the artifacts are urns primarily found around the southern coastal towns of Limassol and Paphos, Hadjicosti said. Some of the coins could date to Hellenistic and Roman times.

The curator said some of the recovered artifacts, including the gold coffin and other gold objects, don’t appear to be Cypriot, and more study was needed to determine their precise origins.

Communications Minister Nikos Nikolaides said the bust was conducted with the help of Greek authorities, but he wouldn’t provide details. He also said some of the antiquities may have been dug up from archaeological sites in the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north of the island.

Excavations on Cyprus have uncovered settlements dating back to around 9000 B.C. Cyprus then saw successive waves of colonization, including Phoenicians, Mycenaean Greeks, Romans and, in the Middle Ages, Franks and Venetians. The island was conquered by Ottoman Turks in 1571 and became part of the British Empire in 1878 before winning independence in 1960.

Violence between Cyprus’ majority Greek community and the Turkish community broke out shortly after, and the island has been divided along ethnic lines since a Turkish invasion in 1974, prompted by a failed coup aimed at union with Greece.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-CS-01-25-10 1046EST

Angel frieze returns to Davenport Museum

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – Davenport’s old Carnegie library fell to the wrecking ball long ago, but a cherished piece of that building has returned home.

A 105-year-old frieze, cast from an original sculpture of cherubs by the Italian artist Donatello, has been cleaned up and reinstalled at the downtown Davenport Public Library’s special collections area.

The reproduction of Donatello’s “singing angels” was presented to the old library in 1905 by W.C. Putnam, a wealthy entrepreneur who was the godfather of the Putnam Museum. It was an expensive, imported piece for a wall of the children<s department in the library. But when the museum was razed in 1966, the plaster reproduction found a new home at the Blackhawk Hotel in downtown Davenport.

As restoration work began on the hotel this fall, developers Restoration St. Louis decided to donate the valuable piece of art back to the library.

“It takes us back to our roots as a Carnegie library,” said a grateful Amy Groskopf, the chief archivist for the library. “Since we don’t have our original building, it’s nice to have a significant piece of history we can put back in our facility to remind us of where we came from.”

Although it is a reproduction, it still is a legitimate and important work of art, said Nicole Grabow, a specialist with the Midwest Art Conservation Center in Minneapolis who traveled twice to Davenport to assist in the moving and reinstallation project.

The plaster reproduction was made in 1904 by a company called P.P. Caproni and Brother of Boston. In the early part of the 20th century, such companies were granted access to world-class pieces of art and allowed to make direct castings, a practice that is impossible today, Grabow said.

The Donatello piece was created in 1439. Today, it is preserved at the Museo del’Opera del Duomo in Florence, Italy.

“The fact you can’t take those castings any more and the kind of workmanship that was required to do it in plaster makes it worthwhile,” Grabow said. “Part of the value is also in its history. It was given to the library by W.C. Putnam, who was a significant local historic figure. It’s become a part of the history of the library that’s pretty hard to put a price on.”

It also is one of the largest reproductions of its kind Grabow has ever seen. Companies like P.P. Caproni often made smaller sculpture reproductions for private collectors, but large pieces – in this case 24 feet long and 3 feet high – are rare.

“I’ve never come across one this large,” she said.

The cleanup and move was a delicate process, Grabow and Groskopf said.

It had to be moved in six sections, each about 4 feet wide and weighing about 100 pounds. After it was cleaned, it was reinstalled using the same mounting method used previously, consisting of 4-by-4 pieces of wood mounted to the wall and a metal shelf for support.

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Information from: Quad-City Times, http://www.qctimes.com

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-CS-01-24-10 1201EST

 

Furniture maker seeks bankruptcy reorganization

MONSON, Maine (AP) – An eleventh-hour Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing allowed Maine’s Moosehead Furniture Co. to avoid an auction aimed at liquidating its assets.

The bankruptcy reorganization was announced minutes before Thursday’s auction, leaving about 200 bidders from across the country frustrated. Chuck Lapinski from Tennessee told the Bangor Daily News that he had planned to buy the sawmill equipment. Instead, he had nothing to show for his $5,000 in expenses.

The former Moosehead Manufacturing Co. went out of business because of competition from low-priced imported furniture.

It stayed alive as Moosehead Furniture under new owners, but it closed again while the owners went looking for investors to stave off liquidation.

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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangornews.com

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-ES-01-22-10 0925EST