February 2010 - Page 7 of 11 - Auction Central News

Flea market in Old City, Jerusalem. Copyrighted photo taken in 2006 by Ester Inbar, appears by permission of the copyright holder.

Byzantine-era street uncovered in Jerusalem

February 11, 2010/in Antiquities, Cultures & Historical/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

Flea market in Old City, Jerusalem. Copyrighted photo taken in 2006 by Ester Inbar, appears by permission of the copyright holder.

JERUSALEM (AP) – Archaeologists said Wednesday that they have unearthed a section of a stone street in Jerusalem that provides important new evidence about the city’s commercial life 1,500 years ago.

The 19-foot (5.8-meter) section of street passes from the west into the center of Jerusalem’s Old City, coming to a stop at a large cistern that supplied water to the city’s residents. Pottery, coins and bronze weights used to measure precious metals from Byzantine times were also found at the site.

The discovery conforms to the layout of the city depicted in a mosaic map discovered earlier in a Jordanian church, said excavation director Ofer Sion of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The map has long been used as a guide to understanding the shape of the city during the 4th through 6th centuries and the discovery of the street proves the map is correct.

“This street was the center during the most (commercially) successful period in the history of (ancient) Jerusalem,” he said. “It is wonderful that (today’s street) actually preserved the route of the noisy street from 1,500 years ago.”

Working from the historic map, archaeologists three months ago uncovered covered the section of street 14 feet (4.3 meters) below the current street level.

The map, taken from a Byzantine-era church in Madaba, Jordan, shows the locations of major streets and the Christian sites in the city, including the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the site where the faithful believe Jesus was buried.

Once restoration work is completed, within the next few weeks, the segment of street will be covered because of heavy pedestrian traffic in the area, Sion said.

AP-ES-02-10-10 0806EST

A meal fit for a King? No, but experts say the plate is!

February 11, 2010/in Antiques/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

LONDON (AP) – A British woman says she’s shocked that a dusty dish on her shelf has been identified as a very valuable 260-year-old antique made for the King of Prussia.

Wendy Jones said Tuesday she was unaware for years that the 22-inch (55-centimeter) meat dish – which once even clattered to the floor – was a rare collectable from a 100-piece dinner service.

Jones took the plate to a taping of BBC television’s Antiques Roadshow, even though she originally hoped experts would value her collection of books.

Experts instead examined the plate and confirmed it was part of a set presented to Frederick the Great of Prussia in 1750 by the Prussian East India Company.

Jones was told the dish, a family heirloom from Germany, is worth about 100,000 pounds ($160,000).

AP-ES-02-09-10 1248EST

Alaska’s first car heads to antique museum

February 11, 2010/in Antiques/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) – Alaska’s first car is being loaned out to the Antique Auto Museum in Fairbanks.

The car is a runabout hand-built in 1905 by late Skagway resident Robert Sheldon. The construction was reportedly based on illustrations Sheldon had seen of cars in magazines and built with materials available in the Southeast town.

The vehicle has been on display for years at the University of Alaska’s Museum of the North.

The car will be on loan for at least five years.

UA Museum spokeswoman Kerynn Fisher says the new display is expected to be unveiled to the public by mid May.

Fisher says there are plans to ultimately build a working replica of the Sheldon car, which is not operable and will be transported a couple miles Tuesday by another vehicle to its new temporary home.

AP-WS-02-09-10 0800EST

De Coene Freres console. Image courtesy Kamelot Auctions.

Fine furniture from Phila. estate leads lineup at Kamelot, Feb. 20

February 10, 2010/in Upcoming Auctions/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

De Coene Freres console. Image courtesy Kamelot Auctions.

PHILADELPHIA – Exceptional consignments are ready to be showcased at Kamelot Auctions’ first major sale of 2010, featuring more than 650 lots. On Saturday, Feb. 20, the Philadelphia auction house will present an important offering of furniture that includes Mid-century Modern, Art Deco, Jansen, French and English designs.

Bidders may choose from upholstered settees, chairs, beds, armchairs and dining sets, and much more. Complementing the furniture will be selections of French porcelain, bronze, sterling silver flatware and hollowware, and vintage glassware, mostly originating from a single estate in the upscale Main Line Philadelphia suburb of Bala Cynwyd. Framed oil paintings and prints will round out the sale along with some great collectibles, and several groupings of classic and modern lighting.

The family of Phillip Lloyd Powell has consigned several original pieces by the famed Pennsylvania designer and craftsman who died in 2008. Among the Powel furnishings to be auctioned are a tall stylized table lamp, two small tables and a round, marble-topped dining table. Additionally, Kamelot will offer two other Powell lots: a cheese board and a pair of salt and pepper shakers.

Powell, who studied under George Nakashima and mentored Paul Evans, is well known for his elegant, sculptural woodwork, but he was not prolific in his output. The total number of pieces he produced over a 50-year period is said to be under a thousand, significantly less than his contemporaries. Kamelot Auctions’ owner, Jeff Kamal, remarked, “I know our customers will appreciate the opportunity this presents, and I am really pleased to be bringing a few of this great local artisan’s designs into the marketplace for the first time.”

Other 20th-century highlights include elegant Art Deco furniture attributed to the ambitious Flemish design and manufacturing company De Coene Freres. An ebonized card table with four slides fitted with drink holders, trimmed in bronze and having a top with rounded corners stepped slightly inside its apron, displays the distinctly European styling that characterizes so much of the Kuntswerkestede aesthetic of 1930.

There is also a decorative console attributed to De Coene Freres, fitted as a dressing table, with hinged top and two drawers over a base with mirrored back panel and graceful, scrolling front legs. These lots, as well as a very attractive set of four armchairs by De Coene are entered in the sale with individual estimates of $1,000 to $3,000 each.

The Bala Cynwyd estate is predominantly of a tradition taste and is laden with French and English furniture, but it also includes superb collectibles such as vintage Steiff animals with original tags. The estate also includes numerous decorative cocktail table accessories and vintage barware, antique Chinese porcelain, candlesticks, crystal and silver.

For additional information on any item in the sale, call Kamelot Auctions at 215-438-6990. View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Click here to view Kamelot Auctions’ complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

French canopy bed. Image courtesy Kamelot Auctions.

Macassar Deco desk. Image courtesy Kamelot Auctions.

Pair of painted English Regency-style chairs. Image courtesy Kamelot Auctions.

Furniture by Powell. Image courtesy Kamelot Auctions.

Selection of sterling silver. Image courtesy Kamelot Auctions.

Chaise lounge with roller feet. Image courtesy Kamelot Auctions.

Porcelain wares. Image courtesy Kamelot Auctions.

Belle Epoque commode. Image courtesy Kamelot Auctions.

‘Rotante primo sezionale n. 1’ (Rotating First Section No. 1), one of two artist proofs of this sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro, attained $468,000. Image courtesy of Skinner Inc.

Paintings, prints make impressive showing at Skinner

February 10, 2010/in Auction Results/by Tom Hoepf

‘Rotante primo sezionale n. 1’ (Rotating First Section No. 1), one of two artist proofs of this sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro, attained $468,000. Image courtesy of Skinner Inc.

BOSTON – Skinner Inc. recorded strong results for its Americna & European Paintings & Prints auction, conducted Jan 29. The sale grossed more than $2.5 million with a strong bidding audience in the room and high bid activity from the phones and Internet.

The top-lot of the sale was an Arnaldo Pomodoro artist proof of Rotante primo sezionale n. 1 (Rotating First Section No. 1), 1966, estimated at the high end at $150,000, but bringing $468,000, a very strong price for the only artist proof of this title offered thus far.

Rounding out the top three were a newly rediscovered Georgia O’Keeffe, Alligator Pear in White Dish, which sold for $225,150, well above its estimate high of $150,000; and Jesus Rafael Soto’s Struttura, estimated between $30,000 and $40,000, selling for $100,725.

Record-setting bids were placed for Saul Steinberg’s Art Lovers, which sold for $22,515, several times the estimate high of $5,000 and the highest price reported for a work of his on paper; Daniel Chester French’s Portrait Bust of a Woman, which brought $16,590, the highest price paid for this work; and Cecilia Beaux’s Portrait of Joseph B. Thomas III, which brought $8,295, the highest price reported for a work on paper by Beaux.

“We’ve spent the past year redefining the mission of Skinner’s paintings department. This sale, in particular, featured works of greater quality, and we presented them more effectively in our redesigned catalog format. Clearly these changes are beginning to bear fruit,” said Robin Starr, director of American & European Paintings & Prints. “We’re very pleased with the strength of Skinner’s first sale of 2010. We’re finding renewed interest in contemporary works and that’s good news for the art market overall.”

Skinner’s next auction of American & European Paintings & Prints will be held Friday, May 21, in Boston.

Click here to view Skinner Inc.’s complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Considered lost since the mid-1950s, Georgia O’Keefe’s ‘Alligator Pear in White Dish’ sold for $225,150. Image courtesy of Skinner Inc.

Jesus Rafael Soto’s ‘Struttura’ sold for $100,725. Made of painted wood, steel and nylon, the work stands 30 1/2 inches high. Image courtesy of Skinner Inc.

(pictured in auction preview)

‘Art Lovers,’ ink and colored pencil on paper, by Saul Steinberg (American, 1914-1999) sold for $22,515. Image courtesy of Skinner Inc.

John Whorf (Massachusetts/California, 1903-1959), watercolor, Mediterranean Fishermen, signed, 21 inches by 29 inches sight. Estimate $4,000-$6,000. Image courtesy William Jenack Auctioneers.

John Whorf marine artworks in William Jenack’s Feb. 21 sale

February 10, 2010/in Upcoming Auctions/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

John Whorf (Massachusetts/California, 1903-1959), watercolor, Mediterranean Fishermen, signed, 21 inches by 29 inches sight. Estimate $4,000-$6,000. Image courtesy William Jenack Auctioneers.

CHESTER, N.Y. – William Jenack Auctioneers’ Feb. 21 auction will feature several fine artworks with a marine theme, a collection of beer steins and pitchers; including several lithopane types; Mettlach wares, militaria and a selection of musical instruments, the latter of which will open the sale. Among the 40 lots of musicmakers is a circa-1916 George Washburn labeled violin with a Meili hard case and bow.

One of the more unusual lots in the sale is a homemade automaton “beer garden” that was built by Carl Malenka around 1905. The automaton, with mechanical inner workings by Victrola, includes figures dancing, a bartender serving beer and an orchestra playing. An interesting example of American folk art, it is modestly estimated at $1,500-$2,000.

Fine art is expected to be the strongest category in the sale, with two featured watercolors by John Whorf (Massachusetts/California, 1903-1959). As the title suggests, In The Sand Dunes, Provincetown, Mass., dated 1954, depicts figures on the dunes (est. $3,000-$5,000). The subject of the other Whorf watercolor, titled Mediterranean Fishermen, is fishermen tending to their boats (est. $4,000-$6,000. Another significant painting in the sale is the Ray Austin Crooke (Australian, 1922-) titled Forest. Signed and dated “1958,” the oil-on-Masonite painting carries an estimate of $7,000-$10,000.

As is par for the course in a Jenack sale, the inventory will also include Oriental rugs and carpets, 19th- and 20th-century furniture, mirrors, decorator display pedestals, Chinese art and artifacts, fine jewelry, bronzes and decorative accessories for every taste and budget.

For additional information on any lot in the sale, call 845-469-9095. View the fully illustrated catalog online and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Circa-1905 folk Art automaton beer garden with dancing figures and orchestra, by Carl Malenka, cased with stand. Estimate $1,500-$2,000. Image courtesy William Jenack Auctioneers.

Austrian gilt bronze sugar and creamer marked ‘Gurschner’ (Gustav, Austrian 1873-1971). Estimate $600-$900. Image courtesy William Jenack Auctioneers.

Ray Austin Cooke (Australian, 1922-), ‘Forest,’ oil on Masonite panel, 18 inches by 24 inches sight, signed and dated 1958. Estimate $7,000-$10,000. Image courtesy William Jenack Auctioneers.

1916 George Washburn labeled violin #4015 with Meili hard case and bow. Estimate $500-$800. Image courtesy William Jenack Auctioneers.

Portrait of Marie-Thérèse, 1937 Oil on canvas,100 x 81 cm Pablo Picasso, Spanish, worked in France, 1881-1973 Musée National Picasso, Paris © 2010 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo Credit: Jean-Gilles Berizzi / Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, New York.

Seattle Art Museum lands major Picasso exhibit

February 10, 2010/in Museums/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

Portrait of Marie-Thérèse, 1937 Oil on canvas,100 x 81 cm Pablo Picasso, Spanish, worked in France, 1881-1973 Musée National Picasso, Paris © 2010 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo Credit: Jean-Gilles Berizzi / Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, New York.

SEATTLE (AP) – The Seattle Art Museum has landed a major exhibition of Pablo Picasso’s work.

The exhibit opens in October and will feature 75 paintings and sculptures from throughout Picasso’s eight-decade career, plus drawings and photographs.

The artworks come from the Musee National Picasso in Paris, which houses Picasso’s personal collection. The Musee Picasso recently closed for renovation, and the Seattle Art Museum says this is likely the only time such a comprehensive survey of Picasso’s work will travel the world.

Seattle is the exhibit’s first stop in the U.S. Among the highlights will be Cubist Man with a Guitar from 1911, Cat Clutching a Bird from 1939 and the self-portrait The Matador from 1970.

AP-WS-02-09-10 1308EST

ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

Two Women Running on the Beach (La Course), 1922 Gouache on plywood, 32.5 x 41.1 cm Pablo Picasso, Spanish, worked in France, 1881-1973 Musée National Picasso, Paris © 2010 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo Credit: Jean-Gilles Berizzi / Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, New York.

La Celestina, 1904 Oil on canvas, 74.5 x 58.5 cm Pablo Picasso, Spanish, worked in France, 1881-1973 Musée National Picasso, Paris © 2010 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo Credit: Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, New York.

The Crying Woman, 1937 Oil on canvas, 55.3 x 46.3 cm Pablo Picasso, Spanish, worked in France, 1881-1973 Musée National Picasso, Paris © 2010 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo Credit: Jean-Gilles Berizzi / Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, New York.

The Two Brothers, 1906 Oil on canvas, 80 x 59 cm Pablo Picasso, Spanish, worked in France, 1881-1973 Musée National Picasso, Paris © 2010 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo Credit: R.G. Ojeda / Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, New York.

Portrait of Dora Maar, 1937 Oil on canvas, 92 x 65 cm Pablo Picasso, Spanish, worked in France, 1881-1973 Musée National Picasso, Paris © 2010 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo Credit: Jean-Gilles Berizzi / Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, New York.

Paul as a Harlequin, 1924 Oil on canvas, 130 x 97.5 cm Pablo Picasso, Spanish, worked in France, 1881-1973 Musée National Picasso, Paris © 2010 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo Credit: Jean-Gilles Berizzi / Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, New York.

The Reading, 1932, Oil on canvas, 130 x 97.5 cm Pablo Picasso, Spanish, worked in France, 1881-1973 Musée National Picasso, Paris © 2010 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo Credit: R.G. Ojeda / Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, New York.

George Washington’s whiskey going on display in North Dakota

February 10, 2010/in General Interest/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) – Bottles of whiskey and rum from George Washington’s Mount Vernon distillery recipes will be on display in the spring at the North Dakota Museum of Art on the University of North Dakota campus.

Grand Forks liquor retailer Hal Gershman bought the two bottles at an auction last fall to benefit Mount Vernon, Washington’s plantation home on the Potomac River. He paid $12,000.

The bottles will be displayed at the Grand Forks museum from April 18 to June 3, along with a letter the nation’s first president wrote in 1799 just before his death.

___

Information from: Grand Forks Herald, http://www.grandforksherald.com

AP-WS-02-09-10 0700EST

Fontaine’s to present free lamp seminar, appraisal March 21

February 10, 2010/in Events/by Tom Hoepf

PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Fontaine’s Auction Gallery is offering a free seminar and appraisal on the lamps of Tiffany and other 20th-century lighting to be held Sunday, Mar. 21, in the firm’s gallery facility, located at 1485 S. Housatonic St.

Fontaine’s has been the scene of numerous auctions that featured rare and vintage lamps and lighting fixtures.

Guest speaker for the event will be Paul Crist of Paul Crist Studios, an expert in Tiffany lamps and the author of the book Mosaic Shades Volume II. An informative seminar by Crist will begin at 10 a.m., with a question-and-answer session to follow. Crist specializes in Tiffany examples and has more than 30 years of experience in mosaic shades – copper foiled and leaded.

Teaming with Crist will be John Fontaine of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery, himself an expert in the field of lamps and vintage lighting and co-author of the book The Handel Lamps Book. Fontaine invites attendees to bring their lamps to the seminar for a free evaluation and authentication. A certificate documenting a vintage lamp’s authenticity may also be purchased.

“If you have one piece or an entire collection, we are here for you,” said Fontaine. “We suggest calling ahead, to reserve a time slot in the morning or afternoon.” Fontaine added his firm will host a Spring Exceptional Antiques Auction on May 22, at which a session will be devoted entirely to fine lighting from estates and collections from around the country.

“We are offering a zero percent sellers’ commission on high-end lighting and antiques,” said Fontaine. “It will cost consignors nothing to sell their Tiffany and other high-end lighting at one of the top galleries for 20th-century arts and lighting in the country.” Fontaine’s implemented the zero percent commission policy at the end of last year.

Crist is a nationally renowned and leading expert. He is said to be the “last stop” for authenticating and lighting evaluation. Crist’s exhaustive research and documentation, spanning more than three decades, prompted him to produce the three-volume Mosaic Shades series, which is used as a learning tool by collectors.

His first publication, Mosaic Shade Volume II, is packed with knowledge and photos of the many copper-foiled shade makers apart from Tiffany, to include Duffner & Kimberly, Chicago Mosaic, Wilkinson, John Morgan, Unique Glass Co. and more. Volume II serves a dual purpose: It is a handsome coffee-table book, and it is a go-to reference for the researcher.

Fontaine was born into the world of auctions and antiques. He has been in the business for 40 years, both as an auctioneer and researcher. His knowledge extends to renowned furniture makers like J.H. Belter, J. & J.W. Meeks, R.J. Horner, Herter Brothers, Alexander Roux, Gustav Stickley and Charles Rohlfs.

But Fontaine’s passion for lighting is uncharted. His driving ambition assisted him well in the preparation and writing of The Handel Lamps Book. Documenting and photographing the treasures of Philip Handel, he was able to produce a definitive reference work on Handel lamps.

Fontaine has embraced the world of 20th-century lighting fully. Included in his repertoire is knowledge of other reverse painted lamp makers such as Moe Bridges, Pittsburgh, Jefferson and Pairpoint, as well as leaded/copper-foiled lamp makers like Tiffany, Duffner & Kimberly, Chicago Mosaic, Wilkinson, John Morgan, Unique Glass Company and many others.

Preceding the March 21 seminar event will be an Antique Discovery Estate Auction, slated for Saturday, March 20, beginning at 10 a.m., also at the Fontaine’s gallery. The May 22 event will be a cataloged auction, featuring antique furniture, lighting, mission, and antique clocks and watches. The zero percent consignors’ commission for high-quality items applies.

For details call (413) 448-8922, send an e-mail to Fontaine at info@fontaineauction.com or visit the Web site at www.fontainesauction.net

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

John Fontaine and Paul Crist, who will both speak at the seminar, authored these lamp books. Image courtesy of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.

Felix Ziem (1821-1911), Le Palais des Doges, Vue du Le Canal Grande, oil on canvas, 20 inches by 26 inches. Est. $85,000-$125,000. Image courtesy Kaminski Auctions.

Venetian canal scene could glide to $125K at Kaminski’s, Feb. 20-21

February 10, 2010/in Upcoming Auctions/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

Felix Ziem (1821-1911), Le Palais des Doges, Vue du Le Canal Grande, oil on canvas, 20 inches by 26 inches. Est. $85,000-$125,000. Image courtesy Kaminski Auctions.

BOSTON – Kaminski Auctions will conduct an auction of fine art, antiques other estate goods on Feb. 20-21 at its Boston gallery, with Internet live bidding provided by LiveAuctioneers.com. Leading the sale is an oil-on-canvas painting by Felix Ziem (French, 1821-1911) titled Le Palais des Doges, Vue du Le Canal Grande.

Originally a painter of the French Barbizon school, Ziem became known for his impressionistic scenes of Venice, which are his most coveted works with today’s collectors. Along with Canaletto and Guardi, Ziem is regarded by many as one of the most accomplished painters of Venetian scenes. The artwork to be auctioned by Kaminski’s is estimated at $85,000-$125,000.

Three antique chandeliers will illuminate the exciting two-day auction. The chandeliers are rare circa-1850 to 1860 gasolier models, each made of fine polished bronze. One bears a swan and serpent design, encrusted with a floral motif (est. $20,000-$30,000). The second features an elegant moss and leaf design (est. $20,000-$30,000), and the third has a griffin design with a matching sconces ($10,000-$15,000). All three chandeliers have come from an important estate in Salem, Mass., and will be auctioned individually.

Also featured is a KPM plaque depicting a pair of young street musicians (est. $10,000-$15,000). The porcelain plaque, which is signed Wagner, measures 8¾ inches by 16¼ inches, framed. The piece features a young man playing a fiddle while his younger female companion provides vocal accompaniment. KPM plaques are highly collectible and frequently fetch four- and five-figure prices at auction.

A suite of Belter rosewood furniture in the popular “Spoon” pattern is also offered. The set includes a pair of recamiers (est. $5,000-$8,000), a sofa (est. $2,500-$4,500) a settee (est. $2,000-$3,000) and a parlor chair (est. $1,000-$1,500). Belter is known for its laminated rosewood furniture, in which thin strips of veneer were glued and pressed together, then steamed in a mold to produce a curved form. This trademark process made the furniture not only strong, but also beautifully finished on all sides.

“Our February auction combines the very best consignments from both our Massachusetts and California locations,” said Frank Kaminski, owner of Kaminski Auctions. “A series of successful appraisal events at our new Beverly Hills (Calif.) location has led to the discovery of a some truly remarkable items.”

For additional information on any item in the sale, call Kaminski’s at 978-927-2223. Visit the fully illustrated catalog online and sign up to bid live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Click here to view Kaminski Auctions’ complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

KPM plaque, depicting young street musicians, 8 3/4 inches by 16 1/4 inches, signed ‘Wagner.’ Est. $10,000-$15,000. Image courtesy Kaminski Auctions.

Nineteenth-century gasolier bronze chandelier with moss and leaf design. Est. $20,000-$30,000. Image courtesy Kaminski Auctions.