WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches will conduct a single owner, two-session auction on Jan. 10 and 11, offering the personal property of Florence Rubinstein and the late Irving Rubinstein. The Rubinsteins were the owners of the renowned Madison Galleries in New York City before retiring to Delray Beach. The auction will feature over 600 lots of antiques, fine art, and objets d’art that were previously in their home at 20 Sutton Place South in Manhattan.
LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.
This collection was amassed over 70 years of dealing and collecting by the Rubinsteins. Their eye for antiques is clearly evident in the fine selection of items offered. Each object has a quality in execution and detail that is a testament to the Rubinsteins’ discerning taste.
Some of the highlights are a group of Russian bronzes including a large selection by Lanceray, a collection of Russian enamels, over 75 lots of silver, a collection of fine Japanese and Chinese ivories and bronzes, 19th-century figural bronze and Baccarat crystal vases, a Satsuma collection, a fine collection of 17 Pietra Dura plaques, three paintings by Johann Berthelsen (1873-1972 American), a 19th-century Pietra Dura inlaid cabinet on stand, a collection of fine English porcelain service plates, a fabulously large Meissen dog, 273 pieces of Tiffany sterling flatware set in the Castilian pattern and an amazing Tiffany glass vase 14 inches high, pair of Royal Sevres vases, 18th- and 19th-century Chinese porcelain and jade objects including an impressive 18th-century covered vase, coral carvings, a collection of European bronzes, European paintings and much more.
This auction will be an excellent opportunity for collectors and dealers to bid on an array of fine quality antiques and art that are fresh to the market, after seventy years of collecting.
Madison Galleries was founded by Florence’s father, Abe Ash, in the 1930s and its first location was on Madison Avenue in Midtown. As the gallery became more successful in the 1950s, Ash branched out and opened two locations in Atlantic City and expanded the Manhattan gallery to 45th and Fifth Avenue. As Madison Galleries continued to grow with new connections in Europe, the gallery became too small and relocated to 56th Street and Second Avenue.
By the time Irving and Florence Rubinstein took over the running of Madison Galleries from Abe Ash, Madison Galleries had become recognized as one of the major retailers in the antique industry. Their business was expanding and their reputation as a leading supplier of antiques to the retail and antique auction trade was flourishing. Madison Galleries became a recognized destination for collectors, designers, and decorators. In the 1980s, the gallery re-located to 840 Broadway and operated there until 1995 when the Rubinsteins retired to South Florida. Mr. Rubinstein passed away in 2004 and Mrs. Rubinstein now in her 90s has chosen to auction her extensive collection with Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc.
For more information, condition reports, and images of this outstanding collection please see the auction company’s website at www.AGOPB.com or call 561-805-7115 and ask for Mr. Leslie Baker or Mr. Brian Kogan. Preview will begin in the gallery Jan. 6. The gallery is at 1609 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 5, in West Palm Beach, FL 33401.
NEW YORK – Auctions by Showplace Antique & Design Center will present a wide variety of fine paintings, drawings, prints, Asian antiques, American and European decorative objects, 20-century design and vintage furniture at its monthly on-line auction on Wednesday, Dec. 29.
LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding. The 655-lot auction will begin at 1 p.m. Eastern.
A featured lot consists of Chinese Qing cloisonné censers of brass and enamel. Standing about 19 inches high, the censers have Qianlong marks and carry an estimate of $35,000-$40,000.
A 19th-century Chinese carved white jade screen is another highlight. The jade has a finely carved figural scene and rests in a lacquer wood frame that stands 18 1/4 inches high. It bears a $13,000-$15,000 estimate.
Nearly 2,000 years old, a Tang Dynasty gild bronze mirror adorned with semiprecious stones is expected to sell for $12,000-$14,000. The mirror measures 8 inches in diameter.
In furniture an all-original 19th-century Korean chest of zelkova root and mixed woods is expected to sell for $8,000-$9,000.
A pair of mid-century armchairs designed by Finn Juhl and manufactured by France & Son has an estimate of $9,500-$10,500. The teak and leather armchairs retain factory tags that read, “FF France and Son, Denmark.”
Previews are by appointment only. In addition to bidding through LiveAuctioneers, bids may also be placed absentee or by phone. For information contact Martina Paonita at 212-633-6063 or go to Showplace Antique & Design’s website at www.
LONDON – Stanley Gibbons’ public auction held on Dec. 15 in London showed that Asian material is proving very popular with bidders, with the China section of the sale more than doubling its lower pre-auction estimate of just over £56,000 ($78,000). All prices quoted are inclusive of 15% buyer’s premium unless otherwise noted.
Room bidders were competing against determined telephone bidders and a strong log book, which resulted in Lot 58, the 1962 Stage Art of Mei Lan-fang 3y miniature sheet (SG MS2044a), realizing £12,650 ($19,435). The top lot, a 1968 “The Whole Country is Red” 8f, achieved £31,050 ($47,700), in spite of its condition report stating it had been repaired, was re-gummed and had tone spots.
Collections of China were also keenly contested, with Lot 87, a general collection in three volumes from 1949 to mid 1980s, making £20,700 ($31,800). What was described as an “interesting accumulation of Postal History loose in carton” (Lot 86) was bid to £13,800 ($21,200).
Hong Kong continued the trend with Lot 384, a 1904-06 $10 slate and orange/blue (SG 90) lightly used, reaching £1,035 ($1,590). Lot 549, a complete sheet of Trengganu 1942 $5 green and red/yellow (SG J115), settled at £10,925 ($16,785).
The afternoon’s Great Britain section saw strong competition, pushing the prices for most of the 1840 1d black lots well above estimates. “Better” booklets again showing strength with Lot 1196, a 1934 5s black/buff (SG BB35) edition 8, garnering £1,610 ($2,475) and Lot 1204, a 1940 5s black/buff (SG BD25) edition 8, changing hands at £1,495 ($2,295).
The Penny Black has proved popular among Chinese collectors, with Stanley Gibbons selling out of stock at an event in Beijing in November. Stanley Gibbons CEO, Mike Hall advised that, with Chinese collectors prepared to pay well over catalog prices, the value of this relic of British philately would surely increase. Buyers of the 1d black at this month’s auction may well have secured themselves a great deal if the trend continues, Gibbons noted.
The auction also raised more than £4,600 on the hammer ($7,065) for the Jersey-based “Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.” All 39 lots auctioned specifically to benefit the cause found new homes.
An untitled mixed media on canvas work by Robert Rauschenberg, signed and inscribed and mounted on linen, sold for $366,000 at the auction of The Collection of Bernarda and Ben Shahn held Nov. 14 by Rago Arts & Auction Center in Lambertville, N.J. Also, a George Nakashima walnut platform bed with Mr. Shahn’s name written on the bottom brought $34,160; a watercolor on paper by Rufino Tamayo, untitled (1926), made $26,840; and a lithograph on paper by Louis Lozowick (1923) hit $28,060. Prices include a 22 percent buyer’s premium.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – A new report says Philadelphia’s creative sector is growing at a rate above national averages.
The “Creative Vitality in Philadelphia” report was released Monday and funded by a William Penn Foundation grant. It looked at arts-related jobs and community participation from 2006 to 2008.
It found that Philadelphia’s creative sector employs more than 17,000 people and has weathered the economic downturn better than other sectors of the economy.
Much of the report’s conclusions were based on a so-called Creative Vitality Index. That’s a numerical value based on data including employment and revenues of nonprofit and for-profit businesses, from museums to book stores.
The report said arts and culture are good for the economy and improve everyone’s quality of life.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – A group of investors looking to build a replica of Noah’s Ark as part of a proposed $172 million theme park cleared its first bureaucratic hurdle on Monday.
The Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority granted preliminary approval for state tax incentives for the project. An economic analysis must be done before being considered for final approval.
“Actually, all we’re doing is saying ‘go do your study and bring it back to us,”’ said Darrel BeShears, a member of the financing panel.
Mike Zovath, co-founder of the Answers in Genesis ministry that opened the Creation Museum in Kentucky three years ago, said investors are looking to build a full-scale replica of the ark in what would be an expansive theme park that could draw some 1.6 million visitors a year.
Investors, attracted by Kentucky’s tourism tax incentives, are considering an 800-acre site near Williamstown, just off Interstate 75.
Gov. Steve Beshear, who gave the proposal in a Capitol press conference earlier this month, has said he favors tax incentives for the ark park that is projected to create about 900 permanent jobs and have a $214 million economic impact in its first year of operation.
Some detractors, including Americans United for the Separation of Church and State executive director Barry Lynn, have objected to the state providing tax incentives for a project with a religious theme. Lynn said religious projects should be supported by voluntary donations, not the government.
The newest project would include an ancient walled city, a petting zoo, live animal shows featuring giraffes and elephants and a replica of the biblical Tower of Babel.
The Tourism Development Finance Authority also gave final approval Monday to tourism tax breaks to Kentucky Speedway, which will host its first Sprint Cup race later this year.
Kentucky Speedway is undergoing an $82 million expansion to accommodate the Sprint Cup. That includes expanding seating from 60,000 to 102,000.
___
Online:
Ark Encounter: http://www.arkencounter.com
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
WASHINGTON (AP) – A new Presidents Gallery is slated to open at the Madame Tussauds wax museum in Washington just before President’s Day.
The museum announced Monday that its revamped $2 million-plus attraction will open Feb. 17 as the only place visitors can see and touch all 44 U.S. Presidents.
The museum is pushing Chief Executives over pop stars after the attraction hadn’t drawn as many paying visitors as planned. The Presidents Gallery was originally slated to open by November but was delayed.
Artists are creating new wax figures of 28 U.S. Presidents for the museum.
Some have already debuted at other locations. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln recently took a road trip to Mount Rushmore for the monument’s 69th anniversary.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Six men wearing black hoodies and masks cut their way into four stores at a flea market and got away with cash, handguns and an estimated $1 million in jewelry.
Authorities say a security camera recorded the thieves Sunday as they cut through concrete walls and metal locks. They also managed to bypass security alarms.
Peter’s Gold suffered the biggest loss. Owner Chi Yim says the burglars stole everything.
The robbery occurred just before 2 a.m. Sunday. Officials say the thieves did their best to disable the security system. But video from one camera shows sparks flying as they cut their way into the padlocked door of a CD store.
___
Information from: The Florida Times-Union, http://www.jacksonville.com
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. authorities say they’ve seized two paintings in New York that were stolen from the National Museum in Warsaw, Poland, by the Nazis during World War II.
The paintings by 19th-century Polish artist Julian Falat were seized last Wednesday. Federal prosecutors also filed court papers aimed at recovering the paintings, Off to the Hunt andThe Hunt.
Prosecutors say the paintings remained missing after World War II. Polish authorities alerted U.S. authorities in 2006 that both were about to be sold at auction in New York.
In a lawsuit, the U.S. government says the paintings can be seized because they constituted stolen property imported into the United States illegally.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Robert Brunk’s first sale of the New Year on Jan. 8-9 opens with three bright, loud and important sky rockets, one after the other. These important collections lead off a two-day, 882-lot sale. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.
The smallest collection of the three is expected to be one of the loudest. It consists of only four items with each a clear and dramatic standout. All were consigned by the grandchild of Elizabeth Russell of Connecticut. Most came from a larger collection that originated with Samuel Wadsworth Russell, the founder of Russell & Co. That enterprise was the largest trading house in China from 1842 until its close in 1891. With that pedigree, these Asian antiques are sure to brighten the skies over Asheville.
Topping the Russell collection is View of the Bund at Shanghai (est. $60,000-$90,000), a large unsigned oil on canvas circa 1855. It was purchased in Hong Kong and transported to the United States. The consignor bought the painting, attributed to Chow Kwa (Chinese, active 1850-1885), in 1993 at Sotheby’s New York. The painting is a finely detailed and accurate depiction of ships in the harbor including an American steamer. In the background are the Customs House, the British Consulate and the Augustine Heard & Co. building.
The earliest items in the Russell collection are two 17th-century Kano School six-panel screens (est. $5,000-$10,000). The paper screens are Japanese and depict Chinese court scenes with officials, horses and attendants. Each screen has a custom-made cedar-lined transport case.
Then there are the two circa 1900 silk and metal thread carpets from the Russell collection. Both are Imperial rugs in excellent condition. One depicts Imperial dragons in the central medallion and four corners (est. $12,000-$18,000); the other (est. $15,000-$20,000) is elaborately decorated with cranes, sea serpents, waves and clouds surrounded by a Greek key border.
The largest collection comes from Philip and Charlotte Hanes of Winston-Salem, N.C. All 41 lots were consigned from the Hanes’ residence, Middleton House, a late Federal period home that was moved from Clarks Hill, S.C., in 1930. The Hanes gifted the home to Wake Forest University in 1991. Some Middleton lots were purchased by Mr. Hanes on trips to London; others were family gifts.
Two furniture items illustrate the quality and significance of the Hanes’ collection: eight Charleston Federal dining chairs and a Catawba River Valley secretary bookcase.
“The Charleston chairs are indeed extraordinarily rare,” said auctioneer and senior specialist Andrew Brunk. “I know of only one other intact set in the collections of Bayou Bend at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.” The set – six side chairs and two armchairs – was illustrated in the Raushenberg and Bivins classic, The Furniture of Charleston, 1680-1820. In mahogany with finely carved urn-formed central slats and fine modern horsehair upholstery, they carry the sale’s second highest estimate: $40,000-$60,000.
The largest Hanes lot at 115 inches tall is a cherry and poplar secretary bookcase from around the turn of the 19th century (est. $25,000-$35,000). The elaborate and flourishing inlays in its three drawers, its delicate sectioned glazed door and fluted pilasters, command attention from across the gallery. At its top is a tall original inlaid finial; on bottom are its original French feet.
Philip Hanes was CEO of Hanes Dye and Finishing from 1964 to his retirement in 1976. He and his wife are noted for their leadership and generous support of the arts in Winston-Salem.
The third bright light is the Bridge to Heaven jade collection accumulated by the late Pauline McCord Bishop in the late 1960s. The collection focuses on carvings extending from China’s Neolithic era through the Qing period. Included in the 29-lot collection are figures of buffalo, chimera, goats, deer, dogs, ducks and rabbits as well as various mythical beasts. Brunk devoted an entire page in the catalog and the catalog cover to a hu-form lidded vase (est. $15,000-$30,000). The flattened baluster form vase is in translucent “lychee white” with ducks, lotuses and flowering plants. Its walls are extremely thin with perforations on every surface except its pedestal base, handle rings and handle ends.
Four other lots deserve special attention:
Possibly the earliest item in the sale is an attic red-figure krater from 450-440 B.C. attributed to the Painter of Munich 2335 (est. $12,000-$18,000). Each side has three figures: a woman between two bearded male figures on one side and three young men on the other. A letter from an official at the Metropolitan Museum of Art verifies the attribution.
Dark Beauty (est. $10,000-$15,000), a signed and dated (1999) watercolor by Stephen Scott Young (Florida, South Carolina, b. 1957) depicts a young African-American woman looking directly at the viewer over a white board fence.
A signed and dated (1854) stoneware jar by John Siegler of South Carolina’s famed Edgefield District is estimated to bring $3,000 to $6,000. The jar was crafted one year after Siegler established his pottery on Shaw’s Creek.
A Harvey Littleton glass crown sculpture (est. $10,000-$20,000) is one of the few contemporary pieces from the Hanes collection. Created in 1984, the 12-part construction reflects pinks, yellows, blues and purples. Harvey Littleton was awarded the North Carolina Living Treasure award in 1993.
For more information, please call 828-254-6846 or visit www.brunkauctions.com.