August 26, 2011 - Auction Central News

Diverse, divine items at Michaan’s auction Sept. 4

Collection of eight cultured pearl, citrine glass, 14K and 19K yellow gold stickpins. Estimate: $150-$250. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions.

ALAMEDA, Calif. –Michaan’s Auctions will present its first offering of stickpins at their Sept. 4 estate sale, which will begin at 10 a.m. Pacific. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Michaan’s Jewelry Department has procured stickpins from the extensive collection of Jack Taylor (lot 036, $250-350; lot 037, $150-250; lot 038, $200-300; lot 039, $200-300). After years of working in the watch and jewelry businesses, Taylor began to take notice of stickpins that would show up in his jewelry store. Instead of disassembling the retro pins and converting them into more modern jewelry items, Taylor saved them from obscurity and began a stickpin collection.

The affinity for stickpins that began in the late 1940s continued to grow up until his recent death, with the collection reaching numbering more than 400 pins. The pins are compromised of gold, gold-filled, silver, gemstone and pearl pieces in floral, novelty, Masonic, monogram and cameo motifs, to name a few. Due to the large quantity the Taylor Collection will be offered for months to come, with the September estate sale giving the first glimpse into what is undoubtedly a jewelry treasure.

Stately decorative items dominate the Asian Department’s September offerings with wonderfully unique items at the forefront of the sale. A few such intriguing pieces are a stone pig foot (lot 261, $800-$1,200), a porcelain wall vase (lot 214, $250-$350) and a porcelain pillow (lot 217, $700-$900). Special in its own right is a Dehua-style porcelain Guanyin (lot 223, $700-$900). The seated figure is shown with a Buddhistic lion to her right and a scroll in her left hand representing the Guanyin or “Goddess of Mercy,” worshipped by those seeking salvation from misery and woe. These figures are fired in Dehua kilns, which are located in central Fujian where creation of various white-bodied wares from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) to the modern period have been produced.

Conveying a touch of Old World Italy is lot 470, an Italian Della Robia-style ceramic tondo ($500-$700). Measuring 31 1/2 inches in diameter, the piece centers a serene, gently colored Madonna and Child. The effect plays quite well against the vibrant blue background surrounding the figures as well as to the border of summer fruits and foliage encircling the piece. A perfect item for garden or outdoor decorating, the Italian Renaissance styling and use of color make it an appealing addition to any decorative collection. The tondo will be offered among silver, period furniture and a multitude of decorative items.

Renowned California plein air painter Edgar Payne’s Sailboats in Harbor (lot 660, $10,000-15,000) highlights the Fine Art Department’s contributions to the sale. Throughout his career Payne had an appreciation for natural locales of raw, rare beauty. This source of inspiration took him through the Southwest, the Canadian Rockies in British Columbia and Alberta.

Undoubtedly, the picturesque seaside was one of the factors that lead him to Laguna Beach, where he founded and became the first president of the Laguna Beach Art Association and the Gallery of Laguna Beach. It was during this time in the 1920s that he began painting sailboats. Sailboats in Harbor is a prime example of his technique and sense of composition. Striking is the use of bold color used in the sails that contrasts beautifully with the soft, muted tones of the surrounding sky and water. The angular lines of the sail masts provide visual drama and spatial separation, pulling the eye nicely about the composition as well.

Previews will be Sept. 2-4 during business hours and by appointment.

For a full listing of upcoming auctions or to view a complete catalog, visit www.michaans.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Carved stone pig's foot. Estimate: $800-$1,200. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions. — Carved stone pig’s foot. Estimate: $800-$1,200. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions.

Enameled porcelain wall vase marked ‘Liu Yucen.’ Estimate: $250-$350. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions.

Enamel-decorated porcelain pillow. Estimate: $700-$900. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions.

Italian Della Robia-style ceramic tondo Madonna and Child. Estimate: $500-$700. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions.

Attributed to Edgar Payne (American 1883-1947), ‘Sailboats in Harbor,’ oil on canvas. Estimate: $10,000-$15,000. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions.

Stanley Gibbons Group expands international network

LONDON – The Stanley Gibbons Group plc, the AIM-listed Company that trades in stamps, historical documents and rare signatures for collectors and investors has announced two new additions to its international distribution network: Peter Bale Philatelics in South Africa, and U.S.-based Regency-Superior Ltd.

Since 1929, Regency-Superior has been one of the United States’ leading auctioneers specializing in the sale of classic postage stamps and postal history; coins and currency; sports, space and Hollywood memorabilia. The company will be stocking the complete range of Stanley Gibbons catalogs, albums and accessories, described by Regency’s president, David Kols, as, “better than sliced bread.”

To launch the new stock, Regency-Superior will be setting up specially branded Stanley Gibbons product booths at several upcoming U.S. exhibitions, including SESCAL in October, Chicagopex in November, ORCO Expo in January 2012 and St. Louis Stamp Expo in March 2012.

“The product sells itself. Gibbons is a hallowed name in America,” said Kols.

Due to the unformed nature of the market in South Africa, general dealer Peter Bale Philatelics will be developing its stock holding over the coming months, starting out initially with a range of Stanley Gibbons publications, including the flagship titles Stamps of the World and British Commonwealth and Empire Stamps, referred to by collectors as ‘Part One’ or the ‘red book.’ The company will also be providing a customer ordering service.

These additions expand the Stanley Gibbons network to five continents, with 13 distributors covering 17 countries. The company will also be expanding its Jersey (UK) operation and opening an office in Hong Kong next month.

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Minn. Historical Society cuts staff, hikes admission

John Casper Wild (American, 1804-1846) 1844 painting of Fort Snelling with Pike Island and the Mendota settlement in the foreground. Original image from The Minnesota Historical Society, which operates Historic Fort Snelling.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minnesota Historical Society is cutting staff and raising admission prices to most state-run historic sites and museums.

The society said Wednesday it is eliminating 19 full-time staff positions. It also is raising general admission by $1 starting Dec. 1.

The state agency says the changes are in response to a $1.6 million cut in state government funding.

The higher admission applies to such attractions as the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, historic Fort Snelling and the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis.

The Star Tribune reports tour guides at the state Capitol also will begin encouraging voluntary donations for the free public tours.

The society operates 26 historic sites and museums as well as a library, several collections and state archives.

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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Woodcuts and more: Hokusai show opens in Berlin

Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, 1760-1849), 'South Wind, Clear Sky'; part of the series '36 Views of Mount Fuji (No. 2),' first publication circa 1830; this print from the edition printed circa 1930.

BERLIN (AP) – A retrospective spanning the 70-year career of Katsushika Hokusai, the master of the Japanese woodcut print best known for his series of views of Mount Fuji, is going on show in Berlin.

The exhibition charts the artist’s work from its beginnings in 1779 through his many phases and multiple pseudonyms. From the sublime to the ridiculous, from Fuji to frogs, there’s a bit of everything.

The centerpiece is the acclaimed “36 Views of Mount Fuji” series, complete with the artist’s signature image, “The Great Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa,” in which a huge wave towers over fishing boats in front Fuji’s distinctive cone.

That hangs next to “South Wind at Clear Dawn,” showing Fuji glowing red in the morning light; and an image in which the mountain is surrounded by rain clouds.

Those pictures, however, come well into the visitor’s tour of the exhibition at the German capital’s Martin Gropius Bau museum, which traces Hokusai’s work chronologically from his beginnings as a student of woodcut printmaker Katuswaka Shunsho.

“When Hokusai painted these famous Fuji paintings, he was over 70,” curator Seiji Nagata said Thursday. “He had a great creative period over 70 years, and nevertheless he is known in Japan and Europe only for works that he produced in five years.”

“So I didn’t want just to show these five years here in Berlin, but also the other 65 years … to present the true significance of Hokusai,” he added. Hokusai later influenced the impressionist movement.

Hokusai’s early portraits of actors and depictions of subjects such as children’s games give way to his “Sori” period, in which he portrayed “bijin,” or beautiful women with elongated faces and slim figures.

There are hanging scrolls and decorated fans, stylized landscapes and “manga”-style illustrated books. And there are playful pieces such as “Sake for a Hangover,” showing a man demanding rice wine from his wife to ease the morning after.

Works from Hokusai’s final years show him moving away from woodcuts toward painting.

The exhibition features more than 400 works. All came from Japanese collections and archives apart from 11 held in Europe, Nagata said.

The exhibition opens to the public Friday, Aug. 26, and runs through Oct. 24.

It has been kept relatively short because of conservation concerns over the works being exposed to light for too long, said Gereon Sievernich, the Martin Gropius Bau’s director.

“Ten weeks was the limit,” he said.

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Online:

Exhibition details: http://tinyurl.com/44eto4k

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Christie’s schedules six sales for Asian Art Week, Sept. 13-16

Rare, finely cast gilt-bronze figure of Vairocana, Ming dynasty, 16th century, 20 1/4 inches high. Estimate: $600,000-$800,000. Image courtesy of Christie’s New York.

NEW YORK – Christie’s has scheduled six sales in four days, Sept. 13-16, to coincide with Asian Art Week.

The sales will span a spectrum of collecting categories—from classical Japanese and Korean art, to works from South Asian modern masters and cutting-edge contemporary works, as well as Chinese paintings, ceramics and works of art. The sales feature over 1,300 lots and are expected to realize in excess of $50 million.

Christie’s lineup begins Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 10 a.m. Eastern with South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art, followed at 2 p.m. by Indian and Southeast Asian Art.

The opening sale will offer an extensive selection of over 200 lots of sculpture, paintings, ritual objects, and works of art from India, Tibet, Nepal and Southeast Asia. Several notable collections will also be featured in the sale including the Burkhart Collection, as well as property from the Dr. David Nalin Collection, which has a large focus on stone and stucco sculpture from the Gandharan region.

The afternoon session will present an array of works from the 20th and 21st centuries, featuring works by modernists including Syed Haider Raza, Francis Newton Souza and Tyeb Mehta. Also featured are several masterpieces by Maqbool Fida Husain (1915-2011), who died in June.

Japanese and Korean Art will cross the auction block on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 2 p.m. With over 100 lots, the Japanese section of the sale will feature Inro from the collection from the Catherine H. Edson estate, paintings, lacquer wares and furniture, while the Korean portion includes fine porcelains, as well as traditional and modern paintings by Korean masters.

A Connoisseur’s Vision: Property from the Xu Hanqing Collection will sell Thursday, Sept. 15, beginning at 10 a.m. This elite group of 150 objects includes important examples of ancient Chinese paintings, rare calligraphy, lustrous jades, an assortment of luxurious seals and other sophisticated objects and is expected to realize approximately $7 million.

Connoisseur Xu Hanqing was born in 1883, in Yancheng, Jiangsu province and died in the 1950s. In his early career, he was an official with the Chinese Qing-dynasty government and later, in the early Republican period, a co-founder and president of Continental Bank. Xu was also an accomplished calligrapher with a passion for the traditional arts. Formed over the course of his lifetime, Xu’s collection covers a broad spectrum of bronze, jade, calligraphy, painting, porcelain and paper. In addition to being highly regarded as a collector, he was also an art historian and an expert in inscriptions and textual research.

Three dozen jade carvings from an important European collection will also sell Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. Leading this sale is a rare white jade archaistic vase and cover, Qianlong/Jiaqing period (1736-1820) estimated at $750,000-$1 million.

Fine Chinese ceramics and works of art will sell Sept. 15 beginning at 3:30 p.m. and again on Friday, Sept. 16, with sessions at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. More than 550 objects from across many categories and tastes will be offered. This sale is expected to realize in the region of $19 million.

Complete catalogs are available online at www.christies.com or via the Christie’s iPhone app.

Virginia family upset over razing of historic home

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) – Straw covers the ground of what used to the 1899-built homestead of a Newport News family with historic connections to when Africans first arrived in America in the 1600s.

A wrecking ball took down the dilapidated home in late July.

The Tuckers are related to William Tucker, reportedly the first African born in America in 1624, in Jamestown. They have formed the 1624 William Tucker Society, and a cemetery in Hampton reportedly contains the remains of the original Tucker.

Family members say they are unhappy with the city for demolishing the historic home, which they had planned to turn into a museum.

“We wanted it to be similar to the Newsome House (museum),” said Bill Harper, related through marriage to the Tuckers.

Harper said they were working on getting the house designated as a state and national historic landmark. “This was going to be the beginning of a new renaissance.”

The home was razed about 18 months after the city first notified the family that they had to fix the house or have it be demolished, city records show.

“You would think they would have held back on the demolition,” said Brenda Tucker, who grew up in Newport News but now lives in Baltimore.

Tucker said she is the granddaughter of the late William and Mary Tucker, owners of the 1899 home, and a direct descendant of the Tucker born in 1624.

Brenda Tucker wrote several letters to the city, noting the historic value of the home, requesting more time to figure out the cost of restoring the building and moving forward with the museum plans.

Tucker and Harper said they were told verbally by Harold Roach, the city’s codes compliance director, that they had until September to repair the home. So they were surprised to see the house was demolished.

But Roach said he never told the family that they had an extension, and there’s no record at City Hall indicating that the city granted an extension to the family, according to an examination of the file by the Daily Press.

Roach said the house needed to be taken down so that it wouldn’t be a safety hazard to neighbors.

“They didn’t step up and do what they needed to do to make the property sound,” Roach said.

Harper said it was boarded up and the property was landscaped.

“We did everything the city asked us to do,” Harper said.

David Harlow, senior codes compliance inspector for Newport News, said the home was in “terrible” shape and it would have been “cost prohibitive” to attempt to rebuild. He said that the back half of the house was in danger of collapsing.

Tavain Tucker, a Norfolk architect who is also a descendant of William Tucker, said the home was “save-able.”

Mayor McKinley Price said up until recently, he hadn’t heard about the historic value of the home. While the house is gone now, Price said maybe the city could work with the family to erect an historic marker.

Brenda Tucker, who often visited her grandparents at the house, said that they still have plans for the property. Perhaps a replica could be built, she said, and it still could become a museum. Next door to the razed home was the Tucker family convenience store, also a landmark in the Southeast Community, she said.

She said much of the history of the original William Tucker is unknown, but his parents, Anthony and Isabella, were taken from Angola, perhaps as slaves or indentured servants onto a Spanish ship. She said they may have been intercepted by English pirates before ending up in Jamestown.

Whether William Tucker was a free black man, an indentured servant or a slave is also a point of debate.

Brenda Tucker, who has researched family history, said she believes he was an indentured servant, but from a practical standpoint it may have been not much different than being a slave.

Katrina Carter, also a Tucker descendant, said she has done some research and believes that the Tuckers could have been Spanish Moors, who were Muslim Africans who ruled Spain in the Middle Ages.

Emmanuel Sheafe, a family friend, said something should be done so that people can remember and learn about the history.

“This is not an African-American tragedy,” Sheafe said, referring to the house being razed. “This is an American tragedy. This is part of the story of America.”

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Information from: Daily Press, http://www.dailypress.com

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Painted hide among rare finds at Cowan’s sale Sept. 9

Cadzi Cody Shoshone painted hide collected by Ervin F. Cheney. Estimate: $100,000/120,000. Image courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions Inc.

CINCINNATI – Cowan’s is pleased to announce an American Indian and Western Art Auction to be conducted Friday, Sept. 9. This sale offers a unique selection of fresh-to-the-market beadwork, paintings, carvings, weavings and basketry from America’s history dating from the 19th to the 20th centuries.

Liveauctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding. The auction will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern.

Some of the highlights in the sale are a Cadzi Cody Shoshone painted hide collected by Ervin F. Cheney, three portfolios by photographer Edward Curtis, an important portrait of Red Cloud by Cincinnati native John Hauser, and a collection of Acoma pottery including a San Ildefonso polychrome olla.

“The painted hide by Cadzi Cody is far superior in quality to any hide that has recently been seen in the auction market,” said Wes Cowan, company president and principal auctioneer. “This is a special piece due to its incredibly pristine condition; the vibrancy of the colors and the softness of the texture make this hide, indeed, a rare find.”

The painted hide is estimated to bring $100,000-$120,000. Former owner Erwin F. Cheney settled in Lander, Wyo., in November 1878, where he ran a wagon shop and ran cattle until public land for winter range became scarce. On his ranch, Cheney was said to have employed many Shoshone Indians as laborers, and befriended the elderly and already legendary leader of the Eastern Shoshone, Chief Washakie. At Washakie’s death, Cheney served as his honorary pall bearer. The hide features brightly painted scenes on a softly tanned elk hide. Scenes depicted include the Sun Dance, Grass Dance and a buffalo hunt.

Proceeds of the sale of the hide will be used to establish the Betty Freedman scholarship fund through the Chief Washakie Foundation.

Regarding the Acoma pottery collection, American Indian Art Department specialist Danica Farnand said, “The collection included in this sale is significant in that all of the pieces have polychrome decoration. I think it is one of the best collections of pottery we’ve had at Cowan’s.”

A San Ildefonso polychrome olla is estimated to bring $7,000-$9,000. Attributed to Florentino Montoya, this olla is formed with a bulbous body, a sharp shoulder and a gentle inward-sloping neck.

A Charles Loloma Hopi bracelet is expected to bring anywhere from $20,000-$30,000. The bracelet is made of raised stonework of lapis, turquoise and coral set in gold notched bezel and is dated to the fourth quarter 20th century.

Three portfolios by Edward Curtis are all estimated at $10,000-$15,000. The first is titled Volume 1: The Apache. The Jicarillas. The Navaho. The second is titled Volume 5: The Mandan. The Arikara. The Atsina. The third is titled Volume 6: The Piegan. The Cheyenne. The Arapaho.

An important portrait of Red Cloud by John Hauser is estimated at $20,000-$30,000. John Hauser was born in Cincinnati to a family of German immigrants. His close friends included artist Henry Farny as well as artist and traveling companion, Joseph Henry Sharp. Until recently, Hauser has been an obscure figure in the Western Art genre, often in the shadows of Sharp and Farny, powerhouses within the field about whom numerous exhibits and publications have been devoted.

A portrait of a Navajo woman by Henry Balink (New Mexico, 1882-1963) is estimated to bring $15,000-$25,000.

A Tlingit polychrome carved totem pole is estimated at $8,000-$10,000. Modeled after Chief Shakes’ totem and carved of cedar with a hollowed back, this pole depicts six figures painted in green, black, and red. It is dated to the first quarter 20th century and is mounted on a wooden base.

A bronze titled Corn Dance by Clement Barnhorn is estimated at $8,000-$12,000. Barnhorn was a Cincinnati sculptor who spent most of his career working in the Queen City. Barnhorn attempted to capture the Indian culture that he saw firsthand in Taos. An important ceremony, Taos Pueblo Indians performed the corn dance during the spring and summer months.

A Mark Chee Navajo silver and no. 8 turquoise squash blossom is expected to sell between $7,000 and $9,000. Graduated silver squashes are inset with organically shaped no. 8 turquoise and strung on a double silver bead strand. The piece is tamped with a hallmark on naja back.

A Choctaw beaded sash is estimated at $6,000-$8,000. Sashes such as these were made before 1865, and perhaps as early as 1800.

A Sioux beaded hide cradle is estimated at $6,000-$8,000. The cradle is made from thread and sinew and beaded using colors of red white-heart, medium and dark blue, greasy yellow, pea green and white.

An Aleta Tsosie Navajo pictorial weaving is estimated to bring $5,000-$5,500. The weaving, titled Squaw Dance, is finely woven with the subjects depicting the only ceremony where men and women dance together. It is composed of 52 individual figures, 15 paired figures, 18 horse, sheep and cows.

An Apache/Kiowa beaded and painted hide jacket is estimated to bring $7,000-$9,000. The jacket is thread-sewn and beaded using rose, translucent green, white and black. The softly tanned hide is coated in yellow, red and blue-green pigment. A triangular bib hangs from the front and back of the jacket, while a thin fringe falls elegantly at the shoulder and arm seams. Buttons are copper.

For details visit Cowan’s website at www.cowansauctions.com or phone 513-871-1670.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Charles Loloma Hopi bracelet. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. Image courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions Inc.

Portrait of Red Cloud by John Hauser. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. Image courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions Inc.

San Ildefonso pottery polychrome olla. Estimate: $7,000-$9,000. Image courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions Inc.

Mark Chee Navajo silver and no. 8 turquoise squash blossom. Estimate: $7,000-$9,000. Image courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions Inc.

Tlingit polychrome carved totem pole, 47 1/2 inches, first quarter 20th century. Estimate: $8,000-$10,000. Image courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions Inc.

UN cultural agency: Don’t loot Libya’s heritage

The Arch of Septimius Severus at Leptis Magna, Libya, which was a prominent city of the Roman Empire. Photo by David Gunn.

PARIS (AP) – The U.N. cultural agency is warning Libyans to guard against looting of cultural heritage amid the country’s current turmoil.

The director of UNESCO is also cautioning the international art and antiquities trade to be “particularly wary of objects from Libya in the present circumstances” because they might be stolen.

Director-General Irina Bokova said in a statement Thursday that she contacted authorities in Libya and neighboring countries to urge them “to protect Libya’s invaluable cultural heritage.”

She warned that past conflicts have led to looting and damage to artifacts and archeological treasures.

Ruins of Roman cities are among the five sites in Libya classified by the Paris-based U.N. Educational, Science and Cultural Organization as World Heritage sites.

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Kaminski to feature Moran landscapes at auction Sept. 8

BEVERLY, Mass. – Kaminski Auctions of Beverly, Mass., and Beverly Hills, Calif., will conduct a Fall Fine Art auction at its auction gallery at 117 Elliott St. on Sept. 8 beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.

One of the highlights of the sale is an important pair of landscapes by the artist Thomas Moran (1837-1926) in their original frames.

Thomas Moran was born in Lancashire, England. As a young boy he immigrated with his parents to Philadelphia. A chronicle of his extensive travels throughout the American West, catapulted Moran into the pantheon of leading artists of his time. His paintings so profoundly captured the Western exploration that he became known as T. “Yellowstone” Moran, and incorporated the letter Y into his monogram. After a trip to England at the age 37, his work became influenced by the landscape artist J.M.W. Turner and, later, by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot’s tonalist painting style.

The landscapes Kaminski has are oil on canvas, monogrammed with his initials, and estimated at $80,000-$120,000 for the pair.

Among the many European paintings is a fine still life of flowers by Maurice de Vlaminck (French, 1876-1958), oil on canvas, signed lower right. Vlaminck was a French painter who, with Andre Derain and Henri Matisse, is considered a principle figure in the Fauve movement, a group of early 20th-century artists who challenged the Impressionists by favoring strong colors and wild brushwork over realistic and representational qualities. The painting is 20 inches by 17 inches and estimated at $30,000-$40,000.

Works by Russian artists in the sale are by Aleksandre Vladimirovic Makovsky (1869-1924), an oil on canvas of soldiers returning home, estimated at $15,000-$20,000, and Georgi Lapchin (1885-1950). The Lapchin is an oil on board sea scene from the estate of Mrs. Florence “Bunny” Heath Horton Austin, heiress of Chicago Bridge and Iron Co. and the wife of D. Warren R. Austin of Montecito, Calif. The painting once hung in their estate, Val Verde, one of the most magnificent homes in the Santa Barbara area, which was host to such Hollywood luminaries as Katherine Hepburn, Gloria Swanson and Vincent Price.

A George Sheridan Knowles, (British 1863-1931) estimated at $15,000-$20,000 depicting a mother and daughter feeding birds is sure to generate substantial interest as well.

Two American artists round out the top lots in the sale. The first is a portrait by Louis Charles Moeller (American, 1855-1930) of a bearded man reading, oil on board, signed and encased in a mahogany shadow box frame and estimated to bring $7,500-$12,000. The other is a lovely winter view in a carved gilt frame by the popular artist Antonio Cirino (American, 1889-1983) estimated at $10,000-$15,000.

Preview for this important sale begins Sunday, Sept. 4 from noon-5 p.m., and continues Monday through Thursday, Sept. 5-8, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Kaminski auction gallery, 117 Elliott St. (Route 62) Beverly, MA 01915.

For details call 978-927-2223, email sfarnsworth@kaminskiauctions.com or visit Kaminski’s website www.kaminskiauctions.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Pook & Pook’s gallery overflowing for Sept. 8-9 auction

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. – Looking over the main gallery at Pook & Pook, one’s eyes are immediately drawn to the large oil on canvas sideshow circus banner stretching across the width of the hall depicting “The Great LaCardo, Sword Swallower.” The advertisement promises “Death Defying Feats of Daring.” The Sept. 8-9 Decorative Arts Sale promises much more. Fourteen hundred lots will be offered over this two-day sale.

LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

The first session will kick off at 2 p.m. on Thursday with a fun mix of vintage furniture, original art, and decorative accessories and collectibles. The second session begins at 9 a.m. on Friday with a collection of World War I and World War II objects and ends with over 300 lots of Asian art and accessories.

The furniture, including American and Continental examples of both formal and country furnishings, appears throughout the sale. Items to cross the auction block include children’s furniture, work stands, candlestands, fire screens, blanket chests, corner cupboards, lowboys, Pembroke tables, chairs, settees, dry sinks, chests of drawers, easy chairs, jelly cupboards, sideboards, tall chests, beds, sofas and more. Of particular interest to buyers are a Pennsylvania Chippendale walnut chest of drawers and a Pennsylvania Chippendale walnut tall chest, pieces whose sturdy construction and visual appeal make them a must-have for buyers going for a period look. Buyers are also expected to bid competitively for a lovely Jacobean carved oak cupboard dated 1622, which is hoped to come in at $1,000-$2,000. Topping the list of must-haves in the furniture category is an Italian carved mahogany marble-top server, also estimated to bring $1,000-$2,000.

The hundreds of pieces of art displayed in the gallery and reception areas include paintings, drawings, etchings, prints, silhouettes, woodcarvings and sculptures. Paintings and drawings by listed artists from America, Europe and Asia artist consist of landscapes, seascapes, portraits and still lifes. The Phillip Jamison (American, b. 1925) watercolor titled The Old Bank’s Trust Department, North High Street West Chester is expected to fetch $200-$400. Elizabeth C. Osborne’s (American, b. 1936) landscape titled A Place Remembered is sure to catch more than one buyer’s eye and is anticipated to bring $500-$1,000.

Stepping off the elevator into the mezzanine level of the gallery, one is greeted by a collection of hundreds of military pieces from World War I and World War II. This compilation of objects starting session two includes daggers, scabbards, firearms, helmets, caps, belts, buckles, pins, pennants, and more. Of particular interest to collectors of this period are over 20 German Nazi daggers and swords, as well as Hitler youth knives and bayonets. The collection also includes many German Nazi pins, badges and patches, with several hard-to-find examples such as a silver Germanic achievement badge of the SS and an SS long service award. Several helmets and caps are represented, with an SS Handschuar fez hat being of particular note. This entire collection is from a local estate and many items are new to the market.

Decorative accessories found in the sale include a huge selection of porcelain including plates, platters, cups, bowls and figurines, such as pearlware, Staffordshire, Rose Medallion, Imari, Royal Doulton, Famille Rose, Wedgwood, Meissen, Limoges, ironstone, Rockingham, Leeds, spatter and Gaudy Dutch. Pottery including figures and dishes, crocks and jugs, made of redware or stoneware are offered throughout the sale. Large groups of silver are offered, including several tea services. Other accessories in the upcoming Pook & Pook Decorative Arts Sale include textiles. Coverlets, quilts, a large collection of clothing, multiple needlework examples and samplers will be sold. The sale also includes metalware (pewter, brass, tin, tole and copper), woodenware, glass, music boxes, clocks, mirrors, lighting such as lamps and lanterns, dolls, toys, railroad memorabilia, game boards, ephemera, books, baskets, trade signs, African masks and watches.

The auction will end with a collection of thousands of Asian objects and art. The majority of this collection comes to Pook & Pook from a local Pennsylvania museum. The collection includes porcelain, folding screens, carved ivory and jade. Of interest to collectors and dealers alike is a Chinese bronze incense burner with the Xuande mark, estimated at $1,000-$1,500. Also crossing the auction block is a Chinese bronze censor expected to bring $1,500-$2,500. A carved celadon jade dragon from China is sure to pique interest with its estimate of $4,000-$6,000.

The sale also features items from multiple estates located as far away as Texas. The items from these collections are throughout the sale, along with items from other consignors.

Previews for this sale begin online on Aug. 26, and gallery preview starts Sept. 3 (hours can be found on Pook & Pook’s website at www.pookandpook.com).

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

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