Dylan Lewis sculptures may top $250K at Elite’s May 19 auction

Rare antique Chinese hand-carved ivory chess set, fully relief carved throughout, Qianlong period (est. $7,000-$10,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Rare antique Chinese hand-carved ivory chess set, fully relief carved throughout, Qianlong period (est. $7,000-$10,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Rare antique Chinese hand-carved ivory chess set, fully relief carved throughout, Qianlong period (est. $7,000-$10,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – A pair of life-size bronze sculptures by renowned South African artist Dylan Lewis (b. 1954), titled Leopard Crushing Serpent, is the expected top lot at an auction planned for Saturday, May 19, by Elite Decorative Arts, starting at 1 p.m. (EST). The sale will be held in Elite Decorative Arts’ gallery at 1034 Gateway Boulevard in Boynton Beach, with Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com.

The bronzes carry a pre-sale estimate of $200,000-$250,000, and that may be too modest. The works are rare – one is edition 6/8, the other 7/8 – and they are the only pair available; all the others are in private hands. Their presence at the entrance to an estate or home would make a strong and unique statement. Each figure is 53 inches tall by 71 inches long by 21 inches deep.

Dylan Lewis is considered one of the premier cat sculptors in the world. The work to be sold is pictured in the artist’s limited-edition book titled Forces of Nature, a signed copy of which will be offered as part of the offered lot. In June 2011, Christie’s in London conducted an auction dedicated solely to Lewis’ works titled Predators and Prey II: the Dylan Lewis Bronzes.

Another factor pointing to a fierce bidding war for Leopard Crushing Serpent is the fact that Lewis created the works at the end of the cat sculpting part of his career, before shifting his focus to the human body. Leopard Crushing Serpent portends that shift, as it breaks from the mold of realism (which had been Lewis’ oeuvre) and enters a more abstract and mythical realm.

Along with the Lewis sculpture and other bronzes, the auction will feature a selection of fine antiques, to include original paintings, porcelain, art glass, estate jewelry, silver, ivory, jade, Asian antiques and more.

Another lot that may touch six figures or more is a pair of impressive ivory elephant tusks on stands (est. $75,000-$100,000). One of the tusks is 81 ¾ inches long, the other is 75 inches long (counting the bases). Each one weighs just under 100 lbs.

Three bronzes, in addition to the Lewis work, are expected to attract keen bidder interest. The first is a sculpture by Lynn Chadwick (British, 1914-2003), titled Winged Figures Version I (est. $50,000-$70,000, an estimate that seems quite reasonable, considering the work is appraised at $125,000). It depicts a male and female winged figure, each with a gilded, geometric-shape face.

The second is a bronze sculpture with gold patina by Pierre Arman (French/American, 1928-2005), titled Violin and Trumpet (est. $10,000-$40,000, with an appraised value of $40,000). One of a limited edition of eight, the work has an abstract design that fuses a violin and trumpet. It is signed to the front and numbered, and sits on a black marble base (overall height: 23 ¼ inches).

The third is a large bronze sculpture depicting Joan of Arc entering Orleans with a fan, by the French artist Emmanuel Fremiet (1824-1910). The work, featuring a two-tone gilded design and signed to the bronze base (and mounted on a red marble base) is overall 25 ½ inches tall. It is unique in that Joan of Arc’s head and hand are ivory. It is expected to command $8,000-$10,000.

Headlining the Asian objects category is a rare antique Chinese hand-carved ivory chess set with wooden box (est. $7,000-$10,000). The set, having ivory and tea stained colors in 32 pieces, holds the Qionalong four-character archaic reign mark. The set has emperor and empress pieces for each side, containing mother-of-pearl inlay. All pieces are relief carved throughout.

Also sold will be a pair of large and impressive 18th or 19th century carved ivory emperor and empress figures, with fitted wooden bases (est. $5,000-$7,000). Each piece is an exquisitely carved figure seated on a throne, in relief carved royal robes. Each surmounts an ivory base with fence and 3-panel reticulated screen, with calligraphy dating the pieces to the Qianlong period.

Returning to artwork, an original hand-signed aquatint and carborundum etching by the renowned Spanish artist Joan Miro (1893-1983), titled Sala Gaspar Barcelona, carries a pre-sale estimate of $6,000-$8,000. The etching, hand-signed lower right, measures 41 inches by 26 inches, plus a mat and frame. It also comes with a certificate of authenticity and an appraisal.

Rounding out just some of the day’s top lots is an oil on canvas painting by French artist Jules Ribard, depicting an Arabian cityscape scene with Bedouin figures, signed, 18 inches by 30 inches (est. $4,000-$6,000); and a lovely ladies’ Chinese 22K yellow gold necklace, 32 ½ inches long, with hoop link wreaths and malachite links connecting each ring (est. $12,000-$16,000).

For additional information on any item in the sale, call 561-200-0893 or e-mail info@eliteauction.com.

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

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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

Rare antique Chinese hand-carved ivory chess set, fully relief carved throughout, Qianlong period (est. $7,000-$10,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.
 

Rare antique Chinese hand-carved ivory chess set, fully relief carved throughout, Qianlong period (est. $7,000-$10,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Life-size bronze sculptures by South African artist Dylan Lewis titled 'Leopard Crushing Serpent' (est. $200,000-$250,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.
 

Life-size bronze sculptures by South African artist Dylan Lewis titled ‘Leopard Crushing Serpent’ (est. $200,000-$250,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Pair of impressive and large elephant ivory tusks on stands, each weighing just under 100 lbs. (est. $75,000-$100,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Pair of impressive and large elephant ivory tusks on stands, each weighing just under 100 lbs. (est. $75,000-$100,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Stunning 22kt yellow gold necklace with malachite links connecting each ring (est. $12,000-$16,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Stunning 22kt yellow gold necklace with malachite links connecting each ring (est. $12,000-$16,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Original hand-signed aquatint and carborundum etching by Joan Miro, titled 'Sala Gaspar Barcelona' (est. $6,000-$8,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Original hand-signed aquatint and carborundum etching by Joan Miro, titled ‘Sala Gaspar Barcelona’ (est. $6,000-$8,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Bronze sculpture by Lynn Chadwick (British, 1914-2003), titled 'Winged Figures Version I' (est. $50,000-$70,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Bronze sculpture by Lynn Chadwick (British, 1914-2003), titled ‘Winged Figures Version I’ (est. $50,000-$70,000). Image courtesy of Elite Decorative Arts.

Winterthur’s ‘Uncorked’ celebrates history, business of wine

Wine coolers were also made in European and Chinese Export porcelain. This Royal Copenhagen example in the Flora Danica pattern, 1969-1974, sold for $1300 last December. Courtesy Heritage Auctions
Wine coolers were also made in European and Chinese Export porcelain. This Royal Copenhagen example in the Flora Danica pattern, 1969-1974, sold for $1300 last December. Courtesy Heritage Auctions
Wine coolers were also made in European and Chinese Export porcelain. This Royal Copenhagen example in the Flora Danica pattern, 1969-1974, sold for $1300 last December. Courtesy Heritage Auctions

WINTERTHUR, Del. – Winterthur’s new exhibition, Uncorked! Wine, Objects & Tradition will have collectors lifting their glasses in a toast. The show comprehensively covers the influence of wine on history, religion, politics, and entertaining.

In a recent interview, Leslie Grigsby, Winterthur’s Senior Curator of Ceramics and Glass, revealed her inspiration for the long-running exhibition: “The subject has been something I’ve been in love with since I began in the field, down in Colonial Williamsburg. When you look at dishes and drinking vessels long enough and are in love with how they were used, this project grows naturally out of it.”

She continued, “The exhibition fills our two largest galleries, and it includes well over 300 objects – anything from small wine glasses and decanters to sideboards, books from the library, and objects for the garden.”

Uncorked! opened April 28 and will be on display through January 6, 2013. Collectors around the country also can access a “virtual exhibition” online at www.winterthur.org, which includes images of the objects and in depth discussion of the business and pleasure of wine drinking.

Grigsby explained, “We wondered a little bit about whether it made sense to put the virtual exhibition online at the same time that we’re opening the museum exhibition. But then we decided that it was so rich in different kinds of objects that people would look at it and go, wow – I need to go there and see it live.”

“We are not trying to teach them about how wine is made or how to tell the difference between the many wines available today,” the curator said. “We are hoping they will feel the sense of joy that often was associated with these objects. We have quotes from Charles Dickens and from Homer. We have drinking rhymes and a whole set of objects associated with drinking games as well as the more serious objects that show you the variety of elegant wares available.”

Among the many treasures, visitors will find a communion chalice made by Paul Revere, Jr., dated 1768; an English inlaid bottle case fitted with decanters and glasses; English silver wine labels for port and sherry, 1725-1775; and a Hogarth print of “A Midnight Modern Conversation,” circa 1733, which depicts a raucous group of gentlemen around a punchbowl.

On view in the drinking games section is a group of puzzle jugs. Drinkers had to pull from the correct opening and cover the others in order not to be splashed with wine. One English example is decorated with this rhyme in blue: “Here Gentlemen Come try yr Skill, [I’ll] hold a wager if you will, that you Don’t Drink this [liquor] all, without you Spill or lett some Fall.”

One favorite of Leslie Grigsby’s is “Settling the Affairs of the Nation, a late 18th century London print showing the inside of wine shop. She said, “This is in a section we have on the business of wine – selling wine and wine equipage – and the fact that wine helps sell other things. Typically in the 18th and 19th century, there are two different areas of wine sales – people who sell wine and the people who sell wine equipage. And the latter often sell dinnerware which makes sense.”

Viewers of the exhibition will become entranced by the collecting possibilities. Four years ago Heritage Auctions in Dallas established separate sales for fine silver, and antique wine coolers have become highly sought after for display and practical use on the table.

Tim Rigdon, Heritage’s Director of Silver, Vertu, Decorative Arts, and Design, explains the possibilities: “You have the ewers, the stands and coasters, the strainers, the labels – there is a huge variety of material. Just in silver. Often wine paraphernalia has Bacchic and grapevine motifs on the best examples.”

He continues, “Most often, a lot of that material does end up being used, and I strongly encourage collectors to actually use their pieces. In the April sale, there were six coolers in all, three different pairs, each a different size – all made by the same maker.”

“They had a wonderful combination of filigree silver and engraved glass that you get at the end of the Victorian and beginning of the Edwardian period. During the course of a dinner, you could have multiple vintages which require coolers of different sizes. The staff would not only serve at the dinners but also care for the polishing of the pieces.”

“We do two to three dedicated silver sales a year, and wine coolers do incredibly well,” he points out. “A year and a half ago, we also sold a collection of late Georgian and early Victorian English wine ewers and jugs which had been formed by an American who was a long time resident in Hong Kong. English residents in the army or in trade would have all the elegant accoutrements they would have enjoyed back home.”

To view past and future sales of silver at Heritage, visit www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

Wine coolers were also made in European and Chinese Export porcelain. This Royal Copenhagen example in the Flora Danica pattern, 1969-1974, sold for $1300 last December. Courtesy Heritage Auctions
Wine coolers were also made in European and Chinese Export porcelain. This Royal Copenhagen example in the Flora Danica pattern, 1969-1974, sold for $1300 last December. Courtesy Heritage Auctions
Uncorked! Wine, Objects & Tradition, a major exhibition at the Winterthur Museum in Delaware, explores the history, business, and politics of wine consumption. Among the artifacts on display is this English pearlware group of Bacchus, the god of wine, and his female consort Ariadne dating 1790-1810. Courtesy Winterthur Museum
Uncorked! Wine, Objects & Tradition, a major exhibition at the Winterthur Museum in Delaware, explores the history, business, and politics of wine consumption. Among the artifacts on display is this English pearlware group of Bacchus, the god of wine, and his female consort Ariadne dating 1790-1810. Courtesy Winterthur Museum
Clusters of grapes and grapevines often ornament wine equipage. On view at Winterthur, this silver presentation pitcher or wine ewer with a grapevine band was made in the workshop of Edward Lownes of Philadelphia and is dated 1827. Courtesy Winterthur Museum
Clusters of grapes and grapevines often ornament wine equipage. On view at Winterthur, this silver presentation pitcher or wine ewer with a grapevine band was made in the workshop of Edward Lownes of Philadelphia and is dated 1827. Courtesy Winterthur Museum
Glass was perfect for storing and serving wine. This American lead crystal decanter, 1825-1840, cut in the peacock eye or comet pattern, is one of several examples in Uncorked! Courtesy Winterthur Museum
Glass was perfect for storing and serving wine. This American lead crystal decanter, 1825-1840, cut in the peacock eye or comet pattern, is one of several examples in Uncorked! Courtesy Winterthur Museum
Wine coolers were often made in pairs and came in various sizes to use with different vintages. These wheel-cut crystal containers on a reticulated base by London maker William Comyns & Sons, 1903-1904, brought $8125 last month. Courtesy Heritage Auctions
Wine coolers were often made in pairs and came in various sizes to use with different vintages. These wheel-cut crystal containers on a reticulated base by London maker William Comyns & Sons, 1903-1904, brought $8125 last month. Courtesy Heritage Auctions
This Tiffany silver wine cooler, 1870-1875, makes its purpose clear: Bacchus serves drink to a putto on either side. The lot sold at in Heritage’s Silver & Vertu auction last September for $6572.50. Courtesy Heritage Auctions
This Tiffany silver wine cooler, 1870-1875, makes its purpose clear: Bacchus serves drink to a putto on either side. The lot sold at in Heritage’s Silver & Vertu auction last September for $6572.50. Courtesy Heritage Auctions
Puzzle jugs appear in the Drinking Games section of the exhibition – the one at left is Dutch, 1650-1670, the one at right is English from Liverpool, 1750-1770. Users had to cover the correct holes with their fingers or wine would splash on the face and clothes. Courtesy Winterthur Museum
Puzzle jugs appear in the Drinking Games section of the exhibition – the one at left is Dutch, 1650-1670, the one at right is English from Liverpool, 1750-1770. Users had to cover the correct holes with their fingers or wine would splash on the face and clothes. Courtesy Winterthur Museum

Experts: Asia’s architectural treasures ‘vanishing’

Entry gate to Fort Santiago in Manila, The Philippines. Photo by Drumlanrig.
Entry gate to Fort Santiago in Manila, The Philippines. Photo by Drumlanrig.
Entry gate to Fort Santiago in Manila, The Philippines. Photo by Drumlanrig.

NEW YORK — Asia’s architectural treasures, from a Buddhist monastery in Afghanistan to an ancient city in China are in danger of vanishing under a tide of economic expansion, war and tourism, experts said Thursday.

The Global Heritage Fund named 10 sites as the most in danger of “irreparable loss and destruction.”

“These 10 sites represent merely a fragment of the endangered treasures across Asia and the rest of the developing world,” the fund’s executive director Jeff Morgan said in presenting a report.

The architectural gems from across Asia’s ancient and sophisticated cultures are struggling in the face of economic expansion, sudden floods of tourists and areas of lawlessness and war.

“We’re looking at these millennial civilizations leapfrogging into the 21st century at a kind of pace that is unheard of, unprecedented,” said Vishakha Desai, president of the Asia Society, which hosted a conference based on the report.

Experts said that architectural preservation has nowhere near the financial and political backing that nature conservancy enjoys.

“Heritage is being dramatically undervalued. Thus, the reinvestment and the focus on heritage is lacking today,” Morgan said, warning that the endangered sites were doomed without quick help.

“We’re going to lose them on our watch in the next 10 years.”

Shirley Young, head of the US-China Cultural Institute, stressed that it was “not really just about beautiful buildings, beautiful sites.”

“I think we’d agree,” she said, “that a world without history is a world without soul.”

The top 10 endangered sites, according to the Global Heritage Fund, are:

1. Ayutthaya in Thailand, a former Siamese capital known as the “Venice of the East.”

2. Fort Santiago in the Philippines.

3. Kashgar, one of the last preserved Silk Road cities in China.

4. Mahasthangarh, one of South Asia’s earliest archaeological sites in Bangladesh.

5. Mes Aynak, an Afghan Buddhist monastery complex on the Silk Road.

6. Myauk-U, capital of the first Arakanese kingdom in Myanmar.

7. Plain of Jars, a mysterious megalithic site in Laos.

8. Preah Vihear, a Khmer architectural masterpiece in Cambodia.

9. Rakhigarhi, one of the biggest, ancient Indus civilization sites in India.

10. Taxila, an ancient economic crossroads in Pakistan.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Entry gate to Fort Santiago in Manila, The Philippines. Photo by Drumlanrig.
Entry gate to Fort Santiago in Manila, The Philippines. Photo by Drumlanrig.

Helsinki votes down building Guggenheim Museum

The Guggenheim Helsinki museum was to have been built constructed on the current site of the lower-level building seen far right in this photo. At center is Uspenski Cathedral. Photo: Ralf Roletschek, Farhhadmonteur.de. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NonDerivative 3.0 (US) license.
The Guggenheim Helsinki museum was to have been built constructed on the current site of the lower-level building seen far right in this photo. At center is Uspenski Cathedral. Photo: Ralf Roletschek, Farhhadmonteur.de. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NonDerivative 3.0 (US) license.
The Guggenheim Helsinki museum was to have been built constructed on the current site of the lower-level building seen far right in this photo. At center is Uspenski Cathedral. Photo: Ralf Roletschek, Farhhadmonteur.de. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NonDerivative 3.0 (US) license.

HELSINKI (AFP) – The Helsinki city council has rejected plans to build a Guggenheim Museum in the Finnish capital, mainly due to its high cost, city officials announced Thursday.

The project, presented by the city’s centre-right mayor Jussi Pajunen with an estimated cost of 140 million euros ($184 million), was turned down in a close vote of 8 to 7 on Wednesday, an official statement said.

The leader of the Greens on the city council, Ville Ylikari, found the project too expensive, and added that: “Finland should concentrate on exporting, rather than importing, culture.”

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation had handed over its concept and development study for a new museum to Helsinki in January, which supporters said would position the city as a Nordic cultural capital.

Guggenheim’s world-famous network includes museums in New York, Bilbao, Berlin and Venice, and another under construction in Abu Dhabi.

While those who voted in favour of the museum also argued it would create jobs, Helsinki’s mayor did not bemoan its defeat.

“We had a high-level debate on culture and that is good for the city,” Pajunen said.

The Guggenheim Foundation however expressed disappointment in the decision.

“I am surprised and disappointed but ready to continue the fight,” the foundation’s director in New York, Richard Armstrong, told the daily Helsingin Sanomat.

He hoped the museum plan could be revived after the election of a new city council in October.

A group of about 100 Finnish artists have proposed an alternative project, dubbed Checkpoint Helsinki. The group claims that the creation of a Guggenheim Museum was motivated more by tourism than the development of contemporary art in Finland.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

The Guggenheim Helsinki museum was to have been built constructed on the current site of the lower-level building seen far right in this photo. At center is Uspenski Cathedral. Photo: Ralf Roletschek, Farhhadmonteur.de. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NonDerivative 3.0 (US) license.
The Guggenheim Helsinki museum was to have been built constructed on the current site of the lower-level building seen far right in this photo. At center is Uspenski Cathedral. Photo: Ralf Roletschek, Farhhadmonteur.de. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NonDerivative 3.0 (US) license.

Fine art, estate jewelry, furniture in Crescent City May 12-13 sale

Fine Tiffany sterling silver Art Nouveau center bowl, circa 1906, 12 inches in diameter, 28.45 troy ounces. Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Fine Tiffany sterling silver Art Nouveau center bowl, circa 1906, 12 inches in diameter, 28.45 troy ounces. Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Fine Tiffany sterling silver Art Nouveau center bowl, circa 1906, 12 inches in diameter, 28.45 troy ounces. Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

NEW ORLEANS – Over 1,200 lots of quality merchandise in a wide array of categories will cross the block on May 12-13 at Crescent City Auction Gallery, in just the second auction at the firm’s new showroom facility located at 1330 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. The May auction will begin both days at 10 a.m. (CST), with Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com.

Offered will be fine art (to include Part 2 of the collection of Dr. James W. Nelson of Gonzalez, La., who specialized in Louisiana and New Orleans artworks; Part 1 was held in March), silver, estate jewelry, period furniture, Persian rugs, chandeliers and lighting, antique clocks (case and regular) and more.

Also sold will be the estate of a dealer/collector from Hattiesburg, Miss., featuring a huge collection of bric-a-brac. “The more than 150 pieces of high-end bric-a-brac in this dealer’s private collection are sure to attract bidder attention, especially online,” predicted Adam Lambert of Crescent City Auction Gallery. “It’s a wonderful selection — very eclectic and highly desirable to collectors.”

Artworks will be a major component of the auction. One lot expected to garner interest is a signed oil on board by the African-American folk artist Clementine Hunter (La., 1886-1988). The work, titled Saturday Night at the Honky Tonk (circa 1966) was purchased by the current owner’s grandmother from Ms. Hunter at Melrose Plantation in Louisiana circa 1966.

Another noteworthy lot is a pair of monumental arched oils on canvas by Victor Mazier (French), done in 1864 and titled Praying to the Virgin Mary and Priests in Prayer. The latter is signed, dated and marked (Paris). Both paintings are unframed, but they certainly are impressive, at 128 ¼ inches by 58 ¼ inches. “These are large, beautiful works, sure to draw attention,” Lambert said.

Two other artworks bound to do well are a signed 19th century oil on canvas by Wesley Webber (Mass./Calif., 1841-1914), titled Sheep at Pasture, nicely presented in a gilt and gesso frame (11 inches by 14 inches); and a 20th century oil on canvas signed lower right by the late Hungarian artist Maria Szantho (1897-1988), titled Reclining Nude, 24 inches by 32 inches wide.

Period furniture will feature an American classical carved mahogany Gothic secretary bookcase, 86 ½ inches tall (circa 1850); a Louis Philippe carved walnut chest (circa 1840); an 18th century French provincial Louis XIII-style carved walnut double-door armoire with carved “star” panels; a French provincial Louis XV-style carved cherry double-door armoire (circa 1850); and a lovely French provincial carved cherry sideboard on cabriole legs (circa 1800).

An expected star of the clocks category is a 19th century carved mahogany tall case clock with the brass and steel dial labeled Thomas Armstrong & Brother, Manchester (88 inches tall). The clock would pair well with the featured fine antique Persian Kashan rug, 10 feet 2 inches by 14 feet, as would the 20th century Chickering ebonized baby grand piano with six Ampico paper rolls they are offering in this auction.

Silver pieces will include a fine Tiffany sterling Art Nouveau center bowl weighing 28.45 troy ounces (circa 1906); and a 97-piece set of sterling flatware by Gorham in the Willow pattern, weighing 97.7 troy ounces (circa 1954). Estate jewelry will feature three ladies’ stainless Rolex wristwatches (two with gold, all mounted with diamonds) and a selection of diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, rubies and pearls.

Returning to artwork, the sale will feature a pair of works by Robert Rucker (La., 1932-2001). One is a 1970 watercolor titled The Shed by the Horse Barn, signed and dated lower right and measuring 14 ¼ inches by 21 ¼ inches. The other is a 20th century oil on board titled Window on the Garden, signed lower right and diminutive at 9 ½ inches tall by 7 ½ inches wide. Fans of triptychs will be intrigued by the three oil on canvases all housed in a single frame by Emile Roy, titled Miracle de sa Charite, St. Elizabeth de Hongrie: son Castel and La Supreme Sacrifice. All three are signed. Also sold will be a bronze work by Antonio Frilli (It., 1860-1920), titled Seated Classical Warrior, signed on the base (21 ½ inches by 9 ¼ inches).

Other artworks deserving mention are a 1997 oil on canvas by Hunt Slonem (La., b. 1951), titled Two Birds, signed and dated en verso (37 inches by 37 inches); an oil on canvas by Florine Hyer (Calif., 1868-1936), titled Still Life of Flowers in a Basket, signed lower right; and a 19th century KPM porcelain plaque of a draped classical nude beauty, reading in a landscape.

For additional information on any lot in the sale, call 504-529-5057 or e-mail info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com.

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

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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

Fine Tiffany sterling silver Art Nouveau center bowl, circa 1906, 12 inches in diameter, 28.45 troy ounces. Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Fine Tiffany sterling silver Art Nouveau center bowl, circa 1906, 12 inches in diameter, 28.45 troy ounces. Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

19th-century oil on canvas by Wesley Webber (1839-1914) titled 'Sheep at Pasture,' signed. Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

19th-century oil on canvas by Wesley Webber (1839-1914) titled ‘Sheep at Pasture,’ signed. Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Carved mahogany tall case clock, circa 19th century, with brass and steel dial labeled 'Thomas Armstrong & Brother.' Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Carved mahogany tall case clock, circa 19th century, with brass and steel dial labeled ‘Thomas Armstrong & Brother.’ Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Monumental pair of arched oils on canvas by Victor Mazier (1864), one signed, 128¼ inches by 58¼ inches. Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Monumental pair of arched oils on canvas by Victor Mazier (1864), one signed, 128¼ inches by 58¼ inches. Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Original 20th-century oil on canvas by Maria Szantho (Hungarian, 1897-1988) titled 'Reclining Nude.' Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Original 20th-century oil on canvas by Maria Szantho (Hungarian, 1897-1988) titled ‘Reclining Nude.’ Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Original oil on board by renowned African-American folk artist Clementine Hunter, titled 'Saturday Night at the Honky Tonk,' circa 1966. Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Original oil on board by renowned African-American folk artist Clementine Hunter, titled ‘Saturday Night at the Honky Tonk,’ circa 1966. Image courtesy of Crescent City Auction Gallery.

Kaminski Auctions announces May 12 Asian sale

Brushpot, China, Qianlong Dynasty, stone carved with bamboo, plum blossoms and clouds, est. $4,000-$6,000. Kaminski’s image.
Brushpot, China, Qianlong Dynasty, stone carved with bamboo, plum blossoms and clouds, est. $4,000-$6,000. Kaminski’s image.

Brushpot, China, Qianlong Dynasty, stone carved with bamboo, plum blossoms and clouds, est. $4,000-$6,000. Kaminski’s image.

BEVERLY, Mass. – Following their record-breaking March Fine Asian Art and Antiques auction, where four paintings by the Chinese artist, Qi Bashi brought a record $2.8 million dollars, Kaminski Auctions announces its May Asian Art and Antiques sale to be held May 12. Internet live bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.

The top lot of the sale is a Chinese Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) horse head calligraphy chop stamp. The chop is semi-translucent amber green nephrite jade with inscriptions carved on the head and is estimated at $15,000-$25,000. Other jade in the sale includes a Chinese Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) blooming flower vase of semi-translucent amber green nephrite jade, carved in the form of an opening flower and valued at $3,000-$5,000; and a Chinese jade scepter, carved with a bat, a dragon and inscription. It is also valued at $3,000-$5,000.

An interesting pair of ivory figures, carved in the form of an emperor and empress and having intricately carved robes, on rosewood stands, standing 19 in. high are expected to make $6,000-$9,000.

Chinese paintings in the sale include a 17th/18th century narrative scene with deities, from the Harris estate, Park Avenue, New York City, with an estimate of $10,000-$15,000. There is also a China Trade painting of an arctic whaling scene by Brian Coole, (b. 1939-), oil on board, signed, estimated at $3,250-$4,250.

A Qianlong Dynasty, Chinese brush pot made of stone carved with bamboo, plum blossoms and clouds is estimated at $4,000-$6,000.

There are more than 500 lots of porcelain in the sale. Highlights include a Doucai jar, China, painted with blue and green dragons chasing pearls amidst clouds, with a ruyi pattern above and a Qianlong mark on the base. It measures 7 in. by 7 ½ in. and is valued at $3,000-$5,000. A late 19th/early 20th century Chinese Famille Rose vase painted with an idyllic rural landscape scene including mountains and figures, with a Guangxu mark on the base, is valued at $3,000-$4,000.

For additional information on any lot in the sale, call 978-927-2223.

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

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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

Brushpot, China, Qianlong Dynasty, stone carved with bamboo, plum blossoms and clouds, est. $4,000-$6,000. Kaminski’s image.

Brushpot, China, Qianlong Dynasty, stone carved with bamboo, plum blossoms and clouds, est. $4,000-$6,000. Kaminski’s image.

Horse head calligraphy chop stamp, China, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), semi-translucent amber green nephrite jade with inscriptions carved on head, est. $15,000-$25,000. Kaminski’s image.

Horse head calligraphy chop stamp, China, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), semi-translucent amber green nephrite jade with inscriptions carved on head, est. $15,000-$25,000. Kaminski’s image.

Famille Rose vase, China, late 19th/early 20th century, Guangxu mark on base, 17in. tall, est. $3,000-$4,000. Kaminski’s image.

Famille Rose vase, China, late 19th/early 20th century, Guangxu mark on base, 17in. tall, est. $3,000-$4,000. Kaminski’s image.

Painting, China, 17th/18th century, narrative scene with deities, est. $10,000-$15,000. Kaminski’s image.

Painting, China, 17th/18th century, narrative scene with deities, est. $10,000-$15,000. Kaminski’s image.

Blooming flower vase, China, Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), nephrite jade, est. $3,000-$5,000. Kaminski’s image.

Blooming flower vase, China, Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), nephrite jade, est. $3,000-$5,000. Kaminski’s image.

Jade scepter, China, carved with bat, dragon and inscription, est. $3,000-$5,000. Kaminski’s image.

Jade scepter, China, carved with bat, dragon and inscription, est. $3,000-$5,000. Kaminski’s image.

Pair of pottery figures in form of women in long gowns, China, est. $3,000-$5,000. Kaminski’s image.

Pair of pottery figures in form of women in long gowns, China, est. $3,000-$5,000. Kaminski’s image.

Doucai jar, China, painted with blue and green dragons chasing pearls amidst clouds with a ruyi pattern above, Qianlong mark on base, est. $3,000-$5,000.

Doucai jar, China, painted with blue and green dragons chasing pearls amidst clouds with a ruyi pattern above, Qianlong mark on base, est. $3,000-$5,000.

Gifts from Mrs. Charles Wrightsman enrich Met’s collection

Entrance to Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2007 photo by Arad, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Entrance to Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2007 photo by Arad, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Entrance to Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2007 photo by Arad, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

NEW YORK—Several recent gifts of works of art from Mrs. Charles Wrightsman—including a sculpture of Spinario (Boy Pulling a Thorn from His Foot) by the Renaissance artist known as Antico; Léopold Boilly’s 1810 canvas The Public Viewing David’s ‘Coronation’ at the Louvre; and nine portrait drawings by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres—have entered the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum announced today. The Antico sculpture has just been installed in the gallery of bronzes within the Museum’s European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Galleries, and the other works will be put on view in the coming months.

Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi, known as Antico (ca. 1455-1528), probably modeled Spinario—depicting a nude youth seated on a tree stump, engaged in extracting a thorn from the sole of his left foot—by 1496. The bronze figure, which was cast ca. 1501, has mercury-gilt hair, worn long, and silvered eyes, and is based on an ancient sculpture of extraordinary importance now in the collection of the Capitoline Museum in Rome. The work was likely made for a member of the Gonzaga family. According to Luke Syson, the Museum’s Iris and B.

Gerald Cantor Curator in Charge of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts: “Antico lived up to his nickname by bringing the art of ancient sculpture into the Renaissance. By thinking intensely about a famous Greco-Roman bronze of a boy pulling a thorn from his foot, he gave his own Spinario a psychology and energy that even the great original lacks. Antico was the pioneer of a technology that allowed him to reproduce his bronzes, and we think this is the first and finest of the three best versions in existence today.”

Painted by the leading exponent of genre scenes and small-scale portraits, The Public Viewing David’s ‘Coronation’ at the Louvre (1810) is Léopold Boilly’s most ambitious work and shows the exhibition of David’s enormous painting of Napoleon’s coronation in the Salon Carré of the Louvre. In the crowd, standing in animated admiration of David’s painting, are a number of portraits, including Boilly’s own. This work adds a major painting of the Napoleonic era to the Museum’s holdings and touches on all of the most appealing themes found in Boilly’s imagery: modern life, public spectacle, portraiture, genre, and trompe-l’oeil.

Mrs. Wrightsman’s gift to the Department of Drawings and Prints is an impressive group of nine portrait drawings by Ingres (1780-1867), who was the greatest portrait draftsman of the 19th century and one of its greatest portrait painters. These works encompass a wide range of subjects, from a formal portrait from 1818 of General Dulong de Rosnay (1780-1828), a Napoleonic war hero bedecked with medals and standing astride a Roman hilltop, to more intimate portraits such as Monsieur Armand Bertin and Madame Armand Bertin (1842 and 1843) and a touching portrait of Ingres’s protégé, the artist Henri Lehmann (1850). These works of exquisite beauty and grace enhance greatly the Museum’s collection of 17 Ingres portrait drawings—already including three gifts to the Met by Mrs. Wrightsman, among them the spectacular triple portrait of The Kaunitz Sisters (Leopoldine, Caroline, and Ferdinandine) of 1818. All together, the collection of 26 Ingres portrait drawings now at the Museum comprises one of the strongest such collections outside France.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Entrance to Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2007 photo by Arad, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Entrance to Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2007 photo by Arad, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Munch’s ‘Scream’ beats auction record at $119.9 million

One of several versions of the painting 'The Scream' by Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944), this one being from the collection of The National Gallery, Oslo, Norway.
One of several versions of the painting 'The Scream' by Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944), this one being from the collection of The National Gallery, Oslo, Norway.
One of several versions of the painting ‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944), this one being from the collection of The National Gallery, Oslo, Norway.

NEW YORK (AFP) – The only privately owned version of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” — one of the most recognizable paintings in history — set a world record Wednesday when it sold for $119.9 million at Sotheby’s in New York.

Heated competition between seven bidders took the price to the highest for a work of art at a public auction in just 12 minutes, sparking applause.

“World record,” announced auctioneer Tobias Meyer after bringing down the hammer.

The previous record was held by Picasso’s “Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust,” which sold in 2010 for $106.5 million.

“The Scream” is one of four versions of a work whose nightmarish central figure and lurid, swirling colors symbolized the existential angst and despair of the modern age.

It was sold by Norwegian Petter Olsen, whose father was a friend and supporter of the artist. He plans to establish a new museum in Norway.

On two occasions, other versions of the painting have been stolen from museums, although both were recovered. Copies have adorned everything from student dorms to tea mugs and the work has the rare quality of being known to art experts and the general public alike.

“We’re delighted to say that this magnificent picture, which is not only one of the seminal images of our history, but also one of the visual keys for modern consciousness, achieved a world record,” Simon Shaw, head of the Impressionist and modern department at Sotheby’s, said.

Reflecting the excitement, Sotheby’s spokesman Darrell Rocha said there had been an “electric” atmosphere during the sale of a painting that had been estimated to fetch at least $80 million.

“A group of seven bidders jumped into the competition early, but it was a prolonged battle between two highly determined phone bidders that carried the final selling price to its historic level,” he said.

“Scream’s” success means there are just three other works that have sold for more than $100 million.

One is the Picasso nude, another is Picasso’s “Boy with a Pipe” which sold for $104.1 million in 2004, and the fourth is Alberto Giacometti’s “Walking Man” sculpture which fetched $104.3 million in 2010.

The version of “The Scream” sold Wednesday was executed in 1895 and is the only one not held by Norwegian museums. It also features a poem inscribed by Munch in which he explains his inspiration for the work, which depicts “the great scream in nature.”

Olsen said he was “very pleased” and said he hoped “the publicity given by this sale will increase interest in Munch’s work and awareness of the important message that I feel it conveys.”

“The scream shows for me the horrifying moment when man realizes his impact on nature and the irreversible changes that he has initiated, making the planet increasingly [un]inhabitable.”

The sale was the high point of the auction of Impressionist and modern works at Sotheby’s. Rival Christie’s held a more muted auction Tuesday.

Both houses turn to contemporary art next week, with Mark Rothko’s 1961 painting “Orange, Red, Yellow” expected to sell for $35 million to $45 million at Christie’s.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

One of several versions of the painting 'The Scream' by Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944), this one being from the collection of The National Gallery, Oslo, Norway.
One of several versions of the painting ‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944), this one being from the collection of The National Gallery, Oslo, Norway.