May 2012 - Page 4 of 19 - Auction Central News

1825 Empire couch, mahogany with transparent surface film, probably not original.

Furniture Specific: Identity Problem

May 25, 2012/in Fred Taylor/by Tom Hoepf

1825 Empire couch, mahogany with transparent surface film, probably not original.

I get calls, letters and emails each month requesting information about a piece or a set of furniture. Most of the time I am more than happy to share any information I may have to enhance the inquirer’s relationship with a family treasure or new discovery. But there are times when I just don’t feel like the inquirer has met me halfway. Especially when the question starts out something like, “I have this old piece of furniture. It’s sorta tall but not real wide in the middle. It has a real dark color and you can hardly see all the stuff in it. My mother said it has been in our family forever. Can you tell me how old it is, who made it and what it is worth?”

That’s not quite enough to go on. It’s like telling the mechanic the car just doesn’t feel right or informing the doctor that it hurts real bad but you can’t tell where it hurts. There is a need for specific information in all these cases. I don’t know much about cars and have never had a real good rapport with doctors, but I do know there is a method by which a piece of furniture can be described. If most of the blanks are filled in, the rest of the information can be ferreted out somehow.

It is a step-by-step process that proceeds logically from one area to the next. In trying to describe a piece of furniture the first and most important step is to identify what the piece is—in other words the FORM.

FORM

Form identification starts with the really simple stuff like chair, table, couch, cabinet, bookcase, dresser, chest, etc. But it gets more difficult from there. There are very specific types and classes of forms that lead to clearer identification. For example just take a look at “table.” How many different types of tables can you name? Take 15 seconds and name as many types of tables as you can. Done? If you didn’t name at least 10 you are not paying attention. How about dining, work, tray, tea, coffee, cocktail, lamp, end, console, foyer? And each type that you named has specific attributes that make it that type of table. Just naming the type of table already is a great step to further identification by ruling out all the other thousands of types of tables. And each type table you thought of has even more specific variations that narrow the identification process even further.

For example, try thinking about just dining tables. Types and variations that come quickly to mind are pedestal, extension, draw, tilt-top, refectory, drop leaf, gateleg and combinations thereof. Each one generates a mental picture of a specific table that generally is not to be confused with another, if you have the right word with the right picture. But that is just a matter of training.

If you get the form right the next level of description is to be found in the STYLE.

STYLE

Style, in essence, is how the form was executed. A Chippendale table is certainly different from a Renaissance Revival table. The two styles have unmistakably different approaches to providing a level, stable surface upon which to eat. The Chippendale table will be more delicate and bring elements of Rococo to mind while the Renaissance Revival table will be more architectural and dense. There is no intermixing of the two, no gray area or fuzzy line of demarcation. That is not true of all styles but in most cases a clear enough distinction between styles can be found to create the proper mental image, with a little practice. Almost any antiques book will have a rough guide to styles.

Now that the FORM and the STYLE have been locked in what is the next step in the descriptive process? The AGE.

AGE

Most styles can be associated with a certain period of time. The name of the style is normally the first clue to the period since most early styles were named after a monarch of the time or a reasonably recent one at any rate. Obvious names include Queen Anne, Georgian, Jacobean, Elizabethan and William and Mary. If you know some royal history you know the period. Other style names are not quite so obvious but can be associated with a specific period such as Chippendale, Victorian, Federal, Empire and Arts and Crafts. But if you know the style do you then know the age? Of course not. Queen Anne is a good example. The new style began to take hold in England as early as 1715 but did not really reach the American colonies until 1725. The same is true with Chippendale. Thomas Chippendale was a force in English furniture in the 1740s and 1750s, but his style did not take hold in the Colonies until nearly 1760. And when it did it was not the up-to-date Chippendale of England. It was a more conservative approach that still used the ball and claw foot on the cabriole leg, something that was so out date in 1754 when Chippendale published his famous book that he did not even illustrate the foot.

And then there is the problem of reproductions and revivals. Most of the major styles have had a revival at one time or another and some of them are quite good. The longest continuously running revival is the Colonial Revival which began in the late 19th century and by some accounts is still on a roll.

You have to do better than simple style to determine an age for a piece of furniture. You have to look at construction techniques of the period. And construction materials can make a difference too. A Chippendale chair that reveals a plywood splat is certainly not an 18th century chair. Neither is one that is assembled using round dowels, nor one that is made of gum (wood) with a dark mahogany dye stain in it. Determining the age is probably the most complicated of all the descriptive categories and requires the most study.

WOOD

The next detail you need to know about the piece is the WOOD from which it is made. Identifying wood is perhaps the area that many collectors are weakest in. But it really can be fairly simple.

Wood is most easily identified by its texture. Coarse grain woods have deep crevices in the grain that are evident to the touch and are all hardwoods. Common coarse grain woods used in furniture are oak, ash, hickory, pecan, chestnut and elm. Medium grain woods have a finer texture but still have prominent open spaces. The most commonly used are walnut, mahogany and butternut or white walnut. The last type wood is the smooth or closed grain wood. This includes cherry, maple, birch, polar, gum, pine and beech. The wood is smooth and has no obvious open spaces in the grain.

If you can identify the relative coarseness of the grain you can boil your choice of woods down to the small handful of candidates commonly used in furniture production from that class.

FINISH

The final area of descriptive detail is the FINISH. Is it painted or does it have a transparent finish? If it is painted does it look original to the piece? If it is transparent does it appear to be a penetrating finish such as oil that leaves no apparent surface film or is it a surface finish that provides the piece with a protective skin? If it has a surface film that usually means the finish is shellac, lacquer, varnish or urethane. A few simple tests with solvents will help determine which it is among the possible candidates. With a cotton swab apply a small amount of denatured alcohol in an inconspicuous spot. After 30 seconds test the spot with your finger. If the finish is sticky it is shellac. If it is still firm try the same test with lacquer thinner. If it’s sticky after 30 seconds the finish is lacquer. If not it is an oil based varnish or urethane or perhaps a water based urethane. In any event other than when the finish is shellac, you can be pretty sure that the finish is one from the 20th century or later, either original or overcoated.

Don’t you wish you could get that much detail in an auction catalog?

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Send comments, questions and pictures to Fred Taylor at P.O. Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423 or email them to him at info@furnituredetective.com.

Visit Fred’s website at www.furnituredetective.com. His book How To Be a Furniture Detective is available for $18.95 plus $3 shipping. Send check or money order for $21.95 to Fred Taylor, P.O. Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423.

Fred and Gail Taylor’s DVD, Identification of Older & Antique Furniture ($17 + $3 S&H) is also available at the same address. For more information call 800-387-6377 (9 a.m.-4 p.m. EDT, M-F only), fax 352-563-2916, or info@furnituredetective.com. All items are also available directly from his website.

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

1825 Empire couch, mahogany with transparent surface film, probably not original.

The top lot at Cowan’s auction was this painting by Elizabeth Nourse, ‘Mere et Bebe,’ which sold for $31,750. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.

Cowan’s fine and decorative art auction exceeds $450,000

May 25, 2012/in Auction Results/by Tom Hoepf

The top lot at Cowan’s auction was this painting by Elizabeth Nourse, ‘Mere et Bebe,’ which sold for $31,750. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.

CINCINNATI – Cowan’s Auctions Fine and Decorative Art Auction realized $465,000 in the May 19 sale. Over 1,100 people from over 16 different countries bid on the telephone, online and in Cowan’s salesroom.

The highest selling lot in the sale was a painting by Elizabeth Nourse (American, 1859-1938) titled Mere et Bebe, which sold for $31,750.

Other regional works did particularly well in the auction as well. A work by Cincinnati artist Frank Duveneck titled Mary Mallon, sold for $8,812.

“I was very pleased with the outcome,“ notes Graydon Sikes, director, paintings and prints. “The Elizabeth Nourse hammered down to a Cincinnati collector, which is evidence that our regional artists are still of considerable interest.”

A collection of George Nakashima furniture also performed well in the sale. A Nakashima armchair realized $4,500. A Nakashima settee sold for $4,406. A set of George Nakashima Mira Chairs hammered down at $3,240.

Pablo Picasso ceramics were also among the top-selling lots offered in the auction. A Pablo Picasso earthenware vase sold for $18,000. A Pablo Picasso Mudoura earthenware jug realized $5,285, and a Pablo Picasso plate realized $3,290.

An Andrew Clemens sand bottle, dated 1888, surpassed its estimate of $3,000-$5,000 and hammered down at $8,225.

A number of Chinese lots also exceeded their estimates. A Chinese export mother-of-pearl inlaid bench and chair, estimated at $3,000-$5,000, sold for $7,800. A set of Chinese porcelain lamps realized $5,100. A Chinese altar table sold for $3,600.

Additional noteworthy lots were a 3-gallon Edgefield, S.C., jar attributed to slave potter Dave Drake, which realized $9,400. A painting by George Phippen, titled No Life for the Easily Bruised, made $6,600. A Rookwood wall mural from the Mills Restaurant, a fixture in downtown Cincinnati for many years, realized $2,350. A Massachusetts slant-front secretary-bookcase attributed to cabinetmaker John Smith (1768-1834) sold for $3,055.

For more information about upcoming sales at Cowan’s Aucton, visit www.cowans.com or call 513-871-1670.

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

The top lot at Cowan’s auction was this painting by Elizabeth Nourse, ‘Mere et Bebe,’ which sold for $31,750. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.

Cincinnati artist Frank Duveneck’s painting ‘Mary Mallon’ reached $8,812. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.

Andrew Clemens sand bottle dated 1888: $8,225. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.

Chinese export mother-of-pearl inlaid bench and chair: $7,800. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.

George Nakashima armchair: $4,500. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.

Albrecht Duerer (German, 1471-1528), 'The Adoration of the Magi,' 1504, oil on panel, Uffizi Gallery. Sourced through Google Art Project.

New Duerer exhibit focuses on artist’s early years

May 25, 2012/in Art, Design & Architecture/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

Albrecht Duerer (German, 1471-1528), ‘The Adoration of the Magi,’ 1504, oil on panel, Uffizi Gallery. Sourced through Google Art Project.

NUREMBERG, Germany (AP) – A new exhibit in Albrecht Duerer’s hometown opened Thursday, bringing together works by the German Renaissance artist from a dozen countries with a focus on his formative early years.

The Duerer exhibition at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum is the largest in Germany in 40 years, encompassing the artist’s creative period until 1505, including self-portraits and portraits of family and friends, as well as his ambitious nature studies and drawings.

“It made a lot of sense for us to focus on Duerer’s development until the year 1505,” said curator Daniel Hess. “During this period of time the important developments of his artistic work took place.”

The exhibit includes the museum’s own Duerer collection as well as 120 of the artist’s most important works provided by 51 lenders around the world.

The oldest work – “Self-Portrait” from the Albertina museum in Vienna — dates back to 1484 when Duerer was only 13-years-old. The latest, from 1504, is the “Adoration of the Magi” from the Uffizi in Florence.

His wide body of work also includes religious works, altarpieces, copper engravings and woodcuts.

Duerer was born in 1471 in Nuremberg, which was an economic and cultural center at the time. He died there in 1528.

During his life he made several trips abroad, including two to Italy that had a strong influence on his life. Landscape watercolors made on his first journey there in 1494 are considered some of his most beautiful paintings, and his second trip there in 1505 brought him into contact with Venetian master Giovanni Bellini, whose influence is seen in Duerer’s pictures of men and women from this period.

“The mixture of wide loose strokes and fine calligraphic finish make Duerer’s paintings so lively,” Hess said. “He is never boring and brash. His work is very virtuosic, free and very accurate.”

The exhibit runs through Sept. 2.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Albrecht Duerer (German, 1471-1528), ‘The Adoration of the Magi,’ 1504, oil on panel, Uffizi Gallery. Sourced through Google Art Project.

Joan Miro (Spanish, 1893-1983), mural titled 'Personnages Oiseaux' or 'Bird People,' 1978, 28 x 52 feet, Venetian glass and marble. Image used with the expressed permission of the Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State University in Kansas.

Grants provide $250K to fix Miro mural in Wichita

May 25, 2012/in Art, Design & Architecture/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

Joan Miro (Spanish, 1893-1983), mural titled ‘Personnages Oiseaux’ or ‘Bird People,’ 1978, 28 x 52 feet, Venetian glass and marble. Image used with the expressed permission of the Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State University in Kansas.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – The Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University will use a $250,000 grant to repair a massive mosaic by Spanish artist Joan Miro.

The money comes from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The mosaic, which measures 28 feet by 52 feet, was installed in 1978 across the south facade of the Ulrich Museum of Art.

The outdoor mural, called Bird People, depicts several surrealist birds.

The studio in France that created the mural based on a Miro painting affixed about 1 million pieces of Venetian glass and marble to particle board. Kansas’ extreme weather caused pieces to pop off, sometimes as many as 400 a year.

Officials estimate the restoration will cost $3 million and take about five years.

The museum continues to seek donations from the public.

To view historical images that outline the original project and the artwork’s unveiling, or to make a donation, visit the museum’s website at http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=ulrichmuseum

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Joan Miro (Spanish, 1893-1983), mural titled ‘Personnages Oiseaux’ or ‘Bird People,’ 1978, 28 x 52 feet, Venetian glass and marble. Image used with the expressed permission of the Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State University in Kansas.

Fu Baoishi’s ‘Three Musicians’ is a departure from the nationalistic style that made him popular in the 20th century. It is Lot 33, expected to bring $100,000-$150,000. Image courtesy Gianguan Auctions.

Gianguan Auctions sees June 10 sale as opportune time to buy

May 25, 2012/in Upcoming Auctions/by Tom Hoepf

Fu Baoishi’s ‘Three Musicians’ is a departure from the nationalistic style that made him popular in the 20th century. It is Lot 33, expected to bring $100,000-$150,000. Image courtesy Gianguan Auctions.

NEW YORK – As Gianguan Auctions prepares for its June 10 sale, Kwong Lum, president of the company, advises collectors on how to manage the changing dynamic in the Chinese art market. “This period of adjustment,” he says, “should be viewed as an opportune time to buy.”

Lum said that, according to the Chinese Association of Auctioneers, sales statistics show a drop of more than 18% in total revenues for 2011 (as compared to 2010), as well as a 20% (this is an estimate, as no official figures are ever published) non pick-up rate.

“Auction houses in Europe and the USA are alarmed by the non pick-ups especially of the high-priced items,” Lum said, but he also noted that an adjustment is “not necessarily a bad thing for the antique market, as the short history and rapid ascent of the Chinese antiques auctions may, in fact, have created a bubble. An adjustment period will correct a lot of wrongs.”

Lum’s advice is reflected in the realistic estimates and reliable cataloging of the fine Chinese paintings, ceramics, bronzes and works of art in the upcoming 315-lot sale, which will feature Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com.

Gianguan opens its morning session with more than 70 traditional and contemporary paintings by renowned Chinese artists whose works are in the $4,000-$25,000 range. World art leaders included in the sale offer promise for high-level collectors.

Among these is Zhang Daqian’s Lotus. Collectors will remember that Zhang Daqian’s works outsold Picasso’s in 2011. Lotus is an ink on paper image, rendered in a matured splashed-ink technique vaguely reminiscent of the Abstract Expressionist movement. Its three stamps and seal are from Daqian’s own collection. It is Lot 12. The catalog estimate is $200,000-$300,000.

Fu Baishi, whose recent retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art introduced him to audiences worldwide, is represented by an ink and paper scroll titled Three Musicians. A departure from the nationalistic style favored by Mao, this painting of musicians in a landscape integrates poetic atmosphere with traditional ink technique. It is Lot 33, expected to bring $100,000-$150,000.

Lot 62, a Bodhisattva painting with calligraphy by Master Hongyi, should be well received at $8,000-$12,000. Of black and red inks on paper, the work of art is a fitting way to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the artist, who became a monk at the age of 39.

The catalog cover features Lin Liang’s Hawk and Magpies, a Ming Dynasty ink and color on paper. The highly detailed painting portrays birds on a tree branch. Inscribed by Liang Qingbiao, signed Lin Liang, the large scroll carries four collectors seals. It is Lot 53 and expected to bring around $300,000.

Gianguan Auctions’ afternoon session is comprised of decorative arts, many of them scholar objects. Some are functional and others are inspirational. Most are small enough to decorate a desk or complement a study.

For the contemporary office, there is a finely carved zitan telephone with LED screen and push buttons. The casing is remarkable openwork carving of gnarled branches adorned with birds, flowers, bamboo and plum blossoms. The unusual phone is expected to bring upwards of $15,000.

Among the traditional items, the highlight is an Imperial Qian Long zitan brushpot raised on three tab feet. It is signed by the emperor. The inlays of wood, mother-of-pearl, coral, malachite and ivory depict birds among prunus blossoms and rockery. A spring poem and two imperial seals complete the design. Estimate is $10,000-$15,000.

Two other brush pots of note are Lots 263 and 311, each with thick walls and high relief carvings. Both are in the $3,000-$4,000 range.

The most unusual of the brush pots is carved from a zitan tree root, its naturalistic form unadorned. It is lot 327, estimated at $2,000 upward.

Of the Chinese ceramics, the marquee item is a rare Qing Dynasty Famille Rose red garlic head vase similar to one in the permanent collection of the newly renovated Beijing Capital Museum. It is Lot 271 and is finely painted with flowering prunus branches and bamboo, the design features two birds. The leaves are drawn in shades of green to blue, all reversed on an even rich red ground. The vase stands 8 1/2 inches tall and bears the Yongzheng Four Character mark and is of the period. The estimate is available on request.

Collectors in the market for accessible small items will find a collection of seals—Tianhuang, Shoushan, Jixue and Furonog—clustered at Lots 162–170.

With the popularity of carved jades strong, collectors will discover numerous offerings of jades rendered in naturalistic forms and as groupings. Their estimates range from $4,000-$20,000.

For complete details these items as well as the cinnabar and ivory carvings, decorative ceramics and pottery, see the online catalog at http://gianguanauctions.com.

Gianguan Auctions’ June 10 sale begins at 11 a.m. EDT. It will be conducted live at the gallery, 285 Madison Ave. in Manhattan and online at LiveAuctioneers.com. For condition reports, call 212-867-7288.

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

Hong Yi (Li Shutong) (1880-1942), Bodhisattva hanging scroll, ink and color on paper, 26 x 26 1/4 inches. Estimate: $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy Gianguan Auctions.

Finely carved zitan telephone with base of openwork carving. Estimate: upward of $15,000. Image courtesy Gianguan Auctions.

A rare Qing Dynasty Famille Rose red garlic head vase similar to one in the permanent collection of the Beijing Capital Museum. Image courtesy Gianguan Auctions.

Fu Baoishi’s ‘Three Musicians’ is a departure from the nationalistic style that made him popular in the 20th century. It is Lot 33, expected to bring $100,000-$150,000. Image courtesy Gianguan Auctions.

Painting by famed Indiana artist found behind canvas

May 25, 2012/in Art, Design & Architecture/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

BELMONT, Ind. (AP) – Art experts are hoping to figure out more about the origins of a previously unknown painting by noted Indiana impressionist T.C. Steele that was found hidden behind another canvas.

The unusual find occurred after the Indiana State Museum shipped one of its paintings by the late artist to a Chicago art conservator for cleaning and restoration.

Conservator Barry Bauman removed an 1887 painting titled “The Old Garden” from its frame to be re-stretched and found the other painting beneath it.

The landscape dated 1890 and signed by Steele depicts two buildings, a clock tower and a small, female figure wearing a red bonnet. It was revealed during a news conference Wednesday at the state’s T.C. Steele Historic Site near the Brown County community of Belmont where he lived and painted in the early 1900s, The Herald-Times of Bloomington reported.

The site depicted in the painting has not been identified, but Meredith McGovern, art collections manager for the Indiana State Museum, and others are tracing Steele’s whereabouts at the time, reading letters and talking to residents in areas he painted in 1890 about a building with a tower.

“Hopefully, we can stitch together the story,” McGovern said.

Steele, who died in 1926, was an American Impressionist known for his Indiana landscapes. He is considered the most important of a cluster of Indiana artists known as The Hoosier Group.

His second wife, Selma Neubacher Steele, donated more than 300 of Steele’s works to the state of Indiana shortly before her death in 1945.

Bauman said he was amazed to find the hidden artwork last month.

“It was like a King Tut discovery, for me,” Bauman told the Indianapolis Business Journal. “I’ve been conserving paintings for 40 years, and it’s never happened to me.”

Art experts are uncertain why Steele hid one painting beneath another, although Bauman is certain Steele was responsible.

“I think there’s probably a simple answer for it, but we’ll never know it,” Bauman told The Indianapolis Star.

Curt Churchman, a collector of Indiana art who operates Fine Estate Art & Rugs in Indianapolis, said an 18-inch-by-24-inch painting by Steele from that time would probably bring $50,000 to $100,000 if it were sold on the open market.

“It’s a good period for Steele,” said Churchman, who sold a Steele painting last year for $75,000. “He was at the top of his form””

The painting that covered up the unknown landscape has been displayed before at the Steele historic site, which will display both paintings in a display called Steele Concealed through November, said Andrea deTarnowsky, the site’s manager.

McGovern said she hoped that showing the painting to the public will result in some leads about the scene it shows. Or if not, at least the mystery “will be something interesting for people to think about in the years to come.”

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Dore and patinated bronze putti centerpiece, French, 19th century, est. $6,000-$8,000. Sterling Associates image.

NJ’s Sterling Associates to host June 9 Fine Art & Estate Auction

May 25, 2012/in Upcoming Auctions/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

Dore and patinated bronze putti centerpiece, French, 19th century, est. $6,000-$8,000. Sterling Associates image.

CLOSTER, N.J. – With two highly successful auctions already to their credit since launching operations in December, New Jersey estate specialists Sterling Associates will go for a trifecta on June 9 with a Major Fine Art & Estate Auction featuring quality consignments from the tri-state area. Like the previous sales, the June event will be a “hybrid” auction, which combines a gallery and online preview with absentee, phone and Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com.

The 500-lot auction will feature paintings, furniture, porcelain, sculptures, rugs, sports art and an extensive array of lighting, candelabra and accessories. There are numerous highlights in all categories, but the lot that company owner Stephen D’Atri predicts might be “the star of the sale” is the pair of circa-1750 Qianlong famille rose Chinese covered vases in the Mandarin pattern.

“These vases are truly stunning. The decoration is so heavily applied, they almost look like Meissen,” D’Atri said. The 17-inch vases were held in a private collection for more than 30 years following their purchase from a dealer on New York’s Park Avenue. The duo is estimated at $20,000-$30,000.

From the same source comes a superb 19th-century French dore and patinated bronze centerpiece. The design incorporates a pair of putti supporting a gilt faux-wicker basket from a base adorned with a ribbon-entwined garland. A piece of outstanding quality, it is expected to make $6,000-$8,000.

Another premier lot is the magnificent palace-size silk Iranian Tabriz rug from the third quarter of the 20th century. It measures 26 by 16 ft and features a palette of pinky-peach and light greens with some reds for strength. Sterling Associates has placed an estimate of $30,000-$50,000 on the textile masterpiece.

Nothing adds a finishing touch to a room quite like an elegant light fixture, and “elegant” is the right word to describe an Art Deco-style chandelier created in the manner of Edgar Brandt or Oscar Bach. With its fine filigree work and delicately suspended bell-shape forms and crystals, it embodies the flawless balance and style of fine lighting from the Gatsby era. Previously in an eastern Pennsylvania residence, it will now pass to a new owner after crossing the auction block with a $4,000-$6,000 estimate.

There is always a demand for scientific antiques to outfit a traditional study or library, so D’Atri believes there will be strong interest in a circa-1800 Continental globe on stand. The globe offered by Sterling Associates measures an impressive 22 inches in diameter and is expected to make $400-$600.

An enormous modern oil-on-canvas painting of Marilyn Monroe is illegibly signed and dated. The framed 64½- by 50¼-inch portrait is probably too adventurous for a conventional décor, D’Atri said. “It’s ultra sophisticated, very large and very cool. It’s meant to be viewed from a distance.” The portrait is estimated at $2,000-$3,000.

Eight serigraphs by the Russian-born French artist Romain de Tirtoff Erte (1892-1990) will be auctioned. A gold-framed pair of serigraphs from Erte’s “Zeus & Hera Suite” is numbered 153/300 and estimated at $3,000-$5,000.

Several sports-related artworks have been consigned, with multiple artists represented. Included in the mix are lithographs autographed by Olympic decathlon gold medal winner Bruce Jenner.

Many wonderful pieces of garden statuary will be offered, all coming from area estates. Most are life-size classical forms – some of marble, some of bronze – with a few additional works having an Asian theme.

A standout amongst the garden antiques is a circa-1800 monumental cast-iron planter embossed with Chinese characters and bas-relief floral and foliage decoration. The consignor acquired the planter in the 1970s, a move that may turn out to have been a wise investment, according to D’Atri. “Today’s buyers are paying much more for Chinese iron vessels than they did back then,” he said. The handsome tripodal vessel is estimated at $4,000-$6,000.

Between 130 and 140 figurally carved or molded Meerschaum pipes and 40-50 walking sticks are included in the sale. Each item will be auctioned individually to offer collectors their particular choice from an especially diverse selection.

The auction is rounded out by antique Asian furniture, a large grouping of antique French and German dolls; and an item that defies classification: a 19th-century vampire killing set. Contained in an attractive wood case, the set consists of a collection of weapons, including a gun, knives and stakes – presumably to drive through a vampire’s heart.

D’Atri explained that, at one time, cases containing vampire-killing paraphernalia were kept onboard some eastern European stagecoaches to provide an extra level of security for night travelers who believed in the fictitious blood-sucking bats. “The manufacturer of these sets preyed upon people’s fears, not unlike the makers of 19th-century patent medicines,” D’Atri said. He noted that a similar set sold recently at Sotheby’s for around $25,000. The example in Sterling Associates’ sale is modestly estimated at $3,000-$5,000.

Sterling Associates’ Major Fine Art & Estate Auction will be held on Saturday, June 9, starting at 12 noon Eastern Time. It is structured as a hybrid auction in which previewing is available at the physical gallery, but all bidding is exclusively absentee, by phone or live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com.

“The way our auctions work, all bidding is conducted remotely, but we’re very much a permanent brick-and-mortar company where anyone can come in to inspect the goods,” said D’Atri. “It will be run exactly like a live auction, but without a live audience.”

The live gallery preview is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., June 5-8 inclusive. The gallery is located at 70 Herbert Ave., Closter, NJ 07624. For additional information on any item in the auction, call 201-768-1140 or e-mail info@antiquenj.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

Dore and patinated bronze putti centerpiece, French, 19th century, est. $6,000-$8,000. Sterling Associates image.

Circa-1800 Continental globe on four-leg pedestal, est. $400-$600. Sterling Associates image.

Pair of circa-1750 Qianlong Chinese famille rose covered vases in the Mandarin pattern, est. $20,000-$30,000. Sterling Associates image.

Modern oil-on-canvas painting of Marilyn Monroe, indistinctly signed and dated, est. $2,000-$3,000. Sterling Associates image.

Sampling from a collection of 130+ Meerschaum pipes. Sterling Associates image.

Monumental 18th-century Chinese iron planter with handles, est. $4,000-$6,000. Sterling Associates image.

Examples from a large selection of outdoor sculptures of mostly classical style. Sterling Associates image.

Romain de Tirtoff Erte (Russian/French, 1892-1990), pair of serigraphs from Zeus & Hera Suite, 153/300, est. $300-$500. Sterling Associates image.

Large hand-wrought bronze Art Deco chandelier in the manner of Edgar Brandt or Oscar Bach, est. $4,000-$6,000. Sterling Associates image.

2009 photo of Candy Spelling, noted doll collector and widow of Hollywood producer/writer Aaron Spelling.

Spelling’s widow sues Maryland auction house over dolls

May 24, 2012/in People/by Catherine Saunders-Watson

2009 photo of Candy Spelling, noted doll collector and widow of Hollywood producer/writer Aaron Spelling.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The widow of Hollywood producer Aaron Spelling is suing a Maryland auction house that sold part of her extensive collection of antique dolls, claiming it owes her money and failed to return unsold dolls.

Candy Spelling filed the lawsuit against Annapolis-based Theriault’s at the end of April. The lawsuit, which was filed in California, claims that the auction house didn’t live up to its contract because it failed to give her a timely accounting of the sold items and pay her for them.

The president of Theriault’s says the lawsuit does not represent an accurate description of the events surrounding the collection’s sale and that Spelling has been paid for the items.

Spelling’s lawyer declined to comment.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

2009 photo of Candy Spelling, noted doll collector and widow of Hollywood producer/writer Aaron Spelling.

William Herbert ‘Buck’ Dunton (American 1878-1936), ‘The Trail Boss (Settlers & Seeds, Civilization's Forerunner).’ Estimate: $200,000-$300,000. Image courtesy Michaan’s Auctions.

Michaan’s Auctions’ art sale June 9 strong on America

May 24, 2012/in Upcoming Auctions/by Tom Hoepf

William Herbert ‘Buck’ Dunton (American 1878-1936), ‘The Trail Boss (Settlers & Seeds, Civilization’s Forerunner).’ Estimate: $200,000-$300,000. Image courtesy Michaan’s Auctions.

ALAMEDA, Calif. – Michaan’s Auctions’ June Fine Arts Sale features superior works of art from many notable American and European masters of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Property was acquired primarily from estates, private collections and institutions throughout the West Coast.

LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding for the Saturday, June 9 auction, which will begin at 10 a.m. PDT.

The selection of lots includes oil paintings, prints, sculptures and works on paper, highlighted by several outstanding pieces in a variety of categories.

American artists comprise over half of the featured lots in the sale. An important and desirable work of art is found in a rare piece by William Herbert “Buck” Dunton. The oil painting titled The Trail Boss (Settlers & Seeds, Civilization’s Forerunners) is estimated at $200,000-$300,000. The Trail Boss was commissioned by the D.M. Ferry Seed Co. in 1910, who hired Dunton to create an iconic image that encapsulated the totality of what it meant to migrate to the West. The painting depicts the trail boss, or wagon train foreman, traveling on horseback through a plains with covered wagons in tow. Dunton’s unique style of painting in bold, patterned brushstrokes of rich color is as distinctive as his themes of the Old West. In demand by high-end collectors as well as those seeking Western genre pieces, Dunton’s works are widely and critically acclaimed with numerous public institutions and museums holding his best work.

Also available is Hermann Herzog’s Farallon Islands, Pacific Coast. The tranquil oil is lovely in its understated subtlety, utilizing muted tones in a realist style. Seabirds in flight dot the ocean scene of crashing waves. The painting measures 22 by 29 inches and has a $20,000-$30,000 estimate.

In striking contrast is Gilbert Gaul’s Unexpected Encounter. The dramatic winter scene depicts a High Sierra cowboy upon horseback unknowingly coming across three wolves ($20,000-$30,000). Gaul received many prestigious recognitions over the span of his career. In 1882 he was the youngest person to be elected a full academician at the National Academy. He was also awarded medals by the American Art Association, the Paris Exposition, the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the Buffalo Exposition.

Frederick Ferdinand Schafer’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years and collector interest continues to grow for the quintessential California nature artist. His pieces are known to bring $125,000 at auction and high hopes are held for landscape painting Morning on Feather River, California ($6,000-$9,000). Schafer had studios in San Francisco and homes in Alameda and Oakland, where he died in 1927.

Simplistic in its beauty is William John Whittemore’s John Dickerson Farm, 1901 ($4,000-$6,000). The rural scene of barns among a country landscape is played out in shades of rust tones, conveying a crisp, autumn feel to the piece. Whittemore’s painting career spanned an impressive 65 years. He also studied under renowned teacher J.J. Benjamin Constant and Jules Joseph Le Febrve at the Academie Julian.

Another wonderfully understated oil is George Frederick Bensell’s The Watering Hole ($3,000-$5,000). The landscape scene is painted in shades of sepia and centers naturally formed rocks scattered among a declining forest. A misty mountain surrounded by billowing clouds complete the background of the painting. Bensell was well-known for commissioning portraits, landscapes, historical and “poetical genre” subjects for his wealthy clientele. He is also recognized as a cofounder of the Philadelphia Sketch Club, one of America’s oldest existing artists’ groups.

Notable offerings from international artists compose many fine sale lots as well. From Spanish painter Emilio Grau Sala is the lively Paddock en Normandie. The late 1950s, early 1960s modernism racehorse scene is in absolutely pristine condition. Bought from a gallery, it then remained in a private family estate for two generations. The vibrant oil depicts horse race revelers consorting with a jockey as additional jockeys upon horses and patrons mill about the scene. The vivacious brush strokes and vibrant colors bring a palpable energy to the painting, a piece sure to draw strong collector interest ($18,000-$26,000).

Wolf von dem Bussche began his career as a painter, but despite the positive response to his work he was never completely fulfilled by the medium. As a result, he made the transition to photography. His sensibilities as a painter remained evident in his photographs as he continued to address thematic issues that interested him in his former career. The German artist is perhaps best known for his images of the World Trade Center Towers in New York City. Michaan’s is pleased to have a portfolio of 12 silver gelatin prints depicting the World Trade Center and Washington Square. The collection provides a reflective tribute to some of von dem Bussche’s most compelling work ($10,000-$15,000).

French artist Jehan Georges Vibert’s paintings held a prominent following during his career. John Jacob Astor IV and William Vanderbilt included his pieces in their collections, and heiress May Louise Maytag amassed a large amount of his paintings on behalf of the then Bishop of Miami, Coleman Carroll. The Maytag accumulation was eventually donated to St. John Vianney College in Miami. The Cardinal, depicts a Roman Catholic cleric on a garden stroll. The lot includes an informative article of Vibert written by Bill Rau from the Fine Art Connoisseur, April 2011 ($15,000-$25,000).

Another highlight from a Parisian artist lies in Henri Joseph Harpignies’ Washing the Laundry ($6,000-$9,000). The realist painting portrays two handmaidens washing laundry in a bucolic lake setting. Harpignies experienced some of his greatest successes at the Salon as a regular exhibitor and award winner. He also completed the decorative panel the Vallée d’Egérie for the Paris Opéra, shown at the Salon of 1870.

A founder of the Artists’ Association of New Orleans, Bror Anders Wikstrom was a Swedish artist who was at the forefront of the New Orleans art scene in the late 19th century. His offering, Florida Marsh, depicts grand cypress trees growing in a shaded swamp ($4,000-$6,000). His delicate use of light and easy brush strokes make the piece come to life in quite an inspiring way.

Previews begin on June 1st and continue until the day of sale at Michaan’s Auctions , 2751 Todd St., Alameda, CA 94501.

For more information please visit www.michaans.com or call the front desk at 510-740-0220.

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

William Herbert ‘Buck’ Dunton (American 1878-1936), ‘The Trail Boss (Settlers & Seeds, Civilization’s Forerunner).’ Estimate: $200,000-$300,000. Image courtesy Michaan’s Auctions.

Herman Herzog (American 1832-1932), ‘Farralon Islands, Pacific Coast.’ Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. Image courtesy Michaan’s Auctions.

Gilbert Gaul (American 1855-1919), ‘Unexpected Encounter,’ Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. Image courtesy Michaan’s Auctions.

William J. Wittemore (American 1860-1955), ‘Dickerson Farm.’ Estimate: $4,000-$6,000. Image courtesy Michaan’s Auctions.

Emilio Grau Sala (Spanish 1911-1975), ‘Paddock en Normandie.’ Estimate: $18,000-$26,000. Image courtesy Michaan’s Auctions.

Jehan Georges Vibert (French 1840-1902), ‘The Cardinal,’ oil on canvas. Estimate: $15,000-$25,000. Image courtesy Michaan’s Auctions.

Henri Joseph Harpignies (French 1819-1916), ‘Washing the Laundry,’ 1875. Estimate: $6,000-$9,000. Image courtesy Michaan’s Auctions.

The Grappler, a holdout often used on-stage by the actor and comedian Harry Anderson, best know for his lead role on TV's 'Night Court.' Estimate: $4,000-$6,000. Image courtesy Potter & Potter Auctions.

Potter & Potter to sell Chicago mob gambling items June 23

May 24, 2012/in Upcoming Auctions/by Tom Hoepf

The Grappler, a holdout often used on-stage by the actor and comedian Harry Anderson, best know for his lead role on TV’s ‘Night Court.’ Estimate: $4,000-$6,000. Image courtesy Potter & Potter Auctions.

CHICAGO – The secrets of a Cicero mob-run casino are going up for auction. On June 23, Potter & Potter Auctions will conduct its second annual auction of gambling memorabilia.

LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

A highlight of the sale will be a recently discovered set of duplicate books from El Patio, an illegal mob-run casino in Cicero Ill. Louis Campagna, one of Al Capone’s closest bodyguards, owned a piece of the action at El Patio.

The books—uncovered in the rafters of the club by a worker who helped demolish the building in the 1960s—lays out exactly what illegal gambling went on there in the heyday of the mob in the Chicago burbs, and how the house almost always won. They recall the era of Prohibition and illegal gambling dens of the 1930s, depicted in movies like The Godfather. One of the books even “names names,” cataloging the identities of all the employees at the club. The books have never, until now, seen the light of day.

The auction will also feature relics of another dark side of gambling: cheating devices.

These devices make winning games of chance a sure thing. Among them will be two holdout tables—pieces of furniture that secretly add or remove cards from the hands of the gambler, and another table which allows the operator to literally see through the backs of playing cards in his opponent’s hands.

These will be complemented by many rare and early books on how to cheat at various table games. Among them are the true first edition of How Gamblers Win, of which only five examples are known; a possibly unique book on cheating at Baccarat, Le Guide du Jouer; and a first edition of S.W. Erdnase’s The Expert at the Card Table.

Rounding out the sale will be an assortment of decorative items, ephemera, punch boards, roulette wheels, faro dealing boxes, layouts, case keepers, corner rounders and trimmer, trade stimulators, associated gambling and gaming items, and rare books on poker, dice and trade catalogs.

An illustrated catalog will be available in late May from Potter & Potter.

For more information, contact Gabe Fajuri, Potter & Potter Auctions Inc., 3759 N. Ravenswood Ave., Suite 121, Chicago, IL 60613; phone 773-472-1442; email gabe@potterauctions.com or visit the website www.potterauctions.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

The Grappler, a holdout often used on-stage by the actor and comedian Harry Anderson, best know for his lead role on TV’s ‘Night Court.’ Estimate: $4,000-$6,000. Image courtesy Potter & Potter Auctions.