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.
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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Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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.
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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Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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.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.
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.
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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Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The invitation-only Opening Night was sponsored by 1stdibs and benefited the ASPCA. Special guests of the four-legged variety seemed to enjoy the spotlight and the attention.
NEW YORK – It was a not-to-be-forgotten evening for art lovers. At very same moment Munch’s Scream was bringing the highest price ever paid for a work of art, the Spring Show NYC brought its own impressive audience into the Park Avenue Armory to see what the 63 top-tier international dealers had to offer. Organized by the Art and Antique Dealers League of America (AADLA), the 4-day Spring Show NYC, which opened on May 3, has in just two years become for antiques and art enthusiasts as much a herald of a new season for beautiful things as the tulips, dogwoods, and redbud trees in nearby Central Park.
“The second year for the four-day Spring Show NYC has truly proven that it is really going places,” says Clinton Howell, president of the AADLA, noting the high interest generated by the show, evidenced by both attendance and sales. According to Howell, 90% of the dealers have signed on to return next year.
That enthusiasm was reflected in the turnout of more than 1,300 guests for the show’s Opening Night Preview on May 2, an event sponsored by luxury goods website 1stdibs and benefiting the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA®). The Spring Show NYC lent further support to the organization via a novel approach. Thanks to participating dealers, a portion of the sale of animal-themed works at the show went to help the ASPCA® continue its mission.
A half-dozen photogenic ASPCA®-rescued dogs greeted Spring Show NYC guests who included Honorary Co-chairs Amy Fine Collins, Hilary Geary Ross and Wilbur Ross; Jonathan and Somers Farkas; as well as Connoisseur Committee members Michael Bruno, Mario Buatta, Robert Couturier, Ellie Cullman, Duane Hampton, Steven Gambrel, Geoffrey Bradfield, Bunny Williams, John Roselli, Dennis Rolland, Darren Henault, Christopher B. Boshears, Timothy Van Dam and Ron Wagner, Susan Gutfreund, Edward Lobrano, Jean Shafiroff, Deeda Blair, Todd Black, Ronald Bricke, Noel Jeffrey, Bennett Weinstock, Harry Heissmann, and John Robshaw. Also seen perusing the aisles were fashion personalities Carolina Herrera and Allegra Versace.
“Being the Opening Night beneficiary of the AADLA Spring Show NYC was once again a huge honor for the ASPCA®,” said Todd Hendricks, senior vice president of development for the ASPCA®. “We are grateful that we were able to participate and would like to thank everyone who made the event such a success.”
Throughout the Armory, acclamation for the event abounded from the participating dealers.
Stefanie Rinza, managing director of Carlton Hobbs, said: “Like last year, we were delighted with the quality and variety of objects on offer, as well as the clients who attended. The fair was particularly well marketed to new collectors, but at the same time we saw all of New York’s top decorators, and many of our important clients who had traveled here from out of town. We’ve already reserved our space for next year.”
Alan Stone of Hill-Stone, specialists in Old Masters prints and drawings, said: “Even though there was enormous competition because of the Munch sale at Sotheby’s on the night of the Opening, people still showed up in droves, and the evening went off very well indeed.” Hill-Stone sold Camille Pissarro’s Bord de l’Epte (à Eragny), a pastel signed and annotated by the artist, 1890, $105,000; a Rembrandt etching from 1655 titled Goldsmith; a Giovanni-Domenico Tiepolo work titled Family Setting Out for the Hunt; and a 17th-century Italian drawing that went for five figures.
“The Spring Show was all the things an antiques fair should be, relaxed and fun,” noted first-time participant Nicholas Grindley. “People seemed genuinely interested as opposed to just walking around and looking.” Grindley saw purchases for two Indian 18th-century ivory figures of Brahman bulls; a natural wood branch painted to resemble coral, from the 19th century; a pair of large Qing Dynasty hongmu square stools; a suite of American rug beaters from the early 20th century; a forged Japanese iron seaweed gatherer from the late 19th century; a round 19th-century keyaki wood step with two inset lifting handles; an 18th-century calligraphed paperweight; and an 18th-century Chinese malachite brush washer.
Said Michael Pashby, who presented fine English furniture: “Rarely have I seen a level of attendance that high on an Opening Night. And the astuteness and taste of the attendees was outstanding. Pashby sold a painting and a George II mahogany and inlaid chest-on-chest, circa 1760.
“Opening Night was spectacular,” said Lawrence Thompson of Sundial NYC, which focuses on fine antique clocks. “This is the first time Sundial has been at the Spring Show, so we have a bit of catching up to do. I spoke to many lovely people and got to know the crowd. I feel I was laying a very valuable foundation for future sales.” Among the sales Sundial NYC made during the Spring Show: A circa 1785 English mahogany musical and animated bracket clock, and a pair of circa 1900 giant musical carriage clocks.
Paul Vandekar of Earle Vandekar of Knightsbridge said: “I had very good sales on Opening Night — pottery, Chinese export porcelain, a French red marble urn from the 1830s. The Opening was such great fun, and there was a young crowd sporting good energy. And they loved what I had to sell, the mixture of it all!” Additional items sold include: A pair of Irish portrait miniatures by Nathaniel Hone, 1761; a portrait miniature of a young woman, signed C. Tridon, née Sattler, first half of the 19th century; a Darby botanical porcelain plaque from 1825; a Chinese export cache pot depicting pomegranates and bananas, circa 1750-75; a Chinese rose Mandarin cache pot; and three Chinese trade watercolors from 1840-1860.
Howard Rehs of Rehs Galleries had this to say about the Spring Show: “I was impressed that the clientele it draws are serious people who are truly interested, and very knowledgeable.” Rehs also feels that the economy is on the upswing. “I can tell people are beginning to feel comfortable about spending their money again,” he says, adding, “They know it’s not doing anything anywhere else.” Rehs Galleries realized several sales, including: Tangible Reprieve and Tough Choices, two oils by Timothy Jahn; Dusk’s Prelude to Evening with Moon, an oil by Ben Bauer; and The Constant Gardener by Guy Combes.
Susan Jacobson of Leo Kaplan Ltd., remarked: “The Opening was a lot of fun and very well attended. I saw a lot of people I was hoping to see. My feeling is that people came on opening night with the intention of getting a good first-look so they could come back later to buy.” For Jacobson, her intuition proved correct, with sales of a Paul Stankard Orb from 2012, five paperweights, and a rare 18th-century English teapot, circa 1760.
“We saw old clients, who brought new friends, which we always like,” said Wallace Bowling of Douglas Dawson, specialists in ethnographic arts. “The show had such a buzz about it.” Among the Douglas Dawson sales: A 19th-century Burkino Faso bracelet with figures, sold to Ball State Museum, Muncie, Indiana; a Warren Frederick platter with a natural ash glaze; and a 20th-century Nigerian crown.
William Luft of John Atzbach Antiques, specialists in Imperial Russian antiques and art objects, observed: “The Spring Show draws the kind of sophisticated crowd you find only in New York, and because of that, I had a lot of interest in my items” Reported sales include several Fabergé enamels, including a box, as well as pieces by Feodor Rückert, who worked for the house of Fabergé.
One of the most exciting Openings ever!” exclaimed Linda Bernell of Linda Bernell Gallery. “It was bustling with all of New York, extremely lively and exciting, and everyone was happy, with a smile on their face as they walked in. They were socializing but also very interested in the booths. Out of all shows, the Spring Show is the most elegant and has the highest level of excitement.” Among the paintings sold were: François Gall’s oil on canvas titled La Famille Gall sur la Plage de Trouville; two watercolor and ink works on paper by Paulémile Pissarro: Chaumière près de l’Orne and L’Orne à Cantepie; Le Village du Viadre by Bela de Kristo, dated 1955; and a mint-condition 1820s French Neoclassical ormolu clock with Psyche and Venus.
Mark McHugh of Spencer Marks commented: “It was a lively crowd, one who clearly loved the show and came with a great collector mentality. We were very busy. The attendees love the diversity of the merchandise at Spring Show. There’s something here for everyone.” Among the Spencer Marks sales: A silver Art Deco vase once owned by Andy Warhol; a Tiffany punch bowl with walrus-mask handles; an American silver figurative fish dish from 1884; an 1876 American trompe l’oeil silver plate; an English Regency sterling-silver epergne, circa 1819, by Rebecca Emes and Edward Barnard; and a Tiffany Aesthetic Movement coffee pot from the late 19th century.
To attract fledgling collectors, the Spring Show NYC invited the young members of 20 prominent cultural organizations for Arts’ Night Out, co-chaired by Emily Collins, Margaret Moore, and Abigail Starliper, on May 4th. More than 600 novice collectors attended.
The next Spring Show NYC is slated for April 24-28, 2013.
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ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE
The invitation-only Opening Night was sponsored by 1stdibs and benefited the ASPCA. Special guests of the four-legged variety seemed to enjoy the spotlight and the attention.A beautiful setting for the Spring Show NYC, held May 3-6, 2012 at the Park Avenue ArmoryPhoto by Ann WattMore than 600 younger collectors with an interest in antiques and fine art were invited to the show. Photo by Ann Watt.Photo by Ann WattPhoto by Ann WattPhoto by Ann Watt
Jumeau French bisque poupee in original costume including parasol. Image courtesy Frasher’s Doll Auctions. KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Forty years of collecting by Anne and Dennis Lambert of Edina, Minn., reflect the great diversity and enjoyment of two true collectors. Their decision to sell their collection results in an abundance of splendid dolls, furnishings, fashions, dollhouses, miniatures and all manner of wonderful items, to be offered for sale on June 16-17 by Frasher’s Doll Auctions.
LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding. Also included in the sale is the entire half doll collection of the late Ginger Dean of Overland Park, Kan., comprising over 100 beautiful figures.
Wonderful models of the elegant French poupees parade through the catalog pages accompanied by their luxurious necessities and accessories, while bebes from Jumeau, Steiner, Bru, Rabery and Delphieu, and others vie for attention. Pretty German girls, characters and babies are plentiful and range in size from 8 inches nearly 3 1/2 feet.
Not looking for just another pretty face? Take a glance at the peg woodens, milliner models, cloth dolls, Volland’s Raggedy Ann, Motschmann wax, Alabama Baby, mask-face googlies or the Philadelphia Baby among others. Shirley Temples, Nancy Ann Storybooks, Alexander and others represent the 1930-1950 era.
Dollhouses and rooms had a special appeal for the Lamberts, and collectors will find many nice examples from the Bliss firm and others, along with dollhouse furnishings and tiny dolls, a millinery shop and furnished German kitchens plus an array of furnishings and accessories. Doll-size furnishings, carriages and cupboards, tea sets, teddy bears and toys are sprinkled throughout.
A beautiful 112-page catalog covering both days of the auction and featuring approximately 500 lots is available for $49.
The event will be held at the KCI Expo Center at KCI International Airport. Absentee and live telephone bidding is also offered on all lots.
Preview for the cataloged sale will be Saturday, June 16, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. with cataloged auction beginning at 10:30 a.m. The Sunday, June 17, preview begins at 9 a.m. The auction begins at 10 a.m. The catalog sale continues followed by approximately 175 uncataloged lots.
For more information or to order a catalog contact Frasher’s Doll Auctions, 2323 S. Mecklin School Road, Oak Grove, MO 64075; phone 816-625-3786; email Frasher@aol.com.
Jumeau French bisque poupee in original costume including parasol. Image courtesy Frasher’s Doll Auctions.
All original 16-inch French bisque poupee with original Maison Alph-Giroux and a 17-inch French bisque poupee by Leontine Rohmer. Image courtesy Frasher’s Doll Auctions.
Rare 31-inch ‘Incised Depose’ bebe Jumeau in original dress. Image courtesy Frasher’s Doll Auctions.
German wooden dollhouse kitchen with furnishings. Image courtesy Frasher’s Doll Auctions.
Alabama Baby, Philadelphia Baby, milliner’s model and peg wooden shown with Bliss dollhouse, early teddy bear and pull toy goat. Image courtesy Frasher’s Doll Auctions.
All original French bisque poupee as a moustached gentleman. Image courtesy Frasher’s Doll Auctions.
Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.
