Space Shuttle Endeavour over Moffett Federal Airfield. This photograph was taken on Sept. 21, 2012 as the shuttle took its final flight over the San Francisco Bay Area, on its way to the California Space Center in Los Angeles. Photo by Arnold de Leon, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.LOS ANGELES (AFP) – The US space shuttle Endeavour took its final flight Friday, making a spectacular series of flypasts over California before landing in Los Angeles, its retirement home near where it was built.
Riding piggyback on a specially fitted Boeing 747, the shuttle flew over San Francisco’s Golden Gate bridge before heading south to take in the Hollywood sign and Disneyland, before landing at LA international airport (LAX).
“It’s so cool, and so sad,” said Todd Unger, 28, among thousands who camped out from the early hours at the Griffith Park Observatory, overlooking the city and the nearby iconic hilltop Tinsel Town sign.
“It’s the end of an era. But it shows what America can do, we can be really proud,” he added, waving a Stars and Stripes flag as the shuttle banked over the Hollywood Hills.
Cars were parked bumper-to-bumper up the winding roads leading up to the obbservatory, as Angelenos turned out en masse in several parts of the city to witness Endeavour’s final flight.
The shuttle had spent the night at Edwards Air Force base north of Los Angeles, the last leg after a two-day trip across the country from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Before reaching the West Coast, it flew over Tucson, Arizona to honor former lawmaker Gabrielle Giffords, who survived a horrific shooting last year and whose astronaut husband Mark Kelly commanded Endeavour’s final mission.
“It was pretty spectacular … The people of Tucson got an incredible view of this remarkable machine,” Kelly told CNN, adding: “It’s really a testament to American ingenuity.”
The shuttle will spend a few weeks at a United Airlines hangar at LAX, before being transferred to the California Space Center, where it will go on display on October 30.
Endeavour, which flew more than 185 million kilometers (115 million miles) in its two-decade career, completed its final mission last year. After the space agency NASA brought an end to the 30-year shuttle program last year, major US cities battled for the right to house one of the craft.
Enterprise, the prototype that never flew into space, is now on permanent display on the runway of the Intrepid aircraft carrier in New York.
The Kennedy Space Center will keep Atlantis, and Discovery is on display at a museum outside Washington.
Two other shuttles were destroyed in flight. Challenger disintegrated shortly after liftoff in 1986 and Columbia broke apart on re-entry to earth in 2003. Both disasters killed everyone on board.
Endeavour’s trip to Los Angeles is a homecoming of sorts. It was built in Palmdale, north of Los Angeles, as a replacement for Challenger.
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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
Space Shuttle Endeavour over Moffett Federal Airfield. This photograph was taken on Sept. 21, 2012 as the shuttle took its final flight over the San Francisco Bay Area, on its way to the California Space Center in Los Angeles. Photo by Arnold de Leon, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
‘Swimming,’ 1885, Thomas Eakins (1844–1916), oil on canvas, overall: 27 3/8 x 36 3/8 inches. Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas.
DALLAS (AP) – On the morning of Nov. 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy realized that their Fort Worth hotel suite featured an extraordinary array of artwork – from a painting by Vincent van Gogh to a bronze by Pablo Picasso.
A group of prominent Fort Worth citizens had scrambled to put together the collection in the days leading up to the president’s fateful Texas visit, transforming an otherwise plain suite into something special.
Next year, almost all of those works the couple admired in their last private moments before President Kennedy was assassinated will be on display at an exhibit that opens at the Dallas Museum of Art in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of his death.
“It’s not a story about death. It’s not a story about hate. It’s a story about art and love, which I think is a very good tribute to the Kennedys. It’s all about their love of art,” said Olivier Meslay, associate director of curatorial affairs at the museum and the exhibit’s curator.
Before the Kennedys’ visit, Fort Worth newspapers had revealed details about the preparations, including the description of the unremarkable Suite 850 at the Hotel Texas, said Scott Grant Barker, a Texas art historian who has researched the events. He said that a local art critic decided something needed to be done to make the suite shine.
A group of prominent citizens turned to museums and private collections to assemble 12 paintings and four sculptures, including Thomas Eakins’ oil painting Swimming, Pablo Picasso’s bronze Angry Owl and Vincent van Gogh’s oil painting Road with Peasant Shouldering a Spade.
“What they did was really amazing. They put together really a series of masterpieces,” Meslay said.
Barker said works of art were “basically gathered up by courier and by station wagon and every other means.”
The Kennedys left Washington on Nov. 21 for a two-day, five-city tour of Texas. They went to San Antonio and Houston before ending the day in Fort Worth. Barker said the Kennedys arrived so late, they didn’t notice the significant artwork until the morning.
The Kennedys then called one of the organizers, Ruth Carter Stevenson, daughter of legendary Texas newspaper publisher and philanthropist Amon G. Carter, whose will established the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Barker said Jacqueline Kennedy told Stevenson that she didn’t want to leave the exhibit.
Meslay said the works were not only a snapshot of art tastes in 1963, but also a display of the cultural riches that were in Fort Worth at the time. For instance, he said, Eakins’ Swimmers from 1885, held currently by the Amon Carter, is “one of the most important American paintings of the 19th century.”
He said there was also a “good mix” – ranging from the abstract expressionist oil on paper Study for Accent Grave by Franz Kline to Charles M. Russell’s western-inspired Lost in a Snowstorm – Are We are Friends‘ to Maurice Prendergast’s post-impressionist oil painting Summer Day in the Park.
The exhibit, “Hotel Texas: An Art Exhibition for the President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy” will open at the Dallas Museum of Art on May 26, 2013, and run through Sept. 15, 2013. The exhibit then will move to the Amon Carter from Oct. 12, 2013, through Jan. 12, 2014.
At least 14 of the 16 works will be on display, as well as photographs, videos and archival materials including images of the suite before the couple’s arrival.
“It was their ultimate private art show. When you view these, you’ll be standing in the shoes of John and Jackie Kennedy. You’ll be seeing what they saw,” Barker said.
Andrew Walker, director of the Amon Carter, said the exhibit will be an opportunity to recover an extraordinary moment that was overshadowed by the assassination.
He said with so much of the anniversary’s focus on the president’s death, this exhibit will offer a “kind of respite moment.”
“It’s taking as its point of mediation on that moment of great optimism. I hope people feel that,” he said.
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If You Go…
DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART: 1717 N. Harwood, Dallas; http://www.dm-art.org or 214-922-1200. “Hotel Texas: An Art Exhibition for the President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy” will run May 26-Sept. 15, 2013. Open Tuesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Thursdays until 9 p.m. Adults, $10, seniors, $7, students, $5, children 11 and under free. The exhibit will move to the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas http://www.cartermuseum.org , Oct. 12, 2013-Jan. 12, 2014.
Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Rolex women’s Oyster Perpetual stainless steel watch. Government Auction image.
TEHACHAPI, Calif. – A stylish 1949 Triumph Roadster, precious gems and valuable gold coins are among the treasures to be offered in Government Auction’s Saturday, Sept. 30 sale. The 1,266-lot offering of antiques, art and luxury watches will be available to online bidders through LiveAuctioneers.com.
For the woman who loves fine jewelry of utmost quality, Government Auction suggests the ruby and white sapphire necklace with a total approximate weight of 161.91 carats. Surrounded by diamonds, the vibrant main ruby gemstone is fuchsia red in color and cut in a faceted oval shape. The 18-inch-long necklace is composed of silver with gold overlay and features a flexible ribbon of 19 graduating ruby gemstones surrounded by white sapphire bezels. Bidding on this item starts at a mere $2.
Leading the luxury watch category is a previously owned stainless steel Rolex women’s watch. This investment timepiece is an Oyster Perpetual with an attractive black face. It is one of several desirable Rolex watches in the auction catalog.
A true classic, the 1949 Triumph Roadster TR 2000 to be auctioned is one of the coolest cars on the road. Its features include a dickey rumble seat with Lucas “King of the Road” headlamps and triple wipers. The car is a right-hand-drive model with a 128ci (2000cc), 68hp OHV 4-cylinder engine and 3-speed, fully synchronized manual transmission. The handsome English roadster has been fully restored with black paint, saddle tan interior, black canvas convertible top, roll-up windows and wood dash. Note: The vehicle is available for pick-up only in California by the winning bidder.
In addition to the luxury items being presented, the auction house is also featuring a selection of fine gold coins. A top example is an 1853-G $1 U.S. Liberty gold coin. The coin is NGC graded as MS 63 and is sealed in plastic protective pouch. The coin is a medium antique gold color and shows only few handling marks. Its obverse features Lady Liberty, while a laurel wreath and “1 Dollar” appear on the reverse. Its metal content is 90% gold, 10% copper. Another noteworthy coin in the sale is an 1889-CC Morgan silver dollar.
In the antique category, an old-time favorite is a Wurlitzer Model 780-E “Wagon Wheel” jukebox with keys. Wurlitzer is the most revered name in vintage jukeboxes, known for its beautifully styled, high-quality productions. The “Wagon Wheel” is comprised of carved oak with steel fittings and, as the name implies, contains a wagon-wheel design in the center. This vintage jukebox was made in 1941 and has been fully restored and is in good working order.
Additional auction highlights include a coveted Louis Vuitton purse, an Alberto Vargas signed lithograph and many other luxury goods and antiques.
Government Auction’s Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012 auction event will commence at 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time/9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. For additional information on any lot in the sale, call Debbie on 661-823-1543 or e-mail info@governmentauction.com.
View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
About Government Auction:
Government Auction is one of the most reputable jewelry and gem clearinghouse companies in the United States, with more than 20 years of experience. The Southern California-based firm works closely with agencies and individuals, including the IRS, bank and trust officers, and estate and bankruptcy trustees to liquidate confiscated assets such as fine jewelry, luxury vehicles, gold coins and artworks.
1949 Triumph Roadster TR2000. Government Auction image.Ruby and sapphire necklace, gold over silver. Government Auction image.1853 $1 US Liberty Head-type gold coin. Government Auction image.Wurlitzer Model 780-E ‘Wagon Wheel’ jukebox with keys. Government Auction image.
LONDON – A major photographic exhibition, “Man Ray Portraits,” opens at the National Portrait Gallery on Feb. 7. Devoted to one of the most innovative and influential artists of his generation, the exhibition will include over 150 vintage prints from Man Ray’s career taken between 1916 and 1968. Drawn from private collections and major museums including the Pompidou Centre, the J. Paul Getty Museum and New York’s the Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art, and special loans from the Man Ray Trust Archive, the majority of the works have not previously been exhibited in the UK.
Portraits of Man Ray’s celebrated contemporaries will be shown in the exhibition, alongside his personal and often intimate portraits of friends, lovers and his social circle. His versatility and experimentation as an artist is illustrated throughout all of his photography although this was never his chosen principal artistic medium. The exhibition brings together photographic portraits of cultural figures and friends including Marcel Duchamp, Berenice Abbott, Andre Breton, Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, James Joyce, Erik Satie, Henri Matisse, Barbette, Igor Stravinsky, Yves Tanguy, Salvador Dali, Le Corbusier, Virginia Woolf, Aldous Huxley, Coco Chanel and Wallis Simpson. Also on show will be portraits of his lovers Kiki de Montparnasse (Alice Prin) and Lee Miller, who was also his assistant, Ady Fidelin and his last muse and wife Juliet Browner.
Philadelphia-born Man Ray (1890–1976) spent his early life in New York, turning down a scholarship to study architecture to devote himself to painting. He initially taught himself photography to reproduce his works of art, but in 1920 he began to work as a portrait photographer to fund his artwork. In 1915, while at Ridgefield artist colony in New Jersey, he met the French artist Marcel Duchamp and together they tried to establish New York Dada. His friendship with Duchamp led to Man Ray’s move to Paris in 1921, where, as a contributor to the Dada and Surrealist movements, he was perfectly placed to make defining images of his contemporaries from the avant-garde.
In this period he was instrumental in developing and producing a type of photogram, which he called “Rayographs,” and is credited in inventing, alongside his lover and collaborator Lee Miller, the process of solarization. The use of solarization can be seen in the portraits of Elsa Schiaparelli, Irene Zurkinden, Lee Miller, Suzy Solidor and his own Self-Portrait with Camera included in the exhibition.
Following the outbreak of World War II, Man Ray left France for the U.S. and took up residence in Hollywood. Although officially devoting himself once more to painting, new research has revealed that Man Ray made a number of significant photographic portraits during his Hollywood years, and several are shown for the first time in this exhibition. Film star subjects included Ruth Ford, Paulette Goddard, Ava Gardner, Tilly Losch and Dolores del Rio. Returning to Paris in 1951 he again made the city his home until his death in 1976. His portraits from the 1950s include experiments with color photography, such as his portraits of Juliette Greco and Yves Montand, and the exhibition closes with his portrait of film star Catherine Deneuve from 1968.
“Man Ray Portraits” is curated by the National Portrait Gallery’s Curator of Photographs, Terence Pepper, whose previous exhibitions at the gallery include the award-winning “Vanity Fair Portraits” (2008) and “Beatles to Bowie: the ’60s exposed” (2009).
The exhibition will run from Feb. 7 to May 27 at the National Portrait Gallery, London. Advanced booking is recommended. Tickets: www.npg.org.uk/ManRay or 020 7766 7331.
“Man Ray Portraits” will tour to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery from June 22 to Sept. 8 and the State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow from Oct. 14, 2013 to Jan. 19, 2014.
A fully-illustrated 224-page hardback catalog, Man Ray Portraits, accompanies the exhibition. Price £35.
Caption: ‘Butch Cassidy, My Uncle’ by Bill Betenson. Copyrighted image courtesy of Amazon.com.
VENTURA, Calif. – California Auctioneers will host a VIP auction preview for its current customers on Saturday, Sept. 22 with a special guest appearance and book signing with author Bill Betenson.
Betenson is the nephew of Butch Cassidy, legendary Old West outlaw and leader of the Wild Bunch Gang. He will sign copies of his book Butch Cassidy, My Uncle from 12-5 p.m. local time at the California Auctioneers gallery.
At the preview, guests will be able to view the well-documented Butch Cassidy Colt .45 gun and many other rare and unusual relics of the Old West that will be auctioned on Sept. 30. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide the Internet live bidding for the sale.
Lot 60 is a large 17th century oil on canvas of a barnyard scene, School of Melchior d’Hondecoeter. Estimate: $35,000-$45,000. Lewis & Maese Antiques and Auctions.
HOUSTON – Two 17th century Dutch animalier paintings from the school of Melchior d’Hondecoeter (circa 1636-1695) are on the block with more than 300 lots of art, accessories and antique furniture at Lewis & Maese Antiques and Auctions on Wednesday, Sept. 26. Hammer time is 6:30 p.m. CDT. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet Live bidding.
The oil on canvas in Lot 60, attributed to the School of Melchior d’Hondecoeter, features a barnyard scene with fowl. The 50-inch by 70-inch painting is estimated at $35,000-$45,000. Lot 61, of the same school, features an oil on canvas pastoral scene with fowl. This 62-inch by 46-inch painting is estimated at $12,000-$15,000.
Other artists’ work on the auction block are: Joan Miro, Pierre Bonnard, Obertauffer, Carlos Baca-Flor Soberon, H. Caty, Felice Giordano, Rudolph Mannert, Gulacsy Lajos Golgota, Camillo, Pavilicek, Dawson Watson, Kelli Vance, Valerie Milo Martinez, Ogar, W. Chapman, Douglas Johnson, Frances Pratt, Maricela Sanchez, Jean Arp, Degas, Feo Fernandez, Marie Laurencin, Max Ernst, Marcel Mouly, Knox Martin, David Adickes, James Surls and Lindy Daly. Also of note is Lot 53, an oil on canvas, circa 1820, attributed to French artist Nicolas-Antone Taunay, measuring 24 inches x 30 inches. The estimate is $6,500-$9,500.
Asian art and smalls are also abundant at the auction. Of note is Lot 157, an antique tortoise shell tea caddy, circa 1850, estimated at $2,300-$3,200.
To see the entire auction contents, go to LiveAuctioneers at: bit.ly/R2VQ6p.
Lot 60 is a large 17th century oil on canvas of a barnyard scene, School of Melchior d’Hondecoeter. Estimate: $35,000-$45,000. Lewis & Maese Antiques and Auctions.
The stylish entrance to Keno Auctions’ Upper East Side gallery at 127 E. 69th St. in Manhattan. Image courtesy of Keno Auctions. NEW YORK – Keno Auctions is announcing First Tuesdays, a new series of monthly appraisal days of fine and decorative arts starting Oct. 2nd at the firm’s Upper East Side headquarters at 127 East 69th S in New York City. The events will be held the first Tuesday of each month.
Fine art and antiques expert Leigh Keno, president of Keno Auctions, is encouraging people living in the New York tri-state area to search their walls, attics and storerooms for forgotten treasures that might be worth a fortune.
Keno, who is well known from appearances on PBS Television, leads a team of experts who will evaluate items such as paintings, works of art, jewelry ceramics, furniture and silver, all at no charge.
“First Tuesdays appraisal days provide the perfect opportunity to have your family heirlooms and treasured items appraised professionally,” Keno said. “If you have objects or paintings that are too large to bring to the appraisal day, you can simply show us photographs.”
“Since we have opened our doors, we have discovered countless valuable items worth millions of dollars that have been either stored away or hidden in plain sight,” Keno continued. “What makes our job so exciting is the possibility of discovering a long forgotten treasure that may have been passed down through the generations or purchased a while ago but has never been appraised.”
One of Keno Auctions’ top-selling lots was a dazzling folk art portrait of Annetje Kool, attributed to Pieter Vanderlyn, which sold in 2010. The painting was disguised by decades of dirt and discolored varnish and had a presale estimate of $40,000 to $80,000, but it fetched $1.1 million and set an auction record for an 18thcentury folk art portrait. The seller was a descendant of the sitter.
For more information about First Tuesdays appraisal days, contact Keno Auctions by calling 212-734-2381 or e-mailing info@kenoauctions.com.
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First Tuesdays dates for 2012: Oct. 2, Nov. 6 and Dec. 4.
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
The stylish entrance to Keno Auctions’ Upper East Side gallery at 127 E. 69th St. in Manhattan. Image courtesy of Keno Auctions.
Chinese rose mandarin punchbowl. Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd. image. HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. – The estate of Edna Earle Boykin of Wilson, N.C., a well-known philanthropist, is going up for auction on Friday, Sept. 28, at Leland Little Auctions & Estate Sales Ltd’s gallery. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding for the more than 500 lots to be sold beginning at 11 a.m. EDT.
Boykin, a life-long resident of Wilson, N.C., and a prominent leader and patron of the arts, is well known for her support during the renovation of the Wilson Theatre in downtown Wilson. In honor of her lifetime contributions and service to the arts, the newly renovated theater opened its doors to the public in 1998 as the Edna Boykin Cultural Center.
Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd. will conduct the public auction at the Edna Boykin Cultural Center. Proceeds will benefit the Arts Council of Wilson’s Endowment Fund.
The personal collections up for auction reflect her love of the arts and her community, with many works by local artists featured among the offerings.
“This collection speaks to the love of regional fine art and furniture while still showcasing international examples of Asian and English design,” said Leland Little, president and owner of Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd. “We will be offering over 500 lots which represent a broad spectrum of history and culture that represents Miss Boykin’s love of fine and decorative arts. Come and enjoy a complete and intact collection that represents Wilson, N.C., and beyond.”
The auction will be conducted by live public auction, with the options of bidding in person, by telephone, or by absentee bid form and by bidding online with a live video and audio feed via LiveAuctioneers.com.
For more information, email Little at Leland@llauctions.com or phone 919-644-1243.
Christopher Columbus statue with the AOL Time Warner Center behind it. Photo by Jnn13, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
NEW YORK (AFP) – New Yorkers can now admire the city’s statue of Christopher Columbus up close and personal — so personal that it’s inside an apartment room.
Through November 18, visitors can enter the “Discovering Columbus” apartment built around the statue, located in the downtown Columbus Circle, by Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi.
The 74 square meter (800 square foot) furnished apartment, elevated from the ground by scaffolding, includes large sofas, a television set and a book collection.
The art project was financed with $1.5 million from the Public Art Fund, an organization that presents contemporary art in the city’s public spaces.
“There’s always a way to look at something you think you know from a different point of view,” Nishi told AFP.
“Up until then, the statue was only a small figure. Now they can look at it in the eyes,” he said.
Nishi is known for building temporary structures that place historic monuments in intimate, domestic environments.
New York city officials said they hope to invest $1 million in restoring the weathered Columbus statue, built in 1892 by Italian sculptor Gaetano Russo.
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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
Christopher Columbus statue with the AOL Time Warner Center behind it. Photo by Jnn13, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
