Auction Team Breker image.

Apple 1 computer sells for $640,000 at Auction Team Breker

Auction Team Breker image.

Auction Team Breker image.

COLOGNE, Germany – Apple fans around the globe were watching on iPads and iPhones and MacBooks as the personal computer that started it all, an Apple I from 1976, sold for a world record 491,868 euros ($640,000 US) on Nov. 24 at Auction Team Breker. LiveAuctioneers.com provided the Internet live bidding for the sale.

Of the two hundred Apple I units produced, just 43 are thought to have survived, and of these only six in working order, according to Apple author Mike Willegal. One was sold for a then record price of $374,500 in New York in June 20. However, the example sold last week in Cologne, which retained its original period peripherals – transformer, Panasonic 2102 cassette recorder, Sony monitor and Datanetics ASCII keyboard – in addition to reprints of the original manual and schematic diagram signed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, exceeded the previous world record by nearly 70 percent.

The following lot in the auction was a MITS Altair 8800 of 1975. Noted on the front cover of the January issue of Popular Electronics magazine in the same year, the Altair 8800 was heralded as a project breakthrough – the “world’s first minicomputer kit to rival commercial models. Ist success prompted Bill Gates and Paul Allen to produce a BASIC Interpreter for the system, leading to the establishment of Microsoft Inc. in April 1975. This milestone of computer history, which can arguably be said to have paved the way for two of the world’s largest electronics companies, sold for 12,300 euros, or $16,000, to the same overseas bidder.

Among other iconic technology offered at the auction was a three-rotor Enigma Ciphering Machine (lot 18) from circa 1943. The history of the Enigma and the influence of British code-breakers at Bletchley Park on the outcome of World War II has been well documented. This example, in full working order and with scarce metal carrying case, sold for 43,000 ($ 56,000). Another invention that generated interest at the auction was a unique Swiss miniature phonograph (lot 416) by Casimir Sivan, a watch-maker from Geneva and the first Swiss motion-picture maker. Built in December 1892 as a trial-run for Sivan’s Talking Pocket Watch, the spring-driven phonograph, with a disc that announced the time, sold for 11,000 euros ($14,300).

The second part of the auction was dedicated to antique instruments of science & technology, horology, mechanical music and automata. The latter section of almost 200 lots included some of the highest-ticket items of the auction, among them an early 19th century musical gold snuff box (lot 482), which sold for 27,000 euros ($35,000), and a blue enamel musical presentation compact by Fabergé jeweler August Frederick Hollming (lot 499), which sold for 7,380 euros ($9,600). Larger and louder was a fairground organ by Berlin maker Bacigalupo (lot 405) that fetched 14,750 euros ($19,200).

Notable for its rarity was a figural Symphonion “Gambrinus” disc musical box from circa 1900, with the original polychrome-painted terracotta figure of the legendary Beer King of Flanders raising a toast from his throne – a beer barrel containing the coin-activated musical movement. The Symphonion firm of Leipzig intended these large figural musical boxes as public entertainments in train stations, hotels and inns. However, because of their fragile nature, only a handful have survived with the terracotta sculptures still intact. This example (lot 476) sold for 17,200 euros ($22,400) to another overseas buyer.

Another musical box that drew international interest was the technically ingenious Sirion from circa 1900 (lot 487). The origins of the Sirion models, which played two tunes per 22 3/4-inch (57.5 cm) steel disc (most musical boxes play only one) are somewhat mysterious, given that two firms held patents for the same design. The Sirion at the Breker auction sold for 35,600 euros ($46,300) with 29 original discs.

A wonderful selection of 19th century French automata, some picturesque, some surprising, others surreal, rounded off the mechanical music. Automata in their original costumes were particularly strong. A well-dressed lady magician (lot 510) conjured up a series of grotesque dancing men from a magic theater for 24,500 euros ($31,850) and a Parisian boy by Phalibois whistled two tunes, while pointing and winking cheekily (lot 511) for 30,700 euros ($40,000).

Several of the automata were consigned by the descendants of the maker, the historic Parisian firm Roullet et Decamps, in business for 120 years before finally closing its doors in 1995. In this category was a charming “Déjeuner du Chat,” a classic Jumeau doll feeding her pet kitten with a spoon, accompanied by mewing sound effects (lot 530), which sold for 16,000 euros ($20,800). However, the most expensive lot in the category was a spectacular Vichy acrobat on stilts (lot 521), which sold well above its upper estimate for 46,700 euros ($60,700).

The third part of the sale presented a comprehensive group of tin toys, locomotives and live-steam models, highlights of which included a large Hispano-Suiza Lanadaulet by the small-scale French firm of Eugene Pinard (lot 573) for 4,056 euros. ($5,300) and an aerounatical carousel for experimental forms of early aviation (lot 597) for 1,900 euros ($2,500). A lot that spanned several different auction categories – as a steam engine and working demonstration model as well as a superb example of mid 19th century French engineering – was a miniature James Watt-type beam engine from circa 1850 (lot 719) by Eugène Bourdon, which sold for 44,370 euros ($57,600), almost 10 times its reserve.

According to company founder Uwe Breker, the market for collectible technology and toys – both antique and vintage – remains as strong as ever.

Full details of the auction can be found at www.Breker.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog, complete with prices realized, at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


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Jon Serl (American, 1894-1993), 'Mexican Pot Maker,' oil on canvas, signed 'JON.' Size: 30 x 24 inches (stretcher), 32 x 26 x 1-1/2 inches (frame). Provenance: Cavin-Morris, New York. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000. Material Culture image.

Antiques, artifacts, self-taught art at Material Culture, Dec. 8

Jon Serl (American, 1894-1993), 'Mexican Pot Maker,' oil on canvas, signed 'JON.' Size: 30 x 24 inches (stretcher), 32 x 26 x 1-1/2 inches (frame). Provenance: Cavin-Morris, New York. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000. Material Culture image.

Jon Serl (American, 1894-1993), ‘Mexican Pot Maker,’ oil on canvas, signed ‘JON.’ Size: 30 x 24 inches (stretcher), 32 x 26 x 1-1/2 inches (frame). Provenance: Cavin-Morris, New York. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000. Material Culture image.

PHILA., Pa. – Material Culture’s December Estates Auction on Dec. 8 presents an exciting array of fresh-to-the-market art and artifacts from Pennsylvania and regional estates. The auction features more than 90 lots of museum-quality modern, self-taught and animation art, providing extremely fine opportunity for collectors looking to expand current collections, or start new ones. Over 200 lots of 20th century art glass, 100 lots of antique and vintage Navajo jewelry, and 40 lots of antique and decorative Oriental textiles and carpets contribute to the auction’s wealth of more than 600 lots. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide the Internet live bidding for the event.

Additional highlights include selections of Lalique crystal sculptures, 19th century Sevres porcelain vases, 19th century Japanese ivory, and over 30 lots of 18th and 19th century Asian and continental snuff boxes. From painting and sculpture to decorative art and jewelry, the auction offers items valued in varying price ranges for collectors of all ages.

With this auction, Material Culture continues to take a leadership position in the field of self-taught art, featuring a wide selection of sculptures as well as paintings, drawings, and mixed-media pieces. The sale opens with three sculptures by Polish-American artist Ted Ludwiczak (born 1927), whose work is in the permanent collections of the prestigious American Folk Art Museum in New York, the Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, and INTUIT: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art in Chicago, in addition to many smaller galleries in New York and around the country. Ludwiczak draws his inspiration for his distinctive stone faces from the natural rock formation, exemplified well in the sculptures up for auction, including the piece “Moon,” a benign face carved in a crescent-shaped stone, expected to sell for $800-$1,200.

Other sculptures at the sale include two lots by American folk art icon Mr. Imagination, born in 1948 as Gregory Warmack, who passed away earlier this year. His works continue to be held in the permanent collections of The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC, The American Visionary Museum in Baltimore, the Museum of American Folk Art, New York, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia, and other institutions. His “Totem Sculpture,” valued at $1,000-$1,500, features his signature bottlecaps, and is topped with the head of an African king, a quintessential figure for Mr. Imagination.

Self-taught American artist Terry Turrell works in both sculpture and painting, and the auction features both of his artistic media. He frequently incorporates recycled materials as sculptural elements or as canvases. His painting “Dog,” oil on wood, embodies the dreamlike, sometimes wistful feel and compelling texture of many of his works, and is expected to fetch $2,000-$3,000. Turrell’s art has been shown most often on the west coast, surrounding his birthplace and current residence of Washington state. but his dozens of solo and group appearances include exhibitions at the American Visionary Museum in Baltimore, the American Primitive Gallery in New York, the Vancouver Museum of Art, and the Modern Primitive Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia.

Painting at the auction is led by several remarkable pieces by one of Africa’s most famous contemporary artists, Prince Twins Seven-Seven (1944-2011). Born in Nigeria, Prince’s international fame has garnered him exhibitions on every continent, and a place in the permanent collections of major museums around the world, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 2005, he was designated UNESCO Artist for Peace. Five paintings and one mixed-media piece are featured, including the spectacular “Rainbow Wealth Goddess,” a large ink, pastel and oil depiction of the goddess Osun with a mermaid-tail of fish, dated 1989. Valued at $6,000-$9,000, the painting is featured in-depth in Henry Glassie’s book “Prince Twins Seven-Seven: His Art, His Life in Nigeria, His Exile in America.”

Another African artist showcased in the auction is Kwame Akoto from Ghana (born 1950), creating under the name “Almighty God.” Of his nine paintings in the sale, several portray famous figures, including Ray Charles and Barack Obama. His blue-dominated oil-on-board painting of President Obama is expected to sell for $1,000-$1,500. Currently, his work may be seen locally in the exhibition “African Visions of Obama” at Lehigh University, but has also appeared in “Contemporary Art of Africa,” by Andre Magnin, Susan Vogel’s contemporary African art exhibition “Africa Explores,” and in solo shows in Ghana.

American self-taught artist Jon Serl (1894-1993) is represented at auction by his painting entitled “Mexican Pot Maker,” once held by the Cavin-Morris gallery of New York. Exemplary of Serl’s lively, bold, and other-worldly renderings, this painting is expected to fetch $3,000-$4,000. Some of his works are held in the folk art collection of the Smithsonian Institution, the Leguna Art Museum of Leguna Beach, California, and the Anthony Pelutto Collection of Self-Taught and Outsider Art, amongst many others. Serl is the subject of several books, including Susan C. Larsen’s “Jon Serl,” “Psycholgical Paintings: The Personal Vision of Jon Serl,” by Jessica Jacobs, and “One Man by Himself: Portraits of Jon Serl,” by Sam Messer, with essays by Denis Johnson.

Nine lots by Serbian artist Vojislav Jakic (1932-2003) are excellent representations of the artist’s dark, raw drawings, some of which are held in the important Collection de l’art brut in Lausanne, Switzerland. Several of the lots consist of a group of artworks; one collection of seven pen and ink drawings from 1988 includes pieces titled “People don’t be happy why don’t you stay inside the sperm” and “Joining the Devil if he exists, and “Woman if she is there, it will create the most dangerous living creature, whose evil will surpass crimes of Herona, Hitler, Stalin, and the rest of the criminals.” The group has an estimated value of $3,000-$4,000.

Other pieces from self-taught artists include an untitled work of colored pencil on paper by American artist Frank Jones (1900-1969), valued at $1,000-$2,000, two paintings on found metal by Canadian artist Scott Griffin (born 1970), including “Infield,” valued at $800-$1,200.

The auction also features the work of German Expressionist Hans Christoph Drexel (1886-1979), part of the movement’s second wave, according to Peter Selz’s discussion of the artist in his seminal 1957 book “German Expressionist Painting.” Paintings by Drexel are included in the collections of the Lehnbachhaus, Munich, Folkwang Museum, Hagen, National Galerie, Berlin, and Yale Art Gallery, amongst others. The painting up for sale, dated 1950, is representative of the lyrical landscapes Drexel painted between 1948 and 1959, which he entitled simple chords. This work of gouache and oil paint on paper is expected to sell for $3,000-$4,000.

Animation art also receives a significant showing at this auction, with approximately 35 lots of hand-painted animation art cels, drawings, production artwork, and limited edition prints and tiles of Disney, Looney Tunes, Pixar characters, and more. Especially notable is a Walt Disney original hand-painted animation art cel of Jessica Rabbit, valued at $1,000-$1,500, a Walt Disney hand-painted and hand-inked limited edition animation art cel of Sleeping Beauty’s “Dance in the Clouds,” valued at $2,000-$3,000, and a Quincy Jones “We Are the Tunes” hand-painted limited edition animation art cel, valued at $800-$1,200. Characters pictured in other artworks include Mickey Mouse, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny, Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Tweety and Sylvester, Betty Boop, Casper the Friendly Ghost, the Flintstones, Rugrats, Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, Buzz Lightyear and Woody.

A strong portion of the sale consists of more than 200 lots of 20th century art glass, acquired from a Philadelphia Main Line estate. An impressive selection of  Millefiori, Tiffany style and Czech art glass are shown in these vases, pitchers, cups, bowls, centerpieces, lamps, perfume bottles, figures, globes, and other pieces. Approximately 15 lots of Art Deco Nude Figurative lamps of metal as well as glass are valued at $100-$250.  Notable lots include a Victorian-style metal peacock lamp glass beaded peacock feathers, valued at $800-$1,200, a rare glass vase expected to sell for $100-200, and a large Millefiori urn of stunning craftsmanship worth $1,200-$1,800.

Other highlights include five lots of Lalique crystal, led by a “Deux Poissons” crystal sculpture in excellent condition expected to sell for $800-$1,200. A tall 19th century finely-carved Japanese ivory figure, valued at $800-$1,200 is one of four lots of Japanese ivory from the 19th century acquired from a Philadelphia Main Line estate. The same estate brings to auction a fine 19th century Chinese agate carving, expected to sell for $600-$800.

The auction concludes with more than 100 lots of vintage Navajo jewelry. Assembled by a local Pennsylvanian connoisseur in the 1970s, this spectacular collection includes hand-crafted rings, bracelets, pendants, necklaces, bolo ties, belts, hat bands, pins, earrings, and animal fetish figures. These expressive pieces, predominantly in silver, vary in treatment from engraving to inlay, with turquoise, charoite, coral, shell, and other stones. Exemplary lots include a sterling silver royston stone belt, valued at $300-500, a Tom Jim sterling silver bracelet with a gorgeous blue stone, worth $200-$300, and a squash blossom necklace, expected to sell for $250-300, that dates to 1935-1945.

For information on any item in the sale, e-mail expert@materialculture.com or call 215-849-8030.

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


Jon Serl (American, 1894-1993), 'Mexican Pot Maker,' oil on canvas, signed 'JON.' Size: 30 x 24 inches (stretcher), 32 x 26 x 1-1/2 inches (frame). Provenance: Cavin-Morris, New York. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000. Material Culture image.

Jon Serl (American, 1894-1993), ‘Mexican Pot Maker,’ oil on canvas, signed ‘JON.’ Size: 30 x 24 inches (stretcher), 32 x 26 x 1-1/2 inches (frame). Provenance: Cavin-Morris, New York. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000. Material Culture image.

Ted Ludwiczak (b. 1927, Polish/American), 'Moon,' carved stone with stone stand. Size: 13.5 x 6 x 9 inches (overall). Estimate: $800-$1,200. Material Culture image.

Ted Ludwiczak (b. 1927, Polish/American), ‘Moon,’ carved stone with stone stand. Size: 13.5 x 6 x 9 inches (overall). Estimate: $800-$1,200. Material Culture image.

Kwame Akoto aka Almighty God (Ghanaian, b. 1950), 'Barack Obama,' oil on board. Size: 48 x 32 x 1.5 inches (frame). Estimate: $1,000-$1,500. Material Culture image.

Kwame Akoto aka Almighty God (Ghanaian, b. 1950), ‘Barack Obama,’ oil on board. Size: 48 x 32 x 1.5 inches (frame). Estimate: $1,000-$1,500. Material Culture image.

Hans Christoph Drexel (German, 1886-1979), gouache and oil paint on paper, 1950, signed lower left. Size: 31.5 x 21.5 inches (sheet), 37.5 x 26 x 1.5 inches (frame). Estimate: $3,000-$4,000. Material Culture image.

Hans Christoph Drexel (German, 1886-1979), gouache and oil paint on paper, 1950, signed lower left. Size: 31.5 x 21.5 inches (sheet), 37.5 x 26 x 1.5 inches (frame). Estimate: $3,000-$4,000. Material Culture image.

Walt Disney Company, Jessica Rabbit, original hand-painted animation art cel. Provenance: Barker Animation Art Gallery. Size: 15 x 19 inches (frame), 9.75 x 14 inches (sight). Estimate: $1,000-$1,500. Material Culture image.

Walt Disney Company, Jessica Rabbit, original hand-painted animation art cel. Provenance: Barker Animation Art Gallery. Size: 15 x 19 inches (frame), 9.75 x 14 inches (sight). Estimate: $1,000-$1,500. Material Culture image.

Large 19th-century Sevres Vase, France, with Sevres markings and signed 'F. Bellanger.' excellent condition. Size: 29 x 10 x 8 inches, with lamp: 44 inches tall. Property of a Philadelphia estate. Estimate: $2,000-$4,000. Material Culture image.

Large 19th-century Sevres Vase, France, with Sevres markings and signed ‘F. Bellanger.’ excellent condition. Size: 29 x 10 x 8 inches, with lamp: 44 inches tall. Property of a Philadelphia estate. Estimate: $2,000-$4,000. Material Culture image.

Shenandoah Valley tall-case clock by Jacob Fry & Caleb Davis, circa 1800, Woodstock, Va., $92,000. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Jeffrey S. Evans sells Shenandoah Valley clock for record $92K

Shenandoah Valley tall-case clock by Jacob Fry & Caleb Davis, circa 1800, Woodstock, Va., $92,000. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Shenandoah Valley tall-case clock by Jacob Fry & Caleb Davis, circa 1800, Woodstock, Va., $92,000. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

MT. CRAWFORD, Va. – On Nov. 8 Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates of Mt. Crawford, Virginia held another in their series of Americana sales, and items with rarity, great provenance and condition brought strong prices. LiveAuctioneers.com provided the Internet live bidding for the sale.

A Shenandoah Valley tall-case clock by Jacob Fry & Caleb Davis, made circa 1800 in Woodstock, Va., sold for $92,000 to an out-of-state private collector, making it the top lot of the sale. One of only a handful of signed clocks produced by this short-lived partnership (circa 1796-1800), the Fry & Davis clock retained its original movement and pendulum within a handsome walnut case likely made in Shenandoah or southern Frederick County. Estimated at $15,000-25,000, the clock had been deaccessioned from the Gloucester County Historical Society, Woodbury, N.J., in 1988, and had been in private hands ever since.

Another lot attributed to Caleb Davis’ hand, a circa-1820 watercolor and ink on paper portrait miniature of Jacob F. Hockman (1786-1862), sold for $7,475.

A fraktur by Peter Bernhart realized $16,100 against its estimate of $8,000-12,000. Bernhart rarely used mermaids, shown prominently in this example. The dense imagery also included large and small birds, florets and tulips and mermaids. The fraktur is documented in the book Folk and Decorative Art of the Shenandoah Valley, p. 81, pl. 6 and Southern Folk Art, p. 82; and was exhibited at the Museum of American Folk Art’s landmark 1984 show “Southern Folk Art.”

A pair of side chairs from the Tidewater area of Virginia sold for $16,100, far exceeding their $6,000-9,000 estimate, perhaps because new research is emerging regarding certain unique features shared by a number of chairs from the area. The chairs were executed in cherry wood in the Chippendale style, and date to around 1770.

Other Virginia items of interest included a walnut wood sugar chest or bottle case, inscribed “C A Butts / Boston” in black paint under the bottom, probably referencing Boston, Culpeper County, Va. It dated to the second quarter of the 19th century and came from the private collection of Sally and the late Stanley Greenbaum, Williamsburg, Va. It quadrupled its estimate to sell for $4,025.

Among the historically important ephemera offered, a photographic album comprising 30 views of “THE RAWLEY SPRINGS”, Rockingham County, Virginia, mounted on heavy card-stock pages, met with great success. This wonderful and rare survivor included photographic images of then Virginia Governor Kemper, Major Luck and the servant Uncle Jim Lightfoot. The album was inscribed by one-time owner Jacob S. Strayer of Bogota, Lynnwood, Rockingham County, Oct. 23, 1875 and was sold with a rare promotional booklet announcing the June 15, 1885 reopening of the Rawley Springs resort. It sold for $2,760.

A cast and sheet iron jeweler’s trade sign advertising “WATCHES CLOCKS JEWELRY” and with the message “BUY NOW” in its molded center originally came from a store in Roanoke, Va., the sign is just the kind of thing that tempts collectors to bid. Its large circumference (three feet) additionally tempts young collectors to showcase it as pop art at home. It realized $2,040.

An excellent collection of stoneware from the Valley of Virginia pottery of George N. Fulton (Arritts, Alleghany Co, 1867-1885) was led by a decorated salt-glazed canner, half of which had been dipped in slip. Approximately 1 gallon in capacity, it was signed in brushed-on manganese “G N Fulton” in script between floral and leaf decorations. At auction it made $1,380.

The sale included several items of interest from beyond the Americana area, including an oil-on-canvas portrait of Czar Paul I, late 18th or early 19th century, which realized $9,775. The sprightly portrait is attributed to the hand of a follower of Dmitry Levitsky or Stepan Schukin and was fresh to the market from an Albemarle County, Va., private collection. It was hotly contested by a German and three Russian phone bidders.

In all, the Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates auction realized $421,756 from 246 in-house bidders, with 987 absentee bids recorded. Through the LiveAuctioneers, there were 1,530 bids from 471 participants.

Auctioneer Jeffrey S. Evans commented after the sale, “We were pleased with the overall results of the auction, especially considering that some of our New York and New Jersey clients were not able to participate because of super storm Sandy. The Fry-Davis clock was an important artifact that drew strong private and institutional interest because we were able to articulate its historical significance within the narrative of lower Shenandoah Valley clock making.’

“On the other hand, I was obviously disappointed that the Funk family schrank did not sell,” Evans continued, “but we have received two serious post-auction inquiries and I feel certain it will find a new home. Its large size seriously limited the number of perspective buyers.”

To contact Jeffrey S. Evans, call 540-434-3939 or e-mail info@jeffreysevans.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog, complete with prices realized, at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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


ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


Shenandoah Valley tall-case clock by Jacob Fry & Caleb Davis, circa 1800, Woodstock, Va., $92,000. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Shenandoah Valley tall-case clock by Jacob Fry & Caleb Davis, circa 1800, Woodstock, Va., $92,000. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

George N. Fulton canner, $1,380. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

George N. Fulton canner, $1,380. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Rawley Springs, Va., photo album, $2,760. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Rawley Springs, Va., photo album, $2,760. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Large antique watch sign, $2,040. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Large antique watch sign, $2,040. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Miniature of Jacob F. Hackman attributed to Caleb Davis, circa 1820, $7,475. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Miniature of Jacob F. Hackman attributed to Caleb Davis, circa 1820, $7,475. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Fraktur by Peter Bernhart, 1804, $16,000. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Fraktur by Peter Bernhart, 1804, $16,000. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

'Portrait of Czar Paul I' after Levitsky or Schukin, $9,775. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

‘Portrait of Czar Paul I’ after Levitsky or Schukin, $9,775. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Pair of chairs from Tidewater region of Virginia, $16,100. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Pair of chairs from Tidewater region of Virginia, $16,100. Jeffrey S. Evans image.

Inscribed bottle case or sugar chest referencing Boston, Culpeper County, Va., $4,025. Jeffrey S. Evans imag

Inscribed bottle case or sugar chest referencing Boston, Culpeper County, Va., $4,025. Jeffrey S. Evans imag

Fontana Arte table lamp. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. Wright image.

Pinnacle of Italian design shines in Wright auction Dec. 13

Fontana Arte table lamp. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. Wright image.

Fontana Arte table lamp. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. Wright image.

CHICAGO – Wright will sell Italian masterworks, including the collection
 of Loris Manna, on Thursday, Dec. 13, beginning at 2 p.m. CST. This auction will celebrate the most historically significant Italian designs of the 20th century. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Among the offerings is one of the most impressive and important modern designs ever presented
at auction: a one-of-a-kind cabinet from the Villa Nemazee. The Villa Nemazee is a gesamtkunstwerk designed by Gio Ponti in Tehran, Iran in 1960, and is one of three residential masterpieces by Ponti for which he was given carte blanche for the architecture and interiors. The cabinet defines Ponti’s rigorous approach to geometry. It features two doors on each side, which reveal or conceal drawers, creating different compositions of color and form. In a single piece, Ponti’s high style and architectural language are captured.

An important and monumental chandelier designed in 1954 by Flavio Poli for the Hotel Bristol
in Merano, Italy is also among the significant pieces offered in the Italian Masterworks sale. Gorgeously detailed to a nearly unimaginable degree, this chandelier is one of only two examples; the other resides in a private collection. These chandeliers represent the absolute pinnacle of Italian glasswork. Hundreds of individual hand-formed glass flowers contrast with the overall monumental scale of the piece, creating an effect so visually dazzling that it amounts to no less than pure spectacle. Spanning over 8 feet in diameter and encircled by a wreath of pale gold and green leaves, the Hotel Bristol chandelier is truly a design of epic splendor.

Within the Italian Masterworks auction is the Collection of Loris Manna, a selection of historically important, outstanding designs from the private collection of a preeminent authority on Italian design. Loris Manna has spent a lifetime devoted to the study of Italian modernists, and is the author
 of the book Gio Ponti: Le Maioliche. Each piece selected by Manna for his collection is of uncompromising quality provenance.

Manna first encountered the work of Gio Ponti at a flea market in the 1970s and fell in love. From that point forward, he sought to create a home for himself that would “have the soul of Ponti.” Although not everything in Manna’s home and collection is designed by Ponti, all of it was selected with Ponti’s rigorous architectural ideals in mind. Manna endeavored to capture and recreate the same vision of an environment that enriches, delights and offers retreat. Winding through the collection is a narrative that speaks not only to the story of Italian modernism but to a lifetime of passion, a continuous and endless enthusiasm dedicated to the pursuit of important, significant design.

Rare and beautiful designs in the Manna Collection include an exceptional library designed by both Gio Ponti and Piero Fornasetti. Ponti builds a rigorous architectural framework to which Fornasetti applies decorations in a library motif. The beveled edges of the shelves are classic Ponti while the library motif is a signature of Fornasetti’s oeuvre. A frequent collaborator with designers and manufacturers, Ponti’s talents are at their best when combined with Fornasetti’s. Their partnership resulted invariably in masterpieces of 20th century design.

Highlights also include a Max Ingrand floor lamp for Fontana Arte with an organic floral motif.
 It is among the most superb examples of the Ingrand’s designs for Fontana Arte. A remarkably detailed beveled base of opaque glass supports brass stems which surge upward toward blossoms made of colored glass. Sculptural and refined, this important lamp is a masterpiece of lighting design and extremely rare; this example is one of approximately three produced.

Also outstanding among the extraordinary works in the Manna Collection is the Gio Ponti chandelier made by Venini, which was installed in Ponti’s own residence. Hand-blown of Murano glass, this exquisite 12-bulb chandelier is iconic among both Ponti’s oeuvre and 20th century Italian design. Other highly anticipated works include a Franco Albini dining table, two important majolica bowls and an early set of drawers by Gio Ponti and a rare Fontana Arte coffee table.

By working closely with academics and prestigious dealers and galleries in Milan, Manna acquired extraordinary one-of-a-kind pieces and special production examples by designers such as Gio Ponti, Max Ingrand and Franco Albini. The result of his passion for the highest caliber
 of Italian modernism is an academically rigorous collection that is largely regarded as the finest private collection of Italian design ever presented at auction.

Each piece offered within Italian Masterworks has been vetted to meet the highest standards of condition, pedigree and rarity.

Internet live bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com.

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ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE


Fontana Arte table lamp. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. Wright image.

Fontana Arte table lamp. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000. Wright image.

Gio Ponti, important and early chandelier from the Ponti residence, Liguria, 1946. Estimate: $50,000-$70,000. Wright image.

Gio Ponti, important and early chandelier from the Ponti residence, Liguria, 1946. Estimate: $50,000-$70,000. Wright image.

Gio Ponti, rare and early chair from the Conti Contini Bonasccossi, Florence, 1931. Estimate: $7,000-$9,000. Wright image.

Gio Ponti, rare and early chair from the Conti Contini Bonasccossi, Florence, 1931. Estimate: $7,000-$9,000. Wright image.

Gio Ponti and Piero Pornasetti, important bookcase, 1955. Estimate: $50,000-$70,000. Wright image.

Gio Ponti and Piero Pornasetti, important bookcase, 1955. Estimate: $50,000-$70,000. Wright image.

Ico Parisi, unique dining table, 1950. Estimate: $30,000-$50,000. Wright image.

Ico Parisi, unique dining table, 1950. Estimate: $30,000-$50,000. Wright image.

William Klein (1928), 'Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue),' 1956, stampa alla gelatina sali d’argento, stampata nel 1980 circa. Firmata, intitolata e datata a matita sul verso. Provenienza: Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York.  Stima €3.600-€4.500. Prezzo di aggiudicazione €3.600. Foto: Minerva Auctions.

Il mercato dell’arte in Italia: Le aste in Italia

William Klein (1928), 'Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue),' 1956, stampa alla gelatina sali d’argento, stampata nel 1980 circa. Firmata, intitolata e datata a matita sul verso. Provenienza: Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York.  Stima €3.600-€4.500. Prezzo di aggiudicazione €3.600. Foto: Minerva Auctions.

William Klein (1928), ‘Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue),’ 1956, stampa alla gelatina sali d’argento, stampata nel 1980 circa. Firmata, intitolata e datata a matita sul verso. Provenienza: Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York.  Stima €3.600-€4.500. Prezzo di aggiudicazione €3.600. Foto: Minerva Auctions.

Si è parlato molto ultimamente in Italia del fatto che sempre più case d’aste internazionali usano il mercato dell’arte italiano come mercato d’approvvigionamento, sul quale reperiscono lotti preziosi che poi vendono all’estero.

Ciò è dovuto al fatto che la domanda interna in Italia è diminuita, mentre c’è ancora abbondanza di lotti di valore eccezionale e un’elevata richiesta d’arte italiana a livello internazionale.

Questa evoluzione si è fatta sentire, per esempio, da Christie’s, che ha deciso di diminuire il numero delle aste in Italia per concentrarsi sulle vendite private. Ed è questo il motivo per cui la casa d’aste non ha tenuto quest’anno la tradizionale vendita di novembre a Milano. Sotheby’s, invece, ha tenuto fede alla tradizione e ha tenuto la sua asta a Palazzo Broggi a Milano il 27-28 novembre. Ma la vendita non ha dato i risultati sperati.

Circa la metà dei lotti sono rimasti invenduti. Le percentuali di opere vendute sono state un solo 58,5% per lotto e 57,3% per valore. Il risultato totale è stato di 5,3 milioni di euro. Tra i lotti invenduti ci sono opere di Giorgio De Chirico, Mario Sironi, Lucio Fontana e Piero Manzoni.

I lotti che hanno avuto le performance migliori sono state opere di Agostino Bonalumi, che al momento è in mostra a New York alla galleria di Barbara Mathes, e Alberto Burri. Ma il top lot della sera è stato Vaso di fiori di Giorgio Morandi, una natura morta con vaso di fiori molto delicata, dipinta nel 1952 in occasione di un’importante esposizione a Parigi. L’opera ha raddoppiato la stima di 190mila-250mila euro ed è passata di mano per 420.750 euro.

I cambiamenti nel mercato italiano dell’arte hanno mostrato i loro effetti non solo a Milano ma anche a Roma. Lo scorso ottobre è nata una nuova casa d’aste, la Minerva Auctions, dopo che Fabio Bertolo, già direttore della Bloomsbury Auctions a Roma, ha deciso di prendere un’altra strada rispetto a quella della casa d’aste madre di Londra. Bertolo e Drewatts & Bloomsbury Auctions hanno scelto di non rinnovare il contratto di franchising per via del loro diverso approccio al mercato italiano: mentre Drewatts & Bloomsbury Auctions voleva favorire l’esportazione delle opere d’arte, con lo scopo di offrire ai clienti più ampie prospettive di mercato, Bertolo voleva puntare sul mercato interno. Quindi Bertolo ha fondato la Minerva Auctions, mentre Drewatts & Bloomsbury Auctions ha iniziato una nuova iniziativa con un nuovo partner, Philobiblon, specialista affermato nell’ambito dei libri e dei manoscritti.

Questa settimana Minerva ha tenuto la sua prima asta di fotografia a Roma (28 novembre). Il catalogo includeva un gruppo di 40 fotografie di Marilyn Monroe per commemorare i 50 anni dalla scomparsa dell’attrice. Anche in questo caso la percentuale di vendita è stata bassa. Più della metà dei lotti non sono stati venduti. Il risultato totale è stato di 46.920 euro (diritti d’asta esclusi), con una percentuale di venduto del 53%. Il top lot è stato Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue) del 1956 di William Klein, venduto per 3.600 euro (diritti esclusi). Tra i fotografi italiani i risultati migliori sono stati realizzati da due fotografie di Mario Giacomelli: Marzo, Presa di coscienza sulla natura, circa 1980, venduta per 2mila euro (diritti esclusi), e Natura morta con pere, una natura morta del 1955 venduta per 1.400 euro (diritti esclusi). Tra le fotografie di Marilyn Monroe il risultato migliore è stato realizzato da Marilyn Monroe in Reno, The Misfits, del 1961, di Henri Cartier-Bresson. È stata venduta per 2mila euro (diritti esclusi).

La settimana si è chiusa con tre aste da Porro & C. Art Consulting, una casa d’asta di Milano, tenute il 29 novembre. La giornata di vendite è iniziata con una vendita di Dipinti Antichi che includeva un gruppo di figure da presepe, una categoria che ha avuto molto successo nel primo semestre di quest’anno. Tra i dipinti, i lotti che sono andati meglio sono stati due ritratti su carta di Rosalba Carriera: Ritratto femminile, che è stato venduto per 37.200 euro, e Ritratto della contessa Potocka, venduto per 49.600 euro.

Le altre due aste offrivano arte contemporanea e design. Il top lot dell’asta di contemporaneo è stato un dipinto fatto col fuoco di Yves Klein, venduto per 849.800 euro. Anche se Yves Klein è più noto per i suoi monocromi, i dipinti col fuoco costituiscono un’importante parte della sua produzione che in questo momento viene riscoperta. La galleria italiana Tornabuoni mostra attualmente a Parigi una rassegna di opere fatte col fuoco tra le quali ci sono opere di Yves Klein, Alberto Burri e Arman, che sono stati i primi artisti a usare il fuoco nell’arte contemporanea, e poi di altri come Calzolari, Boltanski e Chen Zhen.

Altri artisti italiani che hanno avuto buone performance sono stati Enrico Castellani con una tela estroflessa venduta per 142.600 euro, e Mimmo Rotella, con un décollage venduto per 62mila euro.


ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE


William Klein (1928), 'Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue),' 1956, stampa alla gelatina sali d’argento, stampata nel 1980 circa. Firmata, intitolata e datata a matita sul verso. Provenienza: Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York.  Stima €3.600-€4.500. Prezzo di aggiudicazione €3.600. Foto: Minerva Auctions.

William Klein (1928), ‘Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue),’ 1956, stampa alla gelatina sali d’argento, stampata nel 1980 circa. Firmata, intitolata e datata a matita sul verso. Provenienza: Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York.  Stima €3.600-€4.500. Prezzo di aggiudicazione €3.600. Foto: Minerva Auctions.

Mario Giacomelli (1925-2000), ‘Marzo, Presa di coscienza sulla natura,’ 1980 circa. cm 29,5 x 39,5 (11.6 x 15.6 in.). Stampa vintage alla gelatina sali d’argento. Firmata ed intitolata apenna con timbro del fotografo sul verso. Stima €2.000-€3.000. Prezzo di aggiudicazione €2.000. Foto: Minerva Auctions.

Mario Giacomelli (1925-2000), ‘Marzo, Presa di coscienza sulla natura,’ 1980 circa. cm 29,5 x 39,5 (11.6 x 15.6 in.). Stampa vintage alla gelatina sali d’argento. Firmata ed intitolata apenna con timbro del fotografo sul verso. Stima €2.000-€3.000. Prezzo di aggiudicazione €2.000. Foto: Minerva Auctions.

Mimmo Rotella, 'Cleopatra Liz,' 1963, décollage, cm 132x135. Prezzo realizzato €62.000. Foto: Porro & C.

Mimmo Rotella, ‘Cleopatra Liz,’ 1963, décollage, cm 132×135. Prezzo realizzato €62.000. Foto: Porro & C.

Yves Klein, 'Carte de Mars par l’eau et le feu,' 1961, tecnica mista su cartone, cm 69x49. Prezzo realizzato €849.800. Foto: Porro & C.

Yves Klein, ‘Carte de Mars par l’eau et le feu,’ 1961, tecnica mista su cartone, cm 69×49. Prezzo realizzato €849.800. Foto: Porro & C.

William Klein (1928), 'Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue),' 1956, stampa alla gelatina sali d’argento, stampata nel 1980 circa. Firmata, intitolata e datata a matita sul verso. Provenienza: Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York.  Stima €3.600-€4.500. Prezzo di aggiudicazione €3.600. Foto: Minerva Auctions.

Art Market Italy: Auctions in Italy

William Klein (b. 1928), 'Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue),' 1956, gelatin silver print, printed circa 1980. Signed, titled and dated in pencil on the verso, 16.7 x 12.8 inches. Provenance: Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York. Estimate €3,600 – €4,500. Hammer's prize without buyer's premium: €3,600. Courtesy of Minerva Auctions.

William Klein (b. 1928), ‘Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue),’ 1956, gelatin silver print, printed circa 1980. Signed, titled and dated in pencil on the verso, 16.7 x 12.8 inches. Provenance: Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York. Estimate €3,600 – €4,500. Hammer’s prize without buyer’s premium: €3,600. Courtesy of Minerva Auctions.

MILAN, Italy – There has been a lot of talk in Italy lately about the fact that more and more international auction houses use the Italian art market as a source from which to obtain premium-quality works to resell on international markets.

This is due to the fact that the internal demand has decreased, while there is still abundance of lots of exceptional value and high request for Italian art at the international level.

This evolution has been noticed, for example, by Christie’s, which has decided to diminish the number of sales in Italy, while concentrating on private sales. And this is why the auction house did not hold the traditional November sale this year in Milan. Sotheby’s, instead, kept faithful to the tradition and held its sale at Palazzo Broggi in Milan on Nov. 27-28. But the auction did not bring the expected results.

Almost half of the offered lots remained unsold. By lot just 58.5 percent sold and 57.3 percent by value. The total result was $6.9 million. Among the unsold lots there were works by Giorgio De Chirico, Mario Sironi, Lucio Fontana and Piero Manzoni.

Lots that performed better were works by Agostino Bonalumi, who is now on show in New York at Barbara Mathes Gallery, and Alberto Burri. But the top lot of the evening was Vaso di fiori by Giorgio Morandi, a delicate still life with flowers, which was painted in 1952 for an important exhibition in Paris. The work doubled its estimate of $250,000-$320,000 and sold for $546,000.

The changes in the Italian market showed their consequences not only in Milan but in Rome, as well. Last October a new auction house, called Minerva Auctions, was born after Fabio Bertolo, previously director at Bloomsbury Auctions in Rome, decided to go a different way than the London mother house. Bertolo and Drewatts & Bloomsbury Auctions chose not to renovate the franchising contract because of their different approach to the Italian market, while the London auction house wanted to favor the exportation of art to offer to the consignors the broadest marketplace possible. Bertolo wanted to focus on the internal market. So Bertolo founded Minerva Auctions, while Drewatts & Bloomsbury Auctions started a new venture with a new partner, namely Philobiblon, a highly regarded specialist dealership in books and manuscripts.

This week Minerva held its first photography sale in Rome (Nov. 28). The catalog included a selection of 40 photographs of Marilyn Monroe to commemorate 50 years from her passing. Also in this case, the sale rate was low. More than half of the lots went unsold. The total result was $60,834 (without buyer’s premium) with a sale rate by value around 53 percent. The top lot was Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue), 1956, by William Klein, that sold for $4,700 (without buyer’s premium). Among the Italian photographers the best result was achieved by Marzo, Presa di coscienza sulla natura, circa 1980, which sold for $2,600 (without buyer’s premium), and Natura morta con pere, a still-life dated 1955 which sold for $1,800 (without buyer’s premium). Among the Marilyn Monroe’s photographs, the best result was achieved by Marilyn Monroe in Reno The Misfits, 1961, by Henri Cartier-Bresson. It sold for $2,600 (without buyer’s premium).

The week closed with three auctions at Milan-based auction house Porro & C. Art Consulting on Nov. 29. The day started with a sale of Old Masters, which included a group of nativity sets and crib figures, a category that was very successful in the first semester of this year. Among the paintings, the best lots were two portraits on paper by Rosalba Carriera: Ritratto femminile, which sold for $48,000, and Ritratto della contessa Potocka, which sold for $64,300.

The other two sales offered contemporary art and design. The top lot of the contemporary art sale was a fire painting by Yves Klein that sold for $1.1 million. Even if Yves Klein is best-known for his monochromes, the fire paintings are an important part of his production, which is now being rediscovered. Italian gallery Tornabuoni is showing in its Paris base a review of artworks made with fire, among which there are works by Yves Klein, Alberto Burri and Arman, who were the first artists who used fire in contemporary art, and by others like Calzolari, Boltanski and Chen Zhen.

Other Italian artists who did well were Enrico Castellani, with a shaped canvas that sold for $185,000, and Mimmo Rotella, with a décollage that sold for $80,400.


ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE


William Klein (b. 1928), 'Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue),' 1956, gelatin silver print, printed circa 1980. Signed, titled and dated in pencil on the verso, 16.7 x 12.8 inches. Provenance: Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York. Estimate €3,600 – €4,500. Hammer's prize without buyer's premium: €3,600. Courtesy of Minerva Auctions.

William Klein (b. 1928), ‘Hat + 5 Roses, Paris (Vogue),’ 1956, gelatin silver print, printed circa 1980. Signed, titled and dated in pencil on the verso, 16.7 x 12.8 inches. Provenance: Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York. Estimate €3,600 – €4,500. Hammer’s prize without buyer’s premium: €3,600. Courtesy of Minerva Auctions.

Mario Giacomelli (1925-2000), 'Marzo, Presa di coscienza sulla natura,' circa 1980. Vintage gelatin silver print. Signed and titled in ink with photographer’s credit stamp on the verso, 11.6 x 15.6 inches. Estimate €2,000 – €3,000. Hammer's prize without buyer's premium: €2,000. Courtesy of Minerva Auctions.

Mario Giacomelli (1925-2000), ‘Marzo, Presa di coscienza sulla natura,’ circa 1980. Vintage gelatin silver print. Signed and titled in ink with photographer’s credit stamp on the verso, 11.6 x 15.6 inches. Estimate €2,000 – €3,000. Hammer’s prize without buyer’s premium: €2,000. Courtesy of Minerva Auctions.

Mimmo Rotella, 'Cleopatra Liz,' 1963, décollage, cm 132x135. Estimate: €60,000-80,000. Sold for €62,000. Image courtesy of Porro & C.

Mimmo Rotella, ‘Cleopatra Liz,’ 1963, décollage, cm 132×135. Estimate: €60,000-80,000. Sold for €62,000. Image courtesy of Porro & C.

Yves Klein, 'Carte de Mars par l’eau et le feu,' 1961, mixed media on cardboard, cm 69x49. Sold for €849,800. Image courtesy of Porro & C.

Yves Klein, ‘Carte de Mars par l’eau et le feu,’ 1961, mixed media on cardboard, cm 69×49. Sold for €849,800. Image courtesy of Porro & C.

Jill Fenichell, newly appointed vice president and head of the newly formed Ceramics department at Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates.

Jill Fenichell appointed to VP post at Jeffrey S. Evans

Jill Fenichell, newly appointed vice president and head of the newly formed Ceramics department at Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates.

Jill Fenichell, newly appointed vice president and head of the newly formed Ceramics department at Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates.

MT. CRAWFORD, Va. – Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates – Auctioneers, Appraisers and Consultants in Mt. Crawford, Va., has announced the appointment of Jill Fenichell as vice president to head their newly formed Ceramics department and to expand their offerings of museum and educational services. Fenichell will be splitting her time between the newly established JSE&A New York office and the firm’s Virginia corporate office.

Fenichell has 25 years of experience in the ceramics field with specific expertise in wares from the 18th to the 20th century. Her past endeavors include CEO/proprietor of a ceramics-specific New York gallery and participating in antiques shows at the national and international level including the New York Ceramics Fair. Fenichell has served as contributing editor and freelance writer for national trade magazines and journals including Ceramics in America, and lectured widely on matters of ceramic interest. In addition, she has researched and cataloged private collections, and served as consultant to private and institutional clients.

Previously, Fenichell worked at Christie’s, the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute.

Company president and senior specialist Jeffrey S. Evans commented, “We are extremely pleased to have Jill join our dedicated staff. Beverley [Evans, Jeffrey’s wife and business partner] and I have desired to add a world-class ceramics department and expand our educational and museum outreach programs since we separated from Green Valley Auctions in 2009. Jill’s vast experience, expertise and energy make her the perfect person to undertake these objectives – and it will give us a much needed continual presence in New York and the greater Northeast.”

“Jill exhibits the honesty, integrity, and genuine care for consignors and their merchandise that has become a benchmark of our firm. As soon as I met her it was evident that we were kindred spirits,” Evans added.

According to Fenichell, her department will initially be producing two ceramics-specific cataloged auctions per year. She is currently securing consignments for an April sale of 18th & 19th century wares, and has scheduled an auction of 20th century material for October 1 that will feature a 500+ piece collection of Shelley china. In addition, Ms. Fenichell will be organizing several educational seminars a year geared towards collectors, dealers, appraisers and museum personnel. These one-and two-day events will be held at the Jeffrey S. Evans gallery and include the continuation of the firm’s annual Virginia Decorative Arts Seminar. This year’s date is June 13, and the featured topic will be “Punched-tin Paneled Furniture of the Valley of Virginia.”

Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates specializes in Southern decorative arts, American glass and lighting, 17th to 20th century ceramics, antique sewing accoutrements, as well as Americana and fine antiques of all types. The firm conducts monthly catalogud auctions as well as provides appraisals, private brokering and collections management services.

Jill Fenichell welcomes the opportunity to meet with both past and potential consignors during the 2013 New York Ceramics Fair and Americana Week. Call 917-302-1757 or e-mail jill@jeffreysevans.com to arrange a no-obligation meeting.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE


Jill Fenichell, newly appointed vice president and head of the newly formed Ceramics department at Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates.

Jill Fenichell, newly appointed vice president and head of the newly formed Ceramics department at Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates.

1st Circuit rejects Maine labor mural appeal

BOSTON (AP) – A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld a judge’s ruling that Maine Gov. Paul LePage was within his rights to remove a large mural depicting scenes from the state’s labor history from an office building that served as home of the Maine Department of Labor.

After taking office, the Republican governor created an uproar last year when he ordered the 11-panel, 7-foot-tall mural removed from a Labor Department waiting room because he believed it presented a one-sided view of history that bowed to organized labor.

Five Mainers, including three artists, filed a lawsuit claiming the removal violated the mural artist’s First Amendment rights.

But the lawsuit was rejected by a federal judge in Maine who agreed with the administration’s claim that the governor is entitled to engage in “government speech.” The ruling was upheld Wednesday by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It was unclear if the mural’s supporters planned further appeals.

In Wednesday’s ruling, Chief Judge Sandra Lynch suggested that critics of the labor mural’s removal can show their displeasure in other ways, including at the ballot box.

“There are those who disagree with the decision to remove the mural from the (Maine Department of Labor). Governors and administrations are ultimately accountable to the electorate through the political process, which is the mechanism to test disagreements,” Lynch wrote.

Featuring World War II’s “Rosie the Riveter,” a 1937 shoe strike in Maine and New Deal-era U.S. Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, the mural commissioned by then-Democratic Gov. John Baldaci was created by artist Judy Taylor after a competition by the Maine Arts Commission.

A full-size replica has been displayed in Maine, but the location of the original artwork has been a mystery ever since its removal. The LePage administration has declined to divulge its whereabouts.

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Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Example of an antique keyboard instrument in Colonial Williamsburg's 'Changing Keys: Keyboard Instruments for America, 1700-1830.' The exhibition runs through Sept. 7, 2014. Image courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg.

Antique keyboard instruments on view at Colonial Williamsburg

Example of an antique keyboard instrument in Colonial Williamsburg's 'Changing Keys: Keyboard Instruments for America, 1700-1830.' The exhibition runs through Sept. 7, 2014. Image courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg.

Example of an antique keyboard instrument in Colonial Williamsburg’s ‘Changing Keys: Keyboard Instruments for America, 1700-1830.’ The exhibition runs through Sept. 7, 2014. Image courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) – A new exhibition at Colonial Williamsburg is showcasing the historic area’s collection of antique musical instruments.

Officials say the “Changing Keys: Keyboard Instruments for America” exhibit recently opened at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum.

It features more than two dozen keyboard instruments from the period between 1700 and 1830, including harpsichords, spinets, pianos, and a chamber organ. More than half of the instruments will be exhibited for the first time.

Exhibition curator John Watson says the instruments were an integral part of the culture of Virginia’s colonial and post-colonial period. Officials say the second-known public performance on a piano in America took place at the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg.

The exhibit that also explores the ways the instruments changed over time will be on display through 2014.

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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


Example of an antique keyboard instrument in Colonial Williamsburg's 'Changing Keys: Keyboard Instruments for America, 1700-1830.' The exhibition runs through Sept. 7, 2014. Image courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg.

Example of an antique keyboard instrument in Colonial Williamsburg’s ‘Changing Keys: Keyboard Instruments for America, 1700-1830.’ The exhibition runs through Sept. 7, 2014. Image courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg.

The reverse of a small-size $1 US Silver Certificate from a series issued 1928-1934 looks like this. They're commonly referred to as 'funnybacks.'

Police: Antique money gives away Mass. robbery suspect

The reverse of a small-size $1 US Silver Certificate from a series issued 1928-1934 looks like this. They're commonly referred to as 'funnybacks.'

The reverse of a small-size $1 US Silver Certificate from a series issued 1928-1934 looks like this. They’re commonly referred to as ‘funnybacks.’

BARNSTABLE, Mass. (AP) — Police say a man who stole antique money during a home invasion in Hyannis, Mass., made a critical mistake when he tried to spend the cash just hours later.

Barnstable police arrested Marcel Young at a Hyannis bar at about 1 a.m. Thursday after staff called police to say a man had tried to pay for a drink with a bill they thought was counterfeit.

It wasn’t fake, it was just currency that dated to 1934.

It just so happened that bills from that era were among $3,000 stolen during an armed home invasion at about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The 35-year-old Young matched the description of one of two men who allegedly robbed the home. He was charged with home invasion and armed robbery.

Police are looking for the second suspect.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE


The reverse of a small-size $1 US Silver Certificate from a series issued 1928-1934 looks like this. They're commonly referred to as 'funnybacks.'

The reverse of a small-size $1 US Silver Certificate from a series issued 1928-1934 looks like this. They’re commonly referred to as ‘funnybacks.’