November 20, 2012 - Auction Central News

Santa car leads parade of highlights at Bertoia’s $2.1M sale

Top lot of the sale: circa-1928 Tippco tinplate Santa car with revolving Christmas feather tree, $28,910. Bertoia Auctions image.

VINELAND, N.J. – Santa made an early appearance this year, arriving behind the wheel of a Tippco clockwork roadster that finished as top lot in Bertoia Auctions’ Sept. 21-23 Toybox Treasures sale. The jaunty circa-1928 tin convertible, profusely decorated with images of toys, teddies and colorful balloons, even toted a revolving Christmas feather tree on its trunk. In his “fur”-trimmed crimson robe and cap, Tippco’s Santa was the perfect grand marshal for the 2,246-lot parade of toys, banks and doorstops to follow, leading prices realized at $28,910. All prices quoted include buyer’s premium.

The much-anticipated event drew a full house of bidders who were kept on their toes by phone and Internet competitors through LiveAuctioneers.com during all three sessions. As the hammer fell on the last lot, the sale total was confirmed at $2,082,000.

Finishing in the second-place slot behind the Tippco Santa car was a circa-1925 Gendron Pioneer Line Packard pedal car. In original condition with a retractable soft cover and rear panel that opens to reveal a rumble seat, the 66-inch-long car was described in the catalog as possibly being the finest known example. Against an estimate of $10,000-$15,000, it was whisked out of the saleroom for $23,600.

The power of the Marklin name was evidenced by the strong interest in Lot 929, a circa-1910 painted cast-iron accessory lamppost. Its fine details included candle-powered glass globes and ornate Art Nouveau styling. Entered with a $4,000-$5,000 estimate, the 16¾-inch triple lamppost (one globe missing) lit the way to a final phone bid of $21,240.

Another example of Marklin’s fastidious attention to detail and quality was Lot 864, an 11-inch circa-1890s Tilbury coach with wicker-type sides, large spoke wheels and pair of side lamps. In pristine condition, it sped past its $10,000-$12,000 estimate to settle at $20,060.

Making it a Marklin trifecta, Lot 1276, a compound steam engine with many intricate nickeled parts led its category at $11,800, near the top of its estimate range. Bertoia’s catalog noted that it would have been an expensive item in its day, having an original retail price of $1.75.

Many European tin toys met or exceeded expectations. A grouping of French Fernand Martin toys was kept in line by a circa-1901 clockwork Policeman in full blue felt uniform with painted tin helmet. Against an estimate of $1,200-$1,500, the mustachioed officer commanded a final bid of $6,490. Other Continental charmers that finished well in the money included a circa-1895 Gunthermann sky blue vis-à-vis with liveried driver, $7,080; and a quintet of early carved and painted wood figures depicting Austrian troopers on horseback (Estate of Paul Ingersoll collection), $3,835 (est. $900-$1,200).

Train collectors were on board for a Marklin hand-painted tin gauge 1 passenger set with 0-4-0 clockwork locomotive and cobalt blue and brick-red cars with stepped pea green roofs. Estimated at $1,500-$2,000, it pulled out of the station at $8,260.

The primitive appeal of a George Brown tinplate clockwork paddlewheeler “New York” with red and blue stenciled sides encouraged a winning bid of $8,850 (est. $2,000-$3,500). “The lot opened at $1,000, and all the way to the end there was a triangle of bidding between the phone, the floor and an absentee bidder. Eventually the phone bidder won,” said auctioneer Michael Bertoia, who shared the podium duties with veteran auctioneer Tim Luke.

From a much later period of American toymaking, a circa-1941 Buddy ‘L’ Allied Van Lines orange and black pressed steel moving van with boxed sets of miniature furniture, was pushed to $5,310 (est. $2,000-$2,500); while a foot-long yellow Kingsbury pressed steel roadster with white rubber tires and red hubs coasted to $5,310 (est. $800-$1,000). Although made in Germany by Fischer, the whimsical Hi-Way Henry auto may well have been inspired by the comic strip “Katzenjammer Kids” and is a favorite with American toy collectors. The example in Bertoia’s sale, complete with clothesline and laundry above the car’s roof and a doghouse comprising the front portion of the vehicle, made $3,540 (est. $1,200-$1,500).

A sizable contingent of cast iron toy buyers was in attendance, knowing some prized pieces would be crossing the auction block. A Hubley cast-iron “Truk Mixer” in near-mint condition boasted a red and green color scheme on its stout, well-molded body, with a nickeled water tank just behind the driver’s Mack cab and a revolving drum that, in real life, would have held cement. It rumbled away on its super-clean white rubber wheels to the bidder who paid $14,160 (estimate $3,500-$4,500).

Not far behind the Truk Mixer was another cast-iron automotive gem – Kenton’s depiction of a 1936 Nash Lafayette coupe pulling a primitive silver house trailer. The toy is the only example known to exist outside the Kenton Toy Museum in Ohio. It was offered at Bertoia’s with an advertising booklet depicting the car and trailer, titled “Travel by Covered Wagon – The Complete Steel Trailer Home.” Estimated at $7,000-$9,000 the roadworthy set was ready for adventure after knocking down a hefty $11,210.

A beautiful selection of figural cast-iron doorstops drew collectors who bid confidently on the many forms knowing each had been personally vetted by Bertoia Auctions’ owner, Jeanne Bertoia, an expert in the doorstop field. Lot 468, a 16¼ inch Bradley & Hubbard form of a boy known as “Whistling Jim” topped the group at an above-estimate $7,080. Another desirable doorstop design by Bradley & Hubbard, a Rooster with finely delineated feathers and realistic detailing to its face, comb and feet, surpassed its high estimate at $4,720. Among the doorstops depicting buildings, a quaint Cape Cod Cottage with Hollyhocks dominated the upper end of the real estate market, closing at $3,540 (est. 750-$1,000).

The cataloged portion of the auction concluded with a fine selection of holiday items, including Christmas belsnickles, Dresden, glass and pressed-cotton ornaments; and a number of early Halloween candy containers and other novelties. A magnificent 16-inch-high German Santa on reindeer candy container was a highlight, selling for $5,900. The selection was followed by an uncataloged offering of holiday surprise boxes, which kept many bidders – including members of The Golden Glow of Christmas Past collector club – firmly in their seats till the very end.

“Everyone seemed to enjoy our September auction immensely,” said Jeanne Bertoia. “With toys from the Paul Ingersoll estate collection and steam engines from the collection of the late Klaus Grutzka, we could hardly go wrong. Both were very well-refined collections built by knowledgeable people who never settled for less when it came to quality and condition.”

To contact Bertoia Auctions, call 856-692-1881 or e-mail Toys@BertoiaAuctions.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

Hubley cast-iron ‘Truk’ Mixer with revolving drum, $14,160. Bertoia Auctions image.

Bradley & Hubbard figural cast-iron ‘Whistling Jim’ doorstop, $7,080. Bertoia Auctions image.

Kenton 1936 Nash Lafayette coupe and primitive silver house trailer, $11,210. Bertoia Auctions image.

Marklin circa-1890s Tilbury coach with wicker-type sides, large spoke wheels and side lamps, $20,060. Bertoia Auctions image.

Circa-1910 Marklin cast-iron accessory lamppost with glass globes, and Art Nouveau styling, $21,240. Bertoia Auctions image.

Circa-1895 Gunthermann vis-à-vis with liveried driver, $7,080. Bertoia Auctions image.

Marklin compound steam engine, original retail price $1.75, sold at Bertoia’s for $11,800. Bertoia Auctions image.

Circa-1925 Gendron Pioneer Line Packard pedal car, $23,600. Bertoia Auctions image.

Rago Dec. 4 open house to include jewelry talk

Tiffany & Co. bicolor gold ruby brooch, to be sold Dec. 9. Estimate: $2,000-$3,000. Rago Arts and Auction Center image.

LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. – The Rago Arts and Auction Center will host an open house on Tuesday, Dec. 4, featuring a talk by Newark Museum curator Ulysses Grant Dietz.

The talk, “The Lower End of Splendor: Middle Class Jewelry in Context,” focuses on the story of Newark, N.J., as a jewelry manufacturing center, its decline during the Great Depression, through its demise in the 1990s.

By the eve of the great Depression, in 1929, Newark produced 90 percent of the gold jewelry in the United States (including 50 percent of the 18-karat jewelry). The mass of this jewelry, which was not sold under Newark maker’s names, but retailed through jewelry stores in every corner of the nation, was small scale, finely crafted and very wearable. It was characterized by small diamonds, colored stones, enamel, in modern designs, for men and women. Millions of cufflinks and brooches, signet rings and wedding bands, poured out of Newark’s factories six days a week.

Newark’s jewelers knew their market well. Their clients were not the Vanderbilts or (later) the stars of the silver screen. Their customers saw high society and celebrity in magazines, and wanted jewelry that evoked that glamour, but which they could buy in their local jewelry stores and, more importantly, could afford.

Newark was the king of jewelry manufacturing in America, employing thousands of people, until the consumer base was eroded by the Great Depression, World War II and the rise of costume jewelry. By the 1950s Newark’s industry had shrunk to half its former size, and by the 1990s the last of the factories closed forever. Newark’s story as a jewelry center is remarkable. Come see what the industry was up to.

Ulysses Grant Dietz has been the curator of decorative arts at the Newark Museum since 1980. He has been collecting items for the Newark Museum for over 30 years.

The talk takes place during preview week for Rago’s Silver, Jewelry and Great Estates auctions, to be held on Dec. 7-9.

The auction house opens on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at noon. A reception begins at 5 p.m. Dietz will speak at 6 p.m.

RSVP to 609-397-9374 ext. 119 or raac@ragoarts.com. Unable to rsvp in advance? Please attend if possible. All are welcome.

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

Art Nouveau enameled gold flower brooches, to be sold Dec. 9. Estimate: $1,200-$1,800. Rago Arts and Auction Center image.

Nine gold dragon, griffon or serpent stick pins, to be sold Dec. 9. Estimate; $900-$1,200. Rago Arts and Auction Center image.

Works by Weisse, Rosati set records at Clars fine art sale

Achieving a new world record for Rudolf Johann Weisse was ‘A Moment of Prayer,’ which sold to a bidder in Europe for $82,950. Clars Auction Gallery image.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Clars Auction Gallery featured an exceptional fine art sale on Nov. 11, which drew highly competitive offers from collectors and galleries around the world. Impressive works from American and European artists, contemporary to Old Masters, drove record bidding resulting in three new world records.

Rick Unruh, vice president and director of fine art, commented after the event, “We were very pleased with numerous lots far exceeding their estimates in Sunday’s sale. In particular, the painting, A Moment of Prayer by Rudolf Johann Weisse (Swiss, 1846-1933), sold to a winning phone bidder in Europe for $82,950. This was a new world record for the artist and just one example of our ever increasing global presence.” This striking Orientalist painting came to the sale with a presale estimate of $40,000 to $60,000.

The second new record was set for American abstract sculptor James Rosati (1911-1988). Rosati is best known for his large stone and stainless steel sculptures of which approximately 40 are on display around the world. The record setting work offered at Clars was a painted steel sculpture he titled Big Red, 1963. Expected to fetch $20,000 on the high side, this work earned a record $24, 885.

The most surprising and exciting offering of the sale was another sculpture that well exceeded its $4,000 to $6,000 estimate and also set a new record for an after bronze of Jean de (Giovanni da) Bologna (Italian, 1529-1608). This 19th century Italian School bronze sculpture titled The Rape of the Sabine Women, was a rare early casting of this work, measuring 22 inches high on a 5-inch marble base. An international bidding war ensued on this piece driving the winning hammer price to $82,950.

Furthering the strong performance of sculptures at this sale was the bronze by Henri Godet (French, 1863-1937) titled, Le Ravissement de Psyche (after Bouguereau), which sold very well for $13, 035 followed by another highly successful sale of an Elizabeth Catlett (American, 1915-2012) bronze, this one titled Mother and Child, which fetched just under $8,300.

A new edition record was earned for Wayne Thiebaud (Californian, b. 1920) on his color etching Freeway Curve, which sold for $7,110. The solid price of $11,850 was realized for Vagaries of War, the framed oil on board by Henri Bernard Goetz (French, 1909-1989) and earning almost double its high estimate was Garden by the Sea, an oil on canvas by Guiseppe D’Angelico Pino (American, 1939-2010) which sold for $8,888.

Clars’ November Fine Art sale was one of their most impressive to date fueling the overall sale gross of $1.2 million.

For complete information on the November Fine Art sale visit www.clars.com, call 510-428-0100 or email info@clars.com.

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

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

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Setting a record for American abstract sculptor James Rosati (1911-1988) was this painted Corteen steel sculpture titled ‘Big Red,’ which rolled to $24,885. Clars Auction Gallery image.

The 19th century Italian School bronze sculpture titled ‘The Rape of the Sabine Women’ sold for $82,950 after a flurry of international bidding. Clars Auction Gallery image.

A new edition record was earned for Wayne Thiebaud (Californian, b. 1920) on this color etching ‘Freeway Curve,’ which sold for $7,110. Clars Auction Gallery image.

Earning almost double its high estimate was ‘Garden by the Sea,’ an oil on canvas by Guiseppe D’Angelico Pino (American, 1939-2010), which sold for $8,888. Clars Auction Gallery image.

First Overstreet comic guide in 10 years goes on sale Nov. 28

TIMONIUM, Md. – The team behind The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide has announced that the first new Overstreet-branded book to be published in more than a decade — The Overstreet Guide to Collecting Comics — will be released on Nov. 18, 2012.

With record prices being paid for back issues and the awareness of pop culture icons at its highest point ever, this new book takes the reader through the world of comics as explained by dealers, creators and collectors.

The book explores collecting by genre, company, “dead universes,” title sets and runs, creators, and much more. It introduces the reader to the Hall of Fame-caliber creators who made the business and the hobby what they are today. It also introduces key contributors who work behind the scenes, as well.

The “Fan to Pro” section spotlights people who have turned their passion for comics into their careers, ranging from retailers and reviewers to publishers and creators. Collectors of high-end back issues and buyers of the latest issues to hit the shelves will find enormous value in The Overstreet Guide to Collecting Comics, which answers such questions as:

* What’s the right way to go about collecting comics?

* How are comics graded?

* What’s the correct way to care for and store comics?

* How can an interest in comics become a job in the industry?

The Overstreet Guide to Collecting Comics is written by Robert M. Overstreet and others, with illustrations by Gene Gonzales, photos by Mike Solof and artistic contributions from other leading artists and photographers. The 336-page book is a full-color softcover edition and retails for $19.95. It goes on sale Nov. 28, 2012 and will be available through comic book shops from coast to coast, with two versions of cover art: a new Spider-Man cover by Joe Jusko and a previously created but unpublished DC Heroes cover by the late Don Newton.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

St. Nicholas icon heads Crescent City auction parade Dec. 8-9

Oil on board by folk art legend Sister Gertrude Morgan (1900-1980), titled ‘Let Him Come In.’ Crescent City Auction Gallery image.

NEW ORLEANS – An rare 19th century framed Russian icon of St. Nicholas, a rare 17K yellow gold Chimu Kero (ceremonial cup) probably made in Peru around 1,000 A.D., and three highly collectible Chinese carved rhinoceros horn libation cups are just a few of the expected top lots at an estates sale scheduled for Dec. 8-9 by Crescent City Auction Gallery. Start times will be 9 a.m. CST both days. LiveAuctioneers.com will provided Internet live bidding.

The auction will be impressive – over 1,500 lots in all – with quality merchandise, most of it fresh to the market. Featured will be the estate of Charles W. Frank of New Orleans, the McSherry estate of Baltimore, Md., and numerous other local estates and collections.

Categories will include fine Southern art, European and American antiques, Chinese antique objects and porcelains, lighting, rugs, jewelry, bric-a-brac and objets d’art.

The Russian icon of St. Nicholas is expected to generate large bidder interest. The framed icon is marked on the reverse (in Russian): “Presented to the ship Admiral Lazarev, in 1901, in thanks for saving 31 crew members,” and “Blessed by the Pope, from the Holy Mountain, 1898.” The rare piece also has a Sotheby’s lot tag on the back and is 20 1/2 inches tall by 15 inches wide.

The 17K yellow gold Chimu Kero cup will also be desirable to collectors, for its rarity and age – 600 or more years old. The antiquity is of traditional beaker form and measures 5 inches tall and 13 1/2 inches in diameter. The three Chinese carved rhinoceros horn libation cups date to the 19th century. One is 3 1/2 inches tall by 2 3/4 inches wide, with relief floral decoration.

Fans of folk art will instantly recognize the names Clementine Hunter (1886-1988) and Sister Gertrude Morgan (1900-1980), both of whom were active in Louisiana. The Clementine Hunter offering in the sale is a circa 1980 signed oil on canvas work titled Cotton Pickers. The Sister Gertrude Morgan painting, titled Let Him Come In, is an oil on board, signed top center.

Two renderings of the same work by Alexander Drysdale (Louisiana, 1870-1934), titled Moss Draped Oak – one a rare vertical wash, signed, in the original frame, the other an oil on board, signed – will be sold as separate lots. And, two versions of the painting Cabin in the Swamp, by Robert Rucker (Louisiana, 1932-2001), one a watercolor and one an oil on Masonite, will also be sold.

Another painting by Rucker will also come up for bid: an oil on canvas holiday scene titled Ascension Parish Church at Christmas. The work is signed lower right and measures 20 inches by 24 inches. And, a 19th century oil on board by still another regional artist, George Dunbar (Louisiana, b. 1927), titled Heart – gold leaf over red clay – will also come under the gavel.

The furniture category will be led by an exceptional Louis Phillippe burled walnut armoire, made circa 1830, 100 inches tall by 64 inches wide; and an unusual Empire carved mahogany settee crafted in the early 19th century, with upholstered sleigh sides and a back carved with large swans’ heads. The piece measures 50 inches tall by 76 inches wide by 26 inches deep.

The auction will feature a large selection of sterling silver, to include names like Kirk, Jacoby & Jenkins and more. One lot in particular is certain to garner interest: a 190-piece assembled set of Kirk & Son sterling flatware in the Floral Repousse pattern, weighing 252.75 troy ounces. Also, ivory pieces will include carved tusks, bridges and figures.

Estate jewelry will include diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, tanzanites, Rolex watches, pearls and more. Also sold will be Oriental porcelain, to include Celadon, Hsien, Feng and other 19th century pieces. The rare and unusual will include a Mardi Gras folding ball invitation (Proteus, 1903), and a Jon Bok center table creation with ceramic tile insert of a skull and crossbones.

Returning to artwork, two bird-related paintings will come up for bid. One, by John P. O’Neill (Louisiana, b. 1942), is a gouache work titled Birds of North America (circa 1983), one of two featured in The National Geographic’s Field Guide to the Birds of North America. The other is a signed 1888 oil on canvas by James E. Bourhill (U.K., active 1880-1892), titled Mallard Family.

Other artworks will include a signed 19th century oil on board by William Merritt Post (New York, 1856-1935), titled Marsh Scene, measuring 9 1/2 inches by 13 3/4 inches; and an 1896 print of an original work by Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939), titled Salon des Cent (F. Champenois, Paris), 13 3/4 inches by 10 inches. Mucha was active in New York, France and Czechoslovakia.

Crescent City Auction Gallery LLC is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single item, an estate or a collection, call them at 504-529-5057 or email them at info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com. Internet live bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Rare 19th century Russian icon of Saint Nicholas, framed, marked on the reverse side in Russian. Crescent City Auction Gallery image.

Rare17K yellow gold Chimu Kero (ceremonial cup), probably made in Peru around 1,000 A.D. Crescent City Auction Gallery image.

Highly collectible Chinese carved rhinoceros horn libation cup, one of three such cups to be sold. Crescent City Auction Gallery image.

Sterling silver will include a 197-piece set of Kirk & Son flatware in the Floral Repousse pattern. Crescent City Auction Gallery image.

Mardi Gras folding ball invitation (Proteus, 1903), unframed, 13 3/4 inches by 14 inches (open). Crescent City Auction Gallery image.

Jon Bok 20th century center table, top tier having a ceramic tile insert of skull and crossbones. Crescent City Auction Gallery image.

Gouache rendering of ‘Birds of North America’ by John P. O'Neill (b. 1942), signed by the artist. Crescent City Auction Gallery image. — Gouache rendering of ‘Birds of North America’ by John P. O’Neill (b. 1942), signed by the artist. Crescent City Auction Gallery image.

A fine selection of 19th century Chinese porcelains will feature Celadon, Feng and Hsien. Crescent City Auction Gallery image.

Precious Asian antiques top Golden State’s Dec. 9 auction

18th-century Zitan 'dragon'-insert Ming puddingstone-top table. Dragon pattern on all sides. Distinctive style of Qing Empire Qianlong Palace furniture. Extremely rare and precious. Note: straight legs may be 19th-century additions. Estimate $60,000-$100,000. Golden State Auction Gallery image.

SAN FRANCISCO – Golden State Auction Gallery in San Francisco is a boutique company specializing in fine Asian art and antiques. Their Sunday, Dec. 9 auction titled Asian Works of Art, Fine Paintings and Calligraphy, which will start at 12 noon Pacific Time, features some of the finest available china, jade, bronzes, antique furniture and artworks. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide the Internet live bidding for the sale.

More than 60 paintings and calligraphy lots have been consigned by the estate of a South American collector. Principals at Golden State Auction gallery said in a statement: “Chinese art [and antiques are] the best investment tool for the 21st century…better than investments in finance and real estate.”

Among the highlights in Golden State’s auction is an18th-century Zitan ‘dragon’-insert Ming puddingstone-top table. It has a dragon pattern on all sides and displays the distinctive style of Qing Empire Qianlong Palace furniture. Extremely rare and precious, it is estimated at $60,000-$100,000. Golden State Auction Gallery notes that the legs may have been later (19th century) additions.

Another prized piece is a rare 18th/19th-century grade-A translucent jadeite carved insect and melon with scrollwork vines. Insects on the melon symbolize the Five Fortunes. With stand, it is estimated at $250,000-$350,000.

For information on any lot in the sale, contact Calvin Wong by calling 415-379-4700 or 415-722-9487; or e-mailing calvin168@sbcglobal.net.

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

Extremely rare 18th/19th-century grade-A translucent jadeite carved insect and melon with stand. Insects on melon symbolize Five Fortunes. Scrollwork vines overall. Estimate $250,000-$350,000. Golden State Auction Gallery image.

Abell Auction Co. has sale ‘For the Fashion Maven’ Dec. 4

Vintage Chanel necklace with gold chain design. Abell Auction Co. image.

LOS ANGELES – On Tuesday, Dec. 4, Abell Auction Co. will host a special holiday auction “For the Fashion Maven: A Designer Auction” featuring over 250 lots of designer modern and vintage handbags, clothing, jewelry and accessories from estates throughout Southern California. The auction will begin at 10 a.m. PST. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Inspired by a combination of old-time elegance and modern chic, the select collection features designer brands of purses, belts and jewelry, along with couture that caters to the sophisticated and stylish woman.

Highlighting this sale is an exclusive violet crocodile Hermès Birkin Bag, measuring 35 centimeters with palladium hardware. Hermès originally designed the Birkin Bag for actress Jane Birkin in 1984, and has since become an icon. The bags are distributed to Hermès boutiques on unpredictable schedules and in limited quantities, creating great scarcity. Also to be offered are three other Hermès bags: a Vache Naturelle Evelyn Messenger, a purple Kelly Bag, and an orange canvas travel tote.

Other handbag designs in the auction include Judith Leiber pave set crystal minaudiere purses, Bottega Veneta intrecciato woven clutches, various Chanel chain bags, and assorted Gucci bags that include a travel case, train case and vintage doctor’s bag. Also to be offered are styles from Prada, Tod’s, Jimmy Choo, Ferragamo, Escada, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Kieselstein-Cord, and others. Louis Vuitton is featured in the sale with three travel bags and a fantastic vintage trunk.

In the couture portion of the auction are groupings of both vintage and modern dresses, jackets, shirts, and sweaters from the likes of Christian LaCroix, Missoni, Emanuel Ungaro, Lanvin, Escada, Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Versace, Etro, Lourdes Chavez, Carolina Herrera, Chanel, Prada, Zac Posen, Jil Sander and many more.

Fashion accessories and jewelry complete the auction, featuring wristwatches from Patek Philippe, Rolex, Chanel, Hermès, and Chopard; jewelry from Bvlgari, and Chanel; and scarves from Hermès.

Bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.com. For further information contact Kathi Rothner at 310-858-3073.

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

Kieselstein-Cord black leather alligator trophy bag, 1991. Black leather with signature gold-tone alligator head hardware, missing the shoulder strap. Handmade in Italy. Abell Auction Co. image.

Chanel black small quilted handbag. Flap-over bag with single long chain, burgundy lining, single zipper pocket, 7 inches high, 9 inches wide. Abell Auction Co. image.

Judith Leiber green tomato minaudiere with rhinestones, 1990. Full-bead green tomato crystal novelty evening bag; drop-in chain, jade cabochon closure, 3 inches high, 4 inches wide, 4 inches deep. Abell Auction Co. image.

Hermes violet crocodile Birkin bag, 35 centimeter matte with palladium hardware; includes keys and outer box, 10 inches high, 14 inches wide, 7 inches deep. Abell Auction Co. image.

Patak Philippe Ellipse man's 18-karat white gold band and blue dial wristwatch. White gold bracelet with original and matching Ellipse shaped buckle. Abell Auction Co. image. — Patak Philippe Ellipse man’s 18-karat white gold band and blue dial wristwatch. White gold bracelet with original and matching Ellipse shaped buckle. Abell Auction Co. image.

Judith Leiber full-beaded tulip purse. Silver bead background with tulips and other flowers, drop in handle, gold leather lining, 4.5 inches high, 7 inches wide, 2 inches deep. Abell Auction Co. image.

Judith Leiber Humpty Dumpty specialty bag. Novelty evening bag with silver crystal head and multicolor suit, gold tone eyes, lips, and hands, drop in chain, gold leather interior, 5 inches high, 4 inches wide, 4 inches deep. Abell Auction Co. image.

Cleveland’s transportation history display gets a tune-up

The Wedell Williams Model 44 built for Roscoe Turner and the National Air Races. Image by Byron G. Como. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

CLEVELAND (AP) – The Crawford Auto Aviation Collection is coming out of hibernation in the depths of winter.

The transportation arm of the Western Reserve Historical Society will reopen to the public Feb. 2, after a undergoing a year’s worth of renovation. Walls have been knocked down to create better sight lines, allowing a better presentation of the society’s collections.

Most of the vehicles that had been on display will return, said Derek Moore, curator of transportation.

The space is almost empty now. If you were to sneak in recently, the only thing you’d have seen is a dramatic tableau of Cleveland transportation history: Two 1930s air racers appear to be rounding a pylon much as they did during the Golden Age of that sport between the world wars.

In fact, it is a moment frozen in time.

The smaller plane, called “Pete,” was built by Benjamin Howard in 1929 and it is believed to be one of the first purpose-built air racers. On the other side of the imaginary pylon is the model 44 Wedell-Williams racer built for the flamboyant Col. Roscoe Turner in 1932. It appears to be standing on one wingtip.

Specialists finished hanging Turner’s aircraft just Wednesday.

Moore said they are among 10 aircraft in the Crawford collection. Returning for the reopening as well is a 1910 Curtis Model E hydroplane nicknamed “Bumble Bee.” For a while it was based at the Lakewood Yacht Club.

The Crawford’s P-51D Mustang called “Second Fiddle,” also is coming out of mothballs. As of late last week, a team of specialists from Washington state was in the process of reassembling the Mustang.

The team, called Century Aviation, disassembled and moved those aircraft over a year ago so the renovation could commence. The company specializes in moving, restoring and displaying aircraft, said Karen Barrow, one of Century’s partners.

Century began 20 years ago when Barrow and partner Mark Smith were commissioned to move the famed Spruce Goose from Long Beach, Calif., to a museum outside of Portland, Ore. The massive, Howard Hughes-designed plane was an 8-engine flying boat that flew only once, in 1947. Barrow said the move, completed in 1993, took nine months. “It wasn’t difficult,” she dead-panned. “It just took time.”

The skills they are using at the Crawford include finding the right points to attach cables that will keep the two racers in permanent flight. Century has hung nearly 50 aircraft around the nation.

One famous craft that will not return in the near future is a working replica of the Wright Brothers’ 1902 glider, which the historical society commissioned over a decade ago and had flown at Kitty Hawk.

Moore said the graceful little cloth-and-wood biplane will be on loan to the Military Aircraft Preservation Society Museum adjacent to Akron Canton Airport.

The upper floor also will have 23 cars, many of them Cleveland products, including a Winton, some Jordans, a Baker Electric and the all-aluminum 1932 Peerless prototype.

Moore said the lower floor may not be ready for the reopening in February. It may hold up to 40 cars that will serve as a timeline of automobile development.

The historical society has 145 autos in its collection, Moore said, and it won’t be possible to display all at the same time.

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Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com

AP-WF-11-17-12 2326GMT

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Dec. 7 jam with guitarist Steve Cropper to aid Stax Music Academy

Image courtesy of the Stax Music Academy and Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Legendary blues and soul guitarist Steve Cropper is inviting musicians to grab their instruments and join him for a fantasy jam session on Friday, Dec. 7 to benefit the Stax Music Academy and Soulsville Charter School, both in Memphis. The $250 admission price includes an action photo jamming with Cropper plus a limited-edition jam session poster personally autographed by the internationally revered guitarist. The Stax Music Academy Rhythm Section will also be taking part during the special event.

The jam session will take place from 6-8 p.m. at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and participants may bring any type of instrument. Space is limited, so early booking is encouraged.

During the two-hour session, Cropper will discuss interesting tidbits about each song performed. The set will include classics on which Cropper performed, including “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” “Soul Man,” “Hold On, I’m Comin'” and “Green Onions.”

Steve Cropper was named “One of the Top 100 Guitar Players of All Time.” He is best known as the guitarist for the Stax Records house band Booker T. and the MGs, and backed numerous soul artists including Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas and Johnnie Taylor. He also acted as producer on many of these artists’ most popular and successful recordings. Cropper later broadened his fame on film as a member of the Blues Brothers Band.

The Stax Music Academy and Stax Museum of American Soul Music are located at 926 E. McLemore Ave., Memphis, TN 38106. To register, call 901-261-6333. Visit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music online at www.staxmuseum.com.

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Ancient tribal rock carvings stolen in Sierra Nevada

Shown here is an example of tribal petroglyphs on 'Newspaper Rock' near Canyonlands National Park, south of Moab, Utah. Photo by Dave Jenkins, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

BISHOP, Calif. (AP) — Rock carvings that graced a sacred American Indian site in California’s Sierra Nevada for thousands of years have fallen prey to modern thieves armed with power saws.

At least four petroglyphs — some 2 feet wide and located 15 feet above the ground — were hacked from lava cliffs in the Eastern Sierra, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.

Visitors to the area, known as Volcanic Tableland, discovered the theft and reported it to the federal Bureau of Land Management on Oct. 31.

“This was the worst act of vandalism ever seen” on the 750,000 acres of public land administered by the BLM field office in Bishop, BLM archaeologist Greg Haverstock told the newspaper.

The thieves must have used ladders, electric generators and power saws. In addition to the four carvings that were stolen, one was defaced with deep saw cuts on three sides, and another was removed but apparently broke during the theft and was left propped against a boulder near a visitor parking lot.

More than 3,500 years ago, Native Americans carved pictures of hunters, deer and other animals, and geometric and other designs into a half-mile-long volcanic escarpment. The images adorn hundreds of lava boulders.

The petroglyphs are probably worth only about $500 to $1,500 on the illegal art market but are priceless to American Indians, authorities said.

“We still use this sacred place as a kind of church to educate tribal members and children about our historical and spiritual connections,” Paiute tribal historic preservation officer Raymond Andrews said. “So, our tribal elders are appalled by what happened here.”

Volunteers have stepped up surveillance at the site, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The BLM is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to arrests. A first-time felony conviction for damaging or removing petroglyphs can carry a one-year prison sentence and a $20,000 fine.

Meanwhile, federal officials and American Indian leaders plan to mark the damage with signs noting that it was done by, as Haverstock put it, “malicious, selfish individuals.”

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Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

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