Vincent van Gogh, ‘Two Cut Sunflowers,’ oil on canvas, 1887. Van Gogh Museum. Amsterdam. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
AMSTERDAM (AFP) – Masterpieces by Vincent van Gogh, including his world-famous Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters, have been returned to the Amsterdam museum that bears the Dutch artist’s name ahead of its reopening next week.
The paintings were transferred on Friday to the Van Gogh Museum from another of the Dutch capital’s famous museums, the Hermitage, where they had been on display for the last seven months during the renovations.
“From today, Sunflowers, The Bedroom, Irises, Cornfield with Crows and The Potato Eaters are back,” the Museum said in a release.
“These and other top pieces are on show during the anniversary exhibition of ‘Van Gogh at work’ marking the reopening of the museum on May 1,” it said.
The Van Gogh Museum is located on Amsterdam’s historic Museumplein where many other Dutch art treasures like Rembrandt’s “Night Watch”, can also be found at the recently reopened Rijksmuseum.
It closed its doors for renovations in September last year and some 75 of Van Gogh’s works moved to the Hermitage, where they attracted some 665,000 visitors.
When the museum reopens next week, visitors will be treated to a unique display based on eight years of research and loans from other museums. For instance the Van Gogh Museum’s version of Sunflowers will be hung next to another from the same series on loan from London’s National Gallery.
“The exhibition also enables visitors to find out for themselves how Vincent van Gogh worked, by using microscopes and touch screens for example,” museum director Axel Rueger said.
The Van Gogh Museum is the last of Amsterdam’s three major museums to reopen its doors after extensive refurbishments, underlining the Dutch capital’s status as a top art destination.
Earlier this month Dutch Queen Beatrix reopened the Rijksmuseum to fanfare and fireworks after a decade of refurbishment, while the Stedelijk modern art Museum reopened late last year after a nine-year renovation.
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
Vincent van Gogh, ‘Two Cut Sunflowers,’ oil on canvas, 1887. Van Gogh Museum. Amsterdam. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
1913 Liberty Head nickel, sold for $3,172,500 on April 25, 2013. Heritage Auctions image. DALLAS – A fabled, century-old rare U.S. nickel, recovered from a fatal car crash and then unsuspectingly kept in a closet for 41 years because it was mistakenly declared to be a fake, sold for $3,172,500 on Thursday, as part of Heritage Auctions’ Central States Numismatic Society U.S. Coins Signature Auction in Schaumburg, Ill. The preauction estimate on the coin was $2.5 million or more.
Jeff Garrett of Lexington, Ky., and Larry Lee of Panama City, Fla., purchased the coin in partnership.
“This particular example of one of the world’s most famous rare coins is perhaps the most special of them all given its amazing story,” said Todd Imhof, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions. “Not only is it just one of only five known, genuine 1913-dated Liberty Head design nickels, this particular one was off the radar for decades until it literally came out of the closet after a nationwide search and was authenticated by experts in a secret midnight meeting Baltimore in 2003.”
This 1913 Liberty nickel was consigned by the heirs of George O. Walton, a North Carolina collector who acquired the coin in the mid-1940s for a reported $3,750. He had it with him when he was killed in a car crash on March 9, 1962.
Melva Givens of Salem, Va., one of Walton’s heirs, eventually received the coin after being told it was suspected of being an altered date fake.
“She kept the nickel in a box with family items in the closet, and it stayed there for four decades,” said Ryan Givens of Salem, Va., one of Walton’s nephews who, with his two sisters and his brother, consigned the 1913 Liberty Head nickel to Heritage.
According to the family, Melva Givens believed the 1962 evaluation that it was an altered date coin, but she also adamantly believed her brother had a real 1913 Liberty Head nickel and continued to look for it. She kept the “fake” coin, likely out of sentiment for her late brother and likely because of the date on the coin, 1913, her birth year.
A minimum $1 million reward for the accounted for fifth 1913 Liberty Head nickel prompted Walton’s heirs to take the coin to Baltimore in July 2003 to the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money. The four other surviving 1913 Liberty nickels were scheduled to be exhibited at the convention. In a secret midnight meeting in a security room at the Baltimore Convention Center, a team of rare coin experts unanimously agreed the Walton nickel was the long-missing fifth coin.
“This is one of the greatest coins at that price range,” said Garrett after placing the successful bid.
The winning bid of $3,172,500 includes the 17.5percent percent buyer’s premium and represents the total price paid by the winning bidder.
The 1913 Liberty Head nickel was one of the highlights of a $40-million auction of rare coins and historic paper money offered by Heritage Auctions, April 24-28, in conjunction with the Central States Numismatic Society (CSNS.com) convention in the Schaumburg Convention Center, April 24-27.
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
1913 Liberty Head nickel, sold for $3,172,500 on April 25, 2013. Heritage Auctions image.
Newly rebuilt, this Porsche 911 S/ST has a July 1970 registration date. Estimate: 100,000-200,000 euros. Automobilia Auktion Ladenburg image. LADENBURG, Germany – Having done a special feature on Rudolf Caracciola at the auction in November, Automobilia Auktion Ladenburg will dedicate a separate section to exceptional Italian driver Giuseppe Campari at this year’s spring auction, which will take place May 10-11.
LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding. The auctions will begin at 10 a.m. Central European Time, 1 a.m. Pacific, both days.
Campari, who died in an accident at Monza in 1933, was the lead driver for the Alfa Romeo team in the early 1920s, along with Antonio Ascari. Campari took out the Coppa Acerbo three times, in 1927, 1928 and 1931, and also won the Mille Miglia in Brescia in two consecutive years: 1928 and 1929. He joined the Scuderia Ferrari team in 1929, along with Achille Varzi and Tazio Nuvolari.
In 1933, Campari moved to Maserati, where he became the teammate of Borzacchini and Fagioli. His career, and that of Borzacchini, ended on Sept. 10, 1933 at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. While leading the race, his Maserati skidded and crashed into a side wall. Borzacchini, who was close behind him, could not avoid Campari’s car, and crashed into it. Both drivers died instantly at the scene.
During his time as a race-car driver, Campari recorded 14 first places, 16 second places and 11 third places at all international race tracks. He was twice crowned Italian champion—in 1928 and 1931. He came in second in the European championship in 1931.
Another highlight will undoubtedly be the over 600 Porsche lots, which include rarities such as the original bodywork of a Porsche 917/10, the gear box of a Porsche 917, a rare 2-L 356 Carrera engine, and many parts for the Porsche 904. As always, there will additionally be a wide range of documents and catalogs.
The large number of Alfa Romeo sales catalogs and brochures from the prewar era is remarkable.
Automobilia Auktion Ladenburg’s automotive products generated great interest at the Techno Classica, namely the Porsche 356 Poroto Special, of which there are only four models, built by Otto Daetwyler between 1965 and 1969. The last of these vehicles, displayed here, bears chassis number 159830, delivered as a Porsche 356 SC, and was registered in Switzerland on May 1, 1969 as a Poroto Special. Daetwyler built the vehicle in the mid-1960s, based on the Porsche 904. The car features four disc brakes, and has only just been reconditioned.
This year’s spring auction covers more than 3,000 lots, and, for the first time, will also include a large number of spare parts.
The catalogue contains over 30,000 spare parts, which are illustrated in both the print and online catalogue.
For details phone 00496203 957777 or email info@autotechnikauktion.de
View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Newly rebuilt, this Porsche 911 S/ST has a July 1970 registration date. Estimate: 100,000-200,000 euros. Automobilia Auktion Ladenburg image.Swiss racing driver Peter Daetwyler constructed this Porsche based on the 904 model. With the chassis number 159830, it is a Poroto special type 1600 with a 1963 registration date. Estimate: 180,000-360,000 euros. Automobilia Auktion Ladenburg image.Considered rare, this 1935 Alfa-Romeo six-page folder is in English. It features the Alfa-Romeo 8 C 2900 S and includes the Racing Model, Le Mans Model and Grand Sport Model; Estimate: 2,900-5,800 euros. Automobilia Auktion Ladenburg image.Jack MacAfee and Danny Ongais of the Porsche/Polak Racing Team are listed as drivers on this original Porsche 917-10 car body. It consists of a front part, rear part and two doors. Estimate: 10,000-20,000 euros. Automobilia Auktion Ladenburg image.This original 2-liter Carrera engine is designed to power a type 356 Porsche. Estimate: 135,000-270,000 euros. Automobilia Auktion Ladenburg image.Racing champion Giuseppe Campari autographed this large black and white photograph of himself on the occasion of the Gran Premio d’Italia, 1925. Estimate: 700-1,400 euros.Giuseppe Campari’s 18K gold Longines pockete watch, 1928/1929, is engraved ‘Complimenti per la Vittoria alla Mille Miglia Alfa Romeo.’ Estimate: 2,900-5,800 euros. Automobilia Auktion Ladenburg image.Dated Feb. 10, 1935, this poster for Titisee-Eisrennen is in good condition. Estimate: 1,200-2,400 euros. Automobilia Auktion Ladenburg image.
This side chair features handmade needlework often found on parlor furniture. The piece also has a maple burl veneer along the back top rail. Courtesy of the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society. PIERRE, S.D. – The Museum of the South Dakota State Historical opened its new exhibit “Furniture: The Fancy & The Functional” at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre.
“Museum staff members worked very hard to create a visually stimulating and educational exhibition with hands-on activities,” said Jay Smith, director of the museum.
“Furniture: The Fancy & The Functional” is about furniture found in the home, and the myriad of information one can learn from a careful study of both the fancy and functional materials in today’s homes and those of the past. From a famous wooden desk to a metal dinette set, all of the artifacts displayed in the exhibit come from the permanent collection of the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society. Some of the furniture on display has never been exhibited before.
Dispersed throughout the gallery will be interpretive signage, graphics and advertisements, demonstrating an evolution in how the use of rooms in the home has evolved and the impact of cultural change on the function and design of furniture.
Hands-on activities include building a chair and designing two 12-by-12-inch “rooms” with choices of floor coverings, wallpaper and furniture. There is a comfortable sofa for relaxing and reading more about furniture in American society or watching videos about crafts and design.
“We hope people take advantage of this opportunity to visit the museum in the Cultural Heritage Center to see the new exhibit,” said Jay D. Vogt, director of the State Historical Society. “We are sure it will be an enjoyable experience for people of all ages.”
For more information, visit www.history.sd.gov or call (605) 773-3458.
ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE
This side chair features handmade needlework often found on parlor furniture. The piece also has a maple burl veneer along the back top rail. Courtesy of the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society.The exhibit’s entry features two desks, one fancy and one functional. The writing desk on the left was used by First Lady Grace Coolidge and given to Sen. Peter Norbeck’s wife, Lydia. The desk on the right was a Christmas gift from a father to his daughter in 1911. As a child, the daughter dreamed of becoming a teacher. She fulfilled that dream and the desk traveled with her as she taught in a variety of schools. Courtesy of the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society.The exhibit area is divided into five room settings in a house. This space, the dining room, features a variety of high chairs, dining table with chairs, and a china cabinet. Courtesy of the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society.Mid-Century Modern design, as shown in this kitchen set, developed after World War II. Earlier furniture styles had emphasized furniture as ornament. Modern design shifted the emphasis to function and accessibility. Courtesy of the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society.
SAN JOSE, Calif. – EBay president and CEO John Donahoe has sent a letter to all eBay users urging them to contact their Members of Congress regarding a proposed bill to introduce new sales taxes on online businesses. Donahoe’s letter reads as follows:
Dear (eBay Seller),
Congress is considering online sales tax legislation that is wrongheaded and unfair, and I am writing to ask for your help in telling Congress “No!” to new sales taxes and burdens for small businesses.
Whether you’re a consumer who loves the incredible selection and value that small businesses provide online, or a small-business seller who relies on the Internet for your livelihood, this legislation potentially affects you. For consumers, it means more money out of your pocket when you shop online from your favorite seller or small business shop owner. For small business sellers, it means you would be required to collect sales taxes nationwide from the more than 9,600 tax jurisdictions across the U.S. You also would face the prospect of being audited by out-of-state tax collectors. That’s just wrong, and an unnecessary burden on you.
Big national retailers are aggressively lobbying Congress to pass online sales tax legislation to “level the playing field” with Amazon. And, as they compete with big retail, Amazon is advocating for this legislation too, while at the same time they are seeking local tax exemptions across the country to build warehouses. This is a “big retail battle” in which small businesses and consumers have a lot to lose. But eBay is fighting, as we have for more than 15 years, to protect small online businesses and sellers and ensure healthy competition, value, and selection that benefit consumers online.
The solution is simple: if Congress passes online sales tax legislation, we believe small businesses with less than 50 employees or less than $10 million in annual out-of-state sales should be exempt from the burden of collecting sales taxes nationwide. To put that in perspective, Amazon does more than $10 million in sales every 90 minutes. So we believe this is a reasonable exemption to protect small online businesses. That’s what we’re fighting for, and what big companies such as Amazon are fighting against.
I hope you agree that imposing unnecessary tax burdens on small online businesses is a bad idea. Join us in letting your Members of Congress know they should protect small online businesses, not potentially put them out of business. Together, I believe our voices can make a difference.
Stibnite specimen at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. RENO, Nev. (AP) – A mineral with metallic crystals worth an estimated $30,000 has been stolen from a mining museum display at the University of Nevada, Reno.
UNR campus police are investigating and Secret Witness is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of whoever took the mineral called “stibnite.”
The mineral is found primarily in hot springs deposits. It is prized by collectors for the long slender bladed crystals with a brilliant gray and black metallic luster.
Police said in a statement late Wednesday the one stolen from the Mackay Mines Keck Museum weighed 25 to 30 pounds and was 15 inches long by 10 inches and 8 inches.
Investigators believe it make have been taken on April 8 and could now be in two pieces.
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
AP-WF-04-25-13 1015GMT
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
Stibnite specimen at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
American architect George D. Mason designed Detroit’s Masonic Temple, which was dedicated in 1926. Image by Einar Einarsson Kvaran. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. DETROIT (AP) – Detroit’s 14-story Masonic Temple could be sold at auction this fall after the prominent building went into foreclosure for a $152,000 tax bill, officials said.
The Masonic Temple is one of thousands of properties expected to be on the block in Wayne County’s September tax foreclosure auction, and bidding would start at $160,000, The Detroit News reported. Despite foreclosure, events at the facility continue.
David Szymanski, chief deputy treasurer, said his office hasn’t “heard from any party about this property,” so there are no plans to work out payments.
A message seeking comment from officials with the Masonic Temple was sent Thursday by The Associated Press.
The building, the largest Masonic Temple in the world, is on the National Register of Historic Places, takes up an entire block and has more than 1,000 rooms. It houses the Masonic Theater, a concert site for decades for some of the biggest acts in music, including The Who and the Rolling Stones.
The Masonic Temple now is in the hands of the county treasurer’s office. The default was triggered by unpaid 2010 property taxes, the newspaper said. Under state law, owners have time to catch up, but if they don’t, a court may order a foreclosure.
Before the building goes to auction, state, city and county governments would get a chance to buy it, Szymanski said. If there is no interest from any of the government agencies, the building would go to auction. Former owners could buy it back at auction.
Located north of downtown, the Masonic Temple is home to several masonic organizations. Construction on the Gothic structure began in 1920, and the temple was dedicated in 1926. It has ballrooms, dining rooms, a barbershop and even bowling lanes inside.
___
Information from: The Detroit News, http://detnews.com/
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
AP-WF-04-25-13 1322GMT
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
American architect George D. Mason designed Detroit’s Masonic Temple, which was dedicated in 1926. Image by Einar Einarsson Kvaran. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
