January 7, 2014 - Auction Central News

New trustees elected to board of Philadelphia museum

Philadelphia Museum of Art. Image courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Museum of Art has announces the election of seven new members to its Board of Trustees: Andrea M. Baldeck, Kimberly H. Gray, Anne F. Hamilton, Larry Magid, Bonnie McCausland, Ajay Raju, and Marsha Rothman.

“We are honored to welcome to the board such talented and dedicated new members,” noted Constance H. Williams, chairwoman of the board. “These highly esteemed individuals have a deep commitment to Philadelphia and its arts community, and we look forward to benefiting from their engagement with the museum and the contributions they will make to the governance of this institution as we consider how to serve the community and the field in new and innovative ways.”

Andrea M. Baldeck is a physician, musician, and photographer. She spent more than twelve years working as an internist and anesthesiologist at hospitals in the Philadelphia area, as well as with Project Hope and the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Haiti. She is a member of the Philadelphia Museum of Art Friends of the Alfred Stieglitz Center, serves on the Museum’s East Asian Art and Indian and Himalayan Art committees, and is a leading supporter of the museum’s East Asian collection, especially in the areas of acquisitions, conservation and endowment.

Kimberley H. Gray is an artist. She holds BS and MFA degrees from the Philadelphia College of Art and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, respectively. Interested in programs that make the arts accessible to the broadest audience, she subsequently returned to school to pursue a career in art therapy, earning a master’s degree in the field from Hahnemann University. Gray serves as president of the Gray Charitable Trust, which has provided significant support to the museum. At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, she serves on advisory committees for the library as well as the department of contemporary art.

Anne F. Hamilton is a dedicated community leader and volunteer whose contributions have profoundly benefitted children, education, arts and culture, and animals, among many other causes. She is a board member of the Academy of Music, Agnes Irwin School, Dragonfly Forest and the Philadelphia Antiques Show, and is founder and chair of the Newport Antiques Show. She holds a bachelor of arts degreee from Boston University.

Larry Magid is an internationally recognized concert promoter and Broadway producer. He is a Temple alumnus; the university recently awarded him an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Magid has served on the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Mayor’s Arts Council Advisory Board (Philadelphia) and is founder and chairman emeritus of the Philadelphia Music Alliance and the North American Concert Promoters Association. He and his wife, Barbara “Mickey” Magid, serve on the board of the Magid Foundation. The Magids are collectors of American modern art and contemporary craft.

An alumna of Tufts University, Bonnie F. McCausland is president of the McCausland Foundation, and the founder of Operation Home and Healing, a nonprofit organization that offers counseling and support services to military veterans and their families. She is a dedicated member of the Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which each year provides leadership financial support for museum initiatives, and serves on the group’s Craft Show Committee. Mrs. McCausland and her husband, Peter, collect marine paintings and decorative art.

Ajay Raju serves as a member of the Executive Committee and the Global Leadership Team at Reed Smith LLP and is managing partner of the firm’s Philadelphia office. He holds BS and JD degrees from Temple University and is recognized as a leading authority on the business, legal, and cultural issues arising from India’s emergence as a global power. At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Mr. Raju is a member of the Corporate Executive Board and of the Indian and Himalayan Art Committee.

Marsha W. Rothman is a longtime member of the Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, having served as its president for fiscal years 2011 through 2013, and as an ex officio member of the Museum’s Board of Trustees and of its Costume and Textiles Committee. She also chaired the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show in 1999. Mrs. Rothman holds degrees from the Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing and the Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia. She and her husband, Dr. Richard H. Rothman, are board members of the Marsha and Richard Rothman Family Foundation.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest museums in the United States, with a collection of more than 227,000 works of art and more than 200 galleries presenting painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, decorative arts, textiles, and architectural settings from Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States.

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Cleveland Museum of Art completes 8-year expansion

The new East Wing of the Cleveland Museum of Art, viewed from East Boulevard. Courtesy of Rafael Viñoly Architects. Photo credit: Brad Feinknopf, 2009.

CLEVELAND (AP) – The Cleveland Museum of Art is ringing in the new year with the completion of an eight-year expansion and renovation.

The museum’s west wing opened to the public this past week, marking the end of a $350 million project that has transformed the museum.

The new galleries in the west wing feature statues, sculptures and other works from China, India and Southeast Asia.

The museum just over a year ago opened its new glass-enclosed atrium connecting old and new museum buildings.

New galleries housing Egyptian, Greek, Roman and African art opened in the summer of 2010.

The expansion project that began in 2005 is giving the art museum more gallery space and new room for educational programs and events.

The Cleveland Museum of Art announced in December that 501,314 visitors came to the museum during the 2012-2013 fiscal year. This represents a 39 percent increase year-over-year and is the highest attendance in over a decade.

AP-WF-01-05-14 0833GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

Atrium looking west. Courtesy of Rafael Viñoly Architects Photo credit: Brad Feinknopf, 2012

Timepieces, bangles shine brightest at John Moran auction

One of a number of striking bangles offered, this 18K gold bangle by Demner, set with rubies, sapphires and emeralds, realized $7,200 (estimate: $3,500-$4,500). John Moran Antique and Fine Art Auctioneers image.

PASADENA, Calf. – One of Moran’s most anticipated events, the semiannual HQ Jewelry Auction, delivered results beyond expectations. The Dec.10 sale was stuffed to the brim with nearly 500 lots, ensuring that there really was something for everyone looking to glitz up their holiday shopping list. LiveAuctioneers.com provided Internet live bidding.

Timepieces sold for especially strong prices, while bracelets and bangles also made a healthy showing across the board.

Early in the sale, a stunning Italian floral micromosaic bracelet with matching brooch blew away its $600 to $800 estimate and realized a hefty $6,000. Shortly after, an Art Deco sapphire and diamond bracelet set in platinum sold for a healthy $8,400 (estimate: $5,000-$7,000), only to be outshone by another Art Deco stunner, a French-cut diamond bracelet featuring approximately 15.00 carats of total diamond weight. This piece quickly and decisively surpassed its estimate, selling for a stellar $45,000 (estimate: $7,000-$9,000). A retro gold link bracelet set with faceted black onyx center sectionals realized $6,000, well over the initial estimate of $2,500-$3,500.

A number of boldly designed bangles were offered, including a coral, emerald, diamond and gold bypass bangle in 18K textured gold. Estimated to find a new home for $4,000-$6,000, the bangle ultimately realized $7,800. A wide bangle, one of several signed pieces by the perennially popular designer Lola Demner, in 18K gold and set with ruby, sapphire, and emerald cabochons and four full-cut diamonds, was expected to earn between $3,500 and $4,500 at the block. However, bidding did not top out until it hit the $7,200 mark, when a floor bidder emerged victorious. Also selling to a floor bidder, an intriguing coiled serpent-form bangle with ruby eyes, expected to earn $1,500-$2,000, sold just over the high estimate ($2,160). A striking silver bangle by Torun for Georg Jensen, featuring an interchangeable center with an oval moss agate, also realized a price far above its estimate, going for $2,048, and further illustrating the timelessness of the Jensen brand.

Mexican silver pieces were in high demand, commanding excellent prices. A Felipe Martinez sterling silver and obsidian collar earned $3,075, thanks to a determined online bidder, and shortly after a Matl silver and stone necklace and earrings, set with amethyst, turquoise, and coral, flew to $3,675 (estimates: $400-$600 and $800-$1,200 respectively). An amethyst and vermeil bib necklace by Hector Aquilar, estimated at $800-$1,200, found a new home for $3,690.

Watches hit the mark as well. Among the dozens offered, high points were a pocket watch by Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co., hailing from the estate of Ernest A. Bryant III and estimated at $8,000-$12,000, that sold to an international collector for $22,895. Another Patek Philippe, a pave diamond and gold wristwatch, sold to an online buyer for $6,748 (estimate: $3,000-$5,000), making an exciting stocking stuffer for a lucky recipient. An impressive Breguet platinum tourbillon wristwatch enamored buyers and encouraged a frenzy of bids, and was finally whisked home by a floor bidder for $57,000 (estimate: $40,000-$60,000).

Additional sale highlights include:

A platinum ring with a central 3.06-carat diamond surrounded by 26 full-cut round diamonds and two baguette-cut diamonds (totaling 1.20 additional carats), realized $36,000 (estimate: $30,000-$40,000).
A group of late Victorian gem-set and gold jewelry featuring turquoise and carved coral found a new home with a telephone bidder for $2,400 (estimate: $1,200-$1,800).
Costume jewelry devotees were delighted with a collection of Chanel costume jewelry offered late in the sale, scooping up the group lot for $1,599 (estimate: $500 to $800).

John Moran’s next HQ Jewelry Auction is scheduled for early May, and consignments are invited. Interested sellers should contact Moran’s jewelry department at info@johnmoran.com, or phone: 626-798-1833.

Click here to view the fully illustrate 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

Art Deco diamond bracelets are always good sellers, but this example, featuring a total of 15.00 carats in diamonds, inspired a particularly heated bidding war that ended only when price reached $45,000 (estimate: $7,000-$9,000). John Moran Antique and Fine Art Auctioneers image.

This signed Matl sectional necklace, set throughout with amethysts and turquoise and offered together with matching earrings, earned $3,675 (estimate: $800-$1,200). John Moran Antique and Fine Art Auctioneers image.

Earning an impressive $57,000 was this Breguet tourbillon wristwatch (estimate: $40,000-$60,000). John Moran Antique and Fine Art Auctioneers image.

This elegant group of Chanel costume jewelry appealed to a number of competitive collectors, finally selling for $1,599 (estimate: $500-$800). John Moran Antique and Fine Art Auctioneers image.

1,300 lots await bidders at Rago unreserved sale Jan. 18-19

Lot 600 – Charles and Ray Eames/Modernica, ESU cabinet. Estimate: $800-$1,000. Rago Arts and Auction Center image.

LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. – Rago Auctions will conduct a 1,300-lot unreserved auction over two days, Saturday, Jan. 18, and Sunday, Jan. 19, at 10 a.m. Eastern. None of the lots has a reserve, meaning that the high bid – no matter how low – wins the lot. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

On Saturday, look for 550 lots of early 20th century design decorative arts and furnishings, with pottery by Fulper, George Ohr and Rookwood, furnishings by Stickley and Limbert, Scandinavian furniture and fittings, glass by Tiffany and Galle, and artwork by Chagall and Dali.

Nearly 800 lots of 20th century modern will be sold on Sunday, including furnishings by Nakashima, Evans, Le Corbusier, Eames, contemporary pottery by Scheier, lighting by Stillnovo, artwork by Warhol, glass, rugs and more.

“Rago Unreserved is all about better stuff for less money,” said Michael Ingham, who runs the auction. “It’s for everyone who thinks they can’t afford to buy at auction and have never come into Rago. It’s fun. You can buy art and furniture that doesn’t come off a big retail assembly line. It’s better made than most anything from a chain store and it costs less. Come in early and browse around. If you don’t know how to bid at auction, we’ll be glad to show you the ropes.”

Saturday’s sale begins with early 20th century design pottery and furnishings. Famous ceramicists in the sale include Geroge Ohr, Teco, Saturday Evening Girls, North Dakota School of Mines, Rookwood, Roseville, Clifton, Dedham, Van Briggle, and a large single owner collection of Fulper, Weller pottery and bird figurines. Featured is lot 100, a Fulper Effigy bowl, estimated at $400-$600; and lot 43, a massive glazed ceramic vessel by Clement Massier, estimated at $800-$1,200.

Famous early 20th century design furniture makers in the sale include: L. & J.G. Stickley, Gustav Stickley, Stickley Brothers, Limbert, and contemporary Stickley by EJ Audi. Featured is lot 61, a Limbert five-drawer tall chest, estimated at $1,200-$1,600; and lot 62, a Gustav Stickley a trestle library table, estimated at $1,200-$1,800. Also featured is a run of Roseville, including Futura and Sunflower, and many wall pockets. An example is lot 175, a Roseville Futura urn, estimated at $500-$700. There is also much Weller in the sale from the Hudson and Sicard lines. Featured is lot 320, a LaSa Weller tall vase with landscape, estimated at $600-$800. There are also bird figurines by Weller.

Arts and crafts metalware includes candlestands, a centerbowl, and desk sets by Roycroft, Stickley Brothers, Bradley & Hubbard and Tiffany Studios. Featured is lot 339, an assembled Tiffany Studios eight-piece desk set in Zodiac pattern, New York, 1920s, estimated at $800-$1,000; and lot 343, a Bradley & Hubbard cast bronze and slag glass chandelier decorated with grapes and vines on arbor, estimated at $1,000-$1,500.

Amphora in the sale includes Eduard Stellmacher, Imperial, Max Leverrier, Baron Barnstaple, Riessner & Kessel, Stellmacher Co. and Paul Dachsel. Featured is lot 31, a pair of Imperial/Amphora porcelain vases decorated with gilded pheasants, estimated at $600-$800. There is European pottery by Royal Doulton, Wedgwood and Minton, featuring lot 221, a Martin Brothers glazed stoneware cabinet vase with leaf and floral decoration, England, 1879, estimated at $400-$600.

There is glass by Galle, Legras, Daum, Lalique, Tiffany, Quezal, Loetz, Durand, featuring lot 344, a Tiffany Studios Favrile glass coupe, estimated at $600-$800.

Fine Art includes works by famous artists such as Bernard Buffet, Joseph Meirmams, Marc Chagall, Savatore Dali, Raphael Soyer, Faye Swengel Badura and many more. There are prints by Edward S. Curtis, lot 160, two photogravures, Honovi – Walpi Snake Priest, with Totokya Day Painting, 1921, and Antelopes and Snakes at Oraibi, 1921, estimated at $400-$600. There is a notable lot of two paintings by Sondra Lipton, lot 326, Pink Primroses and Lily of Valley, estimated at $1,000-$1,500.

The sale wraps up with over 100 lots of Scandinavian furnishings and fittings. Famous makers include Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl, Jens Risom, Arne Vodder, Ilmari Tapiovaara, Bruno Mathsson and Kai Kristainsen. Featured Scandinavian pieces include: lot 418, a set of four Wishbone chairs by Hans Wegner/Carl Hansen, estimated at $1,000-$1,500; lot 429, an armchair by Finn Juhl for Baker, estimated at $800-$1,000; and lot 531, a lounge and ottoman by Ilmari Tapiovaara for Asko, estimated at $1,200-$1,800. There is also a stunning selection of smalls, such as lot 465, a 30-piece set of flatware in Fjord pattern by Jens Quistgaard for Dansk, in stainless steel and teak, estimated at $250-$350.

Sunday’s auction offers modern furnishings by famous makers Isamu Noguchi, George Nelson, Marcel Breuer, Eero Saarinen; Florence Knoll, Kipp Stewart for Drexel, Pierre Paulin, Vladimir Kagan, Donghia, and several pieces of Baker furniture.

Featured pieces include: lot 600, a Charles and Ray Eames for Modernica ESU cabinet, estimated at $800-$1,000; lot 647, a Harry Bertoia for Knoll pair of Bird chairs with ottomans, estimated at $1,800-$2,400; and lot 726, a pair of D lounge chairs by Paul Frankl, estimated at $1,200-$1,500. There is French furniture in the sale by makers such as Maison Jansen, Eugene Printz, Jean Charles, Roche Bobois, Roger Capron, La Barge, and a wall hanging leather rifle rack by Hermes. Featured pieces by French designers include lot 878, a pair of console tables after Jean Michel Frank for Ecart International, retailed by Ralph Pucci in the 1990s, estimated at $2,500-$3,500; and lot 911, a sectional sofa by Roche Bobois, estimated at $1,000-$1,500.

There are Studio furnishings by George Nakashima, Paul Evans, Silas Seandel, Tom Greene, Harvey Probber, T.H. Robsjohn Gibbings, Milo Baughman, Adrian Pearsall, featuring lot 1177, a pair of lounge chairs attributed to Paul Laszlo, estimated at $1,200-$1,800. Also featured is lot 967, a turtle ottoman by Dimitri Omersa for Abercrombie & Fitch, estimated at $600-$800; and a Boris Tabacoff mantel clock, lot 904, estimated at $300-$500.

Contemporary pottery highlights include lot 832, a set of three graduated bottles with abstract motif by Bruno Gambone, estimated at $700-$900; and lot 833, two large pitchers by Guido Gambone, estimated at $1,500-$2,000. Other featured pieces include Lot 1090, a Jury Smith “Scope” earthenware sculpture, estimated at $400-$600; and lot 651, an Edwin and Mary Scheier tall footed coupe with peeking figures, estimated at $1,800-$2,200.

Fine art includes works by Jean Arp, Jerry Okimoto, Louise Nevelson, Miguel Berrocal puzzle sculptures, Feliciano Bejar, Andy Warhol, Mel Ramos, Peter Max, Jim Dine and Larry Rivers. Featured is lot 793, two screenprints by Theodoros S. Stamos, estimated at $600-$800; lot 947, Victor Vasarely, untitled screenprint in colors, estimated at $400-$600; and lot 962, a freestanding alligator sculpture by Donald Drumm, estimated at $600-$800.

There is lighting by Stilnovo, Camer, Maison Jansen, Gaetano Sciolari, and Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte. Featured is lot 1045, a Martine Bedin/Memphis “Super Lamp” estimated at $500-$700. There is a notable lot of jewelry by Line Vautrin, estimated at $1,200-$1,800, and Lino Sabattini silver-plated pieces, estimated at $400-600.

Consignments are invited for all Rago’s Auctions. Phone 609-397-9374 or email to info@ragoarts.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

Lot 100 – a Fulper, effigy bowl in Chinese blue flambé and wistaria glazes. Estimate: $400-$600. Rago Arts and Auction Center image.

Lot 43 – massive glazed ceramic vessel by Clement Massier. Estimate: $800-$1,200. Rago Arts and Auction Center image.

Lot 61 – Limbert five-drawer tall chest. Estimate: $1,200-$1,600. Rago Arts and Auction Center image.

Lot 320 – LaSa Weller tall vase decorated with landscape. Estimate: $600-$800. Rago Arts and Auction Center image.

Lot 343 – Bradley & Hubbard cast bronze and slag glass chandelier. Estimate: $1,000-$1,500. Rago Arts and Auction Center image.

Lot 647 – Harry Bertoia/Knoll, pair of Bird chairs with ottomans. Estimate: $1,800-$2,400. Rago Arts and Auction Center image.

Lot 1045 – Martine Bedin/Memphis, Super Lamp. Estimate: $500-$700. Rago Arts and Auction Center image.

Bavaria proposes law change after Nazi art trove discovery

BERLIN (AFP) – The German state Bavaria said Tuesday it was drafting a national law to ease the return of Nazi-looted art to its rightful owners in the wake of a spectacular discovery late last year.

The new legislation would specifically eliminate the statute of limitations applied to stolen property, usually 30 years, that some art collectors have used to protect their holdings from claims.

“This would also apply to cases of so-called ‘degenerate art’ or Nazi-looted art, when works were taken for example from Jewish owners in the context of their oppression or expulsion by the National Socialist reign of terror,” Bavarian Justice Minister Winfried Bausback said.

“The condition is that the current holder of the work acted in bad faith, knowing exactly the origin of the item or having clear evidence for it at the time he acquired it.”

Bausback said the draft law would go before the Bundesrat, the upper house of parliament which represents Germany’s 16 states, on Feb. 14 with the aim of helping “victims of the Nazis’ criminal cultural policies and their families.”

News in November that a priceless hoard of hundreds of artworks believed looted by the Nazis or seized under a Third Reich law banning avant-garde “degenerate” art had been found in a Munich flat prompted international calls for an overhaul of German restitution laws including a scrapping of the statute of limitations.

The eccentric hermit in possession of the works, Cornelius Gurlitt, 80, is the son of a powerful Nazi-era art dealer Hildebrand Gurlitt, who acquired many of the paintings in the 1930s and 1940s.

The collection includes works by Picasso, Chagall, Matisse, Dix, Munch and Toulouse-Lautrec.

German authorities came under fire when it emerged that they had uncovered the stash in February 2012 but failed to make it public until a magazine reported on the case in November.

They have since posted pictures of more than 400 of the works on the online database www.lostart.de with the aim of inviting rightful owners to stake claims.

Gurlitt has told German media that he has no intention of voluntarily returning the paintings and sketches to their former owners.

Estates enhance Auction Gallery of Palm Beaches sale Jan. 13-14

Lot 362 – Marc Chagall, ‘Woman with Basket of Flowers.’ Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc. image.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc. will conduct an auction Monday, Jan. 13, and Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m. The two-session auction is featured with an outstanding selection of consignments of antiques and fine art. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Property that will be included is from a woman’s estate in Hobe Sound, Fla.; a fine art collection from Vincent Lloyd of Fort Pierce, Fla.; a collection of fine art from a Boynton Beach home that includes over 16 Marc Chagall prints and other modern masters; fine antiques and bronzes from a Boca Raton, Fla., residence; antiques and a miniature clock collection from a man from Delray Beach, Fla.; Chinese and Asian objets d’art including jade, ivory and cloisonné from a man in Ocala, Fla.; collection of antique firearms formerly from the collection of Eddie Reider of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Sarasota, Fla.; contemporary glass from a Boca Raton home; and so much more from South Florida and the Palm Beaches.

An amazing collection of antique firearms and shooting weapons is featured in the Winter Estates Auction. Eddie Reider was a well-known gun collector, who sold the bulk of his collection many years ago. The collection is consigned by his daughter, who has decided to sell the last of his collection. Some of the pieces in the collection are illustrated in the book Firearms Curiosa by Lewis Winant, which has become the collector’s bible for unusual collectible shooting weapons. There are weapons that shoot from canes and swords, as well as, rifles and pistols, and a shooting baton and fantasy items. Highlighting the collection is Lot 367, a rare powder tester flintlock gun, circa 1790, with the proof stamp on the lock plate.

The auction is highlighted by a collection of 16 Marc Chagall (1887-1985) etchings and lithographs. This is a large offering of the artist’s graphic works so collectors will have a wide selection to choose from. Included is Lot 362, Woman with Basket of Fruit and Lot 429, Painter with Hat, both having good color and subjects. Additionally, from this collection of art, Lot 80, a Henri Matisse rare lithograph, Le Repos du Modele, circa 1926, and has a provenance of Jacques Frapier, Paris art dealer of the artist. The image is of a nude odalisque reclining in a boudoir, her eyes firmly on the viewer. The lithograph is pencil signed and has the art dealer’s blindstamp on the paper. The collection has works by Picasso, Dali, Rouault, Villon and Miro.

A fine selection of paintings will be offered including Lot 470, a watercolor by important American artist Maurice Prendergast (1858-1924), titled The Terrace, depicting three women in a café. The color and brushwork is loose and flowing. The painting is listed in the artist’s catalog raisonee. An important painting by the Maqbul F. Husain (1915-2011), Lot 471 of Horses in the Moonlight painted in the early ’90s. The artist started his career painting posters for the Indian cinema and rose to become the “Picasso of India.” The painting is estimated at $40,000-60,000. Lot 414 is an English sporting painting by John E. Ferneley (1782-1860) of The Melton Hunt with Sir Harry Goodrich and Sir George Mountford with the Quorn Hounds. The Quorn Hounds is one of England’s oldest fox hunting packs. The painting is a sketch for a larger work by the artist. Additionally, there are over 15 English portraits from the 18th and 19th century from an attorney in Fort Pierce, Fla.

Chinese objects are featured with Lot 439, a well-cast bronze double gourd jeweled vase. The vase in “Yuanmingyuan” is a melding of the Eastern and Western styles in Chinese art between 1920-1940. The stones are paste, simulating rubies, sapphires and emeralds. It stands 11 inches high and has the “Da Ji” symbols for luck. In the Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches’ sale on Oct. 28, another similar jeweled vase sold for $42,500. The vase is estimated at $15,000-$20,000. There will also be some fine white jades, 18th century porcelains, silver and bronze objects.

A good selection of French miniature clocks are being sold from a Delray Beach collection. A variety of clocks are enameled painted and many have ormolu mountings. There is some travel clocks and pocket watches included.

The sale has several lots of American studio glass. Lot 141 is a two-piece Persian pattern glass by Seattle artist Dale Chihuly. The glass is in a purple coloration that makes it really stand out. Other lots by Kenny Carder, Michael Pavlik, John Breckke will be included. Additionally, there will be Meissen, Lalique, fine China sets, bronzes, glass objects and clocks.

For information and details contact the gallery at info@agopb.com or phone 561-805-7115.

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

Lot 367 – rare ‘powder tester’ flintlock gun, circa 1790. Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc. image.

Lot 80 – Henri Matisse, ‘Le Repos du Modele.’ Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc. image.

Lot 470 – Maurice Prendergast, ‘The Terrace.’ Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc. image.

Lot 439 – Chinese gilt bronze Da Ji vase. Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches Inc. image.

Louvre collects millions to restore masterpiece

Circa-190 B.C. (?) parian marble sculpture known as 'La Victoire de Samothrace' or 'Winged Nike of Samothrace.' Discovered in the Greek island of Samothrace in 1863. From the Louvre Collection. 2007 photo by Marie-Lan Nguyen.

PARIS (AFP) – The Paris Louvre, one of the world’s largest museums, will be able to fund restoration work on the Winged Victory of Samothrace, one of its masterpieces, after collecting 1 million euros in individual donations

The work will also include repairs to the large staircase that leads up to the second century B.C. marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike, the museum told AFP on Monday.

It said about 6,700 individual donors had contributed over the last four months, with the rest of the projected total cost of 4 million euros ($5.5 million) coming from sponsors.

The Winged Victory is currently undergoing restoration work in a nearby hall and is expected to return to its established site at the museum in mid-2014.

Work on the monumental staircase should be finished by March next year.

The statue was discovered on the Greek island of Samothrace in 1863 and then taken to Paris for exhibition at the Louvre where it overlooks the so-called Daru staircase.

Mo. military museum moving to former prison

This table lamp made from an artillery shell is a fine example of trench art. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and North River Auction Gallery.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – A museum featuring more than a century’s worth of military artifacts is moving to a new location in Jefferson City.

The Jefferson City News-Tribune reports that the Museum of Missouri Military History opened in 1999 and sees about 3,000 visitors annually. But officials hope that number will grow this summer when the revamped attraction is tentatively scheduled to reopen in converted mechanical school maintenance bays at the entrance of the Missouri National Guard’s Ike Skelton Training Site.

The attraction had been housed in the oldest remaining building from the site’s days as the Algoa prison. But many items didn’t fit well in the space, including a homemade Philippine cannon made of ironwood that was too large and a World War I German mortar that was too heavy. And most of the books, photos and papers in the museum’s collection took up too much space.

Now, Curator Charles Machon along with interns, volunteers and Guard members will sort and re-create exhibits to fit into the new museum space and its 25 new display boxes. Items such as the World War I German mortar will be out for public viewing, packaged with uniforms, manuals and other antiques from the era.

The Spanish-American War exhibit now may include many more of the museum’s artifacts, including the Philippine cannon.

“We only had a small section for the Spanish-American War,” Machon said of the former site. “Now we have more space to help tell the story.”

A display Machon is looking forward to building will feature trench art, such as a cigarette lighter made with shell casings and coins and a 90 millimeter shell formed into a pitcher engraved with names from the 1904 Missouri Artillery unit.

Pieces like these provide more depth to the history of the military, Machon said.

“They could take the instruments of war and make something else,” he said.

Staying within the $750,000 federal limit for such a renovation, the museum has sealed all but two bay doors, added insulation and dry wall to the two-story facility, repainted the floor and walls, installed energy-efficient heating and cooling units, and added LED lighting.

“This is serious business, a large step forward,” said Maj. Alan Brown.

___

Information from: Jefferson City News Tribune, http://www.newstribune.com

AP-WF-01-05-14 1702GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Julyan Davis paintings featured in Appalachian Ballads exhibit

Julyan Davis, 'River Landscape,' circa 2004. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Brunk Auctions.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) – An art exhibit celebrating the music of the Appalachian Mountains is on display in Myrtle Beach.

The exhibit entitled Appalachian Ballads opens on Sunday at the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum at the south end of Myrtle Beach’s waterfront.

The exhibition runs through March 16 and features 15 large-scale paintings by British artist Julyan Davis.

The focus of the paintings is on Appalachian love songs and murder ballads. Davis has painted in the American South for two decades and currently lives in Asheville, N.C.

AP-WF-01-05-14 1202GMT

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