Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, in a 1996 photograph by Benny Gool. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Dreweatts & Bloomsbury.
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – The South African government has ordered the removal of a rabbit that was secretly sculpted into a recently unveiled statue of Nelson Mandela, an official said Wednesday.
The artists who built the 30-foot bronze colossus in Pretoria, added a rabbit into the ear of the statue, without clearance from the government.
“We want to restore the integrity of the sculpture as soon as possible,” Mogomotsi Mogodiri, spokesman for the ministry of arts and culture told AFP.
The government said it was unaware of the rabbit’s existence until a local newspaper brought it to their attention.
The two bronze sculptors – Andre Prinsloo and Ruhan Janse van Vuuren – who added the mammal as their “signature” of the work, have apologized for doing so without permission.
“We accepted their apology,” Mogodiri said, adding it was unclear how long it would take to extract the rabbit from the statue’s ear.
The boss of the company that was contracted by government to erect the statue, which in turn hired the two artists, said the artists’ action was “regrettable” and akin to a “senseless prank.”
Dali Tambo, chairman of Koketso Growth said it had from the beginning been decided against engraving the statue.
But the names of the artists were going to be installed at a plaque near the statue.
“It is regrettable that the artists chose this way of expressing their opinion about not signing the sculpture,” said Tambo, who is also the son of one of the leading anti apartheid politicians, Oliver Tambo.
Built at a cost of 8 million rand (about $740,000), the 4.5-ton sculpture is the largest of Mandela statues erected around the world.
It was unveiled just a day after Mandela was buried.
Mandela, who became South Africa’s first black president after 27 years in apartheid prisons, died on Dec. 5at the age of 95.
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, in a 1996 photograph by Benny Gool. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Dreweatts & Bloomsbury.
Bachman-Wilson House. Image used by permission. Copyright TarantinoSTUDIO@2014. All rights reserved.BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AFP) – A 1950s family house in New Jersey designed by Frank Lloyd Wright but endangered by flooding, is moving 1,200 miles (nearly 2,000 kilometers) to start a new life in Arkansas.
The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, opened in 2011 by the Walton family of Walmart fame, has acquired the Bachman Wilson House that was built 60 years ago in Millstone village.
“We’re honored to be able to preserve and share this significant example of American architecture, as Frank Lloyd Wright’s work embodies our own mission of celebrating art and nature,” said Crystal Bridges executive director Rod Bigelow in a statement.
The museum didn’t say how much it paid for the 2,000 square foot (190 square meter) residence that reflected Wright’s signature Usonian design philosophy, but its sellers had reportedly put it on the market for $1.5 million — moving costs included.
Wright, who died in 1959 at the age of 91, had been asked to design the low-slung house when he was engaged in creating one of his best-known buildings, the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
But it had sustained flooding from a nearby river so often over the years that its architect-owners put it up for sale in 2012 on condition that the buyer preserve it, contents intact, at a new and drier location.
Crystal Bridges said it would reassemble the house on its 120 acre (nearly 50 hectare) grounds, where visitors will be able to tour it from 2015.
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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
Bachman-Wilson House. Image used by permission. Copyright TarantinoSTUDIO@2014. All rights reserved.
‘Best in Show’ award and award-winning brochure. Image courtesy Cordier Auctions. HARRISBURG, Pa. – Cordier Auctions and Appraisals was awarded “Best in Show” for their brochure and was awarded first place in the photography category for their entry at the 2014 Pennsylvania Auctioneers Association conference held Jan. 8-10.
The annual contest is judged by independent marketing professionals and accepts entries in 20 advertising and promotional categories. Cordier’s entry in the Auction Firm Promotional category, which was awarded Best in Show, was a collaboration of Cordier’s staff, Joanne Cassaro Design, and Vince Cassaro Photography. The entry in the Photography category was taken by Vince Cassaro of Vince Cassaro Photography, at an auction at a Mechanicsburg, Pa., location last summer.
The PAA is the only professional trade organization for auctioneers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The PAA’s focus is education, consumer and member benefits, legislative issues, and new ideas in the auction industry.
Information about the PAA can be found at www.paauctioneers.org. Questions can be directed to the PAA at paauctioneers@gmail.com. Information on Cordier Auctions & Appraisals can be found at www.CordierAuction.com. Questions can be directed to Cordier Auctions & Appraisals at info@cordierantiques.com or by calling 717-731-8662.
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
‘Best in Show’ award and award-winning brochure. Image courtesy Cordier Auctions.Award-winning photograph. Image courtesy Cordier Auctions.
A Chinese jade censer similar in form to the one returned to the museum at Harvard. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) – An 18th century Chinese incense container that disappeared from a Harvard art museum 35 years ago has been returned.
Ernest Dane, a businessman and art collector who graduated from Harvard in 1892, and his wife, donated the Qing Dynasty jade censer to the Fogg Museum in 1942.
In 1979, the museum opened a small exhibition featuring a selection of jades the Danes had donated, including the censer. On Nov. 26, 1979, Harvard discovered the censer was missing from its display case.
Museum officials contacted law enforcement authorities, but the censer was not found until 2009, when it was listed for auction in Hong Kong by Sotheby’s.
A transfer ceremony was held Tuesday at Harvard with officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Harvard Art Museums.
Copyright 2014 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
AP-WF-01-21-14 1606GMT
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
A Chinese jade censer similar in form to the one returned to the museum at Harvard. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive.
The Tower of David, the ancient citadel in Old City of Jerusalem. Image by Magianist, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. JERUSALEM (AP) – With Israel situated in one of the world’s earthquake-prone areas, officials are taking action to protect the Holy Land’s most important ancient treasures so they don’t come tumbling down.
After a series of five moderate earthquakes shook the country in October, experts installed a seismic monitoring system at the Tower of David, one of Jerusalem’s most important – and most visible – historical sites.
The project is Israel’s first attempt to use such technology to determine structural weaknesses in the countless ancient edifices that dot the Holy Land. The efforts, however, have been slowed by authorities’ reticence to publically declare sites as vulnerable, as well as the explosive geopolitics surrounding ancient Jewish, Christian and Muslim sites at the heart of the Mideast conflict.
“We have to remember that this is the Holy Land,” said Avi Shapira, head of a national steering committee for earthquake preparedness. “We have some responsibility not only to preserve the historical monuments of our personal heritage … but also for the rest of the world.”
Most of Israel’s historical sites “have not been checked,” said Shapira. “We have them on the map, but an engineer still hasn’t visited them.”
Israel sits along the friction point of the African and Arabian tectonic plates, and is prone to small tremors. The earthquakes in October caused no major damage, but made Israelis jittery. About once a century throughout history, a large earthquake has rattled the region, often damaging key historical sites. The last major quake occurred in 1927.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, was destroyed in an earthquake shortly after it was built in the eighth century and was damaged and repaired multiple times since due to quakes. The 1927 quake, which was over 6 in magnitude, caused hundreds of deaths and damaged Al-Aqsa and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built on the site where Jesus is believed to have been crucified and buried.
Israel has been bracing for another major earthquake for years. But those efforts have focused on retrofitting existing schools and hospitals and apartment buildings, and improving standards in new construction.
The country is just getting around to surveying its historical sites, and the assessment process has turned out to be sensitive.
Government experts have not published any findings on historical sites at risk, and it is unclear which government authority would be compelled to take responsibility for sites should they face earthquake damage.
Political sensitivities have prevented Israeli officials from conducting earthquake-impact assessments on the region’s most revered, most ancient, and likely most vulnerable sites, including the gold-capped Dome of the Rock, said an official on Israel’s earthquake preparedness steering committee. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.
In the past, Israeli involvement in the Old City’s ancient buildings has sparked protest from Palestinians who seek sovereignty there in their quest for an independent state.
After a centuries-old access ramp to a key holy site was damaged by stormy weather in 2004, Arab and Muslim leaders worldwide protested Israeli excavation work in preparation for the construction of a new ramp, accusing Israel of impinging on the site with conflicting ownership claims.
The site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, has ignited violence when Muslims have perceived Israel to encroach upon the compound.
Israel’s Antiquities Authority, in charge of conserving the country’s ancient sites, declined comment on the earthquake assessment efforts.
The only site in the Old City that Israeli officials say is being checked for a possible earthquake risk is the Tower of David, one of Jerusalem’s most ubiquitous symbols. The minaret-topped stone tower stands in the corner of an ancient citadel fortress, and six major cracks in the tower have the staff worried if it can withstand an earthquake.
“This is the symbol of the city, the symbol of Jerusalem, for more than 2000 years. So that’s why this is a real nightmare for us,” said Eilat Lieber, director of the Tower of David museum.
Researchers from the University of Padua in Italy installed sensors throughout the tower to determine what kind of earthquake-proofing it might need.
Accelerometers along the tower measure small movements caused by wind and traffic, in order to predict how an earthquake would impact the structure. At the very top of the minaret, thin bars affixed to the stones slide like bicycle tire pumps to measure the movement of cracks. Data collected by the equipment will be analyzed to determine any structural flaws in the tower and if needed, to suggest engineering solutions to stabilize the site.
The Tower of David is the first historical site in Jerusalem to be outfitted with the seismic sensors. Israeli experts are considering using the technology at other Israeli historical sites.
Experts said the monitoring technology is already in place in the famous Qutab Minar monument in New Delhi, minarets in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and various sites in Italy, including bell towers in Venice, the ancient Verona Arena in Verona, and locations in L’Aquila, following a devastating 2009 earthquake that wreaked havoc on cultural heritage buildings.
Initial assessments for the Tower of David are good. Claudio Modena, a University of Padova engineer, said the tower seems to be capable of withstanding an earthquake because its ancient foundations sit on bedrock. Three steel rings that hug the cracked minaret, installed during earlier British rule in the city, have helped save it from collapse, he said.
Orna Cohen, chief conservator of the Tower of David, said that in the event of an earthquake, Jerusalem’s most ancient structures of massive stones might actually be the city’s most dependable.
“If they still stand after so many earthquakes during the last 2000 years, they must be good structures,” Cohen said.
Copyright 2014 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
AP-WF-01-21-14 1230GMT
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
The Tower of David, the ancient citadel in Old City of Jerusalem. Image by Magianist, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Among the Italian treasures still missing is Caravaggio’s (Italian, 1573-1610) ‘The Adoration,’ also known as ‘The Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence,’ 1609. Thieves stole the painting valued at $20 million, other artworks and carved gilt and mother-of-pearl inlaid benches from a church in Palermo, Sicily, on Oct. 16, 1969. Image courtesy of The Yorck Project, 2002.
ROME (AFP) – Italy’s cultural police, who have taken a leading role in the fight against the smuggling of antiquities, are mounting a show of recovered stolen art in Rome that ranges from Etruscan funerary urns to Renaissance paintings.
Dozens of works are being displayed in the presidential palace in the Italian capital in a special exhibition also intended to show off a police force that is called in to consult on art thefts around the world.
The force said it has the largest database of stolen works around the world — with around 5.7 million objects — and is planning to travel to Libya, Iraq and Syria in the coming months to investigate cases.
“The turnover from the illegal trade in art is fourth in the world after arms, drugs and financial products,” said Mariano Mossa, head of the cultural police force.
Italy was the first country to equip itself with a special department to investigate art thefts in 1969 and its headquarters is in a Baroque palace in the center of Rome that crowds of tourists pass every day.
It has 13 regional branches around the country.
Last year the police found a painting by Russian-born Jewish painter Marc Chagall “Le Nu au Bouquet” in a private collector’s home in Bologna that had been stolen from a US tycoon’s yacht in Italy in 2002.
They also investigated the shocking theft of hundreds, even thousands, of rare books from the Girolamini Library in Naples that were allegedly smuggled out and sold internationally by its former director.
Among the exhibits in the Rome show was an entire Etruscan mausoleum found by builders on a construction site near Perugia in central Italy, including 23 well preserved urns with scenes from Greek mythology.
“This is one of the most extraordinary discoveries of recent years in Etruscan art,” said Louis Godart,an adviser to the Italian presidency on conservation.
There is also a sculpture of Roman emperor Tiberius, stolen in 1971 and found in London 40 years later in 2011, and a triptych that disappeared from Florence in 1977 and was recovered only in 2009.
A precious vase that was found during an illegal archaeological excavation was seized as it was being handed over to a Japanese buyer by a Swiss intermediary.
These works of art “were stolen from the public in an illegal, immoral way for the purpose of enrichment,” said Maurizio Caprara, a spokesman for President Giorgio Napolitano who hosted the exhibition.
Godart said the recovery of the works showed the police’s “competence, enthusiasm and professionalism, but also how our heritage is extremely fragile.”
Godart said Italian museums “urgently” needed more security guards, amid a rise in reported thefts during an economic crisis that has slashed culture budgets.
The Federculture association on Monday said that the cuts were “disturbing,” pointing to a reduction in the state subsidies for upkeep of monuments to 75 million euros in 2013 from 165 million euros in 2008.
Private donations have also dropped during the crisis.
Thefts from churches and museums have meanwhile increased, along with illegal archaeological digs, according to a report by the Legambiente watchdog.
The exhibition titled “Memory Regained: Treasures recovered by the Carabinieri,” opens to the public in the Quirinale palace Thursday and runs until March 16.
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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
Among the Italian treasures still missing is Caravaggio’s (Italian, 1573-1610) ‘The Adoration,’ also known as ‘The Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence,’ 1609. Thieves stole the painting valued at $20 million, other artworks and carved gilt and mother-of-pearl inlaid benches from a church in Palermo, Sicily, on Oct. 16, 1969. Image courtesy of The Yorck Project, 2002.
Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987) original screen print ‘Mao #91,’ 1972, 36 inches square, numbered 56/250, Styria Studio, est. $35,000-$50,000. Myers Fine Art image.ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (LAPRS) – In the 1980s, New York’s gritty Lower East Side was a hotbed of aspiring artists and entertainers with the common goal of achieving fame and success. Two of the kindred spirits drawn to each other within the fast-paced microcosm of music, art and youthful freedom were British-born artist, dancer and model Martin Burgoyne and his best friend/roommate Madonna. On February 9, Myers Fine Art will auction the Burgoyne family’s archive of mementos from their late son’s New York days as the centerpiece of its 20th Century Decorative Arts sale. Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
“Like so many talented young people who had not yet been ‘discovered,’ Martin Burgoyne worked a variety of jobs to get by while building a name for himself as a graphic artist,” said Mary Dowd, co-owner of Myers Fine Art. “He worked as a dancer, model and even a bartender at Studio 54. During that time, he and Madonna were very much a part of each other’s lives and socialized with a large circle of friends that included Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Tragically, Martin died at the age of 23, but he left quite a legacy. His parents, who are now retired in Florida, have been the guardians of his art and other mementos entered in our February 9th auction.”
Burgoyne’s portfolio of 12 original colored-pencil drawings, some of them depicting Madonna, were chosen to grace both the front and back covers of the pop star’s 1983 debut 12-inch dance single, “Burning Up.” The portfolio of original art is estimated at $2,000-$4,000.
A further testament to Burgoyne’s inextricable involvement in Madonna’s burgeoning career is the framed RIAA Platinum Record award ($600-$900) he received for his friend’s self-titled 1983 debut album, and a framed gold record that had been presented to Madonna by WEA Records for the single “Holiday” ($400-$600).
An extensive trove of Polaroids and studio photos, documents Martin and his friends at work and at leisure in their collective comfort zone. A candid Polaroid of Martin – then a student at Pratt Institute – and Madonna – who was on the verge of stardom – shows them in the fashions and pastel-colored hair typical of the early 1980s. “Madonna is already revealing her individuality, with rosaries draped around her neck,” Dowd noted. The photo is estimated at $800-$1,200. Other prized Polaroids include one taken of Burgoyne looking like a latter-day James Dean with friend Keith Haring (1958-1990), against the backdrop of a Haring artwork. Estimate: $800-$1,200. A color photo of Burgoyne with Madonna in a recording studio could realize $800-$1,200 at auction.
On September 4, 1986, a party was held at Manhattan’s Pyramid Club to raise funds for medical bills that had mounted during Burgoyne’s treatment for AIDS. For this event organized by his friends, Andy Warhol and Keith Haring collaborated on the design for the invitation. The original Warhol graphite on rag paper portrait of Burgoyne that was featured on the invitation is entered in the auction with a $40,000-$50,000 estimate. Mounted and framed under glass, the 32 by 24-inch artwork is signed “Andy Warhol 86.” Haring’s 14 by 11in mounted and framed original marker drawing used for the inside of the invitation is signed “Haring!!” on the arm of a figure shown at lower right. It is also signed “Kermit Oswald” on the reverse stretcher. Estimate: $3,000-$5,000.
The 500-lot auction also contains an outstanding selection of art, furniture, silver, jewelry and historical objects. A collection of 19 Leon Polk Smith (Native American, 1906-1996) geometrical abstract artworks – including painted-wood sculptures, paintings of various sizes, large-scale maquettes and collages on paper – are featured in the fine art section. The works encompass a timeline from the 1950s-1980s and are from Smith’s assistant and companion of four decades, Robert Mead Jamieson.
Other artworks of note include an Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987) original screen print “Mao #91,” measuring 36 inches square and numbered 56/250. The 1972 print made at the Styria Studio is estimated at $35,000-$50,000. Also having a Warhol connection is a 3ft-long painted-canvas sardine with movable tail, which retains its Sotheby’s sticker from the highly publicized 1988 auction of cookie jars and other items from the pop art legend’s estate.
Several important furniture lots will be offered. A circa-1940 Domenico Mortellito (Italian-American, 1906-1994) carved lacquer linoleum table/bench comes to Myers from the estate of fashion photographer Gene Fenn (1911-2001). An unusual Morellito credenza carved with signs of the zodiac will also be auctioned.
A set of 12 Hans Wegner “The Chair” or “Round” chairs from the Manufacturers Trust building in New York is worthy of note. The classic chairs were ordered in the 1950s to furnish the bank’s New York headquarters. Complete sets of 12 are rarely encountered, especially those made in the 1950s. Estimate: $10,000-$15,000.
A Poul Norreklit (Danish) rosewood credenza was originally purchased in the late 1950s in Hawaii. “It is a form that seldom appears in US auctions,” said Dowd. In original, untouched condition, it is estimated at $4,000-$6,000.
Other furniture highlights include an illuminating post-modern electric blue coffee table and other pieces from the New York summer home of Phil Stanton, founding member of the Blue Man Group.
A small collection of Buccellati sterling silver pieces is led by a decorated caviar server estimated at $2,000-$3,000. Among the pieces of fine jewelry to be sold, a highlight is an Edwardian 18K white gold convertible necklace with 4 carats of diamonds. Estimate: $4,000-$6,000.
Of great historical significance is a small collection of items connected to the family of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and which will be apportioned into three auction lots. The grouping includes two 1899 signed photos of Nicholas and his wife, the Tsarina Alexandra, which were given to Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock while he was Ambassador to Russia under President William McKinley. The collection also includes a gift given to Hitchcock by Tsar Nicholas II: a Faberge parasol with a guilloche enameled gold and diamond handle created by premier Faberge designer Michael Perchin. Estimate: $4,000-$5,000.
Myers Fine Art’s Sunday, February 9, 2014 auction of 20th century decorative art featuring the Martin Burgoyne collection will commence at 12 noon Eastern Time. A preview will be held from 10-6 on Saturday, February 8, and from 10 a.m. till noon on auction day. The gallery is located at 1600 4th St. North in St. Petersburg, FL 33704.
For additional information, call 727-823-3249 or e-mail auctions@myersfineart.com.
View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.liveauctioneers.com.
Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987) original screen print ‘Mao #91,’ 1972, 36 inches square, numbered 56/250, Styria Studio, est. $35,000-$50,000. Myers Fine Art image.Martin Burgoyne (British/American, 1963-1986), original colored-pencil drawing of Madonna used for the 1983 Madonna record ‘Burning Up,’ 8 x 6¾in, from a spiral-bound portfolio of 12 original mixed-media colored pencil drawings, portfolio estimate $2,000-$4,000. Myers Fine Art image.1980s Polaroid photograph of Martin Burgoyne and Madonna, who were close friends and roommates, estimate $600-$900. Myers Fine Art image.1980s Polaroid photograph of Keith Haring (left) and Martin Burgoyne, with a Haring artwork in the background, estimate $800-$1,200. Myers Fine Art image.Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987) original portrait of the artist’s friend Martin Burgoyne, created for the invitation to a 1986 fundraiser benefiting Burgoyne at the Pyramid Club NYC, graphite on rag paper, signed ‘Andy Warhol 86,’ 32 x 24in, est. $30,000-$40,000. Myers Fine Art image.Keith Haring (American, 1958-1990), original artwork created for the poster and invitation to a 1986 fundraiser benefiting Burgoyne at the Pyramid Club NYC, marker on paper, signed ‘Haring!!’ at lower right; also signed ‘Kermit Oswald’ on reverse stretcher, 14 x 11in, est. $3,000-$5,000. Myers Fine Art image.1899 signed photos of Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra given to the original owner, US Ambassador to Russia Ethan A. Hitchcock, who served under President William McKinley. Provenance: Estate of Anne Hitchcock Sims. Myers Fine Art image.Guilloche and enameled-gold handle from a parasol designed by revered Faberge designer Michael Perchin. Provenance: Estate of Anne Hitchcock Sims. Estimate $4,000-$6,000. Myers Fine Art image.Circa-1940 Domenico Mortellito (Italian-American, 1906-1994) carved lacquer linoleum table/bench from estate of fashion photographer Gene Fenn, est. $2,000-$3,000. Myers Fine Art image.Edwardian 18K white gold convertible necklace with 4 carats of diamonds, est. $4,000-$6,000. Myers Fine Art image.Leon Polk Smith (Native American, 1909-1996), enamel on wood abstract sculpture, signed on bottom LPS ’58, 4¼in high and 2in sq., from the collection of the artist’s life partner and assistant, Robert Mead Jamieson; est. $1,000-$2,000. Myers Fine Art image.
