Reading the Streets: 100 Gates Project rolling on Lower East Side

Nico Soala, The 100 Gates Project, New York City, photo via 100gates.nyc
Nico Soala, The 100 Gates Project, New York City, photo via 100gates.nyc

NEW YORK – “Skateboarding is not a crime,” screamed a sticker lovingly placed on high school backpacks of the 1990s. In fact, for Billy Rohan, artist, owner of Samurai NY, and a professional skateboarder for 20 years, it was an inspiration for a public art project that’s beautifying the Lower East Side, one roll-down security gate at a time.Continue reading

Heritage Auctions opens new European office in the Netherlands

The newly launched headquarters of Heritage Auctions Europe. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions
The newly launched headquarters of Heritage Auctions Europe. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions

DALLAS – Heritage Auctions has joined forces with the Dutch auction house MPO Auctions to form Heritage Auctions Europe, based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and officially operating and offering full service in numismatics and across all 40 Heritage auction categories as of Aug. 1, 2015. The Amsterdam expansion follows Heritage’s recently announced Hong Kong expansion.

“Heritage is a growing global brand,” said Cristiano Bierrenbach, Vice President of Heritage Auctions. “We’re all excited by the opportunities this office represents. Based just outside of Amsterdam, a convenient central location in Europe, Heritage is now even better suited to serve our European clients who will now have direct access to Heritage’s global audience of bidders.”

MPO Auctions made its reputation primarily as a coin company, also dealing in stamps and occasionally other collectibles. The new venue will be run by current MPO heads Jacco Scheper and Huib Pelzer, both experienced and well-known numismatists with more than two decades each of experience.

“We’re excited to continue providing excellent results and service for our European clients,” said Scheper, “and even more excited we can offer them the potential to reach Heritage’s extensive clientele across all 40 categories.”

“We want to make sure that all MPO’s clients are aware that they’ll continue working with the same staff as before,” said Bierrenbach. “They’ll now just be part of Heritage Auctions Europe and will get all the benefits that come with a company as large and capable as Heritage, coupled with the care and attention that they have traditionally gotten at MPO when it was a smaller firm. Customer service has always been at the heart of the Heritage model. Nothing at all will change on that front.”

For further inquiries, please contact Cristiano Bierrenbach at CrisB@HA.com. Visit Heritage online at www.HA.com.

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Bidders tap LiveAuctioneers to win top lots at John Moran auction

Antanas Zemaitis’s (1876-1966 Lithuanian) oil on canvas depiction of campers in a verdant valley landscape proved popular among international bidders. The work blew past the $9,000 high estimate, selling for $15,990. John Moran Auctioneers image
Antanas Zemaitis’s (1876-1966 Lithuanian) oil on canvas depiction of a campsite in a verdant valley landscape proved popular among international bidders. The work blew past the $9,000 high estimate, selling for $15,990 to an online bidder through LiveAuctioneers. John Moran Auctioneers image

PASADENA, Calif. – John Moran Auctioneers’ decorative arts auction July 28 proved enticing, especially to bidders competing via LiveAuctioneers.com. Several of the top lots sold to bidders utilizing LiveAuctioneers’ bidding platform, either online live or through absentee bids.

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Kusama seahorse painting favored to win at 888 Auctions, Aug. 13

Bidding on the framed acrylic on canvas painting by Yayoi Kusama is expected to reach $30,000. 888 Auctions image
Bidding on the framed acrylic on canvas painting by Yayoi Kusama is expected to reach $30,000. 888 Auctions image

RICHMOND HILL, Ontario – Over 500 fine Chinese paintings, ceramics, carvings and other works of art will be sold to the highest bidders on Thursday, Aug. 13, by 888 Auctions. The sale will begin at 1 p.m. Eastern. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide absentee and Internet live bidding.

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London Eye: July 2015

This rare Cook’s Island chieftain’s stool, circa 1820-1860, will be offered by Kapil Jariwala Gallery at £7,500 ($11,700) at the Tribal Art Fair at the Mall Galleries, Sept. 2-5. Image courtesy of the London Tribal Art Fair.
This rare Cook’s Island chieftain’s stool, circa 1820-1860, will be offered by Kapil Jariwala Gallery at £7,500 ($11,700) at the Tribal Art Fair at the Mall Galleries, Sept. 2-5. Image courtesy of the London Tribal Art Fair.

LONDON – A few months ago Auction Central News enjoyed a guided tour of Bonhams’ spanking new auction rooms on London’s New Bond Street, and we were duly impressed.

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Gallery Report: August 2015

ATLANTA – At the start of each month, ACN columnist Ken Hall gathers top auction highlights from around the United States and beyond. Here’s what made headlines since last month’s report:

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