Heritage Auctions nabs famous collection of mystery & detective books

Dashiell Hammett’s ‘Red Harvest’ is expected to sell for $30,000 or more. Heritage Auctions image

 

DALLAS – Dashiell Hammett’s Red Harvest is expected to be the leading feature in the KoKo Collection, part of the Sept. 14 Rare Books Auction at Heritage Auctions. Drawing on his experience as a Pinkerton operative, Hammett’s momentous debut novel, published in 1929, defined the archetype for the literary private investigator.

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Cristóbal de Villalpando paintings make US debut at Met Museum

Cristóbal de Villalpando (c. 1649-1714), ‘Moses and the Brazen Serpent and the Transfiguration of Jesus’ (detail), 1683, oil on Canvas. Col. Propiedad de la Nación Mexicana, Secretaría de Cultura, Dirección General de Sitios y Monumentos del Patrimonio Cultural Acervo de la Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción, Puebla, Mexico

 

NEW YORK – Cristóbal de Villalpando (c. 1649–1714) emerged in the 1680s not only as the leading painter in viceregal Mexico, but also as one of the most innovative and accomplished artists in the entire Spanish world. Opening July 25 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the exhibition “Cristóbal de Villalpando: Mexican Painter of the Baroque” features his earliest masterpiece, a monumental painting depicting the biblical accounts of Moses and the brazen serpent and the Transfiguration of Jesus, which was painted in 1683 for a chapel in Puebla Cathedral.

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Round barns becoming scarce landmarks in rural America

The Thomas Ranck Round Barn along Fayette-Wayne County Line Road in Fayette County, Indiana. The barn is on the National Register of Historic Places. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

 

WASHINGTON, Ind. (AP) – A picturesque century-old barn off Indiana 57 is part of a dwindling style of architecture that’s inspired books, road trips and at least one retirement project.

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Michael Jordan 1984 Olympics jersey auctioned for record $274K

Jersey worn at the 1984 Olympics (LA) by then-Team USA member Michael Jordan. Sold by Grey Flannel Auctions on June 22, 2017 for $294,000. Courtesy Grey Flannel Auctions

 

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – A Michael Jordan Team USA jersey worn by the basketball legend in the 1984 Olympics has sold for a world-record auction price of $273,904. The jersey was the headline item in Grey Flannel Auctions’ 2017 Summer Games Auction, which closed for bidding in the early hours of June 22.

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David Webb frog bangle sells for $37,500 at Rago Arts & Auction Center

 

David Webb, enameled 18K yellow gold, diamond and ruby frog bracelet. Price realized: $37,500. Rago Arts and Auction Center image

 

LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. – Rago Arts and Auction Center conducted two highly successful auctions in June. The June 11 fine jewelry auction featured a David Webb enameled 18K yellow gold, diamond and ruby frog bracelet that sold for $37,500. Absentee and Internet bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.Continue reading

Rail travel, Porsche, propaganda subjects of Onslows poster auction July 7

Fortunino Matania (1881-1963), ‘Southport (The Lido),’ original poster printed for London Midland & Scottish Railway by London Lithographic, circa 1931, 102 x 126 cm. Estimate £8,000-£9,000. Onslows image

 

STOURPAINE, UK – A sizzling selection of vintage posters comes under the online hammer July 7 at Onslows auction house. The poster specialist’s summer sale will offer some rare and stunning railway posters including Matania’s London Midland & Scottish Railway beach posters for Southport and Blackpool dating from 1930 and 1938. Absentee and Internet bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Motown legend’s bass sets world record at Heritage Auctions

Motown sessions musician James Jamerson’s 1961 Fender Precision Bass sold for a record $68,875.  Heritage Auctions image.

 

DALLAS – A bass owned and played by James Jamerson, the 2000 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee who Base Player magazine named the “Greatest Bass Player” of all time, set a world record for the most valuable bass ever offered at auction in Heritage Auctions’ June 17-18 Entertainment & Music Memorabilia Event in Beverly Hills, Calif. Absentee and Internet bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Zhang Daqian scrolls soar to $2.9M at Clars Auction Gallery

This group of eight scrolls by Chinese artist Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) was offered as one lot with an estimate of $200,000 to $400,000. Spirited bidding quickly drove this lot to $2,919,000. Clars Auction Gallery image

 

OAKLAND – Clars Auction Gallery hosted an important Asian art and antiques as part of their Fine Art, Decorative Art, Furniture, Jewelry/Timepieces and Asian Art Auction on June 18. This sale was expected to draw strong national and international bidding on the exceptional single works and collections that were offered, but in the end, this sale exceeded all predictions realizing over $5 million and shattering presale estimates not only in the Asian offerings but across the board in all categories. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Linwoods Auction presents fine collection of Asian art and antiques June 25

Robin’s egg porcelain vase, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period 12 in. high (30.5 cm.). Estimate: $12,000-$15,000. Linwoods Auction image

 

LOS ANGELES – Linwoods Auction, in conjunction with Dynasty Auctions, will conduct an auction of the Taoran Studio Collection of high quality Chinese fine art on Sunday, June 25, beginning at 6 p.m. Pacific time. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Purported Jackson Pollock painting withdrawn from auction

Jackson Pollock (American, 1912-1956), Untitled Gouache, 22 1/2 x 30 in., est. $10 million – $15 million. Image courtesy of J. Levine Auction & Appraisal

 

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The highly anticipated auction of a painting billed as a Jackson Pollock original was withdrawn shortly before it was to go up for bids on Tuesday, reports the Arizona Republic newspaper.

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