Buyers focus on photography, fine art at Millea Bros. auction

The top lot of the auction was a David Hockney photo portfolio from 1976, collection of Ileana Sonnabend, that earned $75,000. Millea Bros. image

BOONTON, N.J. – If a photograph is worth 1,000 words, then Millea Bros.’ Spring Select Auction May 17–19 is worth a book. Boasting over 1,000 lots, all with compelling stories of their own, the auction showcased three estates, featuring a large selection from the late gallerist Ileana Sonnabend’s art photography collection, passed down to her daughter, Nina Castelli Sundell, a curator and scholar until her death in 2014; 1960s–1970s American Modern art from the estate of Sen. Jacob and Marian Javits; and large-scale European and American contemporary art from the estate of venture capitalist Pentti Kouri. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Scientific papers, illustrated books featured at PBA Galleries, June 14

Three seminal papers by Charles Darwin that launched the Darwinian Revolution. PBA Galleries image

SAN FRANCISCO – On June 14, PBA Galleries will hold an auction of 205 select lots with material from the 16th to early 21st century, with rare, unusual and important books, manuscripts and related items in a wide range of fields. Included are early printings of religious tomes, seminal works on mathematics, keystones of evolutionary science, high spots of literature, illustrated books and livres d’artiste, original manuscripts including landmarks of science fiction, finely bound books, and much more. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Gallery Report: May 2018

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 Gallery Report (prices include the buyer’s premium unless stated otherwise):

Francis N. Souza painting, $235,000, Weiss Auctions

A large oil painting by the Indian-American artist Francis Newton Souza (1924-2002), titled Head in a Landscape, sold for $235,000 at an auction held May 17 by Weiss Auctions in Lynbrook, N.Y. Also, three artworks by Russian artist Mihail Chemiakin (b. 1943) – a painting and two sculptures – brought a combined $44,800; and a lithograph and screenprint in colors by Robert Rauschenberg (American, 1925-2008), titled People for the American Way (1992) hammered for $24,600.

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Americana quilt sale June 12 a kaleidoscope of colors, designs

Star of Bethlehem quilt, circa 1880, Baltimore, excellent condition, 90 x 94 in. Estimate: $15,000-$16,000. Jasper52 image

NEW YORK – A dazzling and dizzying display of pinwheels, stars and geometric shapes highlights a collection of more than 40 Americana and folk art quilts, which will be offered in a Jasper52 online auction on Tuesday, June 12. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Native tribe welcomes artifacts from British Museum

Main entrance of the British Museum with its Greek temple style portico. Image by Ham. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

GRAND RONDE, Ore. (AP) – Tribal artifacts that have been hidden away in the archives of the British Museum in London for nearly 120 years are being returned to a Native American tribe for an exhibit at its own museum — a facility the tribe expanded and upgraded in part to reclaim these pieces central to its complicated heritage.

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The art of scientific instruments

An equatorial minute sundial, circa 1750, fetched $33,898 at Auction Team Breker sale in May 2017. Photo courtesy of Auction Team Breker and LiveAuctioneers

NEW YORK — Even before King George III commissioned a fine microscope to be made in the 17th century as a gift to his wife, Charlotte, an amateur botanist, people had become fascinated with scientific instruments. Today, there are specialty antiques fairs where scientific instruments are bought and sold, and the curious products of early technology appear at auctions worldwide.

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Benefit Shop Foundation riding wave for antique fans June 13

On offer in the June auction is this Boucher antique hand-painted ladies French fan with mother-of-pearl handles. Benefit Shop Foundation image

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y – Antique fan collectors will find a fanciful grouping of antique fans on Wednesday, June 13, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, highlighting the Benefit Shop Foundation’s monthly Red Carpet Auction. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Finn Juhl furniture soars to record heights at Clars Auction Gallery

This set of eight Egyptian rosewood chairs by Finn Juhl for Niels Vodder was expected to sell for $20,000-$30,000 but heated bidding drove the final sale price to $75,600. The chairs sold to a LiveAuctioneers bidder. Clars Auction Gallery image

OAKLAND, Calif. – Clars Auction Gallery hosted their Important Fine Art, Decorative Art, Furniture, Jewelry and Asian Art Auction on May 20. Furniture designs by Finn Juhl (Denmark, 1912-1989) stole the show with both pieces offered setting a new U.S. auction record. Both Finn Juhl lots sold through LiveAuctioneers, which provided absentee and Internet live bidding.

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