Rare maps sell for Texas-size prices at Simpson Galleries

Antique reconstruction era map, ‘Kosse & Scott’s Map of the City of Houston and Environs,’ 1867. Price realized: $119,000. Simpson Galleries image

HOUSTON – Simpson Galleries, Houston’s oldest auction house, saw intense bidding competition during the Fine Art & Antiques Auction on Sept. 21-22. Both days of the auction crescendoed with a battle between bidders, in the auction salesroom, online and on a full telephone bank, competing for some of the rarest Texas maps ever to come up for auction. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Abell to launch sale of NASA official’s space race items Oct. 6  

‘Man on the Moon’ photo signed by Apollos 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Colllins,15½in x 19½in. Estimate: $2,000-$3,000. Abel Auction Co. image

LOS ANGELES – An exclusive assortment of items from the estate of Thomas O. Paine, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration administrator who oversaw the U.S. space program during the first manned missions to the moon, will be auctioned on Oct. 6 by Abell Auction Co. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

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Museum-deaccessioned art available at Case’s Oct. 5 sale

‘Winter Waiting’ by Al Allen (American/Arkansas, 1925-2008) is one of several mid-20th century paintings deaccessioned from the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. All have opening bids under $1,000. Estimate: $1,800-$2,200. Case Antiques Auction image

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Twentieth-century Abstract/Expressionist paintings and Asian furniture, recently deaccessioned by the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, are among the highlights in the Oct. 5 Case Antiques Auction. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Tiffany, Picasso attain high marks at Fontaine’s Auction

The top lot of the auction was a Tiffany leaded glass aquatic fish lamp that handily bested its $100,000 high estimate to attain $193,600. Fontaine’s image

PITTSFIELD, Mass. – The artisans at Tiffany Studios were world renowned for their craftsmanship, and not surprisingly, a bevy of rare and striking items made by them led the day at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery on Sept. 14. From leaded glass lamps to vases, punch bowls, decanter sets, perfume bottles and inkwells, several Tiffany Studios lots performed at or above estimate. Also vying for bidders’ attention were a monumental set of leaded glass windows, a Pablo Picasso ceramic pitcher and fine marble sculptures. The sales grossed just over $1.5 million. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Greek police seize loot from ancient wrecks

Amphoras are two-handled earthenware jars used to transport wine, olive oil and other foodstuffs in ancient cargo ships. Ad Meskens image. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

ATHENS, Greece (AP) – Greek police say they have arrested three men on the Aegean island of Kalymnos for allegedly plundering ancient shipwrecks and removing more than two dozen intact pottery vases. Read more

Brown & Thigpen to stage single-owner advertising sale Oct. 5

American Gas/Oil Porcelain oval sign with metal hanger encasing approx. 6ft x 4ft (one side faded). Estimate: $250-$800. Brown and Thigpen Auctions LLC image

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. – Brown and Thigpen Auctions LLC will sell a private museum owner’s lifetime collection on Saturday, Oct. 5. Featured in the auction are many pedal cars along with a variety of petroliana and automobilia from yesteryear as well as an extensive selection of vending machines and advertising signs. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Freeman’s taps outstanding collections for major sales Oct. 2-3

A pair of George I-style giltwood mirrors, 19th century. Estimate: $3,000-$5,000. Freeman’s image

PHILADELPHIA – Freeman’s International Sale on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and Collector’s Sale on Thursday, Oct. 3, present more than a thousand lots from a number of private and institutional collections across a variety of collecting categories, including Chinese carved jades, Georgian and Regency furniture, early Chinese ceramics, German and Scandinavian snuffboxes and more. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

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Holabird mines motherlode of Western Americana Oct 4-7

Artist proof print depicting the famed World War II Doolittle raid on Tokyo and signed by the famed Army aviator (est. $2,500-$3,500). Holabird Western Americana Collections image

RENO, Nev. – A four-day Americana auction bursting with more than 3,l00 lots in an array of collecting categories – to include petroliana, aviation, World War II, art, railroadiana, Native Americana, stock certificates, mining, minerals and gold – will be held Oct. 4-7 by Holabird Western Americana Collections. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

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Developers and Newark Arts transform empty storefronts into art exhibits

NEWARK, N.J. – Newark Arts, a nonprofit arts council, has cultivated partnerships with real estate developers to convert seven vacant downtown spaces into temporary art exhibits that showcase local arts and culture during the Newark Arts Festival, October 10-13. The festival, voted New Jersey’s Favorite Visual Arts Festival by JerseyArts.com, is expected to attract more than 12,000 visitors.

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Asian treasures abound in Jasper52 auction Oct. 2

A lifesize Sino-Tibetan bronze or copper model of a skull, later 19th-20th century, about 9½in long x about 7½in high. Estimate: $3,500-$4,000. Jasper52 image

NEW YORK – Seventy-one lots of outstanding Asian antiques are presented in an online auction to be conducted by Jasper52 on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Among this diverse offering are hand-painted Chinese ceramics, Ming Dynasty tomb figures, carved netsuke, Japanese weaponry, and more, creating a comprehensive representation of the Asian tradition. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

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