Harry Winston diamond ring could claim top-lot status at Hindman, Sept. 13

Harry Winston 7.40-carat diamond and platinum ring, est. $225,000-$325,000
Harry Winston 7.40-carat diamond and platinum ring, est. $225,000-$325,000

CHICAGO – A timeless selection of sophisticated jewelry will highlight Hindman’s September 13 Important Jewelry auction, offering designs for every level of collector. A Harry Winston diamond ring featuring a 7.40-carat pear shape diamond is the top lot, carrying an estimate of $225,000-$325,000. The sale has pieces made in pre-Victorian times to present day, including jewelry by top designers such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Jean Mahi, Evelyn Clothier and Sabbadini. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

Continue reading

US court dismisses Nazi-era Guelph Treasure art dispute

The Welfenkreuz Vorderseite, a cross from the Guelph Treasure, photographed on display at the Kunstgewerbemuseum in Berlin in 2009. A U.S. court ruled it does not have jurisdiction to hear a lawsuit regarding the ownership of the Guelph Treasure, which was sold in 1935 by Jewish art dealers; their heirs claim the transaction was forced by pressure from the Nazi regime. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit User:FA2010, who released the work into the public domain.
The Welfenkreuz Vorderseite, a cross from the Guelph Treasure, photographed on display at the Kunstgewerbemuseum in Berlin in 2009. A U.S. court ruled it does not have jurisdiction to hear a lawsuit regarding the ownership of the Guelph Treasure, which was sold in 1935 by Jewish art dealers; their heirs claim the transaction was forced by pressure from the Nazi regime. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit User:FA2010, who released the work into the public domain.

The Welfenkreuz Vorderseite, a cross from the Guelph Treasure, photographed on display at the Kunstgewerbemuseum in Berlin in 2009. A U.S. court ruled it does not have jurisdiction to hear a lawsuit regarding the ownership of the Guelph Treasure, which was sold in 1935 by Jewish art dealers; their heirs claim the transaction was forced by pressure from the Nazi regime. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit User:FA2010, who released the work into the public domain.

BERLIN (AP) – An American court has thrown out a lawsuit against a German museum foundation about a medieval treasure trove that was filed by heirs of Nazi-era Jewish art dealers, saying that the U.S. lacked jurisdiction to hear such a lawsuit.

Continue reading

Auctions at Showplace offers treasures aplenty, Sept. 11

One of two Directoire brass-mounted mahogany commodes, est. $1,500-$2,500
One of two Directoire brass-mounted mahogany commodes, est. $1,500-$2,500
One of two Directoire brass-mounted mahogany commodes, est. $1,500-$2,500

NEW YORK – Auctions at Showplace will present its next New York City Estate Auction on Sunday, September 11, bringing together 280 lots of fine art, decorative arts, furnishings, fine jewelry and luxury goods. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

Continue reading

Dali Museum to mount show of dream-inspired paintings in November

Salvador Dali, ‘Shades of Night Descending,’ 1931. Oil on canvas. 24 by 19.75in. Collection of the Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL (USA). In the USA: © Salvador Dali Museum, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL 2022 / Worldwide: © Salvador Dali, Fundacio Gala-Salvador Dali, (ARS), 2022
Salvador Dali, ‘Shades of Night Descending,’ 1931. Oil on canvas. 24 by 19.75in. Collection of the Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL (USA). In the USA: © Salvador Dali Museum, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL 2022 / Worldwide: © Salvador Dali, Fundacio Gala-Salvador Dali, (ARS), 2022
Salvador Dali, ‘Shades of Night Descending,’ 1931. Oil on canvas. 24 by 19.75in. Collection of the Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL (USA). In the USA: © Salvador Dali Museum, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL 2022 / Worldwide: © Salvador Dali, Fundacio Gala-Salvador Dali, (ARS), 2022

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A new exhibition at the Dali Museum examines a profound yet common human experience — the dream. The Shape of Dreams, on view from Nov. 25 through April 30, 2023, explores 500 years of paintings from the 16th to the 20th century, demonstrating how artists throughout time have depicted the enigmatic state of awareness that often leaves dreamers searching for meaning.

Continue reading

Alabama archives to return Native American remains, burial objects

The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery, Ala., photographed in April 2009. During the week of August 8, the institution announced it had begun the process of returning Native American remains and funerary objects to the tribes from which they came, in accordance with federal law. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Chris Pruitt. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery, Ala., photographed in April 2009. During the week of August 8, the institution announced it had begun the process of returning Native American remains and funerary objects to the tribes from which they came, in accordance with federal law. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Chris Pruitt. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – The Alabama Department of Archives and History has announced that it is beginning the process of returning Native American remains and funerary objects held in its collections to tribes as required by federal law. The department also announced it had removed the funerary objects from displays where the artifacts had sat for years to be viewed by school groups and other visitors.

Continue reading

Australian aboriginal art has captured the world’s attention

This 1995 triptych by Emily Kame Kngwarreye, ‘Ochre Body Paint,’ sold for $19,000 plus the buyer’s premium in July 2022. Image courtesy of Abell Auction and LiveAuctioneers.
This 1995 triptych by Emily Kame Kngwarreye, ‘Ochre Body Paint,’ sold for $19,000 plus the buyer’s premium in July 2022. Image courtesy of Abell Auction and LiveAuctioneers.

NEW YORK — Aboriginal art — a term typically used to describe works made by the indigenous people of Australia — takes several forms, all intriguing. They range from body paint and bark paintings to rock art; ochre paintings using organic pigments; textiles; wood carvings; and paintings on canvas, linen or wood. Paintings, in particular, have become one of the most desirable forms of Aboriginal art to collect and are widely represented in museums and fine collections around the world.

Continue reading