‘Protest furniture’ by Brazilian Jose Zanine Caldas featured at Wright March 28

Jose Zanine Caldas, Namoradeira tete-a-tete rocker, estimated at $50,000-$70,000 at Wright.

CHICAGO — A signature example of ‘protest furniture’ by Brazilian designer Jose Zanine Caldas (1919-2001) is among the starring lots in the Wright Design sale on Thursday, March 28. Previously in a collection in Sao Paulo, the Namoradeira tete-a-tete rocker dating to circa 1963-1967 was consigned by a vendor in New York and is estimated at $50,000-$70,000. The sale catalog is open for bidding on LiveAuctioneers.

For more than a decade in the 1940s, Zanine Caldas ran a workshop in Sao Paulo where he made detailed scale models for top Brazilian architects, and later, plywood furniture inspired by European modernism. However, he soon tired of capitalism and instead moved back to his native Bahia, where he began to create furniture that was later called Móveis Denúncia – which translates to ‘protest furniture’. Inspired by local vernacular crafts and the natural resources around him, furnishings such as this rocker were often fashioned from a single piece of Brazilian hardwood. The rocker, with the branded signature Zanine, is pictured in the artist’s biography that was published in 2020.

Commanding top-lot status in this 254-lot auction is a pair of Gio Ponti lacquered wood, upholstery, and brass Triennale armchairs, dating to 1951. In this design for ISA, Bergamo, Ponti deconstructed the traditional form of the wing-back chair, inserting a metal frame within the wooden structure of the upholstered backrest to reinforce the apparently weightless form. This pair, with manufacturer’s labels to the back stretchers, have a provenance to Count Luigi Baldini of Ravenna, whose family owned several important Ponti designs. They are estimated at $70,000-$90,000.

A 1987 triple sliding door cabinet by George Nakashima in American black walnut inset with Indian mirrored glass is another exceptional piece. It was acquired directly from the artist in 1987 by Dr. Mortimer Dubovsky of New York and comes by descent. The cabinet is signed to the back with the client’s name, Duubovsky, and is sold with digital copies of the original invoice, drawings, and order card. Its estimate is $45,000-$65,000.

The sale also includes 10 lots designed by Pierre Jeanneret (1896-1967), many of which were made for the Chandigarh project. The Swiss artist, architect, and designer worked with his cousin Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (who assumed the pseudonym Le Corbusier) to create much of the Indian city’s civic architecture, including 14 different types of mass housing, plus furniture for some of the public buildings. A pair of teak and canework benches dating to circa 1956 from the MLA Flats building will be offered with an estimate of $12,000-$15,000.

No fewer than three Harry Bertoia Sonambients are part of the March 28 sale lineup. Beginning in 1960, Bertoia made thousands of these sounding sculptures, ranging from six inches to 20 feet in size, to produce all kinds of aesthetic, sonic, and kinetic properties.

Dating to 1963 is Untitled (Sonambient), formed of 81 3ft 6in high rods of beryllium copper and brass. The work was acquired directly from the artist by Sally Walsh of Houston, Texas in the year it was made, and it appears at auction for the first time with an estimate of $40,000-$60,000.

Jose Zanine Caldas, Namoradeira tete-a-tete rocker, estimated at $50,000-$70,000 at Wright.

Jose Zanine Caldas, Namoradeira tete-a-tete rocker, estimated at $50,000-$70,000 at Wright.

Gio Ponti, Triennale armchairs, estimated at $70,000-$90,000 at Wright.

Gio Ponti, Triennale armchairs, estimated at $70,000-$90,000 at Wright.

Pierre Jeanneret, benches from the M.L.A. Flats building, Chandigarh, India, estimated at $12,000-$15,000 at Wright.

Pierre Jeanneret, benches from the M.L.A. Flats building, Chandigarh, India, estimated at $12,000-$15,000 at Wright.

George Nakashima, triple sliding door cabinet, estimated at $45,000-$65,000 at Wright.

George Nakashima, triple sliding door cabinet, estimated at $45,000-$65,000 at Wright.George Nakashima, triple sliding door cabinet, estimated at $45,000-$65,000 at Wright.

Harry Bertoia, 'Untitled (Sonambient),' estimated at $40,000-$60,000 at Wright.

Harry Bertoia, 'Untitled (Sonambient),' estimated at $40,000-$60,000 at Wright.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

Famed architect and designer Thierry Despont’s estate showcased at Roland NY April 6

Thierry Despont mixed metal sculpture, estimated at $10,000-$15,000 at Roland NY.

GLEN COVE, N.Y. — Roland NY will present a very rare auction opportunity when it offers the highly anticipated collection from the estate of world-renowned New York architect and designer Thierry Despont on Saturday, April 6. The complete catalog is now open for review and bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

Despont (1948-2023) lived in a 10,000-square-foot Tribeca townhouse at 182 Franklin Street that recently sold for $25 million, and Roland’s sale features more than 200 lots of ‘rare and highly curated’ pieces from the late designer’s collection. Included is artwork, furniture, rare books, and sculptures which have never appeared at auction previously.

Architectural Digest called Despont “the designer of choice for titans of industry.” He rose to fame when he worked on the 1986 renovation of the Statue of Liberty’s torch, crown, and stairways. He also oversaw the restoration of the Woolworth Building. In other engagements, he built houses for Bill Gates, Conrad Black, Ralph Lauren, and Michael Douglas.

Choice pieces include a Thierry Despont mixed metal sculpture featuring a moon-form disc on a vise and stand, exhibited at Marlborough Gallery in New York in 2008. It carries an estimate of $10,000-$15,000.

An 18th-century portrait painting of author and poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744), attributed to Joseph Highmore (1692-1780), is another top lot. The work has an inscribed label on the verso bearing a date of 1728, with an additional label for art dealers Scott & Fowles, who were in business on Fifth Avenue in New York from 1905 to 1943. It is estimated at $2,500-$3,500.

Likely connected to Despont’s restoration of the Statue of Liberty is Lady Liberty, an abstract of polished Belgian black marble, signed and dated by sculptor Benoit Luyckx (b. 1955-). It is estimated at $1,500-$2,500.

Despont clearly loved mid-century modern furniture. Two key items include a Le Corbusier LC4 easy chair estimated at $1,000–$1,500 and a Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Knoll Barcelona daybed with a chrome base and black leather seat, which has an estimate of $1,000-$1,500.

Thierry Despont mixed metal sculpture, estimated at $10,000-$15,000 at Roland NY.

Thierry Despont mixed metal sculpture, estimated at $10,000-$15,000 at Roland NY.

Attributed to Joseph Highmore, portrait of author and poet Alexander Pope, estimated at $2,500-$3,500 at Roland NY.

Attributed to Joseph Highmore, portrait of author and poet Alexander Pope, estimated at $2,500-$3,500 at Roland NY.

Benoit Luyckx, 'Lady Liberty,' estimated at $1,500-$2,500 at Roland NY.

Benoit Luyckx, 'Lady Liberty,' estimated at $1,500-$2,500 at Roland NY.

Le Corbusier LC4 easy chair, estimated at $1,000-$1,500 at Roland NY.

Le Corbusier LC4 easy chair, estimated at $1,000-$1,500 at Roland NY.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Knoll Barcelona daybed, estimated at $1,000-$1,500 at Roland NY.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Knoll Barcelona daybed, estimated at $1,000-$1,500 at Roland NY.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

1929 Whippet roadster was the top Howard Meyer estate lot at Miller and Miller

1929 Whippet Model 96A four-cylinder roadster, which sold for CA$22,000 ($19,990 with buyer’s premium) at Miller & Miller.

NEW HAMBURG, Canada – A 1929 Whippet Model 96A four-cylinder roadster roared away for CA$22,000 ($19,990 with buyer’s premium), a vintage Canadian porcelain sign for White Rose realized CA$15,000 ($18,450 with buyer’s premium), and vintage Schuco toys commanded high prices at Miller & Miller on March 1 and March 2. Complete results can be seen at LiveAuctioneers.

The March 1 toys auction showcased the late Howard Meyer collection, including 180 lots dominated by examples from Schuco. “Condition and rarity reign supreme as the determining factors when it comes to value in toys,” said Justin Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd. “Many of the toys in Howie’s collection were exceptional examples.”

The March 2 sale contained 398 lots of petroliana (gas station collectibles), advertising signs, toys, soda advertising, and model planes. “As the market for quality petroliana and advertising continues to mature, collectors are willing to pay higher and higher prices for top examples,” Miller said.

A 1930s Red Indian Motor Oils single-sided porcelain sign boasted excellent color and gloss and measured 24 by 17in. It sold for CA$12,000 ($10,905 with buyer’s premium).

A Murad Turkish Cigarettes single-sided tin sign, made in the US in the 1900s and featuring a detailed image of a Turkish beauty in colorful attire holding a serving tray with a package of Murad Cigarettes, the whole measuring 39 by 28 ½in, went for CA$10,000 ($9,090 with buyer’s premium).

The top earner of all the toy lots was a 1962 Schuco 6333 Disneyland Alweg-Monorail G-Set, marked ‘Disneyland’ and ‘Schuco’ on all parts, with track, cable, supports, a three-piece model monorail, and its original box and instructions. It brought CA$1,800 ($2,105 with buyer’s premium).

1929 Whippet Model 96A four-cylinder roadster, which sold for CA$22,000 ($19,990 with buyer’s premium) at Miller & Miller.

1929 Whippet Model 96A four-cylinder roadster, which sold for CA$22,000 ($19,990 with buyer’s premium) at Miller & Miller.

White Rose sign, which sold for CA$15,000 ($18,450 with buyer’s premium) at Miller & Miller.

White Rose sign, which sold for CA$15,000 ($18,450 with buyer’s premium) at Miller & Miller.

Red Indian Motor Oils sign, which sold for CA$12,000 ($10,905 with buyer’s premium) at Miller & Miller.

Red Indian Motor Oils sign, which sold for CA$12,000 ($10,905 with buyer’s premium) at Miller & Miller.

Schuco 6333 Disneyland Alweg-Monorail G-Set, which sold for CA$1,800 ($2,105 with buyer’s premium) at Miller & Miller.

Schuco 6333 Disneyland Alweg-Monorail G-Set, which sold for CA$1,800 ($2,105 with buyer’s premium) at Miller & Miller.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

Mario Bellini and Doyle Lane star at Billings Modern Art and Design sale March 30

Mario Bellini, Cameleonda four-piece sectional, $10,000-$15,000 at Billings.

LOS ANGELES — Furniture by Mario Bellini and weed pots by Doyle Lane are highlights of the Spring 2024 Modern Art & Design sale being held Saturday, March 30 by Billings. The catalog is now available for review and bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

Born in 1935, Mario Bellini is a titan of Italian architecture and industrial design. He has served as a designer for numerous consumer goods companies, including Olivetti, Renault, and Yamaha. The sale boasts three of his furniture designs, including a circa-1970 Camaleonda four-piece sectional sofa. Said to be in excellent restored condition, the C&B Italia set is estimated at $10,000-$15,000.

Four examples of the famous weed pot by Doyle Lane (1923-2002) are also included, all estimated at $5,000-$7,000. This example is in glazed earthenware and is incised LANE on its base.

Beverly Pepper (1922-2020) was an American expatriate who lived in Italy starting in the 1950s. She specialized in monumental sculptures, and was never identified as belonging to any particular movement. This 76in untitled sculpture is made of cast aluminum and marble, and its base is impressed with the initials BP. It carries an estimate of $20,000-$30,000.

Attributed to Argentine-Italian artist Lucio Fontana (1899-1968), this untitled ceramic sculpture is marked L Fontana 53 and comes with a period photo of the work. It is estimated at $7,000-$9,000.

For a half century, Los Angeles-based designer Evelyn Ackerman (1924-2012) — together with her husband Jerome — were central figures in the California mid-century modernism movement. In The Garden, a mosaic panel measuring 12.75in high by 36.5in in length, was produced by ERA Industries as model no. 206 in 1958. It is estimated at $5,000-$7,000.

Mario Bellini, Cameleonda four-piece sectional, $10,000-$15,000 at Billings.

Mario Bellini, Cameleonda four-piece sectional, $10,000-$15,000 at Billings.

Doyle Lane, Weed Pot, estimated at $5,000-$7,000 at Billings.

Doyle Lane, Weed Pot, estimated at $5,000-$7,000 at Billings.

Untitled sculpture by Beverly Pepper, estimated at $20,000-$30,000 at Billings.

Untitled sculpture by Beverly Pepper, estimated at $20,000-$30,000 at Billings.

Ceramic sculpture attributed to Luciano Fontana, estimated at $7,000-$9,000 at Billings.

Ceramic sculpture attributed to Luciano Fontana, estimated at $7,000-$9,000 at Billings.

Evelyn Ackerman, 'In The Garden' mosaic panel, estimated at $5,000-$7,000 at Billings.

Evelyn Ackerman, 'In The Garden' mosaic panel, estimated at $5,000-$7,000 at Billings.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

Trio of Roman portrait busts of women earned almost $1.6M at Lyon and Turnbull

Roman Trajanic marble bust of Pompeia Plotina, one of three larger-than-life busts of women that sold for a combined £1.26 million ($1.59 million) at Lyon & Turnbull.

GREENFORD, UK – Three larger-than-life-size Roman portrait busts with an 18th-century provenance linked to Cobham Hall in Kent, England have sold for a combined £1.26 million ($1.59 million) at Lyon & Turnbull.

The trio of massive second century marble heads all sold to the same determined phone bidder as part of the Edinburgh and London firm’s first designated sale of Classical Ancient Art on March 21. Results can be seen at LiveAuctioneers.

The sculptures were previously owned by John Bligh, 4th Earl of Darnley (1767-1831), the Lord of the Manor of Cobham. A noted amateur cricketer who made at least 27 appearances in first-class cricket matches between 1789 and 1796, he employed the architect James Wyatt to remodel the interiors at Cobham Hall.

The sculptures, each now housed on 19th-century stands, remained in situ until the house changed hands in 1957. They were part of a sale held by Sotheby’s in London in July of that year.

As with the best Roman sculpture, these were pieces that combined huge decorative appeal with academic clout.

In chronological order and setting the pace when it hammered at £600,000 ($767,360) and sold for £780,000 ($988,120) against an estimate of £25,000-£35,000 ($31,670-$44,340) was a 3ft 3in (97cm) bust of Pompeia Plotina dating to circa 110-120 AD. Born around 70 AD, she assumed the role of empress consort when Trajan rose through the ranks of the Roman military to become emperor in 98 AD.

Although she eschewed many of the trappings of power and luxury often associated with imperial life, she is shown in the bust as an idealized beauty with an elaborate coiffure and corkscrew fringe and a palla draped over the back of her head and over her shoulders. There had been huge interest around the £100,000 mark, but two phone bidders and a bidder online tussled as the competition reached the end game.

Trajan was conservative in nature, and Trajanic portrait sculpture was idealized to accentuate Roman virtues. With changing artistic sensibilities and philosophical trends, far more naturalism emerged during the reign of his successor, Hadrian. This is observed in a sensitively rendered bust of an older aristocratic lady of the middle Hadrianic period, dating to circa 125-130 AD. That sculpture was estimated at £20,000-£30,000 ($25,335-$38,005), hammered for £160,000 ($204,630) and sold for £209,600 ($265,470) with buyer’s premium.

In 138 AD Antoninus Pius would succeed Hadrian as emperor, and his wife Faustina the Elder was granted the title of Augusta by the Senate. A highly idealized and rejuvenated image of the empress in the guise of the goddess Hera, dated to around 135-140 AD, was estimated at £25,000-£35,000 ($31,670-$44,340), but as with the Pompeia Plotina bust, it hammered for £600,000 ($767,360) and sold for £780,000 ($988,120) with buyer’s premium.

“Three monumental sculptures with monumental prices to boot,” said Gavin Strang, auctioneer on the day. The winning bidder of all three lots was described as an international buyer.

Roman Trajanic marble bust of Pompeia Plotina, which hammered for £600,000 ($767,360) and sold for £780,000 ($988,120) with buyer’s premium at Lyon & Turnbull.

Roman Trajanic marble bust of Pompeia Plotina, which hammered for £600,000 ($767,360) and sold for £780,000 ($988,120) with buyer’s premium at Lyon & Turnbull.

Roman Antonine marble bust of Faustina the Elder, which hammered for £600,000 ($767,360) and sold for £780,000 ($988,120) with buyer’s premium at Lyon & Turnbull.

Roman Antonine marble bust of Faustina the Elder, which hammered for £600,000 ($767,360) and sold for £780,000 ($988,120) with buyer’s premium at Lyon & Turnbull.

Roman Hadrianic marble bust of a lady, which hammered for £160,000 ($204,630) and sold for £209,600 ($265,470) with buyer’s premium at Lyon & Turnbull.

Roman Hadrianic marble bust of a lady, which hammered for £160,000 ($204,630) and sold for £209,600 ($265,470) with buyer’s premium at Lyon & Turnbull.

Sheila Gibson Stoodley

Sheila Gibson Stoodley

Sheila Gibson Stoodley is the associate editor for Auction Central News. She has written and edited for Robb Report, Art & Antiques magazine, and Andrew Harper online. She also authored The Hot Bid, a blog devoted to intriguing and delightful lots coming up at auction.

American and English art, antiques, and silver enliven Ahlers & Ogletree April 3-4

E. Ambrose Webster untitled landscape, estimated at $20,000-$25,000 at Ahlers & Ogletree.

ATLANTA — Nearly 780 lots of fine American and English art, along with Continental and Asian art, will be offered at a massive two-day sale at Ahlers & Ogletree on Wednesday, April 3 and Thursday, April 4. The catalogs are now available for review and bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

Day 1’s highest-estimated lot is an untitled landscape by E. Ambrose Webster (1869-1935). Webster was one of the founders of the Provincetown art colony in Massachusetts and was a major figure in the American Modernist movement. The oil on canvas depicts an impressionistic landscape with trees, buildings, and mountains, is signed at the lower right, and comes in a gilt frame. It is estimated at $20,000-$25,000.

William Kent (1685-1748) was a painter and designer who heralded the Palladian style of architecture in England. Not only would he create complete interior designs for homes, he would also design their gardens in such a manner that he singlehandedly created the English landscape garden movement. His furniture is highly sought-after today, and this George III giltwood pier table is described by Ahlers & Ogletree as “in the manner of William Kent.” Dating to the 18th century, the table has a faux malachite patterned plaster top and a Vitruvian scroll frieze. It carries an estimate of $15,000-$30,000.

Spanish Baroque artist Bartolome Esteban Murillo (1617-1682) made a career of religious artwork. Moses at the Rock of Horeb is a 19th-century depiction of the famous biblical event done in his style. The monumental work (49.5 by 98.125in) is noted by A&O to have alternative names, including Moses and the Water from the Rock of Horeb and Moses Striking the Rock, examples of which are held in the collection of Hospital de la Caridad in Seville, Spain, for which it was commissioned. The work is estimated at $8,000-$12,000.

This Chinese celadon dragon jardiniere with French gilt bronze mounts dates to the late 19th century. It features a flared rim above a tapering body, and is decorated with white dragons and cloud forms. It last sold at New Orleans Auction Gallery in 2021, and is now estimated at $4,000-$6,000.

E. Ambrose Webster untitled landscape, estimated at $20,000-$25,000 at Ahlers & Ogletree.

E. Ambrose Webster untitled landscape, estimated at $20,000-$25,000 at Ahlers & Ogletree.

George III giltwood pier table, estimated at $15,000-$30,000 at Ahlers & Ogletree.

George III giltwood pier table, estimated at $15,000-$30,000 at Ahlers & Ogletree.

After Bartolome Esteban Murillo, 'Moses at the Rock of Horeb,' estimated at $8,000-$12,000 at Ahlers & Ogletree.

After Bartolome Esteban Murillo, 'Moses at the Rock of Horeb,' estimated at $8,000-$12,000 at Ahlers & Ogletree.

Chinese celadon dragon jardiniere, estimated at $4,000-$6,000 at Ahlers & Ogletree.

Chinese celadon dragon jardiniere, estimated at $4,000-$6,000 at Ahlers & Ogletree.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

Lionel Messi’s first contract, written on a napkin, could score $636K at Bonhams May 17

The napkin that secured the services of a 13-year-old Lionel Messi for Barcelona Football Club, estimated at £300,000-£500,000 ($381,880-$636,445) at Bonhams.

LONDON – What is probably the world’s most famous napkin – the document that secured the services of a young Lionel Messi to Barcelona Football Club – will be auctioned at Bonhams. The single-lot online sale runs from Wednesday, May 8, to Friday, May 17, and boasts an estimate of £300,000-£500,000 ($381,880-$636,445). Bidding is available via LiveAuctioneers.

The story has been told many times in footballing circles. Barcelona’s recruitment of the prodigiously talented Argentine boy had not been without its obstacles. At under five feet tall, some thought Messi too small, and balked at the potential cost of signing a 13-year-old.

By December 2000, Messi’s father Jorge, a supervisor in a steel mill, had become impatient at the lack of commitment from the Spanish club and brought the matter to a head when representatives from both sides met for lunch at the Pompeia tennis club in Barcelona. Sensing things had reached a crucial moment, Gaggioli Rexach, Barca’s sporting director, pulled a paper napkin from a dispenser on the table … and began to write with his ballpoint pen.

It stated: “En Barcelona, a 14 de diciembre del 2000 y en presencia de los Sres. Minguella y Horacio, Carles Rexach, secretario técnico del FC Barcelona, se compromete bajo su responsabilidad y a pesar de algunas opiniones en contra a fichar al jugador Lionel Messi siempre y cuando nos mantengamos en las cantidades acordadas”.

This translates as: “In Barcelona, on 14 December 2000 and the presence of Messrs Minguella and Horacio, Carles Rexach, FC Barcelona’s sporting director, hereby agrees, under his responsibility and regardless of any dissenting opinions, to sign the player Lionel Messi, provided that we keep to the amounts agreed upon.”

The statement was signed by Carles Rexach, a longstanding player and coach for the club, and Josep Minguella, the transfer advisor who had arranged for Messi’s first tryout in Spain in September 2000. Horacio Gaggioli, the Argentine agent who brought Messi to the attention of Carles Rexach, was also at the table, and he, too, signed the napkin. It is Gaggioli who is offering it for sale.

Ian Ehling, head of books and manuscripts at Bonhams New York, described the 6.5 by 6.5in (16.5 by 16.5cm) sheet of tissue as “one of the most thrilling items I have ever handled. Yes, it’s a paper napkin, but it’s the famous napkin that was at the inception of Lionel Messi’s career. It changed the life of Messi, the future of FC Barcelona, and was instrumental in giving some of the most glorious moments of football to billions of fans around the globe.”

The napkin that secured the services of a 13-year-old Lionel Messi for Barcelona Football Club, estimated at £300,000-£500,000 ($381,880-$636,445) at Bonhams.

The napkin that secured the services of a 13-year-old Lionel Messi for Barcelona Football Club, estimated at £300,000-£500,000 ($381,880-$636,445) at Bonhams.

Roland Arkell

Roland Arkell

Roland Arkell is editor of Auction Central News and deputy editor at Antiques Trade Gazette. He has been writing about all aspects of the art and antiques market for more than 25 years.

African American historical ephemera was the focus at Freeman’s Hindman

'I Am A Man' poster, which sold for $7,500 ($9,825 with buyer’s premium) at Freeman's Hindman.

CINCINNATI — Nearly 330 lots of historical ephemera crossed the block at Freeman’s Hindman February 27, with the focus on African American items. Complete results are available at LiveAuctioneers.

The sale’s top lot was a first edition of Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960), the prominent black author and civil rights advocate. Published by Lippincott in 1937, the book recounts a strong, independent black woman protagonist on a quest to find her true identity. It hammered for $15,000 ($19,650 with buyer’s premium).

The legendary ‘I Am A Man’ poster became a powerful and prominent symbol of the Civil Rights Movement after its use, originally during the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike, which continued from February to April of 1968. More than a thousand black sanitation workers in Memphis walked off the job after two of their own were crushed by a garbage truck compactor and the public works department refused compensation to their families. The cause drew the attention and support of Martin Luther King, Jr. The poster sold for $7,500 ($9,825 with buyer’s premium).

Two photographs of ‘Buffalo Soldiers’ from Company D, 24th US Infantry, sold for $7,000 ($9,170 with buyer’s premium). One of the images was credited to African American photographers J. P. Ball & Son of Helena, Montana. The image dated to 1902-1904.

A final highlight was an 1866 marriage license and certificate for a freedman and freedwoman in Talbot County, Georgia. The license authorized the union of ‘Cicero Vaughn (freedman) and Ellen Gorman (freedwoman)’ in holy matrimony, and was dated 15 September 1866. It hammered for $6,000 ($7,860 with buyer’s premium).

Zora Neale Hurston, 'Their Eyes Were Watching God,' which sold for $15,000 ($19,650 with buyer’s premium) at Freeman's Hindman.

Zora Neale Hurston, 'Their Eyes Were Watching God,' which sold for $15,000 ($19,650 with buyer’s premium) at Freeman's Hindman.

'I Am A Man' poster, which sold for $7,500 ($9,825 with buyer’s premium) at Freeman's Hindman.

'I Am A Man' poster, which sold for $7,500 ($9,825 with buyer’s premium) at Freeman's Hindman.

Two photographs of 'Buffalo Soldiers,' which sold for $7,000 ($9,170 with buyer’s premium) at Freeman's Hindman.

Two photographs of 'Buffalo Soldiers,' which sold for $7,000 ($9,170 with buyer’s premium) at Freeman's Hindman.

1866 marriage license and certificate for a freedman and freedwoman in Talbot County, Georgia, which sold for $6,000 ($7,860 with buyer’s premium) at Freeman's Hindman.

1866 marriage license and certificate for a freedman and freedwoman in Talbot County, Georgia, which sold for $6,000 ($7,860 with buyer’s premium) at Freeman's Hindman.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.

Sparkling Splendor: Exquisite Jewelry Auction set for New York March 29

Tiffany & Co. 18K gold orchid or calla lily pin or brooch dating to the 1950s, estimated at $5,000-$6,000 at Jasper52.

NEW YORK – On Friday, March 29, beginning at 8 pm Eastern time, Jasper52 will conduct a sale titled Sparkling Splendor: Exquisite Jewelry Auction, featuring more than 200 lots of brooches, pins, bangle bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings, and other pieces by renowned designers and houses. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

Precious metals are fundamental to all forms of jewelry, but few are more beloved than gold in its original color, yellow. The three highlights of this sale all showcase 18K gold.

First among them is a large Tiffany & Co. 18K gold pin or brooch, taking the form of an orchid or a calla lily. It dates to the 1950s, comes with a Tiffany & Co. pouch and box, and is estimated at $5,000-$6,000.

Adding power and ferocity as well as elegance to an outfit is a vintage 18K gold, emerald, ruby, and diamond lioness bangle bracelet by the Greek designer Ilias Lalaounis. It sports 88 emeralds, 22 diamonds, and four rubies in total, and it is estimated at $16,000-$19,000.

Certain to elevate any wardrobe is a vintage Mario Buccellati 18K gold wide cuff bracelet. It weighs in at slightly more than two ounces and sports a pattern of rippling chevrons, and has an estimate of $20,000-$24,000.

Tiffany & Co. 18K gold orchid or calla lily pin or brooch dating to the 1950s, estimated at $5,000-$6,000 at Jasper52.

Tiffany and Co orchid calla lilly

Ilias Lalaounis 18K gold, emerald, ruby, and diamond lioness bangle bracelet, estimated at $16,000-$19,000 at Jasper52.

Ilias Lalaounis 18K gold, emerald, ruby, and diamond lioness bangle bracelet, estimated at $16,000-$19,000 at Jasper52.

Mario Buccellati 18K gold wide cuff bracelet, estimated at $20,000-$24,000 at Jasper52.

Mario Buccellati 18K gold wide cuff bracelet, estimated at $20,000-$24,000 at Jasper52.

Sheila Gibson Stoodley

Sheila Gibson Stoodley

Sheila Gibson Stoodley is the associate editor for Auction Central News. She has written and edited for Robb Report, Art & Antiques magazine, and Andrew Harper online. She also authored The Hot Bid, a blog devoted to intriguing and delightful lots coming up at auction.

The eclectic Fritz and Lucy Jewett collection comes to Andrew Jones March 26-27

James Edward Buttersworth oil on board of two 19th-century racing yachts in the Americas Cup, estimated at $10,000-$15,000 at Andrew Jones.

LOS ANGELES — Andrew Jones’ first Design for the Home and Garden auction of the year, set for Tuesday, March 26 and Wednesday, March 27, will feature the collection of Fritz and Lucy Jewett of San Francisco — more than 550 lots of American, English, and European silver, as well as Asian works of art, English and Continental antiques, books, decorative and fine art, porcelain and glass, jewelry, and luxury items. The catalogs are now available for review and bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

“I first visited the Jewetts in 2008 and remember being bowled over by the breadth and refinement of their collection,” said Andrew Jones, the president of Andrew Jones Auctions. “It is an honor to have been selected to present the property of this amazing couple to a new generation of connoisseurs.”

Owing to their lifelong participation as sailors in the Americas Cup race, a leading lot in the sale is a circa-1886 James Edward Buttersworth (1817–1894) oil on board of two racing yachts at sea, believed to be Puritan, the successful defender in the 1885 Americas Cup contest, and Genesta, its British rival. It carries an estimate of $10,000-$15,000.

The king of candid and street photography, Henri Cartier-Bresson, makes a top-tier appearance in the sale. Rue Mouffetard, Paris was captured in 1954 as a young boy jauntily walks through the neighborhood carrying two large (for him) bottles of wine. This example is signed by the photographer with his copyright stamp, is dated 1995, and is estimated at $15,000-$20,000.

This set of 12 George IV sterling silver soup plates is credited to John Mewburn of London and dates to 1823. The plates carry a coat of arms surmounted by a coronet above the motto Excitari Non Hebescere (Be Excited, Not Faded). With provenance to Lieutenant General George de Grey, 3rd Baron Walsingham (1776-1831), London and Merton Hall, Norfolk, England, the set is estimated at $4,000-$6,000.

The Jewetts also owned a Ralph Eugene Cahoon, Jr. (1910-1982) naive work entitled Municipal Railway (Foggy Day in Frisco). Though Cahoon’s work was generally themed around his Cape Cod home and lifestyle, this oil on board focused on a San Francisco icon, the cable car. It is estimated at $15,000-$25,000.

From a private Chicago collection comes a fine Italian micromosaic table top. Believed to be from the workshop of Cesare Roccheggiani in Rome, the late 19th-century work centrally depicts St. Peter’s Square, with smaller scenes of Roman landmarks including the Pantheon, the Arch of Titus, the Campidoglio, the Forum, the Colosseum, the Temple of Hercules Victor, Castel Sant’Angelo, and the Tomb of Cecilia Metalla. The 22.25in-diameter top is estimated at $20,000-$30,000.

James Edward Buttersworth oil on board of two 19th-century racing yachts in the Americas Cup, estimated at $10,000-$15,000 at Andrew Jones.

James Edward Buttersworth oil on board of two 19th-century racing yachts in the Americas Cup, estimated at $10,000-$15,000 at Andrew Jones.

Henri Cartier-Bresson, 'Rue Mouffetard, Paris,' estimated at $15,000-$20,000 at Andrew Jones.

Henri Cartier-Bresson, 'Rue Mouffetard, Paris,' estimated at $15,000-$20,000 at Andrew Jones.

Set of 12 George IV sterling silver soup plates, estimated at $4,000-$6,000 at Andrew Jones.

Set of 12 George IV sterling silver soup plates, estimated at $4,000-$6,000 at Andrew Jones.

Ralph Eugene Cahoon, Jr., 'Municipal Railway (Foggy Day in Frisco),' estimated at $15,000-$25,000 at Andrew Jones.

Ralph Eugene Cahoon, Jr., 'Municipal Railway (Foggy Day in Frisco),' estimated at $15,000-$25,000 at Andrew Jones.

Italian micromosaic table top, estimated at $20,000-$30,000 at Andrew Jones.

Italian micromosaic table top, estimated at $20,000-$30,000 at Andrew Jones.

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte

Jim Bunte has worked in editorial, design and the toy and auction industries for more than 30 years. He co-founded Auction Central News in 2007.