April 30, 2024 - Auction Central News

Madeleine Albright’s collection, including many of her celebrated pins, shine at Freeman’s Hindman May 7

Green and white rhinestone and metal snake pin by Kenneth Jay Lane, estimated at $200-$300 at Freeman’s Hindman.

NEW YORK – Madeleine K. Albright did a tough job, and she did it well. Serving as the US secretary of state is a stark challenge regardless, but being the first woman to hold the post adds an extra layer of difficulty. Albright (1937-2022) was chosen by President Bill Clinton for this crucial role in his administration, which she held from 1997 to 2001. She found a distinctly feminine way to wield her power and influence: through the brooches she pinned to the garments she wore. On Tuesday, May 7, Freeman’s Hindman will present The Private Collection of Secretary Madeleine K. Albright, and among the 142 lots are several of her celebrated pins. The sale catalog is now open for bidding at LiveAuctioneers.

Expressive pins became Albright’s sartorial signature when she was the US ambassador to the United Nations, a post she held from 1993 until 1997, when she accepted the secretary of state role. At one point during her tenure, her criticism of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein prompted his poet-in-residence to write verse scorning her as “an unparalleled serpent”, which the Iraqi government press duly published. Though Albright was not fond of snakes, she donned a snake-form brooch for her next meeting with Iraqi officials. The incident proved that a well-chosen pin could literally be a statement piece, rich with meaning. While the sale lineup does not contain the pin that launched Albright’s collection, it does feature a metal Kenneth Jay Lane snake-form pin festooned with green and white rhinestones and estimated at $200-$300.

Albright chose pins that reflected her journey and her life story. A contemporary glass and gold foil Breaking the Glass Ceiling pin designed by Vivian Shimoyama captured the historic nature of Albright’s tenure as secretary of state. A Town & Country article on her collection pictured her wearing the pin at an award ceremony for the second woman secretary of state, Hilary Clinton. The Shimoyama pin is estimated at $500-$700, while a second lot of suffragette-themed jewelry from Albright’s collection has an estimate of $700-$900.

Another choice in the May 7 sale speaks to Albright’s original nationality. She was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, but her family left for the US after her diplomat father, an anti-Communist, resigned his government post when Communists rose to power in 1948. This Art Nouveau owl-form pin in silver and enamel, after a design by Czech artist Alphonse Mucha and bearing a ‘Mucha’ stamp, has an estimate of $300-$500.

Albright’s family arrived in America in 1948, at Ellis Island in New York, as asylum-seekers fleeing Communist Czechoslovakia. Nine years later, she became a naturalized citizen. One of her favorite pin motifs was the eagle, a symbol of her new homeland. She wore a spread-winged eagle pin for her swearing-in ceremony as secretary of state as well as for her official secretary of state portrait. She also made a practice of bestowing eagle pins on her women counterparts from other countries as US diplomatic gifts. One of the lots on offer contains three costume jewelry eagle pins, including two by Carol Sarkisian, together estimated at $500-$700.

In 2009, an exhibit of her jewelry titled Read My Pins debuted at the National Museum of American Diplomacy and traveled to more than 20 other venues, including the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C. Albright attended the show’s 2012 opening at the Mint, and was presented with an 18K gold crown pin set with 26 round brilliant-cut diamonds and bearing her last name. It now carries an estimate of $1,500-$2,500.

Green and white rhinestone and metal snake pin by Kenneth Jay Lane, estimated at $200-$300 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Glass and gold foil ‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling’ pin designed by Vivian Shimoyama, estimated at $500-$700 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Art Nouveau owl-form pin in silver and enamel after a design by Czech artist Alphonse Mucha and bearing a ‘Mucha’ stamp, estimated at $300-$500 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Collection of costume jewelry eagle pins, including two by Carol Sarkisian, estimated at $500-$700 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Collection of suffragette-themed jewelry, estimated at $700-$900 at Freeman’s Hindman.

18K gold crown pin set with 26 round brilliant-cut diamonds, given to Madeleine Albright at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C. at the 2012 opening of the ‘Read My Pins’ exhibit, estimated at $1,500-$2,500 at Freeman’s Hindman.

Madeleine Albright, shown in her circa-1997 official portrait as the US secretary of state, prominently wearing a spread-winged eagle pin. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, which states that as a work of the US federal government, the image is in the public domain.

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.

19th Century Arctic map annotated by Scottish explorer John Rae sold way beyond estimate at Cheffins

Malby & Sons Chart of the North Polar Sea annotated by Scottish explorer John Rae, which sold for £8,000 ($10,100, or $12,625 with buyer's premium) at Cheffins on April 4.

CAMBRIDGE, UK – The commercial fortunes of a 19th-century map of the Arctic offered by Cheffins on March 4 were boosted greatly by its annotations. Notes in red and black ink to this Malby & Sons Chart of the North Polar Sea were made by the Scottish explorer and surgeon John Rae (1813-1893), the man who discovered the fate of the lost Franklin expedition. Full results for the sale can be seen at LiveAuctioneers.

The map came by descent from the family of the Victorian Member of Parliament Albert Pell (1820-1907). While family records do not tell of a meeting between Pell and Rae, both worked with the Hudson Bay Company’s Office in the 1870s.

Rae completed four Arctic exploration voyages, mapping much of the Arctic coastlines on foot or by boat. The Rae Strait at King William Land – the final piece of the jigsaw in discovering a Northwest Passage – is named after him. Second in command of Sir John Richardson’s party sent to search for Franklin, he returned with artifacts including a small silver plate engraved ‘Sir John Franklin, KCH’ and the information that close to 30 corpses had been found. Rae made two reports on his findings: one for the public, which omitted any mention of cannibalism, and another for the Admiralty, which included it. However, the latter was leaked to the press, and caused great outcry in Victorian society, not least with Franklin’s widow, Lady Franklin, who refused to accept the news and campaigned against Rae.

Cheffins’ lithographic map was originally found inserted into an 1848 copy of A. Keith Johnson’s The Physical Atlas illustrating the Geographical Distribution of Natural Phaenomena. Rae marked his personal discoveries in black ink with other ‘track on coast or previously explored’ routes indicated in red. He added a marginal note stating: ‘Here the hydrographer of the Admiralty took 10 or 15 miles from my discoveries so as to make Collinson’s appear the farthest. I was at this place a year (in 1851) before Collinson. J Rae’.

In Cambridge on April 4, the annotated map was estimated at £400-£800 ($505-$1,010) but took £8,000 ($10,100, or $12,625 with buyer’s premium) from a bidder using the LiveAuctioneers platform. The Victorian atlas in which it was stored was offered separately, selling for £150 ($190, or $235 with buyer’s premium).

Malby & Sons Chart of the North Polar Sea annotated by Scottish explorer John Rae, which sold for £8,000 ($10,100, or $12,625 with buyer's premium) at Cheffins on April 4.

Detail of the Chart of the North Polar Sea annotated by Scottish explorer John Rae, which sold for £8,000 ($10,100, or $12,625 with buyer's premium) at Cheffins on April 4.

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.

American, European, and Asian arts and antiques from single-owner collection grace Tremont May 5

Chinese export oil on canvas of an imperial audience given by the Jaiqing emperor, estimated at $15,000-$18,000 at Tremont Auctions.

SUDBURY, MA – A Chinese export oil showing a Qing emperor at court leads a single-owner dispersal at Tremont Auctions on Sunday, May 5. The 338-lot sale comprises an eclectic Massachusetts collection of American, European, and Asian arts and antiques. The catalog is now open at LiveAuctioneers.

Commanding the highest estimate, at $15,000-$18,000, is an early 19th-century oil on canvas laid on board depicting an imperial audience given by the emperor Jaiqing (1796-1820). It is thought to depict the pavilions in the Old Summer Palace, the main imperial residence of the Qing emperors and the center of state affairs. It was largely destroyed by French and British troops in the final act of the Second Opium War in October 1860.

Although relatively rare, the scene is well known. A body color on linen version is housed in the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, and was brought back to England circa 1800 by Richard Hill, who served as a supercargo for the British East India Company. It is pictured in the influential book Chinese Export Art in the Eighteenth Century by Margaret Jourdain and Soame Jenyns, which attributes the work to the studio of Lam Qua (1801-1860), the Chinese painter from Canton who specialized in Western-style portraits intended largely for export.

Estimated at $14,000-$18,000 is a textbook White Mountain scene by Benjamin Champney (1817-1907). Signed and dated 1856, this 2ft 2in by 3ft canvas in its original frame depicts Mount Chocorua, the easternmost peak of the Sandwich Range. It is likely the painting exhibited in 1856 at the Boston Athenaeum titled N.H. Lake Scenery, Mt. Chocorua in the Distance. Champney had bought a house more than 50 years.

Chinese export oil on canvas of an imperial audience given by the Jaiqing emperor, estimated at $15,000-$18,000 at Tremont Auctions.

'N.H. Lake Scenery, Mt. Chocorua in the Distance' by Benjamin Champney, estimated at $14,000-$18,000 at Tremont Auctions.

Namikawa Sosuke wireless cloisonne box and cover, estimated at $3,000-$5,000 at Tremont Auctions.

Ferdinando Vicchi, large marble sculpture of an allegorical figure, estimated at $9,000-$12,000 at Tremont Auctions.

James McCabe, London Islamic trade pocket watch, estimated at $4,000-$6,000 at Tremont Auctions.

Barr and Barr Worcester Flight porcelain large oval plaques, estimated at $3,000-$5,000 at Tremont Auctions.

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.

Dedham Pottery founder’s obsession with glazes led to glory

This Dedham Pottery oxblood vase, standing just 5⅜in tall, earned $2,400 plus the buyer’s premium in June 2018. Image courtesy of Humler & Nolan and LiveAuctioneers.

NEW YORK – Dedham Pottery was a bit of an outlier. The firm, which was founded in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1896 and lasted until 1943, spurned the matte earth-colored glazes embraced by most of its Arts and Crafts compatriots and instead developed two signature looks that were wildly different from each other. Dedham Pottery’s crackleware and its thick volcanic glazes were acclaimed in its heyday and are still sought after.

Dedham Pottery founder Hugh C. Roberston began making pottery at Chelsea Keramic Art Works in Chelsea, Massachusetts from 1872 to 1889. Not content to just churn out wares that were popular with customers, he was driven to discover the secrets of glazes. He had attended the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and was captivated by the Japanese and Asian ceramics he saw on display. He also would have seen the abundance of Asian ceramics Boston’s elite citizens brought back with them from their travels, many of which ended up in the collections of the MFA Boston and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.

Robertson was the son of a Scottish potter who tried unsuccessfully to establish a thriving pottery business in the US. Hugh, aided by his two brothers who were also potters, was the first in his family to build on his father’s legacy. “Hugh Robertson was a great sculptor,” said Dedham Pottery expert Jim Kaufman, who is also the former board president of the Dedham Museum & Archive and remains the museum’s volunteer curator for its collection of Dedham Pottery. Robertson gave up what he was good at – highly decorated ceramics –to “chase some of the clay secrets of the Asian ceramicists,” Kaufman said.

Hugh Robertson made this crackle-glazed stoneware vase for Dedham Pottery between 1898 and 1908, decorating it in cobalt with images of sunflowers. It secured $9,000 plus the buyer’s premium in February 2023. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center and LiveAuctioneers.

Robertson began experimenting with highly technical finishes and glaze hues that were difficult to master (more on that later), and the efforts proved so costly that he was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1889. By 1896, he had refinanced and opened Dedham Pottery, where he used what he learned at Chelsea to produce simple forms with highly sophisticated glazing.

Dedham Pottery was always a tiny enterprise, but it made a splash in the pottery world with several styles of wares. Its most cherished offering is its crackleware, a high-fired stoneware with a gray-white crackle finish that makes it appear ancient. Cobalt decorations on these pieces ranged from the company’s signature rabbits, which became part of its logo, to other animals such as cats and elephants. Flowers also were standard motifs for Robertson and his small team of decorators.

A vase decorated with images of magnolias by Hugh Robertson for Dedham Pottery achieved $14,000 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2023. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center and LiveAuctioneers.

Even when Dedham Pottery pieces were fresh out of the kiln, they had a hint of antiquity about them, as they resembled centuries-old Asian blue-and-white ceramics. According to Kaufman, Robertson was the first non-Asian potter to intentionally perfect this crackle glaze.

“Blue and white has been, for many centuries, an attractive design combination, and given the variety of designs employed by the Dedham Pottery, it lends itself to being collected,” Kaufman said. “Generally, collectors fall into one of three major categories. They either want everything in the rabbit design, that being a quintessential Dedham design, or they are looking for as many different designs as possible, or they may focus on one particular form – pitchers, a certain sized plate, or a certain sized bowl. The majority of Dedham pottery collectors, in my experience, fall into the second category.”

While not abundant, much Dedham Pottery is reasonably priced. A set of eight pasta bowls featuring its signature rabbit border sold for $1,600 plus the buyer’s premium in August 2020. Image courtesy of Lion and Unicorn and LiveAuctioneers.

For many, the introduction to Dedham Pottery comes in the form of rabbits. Few collections would be complete without at least one of its rabbit-themed items. A set of eight pasta bowls featuring a border of crouching rabbits sold for $1,600 plus the buyer’s premium in August 2020 at Lion and Unicorn. Early Dedham items with borders showing left-facing rabbits usually command a premium, however. Less than a dozen have appeared at auction.

Another view of the Hugh Robertson for Dedham Pottery Magnolia vase that achieved $14,000 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2023. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center and LiveAuctioneers.

Besides the ubiquitous bunnies, Dedham Pottery collectors target unusual patterns and pieces that are missing from their collections, whether they feature polar bears, elephants, or lobsters. The appeal of these wares lies in their combination of technical achievement, seen in the crackle glaze, as well as their whimsical designs, which have universal appeal. An early standout by Robertson boasting his renowned crackle glaze and cobalt decoration checks all the boxes. The circa-1896-1908 vase painted with images of magnolias brought $14,000 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2023 at Rago Arts and Auction Center. It perfectly embodies what Robertson was able to achieve: taking simple forms and covering them with fine glazing and decoration to create an object that is both modern and traditional.

Frank McNamee, owner of Marion Antique Auctions in Marion, Massachusetts, said Dedham Pottery has always been coveted, and not just in New England. “It still brings good money,” he said. “Rabbits are very common, but the best pieces are the things that have unusual motifs.” An early Dedham Pottery plate with a repeating cat border went out at $3,600 plus the buyer’s premium at Marion Antique Auctions in April 2023. It was consigned by an older collector who liked Dedham Pottery and cats, and it was sold to benefit a local cat shelter. “The cat plate was an extraordinary price for a small piece of Dedham,” said McNamee, who estimates he has sold 300 to 400 pieces of Dedham Pottery during the last 40 years. “Usually, collectors will try to display plates with different motifs – mushrooms on one, elephants on another.”

This early Dedham Pottery plate having a repeating cat border went out at $3,600 plus the buyer’s premium in April 2023. Image courtesy of Marion Antique Auctions and LiveAuctioneers.

While nature-inspired designs comprised the bulk of the 50-odd offerings issued by Dedham Pottery, those with historical themes were issued infrequently, making them prizes today. One such example is a 10in Dedham Pottery Mayflower plate, depicting the famous ship seen from its stern. It brought $4,000 plus the buyer’s premium at Eldred’s in April 2023.

A 10in Dedham Pottery Mayflower plate brought $4,000 plus the buyer’s premium in April 2023. Image courtesy of Eldred’s and LiveAuctioneers.

In addition to the cobalt tableware that most people associate with Dedham Pottery, Robertson’s so-called ‘experimental’ glazed vases, which have a totally different aesthetic, are cherished by collectors. “Dedham also made art pottery, which doesn’t look anything like the typical things you look at there,” McNamee said. “They had the oxblood glaze on it, and that brings some substantial money.” Indeed, Dedham Pottery was the first American firm to specialize in what it dubbed art pottery. Its lustrous and high-sheen art vases, all hand-thrown and featuring volcanic glazes, have sometimes been likened to Jackson Pollock paintings. A Robertson Dedham Pottery vase with volcanic glaze that is highly textural and mottled in appearance brought $13,000 plus the buyer’s premium in February 2023 at Rago Arts and Auction Center.

This Dedham Pottery vase with volcanic glaze brought $13,000 plus the buyer’s premium in February 2023. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center and LiveAuctioneers.

Developing glazes was a challenging process for Robertson. His dedication to mastering a deep red oxblood glaze originally known as sang de boeuf, which started appearing on Chinese ceramics in the 18th century, was a white whale for him, of sorts. In 1889, one month after achieving the feat, he was forced to declare the aforementioned bankruptcy and close Chelsea Keramic Art Works. But a group of Boston arts patrons, including Arthur Astor Carey and Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow Jr., helped him his return to business. Their support ultimately led to the birth of Dedham Pottery.

An alternative view of the Dedham Pottery oxblood vase that earned $2,400 plus the buyer’s premium in June 2018. Image courtesy of Humler & Nolan and LiveAuctioneers.

One of Robertson’s oxblood vases, standing a mere 5 ⅜in tall, modestly exceeded its $1,200-$1,500 estimate when it earned $2,400 plus the buyer’s premium at Humler & Nolan in June 2018. While that oxblood vase has an overall red tone, others sported multiple colors, such as a green and red example that realized $2,000 plus the buyer’s premium in March 2024 at California Historical Design.

This Hugh Robertson oxblood vase for Dedham Pottery, sporting green and red tones, realized $2,000 plus the buyer’s premium in March 2024. Image courtesy of California Historical Design and LiveAuctioneers.

Dedham Pottery’s modern-meets-traditional aesthetic helps it harmonize with country Americana collections and suit the tastes of those who collect period formal furniture. From its signature blue-and-white crackleware to its daring volcanic and oxblood glazes, Dedham Pottery has something to please all tastes.

Sheila Gibson Stoodley

Roland Arkell

Roland Arkell

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