Art, fine estate goods in spotlight May 31 at Charleston Estate Auctions
Shown at left, one of several Tiffany sterling silver 4-piece place settings in the 1911 Flemish pattern, and at right, a 2.01 carat old European-cut diamond solitaire pendant, VS2 clarity, J color. Charleston Estate Auctions image
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charming Charleston, the favorite of many a visitor to America’s Southeastern coast, is the setting for a May 31 auction of sterling silver, fine art, jewelry and Native-American art and artifacts. Hosting the sale is South Carolina’s revered Charleston Estate Auctions. As their name implies, they specialize in fresh to the market estate goods from some of the region’s finest homes.
The May 31 auction, with absentee and Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers, includes property from the Estate of Brigadier General Henry M. Robert (1837–1923), author of Robert’s Rules of Order; the Estate of R. John Holmgren (1897-1963), who was a well-listed American illustrator and artist; the Estate of U. Agostino Donati, a listed professional photographer who maintained a studio in Santa Fe, N.M., and specialized in Native-American studies; and the Estate of Edward N. Costikyan (1924-2012, a prominent New York City attorney, author and political advisor.
This auction is loaded with highlights, including: Tiffany and other antique sterling silver, original late-19th and early 20th-century Native-American photographs; and a very rare dark amber Venetian glass engraved miniature of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, artist-signed by Francesco Puttinati and dated 1816. Also, there are original 1910-1940 oils and illustrations by R. John Holmgren, fine jewelry, books, museum-deaccessioned Native-American artifacts, and much, much more.
The Puttinati Venetian glass miniature of The Last Supper is 3 inches long and 1¼-inches wide. It is accompanied by a letter from The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, which was instrumental in identifying the glass in 1970. The glass is believed to have been commissioned to commemorate a special anniversary or important Holy Day. It was acquired in New York around 1930 by Richard D. Schultze, a jeweler who was employed at the time by Tiffany’s in Manhattan. Schultze went on to open his own jewelry store called “Richard’s” in East Orange, N.J., and then “Richard’s” on Wentworth Street in Charleston. Provenance: the Estate of Richard D. Schultze, Charleston.
There are several Tiffany sterling silver 4-piece place settings in the 1911 Flemish pattern. Each place setting includes a dinner fork, salad fork, teaspoon and French hollow knife, with a total weight of 236 grams.
An incredible oil-on-canvas by R. John Holmgren is a quintessential representation of the golden age of illustration. Titled Just a Minute There!, this was reworked as an illustration for an article by Eleanor Roosevelt in Redbook magazine April, 1934. The female model in this painting was Holmgren’s wife, Emilie Pope. Frame included, the oil measures 32 by 25½ inches; sight: 28 by 22 inches. The May 31 auction marks the first time Holmgren’s family will have offered any of their private collection at auction.
Leading the jewelry lots is a 2.01-carat old European-cut diamond solitaire pendant. The diamond was weighed loose and set in a classic four-prong basket-style 14K yellow gold mounting with a split bail. The diamond has the following specifications: approx. 8.05 x 8.25 x 4.58mm, 2.01 carats, VS2 clarity J color.
An eye-catching artwork from the Native-American offerings is an American buffalo skull decorated with Native beadwork. The skull is complete with teeth. The glass beadwork forms two stars with concentric circles on buffalo hide. Turquoise, black onyx, coral and yellow beads comprise the ornamentation on the piece, which has a width of 20½ inches from tip to tip.
The May 31 auction will commence at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. For additional information on any item in the auction, call 843-696-3335 or email. Bid absentee or live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.
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