Bronze fountain to make a big splash at Auction Life sale June 3
Artist’s proof bronze fountain by Sandy Scott (b. 1943), titled ‘Fountain of Peace,’ 72 in. tall x 56 in. wide. Estimate: $30,000-$60,000. Auction Life image
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – A beautiful and monumental bronze fountain by the renowned American artist Sandy Scott (b. 1943), several vintage Leica cameras previously owned by a photographer for Sports Illustrated and National Geographic, and a stunning Mikimoto 18K gold, emerald and pearl bracelet set will all come up for bid at Auction Life on Sunday, June 3. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.
This will primarily be an online auction, starting at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, with limited seating available for live bidders and an RSVP required.
Officially titled an “Antiques & Assets Adoption Auction,” the sale will consist of more than 500 lots of antiques, collectibles, jewelry, fine art and sculptures. Over 20 lots will be Part 2 of an estate of dedicated lifetime collectors – a husband and wife team – who traveled the U.S. in the 1980s and ’90s, purchasing works from notable galleries. Auction Life sold Part 1 in November.
The Part 2 offerings will include original works and exhibition art by artists such as Gayle Nason, Kerry Kinman, Frank Lalumia, Mary Vander Molen, Pablo Antonio Milan, Patrick Coffaro, Frederic Remington, Carol Hamilton, Derry Lynn Day, Mary Wyant, Phyllis Kapp, Ronald Himler and Clifford Beck. The Sandy Scott bronze fountain, though, is the headliner.
The fountain (above) is titled Fountain of Peace and stands 72 inches tall by 56 inches wide (est. $30,000-$60,000). It depicts birds in flight above and birds drinking from, preening around and bathing in, a large bird bath. It’s signed and dated “85” to the base and includes Scott’s original engineered plans for the water basin/reservoir.
Vintage Leica cameras are highly sought after by collectors. The ones in the auction include a Leica M6 black camera (#2469472) with Summicron-M 1:2/35 lens (est. $2,000-$3,000); a Leica M4 black camera (#1384338, est. $500-$1,000); and a Leica Winder M camera (#14402) with motor drive (est. $100-$200). All three were owned and used by photographer Karen Johnson.
The several vintage Leica cameras in the auction will include this Leica M6 black camera (#2469472) with Summicron-M 1:2/35 lens. Estimate: $2,000-$3,000. Auction Life image
The Mikimoto bracelet set features pearls ranging in size from 8.0-8.5 mm throughout, having excellent luster. The 30-inch necklace has an oval 18K gold floral pendant clasp with white gold or platinum leaf accents as well as a 7mm emerald cabochon to the center. Four 18K gold nugget spacers interrupt the first three pearls on each side of the pendant closure (est. $6,000-$8,000).
Mikimoto 18K gold, emerald and pearl bracelet set featuring pearls ranging in size from 8.0-8.5 mm throughout, having excellent luster. Estimate: $6,000-$8,000. Auction Life image
French artist Romain de Tirtoff, more popularly known simply as Erté, (1892-1990), is represented in the auction by an original gouache painting titled Parisian (est. $4,000-$6,000), rendered on watermarked paper. The image area is 14 inches by 10 inches and the frame measures 26 inches by 22 inches. The title is handwritten in script on back.
Original gouache painting titled ‘Parisian’ by Erté (1892-1990), 26 in. by 22 in. framed. Estimate: $4,000-$6,000. Auction Life image
A circa 1840 watercolor painting titled Entrance to Amsterdam Harbor is gorgeous and will adorn any wall handsomely in its 36½-inch-by-50¼-inch gilt gessoed frame, but is signed with a monogram that’s illegible so the estimate was difficult to assign. A 1986 invoice indicates it previously sold for over $4,000. Now, it could fetch $1,000-$10,000. Provenance shows that it was once owned by Yngve Soderberg, a notable nautical artist.
A large glass wall sculpture by Jon Kuhn (American, b. 1949), 40 inches by 29 inches, should bring $1,000-$2,000. The mixed media abstract wall hanging is signed and dated 1984. Kuhn is best known for his glass sculptures made with trapped shards of colored glass within their centers, using a cold-working process of grinding and polishing.
Large glass wall sculpture by Jon Kuhn (American, b. 1949), 40 in. x 29 in., a mixed media abstract wall hanging, is signed and dated 1984. Estimate: $1,000-$2,000. Auction Life image
Also in the auction will be Part 1 of the personal collection of an unnamed antique dealer and important 1970s/’80s-era Miami real estate developer and contemporary of Miami downtown development titans Jorge Perez and Ugo Colombo. All items in the collection were purchased from Sotheby’s in London, Geneva, Monaco and New York, between 1982-1985. Included are Chinese jade and other carvings, Russian and Judaic silver items, Meissen and Continental porcelain, fine artwork and more.
“This is the most concentrated auction we’ve staged to date and it also took us the longest, but the potential rewards are great because of the merchandise,” said Tarek ElJabaly, owner and auctioneer of Auction Life, based in Loxahatchee. “It’s always rewarding to see the catalog online, with many lots attracting immediate attention.”
To RSVP for limited seating at the live venue in the West Palm Beach area, call Tarek ElJabaly at 561-757-1551. He can also be reached via e-mail at auctionlifeflorida@gmail.com.
