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Asian art

Bruneau’s Oct. 31 auction packed with fine art, Asian art & furniture

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
Asian art
Downyflake Doughnuts porcelain storefront sign, made circa 1940 and a hard-to-find piece of Boston history and advertising collecting, 10ft 10in long. Estimate: $800-$1,200. Bruneau & Co. image

CRANSTON, R.I. – A live and online Fall Fine Art & Antiques auction packed with 533 lots of fine art, Asian arts, furniture and more is slated for Saturday, Oct. 31, at 10 a.m. Eastern time by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

“This auction is literally packed,” said Bruneau & Co. president Kevin Bruneau. “It’s one of our largest antique catalogs ever, with well over 500 lots in total. The sale certainly offers something for everyone. My favorite piece is the doughnut sign. It’s a rare bird for serious sign collectors.”

He’s referring to the Downyflake Doughnuts porcelain storefront sign (above), made circa 1940 and a hard-to-find piece of Boston history and advertising collecting. Impressive at 10 feet 10 inches long, the sign is made from individually rolled iron letters mounted to an iron C-channel support reading “Downyflake Doughnuts.” Founded in 1931, there were 36 franchised Downyflake Doughnut shops in eastern Massachusetts until 1965. The sign should command $800-$1,200.

“I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Halloween than with an auction,” said Travis Landry, a Bruneau & Co. auctioneer. One of my favorite things about Asian arts is you never truly know the value of something. It’s the category with the most wild cards. It’ll be interesting to see what the cider jug and large Republic Period vase sell for. Both are excellent examples.”

The 18th or 19th century Chinese Export famille rose porcelain cider jug, 15½ inches tall and 10 inches in diameter, is decorated with a hunting scene in a central cartouche, surrounded by flowers, gilded tendril designs and two cartouches of European landscape scenes towards the mouth. The lid is topped with a flower-shaped finial and orange Fitzhugh accents throughout. The jug’s bottom rosewood base shows a Sotheby’s tag (est. $1,500-$2,500).

Asian art
Chinese Export famille rose porcelain cider jug, 15½i tall, 10 in in diameter and decorated with a hunting scene in a central cartouche. Estimate: $1,500-$2,500. Bruneau & Co. image

The 20th century Chinese Republic Period vase is baluster form, decorated with applied dragons and foo beast handles over images of a phoenix and dragon behind large roses with calligraphy and chop marks to the back. The 23¾-inch-tall vase, from the collection of a man from Uxbridge, Massachusetts, is expected to change hands for $200-$300.

The fine art category is plentiful and includes these paintings by noted, listed artists:

– A watercolor on paper by George Copeland Ault (N.Y./Ohio/England, 1891-1948), titled White and Yellow: Provincetown, an architectural depiction of white houses in a neighborhood on Cape Cod, 10¼ inches by 14 inches (sight) signed “Burnett” and with two Rockport Art Association labels fixed on verso (est. $1,500-$2,500).

Asian art
Watercolor on paper by George Copeland Ault (N.Y./Ohio/England, 1891-1948), titled ‘White and Yellow: Provincetown,’ 10¼ x 14in (sight). Estimate: $1,500-$2,500. Bruneau & Co. image

– An oil on canvas portrait of a young maiden dressed in red, feeding two lambs at her sides, by Eugene Joseph Lejeune (French, 1818-1897), signed “Eug. Lejeune” lower right-hand corner, 15½ inches by 11½ inches (sight, less frame), with an original label from Roger King Gallery of Fine Art on verso (est. $1,000-$1,500).

Asian art
Oil on canvas portrait of a young maiden dressed in red, feeding two lambs at her sides, by Eugene Joseph Lejeune (French, 1818-1897), signed lower right. Estimate: $1,000-$1,500. Bruneau & Co. image

– A fine oil on board Impressionist windblown coastal seascape by Walter Brightwell Jr. (Maine, 1919-2005), depicting a blonde woman standing on a rockery with waves crashing around her and staring out to sea, 14 inches by 30 inches (board size, less frame), signed “Brightwell” in corner (est. 1,000-$1,500).

Asian art
Oil on board Impressionist windblown coastal seascape signed by Walter Brightwell Jr. (Maine, 1919-2005) depicting a blonde woman standing on a rockery. Estimate: 1,000-$1,500. Bruneau & Co. image

One other item worth mentioning is a circa 1940 game of chance slot machine, made in America, a 1-cent cigarette trade stimulator with a wood veneer case, 18 inches tall by 11 inches wide and made from wood and metal, having mechanicals numbered “JR 1608,” an interior with label “18962” and wood case impressed “137” (est. $600-$900).

For details contact Bruneau & Co. at info@bruneauandco.com or 401-533-9980.

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