Burchard Galleries to auction rare Bugatti elephant Feb. 19

Rembrandt Bugatti (1884-1916) elephant bronze. Estimate: $300,000-$500,000. Image courtesy Burchard Galleries.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A magnificent elephant bronze was carried into a local appraisal fair where a representative of Burchard Galleries was working. The owner had no idea of the importance or value but a Burchard representative certainly did. The piece was gifted from several wealthy women, who were world travelers, to their caretaker over 45 years ago, then to his nephew about 10 years ago. It was that nephew who brought the Rembrandt Bugatti (Italian, 1884-1916) bronze elephant to the fair.

Burchard Galleries is proud to offer this important Rembrandt Bugatti bronze elephant in their Antiques & Fine Art Auction on Feb. 19. It carries an estimate of $300,000-$500,000. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Rare and highly prized, Bugatti’s animal bronzes have commanded in excess of $2 million at auction and are found in many museum and gallery collections all over the world.

Bugatti battled depression in his short lifetime. During World War I, the Antwerp Zoo was forced to kill most of its animals, many of which were Bugatti’s beloved subjects. He soon took his own life at age 31. He is of the same Bugatti family as Carlo, a furniture craftsman, and the most famous Ettore, automotive engineer and design legend.

The impressive elephant figure, circa 1912, has an incised signature stamped “Cire Perdue, AA Hebrard” and incised “2.” It measures 10 3/4 inches high by 15 inches long by 4 3/4 inches deep. An example of this bronze can be found page 329 of Veronique Fromanger’s Rembrandt Bugatti Repertoire Monograhique.

Also included in this fine sale are two Johann Berthelsen (1883-1972, American) oil paintings of Central Park with an estimate of $10,000-$20,000 each and a large Adolf Kaufman (Austrian, 1848/58?-1916) oil on board of the Argonnes in Autumn, along with many other fine works of art among them, a rare 1922 Erté gouache.

Also, a plethora of estate fresh antiques, fine furnishings, and stunning gold, platinum and diamond jewelry will be sold as well as many other outstanding lots, which include vintage lighting in the form of a nice Quezal five-light chandelier, art glass by Tiffany and many lots of fine sterling silver. A large collection of carved wood African figures will be offered. The collection is from the estate of James E. Adkins, a physicist, musician and major African art collector from the St. Petersburg, Fla., area.

The sale will be conducted beginning at noon Eastern on Sunday, Feb., 19, at the Burchard Galleries facility at 2528 30th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33713 and also will be carried live online by LiveAuctioneers.com. Preview for the sale will be at the gallery from1-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18. Advance seating arrangements are suggested.

For more information call Chris Ball at (727) 821-1167 or email chris@burchardgalleries.com or visit the website at www.burchardgalleries.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Rembrandt Bugatti (1884-1916) elephant bronze. Estimate: $300,000-$500,000. Image courtesy Burchard Galleries.

One of the two Johann Berthelsen ‘Central Park’ paintings. Estimate: $10,000-$20,000. Image courtesy Burchard Galleries.

Retro platinum 8-carat diamond spray brooch. Estimate: $12,000-$14,000. Image courtesy Burchard Galleries.

One of two pairs of Ubald Klug for Stendig Terrazza sectional leather sofas. Estimate: $3,000-$5,000. Image courtesy Burchard Galleries.

Important Erté ‘L’Toire’ gouache. Estimate: $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy Burchard Galleries.

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