1905 Gustav Stickley oak corner cupboard with original finish and copper strap hardware. Cottone Auctions image.
The auction will feature original oil paintings – many by noted, listed artists – bronzes, sterling silver, estate jewelry pieces, period furniture, Native American objects and more. Asian objects will include jade, ivory and an outstanding collection of over 250 snuff bottles, most of them from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, from the collection of William L Tait.
“It never ceases to amaze me the quality of merchandise that comes to us and that the market has a demand for,” said Matt Cottone of Cottone Auctions. “To be able to offer these exceptional pieces at auction is truly an honor. The fact that we amassed close to 1,000 lots I think speaks volumes as to the anticipated success of this sale.”
The Friday, March 22, session, starting at noon EDT will be dedicated to Asian arts, sterling silver, fine jewelry and other items. Some of the sterling items were deaccessioned from the Strong Museum, to shore up that institution’s benefit fund. Included will be makers such as Tiffany, Gorham, Kirk, and Dominick & Haff. Flatware and hollowware will be featured.
The more than 100 pieces of fine jewelry items comes mostly from the estate of George and Angie Shaheen, collectors of fine antiques since the 1950s. George recently decided to sell the couple’s lifelong collection following Angie’s passing. Included will be a Tiffany sapphire ring and bracelet, a Tiffany dragon pin with pearl, Patek Philippe and Rolex watches and more.
The Saturday, March 23, session, starting at 11 a.m., will be highlighted by fine original artworks, Native American objects, decorative accessories, examples of Americana, and some fine furniture, such as a 1905 Gustav Stickley oak corner cupboard with original copper strap hardware and original finish, consigned by a family in upstate New York.
“This corner cupboard has descended in the family of the original owners,” said Cottone. “The matching sideboard from the same family was appraised on the Antiques Roadshow in Charlotte in 2002. Though not in the original finish, and with polished hardware, it appraised at $75,000-$110,000. The corner cupboard, however, has the original finish and hardware patina.”
Many beautiful oil paintings will be offered on Saturday. These will include Patriarchs of the Grove, a 40-inch by 50-inch oil on canvas by William Wendt (California-Illinois, 1865-1946), one of the best-known landscape painters of the late 19th and early 20th century. A copy of the book William Wendt and His Work, with jacket art displaying this painting, will be included in the lot.
Also selling will be a luminous and impressionist rendering of New York City, by the Norwegian-born New York painter Jonas Lie (1880-1940). The painting spent most of its life in the home of Emily Sibley Watson, founder of the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, N.Y. It is an evocative painting, influenced by the French master Claude Monet’s use of color and light.
Another fine painting that will come up for bid is The Milliners, an oil on board by Victor Gilbert (French, 1847-1933). The work is being sold for the Landmark Society of Western New York. Gilbert lived in France his entire life and, despite having had little formal training, did carve out a reputation as a genre painter, specializing in market scenes and portrait paintings.
Original works by Charles and Emile Gruppe will also be offered. Charles (1880-1940), the father of Emile, was born in Canada and lived in Massachusetts, New York and Holland, earning a reputation as a fine – and largely self-taught – landscape and marine painter. Emile (Massachusetts-New York, 1896-1978) became a renowned New England landscape and marine painter.
Additional works will also be sold by such noted artists as Alson Clark (Illinois-California, 1876-1949), a landscape painter strongly influenced by the French Impressionists; Carl Peters (N.Y., 1897-1980), an American Scene painter and regionalist; Emile Munier (N.Y.-French, 1840-1895), known for his portrait, genre and landscape paintings; and Andrew Melrose (N.J./Calif., 1836-1901), a Scottish-born artist whose travels through Europe inspired his atmospheric landscapes.
Several bronzes will also be sold. These will be led by a bronze group of a Bogatyr (a Russian warlord, or heroic standard bearer) by Evgeni Alexandrovich Lanceray (1848-1886), the talented Russian sculptor, painter and illustrator. The work stands 31 inches tall, with great attention to detail in the chair armor, the head-trappings of the horse and the stamped leather.
An outstanding collection of Native American items, also from the estate of George and Angie Shaheen, will range from Iroquois to Northwest Coast. These will include rare, collectible Germantown weavings, carved totem poles, beaded items and more. Rounding out the Saturday session will be many fine decorative accessories and Americana.
A 17 percent buyer’s premium will be added to the hammer price of each lot. There is a 2 percent discount for payments made by cash or pre-approved check. All purchases are subject to an 8 percent New York State sales tax, except for those with a valid New York State resale certificate.
Cottone Auctions is always seeking quality consignments for future sales. The firm is especially interested in fine art, Oriental rugs, silver, Tiffany, Art glass, Art pottery, folk art, Native American, clocks and stoneware. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, call them at 585-243-3100 or send an e-mail to info@cottoneauctions.com.
View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
1905 Gustav Stickley oak corner cupboard with original finish and copper strap hardware. Cottone Auctions image. Tiffany dragon pin with pearl, one of more that 100 pieces of fine estate jewelry to be sold. Cottone Auctions image. Original oil painting by William Wendt (Calif./Ill., 1865-1946), titled ‘Patriarchs of the Grove.’ Cottone Auctions image. Luminous and impressionist rendering of New York City by Norwegian-born artist Jonas Lie. Cottone Auctions image. Original oil on board figural painting by Victor Gilbert (French, 1847-1933) titled ‘The Milliners.’ Cottone Auctions image. Bronze group by Russian artist Evgeni Lanceray (1848-1886). Cottone Auctions image. An outstanding collection of Native American objects, from Iroquois to Northwest Coast, will be sold. Cottone Auctions image.
