Hans Wegner ‘Mama Bear’ chair. Kaminski Auctions image.
BEVERLY, Mass. – Kaminski Auctions will hold an auction devoted to fine art, decorative art, and furniture from the 20th century on Sunday, Sept. 22. Seasoned mid-century collectors, as well as new enthusiasts are sure to find an array of top-quality objects, furniture and fine art. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding for the 650-lot auction, which starts at 10 a.m. Eastern.
The most exciting lot of the sale is perhaps The Irish American Bar/The Chap Book by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, a rare artist’s proof created in promotion of the 1890s magazine The Chap Book (Lot 8249, estimate $50,000 to $60,000). Commissioned by Stone & Kimball from La Plume, this poster was never used in the United States. Possibly intended for promotional use in France, the example of the print at Kaminski is a rare proof prior to the addition of typeface.
Additionally, the fine art collector will find a still-life pencil drawing attributed to Giorgio Morandi, and a gorgeous numbered artist’s proof, Pullman Car, by Donald Vogel dated 1940 (Lot 8018, estimate $700 to $1,000). One Man’s Floor is Another Man’s Ceiling, a color serigraph, die cut in relief, by James Rizzi (Lot 8012, estimate $1,000 to $1,500) will also feature in the sale, another edition of which can be often seen on the hit TV series Seinfeld in Jerry’s apartment.
Architecture and interior design buffs will appreciate a beautifully executed Greta Magnusson-Grossman birch and walnut bar (Lot 8107, estimate $15,000 to $25,000). This stunning, yet streamlined piece was designed by Magnusson-Grossman and installed in the prolific designer’s California home through the middle of the 20th century.
Accompanying the bar, bidders will also be delighted to see a beautiful Hans Wegner “Mama Bear” chair (Lot 8108, estimate $8,000 to $10,000). The strikingly sculptural, rare teak chair is finished in black wool with walnut hand rests.
The decorative arts collector will surely want to peruse a glazed pottery tile attributed to Grueby, circa 1915, as well as a lovely Rookwood vase of diminutive size, executed by Carl Schmidt, covered in a vellum glaze and depicting a Venice harbor, circa 1920 (Lot 8209 estimate $800 to $1,200).
A Georg Jensen tea set in the Blossom pattern will surely garner much bidder attention (Lot 8109, estimate $14,000 to $20,000). The Blossom pattern was among Jensen’s earlier works and highlights his skill as both sculptor and silversmith in the seamless combination of silver and ivory. The set includes two teapots, one covered sugar, one creamer and one oval tray. The set comes to Kaminski from a private collector who purchased it directly from Jensen in Denmark.
The outstanding selection of Murano vanity items previously collected by the late Robert Loy (also known as Robert Puterbaugh) will feature prominently throughout the sale. Highlights from the collection include Sommerso jewel-tone perfumes attributed to Seguso Verti d’Arte with DeVilbiss hardware, as well as a traditional Muranese vanity set with rose toppers, produced circa 1890. This same set was featured on the cover of Perfume Bottle Quarterly, Winter 2012-2013, which featured an article on the Loy collection. Also of particular interest is a vanity set by Alfredo Barbini, mentioned in a PBQ article on the Loy collection as “one of Murano’s leading artists of the 20th century.” Crafted with the Applicazioni a Caldo technique, the delicately ridged toppers of this set appear as delicately spiked as aloe leaves. From the maker Fratello Toso, comes a highly colorful “patchwork” bottle from the 1950s with a flame twist stopper in clear glass.
In addition to this exceptional collection, glass enthusiasts will also find a supreme Loetz Octopus Federzeichnung glass vase (Lot 8001, estimate $1,200 to $1,500). The sale will also present two works by Lino Tagliapietra for Murano comprised of internally decorated glass discs set on enameled iron stands titled Saturno Sculpture (Lots 8114 and 8115, estimated at $2,000 to $3,000 each).
ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
Hans Wegner ‘Mama Bear’ chair. Kaminski Auctions image. Greta Magnusson-Grossman birch and walnut bar. Kaminski Auctions image. George Jensen tea set. Kaminski Auctions image. Henri Toulouse Lautrec, ‘The Chap Book,’ artist’s proof. Kaminski Auctions image. Selection of the Murano glass items from the collection of Robert Loy. Kaminski Auctions image.
