Montecito Auction to sell Asian antiques, estate jewelry Jan. 19

Early Victorian buckle bracelet. Montecito Auction Co. image.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. – There’s no lack of diversity in Montecito Auction Co.’s 140-lot auction on Saturday Jan. 19. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

From lavender jadeite to a 19th century officer chair to an early Victorian four-piece jewelry suite well preserved in the original box and from a Hoinam jade flowerpot to an Edwardian 1920s diamond pendent, there is no shortage of variety.

Carved using traditional methods such as carborundum sand and soft tools, the lavender jadeite piece resembles a dragon on top of fruit, blooming flowers and a frog on a scepter. The heavy piece rests on a carved rosewood base. “The naturally occurring green veins make the piece so much more interesting as the fruits are carved over those green layers inside the lavender stone,” said auctioneer Cyrus L. Santoriello.

The authoritative design of Victorian period is evident in the gorgeous early Victorian buckle bracelet with seven rose-cut diamonds. Four folded golden leafs and four rings are supporting a center diamond surrounded by six smaller rose-cut diamonds. The buckle type band is adjustable to fit almost any wrist.

Carving a hard stone such as jade to hollow out shape of plants, requires delicate and meticulous workmanship and it is revealed in the 18-inch-tall Hoinam jade flower urn filled with birds on flowered stems and filled leafs. The master who carved this piece used the different colors of the jade to place most of the birds and the blooming flowers in the spot where the veins occur naturally, making it as if someone painted the piece to look real. It is carved in two separate pieces. The top flower fits inside the urn and the piece is supported by a carved wooden base.

Today’s trend in jewelry is judged more on how big the stone is or the weight of the gold, and the workmanship has taken the back seat. The antique Victorian four-piece suite, still in the original box, is filled with precious stones such as diamonds and rubies. It also presents its prized craftsmanship in gold and silver, diamond and garnet. It includes pair of pierced earrings with safety clip backs, ring with single oval ruby in the center and diamonds around, and broach in medallion diamond cluster floral design with ruby teardrops in the middle. All the diamonds are rose cut, in a fitted original box.

The 19th century officer chair in original condition is one of the highlights of this auction. The name “officer chair” is given to it because of the unusual brace on the front legs serves as a footrest as well. “We believe it is made of rosewood but we are not certain because of the age and variety of the wood species,” said Santoriello. The simple construction and carving is another suggestion it has been used in an office. The catalog listing on Liveauctioneers.com pictures the bottom and views from different angles.

“Again, this is a small auction but there is no shortage of variety,” said Santoriello. “We even have some recent calligraphy by Master Zhuang Li-Wai with Chinese government honorary certificates. There are three pieces by this calligraphy artist listed at the end of our catalog for this auction, as it was given to us in the last minutes.”

For details contact the Montecito Auction Co. auctioneer Cyrus L. Santoriello via email: Montecitoauctions@gmail.com or phone 805-630-0970.

View the complete catalog at Liveauctioneers.com – using this link: www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog_gallery/36204 .

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.