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Georg Jensen silver partial tea service comprised of a teapot, tea kettle and covered sugar. Est. $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy of Stefek's.

Stefek’s sale loaded with jewels, precious metal, Sept. 22

Georg Jensen silver partial tea service comprised of a teapot, tea kettle and covered sugar. Est. $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy of Stefek's.
Georg Jensen silver partial tea service comprised of a teapot, tea kettle and covered sugar. Est. $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy of Stefek’s.

GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich. – Stefek’s display cases are stuffed full of sparkling jewels and shining silver for their Sept. 22 Fabulous Furniture, Silver and Fine Jewelry auction. The auction will feature fine jewelry including a stunning GIA certified 9.87-carat diamond, several gorgeous pieces of Georg Jensen silver, a beautifully crafted set of Gorham Mythologique pattern flatware, delicate earthenware by Otto and Gertrud Natzler, and glass by Dale Chihuly. The auction will begin at 6 p.m. at Stefek’s Auction House in Grosse Pointe Farms. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

The nearly grape size, brilliant cut 9.87-carat diamond ring would be a jaw-dropping addition to any woman’s jewelry collection. It features two shield-cut side diamonds and a platinum setting, with an estimate of $60,000 to $70,000. An appraisal from the Gemological Institute of America is available by request. Stefek’s will also offer several other diamond rings set in both white and yellow gold, diamond stud earrings, and diamond pendants.

Another noteworthy piece of jewelry is a stunning 14-karat yellow gold oversized charm bracelet packed with 32 charms from exotic destinations like Spain, Norway, Aruba and Africa. Some charms are set with precious and semiprecious stones and are made of 10 karat, 14 karat, and 18 karat yellow gold. The bracelet would look fantastic spilling out of a sweater dress sleeve this fall.

Georg Jensen jewelry and silver will also be offered. Jensen lived in the Netherlands from 1866 to 1935. He trained as a sculptor at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, but soon became a silversmith. He left behind a remarkable collection of beautifully crafted Art Nouveau creations. A Georg Jensen designed “no. 28” brooch with green hard stone accents and a pair of “no. 36” earrings with a screw post back has an estimate of $800 to $1,000.

Jensen is known for his artistry in design and his fine craftsmanship. The sterling silver tea kettle on stand with ebony handle dates from 1945-1977, and is a beautiful example of his company’s work. It is estimated at $4,000 to $6,000. The partial tea service consists of a teapot, tea kettle and covered sugar. It has a delightful floral and foliate finial and scrolled feet and also features an ebony handle. Its estimate is $8,000 to $12,000.

Gorham is also a venerable silversmith. The Mythologique pattern flatware set that Stefek’s will offer was designed by F. Antoine Heller, Gorham’s chief designer from 1881 to 1904. Heller’s designs are in the Beaux Arts style, a heavily ornamented mode that includes motifs from the French and Italian Renaissance period. The Mythologique pattern, designed in 1894, won Heller a gold medal in the Paris Salon for its mythological motifs, complexity in design, and elegance. Stefek’s set is 192 pieces, weighs 232 troy ounces, and is estimated at $10,000 to $12,000.

Otto and Gertrud Natzler were also known for their elegant artwork. The couple, who immigrated to Los Angeles after fleeing Nazi Austria in the 1930s, crafted delicate earthenware with remarkably innovative glazes. Gertrud was a master potter and Otto was a chemist who created thousands of shimmering glazes for her pottery.The earthenware bowls Stefek’s will offer are startlingly feather-light. One is coated in a glowing sunflower-yellow glaze ($1,500 to $2,000), the other with a lustrous shimmering mottled blue and green glaze (some repair, $300 to $400). They prove that ceramics can be elegant and refined.

Dale Chihuly glass is also lightweight and delicate, with swirling colors evoking a Technicolor underwater world. Chihuly, who is an American, has done wild large-scale installations at dozens of locations around the world, including Venice, London, Chicago and Jerusalem. The cobalt blue glass basket offered by Stefek’s is topped with a bright red band around the lip. The body has drops of darker and lighter glass, reminiscent of a Manet seascape. Its estimate is $2,000 to $3,000.

Stefek’s auction house is located at 18450 Mack Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236. It will open its doors at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, for final preview. The auction will begin at 6 p.m. Call 313-881-1800 or e-mail Stefeks@comcast.net for information.

 

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


A pair of Georg Jensen earrings is matched with a similar brooch by the same maker. The set is  estimated at $800-$1,000. Image courtesy of Stefek’s Auctioneers & Appraisers.

A pair of Georg Jensen earrings is matched with a similar brooch by the same maker. The set is estimated at $800-$1,000. Image courtesy of Stefek’s Auctioneers & Appraisers.

 

Marked no. 28, this Georg Jensen brooch is paired with a set of earrings of similar design. The have an $800-$1,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Stefek’s Auctioneers & Appraisers.

Marked no. 28, this Georg Jensen brooch is paired with a set of earrings of similar design. The have an $800-$1,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Stefek’s Auctioneers & Appraisers.

 

Solid gold charms acquired in Europe, Africa and South America decorate this bracelet. Image courtesy of Stefek’s Auctioneers & Appraisers.

Solid gold charms acquired in Europe, Africa and South America decorate this bracelet. Image courtesy of Stefek’s Auctioneers & Appraisers.

Gorham sterling silver flatware set in the Mythologique pattern, 192 pieces with a total weight of 232 ozt., designed by F. Antoine Heller. Est. $10,000-$12,000. Image courtesy of Stefek's.
Gorham sterling silver flatware set in the Mythologique pattern, 192 pieces with a total weight of 232 ozt., designed by F. Antoine Heller. Est. $10,000-$12,000. Image courtesy of Stefek’s.
Closeup of Gorham sterling silver flatware set in the Mythologique pattern. Image courtesy of Stefek's.
Closeup of Gorham sterling silver flatware set in the Mythologique pattern. Image courtesy of Stefek’s.

 

Nearly the size of a grape, this 9.87-carat diamond ring carries a $60,000-$70,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Stefek’s Auctioneers & Appraisers.
Nearly the size of a grape, this 9.87-carat diamond ring carries a $60,000-$70,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Stefek’s Auctioneers & Appraisers.