Both sides of this Chinese glass snuff bottle are painted in Famille Rose enamels and depict children. The bottle dates to the late 19th century or earlier. It has a $600-$800 estimate. Image courtesy of Midwest Auction Galleries.
OXFORD, Mich. – More than 1,200 lots of antiques, collectibles and fine art will be sold at Midwest Auction Galleries on Feb. 13-14. The line will extend from Chinese porcelain and furniture to Americana to more than 200 porcelain Llardro figures. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.
A small highlight that will sell soon after the 10 a.m. Eastern start on Saturday is a 19th-century Chinese snuff bottle. It is hand-painted in Famille Rose enamels on both sides with scenes of children. The milky-white glass bottle is 2 9/16 inches high and has a green jade stopper. The consignor purchased the bottle in the 1960s. It has a $600-$800 estimate.
An exceptional 19th-century American apothecary cabinet will sell shortly after the 10 a.m. Eastern start on Sunday. The 29-drawers cabinet has an exceptional grain-painted surface to simulate flamed mahogany. Standing on a bracket base, the cabinet measures 36 inches high, 51 inches long and 12 inches deep. The drawers have glass knobs and most retain spice or drug labels. The cabinet has a $3,000-$4,000 estimate.
Also having an original grain-painted surface – boldly applied in mustard and brown – is a circa 1820-1830 cupboard, which is expected to sell for $3,000-$4,000. Standing 81 inches high by 48 inches wide by 20 inches deep, the cupboard features wood peg and mortis and tenon construction. It consists of two blind drawers over two drawers over two blind doors. This cupboard “would be the cornerstone of the most advanced collection,” noted Jim Amato of Midwest Auction Galleries.
A 19th-century Chinese rosewood paneled desk is expected to attract a lot of attention. Built inside the kneehole compartment are three drawers. The sides and back of the desk are finely paneled. It has a $2,000-$3,000 estimate.
Half a dozen duck and goose decoys will sell on Friday. A hollow Canada goose decoy made in the 1930s by an unknown carver from Leelanau County, Mich., has glass eyes and what appears to be original black and white paint. The decoy, 15 inches high and 22 inches long, has a $300-$400 estimate.
One of the top oil paintings in the sale depicts a bride and bridegroom coming down the stairs of a palace followed by the wedding party. The painting is signed “Mario Spinetti Roma” and dated “87.” The 21 1/2- by 15 1/2-inch painting is mounted in a late 19th-century gilt wood frame. On the back is a post-1963 label from Peggy de Salle’s Little Gallery in Birmingham, Mich. The painting carries an $8,000-$12,000 estimate.
Midwest Auction Galleries is located at 665 N. Lapeer Road in Oxford.
For details call 248-236-8100.
To view the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Llardro issued ‘Flowers of the Season,’ in 1993. The group is 11 3/4 inches high. It is in mint condition and has a $1,000-$2,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Midwest Auction Galleries. Most of the 29 drawers on this excellent 19th-century American apothecary cabinet have drug or spice labels. The grain-painted surface is in excellent condition. It is expected to sell for $3,000-$4,000. Image courtesy of Midwest Auction Galleries. This finely crafted rosewood desk made in China in the 19th century has a $2,000-$3,000 estimate. It is 54 inches wide and 33 inches high. Image courtesy of Midwest Auction Galleries. Mario Spinetti (Italian, 1848-1925) signed and dated this wedding scene ‘87.’ The painting is oil on canvas laid on board and measures 21 1/2 inches by 15 1/2 inches. It has an $8,000-$12,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Midwest Auction Galleries.
Cowan’s Auctions in Cincinnati sold this Pennsylvania cut-work valentine made in the early 1800s for $1,000.
Valentines that we send today can be printed on heavy paper, homemade using paper lace and trim or e-mailed via a digital greeting-card service. The idea of a valentine dates back to the Middle Ages, when men gave handwritten verses to their girlfriends. In the early 1800s in Pennsylvania, people started to make paper valentines from a single sheet of paper that was skillfully cut into hearts, flowers, animals and other designs. Often these valentines had added ink highlights. A different type of paper valentine was put together by Esther Howland of Massachusetts in 1850. She used paper lace, colored paper, built-up layers and sentimental verses. Printed cards followed, but there were still added pasted pieces.
If you want to collect vintage valentines, here are a few suggestions: Valentines that pop open to make 3-D scenes are expensive. So are the very old handmade cut-paper sheets that are fragile and required great skill to make. Buy valentines in good condition. They are hard to repair. If the valentine is not signed, it is worth more than one with a personal message written on it. Penny dreadfuls and other valentines that are comic and insulting do not sell well. Save the valentines you get this year. It is a free start to a new collection.
Q: Can you tell me anything about the Wrighton Furniture Co.? I have an armoire made by that company and haven’t been able to find any information.
A: Wrighton Furniture Co. was an English firm that made traditional styles of furniture during at least the 1940s and ’50s. Today’s prices for the company’s armoires, which seem to have been a Wrighton specialty, are $100-$200.
Q: A couple of years ago, your column pictured a porcelain figurine of a female tennis player. She was wearing a white outfit with gold-colored highlights. I have a 15-inch figurine just like the one you pictured, but her outfit is light blue with dark blue highlights. I also have the matching male tennis player. Would the pair sell for twice as much as a single figure?
A: Your figurines were made by Gebruder Heubach of Lichten, Germany. The company was in business from 1840 to 1925, but its tennis figurines probably date from the 1880s or ’90s. They were hand-painted and so can be found in various color combinations. A pair should sell for more than twice as much as an individual figure, but other factors are also important. Are the figures in excellent condition, with no chips or cracks? Are they marked? If the answer to both questions is yes, the pair could sell for about $500.
Q: I love to collect old valentine cards, mostly from the 1950s, but I also have a couple from the early 1900s. I’m keeping them in an album in protective sleeves, but I would love to display them without tearing them up. Can you give me some suggestions on how to display my collectible valentines?
A: We displayed some antique valentines in deep frames with spacers between the glass and the valentine and hung a group of them on a wall. Choose a frame with a glass or archival plastic cover, and use an acid-free mat. Thicker valentines look best in a shadowbox. If the card needs to be fastened to the mat, use archival corners. If it has an inscription inside that you want to save, or information on the back that would help to date the card, you can make a photocopy of it and put it in an envelope attached to the back of the frame, or even display it next to the front of the card. There is a club with a newsletter and Web site for valentine collectors: National Valentine Collectors Association, P.O. Box 647, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417, ValentineCollectors.com.
Q: I have a set of china that was handed down to me by a family member about 25 years ago. It is marked “Harmony House Metro China, Elizabeth, made in Occupied Japan.” I would like to know something about it.
A: Harmony House dinnerware was made for Sears, Roebuck & Co. by several different factories from 1940 until the early 1970s. Makers in the United States included Hall China Co., Harker Pottery, Homer Laughlin China Co., Laurel Potteries, Salem China Co. and Universal Potteries. Pieces marked “Occupied Japan” were made in Japan between 1947 and 1952. You can find extra dishes for your set at some of the replacement services.
Q: I have a radio that has colorful figures of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on the front. A window with shutters is behind them, and there is a squirrel on top of one of the shutters. The tuning and volume knobs are shaped like acorns, and a jewel on Snow White’s dress lights up when the radio is turned up. I have had this radio since the early 1940s. Is it valuable?
A: The movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released in 1937. Emerson made two versions of the Snow White radio in about 1938-39. The larger version shows more of the cottage and is usually not painted. Emerson Phonograph Co. was incorporated in 1915. It is now called Emerson Radio Corp. and has headquarters in Parsippany, N.J. If your radio is in good condition, it could sell for $1,200 to $2,000.
Tip: Don’t clean a cloth doll’s body with water. Use cornstarch or talc. Rub it into the fabric, then gently brush it away after four hours.
Terry Kovel answers as many questions as possible through the column. By sending a letter with a question, you give full permission for use in the column or any other Kovel forum. Names, addresses or e-mail addresses will not be published. We cannot guarantee the return of any photograph, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. The volume of mail makes personal answers or appraisals impossible. Write to Kovels, Auction Central News, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.
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CURRENT PRICES
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.
Scaasi hot pink jumpsuit, silk twill, short sleeves, pockets, inverted pleats at waistline, back zipper, lined, 1960s, size 6, $180.
Staffordshire Historical Blue plate, dark blue, The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, impressed label, shell border, 1940s, 10 inches, $235.
William IV cut glass vase, Strawberry Diamond and Fan pattern, square base with a reverse-cut sunburst, 1860s, 9 1/2 inches, $480.
Needlework map of England and Wales, by Maria Leach, Crediton, Devonshire, 1808, silk on wool, oval, vine and leaf border, signed, 23 x 19 inches, $500.
Tammany Hall mechanical bank, coin is deposited in Boss Tweed’s coat pocket, black suit, yellow vest, red chair, late 1800s, 5 1/2 inches, $690.
Quadroon Tobacco pouch, cloth, image of woman with fan, 1883 tax stamp, 4 1/2 x 3 inches, $770.
Louis XV-style center table, kingwood and rosewood, rectangular top with scalloped edge, leather inset, one drawer, cabriole legs, early 19th century, 30 x 31 inches, $900.
Tete Jumeau No. 10 doll, open mouth, cork pate with sandy human hair, blue paperweight eyes, ball-jointed composition body, 23 inches, $1,380.
George III sterling goblet, repousse acanthus bandings, molded rim and foot, engraved, Dublin hallmark, 1812, 6 inches, pair, $1,440.
Tole coffeepot, side spout, two handles, original floral design on green ground, American, 1850s, 12 inches, $2,458.
Here’s the best book to own if you want to buy or sell or collect. The new full-color Kovels’ Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide, 2010, 42nd edition, is your most accurate source for current prices. This large-size paperback has more than 2,500 color photographs and 47,000 up-to-date prices for more than 700 categories of antiques and collectibles. You’ll also find hundreds of factory histories and marks and a report on the record prices of the year, plus helpful sidebars and tips about buying, selling, collecting and preserving your treasures. Available online at Kovelsonlinestore.com; by phone at 800-571-1555; at your bookstore; or send $27.95 plus $4.95 postage to Price Book, Box 22900, Beachwood, OH 44122.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, (AP) – Veteran TV director and English baron Raymond DeVere-Austin has been convicted of petit larceny in Virginia for taking cast-iron statues from an antique store.
The 76-year-old, who also goes by the name Ray Austin, received a suspended six-month jail sentence Wednesday and must pay a $1,000 fine, The Daily Progress reported.
He was convicted of taking statues of Humpty Dumpty, a dog and a horse head from a shop in October. Neither DeVere-Austin nor his lawyer, David Thomas, returned calls seeking comment.
Austin has been a TV director since the 1960s. His credits include episodes of shows ranging from The Avengers and Hawaii-Five-O to Magnum, P.I. and JAG.
He is a baron by marriage to Wendy Devere-Austin.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Constant Mayer (French/American, 1832-1911) painted ‘The Mandolin Player’ in oil on canvas, 29 1/2 inches by 23 1/2 inches. The painting, which comes from a private Chicago collection, has a $4,000-$2,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.
CHICAGO – For the second time in as many months Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will auction property from the estate of acclaimed St. Louis sculptor Ernest Trova. LiveAuctioneers will again provide Internet live bidding for the Feb. 10-11 auction.
A self-taught artist, Trova lived all his life in Missouri. At age 20 his first painting was exhibited at the St. Louis City Art Museum to much critical and public attention, earning it recognition in Life magazine.
Trova is best known for his “Falling Man” series, which he created in 1964. The series was conceived for exhibition at the city’s bicentennial celebration, but much of it was later sent to New York City, with works eventually acquired by the Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Modern Art and Tate Gallery in London.
In 1975 Laumeier Sculpture Park opened to the public on 105 acres. Trova donated 40 of his sculptures to the park’s collection, where most are still shown today. Some larger works are on public display at St. Louis University and at the General American Life Building in downtown St. Louis.
The sale will also feature English and continental furniture, decorations and porcelain objects, among them the remainder of Trova’s Meissen figural groups.
The auction will be held Feb. 10-11 beginning at 11 a.m. Central both days at Hindman’s gallery at 1338 W. Lake St.
For details call John Walcher at 312-280-1212.
To view the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Titled ‘Lady and Lolly,’ this painting of a well-dressed lady and her companion is after a portrait by 18th-century English artist Thomas Gainsborough. The oil on canvas laid to board, 39 inches by 28 inches, has an $800-$1,200 estimate. Image courtesy of Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Luigi Zuccoli (Italian, 1815-1876) signed his ‘Afternoon Retreat’ lower right. The 39 1/2- by 31-inch oil on canvas has a $2,000-$4,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. ‘Chef of the Monastery’ by A. Tamburini (Italian, 1843-1908) is signed and inscribed ‘Florence’ at upper right. The 17 1/2- by 21 1/2-inch oil on canvas has an $800-$1,200 estimate. Image courtesy of Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. ‘River with Ducks’ is by William Hull (British, 1820-1880). The signed oil on canvas, 16 1/4 inches by 24 inches, carries a $800-1,200. Image courtesy of Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.
Michael Jackson, on his visit to the White House in 1984. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.LOS ANGELES (AP) – Two men administering Michael Jackson’s estate will receive a total of 10 percent of its profits minus several sizable assets, a judge agreed Wednesday.
Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved the compensation for attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain, who have been administering the singer’s estate since shortly after his death on June 25.
Branca and McClain will each receive 5 percent of the estate’s profits, minus earnings from the recent This Is It movie and Jackson’s interest in lucrative Sony-ATV music catalog.
Beckloff approved the arrangement after discussing it with various attorneys representing Branca, McClain, Jackson’s children and the singer’s mother, Katherine Jackson.
None raised any objections to the arrangement.
Howard Weitzman, an attorney for Branca and McClain, said the men would be fairly compensated but likely receive less money than if they received guideline amounts for administering Jackson’s estate, which has an estimated value of more than $500 million.
“They will be fairly compensated,” Weitzman said.
Katherine Jackson’s attorney, Adam Streisand, agreed.
“I think that this is very reasonable,” he said. “There is an incentive for the executors to grow the business and that will, of course, affect their compensation.”
Weitzman noted that Branca represented Michael Jackson throughout his life and that McClain is a childhood friend of the singer.
Beckloff is retaining some oversight over the payments and scheduled a progress report for September. But he expressed faith in Branca’s leadership of the estate. The judge recalled a hearing last year in which Branca testified by phone about his business connections and a deal Jackson merchandise and a memorabilia exhibition.
“I found him extraordinarily impressive,” Beckloff said, noting that’s not a distinction he normally draws about people from a phone conversation.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Detroit Pistons basketball team upset the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one to win the NBA title in 2004. This official championship ring has a $4,000-$5,000 estimate. Image courtesy of DuMouchelles.
DETROIT – Fine art, antiques and collectibles totaling more than 1,500 lots will be spread over three sessions during DuMouchelles’ Feb. 12-14 auction. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.
The action will begin Friday at 6:30 p.m. at DuMouchelles’ gallery at 409 E. Jefferson Ave. in the heart of the Motor City.
Sports fans will be competing for a 2004 Detroit Pistons NBA Championship ring, which is estimated at $4,000-$5,000. The 10K white gold ring is channel set with 56 round brilliant diamonds totaling approximately 1.03 carats. The inside of the ring is engraved with the name a team associate, not a player. It comes with a presentation box and certificate of authenticity.
An “Official League” baseball autographed by St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean will also be offered Friday evening. Ironically the ball will be sold in Detroit, where Dean tamed the Tigers in the 1934 World Series, winning Games 1 and 7. The ball and autograph are in good condition. It has a $1,000-$1,500 estimate.
Saturday’s session, which begins at 11 a.m. Eastern, will feature a fine neoclassical French figural clock marked “Courvoisier & Comp.” The circa 1840 clock has a marble plinth embellished with bronze ormolu and surmounted by a silver figure of Mercury resting on a rocky formation over a cylindrical clock, holding a gilt-bronze lidded torchere. The clock has no bell or pendulum. It is estimated at $5,000-$7,000.
An American Federal mahogany banjo clock, circa 1810, with colorful eglomaise glass panels and a brass eagle and sphere finial has an $800-$1,500 estimate.
Sunday’s session will get under way at noon with a rare Art Deco mosaic enamel and doré Art Deco bronze clock by Tiffany Furnaces. The model no. 360 clock, 5 inches high by 5 inches wide, is from the early 1920s. Marked “Tiffany and Co.” on the face, the clock has a $4,000-$6,000 estimate.
Painting will include an oil on canvas by Dame Laura Knight (British, 1877-1970) titled Sennen Cove, Cornwall, England. The view of the seaside village is 16 inches by 20 inches and carries a $20,000-$40,000 estimate. It was once in the collection of Monsignor Edward J. Hickey, one of Detroit’s prominent Catholic pastors.
The estate of W.A. Warrick of Plymouth, Mich., includes original book illustrations by Arthur Rackham, Norman Ault, L. Grabham and Carton Moore-Park as well as British paintings by Frederick Thomas Daws and Frank William Warwick Topham. A watercolor and gouache by Rackham (1867-1939) titled Midsummer Night’s Dream, 4 7/8 inches by 3 1/2 inches, in a bronze Art Nouveau frame, has a $2,000-$4,000 estimate.
German-born Edmund Henry Osthaus (1858-1928) immigrated to America in 1883. By 1886 he had become principal of the Toledo Academy of Fine Art. An avid outdoorsman, he was known for his depictions of sporting dogs. His pencil, watercolor and gouache on artist board of one such animal is included in the auction. The 23- by 27-inch work, from a prominent collector in Toledo, Ohio, has a $12,000-$16,000 estimate.
An 18th-century Aubusson floral carpet, 23 feet 2 inches by 14 feet 9 inches, was formerly in the collection of Arthur E. Summerfield, of Flint, Mich. Summerfield was postmaster general during the Eisenhower administration. The room-size carpet having a central gold cartouche design, with floral and leaf motifs in each corner, has a $6,000-$8,000 estimate.
Agathon Léonard’s 17-inch doré bronze and ivory sculpture of a young woman, standing, with a look of contemplation. The face, neck and arms are carved ivory and the rest of the figure is gilt bronze. The base is also bronze and is incised “A. Leonard.” The figure has a $15,000-$20,000 estimate.
For Valentine’s Day, bidders will have their pick of a 3.86-carat emerald-cut diamond and platinum ring among the more than 80 lots of jewelry.
For details call 313-963-6255.
To view the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at .
‘Louis C. Tiffany Furnaces Favrile 360’ is marked on this mosaic enamel and doré Art Deco bronze clock, model no. 360. Produced circa 1920, the clock has a $4,000-$6,000 estimate. Image courtesy of DuMouchelles. Edmund Henry Osthaus, a gifted artist famous for sporting paintings, did this portrait in pencil, watercolor and gouache laid on artist board. It is 23 inches by 27 inches and has a $12,000-$16,000 estimate. Image courtesy of DuMouchelles. Dame Laura Knight (British, 1877-1970) painted ‘Sennen Cove at Cornwall, England’ circa 1917. The 16- by 20-inch oil on canvas has a $20,000-$40,000 estimate. Image courtesy of DuMouchelles. The enamel dial on this neoclassical French figural clock reads ‘Courvoisier & Comp.’ It stands 33 inches tall and has a $5,000-$7,000 estimate. Image courtesy of DuMouchelles.
‘The Lesson’ is a rare early 20th-century stained glass window by Tiffany Studios. In its original bronze frame the window is 48 inches high by 20 inches wide. It has a $50,000-$75,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Great Gatsby’s Antiques and Auctions.
ATLANTA – Great Gatsby’s Antiques and Auctions, purveyor of rare and unusual antiques and art for more than 20 years, has another top-notch lineup for their Feb. 6 auction. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding on everything from a Tiffany Studios stained glass window to 1966 Corvette convertible powered by a 427 big-block engine.
The circa 1900 Tiffany window, titled The Lesson, depicts a teacher with her student. It demonstrates Louis Comfort Tiffany’s talent for creating three-dimensional depth through the use of triple layers of art glass. The window is also an excellent example of work by Tiffany’s master craftsman Frederick Wilson, as shown in the painted faces of both subjects. The window, which measures 48 inches by 20 inches, has a $50,000-$75,000 estimate.
Chevrolet added more muscle to the 1966 Corvette Sting Ray with an optional 427-cubic-inch engine. The convertible model in Great Gatsby’s auction has matching numbers and its original side exhaust pipes. The Corvette has a starting bid of $65,000 and an $80,000-$120,000 estimate.
A 17th-century carved oak English Jacobean grand hall bench reputed to have been a gift from Britain’s greatest poet, John Milton (1608-1674), to his wife, Mary, has a $25,000-$45,000 estimate. It features a scrolling pediment top with relief carved designs flanking a pair of arched panels with carved busts depicting Mercury and Vulcan. The backrest has the carved inscription “A Ryghte Joyouse and Kyndly Welcome Too Ye All” over a relief carved Greek classical battle scene with the inscription “Ye Amazons doing Battel With Ye Greek Warriors”, and below this “Seeke Ye All After Goode and Doo Ye Goode and Bee Ye Kynde Too All.” Also carved in the back is the maker’s date “1648.” On the apron of the bench appears the dedication “John Milton Mary.” The bench is 74 inches high by 82 inches wide by 27 inches deep.
A pair of massive marble Art Deco eagles, after those mounted on the Federal Reserve Building in Chicago, will be sold. Fully carved front and back, the statues stand 84 inches high by 72 inches wide by 45 inches deep. The pair is estimated at $30,000-$40,000.
An exact architectural scale model of Atlanta’s historic Swan House, a 1928 Second Renaissance Revival Style mansion, will be sold. The highly detailed model is 29 inches high by 71 inches wide by 52 inches deep. The roof lifts off to reveal a full interior, complete with winding staircase, fireplace mantels and bathroom fixtures. It has an $8,000-$12,000 estimate. The Atlanta Historical Society acquired the actual Swan House and most of its furnishings in 1966.
The auction will begin Saturday at 2 p.m. Eastern at Great Gatsby’s facility at 5180 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. in Atlanta.
For details call 770-457-1903.
To view the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Hartmann Luggage of Milwaukee produced this five-piece set in genuine American crocodile leather as a special order in the mid-20th century. The set is expected to arrive at $10,000-$15,000. Image courtesy of Great Gatsby’s Antiques and Auctions. Reputed to have belonged to English poet John Milton, this 17th-century carved oak Jacobean grand hall bench features the carved inscription ‘A Ryghte Joyouse and Kyndly Welcome Too Ye All.’ The 82-inch-wide bench is estimated at $25,000-$45,000. Image courtesy of Great Gatsby’s Antiques and Auctions. Dore’ bronze winged lions support a pietra dura inlaid marble tabletop measuring 60 inches in diameter. The table has a $25,000-$40,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Great Gatsby’s Antiques and Auctions. Marquetry inlay adorns this 8 1/2-foot-long pub bar. A wooden canopy connects the mirrored back bar with the marble-top serving counter. It has a $15,000-$25,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Great Gatsby’s Antiques and Auctions.
This Tiffany pottery vase kicked off Rago’s Early 20th Century Design auction, selling for $50,020. The rare cabbage-shaped vase, which measured 8 1/2 inches by 8 inches, was a flea market find. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center. LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. – A rare Tiffany art pottery vase – discovered at a New York City flea market – sold for $50,020 to open Rago Arts and Auction Center’s 20th Century Design Weekend, Jan. 16-17. The two-day auction totaled $3.28 million inclusive of the buyer’s premium.
The Louis Comfort Tiffany cabbage-shaped vase in mottled polychrome matte glaze more than doubled the high estimate. The circa 1900 vase turned up at the 23rd Street Flea Market in New York City recently, literally falling off a truck into the arms of a dealer, who bought it immediately.
“It is the best example of Tiffany pottery – when both glaze and form are considered – to come to market in three decades,” said Rago. The same form sold five years ago at a Christie’s sale, but the glaze was not as good. A better form, the fern basket, has been in the market, but again the glaze was not at this level, noted Rago.
“Solid property priced conservatively continues to draw attention and generate bidding. The auction wasn’t crazy, as the Modern was in 2007/2008 or settled, as the Early 20th Century market has been. It was active and spirited, and there were few weak spots,” said Rago. “I’m particularly pleased with the performance on Sunday by designers like Parzinger and Adnet and with the glass – a market we’ve worked very hard to build.”
The Early 20th Century sale on Saturday was notable for the Tiffany, the lamps, the furniture and the European pottery, said Rago.
Every piece of Stickley furniture and metalwork sold, totaling $303,700 against a low estimate of $217,850. Included was a Gustav Stickley plant stand with a Grueby tile top that sold for $17,080.
A Rookwood Iris vase by Kataro Shirayamadani sold for $31,720; a Saturday Evening Girls tile with tulips, $14,640; a Moorcroft red flambé vase, $18,300; and an Edward Stellmacher Amphora vase with lizard, $9,760.
A Tiffany Studios table lamp with acorn shade made $28,060, while a Dirk Van Erp hammered copper floor lamp finished at $19,520.
A 1903 Charles Rohlfs carved blanket chest hit $32,940.
Topping the high estimate in Sunday’s Mid-Century Modern auction was a John Lewis blue painted glass bench, which sold for $24,400. The California glass artist’s work can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Lewis, who explores cast glass as in designs both sculptural and functional, created the case glass bench in 2007. It measured 18 inches by 54 inches by 14 inches.
A signed and dated 1982 Dale Chihuly Macchia glass vessel, 11 3/4 inches by 15 1/4, inches, sold for $12,200. A Dan Dailey and Linda MacNeil bust of etched glass, brass and vitrolite, titled Accoutrements, soared past the $3,000-$4,000 estimate to sell for $30,500.
A 78 1/2-inch-tall Vasa acrylic column sculpture created in 1988 by Velizar Mihich (Yugoslavian) reached $9,150.
Furniture highlights included a pair of Tommi Parzinger lacquered chests and hanging cabinet that sold for $11,590; a 1967 Paul Evans deep relief patinated steel credenza, $34,160; six conoid dining chairs by George Nakashima, $48,800; Nakashima conoid walnut dining table, $31,720; Jacques Adnet pair of stitched leather and brass lounge chairs, $19,520; Poul Kjaerholm, E. Kold Christiansen daybed of brushed steel, $19,520; and a Karl Springer freeform stainless steel coffee table, $17,080.
A carved wooden table lamp by James Mont with a woven shade made $5,490.
Tommi Parzinger’s pair of lacquered oak chests and a matching hanging cabinet with original milk-glass panels sold for $11,590. The chests measured 31 1/2 inches high by 42 inches wide by 18 inches deep. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center. John Lewis created this 54-inch-long cast glass bench in 2007. It sold at Rago’s auction for $24,400. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center. Jacques Adnet was another recognized name in Rago’s Mid Century Modern auction. This pair of his brass and leather lounge chairs sold for $19,520. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center. American furniture maker Charles Rohlfs designed this blanket chest in 1903. It sold for $32,940 in Rago’s Early 20th Century auction Jan. 16. It features three pullout trays over a lower drawer. Image courtesy of Rago Arts and Auction Center.
The Second Folio edition of ‘Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies, published in 1632, is considered one of the landmarks of English literature. The well-known copy in PBA Galleries’ auction carries a $200,000-$300,000 estimate. Image courtesy of PBA Galleries.
SAN FRANCISCO – PBA Galleries will feature an important collected edition of William Shakespeare’s works at its Feb. 8 auction. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding on this and 162 other rare lots in this auction.
Certainly the most widely read, most often published and most influential writer in the annals of English literature is William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon. His 36 plays have been translated into every major living language, and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Though a number of his plays were published during his lifetime – he died in 1616 at age 52 – it was not until 1623 that a collected edition of his plays was published, known as the First Folio.
Nine years later, another edition was called for, and in 1632 there was published the Second Folio of Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. It was essentially a page-for-page reprint of the First Folio, but with a very significant addition, John Milton’s “An Epitaph on the admirable Dramaticke Poet, W. Shakespeare.” It was the first appearance in print of any work of Milton’s. There were to be two more folio editions of Shakespeare’s Works published during the 17th century – the third folio of 1664 and the fourth folio of 1685.
The Second Folio to be offered by PBA Galleries is described as a “tall,” well-margined copy was rebound in full morocco in the middle of the 19th century by the firm of J. Leighton for the owner, Robert Curzon, 14th Baron Zouche, a noted traveler, scholar and collector. There is some restoration to the title page and final leaf, but overall a very choice copy, in eminently collectible condition. PBA Galleries estimates this monumental work will sell for between $200,000 and $300,000.
Another valuable work in the auction by a celebrated English author is Marlborough: His Life and Times by Winston S. Churchill. The four volumes are number 94 of 155 sets, which were sold by subscription and published by George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd. from 1933-1938. Churchill signed the set on the limitations leaf in Volume 1. The rare set has a $12,000-$15,000 estimate.
David Low (1786-1859), a professor of agriculture at the University of Edinburgh, was interested in the agricultural education of the common man as well as the landed gentry. Low’s Domestic Animals of the British Islands intended to educate anyone interested agriculture, from the common man to the landed. The two-volume set published in 1842 contained 56 hand-colored lithographed plates of farm animals. Complete copies are rare in the trade, often being disassembled for the plates. Bound in 19th-century green half morocco and marbled boards, the set has a $12,000-$15,000 estimate.
Two rare and important works about China will be available at the auction. One is a 15-volume complete set that forms an introduction to Chinese life in the 18th-century. The work of Jesuit missionaries, the set represents an important survey of Eastern life, philosophy and language. Having descended in the family of American naval officer Oliver Hazard Perry, the work is estimated at $15,000-$20,000.
The second work in the sale devoted to China, Jean-Baptiste Du Halde’s important Description of China … , was published in London in 1738-41 and features 64 copper-engraved maps, plans and plates, most of which fold. The two volumes also examine the geography and history of Korea and Tibet. The estimate is $8,000-$12,000.
The auction will begin at 1 p.m. Pacific at PBA Galleries, 133 Kearny St. – fourth floor.
For details call 415-989-2665.
To view the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
‘Low’s Domestic Animals of the British Islands’ contains 56 hand-colored plates. Pictured is the Old English Black Horse, a breed that is now extinct. The two-volume set published in 1842 has a $12,000-$18,000 estimate. Image courtesy of PBA Galleries. Winston Churchill signed his limited edition – 155 copies – of ‘Marlborough: His Life and Times.’ This set in original orange morocco lacks the cardboard slipcases, and slight wear is noted at the spine ends. The estimate is $12,000-$15,000. Image courtesy of PBA Galleries. Several Jesuit missionaries contributed to this an exhaustive work that introduced Chinese life to the Western World. Published in Paris in 1776-1791, the complete set of 15 volumes has an estimate of $15,000-$20,000. Image courtesy of PBA Galleries. Confucius, the most celebrated philosopher of China, is the subject of this plate in Jean-Baptiste Du Halde’s ‘Description of China and Chinese Tartary.’ The two volumes were published in London 1738-1741. The estimate is $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy of PBA Galleries.
This diamond, ruby and silver heart vinaigrette pendant dates to the 1700s. It measures 2 inches by about 1 1/2 inches and has a $4,500-$5,500 estimate. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions. ALAMEDA, Calif. – Michaan’s will feature furniture, jewelry, fine art, decorative arts and Asian works of art at its estate auction Feb. 7. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.
A diamond, ruby and silver heart vinaigrette pendant from the 18th century will highlight the jewelry selection, which opens the auction at noon Pacific. It features a pear-shaped rose-cut diamond measuring approximately 10mm by 6mm. The pendant, which measures approximately 2 inches by 1 1/2 inches, has a $4,500-$5,500 estimate.
An Edwardian diamond, platinum, 18k white-gold ring has an $800-$1,200 estimate.
Hermann Ottomar Herzog (German, 1832-1932) is represented in the sale by an oil on canvas painting of cows grazing in wooded landscape. The 23- by 19-inch signed work has $6,000-$8,000 estimate. A work by Marc Chagall will also be available.
A marked “800” standard silver Italian tea and coffee service made and retailed during the 20th century by U. Bellini, Florence, is expected to sell for $2,000-$2,500. The set totals 104 troy ounces.
An Art Nouveau enamel silver cigarette case en plein, after Alphonse Mucha’s 1898 Job poster, is estimated at $1,000-$1,500.
Asian works include a 47-inch-tall polychrome figure of Guanyin on a lotus blossom base. The carved figure is from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1643) It has a $2,000-$3,000 estimate.
A Chinese inside painted glass snuff bottle, late Qing Dynasty, signed Zhou Le Yuan, has a $800-$1,200 estimate. A fine Chinese Famille Rose vase, signed by Wang Kun, from the Republic Period (1877-1946) is estimated at $1,000-$2,000.
Furniture includes a late 19th-century Louis XV-style rosewood marquetry secretaire a abattant having a marble top and gilt bronze mounts. It carries at $1,500-$2,000 estimate.
A ladies Rolex, Cellini, 18K yellow-gold wristwatch has a $2,000-$3,000 estimate.
The auction will be conducted at Michaan’s gallery at 2751 Todd St. in Alameda.
For details call 510-740-0220.
To view the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
The canvas of this Hermann Ottomar Herzog painting has been relined. The 23- by 19-inch pastoral landscape is expected to sell for $6,000-$8,000. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions. Retailed by U. Bellini, Florece, Italy, this Italian 800 standard silver tea and coffee service from the 20th century has a $2,000-$2,500 estimate. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions. This Louis XV-style rosewood secretaire a abattant dates to the fourth quarter of the 19th century. Standing 52 1/2 inches tall, it has a $1,500-$2,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions. Guanyin sits upon a lotus blossom base. The 47-inch-tall polychrome wooded figure is from the Ming Dynasty and has a $2,000-$3,000 estimate. Image courtesy of Michaan’s Auctions.
Click here to view Midwest Auction Galleries, Inc.’s complete catalog.
