London silversmiths Storr & Mortimer crafted this George IV hot water kettle on stand in 1827. The body is decorated in floral repousse and engraved armorial crests. The kettle weighs 139 troy ounces. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers Inc.CHICAGO – More than 1,200 lots, many offered from prominent Chicago estates and collectors, will be sold at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ Oct. 4-5 sale of fine furniture and decorative arts. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.
The sale features a strong silver collection, which includes numerous American and Continental examples. A George IV hot water kettle made by Paul Storr is expected to sell for $8,000 to $12,000, as is a George III well and tree platter. Other Georgian water kettles, salvers and trays are estimated between $3,000 and $6,000, and flatware sets by Georg Jensen and Emile Puiforcat are expected to make $12,000 to $18,000. Chicago’s silversmiths of the early 20th century were integral to the Arts and Crafts movement in America, and the auction highlights 26 examples by such notable practitioners as the Kalo, Volund and Art Silver shops.
Contemporary art glass, consigned by Marquette University’s Haggerty Museum of Art to benefit future acquisitions, is expected to realize strong prices after the highly successful sale of the first half of the collection earlier this year. This session, taking place on the second day of the sale, includes nearly 70 lots by artists Harvey Littleton, Kyohei Fujita, Mark Peiser, Michael Glancy and others.
Property from several personal collections and estates begins with 31 lots of Daum and Gallé cameo glass from the Patricia J. Gottschalk Trust, Northfield, Ill. The collection was purchased during the 1930s at flea markets in and around Paris by the consignor’s grandmother.
Fred J. Funk Jr. of Elgin, Ill., was an avid collector and over many years acquired an extensive collection of silhouettes by cutters August Edouart, Martha Ann Honeywell, Seymour Lindsey and many others. A selection of 12 Sandwich Glass Co. lamps from Funk’s collection will also be sold, including an example measuring 28 1/2 inches high.
Among the Japanese works of art offered from the estate of Nancy S. Blakeslee, Barrington, Ill., are more than 50 lots of tsuba, fuchi-kashira, menuki and other sword fittings. A pair of 14th-15th century Ezo menuki depicting insects is estimated at $1,500 to $2,000, and a Shimizu Jingo tsuba of mokko form is estimated at $2,000 to $3,000.
Other Asian works of art, including a large Meiji ivory figure of a man with three boys estimated at $3,000 to $5,000, come from personal collections.
Property from various other estates and private collections, English and Continental furniture, and decorative arts will be sold during the two-day auction. All lots will be on exhibition for preview Sept. 30 through Oct. 3 at 1338 W. Lake St.
The auction will begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Central and resume Monday at noon Central.
For more information, contact Andrew Lick at 312-280-1212.
View the fully illustrated catalogs and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Demetre H. Chiparus (Romanian, 1886-1947) created ‘Danseurs Russes’ in cold painted bronze and ivory. Raised on a stone plinth, the taller dancer stands 25 inches high. The estimate is $60,000-$80,000. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers Inc. French sculptor Emile Louis Picault (1833-1915) created this 29 1/2-inch-high statue depicting an Egyptian scribe holding a stylus and a canopic jar. The figure is gilt bronze on a marble base. It has a $30,000-$50,000 estimate. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers Inc. The Emile Puiforcat silver flatware service in Leslie Hindman’s auction has a total of 91 pieces. It lacks four teaspoons for a complete service for 10. It has a $12,000-$18,000 estimate. Image courtesy Leslie Hindman Auctioneers Inc. This mahogany sideboard having a banded serpentine top hails from Massachusetts. It measures an ample 80 inches wide, 40 inches tall and 23 inches deep. The estimate runs $5,000-$7,000.
Nickolas Muray’s iconic 1939 photograph of Frida Kahlo pictures the artist in a traditional Mexican dress. The carbon pigment print, which measures 14 3/4 by 10 1/8 inches, has a $10,000-$15,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.NEW YORK – Phillips de Pury & Co. will present Latin America, a theme auction offering a cross section of quality works of contemporary art, design and photographs for sale on Oct. 3 at the company’s Chelsea galleries. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.
The auction is the second in a series of theme sales by Phillips, which began with Now: Art of the 21st Century in London on Sept. 26.
Rufino Tamayo’s 1977 painting Mujer en un interior is one of the highlights of the contemporary art portion of the sale. Considered one of the most important Mexican painters of the 20th century, Tamayo melded Modernist concepts. The painting in the sale depicts a nude female figure in a Pre-Columbian style standing amid an abstract and minimalist interior. The oil and sand on canvas painting measures 51 by 38 inches. It carries a $400,000-$500,000 estimate with bidding starting at $260,000.
Another contemporary highlight is a sculpture by Tunga (Brazilian, b. 1952) in wood and metal titled Exogenous Axis. The 2000 work is described as a powerful transformative aesthetic representation of the female form. The 81-inch-tall figure has a $40,000-$60,000 estimate.
Highlighting the photographs section is Nickolas Muray’s 1939 iconic image of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Printed later and signed by the photographer’s daughter, Mimi Muray, the color print measures 14 3/4 by 10 1/8 inches. Kahlo is pictured wearing a traditional Mexican dress and sitting on a bench. Although Nickolas Muray photographed numerous celebrities, politicians and artists, he is best known for the photographs of his lover, Frida Kahlo, whom he shot more than any other person. At the time of this sitting, Kahlo had just opened her first solo exhibition at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York and was on the cusp of a burgeoning career that would end with her premature death in 1954. The print, which demonstrates Muray’s pioneering use of color photography, has a $10,000-$15,000 estimate.
Another departed diva in the auction is Maria Callas (from Diamond Divas) by Vik Muniz. His C-print mounted on aluminum, 59 x 47 1/4 inches, pictures the legendary opera soprano early in her career. Signed and dated “Vik Muniz 2004,” the work has a $70,000-$90,000 estimate.
Heading the design section of the sale is a glass and aluminum-covered wood table by Oscar Niemeyer. The renowned Brazilian architect designed the working prototype dining table for the firm Móveis Teperman Ltd. in 1990. It is 29 3/4 by 88 1/2 by 41 inches. With a certificate of authenticity from the Oscar Niemeyer Foundation, the table has a $25,000-$35,000 estimate.
View the fully illustrated catalogs and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Rufino Tamayo’s ‘Mujer en un interior,’ (Woman in an Interior) demonstrates his fusion modernism forged links. The painting, oil and sand on canvas, measures 51 by 38 inches. It has a $400,000-$500,000. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co. Beatriz Milhazes (b. 1960) often juxtaposes Brazilian cultural imagery and references to Modernist painting. ‘As Irmãs,’ (The Sisters), a screenprint on paper, 52 by 60 inches, is numbered 7/35. The 2003 work has a $14,000-$18,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co. Brazilian-born Vik Muniz depicted opera diva Maria Callas in a C-print on aluminum in 2004. One of an edition of 10, the 59- by 47 1/4-inch print has a $70,000-$90,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.” title=”PhillipsPortrait.jpg Brazilian-born Vik Muniz depicted opera diva Maria Callas in a C-print on aluminum in 2004. One of an edition of 10, the 59- by 47 1/4-inch print has a $70,000-$90,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.” class=”caption” /> Architect Oscar Niemeyer designed this dining table for the firm Móveis Teperman Ltd., Brazil, circa 1990. Fabricated of glass and stainless steel-covered wood, the table has a $25,000-$35,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.
Top lot of the sale was this 18th-century Pennsylvania Chippendale tiger maple desk, which sold for $41,400. Image courtesy Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd.
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. – A late 18th-century Pennsylvania Chippendale desk, probably Lancaster County and crafted from strikingly figured tiger maple, sold for $41,400 at an estates auction conducted Sept. 19 by Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd. The desk was the top achiever of the more than 700 quality lots that changed hands at Little’s latest Historic Hillsborough Auction.
It was just the second major auction held at Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales’ new state-of-the-art gallery facility, located at 620 Cornerstone Court in Hillsborough. Hundreds of lots of fine art, period furniture and decorative accessories were sold, with the centerpiece being the estate collection of the late W. Samuel Tarlton, the respected art dealer and co-owner of an antique shop in Raleigh.
“This was quite simply the best sale we’ve ever had,” said Leland Little. “I feel a renewed freshness and energy in the auction business I haven’t experienced in some time. The mid-range market items, especially, such as jewelry and decorative accessories, did extremely well, much better than in previous sales. This is all very encouraging to us and the industry.”
Little added, “Our decision last year to build a new facility, which gives us greater access and visibility near the interstate, was a timely and prudent one. The new location is equipped with specialized gallery lighting, greatly expanded exhibit space and green building components. This building is a major asset to our business.”
The auction, which grossed a little under $1 million, attracted a standing-room-only crowd of more than 300 people. In addition, 752 bidders were registered online and more than 700 prebids were posted via LiveAuctioneers.com. Phone and absentee bidding was active, as 1,200 absentee and phone bids were lined up prior to sale. In all, close to 1,000 people registered to bid live.
All prices quoted include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.
The Chippendale sale-topping desk came out of the Tarlton collection. Other furniture pieces from his estate included a set of six Knoll & Saarinen white tulip chairs, circa 1960, and pedestal dining table, $3,336; an18th-century American Queen Anne maple center table, possibly from the North Carolina Chowan River Basin, $4,830; and an 18th-century Massachusetts Chippendale oxbow slant-lid desk ($4,600, est. $2,000-$3,000).
Also from the Tarlton estate, a New Hampshire Federal bowfront chest of drawers, circa 1800-1810, 12-panel form, sold for $5,750 and an American miniature Hepplewhite inlaid chest, early 19th century, went for $2,530. Artwork featured a bronze by Anna Hyatt Huntington (American, 1876-1973) titled Yawning Tiger that achieved $12,075 (est. $3,000-$5,000); and a still life oil on board by Jacques Blanche (French, 1861-1942) that made $4,140.
Staying in the fine art category, the sale also included many pieces acquired in the 1960s and ’70s by the Mead Corp. of Richmond, Va. Top earners included an oil on canvas painting by Robert Harvey (b. 1924), titled Brother Home on Leave and signed and dated 1964, which brought $4,370 against a $1,000-$2,000 estimate, and an oil on canvas painting by Jim Herbert (Georgia, b. 1938) titled Oriental, which made $1,840.
Two clocks sparked interest. One was a French cloisonné mantel clock with two matching candlesticks, stamped to indicate the maker won a silver medal in 1855, which swept past a $400-$800 to sell for $5,520. The other, a late 18th-century English Chippendale tall case clock, mahogany, 89 inches tall, topped $3,220.
Intriguing offerings included a Turkoman asmalyk, circa 1890, wool and silk with allover decoration, woven edging and five-sided camel decoration for the wedding procession carrying the bride. Estimated at $300-$600, it sold for $7,762. A pair of vintage concrete foxes with bushy tails and attractive weathering went to $2,415; and an antique toleware tray, 19th century, with a painted harbor scene depicting a Spanish galleon came in at $1,265.
A 163-piece sterling silver flatware service in the Pointed Antique pattern by Dominick & Haff and Reed & Barton climbed to $4,370 (est. $1,500-$2,500), while a beautiful Southern coin silver ladle by Linebach of Salem, N.C., went for $3,680 (est. $600-$900). In estate jewelry, a 1.15-carat round brilliant cut diamond brought $2,070 (est. $1,000-$1,500), and a 1.09-carat emerald cut diamond garnered $2,070.
Returning to fine art, a signed oil on panel by Julian Onderdonck (Texas, 1882-1922) titled Rock Quarries fetched $29,900; and an oil on linen signed by French artist Adolphe Binet (1854-1897) and titled Les Alezans, breezed to $23,000. An acrylic on canvas by John McCracken (New York/Calif., b. 1934), titled Mandala IV, made $19,550.
A pair of works by Richard Anuskziewicz (New Jersey, b. 1930) got the attention of bidders. An acrylic on canvas titled Soft Cover Vermilion topped out at $25,300, while an untitled oil on pressed board realized $10,350. Also, two large 18th-century French School murals, oil on canvas, each measuring 120 inches by 96 inches and depicting tranquil landscape scenes, sold for a respectable $18,400 and $14,950 against estimates of $3,000-$5,000 each.
Cellarets wowed the crowd. A George III example with mahogany veneer in the rare diminutive form, soared to $4,830, while an English wine cellaret, circa 1830, casket form on carved paw feet, hit $4,370. Also, a 19th-century tortoiseshell tea caddy, octagonal form with pagoda lid, rose to $1,725; and an Eero Saarinen for Knoll grasshopper chair, circa 1950s, with laminated wood frame garnered $1,265.
Vintage car enthusiasts weren’t disappointed. A bright red 1985 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole with just 49,013 miles sped off for $24,150. Also, a 1930s Jugtown Chinese blue Persian jar, rich red with a strong blue contrast, achieved $16,100 ($3,000-$6,000); a rare group of six Baccarat Czar crystal-stem blown and cut glasses coasted to $4,600; and a unique pair of 19th-century famille rose garden seats hit $2,990.
From the entertainment and movie memorabilia collection of Bill Morrison, former art critic of the Raleigh News & Observer, a 1935 lobby card for the Alfred Hitchcock thriller 39 Steps went for $2,530, while a 1977 Star Wars movie poster fetched $920. Also, a rare 18th-century cookbook and an inscribed first-edition book by author Ayn Rand each brought $1,265.
Leland Little’s next Historic Hillsborough Auction will be Dec. 5-6, also in the new gallery. For information phone 919-644-1243, or e-mail them, at info@LLAuctions.com. To learn more about Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd., log on to www.LLAuctions.com.
ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
One of two paintings in the auction by Richard Anuskziewicz, this one titled ‘Soft Cover Vermilion’ made $25,300. Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd. Tiffany Studios’ counterbalance desk lamp with bronze base and green damascene shade made $8,050. Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd. This signed oil on linen by French artist Adolphe Binet (1854-1897) rallied to $23,000. Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd. Julian Onderdonk (Texas, 1882-1922) titled his oil on panel painting ‘Rock Quarries.’ It sold for $29,900. Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd. This bright red 1985 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole, with just 49,013 miles, sped off for $24,150. Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales Ltd.
Dated 1840, this watercolor and ink silhouette by August Edouart depicts the Mathews family of Baltimore. The image measures 10 3/4 by 11 3/4 inches and has a $3,000-$5,000 estimate. Image courtesy Richard Opfer Auctioneering Inc.TIMONIUM, Md. – Old-time family values will be paramount when Richard Opfer Auctioneering Inc. sells the estate of Anne Harrison Walker on Oct. 4. A pair of American school samplers dated 1825 by sisters Mary and Martha Perrens will remain together and has an estimate of $15,000-$25,000. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.
In their original black lacquered and gilt frames, the samplers both measure 25 by 20 1/2 inches.
On the same theme, a watercolor and ink silhouette of Baltimore’s Mathews family, dated 1840, is by August Edouart. In a gilt frame, the image is 10 3/4 by 11 3/4 inches and has a $3,000-$5,000 estimate.
A Chippendale walnut tall case clock by Jacob Hostetter of Hanover, Pa., carries an $8,000-$12,000 estimate. The clock stands 96 inches high and has its original feet and an old finish. Some repairs are noted and rosettes are missing.
An American Chippendale walnut secretary desk, circa 1780, hails from Maryland or Pennsylvania. Although the bookcase top may not be original, it is an imposing piece at 89 inches high. It has a $7,000-$8,000 estimate.
From New York is a circa 1800 Federal serpentine sideboard, which probably has its original hardware. It is 40 inches high, 72 inches long and 29 1/2 inches deep. It has a $6,000-$9,000 estimate.
A large walnut step-back cupboard from Pennsylvania or the Mid-Atlantic region is estimated at $6,000-$9,000.
The estate auction will also include period mirrors, paintings and portraits, silver, Oriental rugs, lamps, early glass, export China, soft paste and transferware.
No less than 14 lots of Staffordshire spaniels will be sold, all but two of them being matched pairs.
For details on these and other lots phone 410-252-5035.
View the fully illustrated catalogs and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Sisters Mary Perrens, age 10, and Martha Perrens, age 13, completed these schoolgirl samplers in 1825. Both measure 25 by 20 1/2 inches. They will be sold as a single lot, which has an estimate of $15,000-$25,000. Image courtesy Richard Opfer Auctioneering Inc. Jacob Hostetter of Hanover, Pa., crafted this Chippendale walnut tall case clock, which retains its original feet and likely its original finials. The estimate is $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy Richard Opfer Auctioneering Inc. Some inlay and veneer loss is noted on this American Federal serpentine sideboard, which was crafted in New York state circa 1800. It measures 40 inches high, 72 inches long and 29 1/2 inches deep. Image courtesy Richard Opfer Auctioneering Inc. A modest estimate on this set of five hand-painted Chinese export plates prompted a flurry of preauction bidding on LiveAuctioneers. Image courtesy Richard Opfer Auctioneering Inc.
Bidding is anticipated to range from $3,000 to $5,000 for this fine George II carved mahogany armchair. Image courtesy Woodbury Auction LLC.WOODBURY, Conn. – A large collection of period furniture, porcelain and Asian textiles consigned by a West Coast collector make up the bulk of a major auction that Woodbury Auction will sell Oct 3. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding. The 498-lot auction will begin at 11 a.m. Eastern
“It’s a very nice sale, broadly based and highlighted by English, Irish and American Classical furniture,” said Thomas G. Schwenke, director of operations at Woodbury Auction. “The seller is an astute collector, someone I’ve known for some time. He has selectively bought all over California for 35 years.”
Schwenke traveled to Los Angeles to view the collection this past summer and arranged to have it shipped to Connecticut, he said.
Supplementing the sale will be small collections of folk art and Asian art.
Topping the list of furniture is a fine George II carved mahogany armchair made in Ireland during the 18th century. It features a serpentine carved crest above a ribbon and tassel carved pierced splat, shaped arms and acanthus carved cabriole front legs ending in scrolled French feet. The stately chair has a $3,000-$5,000 estimate.
Another Irish or English piece is a George III carved mahogany fold-over game table with a shaped top and crotch veneer top surface and four arched cabriole legs. The front legs have acanthus carved knees and claw-and-ball feet. It also features a figured mahogany veneer apron with a drawer in the front. The estimate is $5,000-$7,000.
A Classical figured mahogany swivel-top card table attributed to Duncan Phyfe, circa 1820, stands to make $4,000-$6,000.
Two Civil War-era drums will be available. One made of maple and labeled “George Kilbourne Bass and Snare Drums … Albany, NY” has a $1,000-$1,500 estimate. It is 17 1/2 inches in diameter by 14 1/2 inches high.
Asian textiles will include an imperial dragon robe embroidered with silk and gold metallic thread. With some embroidery loss noted, the estimate is $2,000-$4,000.
A folk art carved Indian bust, 16 inches high by 27 inches wide, was used on the counter of a cigar store in the early 1900s. It has a $2,000-$3,000 estimate.
For details on these and other lots phone 203-266-0323.
View the fully illustrated catalogs and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
Embroidered with silk and gold metallic thread, this imperial dragon robe has a $3,000-$4,000 estimate. Image courtesy Woodbury Auction LLC. Four arched cabriole legs enhance this fine George III carved mahogany game table, which carries a $5,000-$7,000 estimate. Image courtesy Woodbury Auction LLC. ‘George Kilbourne Base and Snare Drums, 119 Orange St., Albany N.Y.’ is printed on a label of this Civil War-era drum. It could approach $1,000-$1,500 on Saturday at Woodbury Auction. Image courtesy Woodbury Auction LLC. Attributed to Duncan Phyfe, New York, circa 1820, this classical figured mahogany card table features carved and inlaid sabre legs ending in foliate brass casters. It has a $4,000-$6,000 estimate. Image courtesy Woodbury Auction LLC.
This huge example of recycling, a chair made with old, used wooden thread spools, sold for $490 at Thomaston Auction in Thomaston, Me. It is 53 1/2 inches high by 23 inches wide.
Recycling isn’t a new idea. Our ancestors reused bits of cloth for quilts, made clothing out of flour bags, and used old cigar boxes to make chip-carved picture frames and boxes. Their rule was “waste not, want not,” so it’s not surprising that the bare wooden spools left after thread was used seemed too practical to ignore. Sewing machines were introduced to the general public in the 1840s, and a machine needed commercial thread on a spool. A lathe developed about 1815 made turnings that were probably cut apart to use as wooden spools for thread. Until about 1900, uncut turnings were used to make spool furniture. But another type of spool furniture was made from the empty thread spools that were saved by sewers. A chair or table was constructed of straight pieces of wood, then decorated with dozens of applied spools either left round or cut in half lengthwise. The finished furniture looked like traditional Victorian pieces with elaborate jigsaw decoration. Today “sewing spool” furniture is considered folk art. A very large high-back spool chair made about 1900-10 recently sold for $490.
Q: I hope you can settle an argument for us. Was Coors pottery made by the same company that makes Coors beer?
A: Coors pottery was made by Coors Porcelain Co., not the brewery, but there is a connection between the two companies. John Herold, a German immigrant, founded the Herold China and Pottery Co. in Golden, Colo., in 1910. Herold made oven-safe porcelain dishes at his factory, which was leased from Adolph Coors, founder of the brewery. Coors was a Herold China and Pottery Co. stockholder and board member. John Herold left the company in 1914. In 1920 the name of the pottery was changed to Coors Porcelain Co. Ovenware and tableware was made until 1980, and custom orders were made after that. The company now makes industrial porcelain under the name CoorsTek.
Q: I have had a 16-inch Morton Salt advertising thermometer for a long time and would like to know what it’s worth. It’s blue and yellow with a white image of the Morton “Umbrella Girl” and the words “Morton Free Running Salt, When It Rains It Pours.” It also says “Never Cakes or Hardens” at the top and “Morton Salt Co., Chicago” at the bottom. The thermometer measures degrees from 40 below 0 to 120 degrees above.
A: Advertising thermometers were popular from the 1920s until the 1970s. They were given to stores that sold the product being advertised. Morton Salt Co. dates back to 1848, but was incorporated with that name in 1910. The Umbrella Girl was introduced in Morton ads the following year and was first used on boxes of salt in 1914. The girl’s image has been updated over the years. You can buy a new Morton advertising thermometer for $18 on the company’s Web site. Old ones sell for more or even less, depending on condition.
Q: I would like to know the difference between hatpins, stickpins and lapel pins.
A: A hatpin is practical as well as decorative, and is used to hold a woman’s hat on her head. Hatpins were especially popular during the Victorian era. A stickpin is a long, straight pin with a decorative head that’s worn to hold a necktie or scarf in place. Stickpins became fashionable when men started wearing cravats in the late 18th century. Today, women sometimes wear a stickpin on a collar or lapel as a piece of jewelry. A lapel pin is usually small and has a short pin on the back. It’s meant to be worn on the lapel of a jacket or coat, but may also be pinned onto a hat, dress or collar. A lapel pin may be a badge or company insignia, or it may be just a piece of jewelry. A small American flag is a popular lapel pin today.
Q: I have a vintage Girl Scout mess kit and canteen. They’re in mint condition. Would they be of interest to a collector? How much are they worth?
A: Girl Scout collectors search for anything pertaining to the Girl Scouts. The Girl Scout movement started in 1912 under the leadership of Juliette Gordon Low of Savannah, Ga. Many Girl Scout mess kits were made in the 1950s and ’60s. Your kit should have an aluminum fry pan with a swing handle, a cooking pot with a cover, a plate, a plastic cup and stainless-steel utensils. All of the pieces fit inside the cooking pot and cover and are held together with a screw handle. The kit originally came in a green plaid carrying case labeled with the Girl Scout insignia. The canteen, with its carrying case, was sold separately. Vintage Girl Scout mess kits sell for $5 to $10. A mint canteen with its original box can sell for up to $35.
Tip: A miniature painting should not be washed. Most miniatures are painted on ivory, and the paint will wash off.
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 email 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.
Hawaiian-themed restaurant menu, 1950s, Sunshine Room, St. Petersburg, Fla., cardboard, Hawaiian flowers and palm trees, gold braided cord, 12 x 9 inches, $25.
Golden Gate International Exposition belt buckle, brass, “1939 San Francisco Bay,” blue enamel paint, $50.
McCoy Locomotive cookie jar, yellow and pumpkin, black wheels, red smokestack, 1960s, 11 x 6 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches, $95.
Black evening bag, rhinestone clasp, black satin lining with two slit pockets, beaded strap, marked “Handbags by Josef,” 10 x 6 inches, $175.
Webb glass vase, bulbous, long neck, blue and white, enameled pink apple blossoms, 15 3/4 inches, $230.
Uneeda Biscuit boy doll, by Ideal, composition flange head, painted eyes, closed mouth, molded blond hair, stuffed body, yellow sateen raincoat and hat, 1914, 15 inches, $325.
Rookwood tray, rook perched on oak leaves and acorns, brown and red matte glaze, circa 1912, 11 x 2 1/2 inches, $645.
Stickley Brothers plant stand, square top, peg construction, old refinish, metal Quaint Furniture tag, 12 1/2 x 32 inches, $780.
Kendall’s Spavin Cure poster, “Cures for Horses & Humans,” hunting dogs, horse, woman in riding dress, circa 1900, 22 x 28 inches, $1,175.
Navajo rug, Storm pattern, gray, white & black wool, 1930s, 32 x 52 inches, $1,300.
This huge example of recycling, a chair made with old wooden thread spools, sold for $490 at Thomaston Auction in Thomaston, Maine. It is 53 1/2 inches high by 23 inches wide.
BRUSSELS (AP) – Two armed robbers made off with a $1.1 million painting by Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte in a morning heist at a small museum in the Belgian capital on Thursday.
Brussels city police spokesman Johan Berckmans said the two men escaped with the 1948 Olympia oil painting by car on Thursday after holding museum staff and tourists at gunpoint.
He said the thieves had planned their heist at the appointment-only exhibit well.
“It is likely an ordered job,” Berckmans said. “It (the painting) has a street value of 750,000 euros ($1.1 million).”
One thief had entered the building first “and as soon as he came in he threatened personnel with a weapon,” Berckmans said. The first thief then let in his accomplice who moved the people in the museum, which included several tourists, to another room, while the other removed the painting.
The canvas portrays a woman with a shell at the seaside, and is believed to be a portrait of Magritte’s wife, Georgette, Berckmans said.
The painting hung at Magritte’s former house, which has been turned into a small museum, which includes various keepsakes, furniture and a small collection of works by the famous artist who died in 1967.
It is separate from a larger Magritte museum, home to 200 of his works, that opened in June.
Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
These antique enameled buttons are pierced and embellished with cut steel. The lot of four sold for $40 at a button auction in March. Photo courtesy Bella Button Auctions and LiveAuctioneers archive.
For a certain kind of crafter, nothing pushes their buttons like, well, buttons.
And among button collectors, vintage buttons appear to be a favorite find. While a few button stores still exist – Tender Buttons in New York City is notable – the Internet now provides a plethora of online stores for button shopping.
Still, many button aficionados prefer the hunt: chasing down buttons the old-fashioned way – at flea markets and garage sales.
“Most of the people who know me know that if there’s a scent of buttons in the air, I will follow it,” said Carol Schneider, a publishing executive in New York City.
In her spare time, Schneider crafts scarves, children’s wear, and purses from old kimonos and vintage fabric. Her handmade goods often require accenting, which is where the perfect button comes in.
“That’s one of the most pleasurable parts of (my designs). It’s the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae,” said Schneider. “It’s the last part of the project.”
Schneider keeps to the lower-cost vintage buttons, scouring East Coast flea markets and visiting shops like Tender Buttons. “The fun of it for me is going somewhere and not caring if it’s a valuable, old button or if I just love it,” she said.
On the other coast, Carol Cienna sells buttons online when she’s not working the parking entrance at the Los Angeles Dodgers’ home baseball games. She’s been at it about a dozen years, and she knows buttons: antique, vintage and new.
Dealers generally agree that antique buttons are those made before 1917, when more buttons began to be mass-produced, Cienna says. Those that date after 1917 are considered vintage up to about 20 years ago – but this is hotly debated. Some dealers think vintage needs to be older than 20 years, while others maintain that construction and quality decide the classification, Cienna said.
Most new buttons are of an entirely different quality, and nearly all are plastic or glass.
“If you sit them side by side you’ll see the difference,” she said.
Vintage buttons can be difficult to date, she said.
A good one can cost as little as $4.
Cathie Filian uses a lot of buttons in the crafts she shares on her DIY Network show, Creative Juice. Her fondness for buttons began as a child when older relatives would give them to her by the handful. Women such as Filian’s grandmother would clip beautiful buttons from worn-out garments and store them in metal tins or glass jars, much to the elation of crafters and collectors who find them at garage sales today.
“That preservation nature … we have so many fabulous buttons with us today as a result,” Filian said.
Both Cienna and Filian caution against using a vintage button in a way that would destroy its integrity.
“Think about crafts that don’t have to be glued, so they can be reused,” said Filian.
Some suggestions: in a bridal bouquet, mixed with new buttons, as the toggle on a purse, added to dishtowels or quilts, or sewn into a shadow box for displaying. Filian also suggests clipping boring buttons off a new sweater and sewing on vintage ones.
“They just don’t make the buttons the way they used to,” she said. “Vintage buttons have such grace and elegance and spunky humor … they were shaped like tools, or animals. They were button mad.”
Cienna thinks vintage buttons are cheaper than the newer imitations sold in fabric stores. She recommends snooping among the dealers’ “poke boxes” at button shows; these jumbles of buttons usually sell for $1 apiece.
“You graduate very quickly in button collecting,” Cienna said. “At first you’re happy with bags of cheap buttons, but pretty soon the rare ones catch your eye … before you know it, a collector is specializing.”
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On the Web:
http://www.diynetwork.com
http://www.carolschneiderdesigns.com
http://www.vintagebuttons.net
http://www.bellabuttonauctions.com
Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Pablo Picasso titled this portrait of his young lover ‘Visage.’ The image on the unframed lithograph is 8 by 5 1/2 inches. It has a $20,000-$30,000 estimate. Image courtesy Fuller’s Fine Art Ltd.PHILADELPHIA – A 1928 Pablo Picasso lithograph will be among the important works when Fuller’s Fine Art Ltd. sells art from the estate of Betty Gordon of Chadds Ford, Pa., on Oct. 3. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.
Gordon’s eclectic collection reflects her passion for superior art, literature, travel and fine furnishings. “Betty’s commitment to the cause of helping persons with emotional, developmental and educational disabilities through her support of the Devereux Foundation was paramount,” noted Fuller’s publicist Marie E. Woodward. Proceeds from the sale of Gordon’s art will support Devereux Foundation’s mission to nurture human potential.
The Picasso lithograph titled Visage underscores the prints section of Fuller’s auction. This pencil-signed and numbered print depicts Picasso’s infamous young lover, Marie-Therese Walter, whom he met in 1927.
Important paintings include an oil on canvas by American Impressionist Theodore Earl Butler entitled Environs de Giverny from 1921. The signed and dated landscape measuring 23 1/4 by 28 3/4 inches has an estimate of $20,000-$30,000.
Three spectacular landscapes in oil by Claude Monet’s protégée Blanche Hoschedé-Monet will be available. Hoschedé-Monet painted side by side with T.E. Butler and Claude Monet, whose style, palette and subject matter she emulated, as in Poplars au bord de l’Epte a Giverny.
Max Kuehne is represented by a seascape painting in his handmade frame as well as a magnificent incised and gilt corner cabinet.
Other outstanding art objects available are a Picasso glazed ceramic pitcher, a small Sound Sculpture by Harry Bertoia, and Puppy figure by Jeff Koons.
Drawings by André Derain and Walter Gay and photographs by Richard Misrach will also be offered.
Discerning folk art collectors will compete for a selection of carvings from legendary folk artists John Scholl, Edgar Tolson, Elijah Pierce and William Edmondson.
President and principal auctioneer Jeffrey P. Fuller invites the public to a preview reception Thursday, Oct. 1, 5-8 p.m., at Fuller’s, 730 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19119. Previews will be Saturday, Sept. 26, noon-6 p.m., and Monday, Sept. 28 through Friday, Oct. 2, noon-6 p.m.
The auction will begin at noon Eastern, Oct. 3. For details phone 215-991-0100.
View the fully illustrated catalogs and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet during the sale at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
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.
Walter Launt Palmer (American, 1854-1932) is highly regarded for his snow-covered landscapes. This scene, watercolor and gouache on paper, measures 12 1/2 by 16 1/2 inches. It has a $4,000-$6,000 estimate. Image courtesy Fuller’s Fine Art Ltd.Blanche Hoschedé-Monet (French, 1865-1947) pointed ‘Poplars au bord de l’Epte a Giverny’ circa 1900. The oil on canvas painting, 18 1/4 by 22 inches, is in a hand-carved frame by Frederick William Harer (American, 1879-1948). Image courtesy Fuller’s Fine Art Ltd.William Edmondson (American, 1874-1951) sculpted ‘Two Doves’ out of limestone. The work measures 9 1/2 by 6 3/4 by 5 1/2 inches. It has a $15,000-$20,000 estimate. Image courtesy Fuller’s Fine Art Ltd.‘Sunflowers II’ is signed ‘33/34 Joan Mitchell 1992′ with a blind stamp. The lithograph is under Plexiglas in a wood frame, 62 by 88 by 3 inches. Its estimate is $6,000-$9,000. Image courtesy Fuller’s Fine Art Ltd.
GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) – Western artists and supporters of the annual Russell Art Auction in Great Falls are torn over the C.M. Russell Museum’s plan to hold a separate auction the same weekend as the Great Falls Advertising Federation holds its auction.
“I’m sick about this,” said Ginger Renner of Paradise Valley, Ariz., an expert on artist Charlie Russell and a booster of the Russell Auction since its early days. “I just want to knock their heads together, to tell the truth. Without each other, neither will succeed.”
Darrell Beauchamp, the new director of the C.M. Russell Museum, announced in August that the museum wanted to directly manage its own fund-raising auction.
The Ad Club, which has donated about $5.7 million to the museum from proceeds of its Western art auctions over the past four decades, said it plans to continue holding its own auction.
Artist Tom Gilleon of Cascade said the split is like learning your parents are divorcing. “You hate to take sides and only wish you could make it better, but you can’t.”
Now the museum has provided details for its planned Western Art Week, including a Friday night “wall sale” that competes directly with the Ad Club’s Russell Art Auction.
“If we could bring in a couple hundred well-heeled buyers, everyone would gain,” said Wayne Thares, vice president of the museum board. “We see this as a win-win situation in which the whole community benefits.”
Ad Club Executive Director Sara Becker was disappointed the museum planned to conduct a sale Friday evening, the first night of the Ad Club auction, but said the museum’s plans for a high-end auction on Saturday afternoon could draw more buyers to the city.
At the museum’s Saturday auction, works will begin at about $10,000, with the emphasis on high-end pieces, Beauchamp said.
Museum spokeswoman Kate Swartz said the museum hopes to have its Saturday afternoon auction over before the Ad Club’s Quick Draw begins Saturday evening.
Artists are left in the middle.
“They’ve put a lot of artists between a rock and a hard place,” said artist Bob Morgan of Clancy. “I used to think the Ad Club was supporting the Russell Museum, but now they’re fighting each other and splitting the city right in half. As for me, I don’t know what to do.”
Artist Frank Hagel of Kalispell charged that the Ad Club auction had gone from being a fund-raiser for the museum to a fund-raiser for the Ad Club, with a smaller percentage going to the museum.
He also notes the Ad Club’s annual donation to the museum is misleading, because it includes revenue from the Quick Draw, in which the artists donate their work.
“The Quick Draw is a 100-percent artist contribution, and the Ad club shouldn’t be pretending its their contribution to the museum,” Hagel said.
Last year’s $120,000 donation included about $80,000 in Quick Draw proceeds.
Becker said the auction has always been an Ad Club fund-raiser and a community event with an ongoing tradition of donating money to the museum.
Gilleon is trying to stay above the fray.
“This is like dumping six new horses in the herd,” he said. “Now all the pecking order stuff is going on full bore. There’s kicking and ear biting and barbwire cuts everywhere. I’m just trying to stay out of the corral.”
The museum plans to call its weekend events The Russell: The Sale to Benefit the C.M. Russell Museum. Last year, the Ad Club called its auction the C.M. Russell Art Auction and Exhibitors Show.
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Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.com
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Brazilian-born Vik Muniz depicted opera diva Maria Callas in a C-print on aluminum in 2004. One of an edition of 10, the 59- by 47 1/4-inch print has a $70,000-$90,000 estimate. Image courtesy Phillips de Pury & Co.” title=”PhillipsPortrait.jpg
