CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) – After years of anticipation, a collection of rarely exhibited drawings by Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn is now on display at the Ackland Art Museum. The Ackland’s newest exhibit, Drawn to Life: Master Drawings from the Age of Rembrandt in the Peck Collection includes dozens of 17th- and 18th-century drawings by Dutch and Flemish artists, including five sketches by Rembrandt, who died in 1669.
ATLANTA – At the beginning of every month, ACN columnist Ken Hall delivers top auction highlights from around the United States and the world at large. Here’s the January 2022 edition of his Gallery Report. All prices include the buyer’s premium, except where noted.
Alphonse Mucha study, $965,000, Toomey & Co. Auctioneers
A newly discovered 1920 oil on canvas painting by Alphonse Mucha (Czech, 1860-1939), titled Young Couple from Rusadla, sold for $965,000 at an auction held December 2 by Toomey & Co. Auctioneers in Oak Park, Illinois. The painting is a fully realized study, depicting an embracing young couple and was part of a larger, lost composition titled Rusadla, which illustrated a procession scene from a Slavic Midsummer Feast. The price is a new auction record for a study by Mucha.
Revolutionary War powder horn, $44,280, Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers
A Revolutionary War powder horn from 1775, owned and carved by Siege of Boston minute man Thomas Smith, sold for $44,280 at a Historic Arms & Militaria auction held Nov. 20 by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers in Cranston, Rhode Island. Another powder horn, a circa 1746 example identified to Moses Brewer of the Provincial militia, earned $22,140. Also, a circa-1812 silver Captain Isaac Hull presentation medal given to Lt. Alexander S. Wadsworth for naval gallantry brought $40,590.
Cartier Pasha men’s watch, CA$64,900, Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.
A Cartier Pasha minute repeater men’s wristwatch sold for CA$64,900 in an online-only Watches & Jewels sale held Nov. 20 by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., based in New Hamburg, Canada. Also, a Cartier Diabolo Tourbillon men’s wristwatch went for CA$29,500; a 15.45-carat diamond cocktail ring realized CA$29,500; a Rolex Explorer II “Steve McQueen” watch achieved CA$23,600; and a Rolex Submariner Date watch rose to CA$12,980. Prices are in Canadian dollars.
George I chinoiserie cabinet, $27,500, Andrew Jones Auctions
A George I chinoiserie decorated japanned cabinet on later stand, the cabinet dating to the early 18th century, sold for $27,500 during Part 2 of the auction of the John Nelson collection held December 12 by Andrew Jones Auctions in Los Angeles. Also, a pair of 20th-century Louis XVI style gilt bronze, cut and molded clear glass 16-light chandeliers lit up the room for $23,750, and a pair of large 19th-century Italian Carrara marble busts of classical women went to a determined bidder for $22,500.
Dr. Renz’s Herb Bitters bottle, $24,250, American Bottle Auctions
A Dr. Renz’s Herb Bitters bottle, light lime green in color and one of maybe four examples known that have a uniquely styled applied tapered top, sold for $24,150 in online-only auction #72, Part 1 of the Mel Hammer collection, held Dec. 10-19 by American Bottle Auctions in Sacramento, California. The sum represents a record for the bottle. Also, a Dr. Wonser’s USA Indian Root Bitters bottle with an applied top and medium amber in color finished at $15,525.
Freedman’s mechanical bank, $174,000, Bertoia Auctions
An original Freedman’s mechanical bank, made circa 1880 by Jerome B. Secor of Bridgeport, Connecticut and one of fewer than 10 known, sold for $174,000 at an annual Fall Sale of toys, banks and holiday antiques held Nov. 18-19 by Bertoia Auctions in Vineland, New Jersey. Also, a large hand-painted Marklin Central Station, produced for the English market circa 1902-1910, realized $40,800, and a circa-1870 German belsnickle with lamp fixture rang up $30,000.
Yongzheng-marked bowl, $160,000, Stefek’s Auctioneers & Appraisers
A Chinese porcelain bowl with a lid bearing the marks of the Yongzheng period (1678-1735) sold for $160,000 at an auction held October 28 by Stefek’s Auctioneers & Appraisers in Roseville, Michigan. The bowl was decorated with a blue, red and green motif with insects, and the lid had a pale jade-colored animal finial. However, the inside of the bowl and the inside of the lid both had Yongzheng markings. The winning bid was placed online.
Napoleon’s 1797 garniture, $2.875 million, Rock Island Auction Company
A gold-encrusted six-piece garniture of five relief carved firearms and a gilt dress sword presented to Napoleon Bonaparte by the Director of the French Republic in 1797 sold for $2.875 million at a Premier Firearms Auction held December 3 by Rock Island Auction Company in Rock Island, Illinois. Also, a solid silver Winchester 1866 rifle, L.D. Nimschke’s tour-de-force, hit the mark for $977,500, and a gold-plated John Ulrich signed “1 of 1000” Model 1873 lever-action rifle realized $431,250.
James P. Regimbal bronze, $5,625, John Moran Auctioneers
A patinated 1980 bronze sculpture by James P. Regimbal (American, Washington state, b. 1949-), titled Rocky Trails, sold for $5,625 at an Art of the American West auction held November 30 by John Moran Auctioneers in Monrovia, California. Also, a 1950 painting by Ted DeGrazia (American, Arizona, 1909-1982), titled Navajo with 7 Horses, achieved $7,500; and an early 20th-century Navajo/Dine Germantown double saddle blanket hit $5,625.
Nobel Prize from 1990, $312,500, Nate D. Sanders Auctions
The 1990 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, awarded to E. Donnall Thomas for his use of bone marrow transplants to treat leukemia and other blood cancers, sold for $312,500 at an auction held December 9 by Nate D. Sanders Auctions in Los Angeles. Thomas first proposed his theory in 1957 and worked methodically throughout the 1960s and 1970s to turn the theory into a clinical treatment. It was dismissed at the time as implausible and experimental but gradually gained acceptance.
Folk art portrait of a cat, $152,100, Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates
A late 19th- or early 20th-century American folk art portrait of a black and white cat sold for $152,100 at a Premier Americana Auction held Nov. 17-20 by Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates in Mt. Crawford, Virginia. Also, a hand-sewn 34-star 1864 Lincoln-and-Johnson presidential campaign flag achieved $128,700; a Native American Party political flag banner went for $99,450; and a Johannes Spitler paint-decorated yellow pine blanket chest realized $76,050.
Majolica wine cooler, $81,900, Doyle
A circa-1865 Minton majolica cobalt-blue ground Victorian wine cooler and cover sold for $81,900 at Part 1 of the Joan Stacke Graham Majolica Collection held December 14 by Doyle in New York City. Also, a Delphin Massier majolica butterfly jardiniere went for $25,200; a Mintons majolica large fish dish and cover finished at $25,200; a Delphin Massier majolica vase modeled as a grasshopper brought $20,160; and a Mintons majolica model of a fawn flower holder rose to $15,120.
Harry Houdini’s Bible, $102,000, Potter & Potter Auctions
Harry Houdini’s Bible, a 1901 Red Letter edition inscribed, “To Dunninger, best wishes, Houdini, Nov. 30, 1925”, sold for $102,000 at a Winter Magic Auction held December 11 by Potter & Potter Auctions in Chicago. Also, a 1990s-era Pyramids of Egypt wine and water trick by John Gaughan & Associates went for $14,400, and a Blaney Ladder Levitation prop, made by Walter Blaney in the 1990s, rose to $15,600.
Rembrandt etching from 1634, $20,000, Dallas Auction Gallery
A 1634 etching by Rembrandt, titled Self-Portrait with Sabre, sold for $20,000 at a Fine and Decorative Art Auction held November 17 by Dallas Auction Gallery in Dallas. Also, a portfolio of 20 Sol LeWitt serigraphs from 1981, dubbed Lines in Two Directions and in Five Colors with All Their Combinations, realized $18,750, and a 1983 mixed media on board by Dan Rizzie, titled The Blood of the Poet, earned $10,625.
Custer’s Civil War gun holster rig, $37,500, Holabird Western Americana Collections
U.S. Army Captain George Armstrong Custer’s gun holster, dispatch case, belt and brass buckle from the Civil War sold for $37,500 at a November Wonders: Western Americana Auction held Nov. 18-22 by Holabird Western Americana Collections in Reno, Nevada. Also, a 14K gold necklace with diamond bands and emerald eyes, accompanied by a matching ring and earrings, achieved $11,560, and a circa-1910 10-cent brass octagonal token for the H. Champagne Bar in Genoa, Nevada hit $3,750.
Beatles-signed album, $31,251, RR Auction
A copy of the Beatles album Please Please Me, signed by all four members of the band, sold for $31,251 in an online Marvels of Modern Music auction that began October 14 and ended November 18 by RR Auction in Boston. The consignor indicated the signatures were obtained at the Adelphi Cinema in Slough, England in 1963. Also, a Beatles-signed 1963 Winter Gardens program earned $24,750, and a Nirvana-signed Smells Like Teen Spirit picture disc achieved $15,000.
Daniel Garber’s ‘Sycamores,’ $390,600, Freeman’s
A large-scale canvas painting by the Pennsylvania Impressionist Daniel Garber, titled Sycamores, sold for $390,600 at an American Art auction held December 5 by Freeman’s in Philadelphia. Also, Kenneth Nunamaker’s canvas River Road at Centre Bridge climbed to $201,600; Fern Coppedge’s December Afternoon (Carversville) achieved $226,800; Edward Redfield’s Abandoned Road hit $352,800; and Mary Elizabeth Price’s Mallow and Lily made $107,100.
1907 Saint-Gaudens gold coin, $4.75 million, Heritage Auctions
A 1907 Saint-Gaudens Ultra High Relief U.S. gold coin, graded proof-68 CAC, sold for $4.75 million in a private transaction between GreatCollections Coin Auctions of Irvine, California, and Heritage Auctions of Dallas. The coin last appeared in a 2007 Heritage auction where it sold for $1.84 million. The buyer then was Bob R. Simpson, founder of XTO Energy and an owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team. Fewer than 20 of the Ultra High Relief coins were minted and just 13 to 15 exist today.
1837 cutlass pistol, $27,025, Skinner Auctioneers
A Cyrus B. Allen Elgin patent cutlass pistol from 1837 with the original holster/scabbard sold for $27,025 at a Historic Arms & Militaria auction held October 29 by Skinner Auctioneers in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Also, a New Hampshire 2nd Battalion marked French model infantry musket hit the mark for $44,062; a 34th Regiment of Foot Dublin Castle pattern 1769 short land service musket rose to $34,075; and a New Hampshire-attributed Dog Pommel saber changed hands for $11,750.
Hank Aaron 1976 uniform, $224,000, Julien’s Auctions
Hank Aaron’s 1976 storied final season game-worn Milwaukee Brewers full uniform sold for $224,000 in an Icons & Idols: Sports auction held December 5 by Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles. Also, Aaron’s game-used baseball glove from 1976 was a hit for $76,800; Babe Ruth’s circa 1922-1924 game-used Louisville Slugger bat (Mears A7) realized $32,000; and a Kobe Bryant original 2000 Los Angeles Lakers limited edition Jeff Hamilton signed sportsmen’s jacket achieved $28,800.
View top auction results on LiveAuctioneers here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/
DALLAS — Dallas Auction Gallery realized strong results in Contemporary art in their November 17 Fine and Decorative Art Auction. The sale featured a large selection of contemporary art from Dallas’ TXU Energy Corporate Art Collection, all of which was formerly part of the LA-based Atlantic-Richfield (ARCO) corporate art collection.
NEW YORK – The Morgan Library & Museum proudly presents Van Eyck to Mondrian: 300 Years of Collecting in Dresden. It is currently on view and runs through January 23, 2022.
DALLAS — Dallas Auction Gallery will be offering a selection of contemporary art from the TXU Corporate Art Collection at auction November 17. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Robert Gentile, a mobster who for years denied suspicions from authorities that he knew anything about a trove of artwork valued in the millions that was stolen in a 1990 museum heist and remains missing, has died. He was 85.
NANTUCKET, Mass. – Rafael Osona’s signature August sale is well regarded for its exceptional offerings from far-reaching corners. The two-day event, which takes place August 7-8, presents choice material ranging from Rembrandt etchings to Abraham Lincoln and Civil War US Treasury ‘redbacks’ to leading ‘Nantucket Renaissance’ painter Anne Ramsdell Congdon and modernist Vladimir Kagan. It also features furnishings and decor from the Starbuck East Brick mansion and a from two single-owner collections of Canton and Chinese Export porcelains. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
AMSTERDAM (AP) – One of Rembrandt van Rijn’s biggest paintings just got a bit bigger.
A marriage of art and artificial intelligence has enabled Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum to recreate parts of the iconic Night Watch painting that were snipped off 70 years after Rembrandt finished it.
NEW YORK — Swann Galleries’ sale of Old Master Through Modern Prints on May 6 delivered $1.8 million in sales, and saw seven print records set. “There was robust and consistent interest in Old Master prints, with several new artist records set for prints by Rembrandt, Goya, and Piranesi, and Modern prints were tenaciously contested as usual,” noted Todd Weyman, the house’s director of prints and drawings.
NEW YORK — Old Master Through Modern Prints are at auction May 6 at Swann Galleries. Prints from Northern Renaissance and Golden Age icons Durer and Rembrandt feature in the sale, as well as Impressionist collaborations, European Modernists, and American printmakers. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.