Bidsquare
1216 Broadway, Suite 415, New York, New York 10001
800-657-0092
About Auction House
Launched in September 2014, Bidsquare has flourished into an active community of auction houses, antique dealers and collectors looking to modernize the art and auction world. Six renowned auction houses paved the way for Bidsquare to become the premier, online platform for real-time bidding on the best fine art and antiques. High-Quality Items. Best Fine Art & Antiques. Leading Auction Houses. Free Auction Results. Only Curated Auctions.Auction Previews & News
627 Results-
Auction IndustryGreg Pepin’s Timed Auction Highlights Unique Collaboration Between Johan Rohde & Georg Jensen
Denmark-based dealer, Greg Pepin Silver, is now hosting, 'A Unique Collaboration: Johan Rohde & Georg Jensen' Timed Auction from March 23-April 6. This specialty catalog highlights items that exemplify the collaboration between world-renowned Danish silversmith, Georg Jensen, and accomplished designer Johan Rohde. Online bidding is available exclusively on Bidsquare. Lot 65, Rare Vintage Georg Jensen Tea Service 353 by Johan Rohde Johan Rohde was the very first, and arguably, the most important design collaboration that Georg Jensen made. It was this first collaboration that paved the way for the many future design collaborations which kept the company at the forefront of Danish design throughout the 20th century. It was Rohde's vision of design without irrelevant decoration that moved Georg Jensen Silversmithy towards the design schools to follow. Johan Rohde studied medicine before seeking education as a painter and illustrator at the Academy of Arts in Copenhagen 1981-1982. He was a pupil of both Laurits Tuxen and P. S. Kroyer from 1883. He exhibited paintings at Charlottenborg in 1888. Rohde was instrumental in establishing Kunstnernes Frie Studieskole & Den Frie Udstilling, an independent art school and gallery in opposition to the Danish Royal Academy of Arts which was stiflingly conservative at the time. Rohde encouraged Georg Jensen to exhibit his statue "Foraaret" (Spring) at Den Frie Udstilling in 1897. Lot 104, Very Rare Vintage Georg Jensen Kings Bowl 250B by Johan Rohde Rohde found his way to the Applied Arts when he began designing furniture and silver for his own home, to be produced by leading Danish artisans. His collaboration with Georg Jensen began in 1906 when he commissioned Jensen to create some objects drawn by himself for his own personal use, Jensen was impressed by Rohde's designs. Rohde designed for several Danish silversmiths as well as furniture designs and his own paintings, until Jensen finally succeeded in securing an exclusive contract in 1913. The collaboration lasted until Rohde's death in 1935, just months before Georg Jensen's passing. Lot 115, Vintage Georg Jensen Johan Rohde Pitcher 432E Rohde’s designs for Georg Jensen Silversmithy incorporated Jensen’s signature characteristics, the visible hammer marks and oxidation techniques, though his interpretation of the Art Nouveau style was more structured and…
-
Auction IndustryArt for the Buddhist Ritual at WR Auctions
New to Bidsquare is WR Auction Gallery from New York City and on March 31st they will be hosting their first sale with the platform, an 'Asian & Fine Jewelry Sale.' This auction features over 230 lots of Asian works of art from China and Japan, with the categories comprising of porcelain, ceramics, metalwork, jade carvings, jadeite jewelry, scholar art and paintings. In addition, they will be selling a selection of objects that relate to Buddhist rituals. Lot 25024, Chinese bronze Buddha, possibly Qing dynasty; Estimate $14,000-$16,000 One of the highlights is lot 25024 Chinese bronze Buddhist figure dated to possibly the Qing Dynasty. This figure is seated in padmasana (lotus position) on a double base. His right hand is in the gesture of dhyana (meditation), while the left is in abhaya (protection). He wears long flowing monastic robes that expose a chest with draping jewelry. The head has downcast eyes and surmounted by a tall pointed crown. It’s quite possible that this Buddhist deity is Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. Bodhisattvas are beings who have reached enlightenment, but chose to remain on the earth to aid humanity’s suffering. This current example bears many characteristics of Avalokiteshvara including a crown, ornate jewelry, and the various hand gestures. Remnants of lacquered gilding remain throughout the figure, and he has a good height of 12 inches. This Buddhist figure is estimated at $14,000-$16,000 and would have been placed on an altar. Lot 25062, Pair of Chinese cloisonné vases, possibly 19th c; Estimate $5,500-$6,500 Another highlight from WR Auction is lot 25062, a pair of Chinese cloisonné enamel vases. These vases are both quite large with a height of 19 inches and are extremely decorative. The body of the vases contain colour decorations pertaining Buddhism, all on a light blue ground. This includes the presence of large lotus blooms and the ‘Eight Buddhist Emblems.' The shapes of these vases hark back to earlier vessels made of metal that were used for ritual offerings. These types of vases would traditionally been water sprinklers, but in this present case, they would have had more decorative functions such as holding flowers, or simply for display. These vases are estimated at $5,500-$6,500. Lot 25029, Pair of Chinese Mongolian silver…
-
Auction IndustryRomanticizing 20th Century Japan Through The Prints Of Kawase Hasui
Showplace Antique + Design Center will be holding their New York Estate Auction on March 15. This sale features over 300 lots of jewelry, silver, European painting, 20th century design and Asian Art. On the Asian Art side of the sale are numerous objects like Buddhist sculptures, Chinese export porcelain and Japanese Meiji Bronzes. Of particular note are two outstanding Japanese woodblock prints by the famed shin-hanga artist, Kawase Hasui (1883-1957). Shin-hanga literally means ‘new print’- a movement that became popular during the first half of the 20th Century. Lot 55, Hasui Shiba Zojoji Temple Japanese Woodblock Print; Estimate $2,000-$4,000 These types of prints relied on the artist’s self-expression and feature a more westernized understanding of perspective, lighting and shading. The shin-hanga style is in stark contrast to the traditional ukiyo-e ‘floating world’ prints of the 18th and 19th centuries. The latter were known to be snapshots of daily Japanese life. Along with Ito Shinsui (1898-1972), Hiroshi Yoshida (1876-1950) and Ohara Koson (1877-1945), Hasui was one of the major artists in the shin-hanga movement. He worked very closely with the publisher Shozaburo Watanabe (1885-1962) for over forty years and produced over 600 designs. In 1956, he was recognized as a Living National Treasure in Japan. Hasui’s prints are unique and easily identifiable. His oeuvre depicts detailed images of landscapes, nature and traditional Japanese architecture including temples and villages. In many of his scenes, he will incorporate natural elements such as snow and rain to enhance the mood. Hasui often includes figures into his prints, but most of them are small in scale relative to their environment. Many collectors of his works suggest that these figures are a microcosm of the human condition during that time – individuals dealing with the liminal state between the past and modernity. Lot 55 is one of Hasui’s most iconic images, Zojoji Temple. This Buddhist site can be traced back to the early 17th Century and is currently located in Shiba Park, Tokyo. Published in 1935, this print was part of his series ‘Twenty Views of Tokyo’. Detail of Lot 55Hasui Shiba Zojoji Temple Japanese Woodblock Print; Estimate $2,000-$4,000 The scene is full of drama. An anonymous female figure, dressed in a traditional blue kimono, raises her umbrella to block off the blowing snow. In the foreground,…
-
Press ReleaseBlackwell Auctions Offers Historic Floridiana And Americana In March Sale
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Blackwell Auctions of Clearwater, Fla., will offer a wide selection of Florida art and antiques, followed by significant pieces of Americana on March 14 at noon EST. This sale is a follow-up to the January Floridiana auction, which featured a large selection of items from the personal collection of Alfred Frankel, M.D . Lot 321, Indian Shooting Bear, Mechanical Cast Iron Bank; Estimate $600-$1,200 “The January Florida auction was a popular one,” said Edwin Bailey, Blackwell’s owner, “and some of the strong results came as quite a surprise. Almost immediately after the sale, multiple collectors contacted us and offered some wonderful consignments. And Dr. Frankel pulled out more pieces from his remarkable collection for us.” Alfred Frankel, a retired physician, is a well-known scholar and collector of Florida art. In all, there are about 300 pieces of Florida art, photographs and antiques. After the Floridiana is sold, Blackwell will be auctioning nearly 100 pieces of Americana, including a historic collection of documents – never before offered for sale – from a New York family, dating back to the 1690s, and including several Revolutionary War era pieces. One highlight: a document written and signed by Aaron Burr, and addressed to Robert Livingston, one of the five drafters of the Declaration of Independence. “It’s an honor to be the first person outside this family to handle, research and sell these historic documents,” Bailey said. “Some of the 1700s indentures we’re offering casually reference some of today’s most valuable real estate in lower Manhattan, such as Wall Street.”
-
Auction PreviewStair Presents The Collection Of the Iconic Interior Designer Mario Buatta With Online Bidding On Bidsquare
New York, NY: Following on the huge success of Sotheby’s Mario Buatta: Prince of Interiors auction, Stair of Hudson, New York, presents a series of three sales with online bidding on Bidsquare comprising of additional property from the Collection of Mario Buatta. Highlights include an extensive collection of porcelain, painted furniture, dog portraits, English furniture and botanical engravings among a myriad of decorative items all in Buatta’s iconic style. The first sale, The Collection of Mario Buatta will take place March 13-14. Bidsquare is anticipating high online bidding activity for the sale to compete with those attending the auction in person. Pre-registration was open exclusively on Bidsquare and registrations to bid online are already flowing in. With the digital catalogs, live bidders can browse the full catalog and add items to their watchlist online. “Sotheby’s Mario Buatta: Prince of Interiors auction held this past January shattered estimates and half the lots were won online. We are delighted to partner with Stair on this set of sales reflecting Mario Buatta's iconic style," said Allis Ghim, President and CEO of Bidsquare. "Celebrating his collection of unique pieces, in addition to his unique style, this sale is both whimsical and full of surprises and perfect for a bidder to access online on Bidsquare.” Fine Regency Giltwood and Ebonized Four Light Girandole Mirror, Estimate $3,000-5,000 in The Collection of Mario Buatta - Day 1 Auction on March 13 Two additional sales to follow the March auction include Ceramics from The Collection of Mario Buatta on April 23 and Objects, Treasures & Trifles from The Collection of Mario Buatta on April 24. Ceramics from the Collection of Mario Buatta features a curated selection of porcelain and earthenware from the 19th – 20th century and reflects the designer’s iconic style. From traditional tableware to trompe l’oeil cabbages there is sure to be a surprise to grace every surface. Included in this online auction is porcelain by Wedgwood, Spode, Derby, Vladimir, Lady Anne Gordon, Mottahedeh and many more. Group of Chinese Export Wallpaper Panels, Estimate $2,000-4,000 in The Collection of Mario Buatta - Day 2 Auction on March 14 Mario Buatta adored anecdotes and, in keeping with the spirit of a successful room telling a whimsical story,…
-
Auction IndustryFollowing Success of Sotheby’s Auction, Stair Announces Three Sales from the Collection of Mario Buatta
Following on the huge success of Sotheby’s “Mario Buatta: Prince of Interiors” auction, Stair of Hudson, New York, is pleased to announce a series of three sales comprising of additional property from the Collection of Mario Buatta. Highlights include an extensive collection of porcelain, painted furniture, dog portraits, English furniture and botanical engravings among a myriad of decorative items all in Buatta’s iconic style. The Collection of Mario Buatta Friday, March 13 at 11am & Saturday, March 14 at 11am Once upon a time, in a world not so long ago when the whole of New York was decorated in chintz and floral prints, I met Mario Buatta. I had just started working at Sotheby’s and a whole new world opened up to me. I had my first glimpse of some of the finest interiors and met a few of the world’s most renowned decorators. My first encounter with Mario took place with my father, who was also a ‘character’, and an impasse between them ensued for the next ten years. Despite this, I often found myself in houses that Mario was working on, as we shared many clients, including Malcolm Forbes and the Johnsons, to name just a couple. And throughout the eighties I would visit other clients and see the trademark floral prints and chintz on the walls. It is amazing how one can be inspired and learn so much from just being in the presence of such talent. Fast forward to 2001 when I started Stair Galleries in Hudson. We had thrown caution to the wind, put all our eggs in one basket and were holding our very first auction at Stair the next day when suddenly I had Mario Buatta on the phone, demanding a printed catalogue. ‘Mario, we don’t have any printed catalogues, the catalogue is all online…’ I said. ‘What do you mean there is no printed catalogue?’ he asked incredulously. So we scrambled to make him a printed copy, somehow managed to get it to him the next day and he ended up bidding in our very first sale! The hook was set and over the next few years, he became a regular bidder. Towards the end,…
-
Auction IndustryChinese Flambé Glazed Bottle Vase Sells Online for Unexpected $25,350
Day 1 of the ‘Winter Antiques Sale’ at Litchfield Auctions took place on February 22nd and featured just over 600 lots of decorative arts from around the world. This included lighting fixtures, musical instruments, photography, glassware, and Asian Art. The highlights of this auction were from the Asian Art category with lot 62 leading the way. Conveniently titled ‘Two Chinese Ring Neck Vases’, this grouping conservatively estimated at $150-$300 sold for $25,350. After an intense battle of 82 bids, the winner from Bidsquare acquired the two vases for 169 times the low-end estimate. Lot 62, Two Chinese Ring Neck Vases; Sold on Bidsquare for $25,350 over a $150-$300 estimate What’s so special about lot 62? Even though the shorter vase is attractive in itself, it is a modest 20th Century copy of Chinese Guan vases from the Southern Song Dynasty. In today’s market, correct examples of Guan vases with established provenance would sell in excess of $2 million. The buyer must have been attracted by the taller of the two vases. This particular object was a flambé glazed bottle vase that closely resembles examples from the 18th Century. It's elegantly proportioned with a bulbous body rising from a short foot. The neck contains four well-spaced raised ribs the continues upwards to a funnel neck. The attractive flambé glaze covers the whole surface with splashes of purple, sky blue and white. Lot 62, Flambé glazed bottle vase The flambé glaze was developed in the early 18th Century as an homage to the famous Jun glazes found on stoneware vessels during the Song to Early Ming Dynasties. Using copper as base element, the glaze also contains iron and other metals to create the different splashes of color. This type of glaze was much beloved by the Yongzheng Emperor (reign 1723-1735), and was continuously used to decorate porcelain vessels throughout the rest of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Lot 62, Flambé glazed bottle vase, base The central section of vase’s base has been drilled, suggesting the vessel was transformed into a lamp during its lifetime. However, we can still discern the reign mark daqing Qianlong nianzhi 大清乾隆年製, which suggests that the vase was ‘made during the Qianlong reign (1736-1796)…
-
Auction IndustryCopley’s $3.4 Million Winter Sale Is One For The Record Books
CHARLESTON, SC - Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC, the nation’s premier decoy and sporting art auction house set a company record for one of their Winter Sales realizing $3.4 million in total sales. The February 15th auction was held in conjunction with the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) at the Charleston Marriott in South Carolina. There was a frenzy of over 900 bidders participating from all platforms and across all categories, including antique and contemporary decoys, paintings, prints, folk art, canes, and Americana. The auction, consisting of 533 lots, was 96% sold, extending Copley’s unrivaled track record in the industry. The auction hall was filled with energy and plenty of foot traffic throughout the sale. At the auction’s start, every seat was filled and bidders were standing against the walls as established collectors, dealers, and institutions bid against new buyers in town for SEWE and the Dr. Muller Collection. The Winter Sale 2020 had nine lots reach six figures and fifty-seven items sell for five-figure prices. Robert Shaw, past curator of the Shelburne Museum and author of the definitive Bird Decoys of North America, described Dr. Muller as “a collector's collector, one of the great connoisseurs of the art of the decoy...Peter's quest set a new standard for decoy research and curation that should provide a model for all future publications and collections.” Bidders raised their paddles in agreement; Session I of The Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection of American Bird Decoys was 100% sold, making it one of the only “white glove” sales in the field of decoy collecting. The session achieved an unprecedented average price per lot of over $35,800 and accounted for six of the sale’s top ten decoy lots. This historic session was published in Copley’s fourth dedicated hardbound catalog which included a 24-page biography on the legendary collector. Copley’s owner and principal Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. reports, “I am thrilled for the Mullers, our consignors, our buyers, and the entire Copley team, having just launched the most successful auction of its kind, ever in the South. The bidding on all platforms was on fire—the live audience was energized,…
-
Press ReleaseCopley’s $3.4 Million Winter Sale Is One For The Record Books
CHARLESTON, SC - Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC, the nation’s premier decoy and sporting art auction house set a company record for one of their Winter Sales realizing $3.4 million in total sales. The February 15th auction was held in conjunction with the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) at the Charleston Marriott in South Carolina. There was a frenzy of over 900 bidders participating from all platforms and across all categories, including antique and contemporary decoys, paintings, prints, folk art, canes, and Americana. The auction, consisting of 533 lots, was 96% sold, extending Copley’s unrivaled track record in the industry. The auction hall was filled with energy and plenty of foot traffic throughout the sale. At the auction’s start, every seat was filled and bidders were standing against the walls as established collectors, dealers, and institutions bid against new buyers in town for SEWE and the Dr. Muller Collection. The Winter Sale 2020 had nine lots reach six figures and fifty-seven items sell for five-figure prices. Robert Shaw, past curator of the Shelburne Museum and author of the definitive Bird Decoys of North America, described Dr. Muller as “a collector's collector, one of the great connoisseurs of the art of the decoy...Peter's quest set a new standard for decoy research and curation that should provide a model for all future publications and collections.” Bidders raised their paddles in agreement; Session I of The Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection of American Bird Decoys was 100% sold, making it one of the only “white glove” sales in the field of decoy collecting. The session achieved an unprecedented average price per lot of over $35,800 and accounted for six of the sale’s top ten decoy lots. This historic session was published in Copley’s fourth dedicated hardbound catalog which included a 24-page biography on the legendary collector. Copley’s owner and principal Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. reports, “I am thrilled for the Mullers, our consignors, our buyers, and the entire Copley team, having just launched the most successful auction of its kind, ever in the South. The bidding on all platforms was on fire—the live audience was energized,…
-
Press ReleaseMario Buatta’s Treasures Bring In $7.6 Million As Sotheby’s Auction Soars Past Sales Estimates
After 22 hours of bidding, the blockbuster Sotheby’s auction live-streamed by the design faithful over lunch, dinner and late-night cocktails came to a close with a final gavel. The personal collections of Mario Buatta, the “Prince of Chintz,” brought in $7.6 million. Prices for the 922 items ranged from $125 for a quirky wooden sign that says “Mario Buatta/Dr. Ruth Westheimer” to $212,500 for a 1928 painting of Paris by Russian-emigre artist Yuri Annenkov. A stash of Dodie Thayer lettuce-ware dishes sold for $60,000, and the 18th-century red Japanned bureau cabinet from Buatta’s New York living room went for $52,500. A Dodie Thayer lettuce-ware service totaling 107 pieces sold for $60,000. (Sotheby's) “It was one of the longest decorative arts sales in recent memory,” said Dennis Harrington, Sotheby’s head of English and European furniture. “There was a lot of excitement in the room, and for some of the items such as the dog paintings and the tulip cups, it’s a bit of a stereotype to say, but there was a sort of proverbial gasp in the room with the final price.” The 1,200 bidders spent about 2½ times the sale’s high estimate; 4,000 visitors attended the week-long presale exhibition. The most competition came for a 174-piece set of Buccellati silver and bamboo flatware that was estimated at $5,000 to $7,000. Twenty-six bidders pushed the final price to $93,750. The flatware had sat unused in Buatta’s Manhattan apartment for several decades. It was like the Super Bowl of the chintz and china set. New York designer Nick Olsen dubbed it “Buattacon.” Social media was flooded with posts from designers and collectors rejoicing that they had scored something or dejected that their bids did not cut it. (Olsen was outbid on all of his choices.) This Japanned bureau cabinet sold for $52,500. (Sotheby's) Designer Charlotte Moss set up a war room in her office, where she laid out catalogues, bid sheets and cellphones as she and other decorators on her staff streamed the Sotheby’s proceedings. “It all adds up to so much fun,” said Moss, who was bidding for herself and her clients. She ended up with several-dozen Buatta treasures.…
-
Press ReleaseEarly 20th Century Design and Studio Craft Spark Record-setting Prices in Rago’s $4.38M Design Auction
Lambertville, NJ: Rago Auctions' September 20-21 Design sales brought in a total of $4,385,063 over the weekend. The two-day, 795-lot auction series achieved impressive results, including at least two record-setting prices, for a wide range of property across five sessions: Martin Brothers: The Andrew Furer and Elle Douglas Collection; Early 20th Century Design; Studio Ceramics; Modern Design; and Contemporary Glass featuring Dan Dailey: From The Barbara Tarleton Collection. Martin Brothers: The Andrew Furer and Elle Douglas Collection Highlights The auction series commenced on Saturday with “Martin Brothers: The Andrew Furer and Elle Douglas Collection.” Comprised mostly of bird-form humidors, this session represented one of the largest single-owner collections of Martin Brothers ever offered at auction and came to Rago via UK-based dealer, AD Antiques. Lot 20, Martin Brothers, Tall Bird Tobacco Jar, England, 1899; Sold for $64,000 Highlights include: lot 20, a tall bird tobacco jar made in 1899 which shot past the high estimate of $45,000 to sell for $62,500; lot 16 and lot 7, single bird vessels that sold for $60,000 each; lot 22, a tall and fine bird tobacco jar which sold for $56,250; and lot 22, a small triple bird tobacco jar, which sold for $52,500. Early 20th Century Design Highlights Works of Early 20th Century Design performed well in this 234-lot sale. The star of the session was lot 252, a color woodblock print entitled "Grand Canon [Canyon]" by Gustave Baumann from the first printing in 1934 which defied expectations to sell for $27,500 – setting a world record for highest price achieved at auction for this particular Baumann work. Martin Brothers pottery continued to shine in this session as well, as seen with lot 280, a grotesque creature tobacco jar made in 1888 which also sold for $27,500. Lot 252, Gustave Baumann, Fine color woodblock print; Sold for $27,500 Many works of early 20th century ceramics performed admirably including: lot 100, an exceptional and large vase with calla lilies by Harriet Joor for Newcomb College which sold for $21,250; lot 147, a rare Grueby cuerda seca nineteen-tile ship frieze which nearly tripled the high estimate of $7,500 to achieve $21,250; lot 150, an experimental volcanic oxblood vase by Hugh Robertson for Chelsea Keramic Art Works which shot past the high estimate…
-
Auction IndustryStunning Chinese Porcelain at Stunning Arts Gallery
Most Chinese art categories are represented including jade carvings, furniture, jewelry and paintings. However, the strength is really with works of art and porcelain, with many of these objects having solid provenances. Lot 106, Xu Yanzhou, Oil Painting; Estimate CAD $15,000- CAD $25,000 One of the highlights of the Stunning Arts Auction is lot 106, an oil painting of a young girl by Xu Yanzhou 徐彥洲 (1961- ). Xu is one of the leading ‘realist’ modernist painters in China, and has extensively showcased his artworks in the international art scene. Implementing a Western-style of painting, he is best known for depicting Chinese rural subject matter including farmers, young children, livestock and villages. This painting was originally sold in 1993 at the Nancy Poole Gallery in Toronto and was later exhibited at Hong Kong’s Chinese University exhibition ‘Writing the Mind: Paintings by Xu Yanzhou’ in 2008. The current owner is Toronto’s prestigious Cowperthwaite Collection, and the painting has an auction estimate of CAD $15,000-$25,000. Lot 227, A Rare and Fine Huanghuali Box, 18/19th Century; Estimate CAD $15,000 - CAD $20,000 Lot 227, a Chinese huanghuali 黃花梨 box, is another choice work at the Stunning Arts Auction. This box would have been used by scholars to store their valuable documents and it comes from an extremely important Vancouver collector. It features the grace and simplicity that makes these types of scholar objects extremely desirable, and the entire surface maintains the immaculate graining associated with this rare species of hardwood. The top in particular is cut from a single piece of huanghuali and enhanced by natural ‘ghost face’ burls that are extremely sought after by collectors. This fine box carries an estimate of CAD $15,000-$20,000. The Stunning Arts sale also features a wide selection of jade carvings of which lot 229 is one of the more interesting examples. Despite its smaller size, this cat group is especially well-carved and has an endearing quality. Cats can symbolize longevity in Chinese culture, and in this case, the idea of long life is enhanced by the way both the adult cat and kitten are sharing a branch of sacred lingzi 靈芝fungus (the fungus of immortality). With…
-
Auction IndustryBidsquare Takes 3 Top Lots at Pook!
Although, it's always best to embrace change, as the colorful leaves of fall so elegantly remind us before gliding to the ground - there is also an undeniable comfort in noticing the things that happen to stay the same. Similar to the glee of knowing how an apple pie will soon be appearing on a kitchen counter or feeling that seasonal nudge to finish the novel that couldn't compete with summer's hype - there is an equal surge of anticipation when one returns to a seller in search of sensational antiques. The salesroom at Pook & Pook was nearly full before the start of their first of two auctions on the weekend of September 14th-15th. Located in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Pook & Pook's auction gallery stands adjacent to their offices, which are stationed in an old stone inn built in 1761 - a very befitting settlement for an auction house highly regarded for their Americana, International and Decorative Art consignments. Their recent September auctions offered nearly 650 lots, with a heavy lean toward their familiar field of early American furniture. Along with a packed house, our Bidsquare bidders also gathered in large numbers to click and grab the first line of top-tier Americana and Folk Art acorns to touch the auction floor this season at Pook & Pook. Lot 166, Southern Hepplewhite mahogany cellarette, ca. 1800; Sold for $18,750 Taking our number one spot that weekend, as well as Pook's second place honor, was a Southern Hepplewhite mahogancy cellarette with unusual spiral shell inlay at the tops of its legs. "It generated so much interest that every phone was engaged to bid on it," reports Pook to Antique and The Arts Weekly. Originally estimated at $2,000 - $3,000, Bidsquare took the prize for a competitive total of $18,750. That's more than eight times its low estimate! Lot 279, Southeastern Pennsylvania ink and watercolor vorschrift fraktur, dated 1809; Sold for $12,500 The highest win for a watercolor that weekend also went to Bidsquare for an impressive $12,500 - double its low estimate. This wonderful work on paper is flanked by a vibrant illustration of a gentleman in top hat with a long tailed coat and a woman in a long yellow dress with bonnet; just the right amount of whimsy to be found in the free-spirited, flatness of folk. Lot 569, Ben Austrian, Oil on canvas of a hen with thirteen feeding chicks, ca.…
-
Auction IndustryBeuys, Koons, Miro and More at Stair!
On the weekend of June 7-8, Stair in Hudson, NY will host a series of auctions offering an emphasis in 20th century, modern and contemporary art. Highlighted as a sale of its own, with several works finding their way into the other Stair catalogs, is a significant bounty of prints, photographs and sculptures by German avant-garde artist Joseph Beuys. A titan of conceptual art, Joseph Beuys is admired for his intimate contributions to movements such as Fluxus and Neo-Dadaism. Stair represents his breadth of work like a comprehensive syllabus where mixed media assemblages such as lot 409a, a lemon attached to a yellow light bulb and ready-mades like lot 16, a 'Noiseless Blackboard Eraser,' exist in the fascinating, deadpan posture that blurs art and daily life, for which Beuys is keenly appreciated. Other influential artists to be featured in Stair's sales include Armando Morales, Jeff Koons, Joan Miró, Theodoros Stamos, Richard Diebenkorn and Sonia Delaunay. Here are a few highlights to look out for during the live auction on Bidsquare! 1) Sonia Delaunay Lot 421, Sonia Delaunay, Composition, Gouache and charcoal on heavy paper, 1967; Estimate $25,000-$35,000 2) Jeff Koons Lot 422a, Jeff Koons, Puppy, Glazed porcelain, 1998; Estimate $8,000-$12, 3) Joan Miró Lot 455, Joan Miró, Makemono, Lithograph in colors on natural Canton silk mounted on silk, 1956; Estimate $15,000-$25,00 0 4) Joseph Beuys Lot 409a, Joseph Beuys, Capri-Batterie, Mixed media construction, 1985; Estimate $8,000-$12,000 5) Donald Sultan Lot 417, Donald Sultan, Orange Flowers, Feb. 20, 2006, Conte crayon and flock on paper, 2006; Estimate $8,000-$12,000 Browse Stair's Joseph Beuys: Prints & Multiples catalog coming up on June 7, 2019; Art & Design on June 7, 2019 and 20th Century, Modern & Contemporary Fine Art on June 8, 2019.
-
Auction IndustryFit For an Emperor
On June 9, Rago Auctions will offer for sale a rose-cut diamond button ring, the central diamond of which once belonged to the last Emperor of Mexico, Maximilian I. Lot 1037, Georgian Rose-Cut Diamond Button Ring; Estimate $45,000-$65,000 This rose-cut diamond was among a set of diamond buttons (the exact number of which is unknown) owned by Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico, who was installed as the ruler of Mexico by Napoleon III in 1864 only to be overthrown and executed three years later in 1867. Pictured: Édouard Manet's oil on canvas "The Execution of Emperor Maximilian" Twelve of these buttons were later acquired by Col. Edward H. R. Green, son of the brilliant and miserly financier Hetty Green, the richest woman of the Gilded Age. When this voracious collector of coins, stamps and jewelry died in 1936, his collections were sold privately and at auction. Hammer Galleries (founded by famed collector Dr. Armand Hammer) acquired jewelry from Green’s collection, including Maximilian’s set of 12 rose-cut diamonds, mounted as finger rings. These rings were advertised for sale in the New York Times on October 24 and December 5, 1943. Lot 1037, Georgian Rose-Cut Diamond Button Ring; Estimate $45,000-$65,000 It is Rago's presumption that the diamond presented in lot 1037 of their June 9 Fine Jewelry Auctionis from one of these rings. Another of the diamond buttons, also adapted as a ring, sold at Christie’s Geneva on May 14, 2013 as lot 574. Both the subject ring and the one sold by Christie’s are engraved with the weights of the center stones and inventory numbers. This exceptional and storied piece will be offered during Rago's Fine Jewelry Auction on Sunday, June 9, which is preceded by Rago’s Unreserved Jewelry Auction on Friday, June 7.
