Dirk Soulis Auctions
P.O. Box 17, Lone Jack, Missouri 64070
816-697-3830
About Auction House
Dirk Soulis began his career in 1985 when, as a college student, he began working the ring at a Saturday night Antique Auction. Around this same time he took a course in jewelry repair and developed an interest in Antique Jewelry. It was then that his Antiques business was launched and over the next thirteen years he exhibited at Antiques Shows in Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Atlanta, New York and Brimfield, Massachusetts buying , selling, auctioning and learning. In 1998 Dirk Soulis Auctions moved in to its present location at 529 West Lone Jack - Lee's Summit Road in Lone Jack Missouri.Auction Previews & News
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Auction PreviewPaintings by Influential German Artists Come to Sale With Soulis Auctions
German artist Franz von Stuck was best recognized for his ancient mythology paintings and his characteristic Symbolist style. His subjects were highly influenced by the works of Arnold Böcklin. Stuck personally designed the frames of his paintings with a great deal of care and attention. Franz Stuck’s oil on panel painting titled Lauschende Faune (Listening Fauns) is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from Soulis Auctions. Like other paintings by the influential 19th-century artist, this one too explores the darker side of the human psyche. Another German-born artist, Hermann Ottomar Herzog, was known for his realistic landscapes. A circa 1900 untitled view of a glacial lake by the artist leads the fine art listings. The oil on canvas portrays a sunlit blue mountain lake and snow-capped peaks. An Art Deco-inspired low center table by Kent Townsend is a furniture piece of interest in this auction. Crafted from exotic hardwood pau ferro, the tabletop features figured patterns radiating from the center to the scalloped edge. It comprises a single-handed dovetailed drawer and is supported by a columnar base elevated on three cast bronze feet. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
Auction Industry, Press Release1899 oil painting by Munich Secession cofounder Franz von Stuck rediscovered after more than a century out of the public eye
Exhibited by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1909, ‘Lauschende Faune’ will be auctioned without reserve by Soulis on September 23 LONE JACK, Mo. – A Met-exhibited artwork by the influential German Secessionist painter Franz von Stuck (né Franz Stuck, 1863-1928) has been rediscovered after being out of public sight for more than a century. Franz von Stuck (German, 1863-1928), ‘Lauschende Faune’ (Listening Fauns), circa 1899, oil-on-panel, in its present state Titled Lauschende Faune (Listening Fauns), the circa-1899 oil-on-panel with a distinguished history of museum exhibition is now known to have spent the last 60 years in a Kansas City residence. There, it was displayed by two consecutive generations of the same family, who were unaware of its background or true value. Soulis Auctions has been selected to sell the painting, without reserve, on the family’s behalf. It will be offered in a September 23 gallery auction, with all forms of remote bidding available. Until now, Lauschende Faune, whose alternative title is Belauscht (translation: “overheard” or “eavesdropped on”), had been documented in black and white only, first appearing in the German art journal Die Kunst in 1904. In 1909 it was depicted in The International Studio - An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art as part of a nine-page article by Christian Briton titled “The Collection of Hugo Reisinger: German and American Pictures.” Also in 1909, the painting was exhibited for seven weeks at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Remains of the label from that exhibition remain on verso. The exhibition’s catalog identified it as being the property of Hugo Reisinger, a banker, businessman and prominent art collector who was married to the daughter of St Louis, Missouri, brewery baron Adolphus Busch. Reisinger was also a member of The Met’s board of directors at the time. Later that year, Lauschende Faune was exhibited at both the Chicago Institute of Art and the Copley Society in Boston; but after that its next known museum appearance was not until 1919, when it was displayed at the Dallas Art Association’s First Annual Exhibition: Contemporary International Art. “The ten-year hiatus was almost certainly attributable…
Auction PreviewSoulis Auctions Offers Vibrant Paintings by Birger Sandzén
Birger Sandzén was a landscape painter who expressed a love of nature through his art. He is today known for his brushwork and contrasting use of light and dark. Offered in Soulis Auctions’ upcoming 23rd Annual Spring Fine Art Auction is an oil on board piece by Birger Sandzén, framed and signed in pencil. Titled Lake at Moonrise, Colorado, this 1925 piece is a key example of the artist’s style. It depicts a calm sea, mountains, and trees below a vibrant pink sunset. Sandzén executed the piece with thick impasto and sculptural brushstrokes. John Steuart Curry’s black-and-white lithograph will be available as well. Curry was among the prominent landscape painters who emerged in the American art scene in the 1930s. His recurring subjects included American history, farm life and animals, tornadoes, and prairie fires. The available 1930 lithograph depicts horses running under turbulent skies. View the full selection of fine art and register to bid by visiting Bidsquare.
Auction Result, Press ReleaseAmericana Week at Soulis Auctions tops $1M from sales of Mueller collection of American antiques and Tucker reference-book collection of shooting gallery targets
‘The bid is with the couple in the Jaguar, at $5,500!’ Auction guests enthusiastically embraced Soulis’ new drive-up bidding option as social-distancing alternative 19th-century tobacconist figure of Native-American princess, 69in, carved and gessoed pine, attributed to Samuel Robb. Sold online for $13,560 LONE JACK, Mo. – Some bid by phone, while others bid online, absentee or in person in a country-style socially distanced tent setting. But in this period of COVID-19 watchfulness, Dirk Soulis added something new to accommodate safety-conscious bidders at his company’s Sept. 19 and 26 Americana Week in Missouri auction series: drive-up bidding. “We set up about a dozen reserved parking spaces around the perimeter of the tent to allow bidders to watch the auction from their vehicles and bid by holding their paddles outside their car windows,” said owner/auctioneer Dirk Soulis. “Some attendees sat inside their hatchback vehicles with the rear doors opened up. Others pulled in as closely as they could, remained in their front seats – in some cases wearing masks – and monitored the proceedings by tuning to 87.7 on their FM dial.” Soulis left no detail to chance, even providing each drive-up bidder with a long-handled MacGyver-like bidding paddle crafted from a fly swatter with a numbered bidding card attached. “It was a simple concept that worked extremely well,” Soulis said. The million-dollar double-header held over two consecutive weekends started with the Sept. 19 sale of the Jerry and Cathy Mueller Americana collection. The 30-year assemblage, which had been divided into 250 select lots, was described by Soulis as “small but mighty.” There had been pre-sale interest in literally every subcategory, with the most inquiries aimed at the collection’s pie safes, optometrist trade signs, barber poles, and hardware store cabinets. In all, the no-reserve Mueller collection grossed $451,100 against an overall high estimate of $300,000. The sale’s top lot was a rare walnut/red paint pie safe, likely of Midwestern origin, decorated with 16 blue-painted punched tins and lettered with the name “LINCOLN” above crossed flags and floating stars. It sold to a phone bidder for $38,420, four times the high estimate. A…
Auction PreviewShooting Gallery Targets, Folk Art, Americana
The World’s Greatest Shooting Gallery Target Auction, offered by Dirk Soulis Auctions, contains a selection of items from the Tucker Collection, including furniture and accessories, folk art, Americana, and early 20th-century iron shooting gallery targets. Most of the latter still retain their original paint. One of the targets up for bid is the 'Rowdy' target by Mangels, which is the only known example to exist. The large size and complexity of the target indicate that it was a centerpiece that would anchor a gallery display. The shooting gallery game would have contained only one light-up target like this one, which contributes to its rarity. Also in the sale is a companion clown target of similar size. Up for bid is a set of scale-model canvas banners from the 1930s, each touting acts and attractions form a real-life traveling railroad circus. These models, created by toy companies and craftsmen, were originally complete with tents, wagons, and the available banners. They were meant to be displayed on vertical wood posts near the circus. One of the banners in this sale is dated ‘5-9-31.’ Other items on offer include a wide variety of shooting gallery art, vintage hardware storage boxes, colorful round pantry boxes, and more. View any of these lots and register to bid on Bidsquare.
Auction PreviewThe Jerry and Cathy Mueller Collection
Drummers were considered an essential part of the American Civil War. Beyond regulating the marching of soldiers, drums worked as communication devices in camps and on battlefields. Each drum call was assigned a specific task. Army men were mandated to learn these drum calls to aid non-verbal communication during the war. A painted Civil War drum with the seal of North Carolina is available in the upcoming auction of Jerry and Cathy Mueller’s 19th-century Americana collection. The outdoor, country-style live event is presented by Dirk Soulis Auctions. The sale will feature a tobacconist figure from the 1880s. Attributed to master carver Samuel Robb, the unsigned statue features a Native American figure with a red dress, a yellow blanket, and tobacco leaves in hand. Other lots include weathervanes, painted furniture, accessories, gameboards, old figural windmill weights, barber poles, and more. Visit Bidsquare to view the entire catalog or register to bid.
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseReady, aim, fire! Soulis Auctions presents Richard and Valerie Tucker reference-book collection of antique cast-iron shooting gallery targets, Sept. 26
Regarded as the ultimate collection of its type, the Tuckers’ 30-year assemblage of ‘Iron as Art’ includes many one-of-a-kind and very rare forms from late-19th/early 20th-century arcades Large 19th-century decorated mustard-paint apothecary chest, 57 x 46in. Estimate $1,500-$2,500 LONE JACK, Mo. – Ping! Bam! Clang! Those are the ear-piercing sounds that used to excite thrill seekers at target-shooting galleries of the late 19th- and early 20th centuries. Commonly seen at early midways, carnivals, saloons and other public places where people sought amusement, shooting galleries invited all comers – young and old – to step up, take aim and hopefully hit the target and win a prize. Each target was a sturdy, painted cast-iron form, usually replicating an animal or human figure. While originally intended as visual enticements that, over time, would become scrap metal, shooting gallery targets defied their intended lifespans. In the 1980s/’90s they were rediscovered, as art objects. Richard and Valerie Tucker were among the earliest collectors who embraced “iron as art,” and it is their incomparable shooting gallery target collection that will take center stage at Soulis Auctions on September 26. Rare and large 19th-century hitching post with iron ring, depicts head and face of dog with pleasant disposition, 13 x 10.5 x 8in. Estimate $1,000-$1,500 “The Tuckers are legendary as collectors of shooting gallery targets. They scoured the United States to locate the extraordinarily pieces in their collection, many of which are large and complex. A fair number of them are the only known examples of their type,” said Soulis Auctions’ owner/auctioneer Dirk Soulis. “Richard and Valerie documented their collection in a 2014 reference book they authored called ‘Step Right Up! Classic American Target and Arcade Forms.’ There isn’t a finer or more extensive collection of targets anywhere. In its particular category, it is the alpha and the omega.” Detailed iron figure of White Eagle Gas Company eagle mascot on plinth, circa 1920, 33 x 19 x 12in. Estimate $2,500-$3,500 Clowns were a popular subject in early carnival targets. The Tucker collection includes the only extant example of a William F. Mangels (Coney Island, NY) cast-iron…
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseSoulis announces Sept. 19 no-reserve auction of exceptional 30-year Jerry and Cathy Mueller Americana collection
Featured: 65 weathervanes, painted American furniture and accessories, figural trade signs, patriotic antiques LONE JACK, Mo. – A premier collection of Americana amassed over a 30-year period by Jerry and Cathy Mueller of Sioux City, Iowa, will be offered without reserve on Saturday, September 19 in an outdoor country-style live auction event hosted by Soulis Auctions. All mandated health precautions will be observed, including the wearing of masks and social distancing. Limited tent seating and “drive-in” bidding spaces will be available to those who attend in person. Remote bidding options include absentee, phone or live online through a choice of three online platforms. Circa-1801 Windsor stool, rare form with excellent original surface. Period note tacked to bottom reads, ‘Caleb made this stool for Sarah Chrismas [sic] 1801.’ Estimate $400-$600 “The late Jerry Mueller was already an enthusiastic collector networking with prominent dealers by the time he and Cathy got together. It became a shared interest for them and resulted in what I would describe as a small but mighty collection,” said Soulis Auctions’ owner/auctioneer Dirk Soulis. “There are 250 lots of select American antiques that reflect decades of well-informed buying and upgrading.” Exceptional early wigwag churn in strong original red paint with ‘alligatoring’ and patina that come with age and cannot be replicated. Size: 22 x 8.25 x 14.5in. Purported to be Shaker. Estimate $500-$700 The collection’s contents span many popular subcategories of Americana, such as: weathervanes, painted furniture, including cupboards and desirable punched-tin-panel pie safes; accessories such as pantry boxes and firkins; gameboards, old figural windmill weights, barber poles, and a wonderful array of trade signs for optometrists, druggists, bootmakers, jewelers and watchmakers. 19th-century tobacconist figure of Native-American princess, 69in, carved and gessoed pine, attributed to Samuel Robb. Estimate $8,000-$12,000 The auction will open with a circa-1880s tobacconist figure of a Native-American princess attributed to master carver Samuel Robb. Although not signed, the 69-inch gessoed pine figure exhibits all of the characteristics typically associated with Robb. It is completely original and retains a considerable amount of its original paint. “Even the few touch-ups on it are old,” Soulis noted.…
Auction IndustryWWII archives of Tuskeegee Airman and Admiral John McCain Sr headline Soulis’ Aug. 1 auction
Important 75-piece archive of personal and service items belonging to Tuskegee Airman William S. Powell Jr. Uniform includes A-2 leather jacket with squadron patch and name, flight suit and other apparel with all insignia, parachute, kit bag, flight log, many documents including Tuskegee diploma with signatures of classmates and instructors. Estimate $40,000-$60,000. KANSAS CITY, MO.- At age 7, Jack Angolia listed 10 things he wanted to accomplish in life, including “write a book” and “become a professional soldier.” He would far exceed those aspirations, earning two master’s degrees, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel in the US Army, and writing 38 books on military history. As if that weren’t enough, Angolia also built a phenomenal lifetime collection of World War II memorabilia that arguably rivals that of any great institution. That collection is set to be auctioned by Dirk Soulis in two sessions: an online-only event that closes for bidding on July 24, and an August 1 gallery sale led by the unique and historic wartime archives of Admiral John S McCain, and Tuskegee Airman William S Powell Jr. The extraordinary collection was displayed for several decades at Angolia’s home, its contents arranged in tableaux, many featuring uniformed mannequins. With an emphasis on authenticity, the appropriate accessories and medals were positioned exactly as they would have been when worn by their original owners during the war. The first of two headline lots in the sale chronicles the remarkable military career of Admiral John S. McCain Sr, patriarch of a consecutive three-generation dynasty of US Navy admirals that includes John S. McCain Jr and Senator John S McCain III. The extensive archive of the first Admiral McCain illustrates various achievements of his long military career, starting with his uniform and cap, numerous decorations and medals, including the Navy Cross and Distinguished Service Medal; and a large grouping that supports his Award of Knight Commander of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire and includes a large document signed by King George VI. Additionally, the archive includes McCain’s 1936 Naval Aviator Certificate, his 1945 Commission to the Rank of Admiral, hand-signed by…
Auction PreviewThe Ed McHugh Railroadiana Collection, Session II
Peter Helck rose to fame with his automobile and train illustrations. Helck began painting at a young age, eventually creating more than 600 illustrations and advertisements in his career. The second session of the upcoming Ed McHugh Railroadiana Collection sale includes one of Helck’s works. This painting, offered by Dirk Soulis Auction, was commissioned for the New York Central Railroad. It is signed by the artist and dated 1945. Besides collectibles and fine art, the auction will also offer an 1855 model locomotive lamp case. The lamp has an internal burner set behind a bowl shape reflector, as well as two strap handles and a nickel-plated interior. This auction also offers a Great Northern Railway enamel sign and a Chicago and Eastern Illinois railroad drum head lens. For more information, visit Invaluable.
Auction PreviewFine and Decorative Arts
The upcoming Fine and Decorative Arts auction, offered by Dirk Soulis Auctions, presents the work of over 50 years of collection. A single owner gathered the available lots from local areas such as Kansas City and St. Joseph, as well as overseas while working in China. One of the available lots in the sale is a set of 32 prints illustrating The Fable of Cupid and Psyche by the “Master of the Die.” The identity of this artist remains unknown, but history notes that he was an Italian engraver from the early to mid-16th century who signed his prints with a small die mark. His work, including the prints offered here, was executed in the style of Raphael. Also up for bid is a large Gustave Lévy gilded bronze clock. Lévy was a Parisian bronze sculptor and manufacturer in the mid-19th century. His work won bronze medals in the 1862 World Exhibition, as well as a gold medal in the 1878 World Exhibition. The clock on offer is in working order and is listed in good condition. Other highlighted lots include an Erté signed drawing, several antique badges, a set of purple Chinese porcelain beasts, a collection of three Japanese Meiji shrines, and several chandeliers. View any of these lots and register to bid on LiveAuctioneers.
Auction PreviewHistorically Significant Railroadiana
In the 1930s and '40s, the Santa Fe Scout provided train routes between Los Angeles and Chicago. It was designed with the budget-conscious traveler in mind. Available in the upcoming Historically Significant Railroadiana auction, presented by Dirk Soulis Auctions, is a porcelain sign for the Santa Fe Scout. The auction's 300+ lots represent not only memorabilia from train lines but also historical ships and airplanes. Also available in this auction is a builder's plate from the S.S. President Warfield, also known as the S.S. Exodus. Both the ship and the manufacturer's name form a circle within this builder's plate. In 1947, this vessel, then called the S.S. Exodus, was used in an unsuccessful attempt to migrate 4,500 Jewish refugees from Europe to what was then Palestinian land. Several model airplanes are also included in this auction. Among these is a Northeast Airlines model, which the auction house indicates was used by travel agents around 1950. View each of these lots and register to bid on Live Auctioneers.
Auction PreviewWinter Fine Art Auction
The upcoming Winter Fine Art Auction presented by Dirk Soulis Auctions is offering screenprints, sculptures, paintings, and posters. The works of artists such as Birger Sandzen, Joseph Vorsto, and George Van Millett will be available. The highlight of the sale is an oil painting by Sandzen titled At The Timberline Pike's Peak Colo. His landscapes emphasize the scenery of Colorado and Western topography. This available artwork was made using thick layers of paint in the impasto style. The auction will also feature an artist who spent his life painting scenes from Kansas City: George Van Millett. One of Van Millet's earlier Impressionist works was painted on the lid of a mahogany cigar box from the period. A bronze sculpture carved by Andre Griffoul will be included as well. The sculpture is titled L'Inconnue de la Seine or The Unknown Woman of the Seine. In the description of this particular lot, Dirk Soulis Auctions notes that “The bronze is a likeness of a young girl found drowned in the Seine river in the late 19th century.” To view the full catalog and to place a bid, visit Bidsquare.
Auction PreviewAn Extra Large Antique Auction, Day One
The first day of An Extra-Large Antique Auction offered by Dirk Soülis Auctions Dirk Soülis Auctions particularly highlights Native American weavings, pottery, and jewelry. Most of the works in the sale are from the 20th century and represent the skills of artisans from tribes such as the Navajo, Arapaho, Lakota Sioux, Hopi, and more. The sale is anchored by more than 60 pieces of Native jewelry, including works from both contemporary and traditional artists. Examples of the available items include sterling and turquoise bracelets and cuffs, carved turquoise belt buckles, vintage stone rings, concho belts, and traditional necklaces. Weaved items include rugs, baskets, fiber art, and a Beaver State commemorative blanket. Also available are several works of contemporary pottery, as well as small stone and shell carvings. View the full catalog for the first day and register to bid on LiveAuctioneers.
Auction PreviewAn Extra Large Antique Auction, Day – 1
There is little to classify day two of An Extra Large Antique Auction offered by Dirk Soülis Auctions beyond diverse, with more than 550 lots of vintage and historic items from a large array of categorizations. Groupings with the most items of the day include art glass, art pottery, canes, clocks and timepieces, furniture, jewelry, paintings, porcelain, quilts, and sterling silver. A few eye-catching pieces from this sale are a signed letter by Napoleon Bonapart (1802), a Lalique Champs-Elysees French crystal chandelier, and a rare figural iron pig. The pig has glass eyes and a winding key that rings a “loud and rapid” internal bell when the mechanism is activated. Also of interest is a screen from the dressing-room of film and stage actor Frank Fay that is signed by many famous actors, athletes, and other artists. Names on the screen include Grouch Marx, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Cesar Romero, Eddie Brannick, Jack Dempsey, and many more. Explore the wide variety of lots and register to bid at Invaluable
