Fontaine’s Auction Gallery

1485 West Housatonic Street , Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201
413-448-8922

About Auction House

Founded over five decades ago, serving thousands of buyers and sellers throughout the world with the purchase and sale of fine art, antiques, jewelry and more. With extensive knowledge of market conditions and international experience, our specialists work closely with collectors and consignors to provide the highest quality of service. We have renown trust worldwide and have done so through professionalism and a high level of integrity.

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Auction Result

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery kicks off 2021 with back-to-back auctions

A self-playing, coin-op Mills Novelty Co. Double Violano-Virtuoso, circa 1913-1915, that can play for an hour on one nickel brought $56,870. PITTSFIELD, MASS.- Boasting a curated selection of fine leaded glass lamps, vases, silver, sculpture and much more, Fontaine’s Auction Gallery started off the new year on a high note. The two-part Fine & Decorative Arts auction that ran January 23 and 30 grossed over $2 million. It saw two Tiffany Studios lamps tie for top lot status at $87,725 with a total of nearly 40 items performing above the $10,000 mark. “There was a diversified selection of 'Tiffany' items, from fine lamps to sterling silver, but we also saw strong performances across the board, including paintings, musical items and carved Black Forest pieces,” said John Fontaine of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. Unsurprisingly, the “Tiffany” name accounted for the top lots in both sessions of the auction, starting with two Tiffany Studios lamps that each fetched $87,725 on January 23. First up in the auction’s prime real estate — lot 100 — was a Tiffany Studios “Dragonfly” table lamp with a “Pepper” base, circa 1905-1910. It was followed up less than 20 lots later by a “Peony” floor lamp, circa 1910. In the second session, a 15-piece grouping of Tiffany & Co. “Chrysanthemum” sterling silver pieces sold comfortably over high estimate at $29,645. Dominating the auction’s Top 10 list is a fine selection of even more Tiffany Studios table lamps, including a “Dogwood” table lamp that sold for $56,550, a “Tulip” table lamp at $48,400 and a “Spider” table lamp at $45,980. Making sweet music in the auction were a trio of lots that crossed the block: a Mills Novelty Co. double violano-virtuoso, which can play violin and piano music for an hour on one nickel and has an electronic MIDI system, attaining $56,870, a Mermod Freres marquetry cylinder music box in rosewood and bronze at $30,250, and an Ideal Soprano cylinder music box in quarter sawn oak, embellished with filigree, mythological faces and acanthus ornaments, which fetched $26,620. Furniture is often hit or miss at auctions these days but seems to consistently do…

Art Daily
Auction Industry

Fine & Decorative Arts to Kick Off Fall Season at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery Oct. 17

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery will present a broadly diversified auction featuring fine and decorative arts from fine estates throughout New England at its auction on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 11 am. Leading a fine grouping of paintings is a signed George Benjamin Luks ($6/9,000) oil on canvas, “Lower Manhattan,” 19½ by 15½ inches. This auction will feature 400 lots of art glass, cameo glass, American art pottery, Louis Vuitton trunks, 19th & 20th Century lighting, weathervanes, advertising signs, mechanical banks, Asian items, sterling silver, a collection of John Rogers statuary, American & European paintings, early blown flasks, historical soft paste, Shaker items, bronzes, American Indian pottery, Oriental rugs, leaded windows, Arts and Crafts items, swords, firearms, plus related accessories. “This auction is filled with conversation pieces and a really diverse range of fine goods across the board,” said John Fontaine, owner of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. “No matter what your collecting interest, buyers will be sure to find something here.” An expected highlight in the auction is a George Benjamin Luks (American, 1867-1933), oil on canvas, “Lower Manhattan” ($6/9,000). Other fine paintings crossing the block include a Leon Jean Basile Perrault (French, 1832-1908), oil on canvas, “Give Me for My Chapel” ($3/5,000), and a Robert Kemm (British, 1837-1895), oil on canvas, “Girl with Fishing Net,” ($3/5,000). Several lots are being sold to benefit the Marie McWilliams and Francis X. McWilliams '44 Scholarship Fund at Bard College, including a platinum and diamond ring ($6/8,000), centered by a 1½-carat round brilliant diamond, and a Persian Kerman room size Oriental carpet ($2,5/3,500) having an overall floral design, 12 feet 7 inches by 8 feet 7 inches. This Rookwood Pottery matte vase ($2,5/3,500) is decorated with large green leaves and pink flowers against a deep purple background, signed by Olga Geneva Reed. The auction is a diverse affair, running the gamut from fine antiques to contemporary art, vintage advertising to antique weaponry, and more. Highlights range from a rare Louis Vuitton custom shoe trunk owned by J.P. Morgan family ($3/5,000) in orange leather, to a group lot of 21 pieces of .800 silver, including trays, bowls…

ArtFixDaily
Auction Industry

Fine and decorative arts sale to conclude summer at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery

A Gustav Stickley No. 410-L table ($12/15,000) has a hexagonal top over an arched apron, circa 1900, with the base in original finish, 30½ inches tall, diameter is 49 inches. PITTSFIELD, MASS.-Fontaine’s Auction Gallery will shine a spotlight on Tiffany Studios and other fine lighting at its auction on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 11 am, as well as fine antiques from such coveted makers as Stickley, R.J. Horner and Majorelle and renowned artists like Diego Rivera. This auction will feature over 450 lots of fine and decorative arts, including art glass by Tiffany Studios, Quezal, Durand, Daum Nancy, Gallé, Trevaise, Steuben and Kew Blas, 19th and 20th Century lighting by Tiffany Studios, Duffner & Kimberly, Handel, Pairpoint, Wilkinson, Suess, Daum Nancy and Gorham, American Victorian, Arts and Crafts, figural carved and mid-century furniture, leaded glass windows, bronze hanging fixtures, fine clocks, paintings, Royal Vienna and KPM porcelains, fine silver, cameo glass, bronze and marble statuary. “We’ve been exceptionally busy this summer, picking up many fine estates. Our fall auction always has a strong offering of material but this year that is even more the case,” said John Fontaine, owner of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. “We have a fantastic collection of desirable art glass and lamps, a fine selection of leaded glass windows and so many statement pieces of high caliber.” There is so much to talk about with this auction but the obvious place to start is with the collection of Tiffany Studios lighting. Pride of place, lot 100, in the sale is held by an Oriental Poppy chandelier ($400/600,000) having a leaded glass shade decorated with red-orange poppies rising out of green stems and set against a blue background, signed “Tiffany Studios New York 1902.” The fixture supports six favrile glass lily shades hanging below the ceiling canopy and has a desirable, rich green-brown patina, acquired from a private estate. The parade of Tiffany Studios lighting across the block continues with an Elizabethan table lamp ($60/80,000) having a 22-inch diameter shade in an octagonal form decorated with red, green, amber and blue glass jewels, 27 inches tall, and a curtain border…

Art Daily
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Estates & Interiors | Online

Born to a metal gilder family, Jules Moigniez was a 19th-century French animalier sculptor. Primarily working with bronze, Moigniez developed an interest in sculpting while studying under Paul Comolera. He frequently exhibited his sculptures at the Paris Salon between 1859 and 1892. Although his career was short, Moigniez’s works are admired for their details, craftsmanship, and distinct style. The upcoming Antiques, Estates & Interiors | Online auction, presented by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery, features a lion sculpture by Moigniez. Executed in bronze, the sculpture shows a hand-chased lion in brown patina. Also among the leading lots is a 12-piece punch set by Steuben Glass Works. Named for the county in New York where the company was located, Steuben Glass Works was widely recognized for producing fine glass in the early 1900s. The firm took shape in 1903 when Thomas Hawkes, president of T.G. Hawkes and Company, and Frederick Carder began collaborating. Beyond the fine and decorative arts, the auction also includes a selection of clocks, furniture, and more. Browse the full catalog and register to bid on Fontaine’s Auction Gallery.

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery
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Jewelry & Fine Art Auction Online

American painter and co-founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Eastman Johnson first rose to prominence during the Civil War. Best known for his depictions of everyday life, Johnson also painted portraits of prominent Americans such as Abraham Lincoln, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. One of Johnson’s oil paintings titled Woman in a Window is featured in the upcoming Jewelry & Fine Art sale, presented by Fontaine's. The piece shows a woman staring out of a window with a red handkerchief in her right hand. Also among the key lots is a painting titled Le Moulin de la Galette, attributed to Maurice Utrillo. Known as the “painter of Montmartre,” Utrillo was one of the few artists to depict the bohemian quarter in Paris. The present work shows a windmill, houses, and two children playing along the sidewalk. The French flag is fluttering in the background. Also available in the event is a collection of jewelry ranging from Victorian, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco styles to more contemporary pieces. Visit the Fontaine’s website to browse the full catalog and register to bid online.

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery
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Antiques, Clocks & Estate Auction

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s Moulin Rouge: La Goulue poster continues to be one of his most-recognized designs. The Moulin Rouge dance hall opened in October of 1889, but by 1891, attendance had fallen due to increased competition. In 1891, Toulouse-Lautrec was commissioned to produce posters for the newly opened cabaret. His first, La Goulue at the Moulin Rouge (1891-92), depicting the dancer Louise Weber, secured rapid international fame for the venue. The upcoming Antiques, Clocks & Estate Auction, presented by Fontaine’s Auction Gallery, will feature a lithograph of Toulouse-Lautrec’s poster. A ten-piece mahogany dining set by R.J. Horner is also among the leading lots. The furniture manufacturer marketed both to the elite and those in the middle class. R.J. Horner used mahogany and oak hardwoods to produce high style pieces, many of which remain popular today. Also featured in this event is a portrait by Ellen Emmet Rand. Best known for her portraits of world leaders such as Franklin Roosevelt, Rand’s works focus on bringing her subjects to life. Beyond fine art and furniture, this auction will include a selection of clocks, music boxes, jewelry, and more. Browse the full catalog and register to bid on the Fontaine’s Auction Gallery website.

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery
Auction Industry

Fontaine’s summer-long quest to culminate in Sept. 14 auction

A rare Tiffany Studios leaded glass aquatic fish lamp ($80,00-$100,000) on a bronze pumpkin base has a shade surrounded by five swimming fish in gold mottled glass, 17½ inches tall with a 16-inch-diameter shade. Fontaine’s image PITTSFIELD, MASS. – John Fontaine and his staff have been busy this summer acquiring hundreds of consignments from all over the country to kick off the fall auction season at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery, beginning on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 11 a.m. with an antique and fine art auction. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers. This auction will include 450 lots of antiques and fine art, over 100 pieces of rare art glass by Tiffany Studios and Quezal; 19th and 20th century lighting by Tiffany Studios, Duffner & Kimberly, Handel, Pairpoint, Wilkinson and Unique; American Victorian, Gothic and figural carved furniture; leaded glass windows; fine clocks; music boxes and automatons; paintings; Royal Vienna and KPM porcelains; gold and diamond jewelry; fine silver; cameo glass; and bronze and marble statuary. “We’ve taken our time in putting together a high-quality auction with top names from Tiffany to Hermes,” said Fontaine. “From elegant decorative objects like leaded glass lamps and French silver vases to fine sculpture and paintings, this auction will appeal to buyers with a taste for the finer things in life.” An expected auction headliner is a large group of monumental and religious stained glass windows attributed to Joseph Lauber (1855-1948). Estimated at $50,000-$100,000, the window grouping depicting the Sermon on the Mount, circa 1905-1914, forms a scene of Jesus with a glowing halo, seated and delivering a sermon to various groups of people amid a detailed landscape. When fully assembled, the windows measure 25 feet high by 16 feet wide. The four main windows use heavy drapery glass, multiple plating and acid burned flash glass while above them is a grouping featuring windows with Bible passages. Lauber apprenticed under John La Farge and worked for Tiffany Studios from 1888-1892. He was a talented artist having a range of works from windows, sculpture, mural painting and mosaic design. These windows postdate his employment with…

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery