Norman Bluhm Expressionist Painting and Chandeliers From John Lennon’s Former Estate Head to Auction

Akiba Antiques’ November Splendor auction will feature over 700 lots of luxury jewelry, fine art, collectibles, and more. Among the top lots is Norman Bluhm’s Paestum acrylic on canvas painting, dated 1962. A contemporary of Joan Mitchell and Sam Francis, Bluhm was an American Abstract Expressionist whose work remained in the shadows for much of his life. This was because, in part, Bluhm constantly pushed the boundaries of what art could be. “Bluhm is the only artist working in the idiom of abstract-expressionism [sic] who has a spirit similar to that of [Jackson] Pollock,” wrote Frank O’Hara of the artist, “which is to say that he is out—beyond beauty, beyond composition, beyond the old-fashioned kind of pictorial ambition.” Splatters of indigo and pear dominate the available painting, while its title evokes the ruined Doric temples of Paestum, Italy. 

Several fine jewelry lots are also notable in the upcoming auction. They include a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond wedding ring set made of rose gold and inset diamonds. Each ring bears the brand’s hallmark and comes with an insurance appraisal from Van Cleef & Arpels. Additionally, the catalog offers a Cartier Panthère wristwatch with a malachite face, a pair of French foliage chandeliers from John Lennon’s former estate, and a set of six vermeil salt cellars with lion paw feet. To view the complete listings and register to place a bid, visit LiveAuctioneers.