The Martin Cohen Collection

The cameo glass method was first invented in the ancient Roman era and was later revived in the 19^th century by engraver Attilio Spaccarelli. In the 1880s, Spaccarelli began creating vases using two layers of differently colored glass carved in relief, imitating the ancient Roman cameo glassworks. The preferred color scheme for Spaccarelli’s cameo glass was an opaque white or light blue layer over a dark translucent blue background. The upcoming Bonhams auction highlights an imitation Roman cameo vase by Spaccarelli, created around 1891. The amorpha-shaped vase depicts a Dionysiac scene.

Another highlight is a pair of andirons by Herter Brothers. This New York firm was founded by German-born brothers Gustave and Christian Herter. Some of the Herters’ better-known clients included Cyrus McCormack and William Henry Vanderbilt. The available pair of andirons from 1878 was commissioned for the Marshall Field House library in Chicago. The catalog will also include a sofa designed by Louis C. Tiffany, a dame murrine bowl from Paolo Venini, and a Tiffany Studios table lamp. Browse the complete catalog and register to bid on Bonhams.