Bronze Sculptures, Music Tributes, and More to Sell With Kodner Galleries

In the latest summer sale from Kodner Galleries, a wide selection of estate jewelry, art, and collectibles will cross the auction block. Bronze sculptures shine particularly brightly in this event, with works from Yaacov Heller, Paul Wegner, Bill Mack, and others. Bidding begins at 6:00 PM EDT on July 19, 2023. Before the sale starts, explore some of the key sculpture lots. 

Among the top items in this upcoming auction is a bronze sculpture on a marble base by Israeli-American artist Yaacov Heller (lot #38). Titled Tribute to Fiddler on the Roof, the sculpture takes the form of a standing violin. Its neck splits into the branches of a menorah. Smaller figures from the classic musical are scattered around the piece, variously lounging, playing instruments, and dancing. This work is one of several that Heller has created with Judaica themes that also reference elements of wider popular culture. The artist has a long association with Hollywood stars and MGM singers like Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley, and Sammy Davis, Jr. The offered sculpture comes to auction with an estimate of USD 2,000 to $3,000. 

Another notable bronze sculpture in the catalog is Paul Wegner’s Lady Day, which has a pre-sale estimate of $3,000 to $5,000. An admirer of music and jazz, Wegner’s oeuvre includes whimsical sculptures honoring iconic musicians and art forms. Lady Day depicts Billie Holiday at center, wearing a pearl necklace and a white flower in her hair while she sings into a microphone. At her sides are the heads of a saxophonist and a piano player, both seemingly taking their cues from Holiday. The scene springs from a stack of sheet music for “Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do,” as if the musicians themselves were pouring from the music, instead of vice versa. This 1995 work was executed in cold painted and patinated bronze. 

From Minneapolis-based sculptor Bill Mack comes Devotion, a large bonded bronze relief sculpture depicting a mother and child (lot #33; estimate: $2,000 – $4,000). The work comes in a frame and remains in very good condition, according to Kodner Galleries. The skin of the mother and child shine out from the relief, adding luminosity to the peaceful scene. A series of depressed marks in the background resemble disk haloes, suggesting religious connotations. Mack specializes in relief sculptures, as well as life-size cast bronze depictions of athletes such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Harmon Killebrew, Arthur Ashe, and Peggy Fleming. 

Pierre le Faguays’ Harmonie, a circa 1930 patinated bronze and metal sculpture, is another leading lot in the catalog (lot #141; estimate: $2,000 – $3,000). Le Faguays was a French Art Deco sculptor educated at the Geneva University of Art and Design. He specialized in statuettes and free-standing figures in bronze, terracotta, wood, wrought iron, and other materials. The offered work by le Faguays likely references the Greek goddess of harmony, called Harmonia (also known as Concordia in Roman mythology). In Pierre le Faguays’ version, the goddess stands on tip-toe while holding a perfectly round metal circle. The work is marked “Fayral” at the base, which was a pseudonym the artist used during his lifetime and became more common in castings of his work from the 1960s. 

Kodner Galleries’ Estate Jewelry, Art & Collectibles sale also features luxury diamond jewelry, 19th- and 20th-century paintings, and assorted furniture. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare. 

Find more coverage of this event on Auction Daily.