Gene Davis painting, Peter Max sculpture and Tiffany jewelry suite lead the lineup at Quinn’s Sept. 22 Fine & Decorative Arts auction

499-lot, online-only auction features American, Asian, European and Modern art consignments from prominent northern Virginia estates and collections

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – A striking oil-on-canvas painting by Gene Davis (American, 1920-1985), a bronze sculpture of the Statue of Liberty by pop art icon Peter Max (American/German, b. 1937-), and a stunning Tiffany & Co., “Sutton” jewelry suite are three of the predicted top lots entered in Quinn’s September 22 Fine & Decorative Arts Auction. The online-only event will start at 10 am Eastern time with online bidding available through LiveAuctioneers or Invaluable, and absentee bidding through Quinn’s website. 

The 499-lot sale consists primarily of consignments sourced from prominent estates and collections in the northern Virginia region, with an emphasis on fine Asian, American, European and Modern arts. 

The oil-on-canvas painting by Gene Davis, titled Totem (1980), is appropriately named, as it is as tall as a totem pole (95 inches) and slender in stature (16¼ inches wide). The work is signed, titled and dated on verso and carries a pre-sale estimate of $30,000-$50,000. Davis was an American abstract painter whose body of work reflects a penchant for multicolored vertical stripes. He was a major contributor in the Color Field and Post-Painterly Abstraction movements, and was essential to bringing Washington, DC to prominence as a center of contemporary art, i.e., the Washington Color School.

Peter Max’s hand-painted bronze Statue of Liberty (1980) is #207 from an edition of 250. Atop its marble base, the sculpture stands 22½ inches high. It displays an incised signature, date and number to the lower edge. This distinctive work is expected to attract a winning bid in the $5,000-$8,000 range. Max (born Peter Max Finkelstein) achieved international acclaim for his brightly-colored creations, some of which came to be synonymous with the visual arts and culture of the “psychedelic Sixties.” 

In addition to the pieces by Gene Davis and Peter Max, the sale also includes works by such notables as Alexander Calder (American, 1898-1976), whose 1974 lithograph titled Boomerang has a Washington, DC gallery label on verso; and Itzchak Tarkay (Israeli, 1935-2012), who is represented by four consecutive lots comprising three serigraphs and one lithograph. 

An unsigned 19th-century oil-on-canvas portrait of a gentleman in an opulent red coat and gold tunic has an inscription on the stretcher that names the subject as “General Churchill.” Most likely, it is Major General Horace Chatham Churchill (1791-1847), a descendent of Charles Churchill (1656-1714); and brother of General John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. (1650-1722). The 29½-inch by 24½-inch painting is contained in a 36-inch by 31-inch frame and has a pre-sale estimate of $5,000-$7,000.

An excellent and widely varied array of antique and modern furniture also awaits bidders on auction day. Highlights include an English mahogany linen press, a Stickley Fayetteville Oak Prairie Settle Model 89-220, and several Danish Modern designs. The latter grouping is led by an Arne Vodder (1926-2011) for Sibast Model 29a teak and lacquered wood credenza, $800-$1,200; and a group of eight stylish Niels Otto Moller Model 77 rosewood side chairs with blue woven seats, $2,000-$4,000. 

A painted porcelain Sevres bust of Marie Antoinette, after Felix Lecomte (French, 1737- 1817), with an overglaze intertwined LL mark around an “E” should reach $600-$800. Similarly estimated, an 18th-century English chinoiserie tall-case clock attributed to Neal & Sons (London, active 1743-1759) boasts a restored green japanned case with gold chinoiserie decoration, a bonnet crown on the hood with brass finials and two columns, and a brass face with Arabic and Roman numerals. 

The Asian category is richly laden with embroidery textiles, Japanese woodblock prints, screens and porcelains. A duo of Japanese Late Edo/ Early Meiji cloisonne vases, each 15 inches tall with panels depicting quails and red-crowned cranes, is estimated at $400-$600. 

Other selections of exceptional quality include Russian lacquer boxes, Greco-Roman antiquities and fine English sterling silver wares such as a William III sterling tankard and a George III sterling coffee pot. 

Luxury goods are crowned by a selection of gold and platinum jewelry, including several exquisite designs with diamonds and semi-precious stones, and designer accessories by Hermes, and Gucci and more. The star of the category is a Tiffany & Company “Sutton” jewelry suite consisting of a 19-inch necklace of alternating sections of 14 platinum bar segments, each with seven prong-set, round brilliant-cut diamonds weighing approximately .05 carats each; and a matching bracelet, about 7¼ inches in length, with six platinum segments with six prong-set, round brilliant cut diamonds, each weighing approximately .04 carats. Metal-tested and stamped TIFFANY & CO, the suite is accompanied by its original presentation box and should find a new home for $10,000-$12,000.

A jaunty 1956 two-door Ford Thunderbird hard-top convertible will cross the auction block, as well. With a beautiful Fiesta Red exterior and Fiesta Red and White interior, it has a 312 cubic inch V8 engine with 225 horsepower, a Ford-o-Matic automatic transmission, and shows only 58,321 miles on the odometer. T-Bird aficionados would know that 1956 is the only year the sporty Ford came with a Continental kit to house its spare tire. A head-turner from tip to tail, it is expected to cross the auction finish line at $20,000-$30,000.

There will be no in-person gallery bidding for Quinn’s Sept. 22, 2023 auction, but Quinn’s invites bidders to participate live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers or Invaluable. Additionally, absentee bids may be placed through Quinn’s website. The friendly, helpful team at Quinn’s will be on hand at an open gallery preview, Monday, Sept. 18 through and including Sept. 21, from 11 am till 4 pm each day. For additional information about any item in the auction or to discuss a future consignment, call Jordan Karlstrand at Quinn’s, 703-532-5632 ext. 570, or email [email protected]. Visit Quinn’s online at www.quinnsauction.com.