Items From NYC Estate Of Lucy Jarvis And Others Featured in Schwenke Auctioneers September 20th Auction

On Sunday, September 20th at 1:00PM Schwenke Auctioneers will hold its Autumn Fine Estates Auction with an offering of over 600 lots from estates and collectors, with diverse and eclectic prime items in many categories. The sale features one hundred twenty-five lots of Asian and European fine and decorative arts from the estate of Lucy Jarvis, noted New York City film producer who visited China and Russia during the mid-20th century, where she filmed award-winning documentaries.

The sale also includes property from several other Connecticut area estates, with many lots of fine art; American, English and Continental furniture and decorative arts; English & other sterling silver; estate jewelry; Native American decorative arts; vintage toys and trains; militaria; and estate oriental rugs.

Asian items of interest from the Jarvis estate include a monumental Chinese palace size embroidered hanging (Lot 472), worked with gold bullion and colors on a crimson ground, with Shou Lao in a central panel flanked by the eight immortals and dragon and phoenix above, measuring 13′ high, 9′ wide, 19th century. Jarvis traveled to China in the 1970’s and brought many items back to the United States, including a large pair of Chinese square polychrome porcelain vases, with scenes of figures at various pursuits, standing 22 1/4″ high, 7 1/2″ wide.

Jarvis traveled world-wide and befriended many dignitaries and artists, and several works in the sale were gifted and/or personally inscribed. One such item (Lot 142) is a 1979 Holiday Card personally inscribed to Lucy Jarvis from Niki de Saint Phalle (French, 1930-2002), with a personalized letter continuing verso. The framed card measures 13 1/2″ high, 18 1/2″ wide.

Lucy’s trips to Russia garnered several works by Russian non-conformist artists, among them a small group of signed works by Vladimir Yankilevsky (Russian, 1938-2018) including a 1972 etching from “the Anatomy of Feelings” series, #2/10, signed, titled, and dated in lower margin, frame size 16″ high, 23 1/4″ wide.

Other artwork being offered includes a large American school oil on canvas depicting the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius, being sold by a Connecticut institution. The mysterious anonymous work has ink notations on the canvas verso, and a canvas preparer’s red wax seal in corner verso. Stretcher size is 40 3/4″ high, 56″ wide, the frame size: 54″ high, 58 1/2″ wide.

A private collection in Litchfield County yielded desirable fine art, including an original Disney Studios animation cel, Snow White 1937, framed in original frame with Disney label, dimensions 6 1/4″ high, 5 7/8″ wide, the frame 16 3/4″ high, 14 1/2″.

Also from the same collection is a bronze bust sculpture of an African-American Male attributed to Augusta Christine Savage (American, 1900-1962), Roman Bronze Works, foundry mark to the reverse of the base, measuring 12 1/2″ high, 6″ wide, 8″ deep; and a framed watercolor “Fox Hunt” by Luigi Bemelmans (American/French 1898-1962), likely created for “Welcome Home,” Harper & Brothers 1960. The work is signed lower right, and the frame size 28 1/2″ high, 22″ wide.

The catalog for the sale is viewable at www.woodburyauction.com. The sale will be broadcast for absentee and live online bidding on Live Auctioneers and Invaluable. Phone bidding and absentee bidding is also available directly with the gallery.

There will be no public preview due to COVID-19 concerns. Preview will be available by advance appointment made by phone or email, on a first come-first served basis, subject to safety-related restrictions and requirements.