Quinn’s Sept. 20 Fine & Decorative Arts Auction a diverse showcase for Asian, American, European and Modern rarities
451-lot online-only auction is led by historical archive with Andrew Wyeth original art and memorabilia related to Congressional Gold Medal authorized in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan
(with closeups 228 A – the Wyeth artwork; 228 B – Act facsimiles and photo of Andrew Wyeth and Richard Schulze; and 228 C – photo of Wyeth and Schulze outside Brinton’s Mill)
Grouping of two framed facsimiles of Act H.R. 593 authorizing issuance of Congressional Gold Medal in 1989 to artist Andrew Wyeth (American, 1917-2009). Original Act was signed and enacted by President Ronald Reagan on Nov. 9, 1988. Grouping includes three US Mint bronze replica medals, Parker pen used by Reagan when he signed the Act, and an original Wyeth pencil drawing titled ‘Top of Brinton’s Mill,’ which the artist inscribed and signed to Richard Schulze, former Representative for Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District. Measurements of Reagan-held pen and signed Wyeth note: 37in x 20in. Wyeth signed drawing: 37¾ in x 26½in. Accompanied by framed photo of Wyeth and Schulze outside Brinton’s Mill, the artist’s home and studio in Chadds Ford Township, Pa. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Northern Virginia’s most respected estate specialists, Quinn’s Auction Galleries, will host a September 20 Fine and Decorative Arts event showcasing American, European and Modern works and featuring an Andrew Wyeth drawing and associated mementos of great historical importance.
The auction presents a well-diversified international selection of fine art, including Italian school landscapes and battle scenes; and works by Jamaican-born Lester Gunter, Peter Waddell (New Zealander/American) and Mark Beard, an American artist whose specialty is nudes, depicted either in portraits or bronzes. Additionally, there are several desirable prints by Lou Stovall (1974 serigraph titled An Exanthma of Clouds), Salvador Dali (1973 lithograph titled Le Paradis Perdu), and Japanese woodblock-print artists Yoshida, Watanabe and Salto.
The worlds of art, politics and history unite in a remarkable archive that documents a high point in the life and career of revered Pennsylvania artist Andrew Wyeth (1917-2019). The grouping consists of two framed facsimiles of Congressional Act H.R. 593, which authorized the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the United States Congress, to the famed creator of Christina’s World. The original Act was signed by President Ronald Reagan on Nov. 9, 1988, and the medal was physically awarded to Wyeth by President George Bush at a ceremony held in The White House Roosevelt Room on October 24, 1990.
The handsomely custom-matted and framed two-piece grouping includes three US Mint bronze replica medals based on the gold medal Wyeth received, the actual Parker pen Reagan used when he signed the Act, and an original Wyeth pencil drawing titled Top of Brinton’s Mill, a depiction of Wyeth’s beloved home and studio in Chadds Ford Township, Pennsylvania. The artist hand-signed and inscribed the Brinton’s Mill artwork, as well as one of the facsimiles, to Richard Schulze, the former Representative for Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District who nominated Wyeth to receive the honor. The Wyeth-signed drawing measures 37¾ by 26½ inches. Also included in the pair of memorabilia groupings is a framed photo of Wyeth and Schulze taken outside Brinton’s Mill. The estimate on this historical lot has been set at $15,000-$20,000.
A European artwork of note is an oil-on-board painted by Giuseppe de Nittis (Italian, 1846-1884) and titled Dans le Bois de Boulogne. The work depicts a horse-drawn carriage in the public park established in Paris’ 16th arrondisement in 1852, following cession of the wooded land from Napoleon III. The painting is artist-signed at its lower right and is sized 7½ by 5¾ inches (sight); 12 x 10¼ inches (framed). Its provenance includes the collection of Vivian Cavalieri. It was previously purchased from Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, in 1954. The auction estimate is $6,000-$8,000.
An appealing array of Asian decorative arts will be offered, including porcelain, snuff bottles, and netsuke. A Han Dynasty standing pottery horse dating to 206 BCE-220 CE measures 17½ inches tall by 19½ inches long. The stocky, open-mouthed equine is estimated at $6,000-$8,000. Also, a Chinese famille rose porcelain figural group depicting Nezha riding a dragon stands 23 by 12 inches, inclusive of its decorative mount, and is expected to make $2,000-$3,000.
Both modern and antique furniture will be auctioned, with highlights to include a Thomas Moser oval table, a French Provincial farmhouse table, and a pair of striking 16th-century Italian Renaissance Savonarola chairs. Of walnut composition, these folding chairs feature an unusual design of seven over seven slats. Their provenance includes the collection of Mortimer L. Schiff and prior acquisition from Parke-Bernet Galleries, in 1954. The chairs will be auctioned as consecutive lots, each carrying a pre-sale estimate of $1,000-$2,000.
Sterling silver is a favorite category in Quinn’s Fine & Decorative Arts auctions. Among the top lots to be offered on September 20 is a Tuttle (Boston, Mass.) sterling flatware service in the “Onslow” pattern with an “L” monogram and Harry Truman date code for 1945-53. Having a total weight of 139.17ozt, its 115 pieces include: 32 forks in three sizes, 24 teaspoons, three serving tablespoons, 12 soup spoons, 12 oyster forks, 12 hollow butter knives, and 24 hollow place knives with bolster. The set is guided at $3,000-$5,000.
A sought-after pair of sterling silver “Cymric” Arts & Crafts candlesticks is attributed to Rex Silver under commission of the fabled London retailer Liberty & Co. Each has a bud-form decoration on a capital that connects tendrils with an openwork tapered column, terminating in square leaves on a circular base. Both are impressed with a Liberty & Co maker’s mark, the word “CYMRIC,” and 1901 Birmingham sterling hallmarks. With repairs noted to the tendril arms of one of the candlesticks, the elegant duo comes to auction with a $1,000-$2,000 estimate.
A collection of Pre-Columbian ceramics and African figures will be offered, as well as 14 lots of taxidermy animals, ranging from an African Cape buffalo and sandhill crane, each estimated at $400-$600; to an American bull elk and African caracal (lynx) on a faux-rock mount, each estimated at $300-$500. Additionally, there is a small selection of items from the estate of US Marine Corps Four Star General Alfred M. Gray Jr (1928-2024), including a lot of three highly decorative commemorative paddles (oars), $600-$800; a stainless steel USMC wristwatch, $200-$400; and a Louis Vuitton leather and canvas dog carrier with LV-monogram livery and original dust bag, $200-$400.
Quinn’s Fine and Decorative Arts Auction will be held on Friday, September 20, 2024, starting at 10am EST. There will be no in-person gallery bidding, but Quinn’s invites bidders to participate live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers or Invaluable. Additionally, Quinn’s is pleased to accept phone bids and absentee bids, which may be placed through the company’s website. Quinn’s helpful client-support team will be on hand at an open gallery preview, Monday, Sept. 16 through and including Sept. 19, from 11 am till 4 pm each day. For additional information about any item in the auction or to discuss a future consignment, contact Corrie Brady, Quinn’s director of Fine & Decorative Arts, by calling 703-532-5632 ext. 572, or emailing [email protected]. Visit Quinn’s online at www.quinnsauction.com.
