Rare Steuben Glass Pieces and Important Paul Stankard Paperweights to Cross Akiba Antiques’ Block

Following the successful sale of one of the world’s largest and rarest collections of Steuben glass items in July, leading auction house Akiba Antiques will return to present The Fabulous Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Schultz. The upcoming auction will begin at 12:00 PM EST on December 16, 2021. Interested collectors can place a bid online via LiveAuctioneers. Live bidding will take place at the company’s Dania Beach, Florida location.

This auction of Mr. & Mrs. Schultz’s collection presents over 600 pieces of rare Steuben glass, European antiques, and fine art collected by the couple over four decades. The Schultz family are members of the Carder Steuben Club, an important club for enthusiasts, experts, dealers, and collectors of Steuben glass items.

Leading the catalog is a rare Steuben Diatreta vase (estimate: USD 5,000 – $25,000). Art Nouveau master glassmaker Frederick Carder created the piece in 1953. Carder, the co-founder of American glass manufacturing company Steuben Glass Works, used the term Diatreta to describe openwork objects made with the lost wax technique. The available frosted glass vase features elaborate floral details in high relief.

Frederick Carder famously created a new glass style, called Aurene, in the early 1900s. These Aurene pieces were luminous, lustrous, and seemingly radiant compared to their older counterparts. Steuben received a patent for the technique in 1904. The upcoming sale from Akiba Antiques will offer several Aurene glassworks, including a Steuben platinum Gold Aurene millefiori vase (estimate: $500 – $5,000), a Steuben Green Aurene vase (estimate: $2,000 – $20,000), and a Steuben Red Aurene iridescent floral vase (estimate: $500 – $5,000).

The sale spotlights a selection of exquisite paperweights by internationally acclaimed glass artist Paul J. Stankard. Known for incorporating elements of nature into his works, Stankard is often called a living master in the art of paperweights. Among the Stankard items highlighted in this event is an important lampwork glass paperweight (estimate: $500 – $5,000). This transparent glass sphere features intricately designed botanical, insect, and berry details on the inside. 

“By blending mysticism with magical realism, I work to express organic credibility through my botanical interpretations. Crafted in glass, I reference the continuum of nature and celebrate on an intimate level her primal beauty,” says Stankard about his artistic style.

In addition to Steuben glass pieces and Paul Stankard paperweights, collectors will get a chance to own a rare DeVilbiss Art Deco atomizer (estimate: $2,000 – $8,000). Gilded gold details sheathe the rose glass container. This piece features a netted bulb and an acorn finial. 

Akiba Antiques is no stranger to Steuben glass collectors. The auction house, under the leadership of Alexander Anapolsky and Jonathan Akiba, successfully auctioned the important Alan and Susan Shovers Collection earlier this year. The upcoming sale is another exciting opportunity to acquire rare and important glass items from Steuben and other brands. It also represents a new milestone for Akiba Antiques, an industry leader in fine art, collectibles, jewelry, and more.

Live bidding for items from The Fabulous Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Schultz will begin at 12:00 PM EST on December 16, 2021. Visit Akiba Antiques for more information, or go to LiveAuctioneers to view the full catalog and place a bid online.