The history of Meissen porcelain dates back to the early 18th century. Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, a German mathematician and chemist, devised a distinct method of making hard-paste porcelain at his Meissen workshop in 1708. Two years later, Tschirnhaus collaborated with Johann Friedrich Böttger to produce the hard-paste wares. The Meissen trademark went on to become a prominent symbol of outstanding porcelain quality. A set of three cabinet plates of fine Meissen cobalt-ground reticulated porcelain is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from Charlton Hall. The late 19th-century set is designed with gilded openwork rims. The plates depict elaborately painted scenes including illustrations based on the works of Dutch masters Godfried Schalcken and Adrieen van der Werff. Lone Cowboy, a significant sculpture by Montana-based artist Robert Macfie Scriver (Bob Scriver) is another noteworthy lot. This bronze on wood base piece was the concluding work designed for a commissioned project of five historical portraits of Western men with horses.
John James Audubon’s Carolina Parrot also leads the listings. The 39 ½ inches by 26 inches unframed chromolithograph by the artist and ornithologist portrays the American bird species in its habitat. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Charlton Hall.
Pottery and bronze sculptures were one of the first artistic goods produced by Japan. A large gilt bronze censor by Miyao from the Meiji era (1868 – 1912) is a top lot in Bonhams’ upcoming Japanese and Korean Art auction. It is cast in two shades of bronze. The coiling dragon in darker bronze supports an upturned temple bell in a lighter color. The bell or dōtaku is decorated with Buddhist wheels and lotus blossoms. The wooden stand is decorated with stylized dragons and scrolling vines in gold hiramaki-e (inlaid works).
Many Japanese and Korean artists began painting during the mid-15th century. A parody painting of the third princess, appearing as a courtesan, from The Tale of Genji by Kawanabe Kyōsai is a top lot in this category. It is a hanging scroll in ink depicting a beautiful woman wearing a kimono and obi sash with a design of a phoenix and dragons. A cat treads on the hem of her kimono. She is standing in front of a two-panel folding screen depicting geese flying in front of a full moon partially obscured by clouds. It is signed Jokū Kyōsai zu. The Third Princess (San-no-Miya) is a character in the 11th-century Japanese novel Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji), whose cat plays a role in the development of the plot. A painting with the same seals belongs to the Cleveland Museum of Art. Find the listed items and more on Bonhams auction and register to place a bid.
For a brief period in the 20th century, applying the exacting principles of science to visual art was in vogue. Broadly called Concrete Art, this movement embraced pure abstraction without sentimental gestures or emotional meanings. Cuban visual artist Loló Soldevilla worked at the forefront of the Concrete Art movement in Cuba and beyond. She made delicate use of triangles, rectangles, and thin lines to craft her abstract artworks. A mixed media sculpture from Loló Soldevilla is among the top lots of Akiba Antiques’ upcoming September Ensemble sale. Composed of paint, wood, and metal, this piece features a grid of black and white circles in alternating colors. Soldevilla completed the work around 1958. Other notable works of art in the catalog include a “Wrapman” sculpture from Ernest Trova, a contemporary painting from Michael Gorman, and a colorful cow painting by Hélène Caron.
Collectible gems and minerals are also available in the sale. Leading this section of the catalog is a large pair of citrine crystal geodes shaped like angel wings. They are displayed on iron bases and measure over five feet tall on each base. They were originally discovered in Brazil, a country especially known for the vibrancy and quality of its geodes. Other featured minerals in the sale have been carved to take a sculptural form. This includes a large amethyst, selenite, and fluoride carved group that resembles two tropical birds perched on a boulder. To view the complete catalog and place a bid, visit LiveAuctioneers.
American sculptor Glenna Maxey Goodacre (1939 – 2020) was renowned for designing the obverse of the Sacagawea dollar, introduced in 2000 in the United States. She also designed the momentous Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, D. C. The memorial is dedicated to the American women and nurses who served in the Vietnam War. Goodacre was best known for such large-scale bronze figurative works. One of her significant patinated bronze sculptures, Crossing the Prairie, is a key highlight of the upcoming auction from John Moran. It was commissioned to commemorate the spearheading women in the American West. J. Seward Johnson Jr’s patinated bronze work titled Allow Me is equally noteworthy. It is designed with aluminum and fabricated stainless steel. Also known as Umbrella Man, the sculpture is part of the famed Allow Me series. It portrays a life-sized man wearing a business suit and holding an umbrella as he hails a cab.
A Fratelli Lisi e Figli stag centerpiece also leads the listings. The sterling silver lot features a dish fashioned with an oak leaf and acorn border. The lid is designed with a seated stag with gilt antlers. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
The Zhou dynasty was a royal dynasty of China that ruled for 789 years and is the longest dynastic period in Chinese history. Many people believe this time period to be the height of Chinese bronze ware production. Additionally, the use of bronze ceremonial objects, statues, decorations, and weaponry indirectly contributed to the legitimacy of the Zhou. One of the bronze artifacts available in this Power / Conquest: The Forging of Empires event, presented by Sotheby’s, is the Jian Min Fang Zun vessel from the Western Zhou dynasty. The vessel has a cast to the interior with a 51-character inscription. The bronze pot is dated to the era of King Mu, who reigned from 976 to 922 BCE.
Another bronze item available is a malachite and copper-inlaid bronze vessel and cover (Fang Hu) from the Eastern Zhou dynasty. The bronze vessel dates from 475 to 221 BCE, or the second half of the Eastern Zhou dynasty, called the Warring States period. The Warring States was marked by conflict as well as administrative and military reforms and centralization. Explore the complete catalog for this auction and register to bid on Sotheby’s.
The first of 11 pamphlets attributed to Puritan missionary John Eliot, known as the “Eliot Tract” or New England’s First Fruits, describes early Puritan efforts to convert Indigenous North American tribes to Christianity. Settlers had only been in the region for 20 years, and the pamphlet was written in response to criticism from England regarding their evangelizing. Notably, the tract contains the first printed account of the founding of Harvard College. A rare issue of this tract is available in the Books and Manuscripts auction, offered by Freeman’s.
The auction also includes a pair of lots relating to the American civil rights movement: a signed letter by Martin Luther King Jr. replying to Alban Wall of Pennsylvania, who had sent him a letter and poem; and a rare comic book retelling of the Montgomery Bus Boycott signed by both Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Further items include an edition of the Declaration of Independence printed for the 50th anniversary of its signing, a “Suppressed Boston Edition” of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, a Pop Art advertisement poster for the American Airlines 747 Astroliner, and more. View any of these lots and register to bid on Freeman’s.
German artist Franz von Stuck was best recognized for his ancient mythology paintings and his characteristic Symbolist style. His subjects were highly influenced by the works of Arnold Böcklin. Stuck personally designed the frames of his paintings with a great deal of care and attention. Franz Stuck’s oil on panel painting titled Lauschende Faune (Listening Fauns) is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from Soulis Auctions. Like other paintings by the influential 19th-century artist, this one too explores the darker side of the human psyche. Another German-born artist, Hermann Ottomar Herzog, was known for his realistic landscapes. A circa 1900 untitled view of a glacial lake by the artist leads the fine art listings. The oil on canvas portrays a sunlit blue mountain lake and snow-capped peaks.
An Art Deco-inspired low center table by Kent Townsend is a furniture piece of interest in this auction. Crafted from exotic hardwood pau ferro, the tabletop features figured patterns radiating from the center to the scalloped edge. It comprises a single-handed dovetailed drawer and is supported by a columnar base elevated on three cast bronze feet. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
American painter, sculptor, and printmaker Ellsworth Kelly is best known for his color field and hard-edge paintings, which emphasize vibrant color and spatial unity. One of his pieces, titled Dark Red-Violet Panel, is up for sale in this Post-War & Contemporary Art X Made in California event, hosted by Bonhams. The 1982 work is a representation of Kelly’s work with monochromatic paintings. His style was influenced by Monet after Kelly encountered the artist’s late work in 1952. Although Kelly is often linked to the movement of Minimalism, it is believed that he preceded the trend by a decade.
Another highlight of the auction is a 1966 work by Wallace Berman. An American collage artist and experimental filmmaker, Berman was regarded as the father of the Californian assemblage movement. He was also closely associated with the Beat Generation of artists and writers. Titled Radio/Aether, the offered item is a series of collages created by a Verifax machine. Berman experimented with such technology and used photographs as raw material for creating his avant-garde art. Explore additional post-war and contemporary artworks and register to bid on Bonhams auction.
The Japanese armors do-maru trace back their roots to the Heian period. These armors were made lighter during the Edo era for soldiers. Feudal overlords known as daimyo also used them for ceremonies. These protective gears consisted of multiple pieces that covered the daimyo from head to toe. The upcoming Christie’s auction presents a blue-laced Honkozane daimyo do-maru gusoku. The gusoku armor consists of multiple pieces like kabuto (helmet), shikaro (neck guard), menpo (face mask), do (cuirass), and more. The available armor features intricate construction involving laced hon-konzane or iron strips. It belongs to the Ozu clan’s seventh-generation daimyo Kato Yasutake.
Also showcased is a Goryeo dynasty stoneware ewer with celadon glaze. Goryeo celadon ceramics were notable for their distinct greenish-blue glazes. Their form and intricate decorations made them sought-after Korean ceramics. The available ceramic ware has bamboo shoot detailing and a melon shape. The auction also highlights multiple woodblock print triptychs and paintings by Kitagawa Utamaro, an artist famous for his large-headed artworks of beautiful ladies called bijin ōkubi-e. Another featured lot is Musashi Tamagawa (Tama River in Musashi Province) by Utagawa Hiroshige. The woodblock print belongs to Hiroshige’s Fuji Sanjyurokkei series depicting Mount Fuji’s 36 views. Interested collectors can explore the entire catalog of Japanese and Korean art and register to bid online on Christie’s.
After 26 years ruling Iran as Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi took the title Shahanshah, or Emperor, in 1967. The lavish coronation aligned with the 2,500-year anniversary of the Persian monarchy, which was officially celebrated during October of 1971. Commemmorative medals and historically significant works in gold were released in limited quantities during the late 1960s and early 70s to celebrate both occasions. The upcoming House of Five Star Opening Auction from Five Star Auctions will particularly feature a rare presentation set of these commemorative gold medals from Iran. The set includes 26 gold medals bearing the likeness of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and other members of the Iranian royal family. Several other numismatic and collectible medal lots are on offer in this sale, largely hailing from Iran.
A pair of 19th-century Meissen snowball lidded vases also leads the listings. First created by Johann Joachim Kaendler in 1739, Meissen’s “Snowball Blossoms” motif has survived as a staple of the brand. It came to prominence in the 19th century. Sparkling spheres adorned showy vases, and tiny flowers covered each “snowball” for added visual interest. Topping the available Meissen vases is a pair of colorful birds, angled as though they are in conversation with each other. Rounding out the auction is a pair of larger-than-life Fernando Botero bronze sculptures, a 19th-century Spanish tortoiseshell cabinet, and assorted fine art prints from Giuliano Bekor. Visit Bidsquare to view the complete catalog of this and other online auctions.
