An assortment of 19th and 20th-century flatware will be featured in the upcoming Emporium Auction from Brunk Auctions. This 86-piece collection of silver and sterling silver includes patterns from the Mansion House by Heirloom and Priscila by Dominick & Haff. A Wallace Irian solid handle butter knife, nine pieces of Continental silver, a Georg Jensen hollow handle cheese server, and an English silver salt spoon are also in the mix.
Several volumes of The Works of Charles Dickens will also be available. Many of his contemporaries viewed Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870) as the greatest novelist of the fiction genre from the Victorian era, and people still do today. This lot contains some of Dickens’ most notable fictional characters, including Great Expectations’ Miss Havisham, Oliver Twist’s the Artful Dodger, and David Copperfield’s eponymous protagonist. These published volumes are stamped “London: Chapman and Hall, Ld.” and bound by famous European bookbinder Joseph Zaehnsdorf (1816 – 1886). View the entire catalog and explore additional online auctions by visiting Bidsquare.
The upcoming Noonans auction is dedicated to the sale of rare Orders, Decorations, Medals, and Militaria. Leading the catalog is a set of honorary medals and badges, including The Most Honourable Order of the Bath made for K.C.B. (Military) Knight Commander. The contemporary Paris-made breast star from circa 1815 was awarded to Colonel Cameron, appointed as one of the first KCBs. The Order of the Bath was a British order of chivalry founded by George I on May 18, 1725. Since 1815, KCB knighthood was recognized as the second level of the Order of the Bath.
A group of six unique medals belonging to Sergeant D. C. Ellis for his service during the Second World War is also available. The set includes a military medal, a 1939 to ‘45 Star, an Africa Star, a Burma Star, and Defense and War Medals from 1939 to ‘45. A fine Regency period breast star of the Order of the Garter designed by London-based jewelry firm Rundell Bridge & Rundell is also part of the sale. To view the full catalog or to place a bid, visit Noonans.
Inside Copley Fine Art Auctions ‘ Two-Day Sporting Sale, collectors will find a Harmon Hollow Nantucket curlew decoy. The appearance of this featherweight, hollow plover decoy shows off its meticulously carved wings, from a raised shoulder to connected wing tips that lead to a thin, curved tail with V-parted feathering and tiger striping. The craftsman responsible for this artwork and its date of completion are unknown. These detailed features, combined with the curlew’s fine design and execution, have been compared to the works of A. Elmer Crowell (1862 – 1952), Fred Nichols (1854 – 1924), Charles Sumner Bunn (1865 – 1952), and others, although this piece is thought to predate these craftsmen by decades. Regarding this piece and its creator, the auction house states: “This Nantucket carver is among the greatest craftsmen ever to construct a working shorebird decoy,” and that this curlew is “among the greatest shorebird decoys ever to surface.”
Also available is a rare curlew decoy by Charles Sumner Bunn (1865 – 1952), a member of New York’s Shinnecock-Montauk Native American tribe and an important figure in duck carving. This exceptional decoy has only recently been discovered. The piece had been passed down through a prominent New York family that had traded a 19th-century city life for one in the Hamptons. With very few decoys of this nature still in existence and even fewer circulating, this decoy is said to be “one of the greatest shorebird decoy discoveries in recent memory.” Visit Bidsquare to view the entire collection and explore other online auctions.
A long and narrow Venetian boat, the gondola is a celebrated symbol of the city of Venice. Tracing back to the 11th century, the rowing boat was a significant means of transport. Today, gondolas are a major tourist attraction, largely associated with romantic rides and exotic experiences. A porcelain figurine by Lladró, In The Gondola, is a key highlight of Lion and Unicorn’s upcoming Summer Decorative Arts & Collectibles auction. Crafted by artist Francisco Catala, the glossy piece depicts a young couple taking a gondola ride with a musician. The figurine has a backstamp of the Spanish brand on the bottom. Another notable Lladró piece is a figurine of football players in action. Shot On Goal by the 20th-century artist Fulgencio Garcia demonstrates the historic connection between the people of Spain and the game of football.
A Beatrix Potter figurine with a rare parallel line backstamp also leads the listings. It is based on the Tommy Brock character from children’s stories written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter. The depiction is inspired by the grumpy badger character, dressed in yellow pants, a pink vest, and a blue jacket. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Lion and Unicorn.
Founder and director of Nantucket’s oldest gallery, the Stark Gallery on Old North Wharf, Robert Stark Jr. was also an American Luminist painter who approached his scenes with a modernist’s eye. Known primarily for coastal subjects, often with an iconic red sailed catboat in the middle to far distance, Stark painted with a technique that concealed visible brushstrokes and evoked a sense of calm. This is the case in the six works by Stark up for bid in the Independence Weekend auction from Rafael Osona Auctions, including one of his trademark catboat paintings, titled Red Sail on Calm Water.
Items in the catalog were sourced from Nantucket homes and seaside estates, as well as five estates from Pawleys Island, Palm Springs, Boston, Albany, and New York City. Anchored by over 300 lots of fine and decorative art works, the sale also features over 140 pieces of fine furniture, such as a set of six Stephen Swift cherry and ash pomfret dining chairs and a set of four cherry and ash bar stools. Other items include pearl necklaces and other jewelry, a hand-knotted Persian Heriz natural wool carpet, Bill and Judy Sayle nested Nantucket swing handle and friendship baskets, and more. Visit Bidsquare to browse the full catalog of this and other online auctions.
Painter Eugène Louis Boudin was famous for his seascapes featuring ports and beaches. The artist’s paintings were full of positivity and offered a poetic impression. Boudin was named the “King of the Skies” by landscape painter Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. French literary scholars like Charles Baudelaire also applauded his paintings. Boudin was the first French artist to experiment with the plein air painting technique. This timed Bonhams Skinner auction presents an oil painting by Eugène Boudin. Les Bords de la Touques à Trouville Pendant les Grandes Marées portrays a coastal scene during a high tide. The available painting depicts the influence of 17th-century Dutch masters on Boudin’s work.
Also offered is an oil painting by André Hambourg showcasing the romantic parts of Venice through its architecture. Le grand canal III, a luminous landscape painting by Hambourg, features his signature style. The auction also highlights floral paintings by Cecil Kennedy. Flowers of Natal No.1 depicts Kennedy’s complex compositions featuring flowers and a ladybug. Bidders may also consider City Archway by modern painter Khalid Al-Jadir. The artist’s expressionist paintings are notable for their elegant color balance. The European Art auction will also offer Erskine Nicol’s figure painting Mental Arithmetic, Biblical artworks, and portraits from early master painters. Interested collectors can explore the entire listings, register to bid online on Bidsquare, and check out other online auctions.
American artist LeRoy Neiman was an Expressionist painter famous for his intensely colored works. He contributed dynamic illustrations to magazines and painted murals for Playboy clubs. Neiman was best known for his depiction of sporting events and social gatherings. Dinner Party, an abstract oil on board painting by the artist, is a key highlight of the upcoming Summer Fine Art and Antique auction at Case Antiques. The large painting portrays women and men dressed in formalwear at a gathering. A banquet table is laid with glasses and wine bottles and the setting is lit by a chandelier. A Tonalist watercolor painting by another American artist, Alice Ravenel Huger Smith, also leads the listings. Smith’s The Silent Watchers depicts a low country landscape with white cranes in tree branches and marshy water replete with lily pads. Deeply inspired by her birthplace of Charleston, the self-taught artist was also influenced by Japanese ukiyo-e prints.
The sale offers an antique 14-karat yellow gold bangle bracelet with engravings and enamel foliate embellishment. It measures seven inches in circumference and weighs 31.03 grams. The inscription on the inner side reads “Clark, Annie Susie Maggie To Sister Anna.” To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
An early English gold coin exchanger dating back to 1905 England by W.H. Ell & Co. is one of the leading lots in Lion and Unicorn’s Decorative Home Interiors Auction. This early English gold coin exchanger provided change for sovereigns and half sovereign coins. A sovereign or half sovereign coin inserted in the proper slot was verified for weight, triggering a mechanism to operate the brass slide below. In exchange for the sovereign, one of its 19 copper or brass cups containing an appropriate amount in change would appear. If the coin was of improper weight, it was returned through a slot. Receptacles in the rear of the machine accommodate the empty cups after the change is received. Its brass mechanism is housed in a mahogany case with a glass front.
Another notable vending machine in the Decorative Home Interiors sale is a bright red Vendo XF 39B Coca-Cola. This 1950s Coca-Cola vending machine has been modified with its signature bright red paint, and its interior has been retrofitted into a gun cabinet with keys. Vendo started producing vending machines in the United States in 1937 in Dallas, Texas. The company has since manufactured stack machines, glass front vendors, hot food displays, refrigerated showcases, ice cream cases, Micro Market designs, and some of the best vending machines known today. The sale also includes Lalique glassware, Erté collectibles, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton porcelain, Swarovski ware, Beanie Babies, celebrity memorabilia, and more. Find the listed items and more on Lion and Unicorn and register to place a bid.
Sir William Russell Flint was famous for his watercolor paintings featuring beach scenes. Flint’s works portrayed sensual female figures, mostly alongside beaches. The upcoming Turner Auctions + Appraisals sale presents a watercolor painting by Sir William Russel Flint. The Beach at St. Malo by Flint shows an everyday beach scene. The social setting of the artwork reflects Flint’s appreciation of plein air painting. It depicts human figures in subdued ochre, color washes, and slight charcoal borders. Also featured is Seascape with Boats by coastal landscape artist William de Haas. The artist’s work was notable for its serenity and often depicted American coasts. The straight-lined horizons and indefinite layouts of Dutch art influenced De Hass’s Luminist artworks. The available painting demonstrates how de Haas balanced Dutch art, Luminism, and American influence.
Showcased in the upcoming event is a cylinder music box by Geneva-based manufacturer Rivenc. The company came to existence in 1869, when Rivenc acquired it from Greiner, another music box manufacturer. Rivenc continued using the same movements as Greiner for years. However, it made changes to the existing Bremond tune cards. The music box makers introduced colorful lithographic tune cards to enhance them. The available circa 1875 Rivenc music box plays ten songs. It comes with an inlaid box with minor wear. Another highlight is a collection of antique regalia by Henry Griffiths & Sons. The available collection consists of a nine-carat gold link bracelet and a 10-karat gold and onyx brooch. The auction also offers a black forest-style altar cross, a collection of folk dolls and ceramic figures, and porcelain plaques. Interested collectors can explore the entire listings and register to bid online on Turner Auctions + Appraisals.
In Pittsburgh, vintage car enthusiasts are gearing up for the 2022 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (PVGP), a ten-day event now in its 40th year. Historic cars of all stripes will race down Pennsylvania’s country roads. In another segment, drivers will take the cars through the notoriously challenging Schenley Park. Attendees can follow along, take in current car exhibits, and view upcoming cars for auction in the showroom. In advance of the event, Bring a Trailer will host numerous auto and motorcycle sales for collectors and enthusiasts. During the PVGP Schenley Park race weekend, several notable cars will come under the hammer. Among these is a 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GT. This US-market example is one of 461 cars finished from the Argento Auteuil Metallizzato. During its lifetime, it has traveled from Nevada to Oregon to New Zealand. The exterior features a 2006 repaint of the original silver color, while the interior includes newly-inlaid red carpeting.
The available vehicles range from 1920s-era Bentley Sports Tourers to a 2020 Ferrari with just 464 miles. The former vehicle spent several years in a museum display in southern England before returning to the private market. It has a 4.4-liter inline-four with twin SU Sloper carburetors and a D-type four-speed manual transmission. The offered 2020 Ferrari is a GTC4Lusso T with a Sabbia leather interior trim and over $100,000 in additional equipment. For more information about the available lots or the 2022 PVGP lineup, visit Bring a Trailer.
