Leading Hindman’s upcoming books and manuscripts sale is a first printing copy of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer from 1876. Twain’s famous tale of the mischievous and clever boy was initially a commercial failure. The American Publishing Co. sold fewer than 24,000 copies in the novel’s first year, a disappointing figure even for the period. The book went on to become an American classic. The available first printing copy of Tom Sawyer from the first American edition features a wood engraved frontispiece, illustrations by True Williams, and a blue morocco folding case. Bidders will also find volumes by F. Scott Fitzgerald, including Tales of the Jazz Age and The Crack-up.
Many of the available lots are first additions, and some include rare autographs by their authors or other famous figures. One such book is Henry DeWolf Smyth’s Atomic Energy for Military Purposes, the chart-topping history of the Manhattan Project. Colloquially known as the Smyth Report, Atomic Energy educated the American public about the science behind nuclear weapons, as well as which pieces of information were declassified at the time. It required express approval by President Harry S. Truman before publication in August of 1945, days after the United States detonated nuclear weapons over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. The available first edition copy includes a signature from physicist and hydrogen bomb developer Edward Teller. To view other items from the collection of attorney and philanthropist Jack Charles Davis, visit Hindman’s website. N
A setter can detect wild birds like quail, pheasant, and grouse from afar. The closer a setter gets to an animal, the quieter it becomes. This action signals hunters, making the setter one of the most favored breeds of dogs for hunting. An oil painting of two setters by Percival Leonard Rosseau will be available in session one of Guyette and Deeter’s upcoming two-day auction. Rosseau was born in Louisiana. After his other family members died in the American Civil War, Rosseau and his sister were rescued and raised in Kentucky. There, he learned how to shoot and fish at an early age, which might have influenced his paintings of sporting dogs, birds, and landscapes. Session one also has plenty of working wooden decoys by Pennsylvania-based artist Jim Schmiedlin. The available Schmiedlin-made wood duck has a turned head, carved extended crest, and raised, crossed wingtips. It is signed and dated 1982. Other notable pieces made by Schmiedlin are a pair of working bluewing teal dated 2000 and a hooded merganser dated 1984.
Session two of the auction starts with a swimming Canada goose by Nathan Cobb, Jr. The goose is hollow carved with an inlet neck seat and raised V wings. It also has a George Thompson collection ink stamp on its underside. Cobb Jr. teamed up with his father and brothers to make and market hunt decoys for sports on Cobb Island, off the shore of Virginia. Cobb’s family salvaged wrecks to create wood decoys. Cobb Jr. carved goose and brant necks from holly branches which made them nearly unbreakable. Session two also includes fine art, decorative art, and furniture. Visit Bidsquare to register to place a bid and browse other online auctions.
Celadon wares have long been highly favored in the royal echelons of China, mainly for their regal color. With its pale hue and partially transparent glaze, Chinese celadon jade pottery usually denotes greenware made with stone or porcelain. One such antique Chinese moon flask from the 18th century is a key highlight of the upcoming Akiba Antiques auction. The flattened gourd-shaped celadon piece is designed with ruyi handles, foliate medallions, and vine motifs. Due to its flattened form, such pottery required special technical expertise during firing. Another noteworthy antique Chinese lot is an eight-panel screen belonging to the Qing dynasty. Comprising inlaid porcelain plaques, the hardwood screen is adorned with hand-carved foliage decoration. The plaques feature enameled images of human figures, birds and floral motifs. While folding screens have a long history in China, they have also gained popularity across Europe over the years.
A Japanese Satsuma pottery skull, most likely belonging to the Meiji period, is an anatomical portrayal of a human head. It features faience glazed teeth and an unglazed pottery base. The Satsuma region was once a pottery hub buzzing with kilns owing to its access to indigenous clay. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit LiveAuctioneers.
Ettore Bugatti, the founder of Bugatti race cars, worked at a bicycle manufacturer after school. He was fascinated with the mechanism of motor cars, which were at their earliest stage at the time. At the age of 17, he produced a tricycle with an engine. The creation was followed by several high-performance automobiles. The upcoming 42 | Beverly Hills Classic Automotive auction offers a Bugatti Tribute, a type 35 model which was manufactured in 1976. At the time, it was the only car capable of achieving speeds of up to 6,000 rpm.
NY Elizabeth’s sale presents a wide collection of luxury automobiles and race cars. Featured is a 1985 Ferrari Mondial Cabriolet. Ferrari produced the car from 1980 through 1993. It was initially designed by Pierangelo Andreani. The model notably has a five-speed manual transmission, power windows, and four-wheel disc brakes. It has a sand beige interior. Explore the entire catalog on Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
In Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels, the codename M refers to the head of MI6 (the British Secret Intelligence Service). Though there are a few people who may have served as the inspiration for M, the most likely is Admiral John Godfrey, who was Fleming’s superior at the Naval Intelligence Department. Fleming also visited the Estoril Casino in Portugal with Godfrey, and this visit inspired his novel Casino Royale. A first edition, first impression copy of this novel is up for bid in the Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts auction at Christie’s. Though it is uncertain to whom the book was actually signed, the author’s inscription reads: “To M, these pages from my memoirs! Ian.”
Other books in the auction include an early, single-edition copy of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a complete set of Sir Isaac Newton’s contributions to the Royal Society’s Philosophical Transactions, which features his new Theory of Light, an early complete set of the novels of Jane Austen, and more. Beyond books, there is also the personal rosary beads of John F. Kennedy, a signed photograph of Robert E. Lee, and a framed signature from Alexander Hamilton. View any of these lots and register to bid on Christie’s website.
African carved figurines often symbolize religious philosophies about life and the afterlife. Indigenous people from Equatorial Guinea believe spiritual connection is possible between living beings and the dead. According to ancient beliefs, this connection is visible physically through reliquaries, or containers for holding the relics of the prominent members of different tribes. These guardian figurines are available in various forms. This upcoming Bonhams auction presents a Fang reliquary guardian figure. Those following the Byéri tradition use these ritual figurines to honor their ancestors and receive blessings. The available wooden reliquary statue has a black patina and carved details like a headdress.
Another highlight is a wooden Hemba male figure from the Mambwe region. It represents the clan’s male ancestors and is notable for its calm facial attributes and physical forms. The detailed carving on these figures, like their hairstyle, is symbolic of the military or political roles performed by Hemba clan men. Bidders may also consider a Marka or Bamana wooden mask with a deep brown glossy patina and metal tacks. Mali’s Marka and Bamana communities are neighbors and share artistic styles visible through their tribal masks. The male members use these masks during auspicious ceremonies like weddings or harvests. The available Marka mask features signature characteristics like an elongated nose, tiny mouth, and metal tacks all over the face. For other lots of interest and more information, register to bid online on Bonhams auction.
“Paintings are a spiritual communion with nature which results in my celebration of life,” Clyde Aspevig said. Aspevig is an American artist well-known for his landscape depictions of Wyoming and Montana. Taking inspiration from the works of Winslow Homer, Aspevig draws particular attention to detail in his works. Bonhams’ Western Art auction will present Clyde Aspevig’s Middle of Winter. In the painting, bushes and trees are almost buried in white snow.
Another top lot is Maynard Dixon’s Inyo County. Dixon was one of the most influential 20th-century painters. He is best known for his iconic depictions of the American West. Originally from California, the artist traveled to southern Utah, where he developed his trademark style. His unique compositions predominantly featured clouds and rock forms in vibrant colors. Dixon attempted to preserve the history of Native American people. View more interesting lots and register to bid online on Bonhams.
American painter Joseph Meeker shared a special connection with the Mississippi River. During the American Civil War, Meeker often sailed up and down the river while serving as a paymaster for the Union Navy. He was so charmed by the beauty of the bayous that he made elaborate sketches and paintings of the landscapes. Morning on the Upper Mississippi, an outcome of one of those trips, is a key highlight of this upcoming Revere Auctions event. The oil on canvas portrays Lake Pepin dotted with steaming riverboats, outshined by the scenic view of dawn. Meeker’s exceptional eye for the distinctive mood and feel of the location makes it a compelling artwork. Another notable landscape painting on offer is Alexis Jean Fournier’s A Spring Pastorale. It portrays a herd of grazing sheep with flowering fruit trees in the background. The American artist was renowned for his lifelike representations of landmarks in St. Paul and Minneapolis.
François Morellet’s avant-garde abstract sculpture of cellular grids also leads the listings. Created with superimposed rods of stainless steel, the hypnotic piece belongs to Morellet’s Sphere-Trames series, started in 1960. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
Potter & Potter Auctions will feature various items from the Dentzel Carousel Company, Ringling Bros., and Barnum & Bailey in an upcoming sale. Although appearing in amusement parks and at county fairs across the United States during the mid-19th century, Gustav Dentzel is credited for the rise in popularity of the platform carousel after founding the Dentzel Carousel Company in 1867. Potter & Potter Auctions will offer several Dentzel Carousel Company wooden animals, including an 1885 horse from Pennsylvania’s famous Dover Dentzel carousel at Brookside Park. This horse was made for the outside row. It is shown in a neighing position and features a carved and painted matching saddle and bridle.
After the 1919 merger of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey popularized the traveling circus across the United States, the sideshow attraction began billing itself as the “Greatest Show on Earth.” A 1909 Barnum & Bailey Circus Giant Rhinoceros poster will also be available in the Circus, Sideshow, and Oddities auction. Other items include a 1911 Tilden Park merry-go-round panel, a 20th-century musical Turkish magician automaton, and a Hobo the Bum fortune teller vendor. View the entire collection and register to bid by visiting Potter & Potter Auctions.
Andy Warhol was more than an artist. He was the king of Pop Art and culture. In a way, he invented popular art and turned a can of soup into an icon. Selected screenprints from Warhol lead Phillips’ upcoming Editions & Works on Paper auction. Warhol had a refined sense of color that was distinct from any other artists of his time. His flower screenprints include different shapes and colors, yet they all look standardized. The screenprints in color come in a set of ten and were published by Factory Additions in 1970. They are all signed in black ballpoint pen. Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and Siberian tigers are also the subjects of Warhol’s colorful screenprints available in the auction.
Another notable figure with work in the catalog is Yoshitomo Nara. One of his works features a figure of a small girl on a clean background. This character is up to something in almost every Nara painting. A 2010 set of ten color prints by Yoshitomo Nara on Japanese paper is available. Each print shares the same muted pinkish-cream background. Nara is a prominent figure in contemporary art, and his works are representations of not only Japan’s but a global Pop Art movement. The auction also showcases the works of Helen Frankenthaler, Keith Haring, David Hockney, Jean Dubuffet, and Roy Lichtenstein, among others. Find the listed items and more on Phillips and register to place a bid.
