Royal Doulton Bunnykins are popular porcelain designs produced as dishes and collectibles for nurseries. The Bunnykins line originated in the 1930s when Sister Mary Barbara Bailey, the daughter of Doulton’s general manager, provided design illustrations. A rare vintage Bunnykins figurine of a bunny seating on a tree stump and eating honey is one key highlight of the upcoming Lion and Unicorn sale. The figurine has a Royal Doulton backstamp and comes with a Bunnykins box. Another notable Royal Doulton lot is a vintage ceramic mug. It has gilt trims and an analog clock design with Earth, sun, and star motifs.
A porcelain figurine of three women in colorful Rococo-style dresses and umbrellas leads the Lladró listings. Designed by artist Jose Puche, the piece was produced in a limited edition. Another Lladró glossy finish porcelain figurine, Enchanted Outing, is also a limited edition piece. It depicts a mule-drawn carriage and people gathering flowers. The sale offers a Minton Haddon Hall cup and saucer made of bone china. With colorful floral motifs and green trims, the prints are inspired from displays at Haddon Hall, one of the rarest surviving medieval manor houses. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Lion and Unicorn.
W Yoder Auction LLC is starting the spring season with the upcoming Bicycles, Guitars, Railroad Collection, Pump sale. Peddling its way to the top is a pre-war Colson tandem bicycle, a diving helmet accompanied by a shipwreck map, and a Budweiser neon sign. The Colson tandem is a double seater, a human-powered bicycle that can accommodate one or two riders. The bicycle is light green with a 26-inch rear. This bicycle is unique as its steer can be controlled from the rear seat rather than the front, a design that was common in the 1930s and 40s. The age of the diving helmet is unknown, but it is a 20-inch tall U.S. Navy diving helmet manufactured by Morse Diving Equip Co., founded in 1837 in Boston.
Toy collectors can also find plenty to choose from in this auction. A G.I. Joe rocket launcher is available in the sale. It is a motorized, mobile rocket launcher with hands-on control. It is battery-operated and fully functional. G.I. Joe was originally a toy line and one of the first action figures ever created. The mind behind the creation was Stanley Weston, who later sold the rights to Hasbro. The auction will showcase over 400 lots of bicycles, guitars, pump jacks, signs, and more. Browse the listed items on Bidsquare, and find other online auctions of interest.
English painter David Hockney is a man of many hats, experimenting with painting, printmaking and other art forms. Having contributed significantly to the 1960s Pop Art movement, he is viewed as one of the most prominent British artists of the 20th century. Hockney’s The Desk, July 1st (1984), a collage of chromogenic prints, is a key highlight of the upcoming sale at Ahlers & Ogletree. Portraying a desk with a vase atop, the artwork exemplifies Hockney’s technical acumen and pursuit of innovative expression. Another key painting is Nicola Simbari’s figural oil on canvas titled Anne Du Bistro. Using vivid colors, the Italian painter accomplished depth in the composition with his typical palette knife technique. Abstract Expressionism and Geometric Abstraction greatly influenced Simbari, though he firmly remained a figurative painter owing to his keen interest in people.
A monumental mahogany Georgian breakfront cabinet of the 19th century leads the furniture listings. The inlaid cabinet is designed with four astragal glazed doors, a cornice above, and musical and mythological motifs on the base. A Persian Bakhtiari rug is also a striking piece, hand-knotted and decked with repeated cedar tree and rose flower motifs. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
The April Private Collection auction at Jumbo Auction House is filled with rare and historical collectibles from the East. From a Qing dynasty horse saddle to Ru Yao porcelain, the auction offers more than 500 lots. The Qing dynasty (1644 to 1912) was the last imperial dynasty of China. A Qing dynasty imperial horse saddle will be available in this auction. It is a well-preserved example of what Chinese emperors used when riding horses. The wooden horse saddle is framed with intricately decorated gilt bronze. Other items from the imperial collection include Kesi robes, porcelain bowls, carpets, and decorative items.
Examples of Ru Yao or Ru ware from the Song dynasty are also available in the auction. Ru wares are rare because their production only happened for a limited time and was controlled by emperors. Fewer than 100 pieces have survived. A Ru Yao vase with its characteristic pale blue glaze is available in the auction. Another rare find among the lots is a Khotan jade bamboo patterned bangle. It has a diameter of 5.9 centimeters and weighs 56 grams. Khotan was a kingdom located at the branch of the Silk Road, which contributed to its wealth and success. More jade items, paintings, jewelry, soapstone, snuff bottles, porcelain, carvings, and coins from prominent private estates will be offered in the auction. Find the listed items and more online auctions on Bidsquare.
The first session of Hindman’s Palm Beach Collections sale particularly features a sculpture by Inuit artist Aqjangajuk Shaa. Active since he was a teenager in the 1950s, Shaa learned his craft from his grandfather and other relatives in Nunavut, Canada. Dancing walruses were his favored subjects. Shaa also depicted humans and other animals in an expressive, figural style. Available in this sale is Shaa’s Woman Stretching sculpture of carved stone. The subject appears to bend backward while resting gently on one knee. Other notable works of fine art and sculpture in the catalog include an acrylic painting by Harold Klunder, a geometric composition by Roger-François Thépot, and a painted steel sculpture by Kosso Eloul.
A selection of antique furniture items are also on offer. Among these lots is a Louis XV-style Steinway grand piano. This Model O piano is described as the largest of the company’s “small grands.” The Louis XV style invokes 18th-century France with elaborate carved details, Rococo lines, and harmony between elements. It dates back to the mid-1910s. Another furniture piece in this auction embraces Victorian flourishes of the late 19th century. The available French mahogany and gilt bronze curio cabinet uses extensive floral and scroll details to accent the main glass panels and wine red interior. Additional lots to consider include a set of ten Limoges porcelain plates and a Murano glass mosaic mirror from Dusciana Bravura. Visit Hindman’s website for the complete listings and to place a bid.
Born in 1910, Narayan Shridhar Bendre was an influential pioneer of contemporary Indian art. He became interested in art after enrolling at the State Art School in Indore. As a student, Bendre was taught to observe nature and light. This learning played a key role in his career, and its influence can be seen in most of his paintings. Often depicting the daily lives of Indian people, Bendre’s works are based on his soft palette and interplay between light and shade. Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers’ Estate Fine Art & Antique Online Auction will feature a Narayan Shridhar Bendre outdoor painting. Completed in 1992, the piece shows a girl on a tree swing. Seated under the tree’s shelter is a woman looking after two young children.
Another noteworthy item in the sale is B. Prabha’s oil painting. This piece shows two women holding birds while another woman watches them. “It is my aim to paint the trauma and tragedy of women,” said the artist. Through her paintings, Prabha attempted to address the issues faced by women in her country. Prabha’s style evolved in 1956, which marked a departure from modern abstraction towards decorative figuration. View more lots on Bidsquare, and browse other online auctions.
A scared-looking Andy Warhol portrait, one among a triptych by Duane Michals, will be offered this spring by Christie’s. The other two gelatin silver prints are blurred images of Warhol. They provide a sort of preliminary narrative for the third, which clearly shows Warhol looking frightened and frightening at the same time. Duane Michals started his career as a photojournalist in the 1960s and 70s, but it was his unconventional take on photographs that caught the attention of collectors such as Richard Gere. This April, Christie’s will bring more than a hundred photographs from Gere’s collection to auction.
Other famous faces appearing in Richard Gere’s collection includes folk singer Bob Dylan, modernist painter Georgia O’Keeffe, and Hollywood actor Gere himself. The photographs of Dylan speak volumes about the kind of artist he was at the beginning of his career and later on. In an available still by Richard Avedon, Dylan appears to walk on wet pavement on a cold New York day in 1965. He is wearing a trench coat and looks every bit a rock star, but he still appears very grim and pensive in this photograph. The available edition is a gelatin silver print, signed and dated by Avedon. Photographs from one of Gere’s friends and photographers, Herb Ritts, are also available in the auction. Find the listed items and more on Christie’s and register to place a bid.
“I expect to go to New Haven next week to inspect armes made by Ely Whitney for Unkel Sam 500.” This casual remark by Robert Orr in an 1803 letter to his son is the earliest-known written use of the term “Uncle Sam” to personify the American federal government. Orr was the master armorer at the time and was therefore responsible for armory inspections such as the one in New Haven run by Eli Whitney. Reference to Eli Whitney and his contract with the U.S. Government lend the letter historical significance beyond its simple age. The original copy of this letter is currently up for sale in the Printed & Manuscript Americana event, offered by Swann Auction Galleries.
Other items of historical significance in this sale include a photograph album documenting the 1899 Peary Relief Expedition, a letter announcing the cessation of hostilities with Great Britain written by Robert R. Livingston, an early French printing of the Declaration of Independence, and more. Some of the manuscript items in the auction include a first edition of the Noah Webster translation of the Bible, a document used by Senators for the hearing on “Project MKUltra, the CIA’s Program of Research in Behavioral Modification,” and a Treasury report featuring the first formal federal budget (by Alexander Hamilton). View any of these lots and register to bid on Swann Auction Galleries’ website.
Type IIa diamonds are among the rarest and most chemically pure types that naturally occur. They contain no measurable nitrogen or boron impurities, setting these gems apart from the less pure Type I diamonds. Bid Global International Auctioneers LLC will soon present a dedicated auction of Type IIa diamonds. Each available diamond is GIA-graded with complete reports from the Institute and laser inscriptions. Among the key lots is a 45.76-carat diamond pair. These square emerald-cut stones both have I color and VS1 clarity. Their combined appraised value is over USD 4 million. A colorless (D color) 20.03-carat heart-cut diamond is also available.
Those seeking colored diamonds will find several notable examples in this auction. A natural fancy pink diamond will cross the block. This 2.09-carat gem features the classic pear cut. This teardrop-shaped cut combines the Marquise and oval cuts to create tapering facets and plenty of sparkle. Bidders can also consider a natural fancy brown-yellow diamond weighing 16.40 carats. It has VS1 clarity with an emerald cut. This gemstone’s step-cut facets yield a layered, geometric appearance. Visit Bidsquare to find the complete auction catalog and browse other online auctions.
In the upcoming Coins & Currency auction, Skinner will be presenting a rare 2000-P Sacagawea VIP First Strike coin. On November 18, 1999, the United States Mint in Philadelphia held a special ceremony marking the beginning of the Sacagawea “golden coin.” An invitation-only event of less than 600, each guest was allowed the opportunity to manually strike one of the first coins. After doing so, Mint staff took down their contact information and each was sent their own coin the following year. This is one of those coins. The available piece has a much higher relief and finer details than those of the typical 2000-P Sacagawea coin, as each of the VIP coins were made using a medal press. Recognized by SEGS and ANACS as unique coins within the Sacagawea series, SEGS has given this coin a “First Strike/VIP, MS-68” certification rating. Included in the lot is the 2000-P Sacagawea VIP First Strike coin, its original box, and a certificate of authenticity.
Other coins available in the auction include a 1908 St. Gaudens Double Eagle with no motto and an MS60 rating, 13 silver coins from the Roman Republic dating back to approximately 110 to 108 BCE, and an uncirculated 1851 O-Trime coin. View the entire collection by visiting Skinner.
