See what hidden treasures our experts may be able to reveal
We invite you to join us online for our Virtual First Tuesday on October 6. Skinner specialists from all departments will be on hand to evaluate items via email.
Let’s get started:
Step 1: Gather information and images for up to three items of fine & decorative arts, furniture, jewelry, silver, watches & coins and much more.
Step 2: Send us an email with the information and images at [email protected] or at the button below.
On October 5, Freeman’s is proud to present at auction the collection of prominent Philadelphians Dr. Henry and Mrs. Fannie Levine.
A life-long curiosity and love of learning underpinned all of the Levines’ endeavors—from their careers in medicine, to their passion for travel and music, to their dedication to their children’s education and finally to their prolific art collecting. For Henry and Fannie, filling their home with paintings, sculpture and works on paper was a way for them to connect with the people, places and ideas that meant the most to them.
Devon Eastland shares the joys of handling early printed books and how sometimes unexpected pieces of history can crop up.
As a business with a history in the business of selling books with a history, Swann Galleries has been conducting rare book auctions continuously since 1941. Many books that have crossed our auction block in the past return to the venue to be sold again, an occurrence so frequent that it usually goes without notice. However, I recently had the pleasure of receiving a consignment of rare books purchased at Swann in the 1950s with a surprise. The books had been off the market in a private collection, with instructions from the collector: when the time comes, call Swann, they’ll know what to do. And so, the books returned to New York.
Swann catalogues from the 1950s
When the time comes, call Swann, they’ll know what to do…
I was excited to see them, and the books did not disappoint, but I did not expect that each would be a bit of a Swann Galleries time capsule. The books looked like they were ready to be placed on the shelves for an exhibition in the gallery tomorrow, just as they were when sold by Swann 65 years ago. Original vintage Swann salesroom markers were kept with each book, placed there by the staff of yore for auction day, decades before most of the current team were even born. It was both eerie and comforting to see the original catalog pages, and the familiar Swann tombstones with handwritten lot numbers still tucked inside the ancient volumes.
Early printed books with original Swann tombstones
Dealing with early printed books is already a humbling experience. I consider books from the first period of printing the bristlecone pine trees of the written word. (The oldest bristlecone is estimated to be 4,800 years old.) Books printed in the earliest years of letterpress printing in the west are similarly impressive for their longevity. Love of books and the desire to understand them stretches back through the centuries in an uninterrupted stream, and Swann is part of that stream. I feel a part of that stream too. Our respect for these survivals is witnessed by the obvious care we have provided along the continuum. Not found buried in the ground, or at the bottom of the sea, a fifteenth-century book in good condition has never even seen a rainy day.
Rolls of Swann tombstones today
I could go on, but I did say something about tombstones that begs clarification. If you’ve ever purchased a book from Swann, you will have seen one of our tombstones. It seems natural to take these brightly colored bookmarks for granted. We have boxes of them around the gallery and choose a color for each sale. Dozens of stickers on rolls bear lot numbers, and every lot receives its bookmark and number. We call the bookmarks tombstones, which they resemble, although the origin story for the name eludes me. In any case, the details of the operation remain unchanged. We catalog the books, we number them, we auction them off, and the cycle continues, as it has done for seventy-nine years. Seeing these books with their tombstones struck me. We are a small piece of a process that began centuries ago, and will continue into the future, with the books themselves as our inspiration, and we would like you to join us in our love of books. If you have books to sell, or want books to buy, come to Swann, we have just the thing.
On October 21st, Freeman’s will celebrate Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday by offering a rare, and impressive collection of 12 portrait bronzes of the famous German composer by French sculptor Antoine Bourdelle.
Variations on a Theme: 12 Bronzes of Ludwig van Beethoven by Antoine Bourdelle
All acquired directly from the artist’s daughter, Rhodia Dufet-Bourdelle, the bronzes offer a glimpse into the genius of one of the most talented pupils of Auguste Rodin. They also speak for the long-lasting fascination that their owner, Mr. Robert Becker, had for Beethoven. “We could not be more excited to foster such a unique event” says chairman Alasdair Nichol. “What better way to celebrate Beethoven’s legacy than through the sculptures of Antoine Bourdelle — one of the artists who was the most influenced by the music, and overall persona, of the composer.”
With estimates ranging from $4,000 to $80,000, the bronzes showcase the evolution of Bourdelle’s style. The sale indeed mixes early examples of his work that show the strong influence of his master Rodin, with more mature compositions, which reveal a simplification (and almost abstraction) of forms and shapes.
First-Ever Appearance at Auction
Beethoven à Deux Mains, 1908, bronze with brown patina, height: 21 in. (53.3cm), $80,000-120,000
Robert Becker’s collection of bronzes was an outgrowth of his great love for Beethoven’s music, which truly began in the early 1970s, when he founded the Beethoven Society with the aim of sponsoring monthly concerts at the Lincoln Center in New York City. The collection itself began around the same time, after a visit to the Bourdelle Studio and Museum in Paris, where Mr. Becker and his wife met the daughter of Antoine Bourdelle, who would then sell them one or two bronzes every year. Since then, the bronzes have been kept at Mr. and Mrs. Becker’s private New York apartment. The October sale will be their first-ever appearance at auction, having never been on the market or exhibited before.
Among them is Beethoven à Deux Mains, one of the anticipated highlights of the sale (Lot 9, $80,000-120,000). Executed in 1908, some twenty years after Bourdelle first started to portray Beethoven, the bronze shows the composer’s anguished head emerging from a block of stone. Tormented and gaunt, Beethoven embodies the image of the true Romantic genius; a mysterious deity “whose veil has never been lifted by mankind” according to the carved inscription at the base of the sculpture. Seven other bronze casts of this work were made, as well as one granite version, which is in the collection of the Musée Bourdelle in Paris.
A Trio of Expressive Heads
Left | Beethoven dit Métropolitain, 1902-1903, bronze with green patina, height: 41 in. (104.12cm) $20,000-30,000; Right | Beethoven aux Grand Cheveux, c. 1889-1891, bronze with golden bronze patina, height: 19 ½ in. (49.5cm) $20,000-30,000
The over-life-sized disembodied Beethoven dit Métropolitain of 1902 (Lot 7, $20,000-30,000) will be another highlight of the sale. Standing an impressive forty inches high, the bronze is one of Bourdelle’s most accomplished portraits of Beethoven, and the first model ever purchased by the French government. It is characteristic of Bourdelle’s dramatizing use of pitted and puffed surfaces, which creates a ragged exterior that conveys the tumult of the composer’s inner life. The artist’s self-identification with his idol can also be seen through Beethoven, La Joue Appuyée sur une Main(Lot 1, $20,000-30,000) and Beethoven aux Grands Cheveux(Lot 5, $20,000-30,000). In each work, Beethoven’s infamous wild, curly hair plays an important part, channeling the vitality of his music. While the former example suggests the soft, rounded melody of his concertos for piano, the latter echoes the terrible roar associated with his first movement. By doing so, Bourdelle not only contributed to Beethoven’s mythology, but also set out to prove that music could be sculpted.
Additional Auction Highlights
[Left to Right] Beethoven, Tête Monumentale, $12,000-18,000; Beethoven aux Petits Cheveux, Masque, $10,000-15,000; Beethoven, Étude de Buste, 1904, $6,000-10,000; Beethoven à l’Architecture, 1925, $8,000-12,000
The rest of the sale features several studies for larger compositions, as well as a number of masks inspired by Beethoven’s original death mask, the closed eyes and crisped mouth seemingly (and paradoxically) evoking an intense innerlife (see Lot 2, $6,000-10,000; Lot 3, $4,000-6,000; Lot 4 $10,000-15,000). Also of note is La Pathétique(Lot 12, $5,000-8,000), the very last bronze that Bourdelle ever made of Beethoven in 1929, the year of his death. Set against an impressive cross (which bears signs of past gilding), Beethoven is represented in full-length, haggard and melancholic. His hair undone, his top hat rolled up at his feet, the Christ-like figure appears to be waiting for his final hour, leaving behind him a legacy as raw and expressive as the clay Bourdelle kneaded when he shaped his alter ego’s features.
Shanghai – Christie’s announced today the annual September Shanghai sales will be postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions on international travel will not allow Christie’s to present the ambitious and innovative sale series Christie’s have every September in Shanghai. Christie’s will present instead in Shanghai a selection of highlights of our upcoming November Hong Kong sales.
Francis Belin, President, Christie’s Asia Pacific commented: “We are really sorry to have to postpone to a later date our annual sales in Shanghai. But this decision is purely temporary. As the only international auction house that have conducted auctions in mainland China independently for years, Christie’s commitment to Chinese market remains unchanged. The art market in Asia is resilient and demand from collectors remains robust, as it has been recently reflected through the results of our July sales in Hong Kong. We will continue to work with clients across China and Asia on our Fall series of activities and connect collectors with art across digital platforms and our live auctions.”
As a consequence of this postponement, the project with China Guardian Auctions announced earlier this year will also be re-scheduled to September 2021. With the well-being of clients and staff in mind, both parties have agreed to postpone the collaboration to a proper time when a fresh window for a safe environment can be created, when sales and events can be successfully staged again.
Francis Belin continued, “Our commitment to our collaboration with China Guardian remains unchanged. We were pleased by the very good response from our clients following the announcement of our partnership with Guardian, and we will continue to explore other opportunities for the two auction houses to collaborate.”
Hu Yanyan, Director and President, China Guardian Auctions, added, “Our two companies have been in close contact since announcing the partnership to explore opportunities and innovative approaches regarding hosting exhibition and sales, and some good progress has been made. We both look forward to continuing our efforts of building an international platform for cross-cultural dialogue and deepening the regional market, and hope to welcome back more collectors and art lovers through a series of exciting programs when we reconvene.”
Over 20 Auctions Scheduled to Take Place Between September and December 2020Following Year-to-Date Sales of Almost $50 Million London | New York | Hong Kong: Live & OnlineFeaturing Five Auctions Dedicated to Private Collections, Including:The Scholarly Cellar of Dr. Gordon KuThe Park B. Smith Cellar, Celebrating CaliforniaVine ׀ A Fine West Coast Cellar Plus, Two Single Cellar Private Collections in Hong Kong to be Announced
This autumn, Sotheby’s Wine will present an extensive series of auctions of wines and spirits, following an exceptional result for the first eight months of the year, during which period sales exceeded over $49 million across 20 auctions, over 6,700 lots were sold, and $28 million of wine and spirits sold online. A key driver of Sotheby’s Wine’s success was in reaching a new and young audience, with 50% of first-time bidders aged in their twenties or thirties.
Over twenty wines and spirits sales – both live and online – are scheduled to take place between September and December, including five auctions dedicated to private collections. The enduring value of great condition and provenance was borne out by the results of the five single owner auctions held thus far this year, which totalled $26 million, representing 58% of sales.
Our expansion of – and transition to – online sales is moving quickly, building on the digital transformation of our wine and spirits business. Over 1,000 bidders from more than 40 countries participated in our auctions, with online purchases representing 67% of wine lots and 83% spirits lots.
“Innovation has long been at the heart of Sotheby’s Wine but never has it been quite so critical to our business as it has been over the past few months. As the pandemic swept across the globe we have adapted, transitioning our business online and embracing the endless possibilities that technology and the digital age have to offer. The digital transformation in the wine and spirits business has been accelerated by five to ten years as innovation, automation, simplicity and empowering clients is very clearly the future. These digital tools enable us to reach a much broader, younger and more dynamic market, while we continue to enjoy the support of our traditional clients. Throughout this period, across all areas of our business, we have striven to be ahead of the curve with our digital innovations, thereby allowing us to lay the groundwork for a series of new features from Sotheby’s Wine which we look forward to introducing through year end.”
JAMIE RITCHIE, WORLDWIDE HEAD OF SOTHEBY’S WINE
After launching our Spirits business last year, this segment of the market saw the fastest growth setting three new auction world record prices through July this year – for a bottle of Japanese whisky, a bottle of Cognac, and for any bottle of The Dalmore. The autumn calendar is set to unveil some exciting sales and announcements in the world of collectible spirits.
HONG KONG SALES
The Scholarly Cellar of Dr. Gordon Ku
5 September
Pre-Sale Estimate: HK$27.1 – 37.3 million / $3.5 – 4.8 million
First Single Cellar Private Collection (to be announced)
3 October
Pre-Sale Estimate: HK$25.7 – 37.8 million / $3.3 – 4.8 million
Second Single Owner Private Collection (to be announced)
3 October
Pre-Sale Estimate: HK$12.7 – 17.5 million / $1.6 – 2.2 million
Finest & Rarest Wines and Spirits
4 October
Pre-Sale Estimate: HK$21.8 – 30.9 million / $2.8 – 3.9 million
Third Single Owner Private Collection (to be announced)
About Sotheby’s Wine Sotheby’s Wine’s annual worldwide sales in 2019 significantly exceeded $100 million for the second consecutive year, led by a 20% increase in auction sales to a total of $118 million – the highest-ever annual total in Sotheby’s history.
Sotheby’s Wine, with a store located within the auction house’s worldwide headquarters on New York’s Upper East Side, offers a carefully curated selection of wines from the world’s most prestigious producers and important regions. Expertly assembled by Sotheby’s’ experienced specialists, the ever-evolving selection is built upon lasting relationships with winemakers from across the globe, with prices beginning at just $13.95. With bottles that are ready for immediate consumption, in addition to investment-worthy wines from highly sought-after vintages, each wine is chosen for its expression of its region and value for money. Each bottle selected by Sotheby’s specialist team must pass the brand’s signature “three-glass” tasting guideline, meaning that the tasters must like it enough to want to drink three glasses, or the standard amount enjoyed when sharing a bottle.
The Sotheby’s Wine Store in New York City is located at 1334 York Avenue, and is open Monday through Friday from 10AM to 7PM and Saturday from 10AM to 6PM. Along with a retail location in Hong Kong Sotheby’s Wine also offers all bottles online, 24 hours, at www.sothebyswine.com.
Jaguars from all eras at MPH September Sale at Bicester
A 1946 Jaguar Mark IV 2½-Litre Saloon leads a shadow of Jaguars to be offered at the next Bonhams MPH sale on Sunday 20 September. This will be the first live and ‘drive through’ auction since November 2019 for Bonhams’ modern and popular classics arm, featuring 115 lots and taking place at Bicester Heritage, as part of The Classic Car Drive In Weekend.
Jaguar Highlights
This Mark IV is said to be the earliest survivor (number 10) of the first 17 2½-litre versions built after the Second World War. It was the car that bridged the gap between the earlier SS models and Jaguar’s successive saloon cars. A highly original car, this example has an estimate of £50,000 – 60,000. It is offered with period pigskin seats and trim in excellent condition and matching numbers.
Other Jaguars lining up at Bicester Heritage include four Mark 2 saloons, offering a choice of 2.4, 3.4 and 3.8-litre engines, with estimates ranging from £10,000 – 30,000. There is also a very low-mileage 1981 XJ6 3.4 litre, previously owned by the Saudi Royal Family, which has covered just 25,000 miles from new. Its estimate is £10,000 – 15,000.
The marque’s celebrated sports cars produced over the past 70 years are also represented: from a 1952 XK120 Roadster, estimate £80,000 – 90,000 to a trio of E-Types including a 1966 4.2 FHC, estimate £70,000 – 80,000.
Modern Classics
As ever, the MPH sale will offer a wide range of collectors’ cars with a strong representation of modern classics, reflecting the growing interest in 1980s, 1990s and early 21st century models.
One such is a 1995 Lancia Delta Integrale Evo II, estimate £35,000 – 45,000. The Integrale was a rally champion, bringing home six world titles for the Italian manufacturer and its road-going model has enjoyed a cult status since its launch as a pure driver’s car.
The Evo II was the final incarnation and pinnacle of the Integrale road model, offering the most powerful output of 215bhp and the widest body kit. It also gained a rear spoiler for improved airflow,16″ wheels, Recaro seats and increased sound deadening for comfort. This two-owner example is one of the last to be produced and is offered in an unusual ‘Lagos Blue’ livery.
An opportunity to honour another rally great of the 1990s is offered in the guise of a 1996 Subaru Impreza Series McRae. This limited-edition series was produced to mark the late Scottish driver Colin McRae’s first World Rally Championship win with the Subaru 555 Rally Team in 1995, an achievement also being recognised over The Classic Car Drive In Weekend.
Built by Prodrive, the engineering group which created the champion rally car, the cars were identifiable by their ‘Rally Blue’ mica paintwork, Recaro seats, front wing and bonnet mounted badges and a numbered plaque on the centre console.
This Impreza is offered with a unique ‘555’ registration number and has an estimate of £5,000 – 10,000.
Bonhams MPH is also offering for the gentleman racer a 2010 Bentley Continental Supersports, estimate £50,000 – 60,000. The ultimate Continental GT, this mechanical masterpiece produces 621 bhp with a sprint from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds. This car is equipped with the ‘rear seat delete’ – and so has two front carbon bucket seats – the Bentley NAIM audio system, considered the best in the motoring world, and ‘matt grey’ paintwork. Its first owner was professional golfer Rory McIlroy.
For the first time a McLaren supercar will line up in the MPH hanger – a 2018 570S Spyder, offered from the estate of the late Joy Rainey, the successful hill climb competitor. Its estimate is £60,000 – 70,000.
Popular Classics
The original SUVs built by Land Rover have become fixtures of the MPH sales and the September auction will again offer several examples, such as:
1951 Land Rover Series 1 80″ estimate £32,000 – 38,000
One of the earliest Land Rovers, which originally used at Taunton Fire Station Brigade HQ which accounts for its unusual red paintwork and matching interior.
1971 Range Rover 3-door estimate £30,000 – 40,000
Another early example, in this case of the gentleman farmer’s vehicle, with the desirable three-door configuration, including the revolutionary split tailgate.
Historic Vehicles
1931 Leyland Lioness Six FE, estimate £15,000 – 20,000
One of the more historic and unusual lots of the sale is a 1931 Leyland Lioness Six FE, estimate £15,000 – 20,000, one of five fire engines built and the only running example of the three known survivors.
The Lioness served in Bristol for 35 years from new, fitted with a Braidwood body, twin water deliveries and an Ajax extension ladder. In the hands of the current owner, the Lioness has undergone a full restoration, has appeared at 30 Royal Tournaments and is a class winner in three editions of the HCVS London to Brighton Run for historic commercial vehicles.
The MPH September Sale Format
The MPH September Sale will revert to a traditional live drive through auction format, with the auctioneer conducting the sale live from Hangar 113 at Bicester Heritage. Bids will be accepted from clients in the room (respecting social distancing and all COVID guidelines) in addition to online, ‘phone, or absentee bidding. The auction will be streamed live and will also offer enhanced video content of the lots.
Viewing and Preview Arrangements
115 lots are consigned and available to view inside Hangar 113 at Bicester Heritage on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 September 9am – 6pm and on sale day Sunday 9am – 12 noon, with the drive-through auction starting at 1pm. For those who cannot attend the viewing, live and scheduled interactive video condition reports are available via Bonhams Preview.
The Classic Car Drive In Weekend
The sale will be part of The Classic Car Drive In Weekend hosted at Bicester Heritage – a socially distant celebration of motoring, featuring track parades, car displays and a drive-in movie theatre screening popular classic car films including “The Italian Job” and “Le Mans 66”.
Guernsey’s is honored to bring to auction The Legendary Vladi Collection of Historical Maps. The auction, scheduled for September 23, will include over 300 examples of the finest quality antique maps, with proceeds benefiting MapAction, an organization that uses maps to aid those in disaster-stricken areas. In addition to a discerning collector of maps, Farhad Vladi, is the foremost international island broker, having sold more than 2,000 private islands over his near five-decade career. His interest in antique maps was born out of his interest in islands. Whenever he represented an island, he would seek out antique maps of that island to gift to his clients. What began as a generous gesture burgeoned into a world-class collection.
Lot 156, Wit, Frederick de, General Atlas, 1656-1666, Copperplate engraving; old coloured
As a member of the International Map Collectors Society, Vladi has traveled the world in his quest to amass a collection of the finest, rarest, and most beautiful maps he could find. The collection he assembled is a true depiction of the history of European map making, encompassing four hundred years of cartographic development with a focus on maps predating the 19th-century. The collection features maps from the world’s most noted cartographers including Gerard Mercator, Willem Jansz Blaeu, Abraham Ortelius, Johann Baptist Homann, Sebastian Münster, and Matthäus Seutter.
The oldest map in the collection, Magna Germania, by Ptolemäus and dated 1486, marks the start of modern map making as the first map printed from woodblock. Hartmann Schedel’s “Nuremberg Chronicle”, an illustrated encyclopedia recording world events, is one of the very first works printed by Gutenberg himself in 1493 and is of unmatched historical importance. Chronologically, these two works serve as exemplary works marking the beginning of map making in the printed era.
The work of Sebastian Müller, particularly a map of Europe and a map of the World, leads the Collection into the 16th century. Many of the maps date from the 17th and 18th centuries when the use of copperplate engraving allowed cartographers the art and precision not formerly achievable. The legendary works of the Dutch baroque masters Blaeu, Stoopendahl, Hondius and de Wit, and 18th century cartographers Johann Baptist Homann and Matthaus Seuter continue the tradition of copperplate engraving.
In addition to individual maps, the collection includes atlases and map sets. The atlases in the collection by Ortelius and Mercator, the inventors of the modern-day atlas, are exquisite examples with very fine coloring. One of the most sought-after examples of the history of cartography is the set of maps by Willem Jansz Blaeu, all colored by hand, that depict the world as known to his contemporaries of the four continents.
With such an extensive collection in hand, Vladi found himself asking “what can we do to help the world with maps?” This question led to his close collaboration with MapAction, a humanitarian organization determined to provide maps and other critical data to disaster response teams globally. For nearly two decades, MapAction’s emergency mapping services have aided responders with every crisis imaginable, from earthquakes to armed conflicts to COVID-19. MapAction’s support ensures that first responders have the best information to coordinate their efforts, allowing aid to be delivered effectively and efficiently to save as many lives as possible. As an homage to his relationship with MapAction, a portion of the auction proceeds will be donated to the organization.
ABOUT GUERNSEY’S
In its forty-fourth year, Guernsey’s has built a reputation as the auction house known for representing the most extraordinary properties. From the largest auction in history (the ocean liner S.S. United States) to vintage racing cars on to artwork from the Soviet Union, pre-Castro Cuban cigars and the $3 million baseball, the firm has few rivals when it comes to the presentation of wildly diverse artwork and artifacts. The John F. Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, Princess Diana, Elvis Presley, Jerry Garcia, John Coltrane, Dick Clark, Mickey Mantle and the Beatles events were all conducted by Guernsey’s. The auction house is particularly proud of its work with the Library of Congress in the preservation of the complete Rosa Parks Archive.
August Americana showcased fresh-to-the-market property owned by a variety of consignors who trusted Skinner to handle their collections with the care, honesty, and expertise for which Skinner has developed a reputation over their decades in business.
Property of Various Owners
A legendary, but long-dormant connoisseurs collection purchased quietly from many of the best dealers of the late 1960s and early 1970s produced some of the best prices and most competitive bidding. This included the auction’s top lot, a rare, diminutive, and extraordinary scalloped-top chest of drawers on frame from the Deerfield, Massachusetts, area, distinguished from other pieces of furniture in the same well-studied group by the dramatic shape of the top, and the overall remarkable state of its preservation. The standout piece brought $137,500.
Cherry Chest of Drawers on Frame, Deerfield, Massachusetts, area, late 18th century, sold for $137,500
Other furniture from the same Collection included the “MH” Hadley chest (sold for $62,500), a rare and early wing chair (sold for $50,000), and a bizarrely unique marble-top table with wonderful history from Concord, Massachusetts (sold for $17,500).
Queen Anne Upholstered Easy Chair, probably Boston, Massachusetts, c. 1725-35, sold for $50,000
Other furniture highlights included a classic Massachusetts block-front chest (sold for $27,500), a Philadelphia high chest of drawers (sold for $21,250) with understated (for Philadelphia) embellishments, and a subtle, calming, and downright useful blue-gray-painted cupboard (sold for $16,250). In all, over 140 pieces of furniture were sold, and furniture accounted for 8 of the sale’s top 10 lots.
Smalls
Rare and early smalls also created a stir – English salt-glazed stoneware, other early ceramics, needlework pictures, pocketbooks, and wallets. Some of the ceramics that proved quite desirable were a 1755 dated pitcher with sgraffito decoration colored in cobalt blue and referencing King George (sold for $3,750), and a pair of polychrome tin-glazed wall pockets (sold for $5,313).
Staffordshire Scratch Blue Decorated Salt-glazed Stoneware Jug, England, sold for $3,750
Several needlework pictures brought well into the four figures, including an especially colorful 17th century example which topped them all at $5,000.
Folk Art
There were strong prices among folk art and painted furniture as well. One of the most inspected and talked about objects in the sale was a small carved and painted figure of a Native American, which appeared to be a model for a mid-19th century ship’s figurehead. All that inspection and talk was not for nothing, and bidders drove the price on the 14-inch tall figure to $21,250.
Carved and Painted Model for an Indian Chief Figurehead, America, 19th century, sold for $21,250
Paintings were led by a Ralph Cahoon work titled Ship Ablaze (sold for $25,000) showing a shipboard fire being fought from the docks, and a full-length Prior-Hamblen School work of a girl in a salmon-red dress, which brought $13,750. A late 18th century needlework sampler from Marblehead (sold for $10,625), and a paint-decorated chest of drawers from Vermont with exuberant surface (sold for $9,375), helped to round out the top lots of folk offerings.
The Kolar Collection
The Kolar Collection, at its core, a group of Pennsylvania and Ohio painted furniture, redware, and fraktur, all of which attracted considerable interest. Devotees of the category phoned, emailed, and traveled for private, socially-distanced viewings by appointment to gather information about the material. A rare blanket chest from Sugar Creek Township in Tuscarawas County, Ohio (sold for $33,250) led the Collection.
Paint-decorated Dower Chest “Noah Mali,” Sugar Creek Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, 1846, sold for $33,750
Painted boxes, were led by a stylish dome-top from Somerset County, Pennsylvania, whose design incorporated pinwheels and hearts (sold for $5,625). Redware produced good prices, too, especially for a plate from the Dry Pottery in Berks County (sold for $5,000). Fraktur, that very Pennsylvania folk product, accounted for approximately two dozen lots of the Kolar sale, and were led by a rare house blessing (sold for $4,688). The Collection was also recognized for its Windsor chairs, one, in particular, produced great competition, a Rhode Island example in powder blue paint (sold for $11,250).
Shaker Collections
Shaker Collections, consisting of 189 lots, about 80% of which were from two well-put-together collections built over many years. Top prices in Shaker Collections, as is often the case, were well balanced between smalls and furniture. A yellow-painted cupboard (sold for $9,375), a butternut ten-drawer tall chest (sold for $5,938), and a red-painted chest of five drawers from Watervliet (sold for $3,625) accounted for some of the top furniture prices.
Shaker Yellow-painted Cupboard over Drawers, Hancock, Massachusetts, or New Lebanon, New York, 1840, sold for $9,375
A Selection of Polaroids from the Steven Klein Archive and a
Unique Diptych to be Premiered in London in September 2020
Steven Klein Kate Moss Diptych, 14 December 2011 Unique archival pigment print diptych. Estimate£40,000-60,000
LONDON – 27 AUGUST 2020 – Phillips is pleased to announce ULTIMATE STEVEN KLEIN, a curation of 24 lots of unique Polaroids, taken with a Polaroid camera or film by the celebrated photographer Steven Klein. The selection will go on view in Phillips’ galleries on Berkeley Square on 19 September, marking the first time that this body of work is exhibited in Europe. The majority of works to be offered were created during editorial assignments for the following international publications: W, Vogue US & Italia, L’Uomo Vogue and Interview. In addition, Klein has created a unique oversized diptych of his iconic Good Kate, Bad Kate covers for the March 2012 issue of W magazine exclusively for ULTIMATE, a unique platform for promoting and selling exceptional photographs, photo-based works and video, available only at Phillips. This exclusive offering, showcasing Klein’s distinctive vision that subverts our notions of glamour, fame, and beauty will be offered in the Photographs auction at Phillips London on 25 September 2020.
Yuka Yamaji, Head of Photographs, Europe, said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Steven on ULTIMATE STEVEN KLEIN and to premiere his wonderful Polaroid prints, which provide an intimate and insightful glimpse into his creative process. Major museums from MoMA to the V&A, and most recently the Getty, with its 2018 exhibition Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography, 1911-2011, have celebrated fashion photography as an art form, and in recent years, we have seen a notable increase in the demand for fashion photographs. Following the success of our previous fashion collaborations with the likes of Vogue and Calvin Klein, we are excited to present collectors an unparalleled access to these unique photographs by Steven Klein that capture defining moments in pop-culture history.”
Steven Klein, said, “There is inherently a fragile nature to Polaroids and instant film compared to digital; this fragileness, this one of a kind exclusiveness creates an aura around the object of the photograph – a kind of fetish, a talisman. Talismans are magical objects. Carl Jung said, ‘The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.’ I think the viewer’s interaction with an image can be transformative as well. Ancient art and image making were perceived as belonging to the magical realm. This project before you is a demonstration of conjuring images from the void through the transmission of Light. Art ultimately is a way to make sense of the chaos we enter as humans.”
Steven Klein is one of the most innovative and provocative artists in photography and film. A highly sought-after figure, he has landed coveted covers of magazines such as Vogue and W with his riveting body of work being featured globally and has shot high-profile advertising campaigns for the likes of Alexander McQueen, Tom Ford, and Dior. A visionary and creator, Klein has made unique contributions to the arts during his nearly four-decade career and continues to push the boundaries of visual language through his image-making. Klein trained as a painter at the Rhode Island School of Design and was a 2014 recipient of an Infinity Award from the International Center of Photography (ICP). His work has been exhibited worldwide, including Deitch Projects, Gagosian and the Guggenheim in New York and reside in several public collections, including the National Portrait Gallery, London; the V&A, London, and the ICP, New York.
This dedicated offering presents Klein as a storyteller who creates narrative epics that transform our understanding of his subjects, which includes some of the biggest names in film, music and fashion: Brad Pitt, Angelia Jolie, Madonna, Prince, David Bowie, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Alexander McQueen. Surveying Klein’s long-term relationship with instant photography, the works in this curation span three decades. Initially, Klein’s Polaroids – intimate works of art in their own right – acted as visual studies for what became his final published images. These were all shot with a Polaroid back attached to a film camera.
Years later Klein returned to the Polaroid, not as a means to an end but as the finished work, publishing the actual Polaroids in magazines. Three of the lots on offer, including the Madonna cover image, were published in the February 2017 Polaroid Issue of Vogue Italia, which Klein photographed entirely using the Polaroid, calling it ‘the first form of visual instant gratification’. The works created more recently were taken with a Polaroid camera on Fuji instant film. With Polaroid and Fujifilm ceasing production of packfilm (also known as peel-apart film), the instant photographs in ULTIMATE STEVEN KLEIN, which were shot exclusively on packfilm, also serve as unique artefacts of analogue photography.
