Boston — With more than 1,200 items up for bidding, RR Auction’s September sale features an abundance of signed Hollywood photographs, plus a nice selection of awards, props, and costumes.

Highlights include; a James Dean document dealing with Rebel Without a Cause and Giant. The two-page contract for Dean’s most celebrated films: Rebel Without a Cause and Giant, April 2, 1955. Warner Bros. document sent to James Dean, notifying him that they have extended his term of employment for the completion of Rebel Without a Cause, and the production of his last film, Giant.

At the time Dean signed this contract, shooting had just begun on Rebel Without a Cause: the movie was in production from March 28 to May 25, 1955. Portraying Jim Stark in the classic coming-of-age film, Dean exemplified teenage angst and was recognized by Jack Warner as a rising star. At Warner’s behest, what began as a black-and-white B-movie became a full-color blockbuster. The production of Giant began shortly after Rebel Without a Cause wrapped, with Dean playing a ranch hand who strikes oil in Texas. Killed in a car crash on September 30, 1955—before the production of Giant was completed—he would not live to see either premiere. While Rebel Without a Cause is now recognized as his most iconic role, it was his appearance as Jett Rink in Giant that earned him the first posthumous Academy Award nomination. (Estimate: $10,000+)

Unique Gone With the Wind autographs, among them, is a Margaret Mitchell historic 18-page signed document, dated July 30, 1936. The agreement between Mitchell and Selznick International Pictures, in which the author affirms that she has unencumbered ownership “to certain original literary and dramatic writings and material known as ‘Gone With the Wind,'” and assigns the motion picture and broadcasting rights to Selznick for $50,000. Signed at the conclusion in full by Mitchell, who also initials three pages, “M. M. M.” Countersigned by Selznick International’s treasurer John Wharton, who also adds his initials three times. (Estimate: $15,000+)

Also, a remarkable presentation script for Gone With the Wind prepared by producer David O. Selznick circa 1958-1961 and given to Mayor William Hartsfield of Atlanta. (Estimate: $3,000+)

And a great Bruce Lee document. The one-page partly-printed signed document in English and Chinese, signed by Bruce Lee using his hand-drawn signature symbol and red chop stamp, dated January 30, 1968. Colorful and ornate certificate from Lee’s Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute. (Estimate: $12,000+)

Other highlights in the sale are rare and extraordinary autographs of Emily Dickinson, Isaac Newton, The Beatles, John Law, Franz Joseph Haydn, and Abraham Lincoln. A fantastic archive of Alexander McQueen material rounds out the impressive sale.

The Fine Autographs and Artifacts featuring Hollywood from RR Auction began on August 21 and will conclude September 9. For more information, go to www.rrauction.com.

RR Auction is a globally recognized and trusted auction house specializing in historical autographs and artifacts. Join us as we make history selling history in September 2020.

Palm Beach, FL, August 21, 2020 –(PR.com)– The Palm Beach Hedge Fund Association is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Masterworks.io.

Masterworks.io is an exclusive community of fine art investors, opening up a new asset class that makes it possible to invest in blue-chip art for a fraction of the normal price.

Blue-chip art has outperformed public equities for the last 20 years, but there has been no way to invest unless you have millions to buy a painting.

Since launching in 2017, Masterworks has launched dozens of investment opportunities for their community from artists like Monet, to Jean-Michele Basquiat, Andy Warhol and Banksy (who have generated historical annual returns of 10-25%).

Some of the benefits of the asset class:

Opportunity: Art is one of the oldest (Sotheby’s was the oldest company on the NYSE until recently) and largest asset classes in the world. Deloitte estimates that there is $1.7T in total wealth held in art, growing to $2.6T by 2026.

Diversification: Investing in art provides diversification into an uncorrelated asset. Citibank published a major study in December 2019 and concluded that art has the lowest correlation to public equities (a correlation factor of just 0.13) of any of the ten major asset classes.

Performance: Blue-chip art has outperformed the S&P by 180% between 2000 and 2019 according to industry benchmark Artprice.

PBHFA Founder David Goodboy commented,

“The PBHFA is always on the lookout for unique investment opportunities for our membership of ultra-high net worth investors, family offices, endowments and institutions. We are thrilled to partner with Masterworks.io. Masterworks.io offers an incredibly niche opportunity for investors to own shares of the world’s finest artwork. As you probably know, fine art has been a robust source of alpha over the last decade. Masterworks.io empowers investors to capture profits from this burgeoning upward trend.”

How Masterworks.io Works:

Masterworks has a database of auction sales prices dating back 50 years that its research and acquisitions team uses to identify top 100 artists that have accelerating market returns.

Once they have identified an artist and artwork, they aim to purchase that piece at auction or through a private sale.

The artwork is registered with the SEC through a Regulation A offering. The offering is then opened to investors on its platform, regardless of accreditation status.

Masterworks can then sell the painting and each investor shares in their proportionate share of any profit or loss.

Masterworks also developed a Secondary Market so investors can get liquidity for their investment before the painting is sold.

About Masterworks.io*:

Masterworks makes investing in art easy. From start to finish, the Masterworks website and user experience is intuitive and simple. The company has taken an illiquid and antiquated asset class and have given it a much needed 21st century facelift.

About The Palm Beach Hedge Fund Association:

The Palm Beach Hedge Fund Association is a South Florida trade organization with global reach. The membership is primarily domiciled in Florida, but hail from Eastern Europe, Ireland, England, Germany, South America, The Caribbean, Africa and the rest of the United States. Our members consist of active hedge fund managers/ professionals, ultra-high net worth investors, family offices, financial traders, investment bankers, academics, financial institutions, FOF’s, foundations, allocators, as well as the best of the best of service providers including third-party marketers, data providers, prime brokers, administrators, auditors, lawyers, risk managers, and fintech firms. Since launching in the autumn of 2013 with an original core of five members, the association has exponentially grown to over 1600 members consisting of the who’s who of Florida finance. We have become the voice and go to source for the South Florida financial community in this short time.

Contact Information:
PBHFA.org
Genevieve Anderson
212.729.0837
Contact via Email www.pbhfa.org

Hong Kong – At Bonhams Fine & Rare Wine and Whisky Sale in Hong Kong today (21 August), Yamazaki-55 Year, the oldest Japanese whisky in history, commanded the price of HK$6,200,000 (US$795,000), establishing a new world auction record for a bottle of Japanese whisky. It had a pre-sale estimate of HK$580,000 – 780,000.

The single-malt blockbuster was freshly released in June this year by Suntory, via a customer lottery system applicable only to residents from within Japan. Yamazaki-55 Years was distilled in the 1960s and produced in an exceedingly-limited edition of 100 bottles.

Daniel Lam, Director of Wine and Whisky, Asia, commented: “The stunning price sets a new milestone for the market of Japanese whisky, testament to collectors’ desire and determination to acquire the very best the market has to offer. We are pleased to see a keen demand for Scotch whisky in today’s sale as well.”

This new record far exceeds the previous records, set respectively in March 2020 for GBP363,000 (US$475,000) and in May 2019 for NT$13,512,500 (US$459,000).

The Yamazaki-55 Year Old was matured in both Japanese Mizunara oak cask from 1960 and white oak cask from 1964, the year of the previous Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. Distilled to 46% ABV, it has a deep reddish amber colour with a complex agarwood and sandalwood nose, rich in fruity scents with a sweet aftertaste. The gold-dusted bottle is housed in a black Mizunara oak box with Suruga lacquer. The bottle mouth is wrapped in handmade Echizen Washi and tied with a traditional Kyoto braided cord.

Bonhams currently holds three world auction records in the whisky category, namely:

World auction record for a Japanese whisky collection
Hanyu Ichiro’s Full Card Series (in 54 bottles)
Sold for of HK$7,192,000 (US$ 922,000)
August 2019

World auction record for a whisky cask
Refill European Sherry Hogshead Cask from Macallan Distillery
Sold for HK$4,464,000 (US$572,000)
November 2019

World auction record for a bottle of Japanese whisky
Yamazaki-55 Year
Sold for HK$6,200,000 (US$795,000)
August 2020

There are many factors to consider when valuing an object, and rarely does a piece have all the elements to make it a true rarity. For numismatics, these can include low mintage, collectability of the series, surface, eye appeal, grade, grade relative to the known population, and whether the coin is fresh to market. These concepts have been addressed in previous blogs, but we’ll briefly overview some of these terms and why they’re desirable in a coin.

Mintage is one of the key factors in determining the rarity of a coin. The mintage denotes how many of a particular coin was produced by the United States Mint or its branches. U.S. coins can have mintages in the billions for more modern pieces or a single, unique example. Typically, a smaller mintage creates higher demand and value. These coins are considered “absolute rarities.” Another critical factor in realizing a coin’s value is its condition, especially when compared to the entire graded population of that coin. This is “conditional rarity.”

Liberty, Barber, or capped bust coins are series, and ebb and flow in collectability. The sale of a prominent collection of a series may spur a renaissance for that series, bringing higher than average prices. The surface of a coin, its “skin,” can also contribute to a higher realized price, through increased eye appeal. While some collectors may prefer what’s considered a “blast white” surface, much like you’d find right after the coin had been minted, these coins can sometimes appear over-processed and dipped. Coins offered with original, unadulterated surfaces historically bring more than similar pieces that have been worked on.

When both absolute and conditional rarity are seen in a single coin or banknote, you have a truly special coin with an original surface and great eye appeal. Such a coin is lot 1021 in Skinner’s August Coins and Currency online auction, an 1873 Carson City, arrows-at-date, seated Liberty half dollar, with a PCGS grade of MS64+. This coin is part of a popular two-year design type, with the arrows added to both sides of the date, denoting a slightly different weight than the series as a whole, which was dropped after just two years of use. The ever-popular Carson City mint produced this coin, with a mintage of just 214K, compared to its Philadelphia minted counterpart with a mintage of 1.8M. This coin’s estimated survival rate is around 250-500 examples total, with only four examples receiving a higher grade from the two major grading parties. Expect highly spirited bidding on this and other great examples of classic American coins and currency, closing on Wednesday, August 26th at 7PM.

Snowy landscapes, stormy seas, and awesome waterfalls dominate the scene in Oakridge Auction Gallery’s 4th annual Fall Asian Fine Art & Antiques auction, scheduled for September 19-20, 2020 at 10 am EDT each day.

The two sessions, beginning with Ceramics & Works of Art on September 19 at 10am ET, followed by Chinese Paintings & Calligraphy on September 20 at 10am ET will feature several long-anticipated works of Chinese jade, porcelain, antique woodwork, painting, and calligraphy from Oakridge’s postponed Spring 2020 Fine Asian Art & Antiques auction.

Lot 299, Chinese Snow Scene Vase by He Xuren, Republic; Estimate $30,000-$50,000

Natural themes are evident throughout both sessions, such as in a Chinese Snow Scene Vase by He Xuren dating to the Republic Period, estimated at $30,000 – 50,000. He Xuren (1882-1940) was part of a group of prominent 20th century artists known collectively as the Zhu Shan Ba You, along with Liu Yucen, Wang Yiting, and Bi Botao. His porcelain snow scenes are distinctive for their reputed ability to convey a true sense of cold to the beholder. This bridge between nature and artisanry comes to Oakridge from a Philadelphia collection, brought to the United States from Hong Kong in the 1960s and 70s.

Lot 320, Chinese Gilt Table Stand of 18 Luohan, Qianlong; Estimate $20,000-$30,000

From winter landscapes, the auction progresses to the foamy waves of the sea in a Chinese Gilt Table Stand of 18 Luohan from the Qianlong Period, made of two gilded, cast bronze panels set in zitan wood. This Qing dynasty piece is part of the collection of General Xiang Hanping, known as the “Confucian General” for his dedication not only to military but also literary exploits. One side of the table stand shows the Luohan, or Arhats, protectors of the Buddhist faith, with mythical creatures, while on the other two sailboats cross a vast sea that stretches past the boundaries of the bronze plaque.

Detail of Lot 502, Chinese Painting of Scholar by Zhang Daqian; Estimate $35,000-$45,000

Session 2 showcases over 200 lots of Chinese paintings and calligraphy, with works by Zhang Daqian, Huang Binhong, and Wu Changshuo leading the lineup. Mountains, flowers, and lakesides rendered in classical and modern Chinese painting styles predominate, but most riveting is a Painting of Scholar by Zhang Daqian. The solitary scholar stands in the center of a mountain landscape before a roaring waterfall; his diminutive stature conveys without doubt the awesome power of the natural world and the relative unimportance of man. The painting dates to the autumn of 1934, when the artist was based in Suzhou and attests to the artist’s skill at rendering landscapes in the classical Chinese style.

Sale in London on 9 September to be Preceded by Public Exhibition at the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin from 27 to 30 August*Viewing by Appointment Only*

This year, Sotheby’s annual Irish Art sale, including Property from the Collection of Sir Michael Smurfit, carries the highest combined pre-sale value since the reintroduction of dedicated Irish art sales in London in 2015. Comprising 60 lots and featuring a roll-call of the most beloved and esteemed names in the field, amongst a strong selection of works by contemporary artists, the sale is estimated to bring in the region of £3.2 million. Preceding the auction in London on 9 September 2020, public exhibitions are set to take place at the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin from 27 to 30 August, by appointment, and in our New Bond Street galleries from 4 September.

The Collection of Sir Michael Smurfit

Eighteen works from the collection of Sir Michael Smurfit are distinguished by Louis le Brocquy’s Travelling Woman with Newspaper (est. £700,000-1,000,000), one of the artist’s most significant works, and a number of exceptional paintings by Jack B. Yeats, Sir John Lavery and Sir William Orpen. When last sold at auction, at Sotheby’s twenty years ago, where it was acquired by Sir Michael, le Brocquy’s masterpieceestablished an auction record for the artist, with a price that has remained unbeaten to this day.

Over thirty years, Sir Michael assembled an array of Irish artworks to furnish his K Club luxury golf and hotel resort, and private residence, in Co Kildare. From the very beginning, he sought out the best examples available on the market, to the extent that his collection features not only many of Ireland’s most famous artists, but also some of their finest paintings.

Highlights Outside of the Smurfit Collection

Kerry Fisherman by Jack B. Yeats is a quintessential Yeats image making its first appearance at auction, having been in a private family collection in Canada for over fifty years. The fisherman’s strong features and confident stance offer a heroic figure, typical of the artist’s depiction of sea-faring men. Yeats’s wonder and admiration for such figures was instilled in him during his childhood growing up among the quays of Sligo. Dating to the late 1920s, the painting anticipates the loose brushwork, dissolving forms and freely applied colour of Yeats’ later work.

Set to appear at auction for the first time, Gerard Dillon’s The Dreamer depicts a young man most likely from the West of Ireland, where the artist had a revelatory encounter with the land and people in 1939. The self-taught artist – who was born in Belfast and worked in London before discovering the Ireland that would become his constant source of inspiration – could aptly be described as a ‘dreamer’ himself and there is an element of Dillon reflected in the figure reading a book that transports him to other places.

Property from the Yeats Family

Following Sotheby’s successful sale of the Yeats Family Collection in 2017, the sale opens with a small tranche of 12 lots consigned from the family, featuring an array of works on paper by John Butler Yeats, a charming selection of watercolour and ink drawings by Jack B. Yeats, and a portrait of P.S. O’Hegarty by Harry Kernoff. Together, they are estimated to realise a combined sum in the region of £25,000.

Contemporary Works

The selection of works by contemporary artists include Patrick O’Reilly’s Large Skater Bear, bronze, 2012, est. £4,000-6,000; Elizabeth Macgill’s Clonmany, oil on canvas, 2002, est. £12,000-18,000; Anne Magill’s Sentinel, charcoal on panel, 2020, est. £12,000-18,000, and Colin Davidson’s Arctic Monkeys: Fireside (Portrait of Paul Muldoon), oil on canvas, 2014, est. £8,000-12,000.

HIGHLIGHTS EXHIBITION
Royal Hibernian Academy, 15 Ely Place, Dublin 2
By appointment only, complimentary tickets can be booked through Eventbrite
Thursday 27 August 12 noon – 5pm
Friday 28 August 10am – 5pm
Saturday 29 August 10am – 5pm
Sunday 30 August 10am – 3pm

IRISH ART SALE EXHIBITION
Sotheby’s London
Friday 4 to Tuesday 8 September
Public view: 10am – 3pm
Appointment Viewings: 3pm – 5pm
Wednesday 9 September 10am – 12 noon

CONTACT INFO

London | Matthew Floris | [email protected]| +44 (0)20 7293 6000

About Sotheby’s

Sotheby’s has been uniting collectors with world-class works of art since 1744. Sotheby’s became the first international auction house when it expanded from London to New York (1955), the first to conduct sales in Hong Kong (1973), India (1992) and France (2001), and the first international fine art auction house in China (2012). Today, Sotheby’s has a global network of 80 offices in 40 countries and presents auctions in 10 different salesrooms, including New York, London, Hong Kong and Paris. Sotheby’s offers collectors the resources of Sotheby’s Financial Services, the world’s only full-service art financing company, as well as Advisory services for collectors, museums, corporations, artists, estates and foundations. Sotheby’s presents private sale opportunities in more than 70 categories, including three retail businesses: Sotheby’s Wine, Sotheby’s Diamonds, and Sotheby’s Home, the online marketplace for interior design.

Phillips in Association with Poly Will Present 20th Century & Contemporary Art Sales in Hong Kong in November 2020    HONG KONG – 19 August 2020 – Phillips and Poly Auction are proud to announce they will jointly conduct sales of 20th Century & Contemporary Art in Hong Kong in November 2020. In this landmark collaboration, the two auction houses will work together to broaden their global reach, offering more collectors and art enthusiasts the unique opportunity to participate in sales of the very best 20th century and contemporary art. Edward Dolman, CEO of Phillips, said, “We feel that now is the perfect moment for Phillips to seize the initiative in launching this historic collaboration with China’s leading auction house. As Asia continues to rise as an important art market region, this mutually beneficial partnership will enable Phillips to establish a broader foothold across Greater China, whilst offering Poly our global reach and expertise. This collaboration marks a notable stage in our trajectory of growth and underscores Phillips’ commitment to expanding our presence further in this important market.”  Jonathan Crockett, Chairman, Phillips Asia, said, “Innovation is in Phillips’ DNA and we are excited by the opportunity to partner with Poly this season. This unique initiative starts now; our specialist teams will work together to assemble and stage an unrivalled series of 20th Century & Contemporary Art auctions this November. We trust that our loyal clients, who have consistently supported our auctions and strategy in Hong Kong – enabling us to see consistent growth up to this year, our fifth anniversary in Hong Kong – will fully embrace this initiative, just as we believe Poly’s loyal following in China and beyond will also show full support. This presents a unique opportunity for consignors to leverage the combined client base and marketing reach of two of the world’s biggest auction houses.” Jiang Yingchun, CEO and Director of Poly Culture Group, Chairman of Poly Auction, said, “We are delighted that Poly Auction and Phillips will be jointly presenting our Fall 20th Century & Contemporary Art auctions. The art auction industry is currently undergoing significant changes and we are witnessing a constant stream of breakthrough innovations and exciting collaborations. The Poly Group has high hopes for this collaboration between two auction industry giants. Each play an influential role in their respective region and stand to benefit from the cross-regional advantages and enhanced influence this opportunity presents. We look forward to bringing collectors and art enthusiasts around the globe a large and diverse auction offering this coming Fall.” Wang Wei, Director of Beijing Poly International Auction Co. Ltd., said, “This year marks the 15th anniversary of Poly Auction. Over the years, we have been part of the growth of the flourishing Chinese Art market and this partnership with Phillips marks another milestone in our history. In addition to being a leading player with significant market share in the Chinese art domain, Poly Auction has also emerged as a cross-regional and cross-cultural platform bridging the East and the West. Faced with significant changes in the way art is traded and development of the market environment this year, the opportunities raised by and implications of our partnership with Phillips are unprecedented and cannot be overstated.” Alex Chang, Managing Director of Poly Auction (Hong Kong), added, “Over the past nine years, Poly Auction Hong Kong has ceaselessly pursued innovation and diversity across our platform. The upcoming Fall auctions will showcase the bountiful cultural heritage of both Poly Auction and Phillips. We look forward to establishing closer ties with collectors from around the world.” Phillips opened its Asian headquarters and launched its first auction in Hong Kong in late 2015 and has since built a strong presence in Asia via rapid expansion of its team across eight major cities in the region. To date, Phillips has held eight highly successful auction series in Hong Kong, with each season seeing record results being set. In July 2020, Phillips’ 20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design sales in Hong Kong realised an outstanding HK$272 million, the highest ever total for the category staged by Phillips Asia and set new auction records for six artists. Poly Auction was founded in 2005 and has maintained its leading position for auctions of Chinese artworks around the globe since 2010. In 2019, the company realised total sales of RMB 8.6 billion. Poly Auction Hong Kong was established in 2012 and held its first auction in November of the same year. Since its establishment, the company has been setting new sales records every year. In 2019, Poly Auction Hong Kong fetched a proud total of nearly HK$1.7 billion, exhibiting a steady and promising growth trend. The Modern and Contemporary Art department has been achieving tremendous results since its launch and currently holds world auction records for Zao Wou-Ki’s Oracle Bone Period, works by Wu Guanzhong, as well as Yoshitomo Nara’s sculpture and installation works. The November auctions at the JW Marriott in Hong Kong will feature paintings, sculptures, and other works of art produced by a combination of both internationally recognised artists for the Evening Sale and emerging, early-career artists for the Day Sale. The auctions will represent the very best of Phillips and Poly and will replace the November 2020 Evening and Day Sales of 20th Century & Contemporary Art at both houses. Prior to the November auctions, the two houses plan to host a series of auction-related programmes together in top tier cities in mainland China including Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities. Highlights from and the timing of the salesand auction previews will be announced in due course. ### PRESS CONTACT:           PhillipsHONG KONG – Ingrid Hsu, Public Relations Director, Asia  [email protected]   +852 2318 2043LONDON – Katie Carder, Head of Press, Europe                  [email protected]      +44 20 7901 7938NEW YORK – Jamie Israni, Senior Public Relations Manager [email protected] +1 973 432 6337

ABOUT PHILLIPSPhillips is a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century art and design. With dedicated expertise in the areas of 20th Century and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewelry, Phillips offers professional services and advice on all aspects of collecting. Auctions and exhibitions are held at salerooms in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, while clients are further served through representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Phillips also offers an online auction platform accessible anywhere in the world.  In addition to providing selling and buying opportunities through auction, Phillips brokers private sales and offers assistance with appraisals, valuations, and other financial services. Visit www.phillips.com for further information.

Swann’s August 27, 2020 Vintage Poster auction includes a selection of historical trolley cards, broadsides and original bathing suits from the famous Sutro Baths overlooking the Pacific Ocean. These items come from the collection of Marilyn Blaisdell, a respected historian of San Francisco photography, and well-loved proprietor of a shop at the Cliff House. Lauren Goldberg takes us through the history of the baths and shares a few highlights from the upcoming sale.

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The Sutro Baths

The Sutro Baths was the grand opus of former San Francisco Mayor and businessman Adolph Sutro. Built near his famous Cliff House, the baths occupied a stunning location off the coast of California. The National Parks Service describes the complex as follows: “A classic Greek portal opened to a massive glass enclosure containing seven swimming pools of various temperatures. There were slides, trapezes, springboards and a high dive. Together the pools held 1.7 million gallons of water and could be filled in one hour by high tides. There were 20,000 bathing suits and 40,000 towels for rent. Balmy temperatures and abundant plants enhanced ‘California’s Tropical Winter Garden.’ The Baths could accommodate 10,000 people at one time . . . An amphitheater, seating up to 3,700 people, provided a variety of stage shows. Three restaurants could accommodate 1,000 people at a sitting. There were natural-history exhibits, galleries of sculptures, paintings, tapestries and artifacts from Mexico, China, Asia, and the Middle East.” 

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Billboards, Broadsides & Trolley Cards

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The most renowned image of the structure is this four-sheet billboard showing the interior in all its splendor. This example includes the rare red border and text.

Some of the unique amenities and creative performances and events are announced in the broadsides and colorful trolley cards coming up in the auction.

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Bathing Suits

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A fun divergence from our tradition of selling works on paper, we are also offering a group of bathing suits collected by Marilyn Blaisdell. The dates of these required rentals are difficult to pinpoint, but the varying fonts lend insight into the decade and their tags provide authenticity.

Here, we can see that the fashionable teal & black-striped suit was made by the famous swimwear company Jantzen, and the navy-colored adult suit was produced by the Bureau of Aeronautics’ Navy Department.

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The Decline of the Sutro Baths

The Baths’ slow decline began after the Great Depression, and part of the complex was turned into an ice skating rink in 1937 as a strategy to draw in business. The rink survived until 1964, when the property was sold to developers.

Sadly, the Sutro Baths structure burned down in 1966 during the process of demolition. The Baths became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1973; the site now consists only of ruins and a modern visitors center, but the third iteration of the famous Cliff House (1909-present) just south of the Baths, continues to function as a restaurant and provides a panoramic view of the ocean. 

This is a favorite scenic and historical spot of mine that I’ve visited twice on trips to San Francisco over the past few years. I learned of them after handling the famous billboard poster and quickly found myself researching their history. It’s a quick bus or car ride from the city, and a worthwhile view.

On Thursday, August 20th, Freeman’s will hold its Luxe: Boutique Jewels auction. It is the latest in Freeman’s online Luxe Sale Series, which aims to bring high-end jewelry and lifestyle objects to beginning and lifelong collectors alike.

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The 158-lot sale features diamond, colored gemstone, gold, and signed jewelry spanning 100 years of design. Makers such as Tiffany & Co., Buccellati, Hermés, and more are represented. Gentlemen’s and ladies’ wristwatches by Rolex, Omega, and Breitling will be offered, as well as twenty exemplary pieces by Brazilian jeweler Haroldo Burle Marx.

Luxe Sales Make Luxury Goods Accessible

Freeman’s online Luxe Sale Series allows bidders from across the globe to compete for jewelry, watches, handbags, and other designer pieces. Introduced in 2020, the series is set to be a mainstay in Freeman’s sales calendar. 

Younger buyers enthusiastic about luxury items will find pieces that set a high benchmark in their growing collections. From a ruby and eighteen karat gold ring by Angela Cummings (Lot 27; $2,500-3,500) to a stainless steel Seamaster wristwatch with a green dial by Omega (Lot 86; $500-700), there are pieces for emerging collectors with different interests and price ranges in mind. 

REGISTER TO BID

Gold Rings and Pendants Travel from Brazil to Your Home Collection

This auction will feature a collection of twenty pieces by the Brazilian Modernist jeweler, Haroldo Burle Marx. The collection of carved tourmalines, topazes, garnets, and more, set in eighteen karat gold, were hand-selected by the proprietor, Mr. Charles F. May. 

May’s career as a flight attendant often brought him to Brazil. There, he developed a deep admiration for gemstones and built a relationship with Haroldo Burle Marx. Now, Freeman’s is proud to present twenty pieces (Lots 53-72) of custom-made jewels from this impressive collection. 

Known for his free form carved gemstones and uniquely delicate patinas, Haroldo Burle Marx’s Modernist designs are unmistakable. The jeweler, recognized internationally for his innovative lapidary techniques, distinct aesthetics and fine craftsmanship, is widely considered one of Brazil’s finest jewelers.