Charles Sheeler, a founding member, and leader of the Precisionism art movement had a keen eye for the large forces shaping 1920s America. With his camera and paintbrush, Sheeler sought to explore the triumph of industrialization in American cities. Rago will present a notable drawing by Charles Sheeler in the upcoming American & European Art auction. The artist executed View of Central Park in 1932. Art patron and socialite Abby Aldrich Rockefeller commissioned this drawing (as well as its larger counterpart), which overlooks Central Park from the American Museum of Natural History. Several other examples of American drawings will be available, including pieces by wildlife artist Bob Kuhn.
From the other side of the Atlantic Ocean comes several lots by Paris-based Vietnamese painters Lê Phổ and Vũ Cao Đàm. The available Lê Phổ still life features his signature explosion of color, particularly yellows and oranges, arranged in a vivid bouquet. Vũ Cao Đàm’s work shows a blue-clothed figure standing beside a horse as he glances back at a mother and child. The catalog presents a wide selection of European art from Gustave Courbet to Edvard Munch and others. For the complete listings and to register to bid, visit Rago’s website.
As the calendar approaches the holiday season, Fortuna Auction will present its Jewels & Watches sale. It offers statement pieces of iconic designer jewelry and watches across all style periods. Top picks from the auction include a GIA-certified 16.07-carat natural fancy yellow diamond ring and a flawless six-carat emerald-cut diamond. Leading the auction is a 5.10-carat Kashmiri sapphire ring. It is a statement Bulgari piece crafted in platinum. The star of the ring is the pear mixed-cut Kashmir unheated sapphire. A 2.50-carat brilliant-cut diamond with I color and VS1 clarity accompanies the stone. Baguette-cut diamonds complete this Bulgari ring. These kinds of rich blue sapphires come from Jammu and Kashmir, the land subjected to disputes between India and Pakistan. Acquiring the sapphires from the mines of its mountainous landscape is a challenge.
Beyond jewelry, the sale offers watches of distinction like a Patek Philippe Annual Calendar in 18-karat gold, a Cartier Santos Dumont in 18-karat white gold, and Rolex Day-Date watches. When Rolex launched the Day-Date watch in 1994, the style became a horological icon. This watch is available with factory-set diamonds on the dial, bezel, and lugs. More sparkles are in store in this December sale. View the holiday auction catalog on Fortuna Auction and register to place a bid.
Karl Otto Lagerfeld was a German fashion designer and creative director renowned for his innovative designs and meticulous style statement. As a creative head of Fendi and Chanel, Lagerfeld breathed a new life into the fashion houses with his groundbreaking designs. In 1963, when the American designer Evans Richards set up Tiziani in Rome, he hired Lagerfeld as a freelance couturier. Their debut collection was immensely successful, and their loyal patrons included celebrities such as Doris Duke, Elizabeth Taylor, and Principessa Borghese. Karl Lagerfeld’s stint at Tiziani developed into a significant association in the business of fashion. Palm Beach Modern Auctions presents sketches derived from this momentous collaboration in an upcoming sale. The selection of sketches on offer includes Lagerfeld’s noteworthy fashion drawings and memorabilia from Tiziani’s archives.
The mixed-media drawings on heavy card stock more than exemplify Lagerfeld’s visualization of an outfit. These sketches illustrate the process of design and document specific notations to the production team. In many of his drawings, the couturier incorporated model names, samples of fabrics, and vital markings. Details of accessories, trims, accents, and eye makeup demonstrate Lagerfeld’s diligent approach to designing much like his own dressing sense. The available sketches show electric blue blouses, psychedelic dresses, and many other outfit combinations. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare.
Diving helmets are among the most sought-after U.S. Navy collectibles. U.S. Navy Mark V helmets are particularly famous among collectors for their looks and origin. These helmets were used from 1916 to 1984 and manufactured as per designs from the U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships. The upcoming Nation’s Attic Inc. auction presents multiple USN Mark V helmets from different manufacturers. Among them is a 1972 U.S. Navy Mark V helium diving helmet nicknamed “the Widow Maker.” Produced by the Diving Equipment & Supply Company, the mixed gas helmet was perfect for deepwater expeditions. The helmet earned its nickname from its lethal Co2 absorbent. Also showcased in the auction is an Andrew J. Morse diving helmet with equipment made during 1908. The set includes a whip, air control valve, Craftsweld communication radio, speakers, and the owner’s diving biography.
A Tarzan camera housing by diver Georges Beuchat is another offering. Georges Beuchat was known for inventing underwater equipment. The Tarzan was the first commercial camera housing made in Europe. Its design could accommodate Leica and Foca cameras, which were popular during the 1940s. Artworks such as a scrimshaw 16-inch walrus tusk are also notable. Scrimshaw art involves carving ivory, ething drawings on the bone surface, and filling the spaces with pigment. Additionally, fine art collectors will find Hawaii Born in Paradise, a piece by marine conservationist and artist Robert Wyland. Interested bidders can explore the entire catalog on Bidsquare. Find continued coverage of the diving helmets in this sale on Auction Daily.
This winter, Akiba Antiques is bringing the Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Schultz to auction. Leading the catalog are glassware items from Steuben, Tiffany, Baccarat, Paul Stankard, and more. A tall Steuben Cintra cologne bottle stands out. Designed by Frederick Carder, the paperweight-style multi-faceted crystal cologne bottle has vibrant hues of pink and blue. The colors merge gradually and seamlessly. Controlled bubbles decorate and enhance the depth of the bottle. Another top lot in glassware is a Tiffany & Co. Peking vase from the 1889 Paris Exhibition. Designed by Thomas Webb & Sons, it bears a cranberry red color against a white background.
A French Sèvres porcelain and gilt bronze mantel clock set from the early 1900s is another leading lot. Styled after the Sèvres items designed for French royals, centerpieces like this reflect a life of opulence. The pendulum movement clock is marked Japy Freres Grande Med d’Honneur, and its case has double turquoise ground seated Putti figures. The clock features top-mounted seven-light candelabras flanked by double figural maiden busts and hand-painted courting scenes. A rare find among furniture is an Italian Bartolozzi e Maioli dining table set featuring carved wood leaf chairs with a matching leaf table base, completed with a polished onyx tabletop (circa 1970). View the auction catalog on LiveAuctioneers and register to place a bid.
Harry Winston started his career working at his father’s jewelry business in New York City. In his early years, Winston developed a keen interest in jewelry: “Ever since I was quite young, jewels have fascinated me. I think I must have been born with some knowledge of them,” he once said. He made a breakthrough at the age of 12 when he bought a two-carat emerald stone for 25 cents and sold it for $800. Winston’s works have been worn by the likes of Claudette Colbert, Shirley Temple, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and Jennifer Jones. Harry Winston’s Kashmir ring, accented with sapphires and diamonds, will be available in Bonhams’ New York Jewels auction this December.
A diamond necklace and bracelet set from Hammerman Brothers is also on offer. Accompanied by a detachable segment, the piece features five rows of round brilliant-cut diamonds. To view the complete auction catalog and register to bid online, visit Bonhams.
A collection of over 225 jewelry items will cross Christie’s auction block to kick off the company’s Luxury Week. Among the top lots is a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond bracelet in a distinct Art Deco style. Old and rose-cut diamonds encrust this wide bracelet from 1928. After the Exposition Internationale des Art Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris three years prior, luxury jewelry brands turned sharply toward bold and geometric designs. The available bracelet is a strong example of the early Art Deco movement. Delicate platinum details draw the eye toward five central stones. Other notable items from Van Cleef & Arpels include a selection of ruby ‘Mystery-set’ jewels with nearly invisible metal latticework.
Christie’s will also present an emerald, diamond, and enamel rosary from the late 17th century. Its provenance dates back to King Frederick Augustus II of Saxony and Queen Consort Maria Anna of Bavaria. The Roman Catholic couple had ties to the Holy Roman Empire and valued religious items such as this rosary. Emerald beads mark each decade of the rosary, while yellow gold and diamonds accent the cross. Other notable items in the catalog include a Gillot & Co. brown pearl and diamond pendant from Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge and a 5.38-carat orange-pink diamond ring. Find the listings and register to bid on Christie’s.
During the short reign of King Edward VII (1901 – 1910), the course of jewelry design shifted. Designers started to incorporate a sense of movement and dynamism, similar to the style of Art Nouveau. During this time, several jewelry-making techniques such as filigree experienced a resurgence. Filigree is one of the most popular techniques still in use today. It is a process of twisting tiny metal threads and welding them together into lace-like motifs. An example of an Edwardian filigree brooch is available in Auctions at Showplace’s early December sale. This brooch features 50 old mine and European-cut diamonds, as well as platinum latticework.
Maurice de Vlaminck’s painting titled Street Scene is another highlighted lot in the forthcoming New York City Estate Auction. Vlaminck was among the prominent 20th-century artists whose works contributed to the Fauvism movement. His paintings often featured thick impasto, bright colors, and swift brushstrokes. Also included is a Steinway Model B grand piano. Manufactured in 1936, it features an ebony finish. View the entire catalog and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
In 2007, The Macallan released its Lalique 55-year-old Scotch whisky. Each Lalique decanter was individually numbered, and only 420 bottles were made. One of these original bottles is currently up for bid in Bonhams’ upcoming Whisky Sale. The decanter drew inspiration from Lalique’s Paquerette tiara perfume bottle, which invokes the early style of René Lalique himself. The amber crystal is meant to embody the natural color of the whisky within. There are several rare and collectible bottles of The Macallan in this sale. Among them is a bottle from 1938, two separate lots of 18-year-old from 1968, several lots of The Macallan Folio 5, and more.
Beyond The Macallan, Bonhams will present spirits such as a 38-year-old Karuizawa Ruby Geisha, three individual bottes of Glenfiddich Goodwood from 1979, and a Bowmore 1965. Though most of the lots are Scotch whisky, there are a few other noted varieties such as a Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 20-year-old Kentucky Straight bourbon, a Johnnie Walker Swing, and an Old Comber Irish whiskey. View any of these lots and register to bid on Bonhams.
A fancy intense blue diamond ring will be available in Sotheby’s upcoming Magnificent Jewels auction. This highly important size seven ring showcases a cut-cornered rectangular brilliant-cut diamond surrounded by round diamonds. Other notable lots include watches and jewelry pieces from Cartier, Harry Winston, and Tiffany & Co.
Although it was established in 1884, the Bulgari brand wasn’t synonymous with desirable luxury among European nobility and American socialites until the 1960s. After World War II, the Italian luxury company turned to Roman architecture for design and style inspiration. This influence created dramatic, impressive pieces of jewelry that boosted the Bulgari name to celebrity status. Available in this auction is a Bulgari diamond bracelet. Signed and numbered “Bulgari, C1827,” this 1986 bracelet features 25 emerald-cut diamonds weighing a total of 64.92 carats. Each diamond is accented on the sides with baguette and square-cut diamonds. The bracelet’s internal circumference measures six inches. A signed box is included. To view the complete auction catalog and register to bid online, visit Sotheby’s.
