In early American history, colonial leaders regularly presented medals to Native American chiefs during negotiations. These items are commonly referred to as Indian peace medals. However, negotiations with Native American tribes were rarely in good faith. Often, the aim was not to build a genuine alliance but to placate the tribes.
An upcoming Early American History Auctions sale will present several Indian peace medals, including one from 1809. Decorating the front of this medal is President James Madison. The current president usually appears on the front of these medals, a tradition that began with Thomas Jefferson. On the back of this 1809 example, collectors will also notice a tomahawk and a pipe, representing an alliance between Americans and the tribes. This message is reinforced by the words “Peace and Friendship” and two figures shaking hands on the back of the Indian peace medal.
Americans were not the only ones who aimed to sway Native Americans with these medals. Another Indian peace medal in this auction comes from the British, who presented it to a Native American chief during the War of 1812. King George III appears on the front of the piece. The back is reserved for the Royal Coat of Arms. During the War of 1812, Tecumseh and his alliance of Native American tribes fought alongside the British, believing it to be their last chance to fend off American aggression. View the full catalog and register to bid on Bidsquare.
Born in Austria in 1909, Kurt Wayne began his apprenticeship with a jeweler at the age of ten. He honed his skills as a diamond setter, goldsmith, and silversmith. In 1939, Wayne boarded a ship to New York City to set up his own office. He later became a leading jeweler of the United States. A Kurt Wayne 18-karat gold necklace with graduated round rubies and diamonds will lead Bonhams’ upcoming jewelry sale. A two-color gold and diamond bracelet by Hammerman Brothers is also on offer. With alternating links of textured gold and round diamonds, the bracelet measures 7.75 inches long.
Another noteworthy lot is a sterling silver collar necklace designed by Art Smith. Inspired by Surrealist imagery, Smith crafted this piece with a round cabochon-cut moonstone and crescent-shaped pendant. The Afro-Caribbean jeweler often made pieces for avant-garde dancers. This particularly influenced the size and form of his jewelry. To view the complete auction catalog and register to bid online, visit Bonhams.
Joshua Kodner’s upcoming Lap of Luxury auction will bring a selection of stone jewelry under the hammer. Leading the listings is a yellow diamond necklace. The handmade piece measures 17.5 inches in length. It features 84 intense yellow radiant-cut diamonds that together weigh 78 carats. The center diamond has VS1 clarity, a GIA certificate, and weighs 3.48 carats alone. Also notable is a round-cut Monture Cartier diamond ring. The GIA-certified ring features a simple platinum band and 12.40-carat diamonds with VS1 clarity.
Beyond jewelry, the auction will highlight a Japanese woodblock print from Ohara Koson depicting several geese. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Ohara was part of the shin-hanga (new prints) movement and famously incorporated kachō-e (bird-and-flower) designs in his creations. View all 380 lots of jewelry, art, furniture, couture, and collectibles on Bidsquare.
Leading Doyle’s upcoming Fine Art auction are two double-sided sketches by Joan Miró. Though Miró never formally aligned himself with the Surrealists, he often used automatic drawing and other techniques to access his subconscious mind. Sketches played an important role in Miró’s experimentation and artmaking throughout his career. Both of the available Miró sketches are untitled and were executed in 1964. Viewers can see familiar elements of Miró’s style in the drawings, including asterisk-shaped stars, twisting lines that end in small bulbs, and curling crescent moons.
This fine art auction particularly highlights 20th-century paintings from Miró’s contemporaries and artistic successors. Notable lots include a color lithograph from Chinese-French artist Zao Wou-Ki. Miró and Zao both found a home in Paris and supported each other through letters and a shared interest in poetry. Violent strokes of black, light brown, and ochre dominate this untitled abstract print, revealing the influence of Abstract Expressionism on Zao’s style. Collectors can also consider a gouache and graphite piece by Sri Lankan artist Senaka Senanayake, a mixed media relief by Paul René Gauguin, and a hanging coat sculpture made of knit plastic tape from Oliver Herring. For the complete listings and to place a bid, visit Doyle’s website.
A landscape painting from Joan Albaugh will lead the upcoming Nantucket Furnishings, Decorative and Fine Arts Auction, presented by Rafael Osona Auctions. When Joan Albaugh traveled to Nantucket, she was interested in the way winter light hit the shingled roofs of houses. Her fascination with light can be seen in many of her paintings. “Be it an isolated house, an empty pool, a snorkeler, a bush or a buoy… all are echoes or a story, a story perhaps without a plot, a haiku of a memory, a breeze with light,” she said, describing the essence of her work. The available oil painting depicts a landscape view of the Tom Nevers Pond. It shows an interplay of light and shade across the canvas.
The auction also features a Baroque pearl necklace. The piece features pearls with shades of white, silver, grey, gold, and pink. Although the Baroque style first emerged in Italy, its influence spread across Europe in the 18th century. The style can be characterized by movement and curved lines. An Aubusson-style wool carpet and Angora Oushak rug are also featured in this sale. View the full listings and register to bid on Bidsquare.
Dinner parties became increasingly popular in the United States with the end of Prohibition in the 1930s. These dinner parties helped dinner rings catch on and become fashionable. Dinner rings, characterized by their large colored gemstones and diamonds, were viewed as glamorous and trendy at the time. In Crescent City Auction Gallery’s upcoming event, several of these dinner rings will be available. Particularly highlighted is a lady’s 18-karat white gold dinner ring. This size 6 ½ ring showcases a 5.49-carat emerald with diamonds on either side.
The auction will also offer a Chanel tote shoulder bag. Chanel, founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel, designs women’s luxury clothing and accessories. The available Chanel Deauville tote shoulder bag consists of beige canvas with leather accents, a magnetic snap closure, and silver hardware on the exterior. Two open side pockets and one zip closure side pocket can be found on the inside of the bag. It measures 10 ½ inches in height, 13 inches in width, and 6 inches deep. View the entire catalog and register to bid by visiting Bidsquare.
The upcoming auction of Summer Asian Art, presented by Tenmoku Auctions Inc., features select pieces of Japanese art and Chinese antiques from the estate of Francis Caro. One highlighted lot is a large jade stone carved with the image of Guanyin and a child, seated close to each other and surrounded by trees. Guanyin, also referred to as the Goddess of Mercy, is associated with compassion.
Another lot of interest is a large yellow ground famille rose vase from the 19th century. The Chinese piece features intricately painted motifs and a Qianlong mark from the late 18th or early 19th century. A glazed square teapot, also from the Qianlong period, is available as well. The teapot is made of porcelain and features a marble-like pattern on the surface. Browse the full catalog or register to bid on Bidsquare.
The February 18th, 2002 issue of Sports Illustrated featured a photo of high school basketball star and future NBA title winner LeBron James. The St. Vincent – St. Mary’s high school jersey from that very photoshoot is currently up for bid in the upcoming Sports Legends auction, offered by Julien’s Auctions. James wore the jersey during a game that evening and scored 32 points. A copy of “The Chosen One” Sports Illustrated issue accompanies the jersey.
Other basketball collectibles on offer include a Michael Jordan Fleer rookie card that has been rated PSA Gem Mint 10, as well as another copy of the same card rated BGS Mint 9. Bidders can also consider several pairs of signed Air Jordans and one of Jordan’s 1992 Olympic Dream Team game-worn jerseys.
The auction will present a selection of lots for soccer fans, including items from Diego Maradona. His signed and game-worn jerseys and boots for F.C. Barcelona are on offer. Collectibles related to or worn by Colin Kaepernick, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Babe Ruth, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, and others round out the catalog. View any of these lots and register to bid on Julien’s Auctions.
Maurice de Vlaminck’s painting titled Country Road is a key lot in the first session of the Important Summer Estates Auction, offered by Crescent City Auction Gallery. One of the most prolific French artists of the 20th century, Maurice de Vlaminck’s works are primarily associated with the Fauvism art movement. He frequently experimented with thick daubs of bold colors and spontaneous brushstrokes. “I heightened all the tones, I transposed in an orchestration of pure colors all the feelings I could grasp,” he once stated. The offered oil painting depicts a landscape view of a country road.
The upcoming event will offer over 450 lots, including jewelry and furniture pieces. One featured item is an American Rococo Revival overmantel mirror from the 19th century. Rococo emerged in France in the 1720s and 30s. Often regarded as the final expression of Baroque, this style features attention to detail, asymmetry, and ornamentation. The available lot features scrolled leaf and floral motifs. Visit Bidsquare to register to bid on any of these items.
Artist LeRoy Neiman was famous for his vibrant artworks featuring sports events, musicians, and athletes. Throughout his career, the painter captured famous athletes and Olympic events. The upcoming Lion and Unicorn event presents multiple serigraphs by LeRoy Neiman. One highlight is 1970 America’s Cup. This serigraph shows a yellow sailboat nearing a buoy while battling the ocean waves. The painting demonstrates Neiman’s interest in Pop Art and Impressionist brushwork. Also showcased is True Reflections by Roy Fairchild-Woodard. This colored serigraph depicts a rare selection of linen with floral embellishments. Influenced by artists Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele, Fairchild-Woodard used multiple overlapping screens to generate images from a sequential layering technique in this piece.
Among the featured sculpture offerings is a bronze-colored patinated sculpture by H. Moreau. The available sculpture shows a young woman with flowers— a popular subject of Moreau’s work. Pueblo pottery vases with geometric designs are other notable lots. The event will also offer an oil painting by Bill Mack, wine and spirits, an Agnes Woods Navajo pottery vase, and autographed portraits of famous singers and actors. Interested collectors can explore the entire listings and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
