During the era of Prohibition in the United States, many people met for secret alcohol parties held in private. These “cocktail parties” paved the way for dinner parties after Prohibition was lifted. Subsequently, cocktail rings came to be known as “dinner rings.” The upcoming Crescent City Auction Gallery sale features several dinner rings made of 18-karat white gold and platinum. One of the highlights is a ring with a 5.03-carat round diamond centerpiece. Small round diamonds and baguette diamond lugs surround the main stone. Made of platinum, another dinner ring has a statement round diamond with baguette diamonds adorning the swirled borders. Diamond accents, weighing 2.67 carats, lace the split shoulders of the band. Other available dinner rings feature green and pink diamonds.
The sale also offers antique French Provincial furniture. Carved in walnut, a Louis XIII-style sideboard from the early 20th century has a rounded edge corner top. It includes two frieze drawers and double arched panel cupboard doors. The piece stands on cabriole legs with a serpentine skirt detail. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare.
The upcoming Brunk Auctions event will showcase over 350 lots of coins and currency. Featured lots in the auction are from the entire span of United States coinage, including pieces from as early as 1796. An offered set of Mexican 50-peso gold coins feature the popular winged Victory design. They were made between 1921 and 1947.
The auction also highlights a collection of paper money. Colonial notes, obsolete banknotes, Confederate currency, and early Demand Notes are available. A $50 legal tender from 1869 is on sale. It features a portrait of Henry Clay, a woman holding a laurel branch, and a statue of Mercury. Coin and currency collectors can also discover chain cents, Flowing Hair dollars, and Draped Bust dollars. Browse the entire catalog of vintage coins and currency or register to place a bid on Bidsquare.
In Ed Ruscha’s California Grape Skins, a mountain appears like an illusion. Bold white text dominates the composition. This painting is available in the upcoming Contemporary Curated auction, presented by Sotheby’s. Ruscha’s works gained attention during the Pop Art movement for their oddity and satire. Of the available piece, he says: “I had a notion to make pictures by using words… it seemed like a mountain was an archetypal stage set. It was a perfect foil for whatever was happening in the foreground.”
Works from established artists like Romare Bearden, Mary Corse, Joan Mitchell, Franz Kline, and Andy Warhol will be available as well. Many of the offered lots reflect on the postwar period, including Dark Heart Cake by Wayne Thiebaud. The artist’s sweet treats explore the American psyche and the era of mass production and consumption. Visit Sotheby’s to view more contemporary art and place a bid.
This March, Turner Auctions will offer over 200 lots of signed celebrity photographs in the Cliff House Sale. First built in 1863, the Cliff House was an iconic restaurant in San Francisco. Five U.S. presidents and innumerable celebrities visited the landmark over the years. The 157-year-old restaurant closed its doors in late 2020, citing pandemic restrictions. The upcoming event will feature vintage photographs from the now-closed restaurant. Among the highlighted pieces is an original autographed photograph of Shirley Temple. Starting her career at the age of three, Temple appeared in over 40 movies in her lifetime. She remains the youngest recipient of an Oscar.
Another highlighted lot in the event is Judy Garland’s autographed picture. Born Frances Ethel Gumm, Garland was an American actress, singer, dancer, and entertainer. Garland was the first woman to win a Grammy Award. Other featured lots include signed pictures of the Marx Brothers, Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, and Rita Hayworth. Those interested in these or other pieces can register to bid on Turner Auctions’ website.
Hampton Estate Auction will offer jewelry items from Vasari, Cartier, Bulgari, and more in an upcoming sale. Items from Jaeger LeCoultre and David Yurman will be available as well. Collectors will also find a selection of mid-century pieces. A mid-century platinum diamond brooch stands out. This brooch includes diamonds weighing approximately 9.5 to 10 carats. It measures approximately 63 millimeters by 40 millimeters in size.
The catalog also highlights a Cartier South Sea pearl ring. This ring features a 15.6-millimeter South Sea pearl with diamond accents. The size 6 ring has sizing bars that can be removed to adjust the fit. A Bulgari silver “Save the Children” band ring is notable. This size 9.5 ring is eight millimeters wide and weighs 8.5 grams. It is marked “Bvlgari” on the outside of the band and “Save the Children” on the inside. View the whole catalog and register to bid on Bidsquare.
In 1939, Raymond Chandler published his novel The Big Sleep. The first to feature hardboiled detective Philip Marlowe, the book later inspired a classic film by the same title starring Humphry Bogart and Lauren Bacall. A first edition, first printing copy of this American classic is currently up for bid in the Fine Books & Manuscripts auction, presented by Potter & Potter.
A two-volume set of Uncle Tom’s Cabin is also among the offered American classics. It includes a signed note by Harriet Beecher Stowe that reads “Thanks be unto God who giveth u[s]/ The Victory.” Collectors can also consider a first American edition of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, a signed author’s edition of the Works of Arthur Conan Doyle, and more.
Beyond books, the sale also includes an original black and white pictorial placard from the Chicago March for Freedom led by Martin Luther King Jr., A. Phillip Randolph, and Ray Wilkins. The catalog offers signed original letters by James Baldwin, Albert Einstein, and Dashiell Hammett. View any of these lots and register to bid by visiting Potter & Potter.
Patek Philippe launched the Calatrava collection in 1932, the same year the Stern brothers acquired the company. The collection aimed to help the Genevan watch brand sail through the Great Depression. The first model of the Calatrava series was Ref. 96, which continued production for 40 years. The upcoming Freeman’s auction presents Patek Philippe statement wristwatches. The highlight is a Calatrava Patek Philippe wristwatch with an 18-karat gold strap. The 1960s Gubelin-retailed watch features an 18-jewel movement, a white dial, and baton markers.
A Petate sterling silver bracelet by jewelry designer William Spratling is also showcased. Traditional Mexican rugs made from palm reeds inspired the Petate design. Introduced in the 1940s, the Petate is among Spratling’s earliest silver works. The available bracelet features hinged ovals and a textured design. It has a signature Petate weave that evokes Mexican culture.
The auction also highlights a 14-karat gold and pearl brooch by Scandinavian Modernist jewelry design brand Hans Hansen. The available brooch has a textured gold square design decorated with cultured pearls. The auction will also offer jewelry from Cartier and Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton handbags, and timepieces by Rolex, Breitling, and Armand Nicolet Tramelan. Interested collectors can explore the entire listings and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
Christie’s upcoming auction will explore the world of contemporary Asian art with works from Walasse Ting, Tatsuo Miyajima, Aya Takano, Yayoi Kusama, and others. One of the leading lots is Walasse Ting’s acrylic painting. Ting was a 20th-century Abstract Expressionist celebrated for his vibrant palettes on rice paper. With fluorescent colors and expressive brushstrokes, his works often depicted women, flowers, parrots, horses, and fish. Ting’s union of Chinese and Western aesthetics defined his work throughout his career. The offered lot, titled Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries, is an example of his trademark style.
Another featured work comes from Chinese painter Liu Dahong. He rose to prominence in the late 1980s. Liu’s work creates satirical versions of historic events, referencing both Chinese and Western cultures. He attempts to evaluate political, cultural, and social conflict, particularly of the Cultural Revolution and post-Cultural Revolution period. In the available piece, Liu shows two parts of the same world. Those interested in this or any other contemporary Asian artworks can register to bid on Christie’s.
Christie’s upcoming First Open Auction will offer a signed mixed media work from Janet Taylor Pickett. Titled The Messenger, this piece drew inspiration from Cassandra, a cursed princess in Greek mythology who possessed the gift of prophecy. Describing her subject, Pickett explained, “She becomes the Conjure Woman of African American folklore, the confidant, and strong messenger of prophecies known and unknown.” Executed in 2020, it depicts a woman standing in a field. A bird rests on her hand.
A painting from Sam Gilliam is also included in the auction. Gilliam’s work revolutionized the American art scene of the 20th century. Known as a Lyrical Abstractionist, Gilliam’s innovative approach involves draping loose canvases. The offered 1997 lot, titled More Than Water (Assissi) Subtle Jungle, was completed during his later career. It marks the shift from his Drape paintings towards traditional canvases. Also available are works from Jamian Juliano-Villani, Misaki Kawai, Ella Kruglyanskaya, and Helen Beard. Visit Christie’s for the full catalog and to place a bid.
The upcoming Gallery 63 event will bring to auction 17 timepieces. Leading them is a Chapter Two watch by Maitres du Temps. Founded in 2007 by Steven Holtzman, the company brings master watchmakers together to develop exclusive timepieces. Each watch by Maitres Du Temps is classified into Chapters. A different group of watchmakers designs each Chapter. Peter Speake-Marin and Daniel Roth collaborated to create the available Chapter Two watch. Introduced in 2009, the watch features a polished tonneau-shaped case and chocolate color sun-ray guilloche dial.
The upcoming auction includes several Rolex watches. Among them is an 18-karat yellow gold Rolex Datejust with a two-tone jubilee band. The Rolex introduced the Datejust to celebrate its 40th anniversary. It was the first wristwatch to indicate the date in a window on the dial. Collectors may also find diamond jewelry, Asprey sterling silver, Chinese jade, and stone in the catalog. Find the full auction details and place a bid on Gallery 63’s website.
