On July 4th, 1776, copies of the Declaration of Independence were sent to state assemblies and councils across the United States. The public acquired bold broadside copies only a few days later. One of these contemporary broadside editions is available for sale in the upcoming In Praise of America: Important American Furniture, Folk Art, and Silver auction, presented by Christie’s. The historical document belongs to a selection of important artworks from the collection of Ambassador J. William Middendorf II.
Also available in the auction is a collection of folk art and early English ceramics. The listings include portraits by Joshua Johnson and significant works by Dat So La Lee. An initialed dish with a portrait of King Charles II is also on sale. It dates back to the period between 1662 and 1685, the middle of his reign. This two-day event is part of the auction house’s Americana Week. Visit Christie’s to view the entire catalog or place a bid.
Established in 1642, Martha’s Vineyard was a destination for the whaling community. Located in Massachusetts, it is now known as a vacation spot for the rich and famous. Sotheby’s upcoming auction will feature items from a nautical Martha’s Vineyard collection. Among the featured lots is a 19th-century American School oil painting titled Portrait of Cornelia Eliza Morse. Made around 1830, this painting shows a woman with brown hair wearing a white dress, holding a book in her right hand and a handkerchief in her left.
Another painting on offer is by American artist Keith T. Collis. Titled Young Woman Tending to Her Flock, this late 20th-century oil painting depicts a woman standing in a grassy area, surrounded by colorful flowers. She is shown feeding some geese while another woman cares for a dog. A bright yellow house with a red door stands out in the background. Visit Sotheby’s to view the entire collection and to place a bid.
Some hard-to-replicate ceramics by George Ohr, Taxile Doat, Viktor Schreckengost, and Josef Hoffmann will be available in Rago’s Early 20th Century Design auction. A rare vase from the French potter Taxile Doat is among the leading lots. The vase mimics the shape and colors of a gourd. Skilled in pâte-sur-pâte (paste on paste) technique, Doat helped popularize the Art Nouveau style in pottery. Like many American and European artists of his time, he found inspiration in Japanese art.
Also highlighted in the auction is a Tiffany Studios dragonfly table lamp. It features a rare pumpkin base with bronze pebble decoration. The pumpkin base is Favrile glass developed by Louis Comfort Tiffany in his studio in Queens, New York. Tiffany’s Favrile glass won several awards after its invention, including a grand prize at the 1900 Paris Exposition. The upcoming auction includes more than 200 lots of ceramics, metalwork, lighting, and decorative arts. View any of these items and place a bid online on Bidsquare.
In the upcoming photography auction, presented by Hindman, Robert Mapplethorpe’s black-and-white photograph titled Calla Lily will be available for bidding. This particular piece comes from Mapplethorpe’s series of flower photographs, which were taken throughout his career. These images represent his fascination with nature’s beauty, a departure from his previous focus on human figures. In this photograph, the artist creates a juxtaposition of white and black tonalities.
Shirin Neshat’s Water Over Head from the “Soliloquy” series will also be available in the live event. A contemporary Iranian visual artist, Neshat’s photographs address the issues of gender, identity, and politics in Iran. The offered lot shows a woman kneeling at a basin of water as she washes her head. Hindman has also brought together works from prominent artists such as Alex Prager, Yousuf Karsh, and Adam Fuss. To find more information about the available lots, visit Bidsquare.
The term “outsider art” is used to describe works that do not fit into the conventional art world. These pieces are often created by artists who are mentally ill or outside the mainstream for some other reason. Over the years, the term has grown to include “vernacular” art created by untrained artists. The upcoming Outsider and Vernacular Art auction, offered by Christie’s, highlights this category. One artist with work in the sale is Bill Traylor. Born into slavery, Traylor taught himself to draw as he approached his 75th birthday. His work was inspired by his life and memories of people, dogs, and livestock, made in paint and pencil on cardboard or scrap material.
More on the “outsider” flank of the sale is the work of Martín Ramírez, who was institutionalized for catatonic schizophrenia. Some of Ramírez’s work was made with such unusual materials as brown paper bags, mashed potatoes, and saliva. Other artists in the sale include Judith Scott, George Widener, and Thornton Dial. View any of these lots and register to bid by visiting Christie’s. Find continued coverage of outsider art at auction on Auction Daily.
Known as the goddess of compassion and mercy, Guanyin is one of the principal deities in Chinese Buddhism. She is often depicted holding the pearls of illumination, a willow branch, or a vase of pure water in her hand. Folklore states that Guanyin was a Buddhist who led a virtuous life and earned the right to enter Nirvana after death. However, as she stood before the gates of Paradise, Guanyin heard a cry of anguish from below. Moved by the pain of the people, she renounced her reward and vowed to help humans. The upcoming Ocean Star Auctions event presents several sculptures and paintings of Guanyin and other bodhisattvas.
The auction also highlights several figure paintings by Chinese artist Zhang Daqian. Born into an artistic family, Zhang is known for his splashed-ink landscapes and lotus paintings. Zhang’s works were influenced by ancient Chinese masters such as Shitao, Tang Yin, and Bada Shanren. Each one of the available pieces bears a Zhang Daqian mark. The auction also offers carved jade statues, Buddhist scriptures, Chinese ceramics, and jewelry. Interested bidders can explore the full listings and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
A recognized Italian jewelry designer of the 20th century, Marco Bicego was a modern artist who drew inspiration from nature and the architecture around him. As he began to travel during his later career, Bicego was inspired by trips to Cairo and Jaipur. An example of Marco Bicego’s work will be offered in the upcoming Estate Treasures Auction, presented by Nye & Co. The available lot is an 18-karat lariat necklace with purple and rose gold beads.
Another key lot is an oil on canvas painting by John C. Traynor. He is best known for capturing scenic landscapes in his work. Most of Traynor’s paintings combine Realism with atmospheric Impressionism, revealing a shift in reality. “Part of his success is connecting emotionally with others through his work reminding people of moments in their life or memories of the past,” J. Cacciola • Gallery W says about Traynor. Gorham sterling silver flatware in the ‘Old French’ pattern is also available. Introduced in 1905, the collection’s sleek thread design has long sustained its popularity. Visit Bidsquare to find more information about the upcoming Estate Treasures Auction and to place a bid.
Diamond and gemstone jewelry items from Percossi Papi will be available in Kodner Galleries’ upcoming auction. Percossi Papi is known for its maximalist style, which the Italian brand describes as what “Lucrezia Borgia might wear if she were alive and kicking.” This sale will include two gemstone and enamel brooches from Percossi Papi. One of them depicts a full-rigged ship, complete with pearl and gilt metal details.
A 14.71-carat yellow diamond ring is also among the notable jewelry lots. The main diamond is flanked by two trillion-cut diamonds. A GIA report accompanies the lot, certifying the SI2 clarity of the yellow stone. Those interested in timepieces will find several options in this event, including a rose gold watch from Girard-Perregaux. An outline map of South and Central America covers the self-winding movement on the back of the dial.
Beyond jewelry and watches, this auction will include a selection of American fine art. A pencil sketch attributed to Thomas Hart Benton, who was associated with the American Regionalism movement of the 1930s, will be on offer. This sketch shows overturned houses and scattered debris from a natural disaster. Bidders can also consider seven cardboard paintings by outsider artist Purvis Young. Visit Bidsquare for more information and to place a bid.
A famous American sculptor and one of the notable artists of New York, Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington (1876 – 1973) was remarkable in many ways. She was the first woman to create a public monument in New York City and enjoyed considerable popularity both at home and abroad. An early 20th-century patinated bronze sculpture from Huntington is one of the key lots in the upcoming Important Winter Estates Auction, presented by Crescent City Auction Gallery. The auction also showcases several patinated bronze sculpture works belonging to the American School of art.
A Tiffany 105-piece flatware set is another highlight of the sale. The “Harlequin” design cutlery consists of forks, teaspoons, cold soups, iced tea spoons, butter spreaders, seafood cocktail forks, demitasse spoons, and dinner knives, among others. The auction also features a lady’s platinum dinner ring, designed with a 13.97-carat emerald-cut tanzanite stone with a diamond-studded band. Tanzanite is a blue and violet variety of the mineral zoisite, found exclusively in Tanzania. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare.
Day two of I.M. Chait Gallery‘s upcoming sale will feature a selection of Korean celadon ceramics. Celadon ceramics are typified by their jade-like color and smooth glaze. First produced in ancient China, celadon ceramics quickly gained popularity across Korea and Asia. Initially, the Korean celadon ceramics were relatively crude, but by the 12th century C.E., Korean pieces were considered the finest. Among the celadon ceramics in this sale is a Korean glazed vase with a dark blue floral theme.
A Rolex Zenith Patrizzi Daytona watch will also be featured in the upcoming event. In 2005, the Italian auctioneer Osvaldo Patrizzi recognized that the sub-dials of the Rolex Zenith Daytona ref. 16520 change color over time. Rolex used Zapon, an organic varnish, on Zenith Daytona dials made between 1994 and 1995. Undetected at the time, the Zapon did not fully cover the dial, resulting in the oxidation of the tracks. These color changes are progressive and do not settle with time, making the dials unique. Later, Rolex renamed Zenith Daytona to Rolex Zenith Patrizzi Daytona. Other available Rolex pieces include Sea-Dweller, GMT Master II, and Submariner watches. Those interested in these lots can register to bid on Bidsquare.
