Before their respective deaths in 2013 and 2020, Jim and Pat Doherty built one of the finest collections of decoys in the United States. Much of the collection was devoted to regional specimens out of New Jersey. In the upcoming November Decoy & Sporting Art Auction, offered by Guyette and Deeter, there are many selections from the Doherty collection, including notable works by New Jersey carvers.
One such sample is a rare pintail hen from the late 19th century. The decoy was hollow carved by John English of Florence, New Jersey and hand-painted by John Dawson of Trenton, New Jersey. The piece is believed to be one of just two examples from this particular artistic collaboration. Another New Jersey lot up for bid is a rigmate pair of redheads, hollow carved by Harry M. Shourds of Ocean City, New Jersey. The hen is the only decoy attributed to Shourds, and this exact pair is the one pictured in the book Classic New Jersey Decoys by James R. Doherty himself.
Other decoy lots in the sale include an Ira Hudson merganser hen, a rare Walter Brady curlew, a Ward Brothers swimming brant, and more. View any of these lots and register to bid on Bidsquare.
Known for his contemporary landscape paintings, Californian artist Mark Bowles is featured in the upcoming Verge Center for the Arts sale. In the auction is his 2020 acrylic painting titled Autumn. The painting depicts a horizon using shades of orange and red with a touch of blue and purple. A sculpture by Camille VandenBerge, an established sculptor in California, is also highlighted. This 2020 stoneware piece has a feminine face with a head covering, closed eyes, and pink lips with seashells on either side of the head. It is titled SEA LAMB. Other items on offer include a mixed media and acrylic painting by Gina Werfel and a digital print by Brandon Gastinell, as well as photography by Lynn Beldner and an acrylic painting by Gale Hart.
This benefit auction will support contemporary art in the Sacramento region. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Black Artists Fund to address art funding inequities. Visit Bidsquare for the complete catalog and to register to bid.
Founded by Henry Leland, Cadillac was named after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, a French explorer who founded the city of Detroit. Shortly after its incorporation in 1902, the company introduced the idea of interchangeable parts in the automotive industry, which led to the emergence of modern mass production of automobiles around the world. For their contribution, Cadillac was awarded the Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club of England. A 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible is among the highlights of the upcoming Kansas City 2020 sale, offered by Mecum Auctions.
A Chevrolet Corvette convertible is also presented in the auction. Produced in 1966, this automobile has a Milano maroon and black interior and four-speed transmission. Also offered in the sale is a Chevrolet Bel Air. This model, which has a 265/225 horsepower engine, was launched in 1950. H&H Classic Parts writes, “America fell in love with the Bel Air… The ’55 Bel Air transformed into one of the most recognizable American cars of all time.” To view more items and register to bid online, visit the Mecum Auctions website.
David Drake was a 19th-century American potter known for his exceptional stoneware. Drake was a slave who worked at factories in the flourishing pottery state of South Carolina. When he was active, the artist was among the few literate slaves in America. His works were often signed with his initials or contained poetic verses. The upcoming Brunk Auctions event will present stoneware jars attributed to Drake. One highlight is an early Drake-attributed jar produced at the Pottersville Stoneware Manufactory. The available 1836 stoneware jar has a dark brown and tan alkaline glaze. Drake’s works were famous for their high strength and beauty.
Featured is an oil painting titled Summer Afternoon by Leon Kroll. Kroll was a renowned figurative artist known for his landscape paintings. Kroll’s works often reflected the influence of French Impressionism. The auction also features portraits of Black American women from Elizabeth O’Neill Verner’s socio-political works. Christmas Greens by Verner depicts a flower seller going to the market. Rounding out the listings are Afghan carpets, Sarouk runners, and George II-style furniture. Interested collectors can explore the full listings and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
A landscape painter based in France, Georges Michel (1763 – 1843) remained relatively unknown during his lifetime. Inspired by Dutch landscape artists such as Meindert Hobbema and Jacob van Ruisdael, he captured rural Parisian landscapes in his paintings. The upcoming sale featuring the estate of Paul W. Doll, Jr., presented by Brunk Auctions, will feature an oil on canvas painting by Michel. Titled Windmill on a Hillside, the painting is offered with a 19th-century Italian giltwood reverse profile frame.
Another key highlight of the auction is a Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony silver tetradrachm (circa 36 BCE). The coin was possibly minted in Antioch at the time of Antony and Cleopatra’s alliance. The silver tetradrachm is noteworthy for its details. Cleopatra is portrayed wearing a pearl embroidered dress with her hair braided and head crowned. Similar to the Hellenistic coins that favored matching couple portraits, Cleopatra’s features are designed to bear a resemblance to Antony. However, her bust is on the obverse side of the coin and not behind Antony’s portrait, which signifies her importance as a ruler and Ptolemaic queen. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare.
Both Jessie Arms and her husband, Cornelis Botke, started their artistic careers in the commercial arena. She was an interior decorator painting elaborate, exotic birds on living room walls and he was sketching architecture in Chicago. After the pair wed, however, they moved West to become fixtures in the California Impressionist movement and the Santa Paula community. The upcoming timed benefit auction, offered by the Santa Paula Art Museum, pays tribute to the Botkes. Among the leading lots is Jessie Arms Botke’s Cabins Morro Bay, which places a looming mountain behind a California town on the southern coast. One of Cornelis Botke’s signature etchings of Wyoming mountains is also available.
The auction highlights the work of past and present artists who have resided in the Santa Paula area. An untitled, pencil-light drawing of a bird’s nest from Susan Petty is offered alongside the rich colors in Victor Schiro’s Ojai Cactus Farm Vista. A total of 20 lots will be auctioned in this event. Find the complete catalog and place a bid exclusively on Bidsquare.
Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Day Auction presents late 20th-century fine art from around the world. That includes Barkley L. Hendricks’ portrait Jackie Sha-La-La. Hendricks aimed not only to capture a person’s likeness in his portraits but also their personality. Here, Jackie’s eyes are covered by an elaborate hat as she makes herself comfortable on a couch. Like many of his contemporaries, Hendricks did not shy away from pop culture, represented here with the Coca-Cola can that Jackie holds just within view.
Representing Jean-Michel Basquiat in this sale is a drawing produced in 1988, the year of his death. In the drawing, Basquiat presents a busy marketplace offering salves, raw diamonds, and walkie-talkies. Buzzwords like “AUTHENTIC” and “EXTRA EXTRA” fly in different directions.
Also inspired by commodities is Wayne Thiebaud’s painting of an ice cream cone, titled Single Triple Decker. Unlike his Pop Art contemporaries, Thiebaud depicts products like cakes and ice cream without cynicism. “[W]here Warhol was cool and ironic,” the critic Cathleen McGuigan writes, “Thiebaud was warm and gently comic, playing on a collective nostalgia just this side of sentimentality.” Register to bid in this sale on the Sotheby’s website.
A tasseled pendant with ruby red beads, crafted in Northern California, is one of the leading lots in the upcoming Contemporary Designer Jewelry sale. Tasseled ornaments date back to the 14th century. In recent times, the design has become more refined and popularized. Along with the ruby pendant, Turner Auctions will showcase more than 100 pieces of designer jewelry.
Another featured item is a blue cuff bracelet that includes a dotted body and single-cut diamonds. The gems weigh approximately 6.10 carats. An 18-karat gold ring accented with a sugarloaf-cut spessartine garnet and a double halo of 83 brilliant-cut diamonds is on offer as well. The garnet weighs 5.55 carats. These types of garnets are uncommon due to their orange-red color. They typically come from California and Virginia. Completing the listings are statement jewelry lots such as blackened silver bracelets, bangles, earrings, and necklaces. View the complete catalog before the sale begins and place a bid on Bidsquare.
Mixed-media photographs by twin brothers Doug and Mike Starn highlight this buy-now sale benefitting the SMFA at Tufts University. The brothers’ work combines photographs with nontraditional materials to create three-dimensional-looking prints. Highlights from Doug and Mike Starn in this auction include The No Mind Not Thinks No Things Ribrin. With Kozo paper and varnish, the brothers created a multi-color print of a tree with branches that have no clear beginning or end.
Another artist working with unconventional materials in this sale is Tara Donovan. She arranges everyday items in a way that transforms them into abstract art. Available in this auction is an untitled print made from a rubber band matrix. The ink impressions left by a multitude of rubber bands look more like a complicated organism under a microscope than the office item.
Collectors can also consider Tara Lewis’ Ha Ha Ha. Influenced by a childhood of MTV music videos and films like Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Lewis’ work both celebrates and studies youth culture across generations. In her portraits, Lewis’ models wear t-shirts with playful slogans that the artist also produces in limited editions. Those interested in this or any other lot can register to bid on Bidsquare.
General Nelson Appleton Miles was known as a Civil War hero, Medal of Honor recipient, a leader of Army operations during the Indian Wars. He was also the last Commanding General of the United States Army. Cowan’s Auctions will feature a significant archive of letters written by General Miles to his wife Mary Hoyt Sherman in an upcoming sale. The collection spans from 1863 to 1913 with the majority written between 1867 to 1894.
Also featured in the American Historical Ephemera and Photography auction is a set of three cased images. The first is a half plate early photograph of miners at Angel’s Camp in Calaveras County, California. This shows six men posing at their mining site. Also included is an 1855 sixth plate portrait of John Comstock as well as an 1855 ninth plate of a man known as “Peaty.” View the entire catalog and register to bid on Bidsquare.
