The Force returns to Hake’s Auctions on May 15 with Part II of the superlative Jeff Jacob Collection featuring Star Wars, GI Joe, other high-grade vintage action figures

515 choice lots are led by a 1978 Star Wars Double Telescoping Darth Vader, graded AFA 80 NM and the only example in its high grade ever to appear in any auction

Star Wars (1978) - Darth Vader 12 Back-a Afa 80 Nm (Double-telescoping, Pop 4).
Star Wars (1978) – Darth Vader 12 Back-a Afa 80 Nm (Double-telescoping, Pop 4).

YORK, Pa. – Hake’s triumphant sale of the Jeff Jacob Collection Part I made history this past January as the first-ever action-figure-specific auction to surpass seven figures, cashing out at a hefty $1.45 million. And while the initial offering of 435 mostly AFA-graded lots from Jacob’s stellar collection achieved a milestone that cemented it in history, the viral buzz throughout the toy hobby seemed to be just as focused on when Part II would be unveiled. The answer is May 15, and bidding has already opened, with the full 515-lot catalog available to view now on Hake’s website. 

The sensational array of Star Wars toys in the May 15 lineup goes back to the very beginning of the storied film franchise. The groundbreaking first wave of Kenner Star Wars toys issued in 1978 included figures of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and Ben Kenobi with a distinctive feature known as a Double Telescoping (or “DT”) lightsaber. However, only limited numbers of those figures were produced before design changes were made and the DT lightsabers were eliminated. As a result, very few “DT” figures now exist in their original state. One of the few surviving original Darth Vader DT 12 Back-A action figures, AFA-graded 80 NM, is the top highlight of the Jeff Jacob sale Part II. It is only the fourth carded DT Darth Vader specimen ever to be offered by Hake’s and the first in such a high grade ever to be auctioned anywhere. At the time of cataloging, AFA’s Population Report indicated that only nine examples of its type had been graded, a mere four assessed at AFA 80 (only one has been graded higher). 

“Because this is the first time an AFA 80 Double Telescoping Darth Vader has ever appeared at auction anywhere, it was our unanimous choice for the catalog cover,” said Hake’s Auctions’ president, Alex Winter. “Also, it’s such a rare and important toy, with no past auction results for comparison, we decided not to assign a pre-sale estimate. It has a required opening bid of $25,000, but we think it could sell for substantially more than that.”

From Kenner Canada’s 1985 Star Wars: The Power of the Force range, a Yak Face 92 Back AFA 90 Y-NM/Mint 4in action figure is blister-carded together with its matching aluminum collector’s coin. Representing the most desirable of the last 17 vintage issued Star Wars figures, the auction entry is one of only eight examples of its type in an AFA 90 grade, according to the current AFA Population Report at the time of cataloging. The first of its type in this incredibly high grade ever to be offered by Hake’s, it is estimated at $20,000-$35,000.

A Kenner Star Wars (1978) Jawa 12 Back-A action figure, 2.25 inches high, is from the toy company’s initial production run and therefore is a vinyl-cape variety. Later, Kenner switched from vinyl to cloth to be more consistent with the cape seen in the film. AFA-graded 85 NM+ on an unpunched card, the Jawa figure is expected to reach the $10,000-$20,000 range.   

One of the most sought-after of all toys in Kenner’s Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) 12-Inch Series is IG-88, a replication of an assassin droid and bounty hunter in the film who is notable for his ruthless efficiency. Presented in its original window box, the toy is the highest-graded example ever offered by Hake’s, and at the time of cataloging, the AFA Population Report indicated only eight examples exist in AFA 85 grade, with none ranking higher. Estimate: $10,000-$20,000

Collectors who seek out obscure variants will surely be drawn to an archivally-cased Star Wars (1979) R5-D4 21 Back-A action figure, AFA-graded 85 NM+. The 2.5-inch figure is an example of what is known as the “Red Bar” variant because the vertical rectangle on the right side of its chest is solid red. At the time of cataloging, this was the single highest-graded specimen of its type according to the current AFA Population Report. A “wild card” piece that might produce an auction-day surprise, it is estimated at $5,000-$10,000.

In the famed galaxy “far, far away,” transportation was light years faster and the designs much more imaginative than anything seen in Detroit’s jaw-dropping concept cars. In 1979, Kenner released its Millennium Falcon Spaceship, a toy depiction of the craft most famously used by smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca before, during and following the Galactic Civil War. The Millennium Falcon from the Jeff Jacob Collection is AFA-graded 75 EX+/NM in its factory-sealed box and is only the fifth sealed example ever to appear in a Hake’s auction. “Originally, this toy was very expensive, retailing at $29.95,” Alex Winter explained. “Due to the cost, few were sold, and over the years, even fewer survived, especially with unopened boxes. It’s an extremely desirable toy.” The auction estimate has been set at $10,000-$20,000.

A fine example of Kenner’s Star Wars (1979) Darth Vader TIE Fighter vehicle will cross the auction block, with flashing “laser” light and “space sound” features, in its original factory-sealed box. AFA-graded 85 NM+, it is one of only seven known examples in that grade with none graded higher in the AFA Population Report as of the time of cataloging. The only comparable example Hake’s has ever handled came from the Russell Branton Collection, which the company auctioned in 2019 (note: this is not the same toy). Estimate: $10,000-$20,000

Moving from a celestial setting to terra firma, the auction includes many dozens of super-high-quality GI Joe figures, vehicles, playsets and accessories. A Hasbro GI Joe (1984) Attack Vehicle (VAMP) and Heavy Artillery Laser (HAL) Series 3 Vehicle, housed together in a Sears-exclusive 2-pack. is AFA-graded 75 EX+/NM. This very rare set is factory fresh in its still-sealed box. At the time of cataloging, it was one of only six graded examples shown in the AFA Population Report, with only two examples similarly graded 75 (four are graded higher). Estimate: $5,000-$10,000

One of the most iconic and fantasy-fueled toys in Mattel’s Masters Of The Universe line is its 1983 Castle Grayskull Series 1/12 Back set which contains a “Fortress of Mystery and Power for He-Man and His Foes.” Its individual features are described on the box: “A Jawbridge that Opens and Closes, Combat Trainer, Armory and Weapons, a Trap Door over the Dungeon, Castle Throne, a Working Elevator, Laser Cannon, Scaling Ladder, Castle Flag, Four Floor Levels Of Adventure Possibilities!” This large and outstanding set, which is AFA-graded 80 NM, is expected to sell for $5,000-$10,000.

Made by Kenner, a Transformers (1985) Series 2 Minicar Bumblebee, AFA-graded 85 NM+, is encapsulated in a blister card that contains an Autobot Bumblebee (robot form, yellow variety). It is a fourth release with a Registered mark. The card art shows a red vehicle and figure in robot mode. At the time of cataloging, the AFA Population Report showed only nine examples in AFA 85 grade, with none higher. In Mint condition, this toy is estimated at $5,000-$10,000.

LJN Toys was the manufacturer of a Thundercats (1986) Lion-O, Series 2, 14 Back action figure No. 3510 with red hair. The figure includes “Battle-Matic Action,” a “Sword of Omens” and a “Secret Power Ring” that enables Lion-O’s eyes to illuminate. The blister card advertises an offer for a “Free Mumm-Ra” mummy-form action figure offer. At the time of cataloging, the AFA Population Report indicated this was one of only nine examples known in the AFA 80 grade. Its pre-sale estimate is $5,000-$10,000.Hake’s May 15, 2025 online auction exclusively featuring Part II of the Jeff Jacob Collection of Star Wars, GI Joe, and other popular vintage action figures and toys is now open for bidding. For a free printed catalog or additional information on any item in the sale, call +1 866-404-9800 (toll-free) or +1 717-434-1600; or email [email protected]. View the fully illustrated catalog online and sign up to bid at https://hakes.com/.

John White Alexander, an American Painter of the Belle Époque in Paris

Very rare in French auction rooms, John White Alexander — one of the American masters of painting — pays us a visit, in the company of an adolescent from the Belle Époque.

John White Alexander (1856-1915), Portrait d’Édith Révil, 1900, signed and dated canvas, 90.5 x 121 cm/35.62 x 48.03 in. Estimate: €30,000/€50,000
John White Alexander (1856-1915), Portrait d’Édith Révil, 1900, signed and dated canvas, 90.5 x 121 cm/35.62 x 48.03 in.
Estimate: €30,000/€50,000

In the effervescent Paris of the 1900s, American painter John White Alexander’s reputation for excellence seems to have been well earned, and Portrait d’Édith Révil is ample proof of this… It was around 1880 that the New York artist discovered the City of Light, then the capital of the arts, at the culmination of a European study tour that took him from Munich to Venice. In the city of the Doges, his meeting with his compatriot James Abbott McNeill Whistler proved decisive, the latter having a definitive influence on his work, inspiring him to use fine, diluted matter. In 1881, Alexander eventually returned to New York; but fascinated by Paris, he returned regularly to France, where his annual participation, from 1893 to 1899, in the Salon de la Société nationale des beaux-arts, made him a celebrated and sought-after painter. By 1900, John White Alexander decided to stay longer in the French capital, to fulfill a few prestigious commissions. The result is four portraits, the first three of which are of the sculptor Auguste Rodin, the President of the Republic Émile Loubet and, perhaps, the architect Frantz Jourdain. The last — our painting — depicts Édith Révil, the 14-year-old daughter of Monsieur and Madame Fernand Révil, who commissioned the work. Having made his fortune in the silk industry, the industrialist acquired a townhouse at 199, boulevard Malesherbes. For the posing sessions John White Alexander visited as a neighbor, he was staying at 190 at the time… The result certainly lived up to the expectations of the teenager’s parents, who hung the painting in their living room, as can be seen in a photograph taken at the time. It shows Edith, her long hair adorned with a red flower, facing forward, looking the viewer straight in the eyes and her left hand supporting her chin, while her favorite dog lies at her feet. Adapting his usual virtuosity in rendering the beauty of young women, and the radiance precious fabrics, in scenes with a Symbolist atmosphere, the artist is able to capture the age of his model. In fact, at the retrospective organized in March 1916 at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, after the death of John White Alexander, Portrait d’Édith Révil was considered one of his major works, as it featured prominently in the exhibition catalog, even though the original remained on this side of the Atlantic. As for his young model, she married Jean Guiffrey, curator of the Department of Paintings and Drawings at the Musée du Louvre, in whose lineage the painting has remained to this day.

“The Lighthouses, 2025

Sunday 04 May 2025 – 14:00 (CEST) – Live

1, rue de la Crouzette – 34170 Montpellier – Castelnau-le-Lez

Farran Enchères

Info and sales conditions

Catalogue

Premier personal collection of antique toy expert and international dealer Tom Sage Sr to be auctioned May 29 at Morphy’s

300 European and American toys and trains of extraordinary rarity include coveted Marklin productions: 1904 Ferris Wheel, 45in Amerika oceanliner, Gefion battleship, many ‘book’ examples & sole survivors

Rare Marklin Cat. Ref. 1123 Hand-painted Ferris Wheel

DENVER, Pa. – On Thursday, May 29, Morphy’s will auction Part I of the lifetime personal collection of European and American antique toys amassed by the late Tom Sage Sr (1939-2024) of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Widely acknowledged as a pioneer of antique toy dealing and collecting, Sage was known for his encyclopedia knowledge of toys and a well-cultivated international network of industry contacts with whom he conducted business for more than 50 years. While buying and selling rare toys was his full-time occupation, Sage also had a mental wish list of toys and trains he personally wanted to own. Over several decades, he astutely filled the slots on that list, and it is those very special pieces that will be offered in the May 29 sale. 

While literally every toy in the collection is a showstopper, the auction catalog’s cover photo suggests the top seller may very well end up being Sage’s magnificent 1904 Ferris Wheel made by the revered German firm Marklin. One of only three or four of its type known to exist, it is likely the nicest of that elite handful of survivors. In researching his father’s toys, Tommy Sage Jr, who heads Morphy Auctions’ Toys & Trains department, related that he had found copies of circa-1910 photos taken in Brooklyn of the Ferris Wheel’s then-owner sitting with his son and holding the actual auction toy.

“The Ferris Wheel can be traced back to the gentleman’s relative who worked for a Brooklyn department store and who received the toy when the store closed down before World War I. Dad purchased it at Sotheby’s in 1994. It was one of his finest toys, and he thought so highly of it, he kept it in his bedroom,” Sage said. The Ferris Wheel will convey to its new owner with paperwork, the aforementioned copies of 1910 photos, and a Sotheby’s tag and receipt. The pre-sale estimate is $100,000-$200,000.

In addition to rarity, another characteristic apparent throughout the museum-quality Sage Collection is exceptional – if not astonishing – original condition. Tom Sr was one of the first antique toy dealers who weighed condition as the overriding factor prior to making any purchase. Tommy recalled, “He recognized early on just how important condition was to the trailblazers who came just before him in the toy hobby. He took that as a cue to follow and would always pay a lot of money to obtain a perfect example.”

It would have taken many years of dedicated searching for Sage to have located his 45-inch Marklin Amerika tin oceanliner. Made circa 1909-1910, it is an electric version, powered by a dry cell battery-operated motor housed within the hull and connected to two propellers via a drive shaft. Beautifully appointed and in stunning original condition, it represents the largest cataloged (Ref. 5050/11E) Marklin oceanliner of its era. “My dad was very fond of large German boats, and this was one of his best,” Tommy said. Estimate: $100,000-$150,000

Also produced at Marklin’s original factory in Goppingen, Germany, a handsome, all-original Gefion battleship is designed with a distinctive “ram” front, a feature that was added to real warships of its era for the expressed purpose of inflicting damage on enemy vessels. With respect to toy ships, the rule is, the bigger the ram front, the earlier the production. This particular toy, which comes with a crew of 11 original Heyde soldiers, dates to around 1904. Its auction estimate is $30,000-$50,000.

Marklin rival Rock & Graner, which also based its operation in Goppingen, Germany, was the manufacturer of a 20-inch-long Wilhelm II clockwork side-wheel (paddlewheel) boat with a substantial front bow. Tommy Sage noted that his father owned some 70 antique toy boats, and of those, only two were paddlewheelers. He explained that they are especially rare because not as many were made in comparison to other types of marine craft. “In the early 20th century, kids preferred battleships and oceanliners, so far fewer paddlewheelers actually made it to the marketplace,” he said. Rare and desirable, the Wilhelm II is pictured in (David) Pressland’s Great Book of Tin Toys (New Cavendish Books, 1995). Its pre-sale estimate is $15,000-$25,000.

A fabulous automotive toy that would be deserving of a place in even the most advanced collection, a hand-painted 13-inch-long Bing taxi is finished in an unusual maroon color and is complete with its taxi meter, liveried driver, and even its original store box from Au Bon Marche in Paris. It is featured in Pressland’s Great Book of Tin Toys and, in Tommy’s opinion, is “dead-mint, perfect … You just don’t find antique cars in such remarkable condition.” Estimate: $25,000-$35,000

A classic that appeals to both toy aficionados and collectors of holiday antiques, a circa-1912 Fischer Father Christmas car is lithographed on its red body with endearing images of teddy bears and other playthings. The rear section of the car is loaded with Christmas-themed goodies, including a small feather tree, a Cracker Jack mini Toonerville Trolley, and other small toys and novelties. Sage observed that the car is “in mint condition and one of the finest of few known examples of its type.” Estimate: $15,000-$25,000

Another German automotive toy depicted in Pressland’s Great Book of Tin Toys is a circa-1890s hand-painted tin horseless carriage of primitive design with unusual maroon spoked wheels. It is possibly the earliest of all cars in the collection. The vehicle has a full-figure driver with a female passenger seated behind him. While the toy’s manufacturer is not known, there is some speculation that it might have been made by Gunthermann. To the best of Tommy’s knowledge, it is the only extant example of its type. Estimate: $6,000-$9,000

Tom Sr was fascinated by early German trains and trams and acquired some extremely fine productions, including a circa-1900 Marklin clockwork tramway trolley. Hand-painted in green with red and cream, the near-mint tram car still has its six original figures and four original catenary poles, with a 27-inch track on which to travel. Like so many important toys in the collection, this turn-of-the-20th-century charmer is illustrated in Pressland’s Great Book of Tin Toys. Tommy opined that it is the best of all trolleys in his father’s collection, describing it as “absolutely beautiful.” Estimate: $20,000-$30,000

A circa-1890s Rock & Graner 1 gauge floor train set consists of an engine/tender combo (push toy) with two additional cars and replacement passenger figures. “This train is a very early production,” Tommy said. “Dad bought it at Alderfer Auctions (Hatfield, Pa.) many years ago.” Its auction estimate at Morphy’s is $20,000-$30,000.

Tommy recalled that his father loved to place an antique Marklin lamp next to every antique toy car he displayed. His wonderful selection of Marklin “lighting” included single, double, and especially-rare triple-globe lamps. One of his best “triples” retains all three of its original globes, with appealing robin’s-egg blue original paint still present on its metal lamp post. Standing 16½ inches tall and in excellent to near-mint condition, it is expected to sell for $8,000-$12,000.

The Thursday May 29, 2025 auction of Tom Sage Sr’s Private Collection of Antique Toys & Trains – Part I will be held live at Morphy’s gallery, 2000 N. Reading Rd., Denver, PA 17517, starting at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. All forms of bidding will be available, including absentee, by phone, and live via the Internet through Morphy Live. For condition enquiries, to leave an absentee bid, or to reserve a line for phone bidding, call Dan Morphy tollfree at 877-968-8880 or email [email protected]. 

Chips Ahoy: Casino Chips Sale Results at Omnia Auctions

It’s a sure bet that gambling chips from current and legacy casinos generate much interest when they come up for sale on the secondary market. These tiny tokens– usually measuring about 1.5 inches in diameter– are eye-catching and durable; easy to collect and display; and concisely reflect history, happenings, and trends on their small surfaces. Omnia Auctions of Tallahassee, FL offered its 215-lot Casino, Gaming, & Poker Chip Auction on April 19, 2025. The event, which had a 100% sell-through rate, presented casino chips from over 60 legacy and currently operating casinos across America. Here are some royal flush results from this exciting mid-spring sale.

Lot #85052, a collection of Four Queen casino chips, was estimated at $100 to $200 and sold for $480. Image courtesy of Omnia Auctions.

The top lot in this casino chips sale was #85052, a collection of 48 casino chips from the Four Queens casino in Las Vegas. The group was estimated at USD 100 to $200 and traded hands at $480. The collection included two 50¢ chips, six $8 chips, five $10 chips, three $20 chips, 17 $25 chips, one $100 chip, and 14 chips with no indicated cash value. Themed chips in the lot included ones produced to commemorate the Chinese New Year, Labor Day, New Year’s Day, and other local and national events. 

The Four Queens casino, which is still in operation today, opened in 1966 under the oversight of developer Ben Goffstein. It was named “Four Queens” – referencing the suits in a deck of cards– as a nod to Goffstein’s four daughters. They were Faith, the Queen of Hearts; Hope, the Queen of Diamonds; Benita, the Queen of Clubs; and Michele, the Queen of Spades. The property has changed hands and has been updated numerous times over its nearly six-decade-long history. Today, the facility has 27,269 square feet of gaming space and is owned by TLC Casino Enterprises. 

Lot #85077, a collection of Las Vegas Club casino chips, was estimated at $100 to $200 and sold for $444. Image courtesy of Omnia Auctions.
Lot #85077, a collection of Las Vegas Club casino chips, was estimated at $100 to $200 and sold for $444. Image courtesy of Omnia Auctions.

Other noteworthy highlights from this casino chips sale included lot #85077, a collection of 30 chips from the former Las Vegas Club. This collection was estimated at $100 to $200 and sold for $444. Every chip had a denomination of $10 and was produced with a primarily blue border. These chips featured patriotic images, as well as tributes to sports heroes, Father’s Day, Halloween, and other American holidays.  

The Las Vegas Club had roots as far back as the early turn of the 20th century. Starting in the 1970s, the casino took on sports as a focus, and featured baseball-themed restaurants and even a Sports Hall of Fame exhibit with a fine collection of Brooklyn and L.A. Dodgers materials. The casino ceased operations in 2015 and eventually went under the wrecking ball in 2017. A new property called Circa Resort and Casino opened on the Las Vegas Club site in the fall of 2020. 

Lot #85141, a framed collection of casino chips from the Brook Club, was estimated at $100 to $200 and sold for $423. Image courtesy of Omnia Auctions.
Lot #85141, a framed collection of casino chips from the Brook Club, was estimated at $100 to $200 and sold for $423. Image courtesy of Omnia Auctions.

Lot #85141, a framed collection of chips from the Brook Club of Saratoga Springs, NY, was estimated at $100 to $200 and realized $423. The collection included two $25 green chips, one $1 white chip, one $5 brown chip, one $100 pink chip, one $100 red chip, one yellow chip with no stated value, and one blue chip with no stated value. Each chip was branded with the Brook Club monogram. The group was framed under glass along with a color image of the Brook Club.

The Brook Club was part of a group of nightclubs operating in and around Saratoga Springs, NY from the 1920s through the early 1950s. These destinations offered fine dining and evening entertainment, as well as illegal gambling and alcohol during the Prohibition era. The Brook Club opened in 1921 and was operated by Arnold Rothstein, the individual responsible for fixing the 1919 World Series and creating the Black Sox Scandal. The Brook Club was destroyed in a fire in 1934.

Lot #85104, a collection of casino chips from Paris Las Vegas, was estimated at $100 to $200 and sold for $420. Image courtesy of Omnia Auctions.
Lot #85104, a collection of casino chips from Paris Las Vegas, was estimated at $100 to $200 and sold for $420. Image courtesy of Omnia Auctions.

Lot #85104, a collection of 31 chips from Paris Las Vegas, was estimated at $100 to $200 and made $420. This lot included 25 $5 chips, four $8 chips, and one $20 chip. These chips were decorated with beauty shots of the casino at night, as well as showgirls, images related to the Chinese New Year, St. Patrick’s Day, Las Vegas performers, and others.  

Paris Las Vegas opened in the fall of 1999 and is located on the Las Vegas Strip. The casino hotel complex is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. Its casino footprint measures nearly 100,000 square feet. The property features several replica Paris landmarks as part of its infrastructure and entertainment venues; these include a half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower, as well as spaces representing the Arc de Triomphe military monument, the Louvre national art museum, the Paris Opera House, and the Musée d’Orsay art museum.

Lot #85108, a framed collection of chips and ephemera from the Piping Rock Club, was estimated at $100 to $200 and sold for $396. Image courtesy of Omnia Auctions.
Lot #85108, a framed collection of chips and ephemera from the Piping Rock Club, was estimated at $100 to $200 and sold for $396. Image courtesy of Omnia Auctions.

Lot #85108, a framed collection of chips and ephemera from the former Piping Rock Club of Saratoga Springs, was estimated at $100 to $200 and delivered $396. These items included an image of the club, a club matchbook, two $1 yellow chips, three $5 brown chips, four $25 green chips, and one $100 red chip. Each chip was initialed with the initials PLC, for Piping Rock Club. 

Like the Brook Club, the Piping Rock Club in Saratoga Springs, NY was part of the Saratoga lake houses group of speakeasy-style nightclubs. The Piping Rock Club opened in the 1930s under the auspices of organized crime figures Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello, and Joe Adonis. In 1954, the property burned to the ground under suspicious circumstances.

For more information on Omnia Auctions’ April 19, 2025 Casino, Gaming, & Poker Chip Auction, visit LiveAuctioneers.

For the latest art and auction world news, visit Auction Daily’s news channel. 

Norwegian Painter Christian Krohg at the Musée d’Orsay

In the 1880s, Norwegian art experienced an unprecedented golden age. Among its finest exponents was Christian Krohg, to whom the Musée d’Orsay is devoting an unprecedented but partial exhibition.

Christian Krohg (1852-1925), Sick Girl (Syk pike), 1881, oil on canvas, 102 x 58 cm/40.15x 22.83, Nasjonalmuseet, Oslo. Photo : Nasjonalmuseet / Borre Hostland
Christian Krohg (1852-1925), Sick Girl (Syk pike), 1881, oil on canvas, 102 x 58 cm/40.15x 22.83, Nasjonalmuseet, Oslo.
Photo : Nasjonalmuseet / Borre Hostland

After Edvard Munch (2022) and Harriet Backer (2024), the Musée d’Orsay closes a trilogy devoted to Norwegian painters of the turn of the 20th century with Christian Krohg (1852-1925), a master of naturalism. Bringing together some fifty genre scenes dealing with the quest for emancipation, the exhibition shows an artist who was particularly sensitive to the social issues of his time, sometimes to the point of radicalism. In 1886, the Norwegian authorities censored his novel Albertine – a veritable pamphlet denouncing the regulation of prostitution – while he was working on his major painting, Albertine to See the Police Surgeon (1885-1887). The son of a lawyer and a civil servant, and the grandson of a minister, Krohg became, despite his bourgeois origins, the leader of a protest and libertarian bohemian movement, a feminist and a loving father from the very beginning, through his brush and his pen. While Christophe Leribault, former president of the museum, chose to highlight the artist, curator Servane Dargnies-de Vitry and her Norwegian counterpart Vibeke Waallann Hansen, who was behind the Christian Krohg retrospective at Oslo’s National Museum in 2012, are responsible for the exhibition’s design. The Parisian exhibition brings nothing new to the table. Divided into four sections the exhibition treats the same themes: social class and the human condition. Entitled “Framing”, the first section illustrates the world of fishing, which the artist observed in Skagen, a small village in northern Denmark, where he stayed several times between 1879 and 1894. It reveals portraits of sailors in the middle of the sea, closely framed, as if to underline the heroic character of these last-chance rescuers in the event of a storm.

This evocation of Norwegian society through slices of life is commendable, but does it reveal the Norwegian’s pictorial singularity?

The next section evokes a privileged class, this time urban, with magnetic portraits of the intellectual and artistic elite, cosmopolitan and Scandinavian. That of Krohg’s wife Oda, also a painter – but represented here by only three paintings – shows a modern woman, uninhibited and radiant. The third section is dedicated to the underprivileged, prostitutes and the destitute, whose stigmatization Krohg denounces, and the last, with scenes of family intimacy between generations, to a social model of solidarity and hope. This evocation of Norwegian society through slices of life is commendable, but does it reveal the pictorial singularity of the Norwegian, who never ceased to doubt himself as an artist? As he wrote in his memoirs in 1921: “I don’t know which of the moderns influenced me. But I tried first to imitate Bastien-Lepage and secondly, the Impressionists. In short, I wanted to take part in the radical program. But I had as little understanding of the Impressionists as I did of the Old Masters”. The painter’s hesitations, which explain his consensual style, are barely mentioned, with repeated references to Manet and Caillebotte for comparisons of motifs and compositions… rarely of style. The paintings of Erik Werenskiold and Christian Skredsvig would have shed an entirely different light on their friend’s work: a naturalism that consists in identifying with the model in his everyday life, not in his deepest feelings. This is what Edvard Munch, his pupil, would do.

Worth Seeing
“Christian Krohg (1852-1925). Le peuple du Nord”
Musée d’Orsay
Until July 27, 2025
musee-orsay.fr

A White Glove Sale and Preemptions for Toshio Bando

The one-of-a-kind group of 121 works by the Japanese artist collected by the gallery owner Jacques Boutersky over nearly 40 years provided a comprehensive overview of the art of a painter who is still little-known. It also delighted collectors and the Cernuschi Museum.

Toshio Bando, Self-portrait with Brush, 1925, oil on canvas, 61 x 45 cm./24 x 17.7 in. Sold for: €98,800
Toshio Bando, Self-portrait with Brush, 1925, oil on canvas, 61 x 45 cm./24 x 17.7 in.
Sold for: €98,800

Never before had such a large number of works by Toshio Bando come up at auction. With 121 lots, the sale felt like a positive retrospective. It was above all a reflection of the passion of Jacques Boutersky, who owned galleries in first Nice and then Paris, and discovered Bando’s work by chance at a Drouot sale (Ader-Picard-Tajan) on June 26, 1986. After that, his enthusiasm grew ever stronger, as he became friends with the painter’s widow, Toji — a professional pianist who died in 1994. — and acquired more works by this artist of the Paris School, who was friends with Foujita. Numerous art lovers turned up in Room 9 at Drouot, eager to secure one of the paintings on offer. All of them found buyers for a total of €1,293,370: proof, if any were needed, of how much the Japanese artist is admired. The most sought-after work was of course his Self-Portrait with Brush, or Buddha Composition, seen on the cover of Gazette No. 5, which at €98,800 achieved three times its high estimate, setting a new world record for the painter (source: Artnet). The previous record was also set by Ader, in 2022. While Bando featured himself in several works throughout his career, nudes were another favorite subject of his. Discerning buyers responded well, bidding a splendid €52,000 for Nude with a Gold-Ground Fan (see Gazette No. 12) and €46,800 for the Large Nude (Andrée), 116 x 89 cm/45.7 x 35 in., in which Foujita‘s influence is palpable. His landscapes were also popular, like The Basilica of Saint-Denis (see same article), which went for €14,950, as well as numerous still lifes, including this Pipe And Tobacco Jar in Satsuma Porcelain, sold for a fragrant €28,600. The Cernuschi Museum, keeping a watchful eye, preempted two works: a Virgin and Child of 1924 (73 x 50 cm/28.7 x 19.7 in.) for €12,350, and a Self-Portrait in Top Hat for €10,400. A fine tribute to Toshio Bando.

Toshio Bando (1985-1973), Pipe and Tobacco Jar in Satsuma Porcelain, c.1929, oil on canvas, 24 x 33 cm/9.4 x 13 in. Sold for: €28,600
Toshio Bando (1985-1973), Pipe and Tobacco Jar in Satsuma Porcelain, c.1929, oil on canvas, 24 x 33 cm/9.4 x 13 in.
Sold for: €28,600

TOSHIO BANDO – JACQUES BOUTERSKY COLLECTION

Friday 04 April 2025 – 14:00 (CEST) – Live

Salle 9 – Hôtel Drouot – 75009 Paris

Ader

Info and sales conditions

Catalogue

Results

SJ Auctioneers Jewelry, Silver, Art & Vintage Toys Online Auction – April 27, 2025

SJ Auctioneers Jewelry, Silver, Art & Vintage Toys Online Auction – April 27, 2025
SJ Auctioneers Jewelry, Silver, Art & Vintage Toys Online Auction – April 27, 2025

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – SJ Auctioneers’ online-only Jewelry, Silver, Glass Art, Fashion & Toys auction set for Sunday, April 27th, is jam-packed with close to 300 lots of sterling silver flatware services and other sterling objects; Ralph Loren and Polo handbags; dazzling jewelry pieces; colorful Herend and Swarovski figures; vintage pens; vintage toys; and decorative accessories.

  Trick pony cast iron mechanical toy savings bank trading card from around the 1880s, 3 ¼ inches by 5 ¼ inches, the toy by Selchow & Righter, the litho by Currier (Estimate: $350-$750).
 
The auction showcases items by famous name designers and makers, including Tiffany & Co., Buccellati, Gorham, Georg Jensen, Reed & Barton, Gucci, Cartier, Pomellato, Schofield Silver, Mappin & Webb, Steuben, Miguel Berrocal, Royal Vienna, Del Conte, Patek Philippe, Orrefors, Montblanc, Daum, Baccarat, S.T. Dupont, Bvlgari, Meissen, Matchbox, Hubley and Dinky Toys.
 
Bidding is available online now, at LiveAuctioneers.com. Pre-bidding is also available, meaning for those who are unable to attend the online auction, they can still leave their bids now. The auction has a start time of 5:30pm Eastern. A link to the catalog is here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/367262_jewelry-silver-glass-art-fashion-and-toys/
 
SJ Auctioneers has quickly become a go-to source for buyers looking for sterling silver flatware services and other sterling objects, and the April 27th auction will have much to offer. A few of the flatware services are as follows:
 

  • A 181-piece sterling silver flatware service by Gorham in the Fontainebleau pattern with 37 servers, a complete set in excellent vintage condition (Estimate: $17,000-$20,000).
  • A Tiffany & Co. sterling silver flatware dinner size service for 12 in the Audubon pattern (Estimate: $15,000-$18,000).
  • A 132-piece Georg Jensen sterling flatware set in the Acorn pattern, a spectacular vintage service in the large and heavy European dinner size, with a small monogram on verso (Estimate: $10,000-$12,000).

 
Sterling silver objects will feature a stunning, large Mario Buccellati tray with grape decoration, circa 1950s (Estimate: $30,000-$55,000); a set of eight Reed & Barton sterling 570A goblets in the Francis I pattern, 8.4 troy oz. each (Estimate: $10,000-$12,000); a Mario Buccellati sterling 925 sea shell tray weighing 84 troy oz. (Estimate: $8,500-$12,000); a four-piece Tiffany & Co. tea service, circa late 1940s, each piece hand-engraved (Estimate: $5,500-$6,000); and a Georg Jensen pair of pedestal bowls made in Denmark, 7 inches in diameter (Estimate: $5,500-$6,000).
 
The Ralph Lauren Collection (and Polo Ralph Lauren selection) of vintage handbags will be led by a Ralph Lauren RL50 medium Bordeaux cream calfskin leather handbag in great condition, with western stitching. The bag, which retails for $22,000, comes with a detachable shoulder strap and is brown leather lined, with an interior pocket flap. It should bring $18,000-$20,000.
 
Other handbags in the Ralph Lauren Collection will include a stacked RL Lilac calfskin leather with silver hardware clutch/crossbody bag, like new (Estimate: $1,500-$1,600); a Mini RL 50 dark green lizard handbag with removable crossbody strap (Estimate: $1,400-$1,500); a convertible bright blue and green ombre clutch/crossbody bag with silver hardware on calfskin leather (Estimate: $1,200-$1,400); a black with cream embossed/printed flowers and silver hardware evening bag (Estimate: $800-$950); and a stirrup shoulder natural canvas with light yellow leather detailing bag (Estimate: $800-$950). The Polo handbags carry lower estimates.
 
The jewelry category will feature a Gucci signed 18k yellow gold bamboo link station necklace, nearly 28 inches long, stamped 750 and weighing 44.0 grams (Estimate: $7,000-$9,000); a natural diamond tennis bracelet, 6.00 carats set in 14k bezel white gold (Estimate: $4,500-$6,500); a natural large pink sapphire 7.50-carat pendant necklace set with a smaller sapphire and natural diamond set in 14k white gold, weighing 5.660 grams (Estimate: $2,500-$3,500); and a pair of natural pink sapphire stud earrings in 14k white gold (Estimate: $2,000-$3,000).
 
Herend signed porcelain figurines made in Hungary are popular with collectors because they are so colorful and visually arresting. The April 27th auction features a nice selection, including a large black Herend drinking lioness with 24k gold accents (Estimate: $750-$900); a rust fishnet cobra hand-painted with 24k gold (Estimate: $750-$850); a hand-painted ape in the black fishnet pattern, 4 inches tall (Estimate: $600-$800); a drinking lion in the rust fishnet pattern (Estimate: $600-$800); and a black fishnet dolphin, hand-painted with 24k gold (Estimate: $350-$400).
 
Swarovski crystal figurines are equally pleasing to the eye. Swarovski up for bid includes a Marvel The Incredible Hulk, vibrant green, 4 ¾ inches, with box (Estimate: $600-$850); a Marvel DC Comics Iron Man, red, 5 ½ inches, with box (Estimate: $600-$850); a DC Comics Thor figure that features 523 facets and a mix of metal accents (Estimate: $600-$850); a DC Comics Superman figure, flawless, 5 ½ inches tall, with box (Estimate: $450-$750); a Mickey Mouse, 4 inches tall, with box (Estimate: $450-$750); a Black Panther with original box, 5 ½ inches tall (Estimate: $450-$600); and an Idyllia Royal Flycatcher bird (Estimate: $450-$750).
 
Vintage pens make an attractive and thoughtful gift. Ones in the auction include a Montblanc Meisterstruck 146 Legrand fountain pen with gold nib 585 14k, with ink bottle (Estimate: $600-$750); an S.T. Dupont (Paris) ballpoint pen, gold-plated, with seven diamonds and original box (Estimate: $450-$600); an S.T. Dupont sterling silver gold-plated ballpoint and fountain pen, 18k 750 nib, with one-time-refill included (Estimate: $450-$600); and a Montblanc Noblesse gold-plated mechanical pencil/ballpoint fountain pen set, 14k, including box (Estimate: $450-$600).
 
Toys and toy-related items will be highlighted by a trick pony cast iron mechanical toy savings bank trading card from around the 1880s, 3 ¼ inches by 5 ¼ inches, the toy by Selchow & Righter and the litho by Currier (Estimate: $350-$750); a Hubley cast  iron toy of a uniformed patrol officer on a motorcycle, 6 ½ inches long (Estimate: $150-$250); a box of 12 Dinky Toys #771 international multi-color road signs made in the UK between 1953-1963 (Estimate: $150-$200); and boxed vehicles made by Matchbox and Schuco, with estimates of $150-$200 each.
 
Decorative items are plentiful and will include a nickel-plated Miguel Berrocal La Mini Maria puzzle sculpture with book, 1 ¾ inches by 3 inches (Estimate: $1,200-$1,500); a pair of hand-painted Royal Vienna porcelain vase urns with makers’ marks and lids, 7 ½ inches tall (Estimate: $800-$1,500); a Patek Philippe wine opener (Estimate: $800-$950); an Orrefors Studio (Sweden) crystal Graal vase, signed and designed by Edward Hald around 1950 (Estimate: $750-$900); and a French-made Daum pate de verre signed candle holder with box (Estimate: $500-$700).
 
SJ Auctioneers prides itself on offering its customers great service and fast shipping, unlike some other auction houses where people need to arrange their own shipping.
 
SJ Auctioneers is always seeking quality items for future auctions. To inquire about consigning an item, an estate or a whole collection, you may call 646-450-7553; or, you can send an email to [email protected].  
 
To learn more about SJ Auctioneers and the online-only Jewelry, Silver, Glass Art, Fashion & Toys auction set for Sunday, April 27th, starting promptly at 5:30pm Eastern time, please visit www.sjauctioneers.com. Updates are posted frequently.

Brimming with prestigious collections, Bertoia’s March 15 Signature Toy Auction topped $2M with strong prices achieved across all categories

Highlights: Althof Bergmann Santa Sleigh, $96,000; massive Schoenner warship, $34,800; George Brown ‘Monitor,’ $34,800; Ives clockwork boat with two rowers, $33,600; ‘Mason’ bank, $24,000

Althof Bergmann Santa In Goat Sleigh
Althof Bergmann Santa In Goat Sleigh

VINELAND, N.J. – Arguably the most formidable alliance of high-level toy collections to appear in the marketplace in recent years, Bertoia’s 500-lot Signature Toy Auction confidently powered its way past the $2 million mark on March 15. The all-star lineup combined Part II of the renowned Curtis and Linda Smith Collection, Tony Cuff’s European toys and trains; Japanese tin cars from the Ira Bernstein collection, and choice Lionel trains from the Bradley Kaplan Collection.

After hammering the final lot, Bertoia Auctions’ president and principal auctioneer, Michael Bertoia, summarized the day’s highlights by saying, “The results showed what the toy-collecting hobby has always known – that great items bring great prices.” 

Linda Smith and her late husband, Curt, were prominent in the toy-collecting fraternity and active members of the Antique Toy Collectors of America. They were known for acquiring extraordinarily rare pieces with illustrious provenance. The centerpiece of the Smith Collection Part II was a wonderful late-19th-century Althof Bergmann Santa in a Goat Sleigh. This great rarity is regarded as one of the finest pieces of American clockwork tin ever produced because of its impressive 20-inch size, bright colors, and endearing Christmas theme. The toy appears in the Barenholtz/McClintock book American Tin Toys as well as in The Toy Collector by Louis Hertz. When last seen at auction, it was hailed as the best of all known original examples. Against an estimate of $70,000-$140,000, the classic American bell toy was bid to an impressive $96,000.

Also by Althof Bergmann, the only known complete, all-original example of a Fire Patrol Wagon displayed vivid hand-painted colors and excellent stenciling (FIRE PATROL) on its side. Large in scale at 16 inches long, the horse-drawn vehicle retained all five of its original firefighter figures in painted blue uniforms, yellow firemen’s hats and black boots. With a line of provenance that included the Aaron and Abby Schroeder Collection, prior to being obtained by the Smiths, it blazed past its $6,000-$12,000 estimate to settle at $20,400.

The Smith Collection was also the source of one of the finest of all George Brown toys: a clockwork version of the Civil War boat the USS Monitor. Made around 1870 – eight years after the original ironclad Monitor was launched – the historically-important toy offered by Bertoia’s was a sizable 14 inches long and had survived in an excellent state of preservation. The Monitor toy’s design significantly appears in the George Brown Sketchbook. The example offered by Bertoia’s was one of only a handful known to exist and sold well above its high estimate, for $34,800.

The auction waters must have felt welcoming to fans of early ships and boats, as one antique craft after another set sail toward an above-estimate horizon. A gargantuan 1890s Jean Schoenner live-steam-powered ironclad ship, 34½ inches long, reflected the style of the most advanced warships of the mid-to-late-19th century, with a large cannon on its bow and several guns on port and starboard. A top prize from the Tony Cuff Collection, the German behemoth surpassed pre-sale expectations, dropping its anchor at $34,800. 

Ives toys put in a strong performance, with a scarce circa-1870s double-oarsmen boat achieving $28,000 against an $8,000-$16,000 estimate. This well-documented piece is featured in both Blair Whitton’s reference book Clockwork Toys and the aforementioned American Antique Toys. It was previously held in the collections of Aaron and Abby Schroeder; and Curtis and Linda Smith.

Prior to the auction, there was a flurry of interest in a correct boxed set of four Bliss paper-over-wood battleships that pre-dated the Spanish-American War. The ships included the Cincinnati, the Iowa, the Maine, and a fourth vessel that was unmarked. The quartet came in its original cardboard box with a full pictorial label on the lid that was imprinted Toy Models of Uncle Sam’s Navy. In near-mint condition and with provenance from the esteemed Dick Claus Collection, it was chased to $14,400 against an estimate of $6,000-$9,000.

Alongside the perhaps more-familiar production toys with a marine theme, wooden folk-art boats also grabbed their fair share of attention. A massive 53-inch-long clockwork paddle wheeler, the Robert E Lee, charmed bidders with the accuracy of its rigging, smokestacks, and railings, as well as the artistic excellence of its hand-painted details. Against an estimate of $2,000-$4,000, it cruised all the way to $18,000.

The sale featured a small but select grouping of cast-iron mechanical banks, including a J & E Stevens Boy Scout bank. Extremely colorful with golden highlights to its grassy base and tepee, this popular and well-detailed bank’s design depicts a Boy Scout encampment. The auction example was in pristine condition, showing no touchups or repair. Importantly, the Scout figures’ arms were correct and authentic to the bank. With provenance from the Smith Collection, it conveyed to its new owner for $19,200 against an estimate of $6,000-$10,000. An outstanding Mason bank made by Shepard Hardware Co., was complete with its original wooden factory box marked “ONE COMPLETE ‘MASON’ TOY SAVINGS BANK.” It took in $24,000, the highest price realized by any of the sale’s mechanical money boxes.

The timeless appeal of German-made Steiff toys evidenced itself yet again in the form of a circa-1905 apricot long-mohair rod bear with its correct Steiff elephant button. Measuring 17 inches long, with shoe-button eyes and a pronounced nose with a gutta percha tip, it represented one of the earliest teddies Steiff ever produced. Accompanied by an actual X-ray confirming its interior rod construction, it was bid to $22,800 against an estimate of $10,000-$16,000. 

In the world of American dolls, folk art productions by Rhode Island designer Izannah Walker rank very highly. The Smith Collection included a coveted 18½inch-long Walker doll from the mid-19th century with a painted cloth head and lower arms, firm stuffed body, and original shoes with later redressing. The Smiths acquired it from a descendant of the Walker family, which gave it rather unique provenance. It sold at the upper end of its estimate range for $12,000.

Many collectors answered the boarding call for a 1940s Ell-Bee wooden bus terminal replicating an NYC Greyhound bus station. Labeled Made exclusively for F.A.O. Schwarz, Ell-Bee, L.B. Goetschius Woodcraft Co., Hackensack, NJ, the set included two Arcade #4400 cast-iron Greyhound buses with their own individual Arcade-marked boxes. Housed in its original shipping box with an FAO Schwarz shipping label, the set raced to a $20,400 finish, more than 10 times the high estimate.

A fleet of large, candy-colored 1950s/’60s Japanese cars came from the collection of Broadway executive and industrial designer Ira Bernstein (1929-2023), who was hired by General Motors in 1953 as a stylist for Oldsmobile. Ira’s stellar Japanese cars were led by a Rock Valley tin rendition of a 1958 Chrysler New Yorker. A full 13 inches long with an exotic turquoise and pale lime-green motif, its tin seats were scrupulously lithographed to simulate red and white tufted upholstery. The pristine large-finned beauty even retained its original “CH-19-58” framed license plate at its rear. Against a $1,200-$3,000 estimate, it swept the postwar toy competition, closing  at $12,000.

On the Lionel side of the train tracks, a big winner was the rare 1910 “Knobby Roof” baggage car stamped “1910,” with red primer and three-rivet trucks (the underframe foundation). The 15½-inch-long car from the Kaplan Collection rolled to a final bid of $11,400, nearly four times the high estimate. Of the many tempting European trains with provenance from Tony Cuff, a Bing (Germany) hand-painted gauge 1 Sir Sam Fay 14-inch clockwork locomotive and tender fared best. In pristine condition, the historical Sir Sam Fay train loco and tender was right on par with the Lionel baggage car, commanding $11,400 against an estimate of $800-$1,200.

To discuss consigning to a future auction at Bertoia’s, call 856-692-1881; or email [email protected]. All enquiries are kept strictly confidential and there is never an obligation to consign. Online: www.bertoiaauctions.com

Spotlight on Success: Tiffany Studios Glass Soars at Rago and Toomey & Co.’s April 2025 Glass & Lighting Sale

The appeal of turn-of-the-last-century Tiffany Studios glass, lamps, and decorative arts appears timeless. Rago and Toomey & Co. of Lambertville, NJ, presented a 98-lot Art Nouveau | Art Deco Glass & Lighting event on April 10, 2025. This auction featured a well-curated offering of merchandise from legacy manufacturers, including Duffner & Kimberly, Loetz, Daum, Galle, Lalique, and others… but examples from Tiffany Studios stole the spotlight in nearly all collecting categories. According to the auction houses, the event realized $1,170,656 overall. Here are some impressive highlights from this stunning, signature spring event.

Lot #0118, a Tiffany Studios peony border floor lamp, was estimated at $100,000 to $150,000 and sold for $145,200. Image courtesy of Rago and Toomey & Co.

Tiffany Studios Peony Border Floor Lamp

The top lot in this elegant sale was #0118, an exceptional Tiffany Studios glass peony border floor lamp. Estimated at USD 100,000 to $150,000, it delivered $145,200. This stunner from around 1910 featured a primarily pink, green, tan, and yellow leaded glass shade; a patinated bronze Piano base; and a complementary pointed finial. It measured 77 inches high with a 24-inch diameter. The shade and base were marked ‘TIFFANY STUDIOS NEW YORK 1574-6’ and ‘TGDCO TIFFANY STUDIOS NEW YORK 21551’, respectively. The lamp, which was consigned from a private collection in New England, was illustrated in several specialty Tiffany reference books.

Louis Comfort Tiffany loved peonies, and they were a regular theme throughout his work. These flowers translated well into glass, with their fluid shapes, great coloration, and natural variations. They were also deeply symbolic to Tiffany, as they represented affluence, success, and inherent beauty across several cultures.

Lot #0105, a Tiffany Studios poppy table lamp, was estimated at $100,000 to $150,000 and sold for $112,200. Image courtesy of Rago and Toomey & Co.
Lot #0105, a Tiffany Studios poppy table lamp, was estimated at $100,000 to $150,000 and sold for $112,200. Image courtesy of Rago and Toomey & Co.

Tiffany Studios Poppy Table Lamp

Table lamps from several premier manufacturers were also well represented in this sale. Lot #0105, a Tiffany Studios glass poppy table lamp, was estimated at $100,000 to $150,000 and traded hands at $112,200. This example measured 27 inches high with a 20-inch diameter and was manufactured around 1905. Its impressive shade was made from a mix of mostly teal, green, orange, and yellow rippled, confetti, and dichroic leaded glass. It rested upon the company’s patinated bronze, signature twisted stem style Water Lily base. The shade and base were marked ‘TIFFANY STUDIOS NEW YORK 1531-14’ and ‘TIFFANY STUDIOS NEW YORK 443’, respectively. This stunner came from the collection of Alexandra and Sidney Sheldon and was previously sold through Rago in 2008. It was also shown at the Palm Springs Desert Museum, Palm Springs, and cited in several category reference books and catalogs.

Tiffany’s signature Water Lily lamp base, which is sometimes called a Pond Lily base, debuted in 1902. It was made to mirror the look and feel of lily pads and their natural growth in nature. This specific base was only manufactured for a handful of years, with its detailing closely aligning with the Art Nouveau movement of its era. It is thought that Tiffany designed this lighting fixture based on lily plants he saw growing in his lily pond at the Briars, a home he built for himself and his family in Cold Spring Harbor, NY.

Lot #0106, a Tiffany Studios cabinet vase with mushrooms, was estimated at $10,000 to $15,000 and sold for $85,800. Image courtesy of Rago and Toomey & Co.
Lot #0106, a Tiffany Studios cabinet vase with mushrooms, was estimated at $10,000 to $15,000 and sold for $85,800. Image courtesy of Rago and Toomey & Co.

Tiffany Studios Cabinet Vase

This sale also included a fine collection of decorative arts from Tiffany Studios. Lot #0106, a cabinet vase with mushrooms, was estimated at $10,000 to $15,000 and sold for $85,800, nearly six times the high estimate. This petite, enameled copper example from around 1905 measured 2.25 inches high with a 2.25-inch diameter. It was decorated with simple, organic mushroom forms in primarily green, blue, orange, and red. It was marked ‘L.C.T. EL 42’ on its underside and was consigned from a private collection in Oregon.

Tiffany’s pottery line was probably the company’s least known and least successful business venture. It debuted at the turn of the 20th century, was exhibited at the 1904 World’s Fair, and was fully launched at the company’s Fifth Avenue retail store in 1905. However, it never gained the popularity or interest generated by the glass, jewelry, and other decorative arts lines, and production ceased for good in 1917. 

Lot #0110, a pair of Tiffany Studios turtleback sconces, was estimated at $15,000 to $25,000 and sold for $39,600. Image courtesy of Rago and Toomey & Co.
Lot #0110, a pair of Tiffany Studios turtleback sconces, was estimated at $15,000 to $25,000 and sold for $39,600. Image courtesy of Rago and Toomey & Co.

Tiffany Studios Turtleback Sconces

Smaller and specialty forms of lighting fixtures also featured prominently in this event. Lot #0110, a pair of Tiffany Studios glass turtleback sconces, was estimated at $15,000 to $25,000 and traded hands at $39,600. The sconces were made around 1900 from patinated bronze and Favrile glass. They measured 16.5 inches high, 8.25 inches wide, and 11.5 inches in diameter. They formerly belonged to the John W. Graham residence, “Maerex-on-the-Hill,” located in Springfield, PA. These were previously sold through Rago in 2013.

The Graham residence was a large home built in the early 1900s. Its impressive exterior featured four, two-story tall pillars, and its hillside setting offered sweeping views of the area. The inside was furnished with room-sized carpets, elegant artwork, eye-catching lighting fixtures, and fine appointments. It is not surprising that these luxury sconces were part of Maerex-on-the-Hill, given its aesthetic and history. Graham’s residence traded hands in 1933 and was converted to a school for children with special needs; this facility was in operation through 1970.

Lot #0117, a Tiffany Studios moth lamp screen, was estimated at $10,000 to $15,000 and sold for $25,080. Image courtesy of Rago and Toomey & Co.
Lot #0117, a Tiffany Studios moth lamp screen, was estimated at $10,000 to $15,000 and sold for $25,080. Image courtesy of Rago and Toomey & Co.

Tiffany Studios Moth Lamp Screen

Fine Art Nouveau and Art Deco glass and lighting rarities rounded out this colorful event. Lot #0117, a Tiffany Studios moth lamp screen, was estimated at $10,000 to $15,000 and traded hands at $25,080. This example from around 1905 was in the form of a two-inch diameter insect with outstretched wings. It was made from primarily tan, green, and brown leaded glass and suspended from a patinated bronze chain for hanging. It was previously sold through Beatrice Weiss of New York, hailed from a private collection from California, and was cited in major Tiffany reference guides.

For more information on Rago and Toomey & Co.’s Art Nouveau | Art Deco Glass & Lighting sale held on April 10, 2025, visit LiveAuctioneers. 

Looking for more art glass? Check out Auction Daily’s coverage of last year’s Murano glass sale at Wright.

The Return of the School by Quiringh van Brekelenkam, from the Former Eugène Schneider Collection Rediscovered

The unexpected resurgence of a previously unpublished painting by Van Brekelenkam proves, once again, that France was an essential haven for the reception of Dutch genre painting in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Quiringh Gerritz Van Brekelenkam (c 1622-1630 - after 1669), The Return to School, oak panel, 58 x 51.5 cm/22.83 x 20.27 in. Estimate: €60,000/80,000
Quiringh Gerritz Van Brekelenkam (c 1622-1630 – after 1669), The Return to School, oak panel, 58 x 51.5 cm/22.83 x 20.27 in.
Estimate: €60,000/80,000

Works by Van Brekelenkam, who was so close to Gérard Dou that he assisted him in signing his parents’ will in 1646, are still rare in France. Apart from Le Bénédicité and La Visite du médecin in the collections of the Louvre, La Vie studieuse in the Palais des beaux-arts de Lille — which entered national collections in the 19th century — as well as L’Oraison, acquired in the early 1980s by the Musée des beaux-arts de Carcassonne, and a few others scattered around, his works remain a tenuous presence in France. This relative oblivion is surprising, given that the artist once graced many a French painting cabinet with his best paintings, but often without his name being remembered or mentioned. The catalog of Eugène Schneider’s collection of Northern European paintings, dispersed in April 1876 at Hôtel Drouot, is a paragon of the genre. It is also exemplary in form, in that art history offers few examples of documents in which almost all the facsimiles of the signatures at the bottom of the paintings – here 48 – are faithfully recorded, along with precise notes on their provenance. The industrialist’s collection was a veritable anthology of northern masters, providing an eloquent record of their pictorial genius. In his preface, Haro, the painter, restorer and expert, a pupil of Ingres and Delacroix, emphasized “the surety of taste, the method and the precision of mind that distinguished this eminent man”, adding: “He did not seek quantity, but above all quality; knowing how to wait, and never stopping at a question of price, he demanded in a painting not only authenticity, beauty and a perfect state of conservation, but also charm and what he called amiability.” However, in 1876, not all of Eugène Schneider’s Northern works were presented at Drouot. Among the absentees was Return to School, which Haro would perhaps have been at pains to attribute to Quiringh Gerritz Van Brekelenkam in his prestigious catalog. At the time, knowledge of the artist was still in its infancy.

Domestic Scenes
In his Galerie des peintres flamands, hollandais et allemands (1792), Jean-Baptiste Pierre Le Brun, the rediscoverer of Vermeer (“vander Meer”), presented a plate after a painting he owned, but acknowledged his lack of information about “Brekelen Kamp”: “Although the works of this artist are not rare, no author has mentioned him; and, despite my research, I have been unable to learn which town gave birth to him, who his master was, or where he died. He most often depicted the interiors of houses or kitchens. His way of painting is close to that of Gabriel Metzu [sic]: his color is beautiful and vigorous; his compositions are simple and true. There is much to choose from in the works of this master, who has produced some fine pieces.” And until the publication of the monograph by Angelika Lasius in 1992, specialists often limited themselves to similar approximations. The Bénédicité, which entered the Louvre with the donation of Dr. Louis La Caze in 1869, still bears an apocryphal signature of Brekelenkam’s younger son, Maes! The attribution of this “new” Van Brekelenkam, appraised by Stéphane Pinta, a connoisseur of Northern painting, is now much easier. He proposes to compare it with the Domestic Care of 1648 (Leiden, Museum of Lakenhal) or the two versions of Old Woman Delousing a Young Boy, from the early 1650s, one of which is in the Kunstmuseum Basel. But the artist is never where you expect him to be, and perhaps that’s the whole point. Instinctively, the subject of this composition brings to mind countless scenes of mothers delousing their offspring. From Gerard ter Borch’s famous mother-in-law, caring for her infant in the Mauritshuis painting, to Pieter de Hooch’s Duties of a Mother in the Rijksmuseum, they have established themselves as veritable “counterparts” to breast-feeding scenes, also valorizing maternal devotion. There’s a surprise in store, however, for while the little girl adopts the customary attitude of those children indiscriminately favored by lice¬ — whatever their rank or condition — she remains, one hand resting on her mother’s left knee, in peaceful anticipation, suspended as she prepares to take off her bonnet. We are equally astonished by her brother, whose candid spontaneity thwarts, with unexpected grace, the oft-repeated clichés of genre painting, handed down from brush to brush, from master to student.

For van Brekelenkam, the school becomes more than just a setting: it becomes a space for silent exchange, moral training and social stability.

As he lifted his snack to his lips, he tried, not without some awkwardness, to maintain the pose prescribed by the painter, who had instructed him to show off his schoolbag. As soon as he’s asked, he’s done: the child points to it, using a borrowed, stately hand and forearm position, the artifice that betrays the all-too-clear desire to stage the scene and, paradoxically, makes it more plausible. Also unlike his famous elders, Van Brekelenkam indicates the presence of the family man inside the home, as he has deliberately painted his hat, coat and briefcase in the top right-hand corner. The originality of Van Brekelenkam’s approach also lies in the prominent place he accords to apprenticeship, one of his favorite motifs. As the author of The Itinerant Schoolmaster and The Lacemaker’s School teaching his pupils, and himself the father of a large brood, Van Brekelenkam’s view of this world of transmission is one of rare acuity. For the artist, the school becomes more than just a setting: it becomes a space for silent exchange, moral training and social stability, valuing patience, delicacy and the continuity of domestic duties. In this humble, skilfully orchestrated interior scene, where the presence of each object is skilfully considered, Van Brekelenkam deploys a consummate science of tonal modulation. The ochre monochrome forms a veritable symphony of earthy hues, exquisitely blending natural siennas, warmly inflected yellow ochres, umber — both natural and burnt — and warm, barely ashen grays that gently absorb the subdued light of the stained glass windows. Golden browns, faded sepias, light tobacco, golden browns, scorched ochre and the dull honey color of breads resting on the table are all nuances that compose a veritable ode to domestic harmony. The pigments, weighted down with oil and deposited in a dense, skilfully nourished paste, guide the viewer’s gaze, inviting him or her to a slow revelation of the subject and its silent harmonics: here, a geography map where we can make out the faded letters Mare intern…; there, a forgotten clothesbrush; further on, the brioche with its shiny crust or the warmer discreetly tucked under the table. The palette, tempered in this way, seems to reflect the diffuse quietude and solicitude that permeate this home. This chromatic economy is matched by a fleshy, generous, almost tactile touch, allowing Van Brekelenkam to explore the variety of materials with restrained delight: from the velvety softness of the hat to the woolly warmth of the mother’s dress, each texture becomes the occasion for a discreet yet penetrating exercise in virtuosity. From this subtle harmony emerges a domestic scene that, far from being reduced to some familiar anecdote, rises to the dignity of a silent meditation on the warmth of shelter, the modesty of shared gestures, and the peaceful nobility of humble days.

TABLEAUX, MOBILIER & OBJETS D’ART – VENTE DE PRESTIGE

Friday 25 April 2025 – 13:30 (CEST) – Live

Salle 5-6 – Hôtel Drouot – 75009 Paris

Beaussant Lefèvre & Associés

Info and sales conditions

Catalogue