Since 15,000 B.C., Egyptian carved cameos were used to record events. It was during the reign of Alexander the Great in the third century B.C. that the Greeks and Romans started incorporating mythological images in cameos. A Roman cameo pendant necklace from that period is one of the key lots of the upcoming Ancient Ethnographic Jewelry charity event, presented by Artemis Gallery. The available necklace is made of 90% gold with 48 gold beads. The cameo pendant shows an empress.
A Scythian gold bracelet is also highlighted. Scythians migrated from central Asia and settled upon the shores of the Black Sea. They amassed wealth by selling grain to Greek cities, making it possible to create gold ornaments. This bracelet is made of 18-karat oval face gold with repeated lashed eye motifs surrounding a single eye at the center. Another lot of interest in this auction is a fifth-century Proto-Viking bronze necklace. The piece has a crescent-shaped band of bronze with cylindrical dangling beads, designed to catch the light. The auction house notes that the necklace must have belonged to an elite woman. Browse the full catalog for this sale and register to bid online on LiveAuctioneers.
Dating back to Ancient Greece, agate is made of silica, quartz, and chalcedony. Typically formed within volcanic and metamorphic rocks, agates are found in a variety of colors and grains. The upcoming New York City Estate auction, presented by Showplace Antique + Design Center, will feature a pair of Willy Daro brass table lamps accented with translucent agate geodes. Each lamp includes three concealed sockets. The auction will also showcase several jewelry items, including a pair of 18-karat yellow gold cufflinks and a platinum, diamond, and ruby ring. Both of these lots were designed by Boris LeBeau. A Turkish tri-toned gold bracelet with a high-polish Florentine finish is another highlight.
The sale showcases an oil painting titled Flower Market La Madeleine after Edouard Léon Cortès, depicting figures walking along a street by a Parisian flower market. Another featured oil piece is Man Riding Donkey by Gaetano Mormile. It shows an elderly man holding a green umbrella while talking to a young girl. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare.
French furniture is a language unto itself, using both the metropolitan associations of Paris and the flourish of European royalty. In the upcoming Special Auction of French Furniture, offered by Morton Subastas, a selection of hand-carved pieces will cross the auction block. Though the majority of the furniture items were made during the 20th century, many reflect antique French trends and artistry.
Included in the sale is a Henry II-style buffet, reflecting the primary artistic movement of 16th-century France. The buffet is decorated with hunting scenes, floral elements, vegetable motifs, and moldings. Also in the Henry II style is a walnut bookcase with two glass doors, a drawer, and metal fixtures. Other available furnishings include desks, clocks, chairs, tables, armoires, and more. Many of the items indicate signs of regular use. View lot descriptions for more information and register to bid on Bidsquare.
Originally from Wisconsin, Edward Sheriff Curtis eventually settled in Seattle. Around 1895, Curtis began to photograph Native Americans in the Northwest. The trips fueled his interest in Native culture and Curtis began documenting as many North American tribes as he could. One photograph from a trip to a Navajo settlement near Chinle, Arizona is among the highlighted lots in the April Auction of Collections & Ephemera, presented by Neue Auctions. Titled The Vanishing Race, the photograph shows Navajo Indians on horseback riding away from Curtis’ camera.
Pierre-Joseph Redouté holds a central position in the development of European botanical artwork. Redouté’s patrons included Marie Antoinette, Empress Josephine, and her successor, Marie-Louise. Three illustrations from his book Les Liliacées, which he issued while under the patronage of Empress Josephine, are featured in this sale. Beyond fine art, the auction also offers books. These include Helen Bannerman’s Little Black Sambo. Bannerman wrote the story in 1898 for her daughters while traveling through India. Interested collectors can register to bid online by visiting Bidsquare.
One of the best-known early painters of the American West, Albert Bierstadt helped introduce East Coast audiences to the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada ranges. The upcoming American Paintings, Furniture & Decorative Arts auction, offered by Doyle, will highlight one of Bierstadt’s works, titled Sunset over the Trees. He took many trips to the West to produce detailed sketches, which he would later use when painting large, panoramic canvases. Bierstadt was selected to present his paintings to Queen Victoria and won commissions to create murals for the Capitol Building.
Also among the key items is a Tiffany & Co. Chrysanthemum flatware set. Introduced in 1880 by Charles T. Grosjean, the pattern was inspired by the Japanese Imperial family’s preference for the flower. The available flatware is decorated with chrysanthemum flowers and buds, set against a background of leaves. A painting of Nevada Falls by Thomas Hill will also be featured in the sale. Hill is known for his views of the Yosemite Valley. Browse the full collection and register to bid on Invaluable.
Following the death of his father in 975 AD, a 13-year-old boy named Edward became the king of England. He ruled for three years before he was assassinated by supporters of his half-brother. A 10th-century coin found on the Isle of Wight is highlighted in the upcoming Coins event, offered by Dix Noonan Webb. The silver penny features a portrait of the young King Edward on the front with the words ‘AELSTAN M’O CANT’ on the back.
When the British first colonized Australia, they did not bring along currency. To overcome the resulting issues with trade, Governor Lachlan Macquarie shipped 40,000 Spanish dollars to the colony in 1813. A hole was punched in the center of each coin, creating two variations: the ‘Holey Dollar,’ valued at five shillings and the ‘Dump,’ valued at 15 pence. This sale features an 1813 Australian Dump coin with a crown pictured on one side. Interested collectors can also find examples of Thai currency. Register to bid online by visiting Invaluable.
Gerald Laing became a fixture in the British Pop Art movement while still attending university. He traveled to the United States in 1963 and met Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Just two years later, however, Laing turned his attention away from Pop Art to sculpture, which he would focus on for the next forty years. A 1978 sculpture by Laing, titled An American, is available in the upcoming Fine Art, Jewelry, Antiques, Asian & Mid-Century Auction, presented by Clarke Auction Gallery. The piece is the second of three editions of An American and is signed by the artist.
Decorative art collectors can also consider two sculptural chests by Gio Ponti. The Italian designer is best known for his work on the Pirelli Tower in Milan and his Modern design aesthetic. “Industry is the style of the 20th century,” Ponti once said. Also available is a glass chandelier by René Lalique. He rose to prominence during the Exposition Universelle of 1900 in Paris. 25 years later, Lalique brought his new glass technique to the same event and would become known for his stylized molded glass, of which this piece is an example. Those interested in this or any other lot can register to bid on Bidsquare.
Daniel Rose was born in 1749 in Reading, Pennsylvania. He was a clockmaker who also sold and repaired watches, jewelry, and musical instruments. In the upcoming American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts auction, his 1790 Chippendale walnut tall case clock is showcased. This piece stands approximately 102.5 inches tall and features pineapple carved finials with leafy vines. The moon phase dial is inscribed “Daniel Rose Reading.” It rests on ogival bracket feet.
Also included in this Freeman’s auction is a collection of Native American clothing and accessories from Wyoming and Western Canada. This lot includes various Blackfoot garments, as well as a beaded baby carrier and hide moccasins from the early 20th century. A Cree quill-worked gun case and a Cree or Ojibwe beaded hide pouch are also included in the lot. To view the entire catalog and register to bid, visit Invaluable
Known best as a Surrealist painter, Tiffany Dae incorporates classical oil painting techniques into her imaginative works. Raised with a passion for media and magic, Dae creates with the belief that art mirrors culture. Her paintings often depict celestial realms, which she describes as “… representations of another world, in which there are no limits to the imagination.” The upcoming Death and the Maiden sale, offered by Capsule Auctions, will highlight one of her paintings, titled Chimerical.
Leilani Bustamante’s Slow with the Soul will be available as well. Bustamante’s work often explores death, rebirth, beauty, and spoil. The auction also includes the work of Edith Lebeau. She paints female figures paired with fauna and flora motifs, mostly drawing inspiration from her personal experiences. View the full catalog and register to bid for these items by visiting Capsule Auctions.
A gilt-bronze sculpture of Avalokiteśvara will be featured in the upcoming Pavilion Online: Chinese Art auction, offered by Christie’s. Of several deities in Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara is known as the bodhisattva of infinite compassion and enlightenment. The available piece shows Avalokiteśvara holding drapes while standing on a lotus base.
A Rouleau vase from China’s Kangxi period is among the ceramics in the display. The Kangxi period is largely known for its white and blue porcelains. From the Ming dynasty is a carved Tixi red lacquer circular box with a matching cover. An apocryphal signature reading ‘Zhang Cheng Zao’ is visible on the base. Also included in the sale is a set of three jade archer’s rings. One shows a continuous hunting scene ending with a four-character mark and with an imperial poem from the Qianlong Emperor. To view the complete catalog and register to bid, visit Christie’s.
