The Sican or Lambayeque culture existed in Peru before the coming of the Incas. Many Sican lords were patrons of vast workshops where precious objects were created. At death, the elites were buried with many of those items. Pieces made of gold and silver were reserved for royalty while copper was used for the nobility. A hammered copper mask is highlighted in the upcoming Early Spring Fine Ancient & Ethnographic Art auction, presented by Artemis Gallery. The funerary mask has two copper projections that resemble wings and is decorated with 15 hanging pieces of copper. The auction house notes that this mask was made in the likeness of Naymlap, the traditional founder of the Lambayeque dynasty.
Also featured in the sale is a Roman sculpture from the Imperial period. Carved from white marble, the sculpture shows Cupid holding a large bird against his chest. Several pieces of fine art are also available, including an oil painting by William Draper. Titled Fields – Bridgehampton, Long Island, this piece was executed in 1967 and depicts farms and fields in Long Island’s Hamptons. Browse the full catalog for this sale and register to bid online on LiveAuctioneers.
Mattel Creations was founded in 1945 by Harold “Matt” Matson and Elliot Handler. The company enjoyed a breakthrough when they introduced Chatty Cathy, a talking doll. A second change came with the launch of the Barbie doll in 1959. A Mattel Barbie doll in its original black case is highlighted in Link Auction Galleries’ upcoming April Bazaar with Toys & Collectibles auction. This sale of over 450 lots offers Asian art and porcelain, decorative art, abstract paintings, and furniture. It also features a collection of eight Nancy Ann storybook dolls.
Beyond the dolls and toys, the collection includes action figures from the Star Wars trilogy. These include characters such as Han Solo, a Stormtrooper, Chewbacca, and others. Several works of Abstract art from Francu, J. Mourut, and Florence Weisz will be included as well. View the full listings and register to bid online on Invaluable.
In 1951, the São Paulo Art Biennial awarded prizes to Hanga artists rather than the usual master painters and sculptors. The two artists selected were Tetsuro Komai for his etchings and Kiyoshi Saito for his woodblock prints. Sosaku Hanga artists were generally disregarded in the Japanese art world, for their art was considered compromised for American tastes. A self-taught artist, Saito has also been credited with the development of several innovative printing techniques. The upcoming auction, presented by Ahlers & Ogletree, presents a woodblock print titled Blue Marsh, Urabandai Aizu by Kiyoshi Saito. This grain patterned print depicts two-dimensional, flattened plant life. Saito created the applied technique to print at a faster rate.
Also showcased is a variety of Chinese porcelain items, including Kangxi and Qing dynasty porcelain. Among them, a Chien Lung polychrome enameled porcelain bowl is a highlight. Also available are several Chinese carpets. In 1860, Ho Chi-ching, a Buddhist priest, established a weaving school for the poor in Paoku. After its success, the school split into Eastern gate and Western gate schools. The auction features a hand-knotted Tientsin wool rug from the Western gate school. This blue wool pile rug is decorated with floral vines and has a Greek key border. Also offered are paintings, bronze ware, Jade sculptures, furniture, and jewelry. Interested collectors can explore the full listings and register to bid online on Invaluable.
After Walt Disney’s passing, his company’s animated films experienced a noticeable decline. While struggling to attain critical and commercial success, Disney began to transform its animated films into Broadway musicals. In the 1990s, production began on a musical adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. Ann Hould-Ward designed the costumes for the musical, earning her a Tony Award in 1994. Hould-Ward’s original costume designs for Beauty and the Beast will be offered in the upcoming Home and Interiors Auction, presented by Whitley’s Auctioneers.
A porcelain “Enchanted Rose” sculpture from the same story is also among the leading lots. The magical rose stands on a wooden base, surrounded by fallen petals. Connoisseur of Malvern produced only five examples of this piece. The sale will also feature the work of French Impressionist François Gall. Known for his figurative paintings depicting women dancing, fixing their hair, and sewing, Gall’s works are rendered in bright pastel colors. The available lot shows a seated ballerina. Fine art pieces from Marc Chagall, Adrian Denegri, and Stanley Morel Cosgrove will be presented as well. Browse the full catalog and register to bid on Bidsquare.
The upcoming Beatles at the Hard Rock sale, presented by Julien’s Auctions, offers nearly 300 Beatles-themed items. Available is a selection of never-before-seen memorabilia, autographed objects, guitars and instruments, obscure licensed material, and vinyl albums. Held on the 50th anniversary of the band’s dissolution, the auction will be held online and live at the Hard Rock Café in New York. Leading the auction is an original copy of Paul McCartney’s handwritten lyrics to Hey Jude, used during a 1968 recording session. The ballad evolved from Hey Jules, a song McCartney wrote to comfort John Lennon’s son, Julian, during his parents’ divorce.
A Spalding baseball signed by all four members of the Beatles will be featured as well. After their final US concert at San Francisco’s now-demolished Candlestick Park in 1966, the band signed the baseball for a stadium employee. The wooden stage from the first Beatles performance will also be offered. The stage was present at Lathom Hall in Liverpool in 1960, where the band performed under their original name, The Silver Beats. Browse the full catalog and register for online bidding on the Julien’s Auctions website.
The upcoming Fine Books & Manuscripts auction, offered by Potter & Potter Auctions, will include photographs, posters, and fine art in addition to written works. Among the books available in the sale are several early and rare editions of Ian Fleming’s novels, especially those from the James Bond series. Featured is a first edition copy of Casino Royale, the first of Fleming’s Bond books. Just over 4,500 copies of this edition were printed, most of which have been committed to public libraries.
One of the art pieces up for bid is a nuclear disarmament poster by Keith Haring. The poster is signed in ink by the artist and inscribed “For Ken/ Keith Haring/ 82.” Also above the inscription is what appears to be a second signature by Haring on the black printed area of the piece. Other items of interest include art by Joan Miró, an 18-inch merchant shippers globe, the Oxford Uniform Edition of The Writings of Oscar Wilde, a trio of erotic Japanese netsuke figures, and more. View any of these lots and register to bid at Potter & Potter Auctions.
The Drs. Joanne and Edward Dauer Sale of World Banknotes, offered by Heritage Auctions, will offer rare paper currency from around the globe. Among the featured notes at auction are several from the Commonwealth of Australia, including a ten-pound note from 1918. The auction house estimates that there are only four of its type in existence. This particular note was pictured in the 25th edition of Renniks Australian Coin & Banknote Values.
Other rare notes in the collection include a one-pound bill from the government of the Turks & Caicos Islands, which only issued currency from 1903 until 1928. The population of the colony was between 4,500 and 6,000 people during this time, so there was no need for broad issuance of their currency. The note up for bid was the first of any type from the Turks & Caicos Islands to be submitted for grading. Banknotes from other locales include pieces from British West Africa, Singapore, Afghanistan, Lebanon, India, and Zanzibar. View any of these lots and register to bid on the Heritage Auctions website.
In the upcoming Property from Christa’s Ltd. auction, Hindman will present a selection of furniture items from the Georgian period. From a collection of Chippendale pieces to Regency-style furniture, the auction demonstrates the versatility of Georgian design. A highlight of the sale is a pair of Chippendale-style side chairs. Between the 1750s and 1760s, the Chippendale style dominated furniture design. This recognition helped mark Thomas Chippendale as one of the leading cabinetmakers of the 18th century.
A Regency chiffonier is also highlighted in this sale. Emerging near the end of the Georgian period, the Regency style is inspired by classical antiquity. Its popularity lasted only 9 years, from 1811 to 1820. Influenced by the Napoleonic Egyptian campaign in 1798, Regency furniture was mostly decorated with snakes, beetles, and other Egyptian motifs. The auction also presents a Modernist chest from the 20th century. This contemporary style especially highlights the simplicity of forms and materials. View each of these lots and register to bid on LiveAuctioneers.
A Belarusian Jew by birth, Marc Chagall was a Russian-French artist who traveled between Saint Petersburg, Paris, and Berlin. His body of work included drawings, paintings, book illustrations, stage sets, ceramic tapestries, fine art prints, and stained glass. One of the key lots to be featured in the upcoming Mid Century & Contemporary sale, presented by Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, is a colored lithograph by Chagall. Titled The Tribe of Levi from The Twelve Maquettes of Stained Glass Wind, this piece was modeled after the stain glass windows Chagall created for a Jerusalem synagogue. The sale also features an oil on canvas piece after Marc Chagall, depicting a nude human figure lying in a field.
A key furniture lot in this event is a Minotti two-part sectional sofa with cream upholstery. A pair of club chairs from the brand’s Suitcase line, designed by Rodolfo Dordoni, is also available. The chairs are accented with black fur upholstery and brown seat cushions. A sterling silver teapot, round tray, mug, sugar and creamer, and two dishes from the Estate of William and Teresa Patton will be presented as well. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare.
Johann Friedrich Böttger was a magician and alchemist who bragged that he could make gold. Augustus II the Strong, the ruler of Saxony, imprisoned him to test his claim. Though unable to create the precious metal, Böttger did discover how to make hard-paste porcelain stoneware. Augustus the Strong quickly established a factory and started producing a wide variety of porcelain products. The upcoming auction, presented by Turner Auctions + Appraisals LLC, features a porcelain platter from Strong’s Meissen factory. The piece shows the royal procession of Louis XIV through the Tuileries in 1662.
A lithograph titled Coyote by Ed Ruscha is also highlighted. Involved in photography, painting, film, and drawing, Ruscha’s career has been long and varied. The available piece depicts a howling coyote against a hazy background. A sculpture titled Frog on Kaiser Roll by David James Gilhooly will also be available. Leader of the Bay Area Funk Art movement, Gilhooly’s satirical frog sculptures comment on society and existence. Browse the complete auction catalog and register to bid on Bidsquare.
