Platinum has been a very elusive metal in the history of human civilization. Owing to its high melting point at 3221.6° F, the metal cannot be molded without softening it. Although ancient South American Indians and Egyptians bonded platinum with gold, their techniques of making it malleable were lost with time. In 1741, platinum caught the attention of European scientists, who began experimenting with it. However, the metal went on to become a popular choice for jewelry only in the 20th Century. A platinum necklace, set with diamonds weighing 75.78 carats, is a key highlight of the upcoming sale by Intervendue. A combination of rhombus setting and circular design, the piece weighs 142 grams. Another interesting platinum lot is a Tiffany & Co. Legacy diamond engagement ring. It is fashioned with a cushion-cut fancy intense yellow diamond, flanked by bead-set diamonds. The ring is designed in Edwardian style.
A Bulgari Monete eight-coin necklace also leads the listing. The Monete collection is a tribute to the rare cultural currency of Rome. The coins are marked with the eras and emperors’ names. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Auction LVI: With Love From Intervendue sale, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
In its first sale of 2024, Copley Fine Art Auctions will present a wide selection of fine 19th- and 20th-century American paintings, etchings, carvings, folk art, and more. Leading the first day of the auction is a painting by Aiden Lassell Ripley titled Winter Deer Hunting. An avid outdoorsman and conservationist, Ripley tailored his painting style and themes to meet his interests, becoming one of America’s leading sporting artists. Due to his use of plein-air painting and drawing in the landscape he adored, Ripley’s work gives a fresh and spontaneous effect. The available watercolor painting depicts a deer hunting scene. The hunter is seen wearing snowshoes as he shoots at a leaping buck in this wintery landscape. Other notable works by the artist in the catalog include a graphite on paper work titled Grouse on Pine Bough and a watercolor painting titled Pheasant Swale (study).
The second day of this sale particularly highlights collectibles and sporting art. Among the top lots is a miniature redhead drake by A. Elmer Crowell. A famous decoy maker and bird carver, Elmer Crowell of East Harwich, Massachusetts made some of the finest decoys in history. The available carving bears a rectangular maker’s stamp, along with the bird’s species identification and the title “Reddy.” Bidders can also consider a rare miniature great horned owl by Wendell Gilley, a 1926 etching by Carl Rungius, and a bronze work by Octavio Gonzalez Gutierrez titled Humpback Whale and Calf. Visit Bidsquare to view the complete The Winter Sale 2024, Day 1 catalog and browse other online auctions.
The historic town of Alexandria, Virginia is noteworthy for its distinct pottery with cobalt blue designs. The 19th-century stoneware has been cherished by art lovers as a valuable collectible. Wilkes Street Pottery was Alexandria’s longest-running stoneware manufactory, and Benedict C. Milburn was its most esteemed potter. Milburn began working at the manufactory in the early 1830s and purchased the business a decade later. A very rare stoneware water cooler stamped “B.C Milburn / Alexa” is a key highlight of the upcoming auction from Jeffrey S. Evans & Assoc., Inc. It is one of the three recorded Milburn water coolers from Alexandria. The salt-glazed decorated piece has a cylindrical form with slight shoulder, squared rim, vertical open handles, and octagonal-shaped bung hole. It features a central stem with leafy branches yielding circular buds on both the front and reverse sides.
Another notable lot is a large format photogravure of Chief Joseph, Nez Perce by Edward Sheriff Curtis. It is a silver print on paper with copyright imprint in the negative lower left with “1903” date and ink-signed lower right. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming February 9, 2024: Steidel Collection Auction – Day One auction, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
American artist David Wojnarowicz was famous for his paintings, books, and photography skills. Wojnarowicz (1954 – 1992), was one of the most prominent figures in the New York City art world of the 1980s. He was born in Red Bank, New Jersey, where he spent much of his childhood. Largely self-taught, the artist adopted various techniques and was influenced by Surrealism, science fiction, comic strips, and mass advertising. An untitled artwork by Wojnarowicz is one of the key highlights of this upcoming auction from Swann Auction Galleries. This stencil and spray paint on newsprint work shows a burning house with a camouflage plane. It comes with a pencil drawing of a seated male.
My House III, a noteworthy color screenprint on matte custom art paper by Christopher Wool, also leads the catalog. This piece is signed, dated, and numbered 67/100 in pencil on the lower right. Wool was born in 1955 in Chicago and now lives and works in New York City and Marfa, Texas. The artist is known for his paintings of large, black, stenciled letters on white canvases. Wool uses spray painting, hand painting, and screen-printing to render his artworks. The auction also offers posters, records, photographs, fine art, autographs, books, and ephemera. Visit Swann Auction Galleries to view the complete catalog and register to bid in The Subculture Sale.
A Philadelphia Chippendale mahogany three-part desk and bookcase dating back to 1775 is one of the featured lots in this upcoming auction, presented by Pook & Pook, Inc. The bookcase is attributed to American master carver Martin Jugiez (1762 – 1815). It has a broken arch with scrolled fretwork centering a bust of renowned historian and poet John Milton. According to the auction house, only one other similar Philadelphia desk and bookcase with a bust of Milton is known to exist.
A northwest European brass Three Kings candlestick from the 15th century is another notable lot. This antique piece has a double-knop threaded shaft supporting a whirling double arm with two solid pierced candle cups. Practically designed, the drip pan is sufficient enough to shield one’s hand from melting wax. Collectors can also consider a 1760 Philadelphia Chippendale carved mahogany dressing table. It is characterized by intricately carved shell drawers, aprons, and knees terminating in ball and claw feet. Other highlights from the two-day sale include a 16th-century German brass Gothic candlestick, a rare set of four English wool on linen crewelwork curtains, and an English school oil on panel depicting a noble young girl. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming 100 Years: The Kindig Collection – Session One sale, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
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Freeman’s | Hindman will soon present its February 6 Books and Manuscripts sale, which features a seven-volume set of The Works of Aeschylus from the personal library of Thomas Jefferson. This volume comes from Jefferson’s final book collection, deemed his “Retirement Library,” before he died in 1826. This was “a collection for myself of such as may amuse my hours of reading,” as described by Jefferson to David Warden in 1815. The Works of Aeschylus was put together primarily for Jefferson’s pleasure and was comprised of works and editions from authors that Jefferson held in the highest regard. Aeschylus is the father of the Greek tragedy. His surviving plays lend an understanding of earlier Greek tragedy. He was likely the first dramatist to present plays as a trilogy.
Collectors of early Americana can appreciate a beautiful and scarce copy of Peter Force’s Declaration of Independence in the auction. In 1823, to commemorate the approaching 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams commissioned William J. Stone to create an exact copy of the original document. Stone spent three years copying the original document to a copperplate. A decade later in 1833, Peter Force, a printer, archivist, and mayor of Washington, D.C., was commissioned by Congress to create a history of the United States. Force scoured the country, collecting America’s colonial origins and the foundation of the Federal government. He found the original copperplate with which the available scarce copy was printed. Additional highlights include Isaac Leeser’s The Law of God, the first Jewish translation of the Torah into English; a handsome first edition of John Gould’s Monograph of the Odontophorinae, or Partridges of America; and a striking mid-19th-century Russian album of original illustrations depicting the peoples of the Russian empire. View the catalog of Books and Manuscripts auction by visiting Freeman’s | Hindman.
The upcoming Art and Design sale from Freeman’s | Hindman will particularly highlight two notable sculptures from 20th-century artists Paul Evans and Harry Bertoia. Available from Evans is a 1972 painted, gilded, and patinated steel wall panel sculpture. Known for his distinct metal-sculpted furniture, Evans spent much of his career in New Hope, Pennsylvania, where he lived near renowned woodworker George Nakashima. His furniture items and wall sculptures embraced technology while creating a bridge to the Arts and Crafts style. The available wall panel features small shadow-style boxes that each contain a sculpted, abstract object.
Harry Bertoia is represented in this auction with an untitled Sonambient sculpture created after 1969. Made of beryllium copper and bronze, this work is composed of 25 hin rods arranged in a five-by-five layout. Bertoia started his career by creating Modernist furniture before gradually shifting his focus to sculpture. He developed his signature “sounding sculptures” on accident, when a wire he was working with snapped in half and made a sound. Bertoia began placing these wires together in grid-like patterns that would create sound with the wind or a person’s touch. Beyond sculpture, this Art and Design sale features a selection of paintings, including Tom Uttech’s 1986 landscape painting titled Kashabowie Lake and a lakeside scene by March Avery. To view the full Art and Design catalog and register to bid, visit Freeman’s | Hindman.
Toi et moi style rings became popular during the Art Nouveau and Edwardian periods (late 19th to early 20th centuries). The ring symbolized everlasting romantic love and represented the deep connection and commitment between two people. Often exchanged as keepsakes of affection, this type of ring is designed with two diamonds or gemstones fashioned side by side. The settings range from bezel and simple prong to elaborate designs. A toi et moi platinum ring, set with two old European-cut diamonds, is a key highlight of the upcoming Rago sale. Each diamond measures approximately 2.88 carats and 2.81 carats, respectively. The ring also features a platinum band studded with old European-cut diamond shoulders. Another striking piece is a rare Bulgari 18-karat yellow gold and cameo choker necklace. It is styled with a removable pendant and an agate cameo of a male profile on obverse. The reverse is engraved ‘Agate XIXth Century.’
Also on offer is Michael Manthey’s Conflict Resolution earrings set, which is composed of sterling silver and a triangular-cut cubic zirconia with a cut-out roots design. Manthey was known as the ‘Jewelry Alchemist’ and took to professional designing while recovering from his broken neck injury. Visit Rago to view the complete auction catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Jewels sale.
A first-edition set of Edward Emerson Barnard’s scientifically advanced and visually spectacular Atlas of the Milky Way will soon be auctioned by Christie’s. A prominent observational astronomer of the 19th and 20th centuries, Barnard’s atlas in two volumes marks a significant milestone in astrophotography. It was completed and published after Barnard’s death in 1924. Due to the limited number of prints (700 copies) made in 1927, mainly for scientific libraries, this rendering of the atlas takes on a greater prominence. Photographs, descriptive text, charts, and data accompanied these volumes, providing an abundance of information about the Milky Way. The mosaic of 51 photographs included in this atlas continues to be useful for the study of the star clouds, open clusters, and the Milky Way, particularly Barnard dark clouds.
A rare copy of Erhard Ratdolt’s Euclid’s Elements is another notable lot in the sale. A German printer, Ratdolt lived and worked in Venice from 1476 to 1486. Euclid’s Elements, a seminal work by Euclid, was published for the first time in May 1482 by Ratdolt’s workshop. The first printed edition included over 400 geometrical figures, which was the first comprehensive collection of its kind. Bidders can also consider a copy of the first Italian translation of Euclid’s Elements. Also of note in this auction is John Lindley’s The Pomological Magazine, complete with illustrations and descriptions of British fruit varieties. View the full catalog of the Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts including the Americana auction by visiting Christie’s.
An Allan Ramsay portrait of Willielma Campbell (1741 – 1786), one of the most prolific benefactors and evangelical activists in 18th-century Scotland, is a leading lot in this Sotheby’s auction. The Elegance & Wonder: The Jordan Saunders Collection event will offer more than 300 pieces of decorative art, dining and tableware, lighting, furniture, rugs, and more. The featured portrait by Allan Ramsay captured his subject’s demeanor on the occasion of her 1761 nuptials to John Campbell (1738 – 1771), Viscount Glenorchy. Willielma Campbell circulated in elite Edinburgh society, where she met the Viscount through her stepfather, Lord Charles Erskine Tinwald (1680 – 1763), a prominent judge. Her wedding facilitated Willielma’s entrance “into the pomp and splendor of high life,” an event commemorated by this refined painting with an elaborate frame. Ramsay’s masterful ability to render a range of surface textures and materials, including pearls, silver and pink thread, and intricate lacework is showcased in this portrait.
The Elegance & Wonder auction celebrates the interiors created by the collector and philanthropist Jordan Saunders in her Park Avenue penthouse triplex. Her collection of Old Master paintings is currently on loan to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Classic English and European furniture formerly belonging to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor will be available. Among these is a small table attributed to André-Charles Boulle. Cabinetmaker to Louis XIV, André-Charles Boulle (1648 – 1732) was renowned for perfecting the technique of brass and tortoiseshell marquetry that came to bear his name. Boulle also popularized and possibly invented two of the most iconic types of French furniture: the commode with drawers and the bureau plat in the form of a writing desk. View the full Elegance & Wonder: The Jordan Saunders Collection catalog by visiting Sotheby’s.
