Canton porcelain has been exported to the West since the 1600s. Toward the end of the 18th century, Canton porcelain decorated the homes of many wealthy Americans. The blue and white pieces are known to have decorated the tables of Martha and George Washington. The upcoming Country Americana Auction, presented by Skinner, will offer 26 pieces of Canton serving pieces and tableware.
A self-taught artist, Cape Cod-based painter Charles Cahoon started painting at the age of 14. He began by copying the paintings of his father, who was a captain and amateur painter himself. Featured in the upcoming sale is an oil painting by Cahoon, titled Cape Cod Landscape with a Windmill. Vintage furniture such as a Queen Anne-style maple high chest will be highlighted, as well as a selection of Hamadan and Kuma rugs. Collectors can also explore glassware, lamps, sculptures, cast iron figurines, and timepieces. Interested bidders can view the entire catalog and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
Available in the upcoming March Fine Jewels auction, offered by Fortuna Auction, is a 4.95-carat diamond ring. Set in platinum, the piece features a pear brilliant-cut diamond and two tapered baguette-cut diamonds. Included with the lot is a GIA report stating the gem’s D color and VVS1 clarity. According to the American Gem Society, clarity grades of 1 or 2 fall in the category of “very, very slightly included.” This means that the diamond has “… minute [imperfections] that are difficult for a skilled grader to see under 10x magnification.”
Another highlighted lot is a diamond, opal, and sapphire necklace, set in platinum and gold. The cabochon-cut black opal is an uncommon variation of the stone, almost exclusively mined in the Australian town of Lightning Ridge. Due to traces of iron oxide and carbon elements, black opals tend to have darker and more vibrant colors as compared to regular opals. Shades of coral, yellow, blue, bright green and purple can all be seen in the available piece. Below the opal is a lozenge-shaped sapphire weighing approximately 2.60 carats. Flanking the sapphire are two half-moon step-cut diamonds.
Also featured is a sapphire and diamond ring from Van Cleef & Arpels. The central sapphire in this piece weighs approximately 9.0 carats and is accented by round brilliant- and baguette-cut diamonds. A Cartier Egyptian Revival diamond cuff will be presented, showing a falcon with its wings extended. The bird is detailed with round diamonds. Rounding out the sale are several emerald pieces from Orianne, including a statement necklace, a set of earrings, and an emerald and diamond bracelet. Browse the complete catalog for the upcoming event and register to bid on Bidsquare.
According to an ancient Colombian legend, the tears of two banished lovers were transformed into emeralds after their love was tested. Today, two twin peaks representing the lovers mark the entrance to the Minero River valley. Colombia’s emerald-producing mines lie beyond these cliffs. An 18-karat white gold ring featuring a 5.0-carat Colombian emerald is one of the leading lots in the upcoming Fine Jewelry, Luxury Accessories, Sterling Silver, Coins & Currency auction, offered by Alex Cooper Auctioneers. Two diamonds flank the ring’s central emerald. Another highlight is a platinum filigree piece with old European-cut diamonds. The bar on the back allows it to be worn as a pendant or a pin.
The auction also showcases a handmade Italian Byzantine link chain and a diamond mesh necklace. Both lots formerly belonged to an opera singer’s private collection. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare.
Stair will present a selection of fine art, Chinese decorative art pieces, vintage furniture, and more on the second day of the upcoming Mario Buatta auction. This two-day sale offers hundreds of items from the interior designer’s private collection. Among the key items in the second session is a triple dome birdcage. The piece comes with a stand and a plastered parrot perched in the center of the cage. The center dome is topped with a pointed structure painted in black.
Also headlining the auction is a group of Chinese wallpaper panels. The lot includes approximately 22 pieces, the tallest of which stands around 11 feet tall. Each panel is decorated with floral designs, colorful birds, and human figures. An Italian Baroque-style carved wooden plaque and a botanical creamware dessert service will be featured as well. The latter set is a mix of Davenport and Robert Wilson pieces, including six plates with specimen titles in iron-red. Register to bid for this event online at Bidsquare.
The upcoming Lasting Engagement Auction, offered by Christie’s, presents Indian art from the collection of Jane and Kito de Boer. An untitled ink work by Indian artist Francis Newton Souza is particularly featured. Throughout his career, Souza experimented with many genres and styles. He frequently used themes and motifs of Catholicism, the female nude, and the contrast between good and evil in his line drawings.
Another example of Indian art is a set of ten etchings by Somnath Hore. His work explores the human form using rough surfaces, slits, and holes. In his youth, Hore became associated with the Communist Party; his socialist ideologies influenced the early phases of his artistic career. Also among the highlighted lots are several photographic works. Four pictures from Henri Cartier-Bresson’s India-Gandhi series, captured in 1948, are featured. Register to bid for these items and view each lot on the Christie’s website.
Books and manuscripts will be featured in the upcoming Auction of the Backal Collection and Library, presented by Morton Subastas. Featured in the sale is a copy of Monumentos del Arte Mexicano Antiguo Volume I and II (circa 1889). This edition is illustrated with original art.
Another key lot contains messages from the Spanish King of Castile to Don Antonio de Obregón y Alcocer, honoring the latter man and his descendants for his services. Inside the volume is a colorful illustration with a Spanish inscription, translating to “Don Carlos for the Grace of God.” A set of 49 color plates from Pedro Augusto Renoir is featured as well. Included in the bound set is a signed engraving titled Eau forte, Portrait of Berthe Morisot, 1892. The collection is bound in leather and engraved with the signature of the bookbinder, López Valencia. To bid or view the complete catalog, visit Bidsquare.
The Liberty head half eagle coin was the first US coin produced in San Francisco. With the California Gold Rush in full swing, the United States Government looked for ways to use the natural resource to spread wealth into the local and national economies. Much of the gold entered monetary circulation as a result. An 1854 Liberty head half eagle coin is available in the upcoming currency auction, presented by Stack’s Bowers Galleries. In addition to its connection to the Gold Rush, this coin also has one of the lowest production numbers of any U.S. coin in regular circulation. An 1875 Liberty head $20 double eagle coin will also be featured in the auction. Like the previously-mentioned lot, the 1875 Liberty head was primarily minted in San Francisco. However, JM Bullion notes that many more of these coins entered circulation, with approximately 1.6 million produced in total.
A 1796 Liberty Cap half-cent is also highlighted. The half-cent was the smallest denomination coin ever produced in the United States, first entering circulation with the Liberty Cap half-cent in 1793. The 1796 version of the coin depicts Liberty gazing to the right. The object behind Liberty is a Phrygian or liberty cap. Though primarily associated with the Roman Republic and French revolutions, the liberty cap was also a popular symbol of freedom in 18th-century America. Register to bid for this event on the Stack’s Bowers Galleries website. The gallery also holds multiple simultaneous sessions, which interested bidders can track on the website’s auction calendar.
The D. Brent Pogue Collection Part VI event, presented by Stack’s Bowers Galleries, brings to auction 230 pieces of historical paper currency from the United States. One of the highlighted lots is a $100 “Watermelon Note” from 1890. Collectors gave this note its nickname due to the fruit-like shape and shading of the two zeros on its back. Also pictured on the bill is naval officer David Farragut, who supported Union forces throughout the Civil War.
Also available is an 1863 “Spread Eagle” $100 note. On the bill, an eagle stands on a rock with outstretched wings. The gallery notes that the bill’s irregular size often caused improperly-cut margins. An 1869 $50 note comes to auction as one of approximately 60 surviving examples. On its front, a woman holds an olive branch in one hand. A portrait of Henry Clay decorates the right side of the note. Clay was a statesman who advocated for the abolition of slavery in his native Kentucky.
Rounding out the featured lots is a $1,000 gold certificate from 1907. A portrait of Alexander Hamilton is displayed in the center of the bill, with a seal printed in gold to Hamilton’s right. This lot is the only known example of the certificate to receive the grade “Gem Uncirculated.” Register to bid for this event on the Stack’s Bowers Galleries website. The gallery also holds multiple simultaneous sessions, which interested bidders can track on the website’s auction calendar.
Vasudeo S. Gaitonde was a member of India’s Progressive Artists’ Group, a movement of artistic reinvention based in Bombay during the mid-20th century. After his association with the Progressive Artists’ Group, Gaitonde was introduced to the Indian miniature watercolor technique by Shankar B. Palsikar. Along with his study of traditional Indian painting techniques, Gaitonde was also influenced by the work of the German Expressionist Paul Klee, who shaped his artistic style during the 1950s and early 1960s. An oil painting by Gaitonde will be offered in the upcoming South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art Auction, presented by Christie’s. The untitled piece was painted in shades of light blue, aqua, and green.
Work from another member of the Progressive Artists’ Group is among the highlights of the sale. Sayed Haider Raza was a co-founder of the artistic collective. One goal of the movement was to reject the influences of European Realism—which was the leading style in Indian academic art at the time. As he was exposed to Modernism, Raza’s early landscapes moved towards abstraction. Also featured in the sale is a work by Narayan Shridhar Bendre. Known for his persistent experimentation, Bendre pushed the boundaries of arts and crafts in the 1950s. Explore the full listings and register to bid online by visiting Christie’s.
Hampton Estate Auction offers a selection of 450 jewelry items, including luxury accessories, wristwatches, and vintage lots in the upcoming Fine Jewelry and Watches auction. Highlighted is a 14-karat gold Native American bracelet marked with the artisan’s signature. The piece is striped with coral, lapis, malachite, and turquoise gems in shades of aqua, red, navy, and dark green. Another bracelet of interest is a Boucheron Paris gold link bracelet with chrysoprase stones. Founded in 1858, Boucheron created the available bracelet during the 1970s.
A set of David Webb carved crystal earrings are also presented. Set in gold, the crystals are scored in a cross-hatch pattern. Before launching his jewelry house, Webb considered being an architect and archeologist. These interests would later inform his jewelry designs. As his career advanced, he increasingly turned to crystal, which he described as “… the one white alternative for diamonds.” Buccellati opera earrings, a Carrera y Carrera elephant necklace, and a Cartier Santos automatic wristwatch are included in the sale as well. Browse the full catalog and register to bid on Bidsquare.
