Andy Warhol first photographed Muhammad Ali in 1977. The photographs of the heavyweight boxing champion would be used as references for Warhol’s 1977 Athletes series. As Warhol lifted his camera, Ali had only one question: “Do I look fearless?” One of Warhol’s original portraits of Ali is highlighted in the upcoming Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale, presented by Christie’s. The piece comes to auction directly from the collection of Richard L. Weisman. Weisman originally commissioned Andy Warhol to create the 1977 Athletes series, keeping a few, including this portrait, for himself.
Warhol collectors can also consider a piece from his Flowers series. It began in the 1960s when curator Henry Geldzahler became disturbed by Warhol’s fixation on death. Geldzahler suggested Warhol change his focus and pointed, at random, to a photograph of flowers in a 1964 issue of Modern Photography. The result was more somber than Geldzahler expected. “[T]hey present a distillation of much of the strength of Warhol’s art,” wrote curator John Coplans, “the flash of beauty that suddenly becomes tragic under the viewer’s gaze.”
Several of the auction’s lots come from Warhol’s fellow Pop artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. His paper collage piece titled The Mosque is among the key lots. The work includes several references to religion and the afterlife, including the titular mosque and the phrase “GOING TO HEAVEN,” with two arrows pointing to the empty space above.
Also included is untitled work by Sigmar Polke. The piece available in this auction was created with Polke’s raster-dot technique. The artist photographed an image that appeared in a newspaper or magazine, then copied the photograph out on canvas with dots. Imperfections would emerge, including smudges, but Polke left them as-is, acknowledging them as part of the process. View each of these lots and register to bid on Christie’s website.
Marc Chagall was best known for his use of color and dream-like imagery, which anticipated Surrealism. His works drew heavily on early 20th-century avant-garde movements such as Fauvism and Cubism. A gouache-on-paper piece by Chagall is among the highlighted lots in the upcoming Winter Fine & Decorative Arts Auction, presented by Cordier Auctions & Appraisals. The painting shows a ballerina and a horse dancing beneath a moon, all in shades of white and blue.
An IWC Schaffhausen Portofino men’s wristwatch is highlighted in the sale. The dials of these watches have Roman numerals and simple hour markers. The Swiss watch manufacturer, IWC Schaffhausen, launched its Portofino line in 1984. Another lot of interest is a bronze sculpture titled Horse World by Snell Johnson. This piece is a model for a life-sized Horse World sculpture, which Johnson created for the entrance of the WestWorld center in Scottsdale, Arizona. This model shows a group of three horses—an Arabian, a thoroughbred, and a quarter horse—in various positions. View each lot and register to bid on Invaluable.
Pottery dogs were often used as funerary objects during China’s Han dynasty period. Archaeologists discovered that pottery dogs were buried alongside their owner’s tombs in Nanyang. Many people believed dogs were able to protect them from evil and help them enjoy a peaceful afterlife. The first day of the upcoming Winter Antiques Sale, presented by Litchfield County Auctions, will feature a pottery dog from the Han Dynasty. Beyond pottery pieces, the auction also includes porcelain vases, sculptures, dinnerware, and more.
Notable lots in this sale include a vase by Baccarat and Erté. One of the early leaders of the Art Deco movement, Erté created the vase in collaboration with the French luxury crystal brand in 1985. The handcrafted vase was produced in a limited edition of 199 pieces. Another lot of interest is a Japanese silk tapestry. This piece was woven using a palette of browns, greens, and ochres, embroidered with three-clawed dragons among clouds. It is believed that the Japanese dragon represents power and prosperity. Explore the full listings for this sale and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
During the reign of Louis XV in France, the highly decorative and luxurious style of Rococo came into popularity. Furniture created in this style is characterized by the use of rare woods, the focus of ornate and fantasy motifs, and a balance between comfort and elegance. A set of six Louis XV-style chairs will be featured in the upcoming Decorative Furnishings and Accessories, Custom, Jewelry, and Silver Auction, offered by Nadeau’s Auction Gallery. The white leather side chairs are matched with a Neoclassical round dining table with a marble top. Various other pieces of furniture in the Louis XV style—including a framed mirror, several sets of upholstered armchairs, and an Auffrey and Company commode—will be available.
This sale will also include works of decorative art and sculpture. Bruno Lucchesi’s bronze sculpture titled On the Road to Damascus shows a rider falling backward off of his horse. In his work, the Italian-American artist often depicts the small moments of indignity that characterize everyday life. The available piece comes from the estate of Ed Brenner and stands almost 12 inches tall. Vintage rings and jewelry pieces are highlighted as well, including a 14-karat gold and platinum filigree ring with a cushion-cut sapphire in the center. View the complete catalog for this auction and register to bid by visiting Bidsquare.
Showcased in Leland Little’s upcoming Fine Wine & Rare Spirits Live Auction is a selection of Screaming Eagles wines. Screaming Eagle Winery and Vineyards is located in California’s Napa Valley. What began as a 57-acre vineyard in 1986 that only sold to various local wineries is now produces some of the most celebrated and expensive wines in the Napa Valley. In 1995, the winery replanted to cover three varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. It now grows and produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and a small number of Sauvignon Blanc wines. Featured in the auction is one bottle from 1996, two bottles from 1998 and three bottles from 2001, all from Screaming Eagle. Also included are bottles of Very, Very Old Fitzgerald bourbon whiskey, Four Roses blended whiskey, Seagram’s V.O. Canadian whiskey, and more. View the entire wine collection and place a bid by visiting Leland Little’s website.
In 1891, the U.S Department of the Interior commissioned Webb C. Ball to create an overarching set of railroad watch qualifiers. Ball partnered with the Waltham Watch Company for the manufacture of the Ball Waltham railroad pocket watch, which set the standard for railroad timekeeping. A Ball Waltham pocket watch from 1899 is highlighted in the upcoming 3rd Thursday Discovery Auction, offered by Witherell’s. With over 300 available lots, the sale will present jewelry, decorative works, and toys.
Featured in the sale is a Navajo rug made by Jennie Lewis. Made with handspun wool, Navajo floor rugs are characterized by defined outer borders, rich colors, and crisp designs. Also among the key lots is a Lucas automobile lantern. Joseph Lucas began producing lamps in 1875 but it was not until the automotive boom of the early 1900s that his company experienced success. Also included is a Donald Duck drummer by Linemar toys. Linemar, a manufacturing and import company for Louis Marx & Co., was established specifically for the importation of battery-operated mechanical toys from Japan. This piece comes in its original box with a wind-up key. View the complete catalog and register to bid online on Witherell’s.
1937 is considered Lou Gehrig’s final hall-of-fame-level year. He batted .351 with 37 home runs. The following year, his energy would be sapped by a condition then unknown to him, but later diagnosed as ALS. A Lou Gehrig game-worn jersey from that last full-strength season is available in the upcoming Sports Collectibles event, presented by Heritage Auctions. The auction house notes that this jersey is the one Gehrig wore in a photo used to create his Monument Park plaque outside of Yankee Stadium.
From the start of Gehrig’s career, collectors will find a game-used bat from 1922-23. At that time, bats were used for longer periods, and players may have taken a bat with them to multiple assignments. Therefore, it is unclear whether this bat was used when Gehrig played college baseball at Columbia University, during his minor league assignment in Hartford, Connecticut, on his first trip to the big leagues with the New York Yankees, or perhaps all three. A four-page signed letter Gehrig wrote to his Mayo Clinic doctor is also among the items available. In the letter, Gehrig asks to know the truth of his condition, regardless of the consequences. “I do not want to be a hero, and I would hate like hell to be a cry baby,” he wrote, “but I would also like to know the facts if any…”
Collectors looking for more recent baseball memorabilia can consider items from the Devon White collection. White was a center fielder for the Toronto Blue Jays, among other teams. He played for the Blue Jays during their back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993. Available in this auction are 24-inch models of both the ’92 and ’93 championship trophies that White was able to purchase as a member of the winning team. Because of White’s connection to Canada, a portion of the proceeds from each item in the Devon White Collection will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society. Register to bid for this event on the Heritage Auctions website.
Presented in Heritage Auctions’ upcoming Design sale is a full-scale replica of Paul Rudolph’s Walker Guest House. Commissioned in 2015 by the Sarasota Architectural Foundation, the house is modeled after the architect’s original 1952-53 design with plywood, metal, glass, and rope. Rudolph was among the founding members of the Sarasota School of Architecture in Florida. He created Minimalist structures inspired by Europe’s Bauhaus movement but infused with distinctly American Southern characteristics. The 576-square-foot guest house is noted as one of Rudolph’s most significant designs and is partially furnished inside.
Another notable lot is a glazed ceramic plate from Viktor Schreckengost. An artist who dabbled in many different mediums, Schreckengost was commissioned in the 1930s by Eleanor Roosevelt to create several jazz-themed ceramic works. The available 1931 plate is glazed in black and blue, depicting a couple dancing between tables and wine glasses.
Modernist works are highlighted in multiple categories of this auction. Alexander Hayden Girard’s enameled metal lamp for the Textiles & Objects shop in New York will be featured alongside a block-color acrylic painting by John Morton Thomas. A 2019 sounding sculpture from Val Bertoia will be offered as well. View the complete catalog and register to bid by visiting Heritage Auctions.
José Gerardo Murillo Cornado, better known by his pseudonym, Dr. Atl, was a key figure in Mexican social justice issues during the mid-20th century. Educated in philosophy and criminal law, he was known at the university where he worked as ‘the agitator.’ Through all of his political activities, Dr. Atl maintained a private passion for landscape painting and volcanology. One of the artist’s works will be featured in the upcoming Painting, Drawing, and Sculpture Auction, offered by Morton Subastas. The untitled oil painting takes an aerial view of Mexico’s rolling hills and distant mountains.
A painting from Joaquín Torres-García is presented in this auction as well. His 1927 still–life of several bottles, a bowl, and a tea kettle is highlighted. Layers of olive green, brown, black, and red oil paint were used in this piece. Torres-García is credited with introducing Constructivism to South America, using two-dimensionality and geometric forms to create a flattened look in his own paintings. Three sketches by Diego Rivera are also featured. One Rivera sketch on Japanese paper shows a man carrying a large box on his back, bent over from the weight but still walking forward.
Available fine art pieces from Arnold Belkin, Gustavo Montoya, and Sergio Hernández will be included in this event. Additionally, a selection of decorative art and sculpture will cross the auction block. One of Salvador Dalí’s Anthropomorphic Cabinet sculptures is available. Inspired by Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis and the budding Surrealist movement, Dalí justified his dream-like style: “Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision.” The available bronze sculpture rests on a marble base, shaped like a woman with drawers pulled out from her chest and her hand outstretched. View the complete catalog for this auction and register to bid by visiting Bidsquare.
The upcoming Photographs auction from Heritage Auctions contains several prints by well-known artists. Most of the photographs are monochrome prints, including two lots each stamped “special edition” on the verso by Ansel Adams. A photographer and environmentalist, Adams was best known for his images of the American West. The two lots for sale in this auction—Cathedral Spires and Rocks, Late Afternoon and Oaktree, Snowstorm— were taken in Yosemite National Park, one of his most-frequented locales.
Also available in this sale are portraits of artists and celebrities, including images of Marilyn Monroe, Frida Kahlo, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, The Beatles, and Rita Hayworth. There are also a number of photos made by or for government agencies, including a footprint in the lunar soil (NASA), the Baker Day explosion of the fifth atomic bomb (U.S. Navy), and several farmworker photos from the Library of Congress. A print of the notorious Eddie Adams photo titled Street Execution of Vietcong Prisoner, Saigon will be presented as well. View any of these lots and register to bid on Heritage Auctions.
