The term “mother of pearl” refers to an iridescent nacre coating inside a mollusk shell. It has a multi-colored glow and the thin layer is often crafted into cabochon shapes. One of the leading lots in the upcoming Palm Beach Fine Jewelry auction, to be presented by Hindman, is a pair of mother of pearl carved fish with sapphire eyes, mounted in white gold. Another highlight is a pair of pink tourmaline and diamond flower ear clips. The clips are decorated with mixed-cut pink tourmaline and round brilliant-cut diamonds, mounted in platinum. Cartier’s Trinity bangle bracelet of three intertwined bands of yellow, white, and rose gold also features in the sale.
The collection will include aquatic-inspired pieces such as a textured gold seahorse brooch and a yellow gold dolphin tie tack with a mixed-cut emerald eye. The auction features jewelry by makers such as David Webb, Tiffany & Co., Cartier, and Buccellati. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Hindman.
Peter Max is known for his brightly colored Pop Art paintings, which are often described as psychedelic. Blackwell Auctions showcases paintings by Peter Max in the upcoming Exceptional Estates Auction. Highlighted among them is an acrylic painting titled Umbrella Man in Blue III from his Umbrella Man series. The auction also offers a vintage Piaget 18-karat gold and diamond watch. The 1980 manual-wind watch has a dial set with diamonds and a tiger’s eye outer frame.
Glassmaker Duncan McClellan was intrigued by the glass blowing process after he visited a glass factory at the age of five. Even after working with mediums such as clay and leather, the artist couldn’t get over his fascination with glass. An available cameo glass vase by McClellan is an example of his inscribed glasswork. Also presented in the sale are silverware, Doulton pottery pieces, firearms, posters, and sculptures. Explore the full listings and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
The upcoming February 2020 Fine Art auction, presented by Neue Auctions, will feature one of Bridget Riley’s color screenprints. Using mainly pastel tones, Riley’s painting repeats curved lines at regular intervals across the canvas. These lines create an illusion that the lines are moving. She is quoted as searching for an interactive art experience in her works: “Painters have always needed a sort of veil upon which they can focus their attention. It’s as though the more fully the consciousness is absorbed, the greater the freedom of the spirit behind.”
Robert Daughters’ oil on canvas piece is another highlight of the auction. His style is characterized by dark outlines and small brushstrokes that express the color of his subjects. The artist has focused primarily on landscapes of the American Southwest. Also of interest in this sale is oil painting by Frank Dean. His work depicts daily life in Cairo. Explore the full listings and register to bid online by visiting Bidsquare.
American jeweler David Webb made bold statement jewelry pieces that were often worn by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner, Lana Turner, and Merle Oberon. In his short career, Webb’s designs also made an impression on some of the most influential jewelry collectors of the era. He is considered one of the few jewelers who have been faithful to a signature style over decades. The upcoming Designer Certified Diamond Gold Jewelry Fine Art Sale, offered by Allure Antique Auction Company, will feature a David Webb Colombian emerald bracelet and earring set made of 18-karat platinum and diamonds.
Among the leading lots of this sale is a Cartier love bracelet. The bracelet was designed in the shape of an oval to fit as closely as possible to a loved one’s wrist. A Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra necklace is another highlight. Debuted in 1968, four-leaf clovers inspired the talismanic design of the Alhambra, which became a fashion statement among celebrities by the 1970s. View the complete listings and register to bid on Bidsquare.
This February, Discover African Art will present a selection of tribal art at auction. The collection includes African masks, figures, furniture, and textiles from various ethnic groups. One of the standout items is a detailed female caryatid stool. The stool belongs to the Luba people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The piece would be used infrequently as a sign of power, wealth, and respect.
One ethnic group featured in the auction is the Yoruba, who are native to Nigeria. The collection showcases various artifacts from the Yoruba people, including a zoomorphic shrine figure and several offering bowls. The shrine figure is shaped like an antelope with curved horns. It is made of wood with added pigments. View the complete catalog and register to bid for these items on bidsquare.
Jack Kent was a prolific American cartoonist and author-illustrator best known as the creator of the King Aroo comic strip. He was also a collector of the work of other comic artists, and the upcoming Great America Comic Strip Online Auction, offered by Heritage Auctions, will feature original items from Kent’s collection. One key lot is an original Hal Foster Prince Valiant Sunday comic. Prince Valiant is an American comic strip that was created by Foster in 1937 and has been told in a continuous story ever since.
Other well-known characters in the sale include a drawing of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd standing back to back, as if preparing to duel. In the drawing, Bugs has white-tipped ears, a feature that was phased out around 1940. There is also a production cel of Mickey Mouse from the Academy Award-nominated short The Brave Little Tailor. The cell is hand-inked and hand-painted, appearing at approximately the 2:51 mark in the film.
Beyond comics, a pinup image by Milton Caniff and a Winsor McCay chemical warfare editorial illustration will be presented. Other lots include a Gordon Hope Grant picture of a woman with her pug dog and an illustration of an Eskimo scene by Rockwell Kent. View any of these lots and register to bid on Heritage Auctions.
The upcoming Urban Art online sale offered by Heritage Auctions will examine the meeting point between street art and Superflat art. Takashi Murakami, the Japanese contemporary artist who launched the latter movement, will be particularly highlighted in this event. Several lithographs from his And Then series will be available, as well as various collaborative pieces with other artists and brands. A set of three Murakami skateboards made with Supreme are featured. The screen-printed boards reflect the Pop Art influences in Superflat art, as well as the subtle criticisms of modern-day consumerism and mass media. Murakami’s Plush Flowerball sculpture and various vinyl depictions of his signature Mr. DOB character will also be presented.
Paired with Murakami in this sale is KAWS, an American graffiti artist and designer. Several pieces from his Companion series will be on offer, including a black Mickey Mouse figure with a skull-and-crossbones head. KAWS’ collaborative works are also coming to auction, including several Companions made with BE@RBRICKS. Screenprints from Ben Allen and the Andy Warhol Foundation can also be found in this auction. Visit Heritage Auctions’ website to view the complete catalog and place a bid.
Hill Auction Gallery will present a selection of fine art, decorative art, furniture, and antiques in the upcoming Palm Beach Socialite sale. An oil painting from Paul Jenkins will be particularly highlighted. An Abstract Expressionist, Jenkins discovered the effects of staining a canvas as opposed to painting it during a stay in Paris. Jenkins’ technique included applying oil paint or thinned acrylic to primed white canvas. Starting at the corners, he would manipulate the flow of colors by adjusting the canvas’ position. He used bright, bold colors in his works, and since he described himself as an “abstract phenomenist,” from the 1960s on all his paintings’ titles began with the word ‘phenomena.’
A key sculptor featured in the sale is Dominique Polles. Considered to be the inventor of Organic Cubism, his subject matter is almost always of the female form with twisting, truncated torsos. Polles’ female nude bronze statue will be presented in the auction. Among the furniture, a metal coffee table by Albert Paley will be highlighted. Known for the ‘Portal Gates’ he created for the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C., his works take cues from the Gothic, Baroque, and Art Nouveau styles. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Invaluable.
The upcoming Winter Firearms and Militaria sale, presented by Wickliff Auctioneers, brings to auction over 200 weapons from various time periods and countries. Featured in the auction is a semi-automatic DWM Luger. Made famous for their use by the Germans in World War I and II, this particular Luger was produced by the Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken company (DWM).
Two cased Colt models are also available in this auction. The first is an 1849 pocket revolver, which includes a powder horn, mold, and caps. The revolver also has a stagecoach scene crafted into the cylinder. The other is an 1851 Navy revolver, which comes to auction in its original case. Engraved on the revolver is a scene of the Second Texas Navy’s victory at the Battle of Campeche. This was Samuel Colt’s way of thanking the Texas Navy for purchasing his earlier, and less successful, Colt Paterson Revolver. Register to bid for these items online on the Wickliff Auctioneers’ website.
In 1947, actress Loretta Young won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in The Farmer’s Daughter. “You know up until now… the Academy Awards has been a purely spectator sport for me,” Young said in her acceptance speech. “However, tonight I dressed for the stage just in case.” The upcoming auction of items from Loretta Young’s estate is presented by Julien’s Auctions. Clothing and accessories worn by Young, along with furniture she used on set during various projects, are highlighted in the event.
Young’s Blackglama full-length ranch mink coat is a featured piece. Her monogram at the time, “LYL” for Loretta Young Lewis, is embroidered on the coat’s interior. Collectors of vintage clothes can also consider a lot with three of Young’s hats. A cream lace Lilly Dache “Dachettes” hat is available in this lot.
Coming to auction from the set of a television show is a Qing Dynasty ironwood horseshoe chair. The piece appeared in several episodes of The Loretta Young Show and was hand-picked by Young’s mother, who was a Hollywood interior designer. The Loretta Young Show was an anthology series that ran for eight seasons and earned Young three Primetime Emmy Awards. She was the first actor ever to win both an Emmy and an Oscar.
Two tops designed by Young’s third husband, Jean Louis, are also available in this auction. Louis was a Hollywood dress designer, and the two lots available lots are a blue crepe blouse and a silk dressing gown, respectively. Rounding out the auction’s featured items is a bracelet given to Young (then Loretta Young Jean) from Frank and Nancy Sinatra. The 14-karat gold link bracelet comes with a charm reading “Merry Xmas Jean/ The Sinatras 1947.” View each lot and register to bid on the Julien’s Auction website.
