On the evening of July 6, 1776, the text of the Declaration of Independence was announced to justify the United States’ freedom from Great Britain. The first member of the Continental Congress to sign the Declaration of Independence was John Hancock. Due in part to his influence in the movement for American independence, the document was adopted and the United States came into existence. A historic letter from Hancock announcing the Declaration is a highlight of the upcoming Fine Manuscript and Printed Americana auction, presented by Sotheby’s. The letters, books, and manuscripts featured in this auction include over 150 items related to the American Revolution and other periods of American history.
An autographed letter from Abraham Lincoln addressed to Joshua Reed Giddings is also available in the sale. The letter discusses Lincoln’s hopes as he entered the presidential bid: “May the Almighty grant that the cause of truth, justice, and humanity, shall in no wise suffer at my hands.” In addition, a first edition copy of Alonso de Molina’s Spanish to Nahuatl and Nahuatl to Spanish dictionary will be available. This was the first bilingual dictionary to translate the ancient Aztec language. An extensive selection of handbills, broadsides, pamphlets, and ephemera from the private collection of Bailey Bishop stands out as well. To view these lots and more, visit Sotheby’s and register to bid.
Heritage Auctions presents ancient Roman coins along with other world coins in the upcoming online auction. Among the available Roman pieces, one featured lot from the year 265 shows the laureate head of Gallienus on one side and the standing Uberitas holding grapes on the other side. This coin is known as an aureus, which was among the first coins to be minted in the Roman Empire. The aureus coins were later replaced by solidus, a pure gold coin with a higher value despite containing lesser gold content as compared to the previous style. A Western Roman Empire Magnus Maximus solidus coin is another highlight of this auction.
Imagery coins bearing the likeness of living persons were first introduced by Julius Caesar. The offered denarius coin of Julius Caesar as dictator and Venus connects the attributes and association of the emperor with the divine gods. Egyptian coins are also included in the auction. Explore the full listings and register to bid online on Heritage Auctions.
The upcoming Exquisite Designer Jewelry & Estate Diamond Art Work Sale presented by Allure Antique Auction Company will offer designer jewelry from Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, David Yurman, Bulgari, Cartier, and more. The auction also offers several lithographs and original paintings from Salvador Dalí, John Sloan, Pablo Picasso, and more. Highlighted in the auction is a watercolor painting titled After the Head of Giuliano de’ Medici by Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí. This piece comes from the artist’s later period, depicting the tilted head of de’ Medici looking towards a road. Also featured in the auction is John Sloan’s oil painting of a street scene with cars and buildings.
Jewelry lots of interest include a lady’s round and baguette-cut diamond bracelet watch by Jaeger LeCoultre and a Cartier diamond and sapphire ring. An alexandrite platinum ring and a Victorian diamond and platinum necklace by Tiffany & Co. will also be presented. The latter was designed with round brilliant-cut diamonds surrounded by marquise diamonds. Several band rings are also offered in the sale. To view the complete auction catalog and register for bidding, visit Bidsquare.
Founded in 1870 and opening its doors to the public on July 4, 1876, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts currently welcomes more than a million visitors each year. Sotheby’s is offering the upcoming auction, A New Dimension of Tradition: Important American Folk Art, to benefit the Museum of Fine Arts. The museum will be launching a new folk art initiative with the auction’s profits.
Available in the sale is a Goddess of Liberty statue that is attributed to either William Henis or Vincent W. Baldwin. This molded copper weathervane was made between 1875 and 1879 and depicts a goddess flying the American flag. Another item up for auction is an Edward Hicks oil painting. This 1832 piece shows Andrew Jackson with a bald eagle holding up a red, white, and blue flag. A Tree of Life blanket chest, a cast-iron weathervane of a horse, and a polychrome-painted wooden checker gameboard will also be presented. To view the full catalog and register to bid, visit Sotheby’s online.
The Americana genre explores the charm and nostalgia of the country’s past, from paintings and illustrations of rural life and factories to the work of self-taught artists and handmade crafts. Sotheby’s will highlight a selection of Americana in the upcoming Triumphant Grace auction, featuring the collection of Barbara and Arun Singh.
Included in the sale is a Simon Willard tall case clock from around 1795. Willard was a popular and celebrated U.S. clockmaker during the late 1700s and early 1800s. This mahogany clock features eight-day, calendar, and moon movements. The piece remains in its original condition, including the pendulum rod, which is painted to match the dial mat. Another item highlighted in the auction is a 1775 Chippendale-carved chest of drawers. The cherrywood bonnet-top chest stands 82 inches tall and shows 11 drawers with brass handles on its front. Several vintage portraits, a pair of Samuel Task Fire Society fire buckets, and an American eagle wall plaque are also featured. To view all 229 lots and place a bid, visit Sotheby’s.
As the 1900 Paris Exposition approached, one of the organizers delivered a message to the creators and artisans participating: “Create in the manner of the masters, but do not copy what they have made.” Parisian cabinetmaker François Linke took that sentiment as a challenge, developing a new style of furniture that blended the Rococo style with the Art Nouveau. Linke’s success at the Exposition would launch his career and bring his work into the popular consciousness. One of his 1924 roll top desks is available in the upcoming January Artwork and Antiques Curated Auction, offered by Curated Estates Auctions. This lot features a leather slide-out writing surface and two original keys. It is signed by Linke on the top bracket.
Other lots of interest in this auction include a Concord Steeplechase women’s watch, a foliage oil painting by French artist René Maurice Fath, and a set of mahogany dining room chairs. Several works created in the style of the 17th–century Italian painters are highlighted. One depicts the agony of Saint Sebastian and another shows of the crucifixion of Christ. Two antique Hollywood Regency chandeliers are presented as well, both complete with crystals and over-the-top embellishments. View these lots and the full listings on Bidsquare.
A traveler at heart, Sanford Robinson Gifford was known to disappear for months or years at a time to view landscapes and build inspiration for his work. Gifford belonged to the Hudson River School of artists, which was active during the mid-19th century. The Art Story notes that this focus on nature “… provided an alternative to European culture and history. [It was] a picturesque, patriotic, and inspirational theme.” Featured in the upcoming Fine Paintings & Sculpture auction offered by Skinner is Gifford’s Sketch of the Lago di Nemi oil painting. The framed piece overlooks a small lake from a hilltop, all painted in the artist’s signature warm colors and multiple layers of varnish.
During the same period and across the Atlantic, Henri Fantin-Latour was also rising in popularity due to his unconventional style. He was particularly known for his flower still lifes and contemporary portraiture. Available in this auction is one of Fantin-Latour’s paintings, titled Fleurs. In this piece, the artist’s brush captured daisies, tulips, lilacs, and other flowers in a mixed table arrangement. Two works from Maurice Utrillo, another noted French artist, are also presented. One, Rue de Province, shows a splitting street of Paris’ Montmartre neighborhood where Utrillo lived and worked. The other available Utrillo piece shows an archway in the city’s Parc Monceau.
This auction of fine and sculptural art will include numerous international works, including regions outside of Europe and North America. Self-taught Cuban painter René Portocarrero’s Catedral takes an abstracted view of a church’s face, while several works from Colombian painter Alejandro Obregón focus on strongly-colored landscapes. View the complete catalog for this auction and register to bid by visiting Bidsquare.
Helmuth Stone Gallery’s Winter Feature Auction presents 20th-century European fine art and luxury jewelry. An untitled abstract painting by German artist Fred Thieler is available in this auction. The piece was finished in 1957 and was included in a Carnegie Institute exhibition in Pittsburgh the following year. Artnet describes Thieler’s aesthetic as “long, dramatic brushstrokes and watery splashes of pigment.”
Also representing German abstract art are two pieces by Markus Lüpertz. His work explores form and encourages the viewer to focus on details. Working in Berlin in the mid-20th century, Lüpertz’s paintings diverged from the Pop Art and Expressionism dominating the city at that time. Both pieces in the upcoming event combine oil paint, crayon, and pencil, and contain similar rectangular shapes. They come to auction from the collection of Olivia Strahl, whose holdings are split between Germany and Sarasota, Florida.
Rounding out the highlighted lots are several jewelry pieces from recognizable brands. This includes an 18 karat white gold Cartier bracelet. Also available is a Rolex stainless steel watch. The watch is from the brand’s Yacht-Master line, which is designed specifically for those engaging in water sports. Register to bid online and view each lot on Bidsquare.
Benito Jacovitti, a well-known Italian satirical cartoonist, was best known for his parodies and literary adaptations. During his career, Jacovitti created more than 60 characters and around 150 books. Highlighted in the upcoming EROTIC: Art, Photography & Collectibles auction presented by Artelisted is a hand-signed Kamasutra book by Benito Jacovitti.
Examples of shunga, an erotic artistic tradition that emerged from early modern Japan, are among the key lots of the sale. Included is a vintage shunga hand-painted canvas depicting a couple making love. The auction also features original erotic drawings by Rafael Dussan and several silver gelatin photographs by New Orleans photographer Bernardo Wade. Other lots include stone lithographs by Frederico Righi and hand-painted watercolor illustrations by James Thompson. To browse the entire collection and register to bid, visit Artelisted.
Born and raised in a family of painters which included his father and brother, Adriaen van de Velde decided to pave his own way without turning to his family’s painting traditions. He always wanted to become a landscape painter and was quick to learn the techniques of drawing and sketching animals in nature. Van de Velde eventually became one of the best Dutch landscape and animal painters of the 17th century. A wood panel painting depicting cattle grazing by van de Velde is featured on the first day of the upcoming Unreserved January Estates Auction 2020, presented by Kaminski Auctions.
Among the highlights of the sale are a Chinese lotus leaf palace urn, a bronze sculpture depicting ballerina Miss Lorraine by Mario Jason, and a Persian Heriz rug with a rectangular motif in bright red and white colors. Also included is a Model B Steinway piano, several pieces of Federal furniture, European paintings, as well as a collection of Chinese furniture and porcelains. To browse the entire collection and register to bid online, visit Kaminski Auctions.
