A poupou is a carved wooden panel designed for the porch of a Māori meeting house. Embellished with carvings of spiritual lineage, each poupou depicts tales of migration of the carver’s ancestors to New Zealand. The upcoming auction, presented by Bonhams, will feature extraordinary Māori artifacts, including one such striking house panel. It was created for a meeting house commissioned by Chief Karaitiana Takamonana of Hawke’s Bay in 1870. Owing to his financial misfortune, the house was never completed. However, Augustus Hamilton, a trader of Māori objects, purchased the house in 1889 on behalf of Dr. Thomas Morland Hocken.
Other rare lots belonging to the indigenous Polynesian peoples include a carved war canoe tauihu. Most likely from the Bay of Plenty, the prow portrays a guiding figure at the front, signifying an ancestral commander. Behind is a median panel with two openwork double spirals. The traverse washboard portrays a figure directing the stern. A noteworthy wooden torso with hints of green paint also leads the listings. It most probably served as a stockade image crafted on the highest post within the defensive palisade to boost the morale of the community. Visit Bonhams to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming African and Oceanic Art sale.
Leading the upcoming Silverware, Toys, Décor, Glass Art sale from SJ Auctioneers is Tiffany & Co. sterling silver flatware set from 1884. Designed with the ‘Wave Edge’ pattern, the available set of dinner knives, dinner forks, dessert forks, large spoons, and tea spoons comes to auction with an accompanying wooden case. Charles T. Grosjean designed the ‘Wave Edge’ pattern for Tiffany. Grosjean was the head of the company’s silverware department, and he helped propel the brand to global success with designs such as ‘English King’ and the famous ‘Chrysanthemum.’ Each piece of flatware in the available set features a “Tiffany & Co Sterling” stamp.
Notable pieces of jewelry in the catalog include an 18-karat gold Buccellati ring featuring six white gold stations, brilliant-cut diamonds, and an engraved lace motif. This piece belongs to Buccellati’s Macri Collection, a line that emphasizes the rigato pierced gold effect to give each jewelry item the appearance of honeycomb or fine lace. The available Macri ring is stamped with Italian assay marks and a Buccellati mark on the inside. Another key jewelry item on offer is a pair of 18-karat yellow gold, diamond, and cultured pearl ear clips. Each pearl measures approximately 11.30mm in diameter. Assorted decorative art pieces from Gorham, Herend, and Josh Simpson are also available. Visit LiveAuctioneers to view the complete Silverware, Toys, Décor, Glass Art catalog and to register to bid.
Austin Auction Gallery concludes the year with a two-session sale featuring an extensive collection of fine art, jewelry, and antiques, as well as French and Italian pieces. Leading the first session is an oil on canvas painting by Jerry Jordan, titled Bluebonnets. An oil painter from Taos, New Mexico, Jerry Jordan’s works include still lifes, cityscapes, and countryside paintings in a range of styles, including Impressionism and abstraction. Richness and vibrancy dominate his paintings, capturing not only Taos’ picturesque landscape and the lives of the Pueblos but also a sense of its history and culture. The elements of his compositions are often characterized by subtle relationships. Texas artist Arnold Vail’s Bluebonnet Landscape is another notable work in the catalog. An oil on canvas framed work by the artist, the painting depicts an old ranch house with bluebonnets and Texas paintbrush bordering a creek and dirt road.
Among the top lots in the second session of this event is a fine estate 18-karat yellow gold, emerald, and diamond ring. The center features a 7.75-carat square-cut emerald and is accented by six diamonds. Also available is a pair of designer 18-karat black gold, pearl, sapphire, and diamond earrings. To view the complete catalog of the End of Year Fine Auction Event Day 1 sale and to find other online auctions, visit Bidsquare.
Swiss luxury timepiece maker Patek Philippe is famous for producing high-end astronomical watches. Its Celestial reference 6102 line features the precise configuration of the nocturnal sky in the northern hemisphere, with the movement of the stars and the phases and orbit of the moon. An Ellipse, on the underside of the sapphire glass, frames the part of the sky visible from Geneva and other locations at the same latitude. A pink gold astronomical wristwatch of the Celestial 6102 series is a key highlight of the upcoming sale, presented by Sotheby’s. It features the date, sky chart, lunar phases, and position and time of Meridian passage of Sirius and the moon. Another striking pink gold piece from Patek Philippe is a Reference 5980/1R-001 Nautilus automatic chronograph wristwatch. The brown-dial sapphire crystal display back watch comes with a presentation box with outer packaging and certificate of origin.
A limited edition Audemars Piguet Reference 25636ST Royal Oak Quantième Perpétuel also leads the catalog. The watch is designed with a stainless steel automatic skeletonized perpetual calendar with moon phases and bracelet. The Royal Oak is a well-known model introduced by Audemars Piguet in 1972. Visit Sotheby’s to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Fine Watches sale.
While hiking along Oakville’s southwestern ridge in the early 1980s, H. William Harlan discovered a hidden expanse, ancient and untamed, that moved him deeply. He acquired the land in 2008. Promontory Winery was a new endeavor for the Harlan family, inspired by the land. They discovered that this rugged topography created the conditions for an altogether exotic wine-growing environment. Wines from the hillsides of Promontory reflect the native forests, the moisture of the fog, and the minerality of the geologic underpinnings. Three bottles of Promontory Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley 2016 are available in Sotheby’s From Côte to Coast: Rhône, Burgundy, Bordeaux & Napa Auction.
For wine lovers, one imperial (six-liter) Pétrus 2010 Pomerol is a noteworthy lot in the sale. The big, bloomy nose signifies a Bordeaux Great. This wine has aromatic quality, ripeness, power, and acidity with hints of licorice and glycerol. Also available in the sale are Petrus 2000 (12 BT) and Petrus 2005 (12 BT). Four bottles of La Tâche 1990 and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Côte de Nuits are also available in this wine auction. Vosne-Romanée in eastern France is home to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the world-famous wine estate. The estate is currently co-owned by the de Villaine and Leroy families. The 6.06-hectare La Tâche has been a monopole since 1933, and the 1990 wines are regarded as some of the finest expressions of the grape variety. View the complete catalog of the From Côte to Coast: Rhône, Burgundy, Bordeaux & Napa auction by visiting Sotheby’s.
The bezel setting method in jewelry making dates back to the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome and Egypt. The setting has been utilized in designs to protect precious gemstones from any harm or loss. A cushion-cut fancy yellow diamond finger ring with a bezel setting is a key highlight of the upcoming Holiday Luxury Estates sale, offered by Vogt Auction Texas. The centerpiece is flanked by a halo of round brilliant diamonds and prong-set diamond shoulders and consists of a half band. The sale also features several noteworthy diamond accessories, including two timepieces from Rolex. One is a ladies limited production vintage platinum watch; the other is a Cellini Cellissma 18-karat white gold bezel timepiece.
Another key lot is a Tiffany Studios wisteria table lamp, held on a bronze tree base with a turn knob. It is a stained glass piece with a bloom of blue wisteria design, bronze branches, and irregular lower border. Edouard Léon Cortès’ oil on linen painting titled Place de la Madeleine (c. 1950) is an artwork of interest. The French painter was noted for his diverse cityscapes of Paris, depicting varied weather and lighting conditions. Visit LiveAuctioneers to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Holiday Luxury Estates sale.
In Billings’ upcoming Winter Modern Art + Design Auction, nearly 400 lots of 20th-century art and designer furniture will cross the auction block. A selection of Brazilian pieces is particularly noteworthy. This includes a large ‘Guanabara’ dining table made of imbuia (Brazilian walnut), leather, and lacquered metal. It was created by Polish-Brazilian architect and designer Jorge Zalszupin. A key figure in post-war Brazilian design, Zalszupin was known for harmoniously matching his furniture designs with his architectural endeavors. Another key Brazilian item in the catalog is a Pequi wood and glass dining table designed by José Zanine Caldas in the 1970s. The piece features Caldas’ signature on one leg.
Elsewhere in the catalog, collectors can find a second generation Eames Storage Unit (ESU) 400 from circa 1952. Charles and Ray Eames designed their ESU models to be practical, low-cost, and easily customizable. Produced by Herman Miller, these storage units were discontinued in 1955. Other furniture items on offer include pieces by Hans Wegner, Pierre Jeanneret, Mazzega, and Gaetano Pesce. Visit Billings’ website for more information and to register to bid.
The latest Fine Jewelry & Timepieces sale from Ahlers & Ogletree features a wide selection of bracelets, earrings, necklaces, brooches, wristwatches, and other luxury items. Leading the catalog is a diamond and platinum ring featuring a 5.64-carat pear-cut diamond. This stone has E color and SI2 clarity, according to its provided GIA report. Also notable is a diamond and platinum Riviera necklace. With a total of 96 gems, this necklace boasts a total weight of over 24 carats. Named after the French word for “river,” Riviera necklaces were popularized in the mid-18th century. The style has been lightly modified over the years to highlight the sparkle of the graduating stones.
A Rolex Oyster Perpetual ‘Submariner’ stainless steel wristwatch from 2019 is notable among timepieces in this sale. This never-worn example features a sapphire crystal, date window, and forest green face. This color lends the watch its nickname, “Hulk.” Other Rolex wristwatches in the catalog include a black and blue GMT Master II, a stainless steel Datejust, and a vintage Air King example measuring 34mm. Bidders can also consider a turquoise, diamond, and 18-karat white gold necklace; a vintage Tiffany brooch with diamond, emerald, and 18-karat gold; and a Van Cleef & Arpels coral and diamond choker necklace. Visit Bidsquare to view the complete Fine Jewelry & Timepieces sale and browse other online auctions.
John Gould was described as one of the greatest figures in bird illustration after John James Audubon in the book Birds of Great Britain. John Gould (British, 1804 – 1881) was a gardener employed under his father at Windsor before becoming an expert in taxidermy. He became the first curator and preserver at the Zoological Society of London in 1827. For natural history enthusiasts, Swann Auction Galleries is offering A Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans by John Gould in its upcoming Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books sale. The monograph was published in London between 1834 and 1855 as a supplement to the first edition of two works bound in one. The works include an uncolored anatomical plate and 53 vividly hand-colored lithographed plates of tropical toucans by Edward Lear and Elizabeth Gould. Gould’s wife Elizabeth helped her husband color and finish most of the bird illustrations published under his name. Every sky with its varied tints and every feather of each bird was colored by hand.
Among maps, a set of 24 engraved gores for Vincenzo Coronelli’s 42-inch terrestrial globe is notable. Coronelli made them to construct the massive Gran Globi. The segments were made around 1688 to 1697 in Venice. Vincenzo Maria Coronelli (1650 – 1718) was an Italian Franciscan friar, cosmographer, cartographer, publisher, and encyclopedist who created hundreds of maps in his lifetime. His atlases and globes earned him the positions of Cosmographer of the Republic of Venice and Father General of the Franciscan order. View the full catalog of the Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books auction by visiting Swann Auction Galleries.
Sotheby’s upcoming Magnificent Jewels auction will feature an array of signed jewels, colorful stones, and diamonds from the private collections of Hollywood celebrities. Leading the sale is a fancy light pinkish-brown diamond ring by David Webb. Jewelry by David Webb is known for handcrafted pieces using the finest metals and stones. Several of the best-known designs derive from Webb’s passion for nature and ancient cultures. The center of the available ring has a step-cut diamond weighing 13.26 carats, with round and marquise-shaped diamonds surrounding it. The accompanying GIA report states that the center diamond has a natural light pinkish-brown color and VS1 clarity. Another signed jewel from this maker is a pair of sapphire and diamond pendant ear clips. Featured at the center of each ear clip are four oval- and cushion-cut sapphires, accented with two rows of round diamonds.
A colored stone and diamond ‘Tutti Frutti’ bracelet will be offered as well. An iconic design, the jewel highlights the partnership between Cartier and Indian royalty that has influenced numerous 20th-century pieces. The openwork band is embellished with sapphire beads, emeralds, rubies, and diamonds. Additional jewelry items of interest in the catalog range from a Van Cleef & Arpels gold bangle bracelet to a striking diamond necklace from a prestigious collection. Visit Sotheby’s for more information on the upcoming Magnificent Jewels sale and to register to bid.
