The Pour le Mérite was the Kingdom of Prussia’s highest military merit. In the upcoming auction presented by Bertolami Fine Art, a Pour le Mérite award will be available among the lots. The order of merit is a blue-enameled Maltese Cross with eagles between the arms.
Another piece in this auction with eagle iconography is a Romanov double-headed eagle with gold and silver jewels. Double-headed eagle jewelry became popular in Russia in the late 15th century. It was also featured as an official emblem of the Russian state.
Another highlight of the auction is a Victorian sterling silver tea service. Dating back to 1845, the pieces are octagonal and embellished with floral decorations. You can find out more about the auction by visiting the auction catalog on Bidsquare.
The most popular artists of the 20th century were among those who paved their own way. Andy Warhol’s prints helped create the genre of pop art; Roy Lichtenstein’s parodies mocked and celebrated comic books; the self-portraits of Chuck Close explored hyperrealism in photography. The upcoming Important Prints and Multiples Evening Sale presented by Sotheby’s will feature the works of each of those artists, plus many more.
Leading this auction is a set of four flag prints from Jasper Johns. Each lithograph was printed in 1960 as the artist began to experiment with printmaking—each print takes a slightly different interpretation of the traditional American flag. Another featured lot is a woodblock print from Edvard Munch, Two Human Beings, The Lonely Ones. Two solitary figures look out at the sea, standing together yet apart. Works from Joan Mirό, Pablo Picasso, and Helen Frankenthaler will also be available. View the full catalog and register to bid by visiting Sotheby’s.
The Art journal from 1896 referred to John William Waterhouse as, “An artist who adds to his designs a certain mystic suggestion—a touch of that sad wonderment which troubles the deep thinker.” Waterhouse is amidst the most admired artists from Europe in the 19th-century. Later in his life, he embraced the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood. At the height of his popularity, he created many works, one of them being ‘The Soul of the Rose”. The piece is being auctioned at the upcoming sale by at European Art Part I.
Other artists that stand out in the auction are Sir Lawrence Alma, Gustave Courbet, John William Godward and more. Browsing through the catalog, Jean-Léon Gérôme’s Markos Botsarisis is amid the finest in the collection. The unique position of Botsarisis, a national war hero of Greece, adds value to the auction. To bid and register, visit Christie’s.
From a marble torso of Narcissus to a volute-krater (an Athenian vase), Christie’s upcoming auction presents a diverse group of ancient art, antiques, and ethnographic pieces. The 63 curated items include ancient jewelry and classical relief sculptures.
A Roman marble relief with the Dioscuri is the lot with the highest estimated value (US$800,000). The work is a depiction of the twins of Leda from Greek mythology. A similar item from Ancient Greece is a gold oak wreath. The piece is believed to be from the late Classical to early Hellenistic period (Circa 4th-3rd Century B.C.). For more information, visit Christie’s.
Greek, Etruscan and Roman sculptures reflect the society from the ancient past. The imagery of gods and important figures was prominent among ancient artistry. Christie’s upcoming auction ‘Faces of the Past’ is a look into the history with the 29 antiques and sculptures. All the ancient sculptures are from the collection of Dr. Anton Pestalozzi; a late Zurich-based lawyer and collector.
Noteworthy item includes a marble portrait head of Alexander the Great, who was regarded as the most powerful man in the world in his time. A rare piece from the late 2nd-early 3rd Century A.D. is available at the highest estimation of US$1,200,000. Another item of interest is a roman marble portrait head from the Emperor Septimius Severus. Severus was a successful warrior and an administrator who ruled the Roman empire from 193 to 211 A.D. For more information, browse through the available items at Christie’s.
Skinner’s upcoming firearms sale will feature a range of military items, including Dublin castle pistols and pommel sabers. The Historic Arms & Militaria auction will offer 443 lots, particularly featuring a lead hand likely sourced from the statue of King George III in New York City. Local legend suggests that the hand was one of the pieces that loyalists living in the area took when the statue was removed in 1776.
Another highlighted lot is a ten-pound Parrott rifle. Invented by Captain Robert Parker Parrott, this artillery weapon was extensively used in the American Civil War. However, the rifle on offer is an early example created before the war. Other featured lots include a Siege of Boston carved powder horn belonging to Daniel Barns. According to Bill Guthman (a late museum consultant, author, and collector), the piece is among only three known Siege of Boston horns by the same maker, known as the Simsbury carver. To view the complete catalog and register to bid, visit Bidsquare.
The rhyta was an ancient drinking vessel used by Iranians and other ethnic groups. An example is available in the Fine Antiquities, Asian, and Ethnographic Art auction, presented by Artemis Gallery. This rhyta, or drinking vessel, is in the form of a fish man. Liquid is poured into the fish man’s head and comes out his tail. Believed to come from Iran somewhere between the 5th and 7th centuries, this piece finds its way to auction from a private collection in Los Angeles. Artemis Gallery’s upcoming event offers 282 lots from civilizations such as the Egyptians, Moche, and the Mughal Empire.
In the Mughal Empire, colorless diamonds were highly valued and were predominantly worn by royalty. One lot featured in this auction is a Mughal ring with a 2-carat diamond set in 23-karat gold. In the front, the gold weaves a pattern of interlocking semi-circles surrounding the colorless diamond.
Representing the Moche in this auction is a copper crown. The Moche were a Pre-Columbian civilization who resided in modern-day Peru. This style of crown was used exclusively by the Moche for royal burials. Artemis Gallery’s report of this lot notes that the Moche intended to produce textiles that appeared to be gold but were sturdier than that mineral. In the case of this crown, the Moche used copper to create their desired illusion.
The lot with the highest estimated value is an Ancient Egyptian figure of an ibis and a worshipper. In Ancient Egyptian culture, ibises were associated with the god of knowledge, Thoth. Here, the worshipper prays at the feet of the ibis, showing the relative power of a god in the presence of a common worshipper. You can register to bid on any of these pieces on Bidsquare.
The upcoming Unbound: Online Auction presented by Phillips Auction offers a selection of fine art pieces. This collection of 86 lots includes an untitled work of figurative abstraction by Karel Appel, a Dutch painter. This painting employs expressive colors and forms on a vivid background. Appel found particular inspiration in the artwork of children, free of aesthetic and traditional boundaries.
Another highlighted item is an oil painting by Kehinde Wiley. The artist’s style fuses traditional motifs with modern modes of representation, here capturing a nude in a muted, barren landscape. The upcoming auction will also offer an array of abstract works —such as Shifted Fill 2 by an American painter, Trudy Benson. Her paintings are characterized by thick impasto and saturation, both of which can be seen in this work. For more information, visit Phillips Auction.
“I want people to be overwhelmed with light and color in some way that they’ve never experienced,” Dale Chihuly has explained. The American sculptor developed a new way of working with glass, utilizing gravity to let molten glass organically find its shape. Asymmetry and irregularity are defining characteristics of his work. In the upcoming sale presented by Bonhams, one of Dale Chihuly’s glass sculptures will be featured. Three yellow, red, and orange pieces connect to form a single wall installation.
From Dale Chihuly to Francois Thevenin, the Modern Design Art auction offers pieces from many contemporary artists. Thevenin’s Crypto 10 Armchair is particularly highlighted in this sale. Produced in 1985, the armchair is made of patinated bronze. Fine art pieces are also available, including an acrylic painting by Dan Christensen. The artist used a range of Modernist sources to produce colorful compositions. View each of these lots and register to bid online on the Invaluable website.
In the upcoming Railroad Mania sale offered by Hess Auctions, the focus is undividedly on the relics of trains and railroads. The available lots range from pieces of the trains themselves to the ephemera associated with each line. Gathered from a private Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania estate, many of the items particularly showcase the state’s railroad history.
Two brass bells from locomotives feature in this auction, one of which includes a cast iron platform. Numerous lanterns are also included: a yellow and ruby mounted light and several brass and tin lamps evoke the history of the railroads. Signs bearing slogans such as, “Wear your protective equipment. It can only save you pain and misery,” and reminders to “stop, look, and listen” are available as well. Browse the full catalog and register for online bidding at Hess Auction Group.
