Antiques tend to carry a particular charm, the faded sparkle of years gone by. Vintage coin-ops and old advertising have that special sheen, the remnants of prior excitement and creativity. Potter & Potter Auctions will offer their upcoming Coin-Op & Advertising sale as a massive collection ranging from gambling and collectible items to traditional advertising and unusual signs. The leading lot is a Goo Goo Gum one cent Vendor from the 1920s, bearing all the intricacies of the fading Victorian style. This original and unrestored cabinet is still in working order, a major benefit for such a rare piece.
Various slot machines are also available, from a “Pace’s Races” from the 1930s to a modern Double Diamond electric machine. The overall focus on amusement gives this auction a note of whimsy, extending to the casino and beyond. To view the full catalog and register for online bidding, visit Potter & Potter Auctions.
This September the 28th could well be marked as the day for antique lovers and collectors as Fall 2019 Fine Asian Art & Antiques auction takes place in Rockville. China Luban Antique offers 399 items, with Asian art and antiques dominating the collection with 397 lots in the category. Starting with the highest estimated value of $30,000 is a blue and white Lovegity vase with Qianlong Mark. The vase is the trademark of the Qing Dynasty and especially comes from the period of Qianlong Emperor. It is said that in Qianlong’s time, the Qing Empire reached its most splendid and prosperous era with a large population and a greater economy.
Sitting right beside the beautiful vase is a grapes bronze mirror that includes a Chinese mystical beast. Such mirrors are made out of solid bronze as the front is a shiny polished surface acting as a mirror, while the back has a design cast in the bronze just like in this one. Likewise, the Qing Dynasty is popular in the collection as the next item is from the same era; a gilt bronze Amitabha Buddha, a figure of light and love. The Buddha holding a bottle in his hand compliments other items well with its simplicity and endearing design. Don’t miss out on a wonderful collection of antiques at Invaluable.
A deep appreciation for nature’s inherent wonders and beauty infuses in the upcoming Fine Art – Antique Engravings & Lithographs – Works on Paper auction offered by Trillium. Early botanical and naturalist drawings shine in the sale, with 200 works of fine art opening a window into the Romantic era.
Some of the standout lots include engravings from Dr. Robert John Thorton’s dramatic studies of plants: images of the American cowslip and the Indian reed are shown in colorful detail, each a clear subject of their scene. This focused auction does extend beyond botanicals, however, with vivid depictions of Native Americans and complex maps of both the continental United States and Europe. To view this aesthetically pleasing, historically relevant auction and to register for online bidding, visit Invaluable.
In one letter, salt-maker and businessman William Dickinson said to his partner Shrewbury, “Edmund & Mary are both spoilt quite so, I think. I better come down & move Mary & her children up to the R.&S. place, and put them to business as Negroes should be.” The statement is taken from one letter, among thousands in correspondence with the Dickinson & Shrewsbury salt works in West Virginia. If read between the lines, one will understand how daunting and exasperating life was for the company’s slaves. This September, Swann Auction Gallery will present a detailed record of the Dickinson & Shrewsbury salt works company, especially concerning the lives of slaves and abolition. Many other historic collectibles will also be available.
The collection includes prints & manuscripts from various sources as history is explored through the lots. One of the highly important items is the “History of the Indian Tribes of North America” by Thomas L. McKenney and James Hall. It comes with 120 hand-colored lithograph plates and 17 pages of facsimile subscriber signatures. The book traveled with McKenney as he painted portraits of American Indian delegates visiting Washington from 1821 to 1830. Ranging in estimate from $250 – $120,000 with the curation of 329 lots, this auction also features a hand-colored engraving symbolizing liberty triumphant or the downfall of oppression. Find more intriguing items at Swann Auction Gallery.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s life was a seamless blend of fate, hard work, and talent. Renoir moved to Paris between 1844 – 1846 near Louvre (a world-renowned art museum). Less than six decades later, he’d be known as the leader of the Impressionism movement. Featuring more than 30 of his works, Decorative Arts, Fine Art & Jewelry auction by Bunte Auction Services presents an honorable collection for art admirers. Amongst the 197 lots offered, artists like Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and Edouard Leon Cortes not only define variation but present exclusivity.
One artist that cannot be missed is Edna Hibel. Almost 98 years of life experience made her pour colors on every canvas, ever so delicately. Best known for her use of colors, the painting featured here is an oil glaze on canvas depicting two-woman (circa 1970). However, standing out among this fine selection of art is Edouard Leon Cortes’s work at the highest estimated value of $16,000. The painting is a portrayal of people walking through the streets, to what seems to be in the evening as the lights are glowing on the background on the poles. This imaginative and vivacious painting, among many more, can only be found in this collection. Visit Bunte Auction Services for more information.
The Post-War to Present auction, offered by Christie’s, presents fine art produced by some of the most notable artists of the 20th century, as well as emerging voices.
Andy Warhol’s “Flowers” headlines with an estimated value of $1.5 to $2 million. For the leading figure in pop art, the “Flowers” series marks a more somber examination of American pop culture. The bright, chromatic pinks and reds of the flowers create a stark contrast with the black background. “When Warhol made Flowers, it reflected the urban, dark, death side of that whole movement,” writes John O’Connor and Benjamin Liu in Unseen Warhol (1996).
Another 20th-century icon represented in this auction is Yayoi Kusama with “Infinity-Nets (QPOW)”. Kusama is originally from Japan, and her work often features influences of pop art, minimalism, and abstract expressionism. It was after she moved from her native Japan to New York that she began making the infinity net series, of which this piece is an excellent example.
Those looking to acquire pieces by emerging artists should consider Nicolas Party’s “Blakam’s Stone (Lime)”. The piece’s acrylic green gives the piece a vibrant appearance, and the stone offers an interesting, warped view of the subject. Bel Fullana’s “Pool Party”, meanwhile, is a fun and unabashed look at sexuality. View each of these lots and register to bid on the Christie’s website.
“Life is more like an off-center love story than it is a straight-ahead…narrative,” says art collector Fred Clarke in an interview with Christie’s. The Thirty-five Works by Ed Ruscha auction, presented by Christie’s, comes entirely from the Clarke Collection, the private holdings of Fred and Laura Weir Clarke.
Clarke’s view of an off-center love story echoes throughout the work of Ed Ruscha.
Ruscha is a member of the pop art movement and often uses unusual text with equally unexpected typography to set the mood of his pieces. A great example, with the highest estimated value, is “Wavy Robot”, made with gunpowder on paper. The word “Robot”, which we often associate with advanced technology and the future, is written in a traditional font with very precise ridges. The black background forces viewers to focus on the relationship between the word and font. In “Kidney Beans on Galvanized Steel”, another highly estimated piece, Ruscha plays with space along with the text. The light pink hue in the right-hand corner distracts attention away from the already cryptic text.
The art collector Fred Clarke’s first experiences with Ruscha’s work were his books. Collectors looking for a different and slightly more affordable piece should consider the lot with several of Ruscha’s books, including “Thirty-four Parking Lots in Los Angeles” and “Nine Swimming Pools and a Broken Glass”. Those interested in any of these lots should register to bid on the Christie’s website.
A beautiful ensemble of silverware dominates session II of the Estates & Collections auction by Charlton Hall. One does not come across silver flatware as enticing and aesthetic as the one put forth by Tiffany & Co. The vintage and limited-edition American silver flatware set of Broom Corn pattern are considered among the finest works by the brand.
Silverware is followed by an extensive collection of guns and rifles. Westley Richards holds royal warrants since 1840 for serving firearms to the royal army. A rare pair of Westley Richards 50 cal. percussion Officer’s pistol is a sought-after collectible.
Collectors can also explore fine paintings, furniture and other prominent pieces of history. “Marsh at dawn” watercolor on paper by Charleston Renaissance leader -Alice Ravenel Huger Smith and the Catawba pottery vessels will also be a part of the auction. Explore the full listings and register to bid online on Charlton Hall.
Frederieke Taylor is a well- known name among auction collectors and modern artists alike. Many artists rose to fame due to Taylor’s extended support. Doyle Auctions will host the first auction featuring the collection of this gallerist and life-long collector in the upcoming Works from the Estate of Frederieke Sanders Taylor (Part I) auction.
One featured artist, Anne Chu, is known for paying homage to Eastern and Western cultures through her works. Her “Warrior Standing on a Deer” oil and casein on wood painting celebrates resonant archetypes and the legendary spirit of the warriors.“Fahne (Flag),” a bronze and black patina sculpture by conceptual artist Armando and a colored pencil drawing on paper entitled “North East South West House” by American architect John Hejduk are among the other featured lots. The auction will also include works by Hannah Wilke, Joseph Beuys, Franco Mondini-Ruiz, Jennifer Bartlett and more.
Art from the Renaissance period is unlike all others. Such art forms, that go beyond the visual arts, include revolutionary pieces of furniture from the period. Fine and Decorative Art: Live Discovery Auction by Cowan’s Auctions builds upon these themes, featuring a monumental, Renaissance, revival-style sideboard as the highest bid in the collection. Beyond the mythological components, the furniture is also inspired by historical and religious themes.
The artists featured in this auction will remind us that beautiful art knows no bounds. Notable artists include Maxfield Parrish and Eric Jacobsen, two celebrated individuals in American art history. The astonishing style of Maxfield Parrish, featuring figures in pastoral landscapes explains his popularity in the early 20th century. The artist focuses on the compositions of whimsy which led to the creation of his masterpieces. From the work by Eric Jacobsen comes a sense of serenity. The oil on canvas displays the wonder he has for nature.
Capturing the expression of a portrait sets the difference between mediocre and excellent artistry. One portrait by Eleanor Hancock Pryor, depicting a rockabilly guitarist, not only capture the subject’s expression but also reflects broader human emotions. To view these items and explore more of this high-quality auction, visit and register to bid on Bidsquare.
