As Modernism made its way into the realm of art, many shared a prevailing desire to create new aesthetic reality. The pieces offered in the upcoming Fine and Decorative Art: Premier Auction by Cowan’s Auctions shows the transformation of mimetic tradition into the rebellious mood of the 20th century.
Works of acclaimed artists such as Jessie Botke and Birger Sandzen are being presented in the auction. Botke is an artist well known for her decorative works on exotic birds. Inspired by Japanese screens, she often used nature as a background for her oil compositions. Similarly, Sandzen experimented with the palette of rich and bold colors on his landscape paintings. Not only do both artists share their fascination with nature, but their works are the highest estimated items in the auction.
The collection showcases a combination of fine and decorative items, along with a range of elegant furniture. Those looking for decorative pieces will not go disappointed. Redefined decorative arts such as Andrew Clemens sand bottle and Lalique Poissons vase with attention to detail are featured items. Their unique forms capture the curiosity. To view the full catalog and register to bid, visit Bidsquare.
As Modernism made its way into the realm of art, many shared a prevailing desire to create new aesthetic reality. The pieces offered in the upcoming Fine and Decorative Art: Premier Auction by Cowan’s Auctions shows the transformation of mimetic tradition into the rebellious mood of the 20th century.
Works of acclaimed artists such as Jessie Botke and Birger Sandzen are being presented in the auction. Botke is an artist well known for her decorative works on exotic birds. Inspired by Japanese screens, she often used nature as a background for her oil compositions. Similarly, Sandzen experimented with the palette of rich and bold colors on his landscape paintings. Not only do both artists share their fascination with nature, but their works are the highest estimated items in the auction.
The collection showcases a combination of fine and decorative items, along with a range of elegant furniture. Those looking for decorative pieces will not go disappointed. Redefined decorative arts such as Andrew Clemens sand bottle and Lalique Poissons vase with attention to detail are featured items. Their unique forms capture the curiosity. To view the full catalog and register to bid, visit Bidsquare.
Sotheby’s third annual Contemporary Photographs auction in New York is a showcase of significant contemporary works by the likes of David Hockney, Cindy Sherman, Robert Rauschenberg, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Wolfgang Tillmans, Richard Prince, Annie Leibovitz, and many more.
Of the many fine pieces up for bid, those that are likely to fetch the highest final price are two well-known works by Cindy Sherman from her “Complete Untitled Film Stills” series. These are prints from what is considered by many to be Sherman’s breakthrough work: 70 black-and-white photographs of herself in roles from arthouse films and popular B-movies. Sotheby’s estimates that the final hammer price of each of her Film Still lots in this auction will land well above $100,000.
Also of interest is a photo assemblage by David Hockney titled “David Watching the Snow Fall, Kyoto.” This particular lot is many photographs of the scene taken from a single spot, then reassembled into a scattershot panorama. The nature of the constructed work is reminiscent of the observed subject, that of snow falling. Hockney is an English painter, draftsman, printmaker, stage designer, and photographer. He was an important contributor to the pop art movement in the 1960s and is considered one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century. As a living artist, he has been honored several times with his pieces bringing in record prices.
Some of the most iconic and recognizable images at auction are those by Annie Leibovitz. Leibovitz is best known for her highly-engaging celebrity portraits that often feature subjects in intimate settings and poses. One of her best-known portraits (a print of which is on offer here) is that of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, in which a nude Lennon is wrapped around Ono, who is entirely dressed in black, taken just a few hours before Lennon was murdered. The situation under which the photo was captured as well as the striking intimacy of the subjects make this one of the most iconic celebrity photos of its time. There are several more photos by Leibovitz in this sale, including one of R2-D2, the speechless droid from the Star Wars series, captured while still at rest inside an open shipping box.
View any of these lots and register to bid at Sotheby’s.
Millea Bros. presents an extensive range of fashion collectibles of reputed brands from different estates and collectors in their upcoming Fashion & Vertu Auction. The auction will also host fine jewelry from Tiffany & Co., David Webb, Bucherer, Gucci, Patek Philippe and more.
The featured collectible of the auction is a Cartier 18k gold modernist necklace. The handcrafted piece has multi-loop circles and is a rare design by the brand. Belonging to the Florence and Herbert Irving Collection is a Vintage Gucci 18k gold pocket watch. Among gemstone dial watches, the bright blue lapis lazuli watch with the gold chain is a notable piece
An ensemble of vintage and couture clothing from important designers is part of the auction. The Gucci green suede belted trench coat with enamel serpent belt buckle is a customized piece of clothing (available in different colors). You will also find a variety of vintage and new fur coats, jackets, and accessories by designers including Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Arnold Scaasi, Norman Norell, Valentino, James Galanos, Hermes, Emilio Pucci, Emanuel Ungaro, and others. Explore a large selection of handbags & travel bags, scarves, shoes, belts, and much more and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated auction is a powerful exhibition of the post-war period. The auction presents works from The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, and The Drawing Center as well as from private collections. It is curated by renowned chef Massimo Bottura. The resulting selection proves that a passion for food can extend to an appetite for painting and sculpture, bridging the gap between mediums.
Just as Bottura has pushed the boundaries of what it means to be a chef, pieces so have many of the female artists here. Estimated in the millions, the auction has gathered works from some of the most significant contemporary female artists to date and placed them in like company. Cecily Brown’s triptych Have You Not Known, Have You Not Heard from 2011 is a monumental abstract and figural painting full of flesh-colored movement. The artist has said that viewing her work “should be a pleasurable, even a hedonistic experience” (from a conversation with Lari Pittman in Ibid, p. 27), and this lot wonderfully demonstrates the sentiment. Brown often references a host of sources in her creations, including works by Bosch, Cézanne, and Ruben, infusing her contemporary paintings with meaning and rooting them in the canon of art history.
There is also a piece by trailblazing artist Joan Mitchell, Rufus’ Rock: Mistral from 1965. It is a wonderful abstraction of the Côte d’Azur, the artists’ chosen home for a tumultuous period of her life, and is a study on memory and nature. Several soft and tranquil drawings by Elizabeth Peyton are present. And there are other-worldly paintings by Yayoi Kusama that glow from within. Indeed, the auction virtually reads like a who’s who of important contemporary artists and includes works by Robert Rauschenberg, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Josef Albers, Andy Warhol, Kerry James Marshall, and Alex Katz. There are several sculptures and sculptural furniture available with the inclusion of Franz West’s chairs, and there is even a brooch by Alexander Calder. To view the complete catalog and register to bid go to Sotheby’s.
It’s a rare occasion when varieties of collectibles from prominent estates are part of a single auction. The upcoming Estates & Collections auction is one such auction put forth by Charlton Hall. The two-day auction will feature art, furniture and home décor from prominent estates and collections from California, Florida, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Carolinas.
Paintings by war artist Sir Alfred Munnings are always full of naturalistic colors known to capture scenes from the English countryside. The first day of the auction will host his oil on canvas titled “Gorse Bushes in East Anglia.” The interchangeable-cylinder music box (circa 1880) is a highly valued piece by the world-famous Swiss company, B.A. Bremond. The fact that the company has made music boxes for the Prince of Wales and King Edward VII of England, depicts the firm’s high quality and fine craftsmanship. Explore many such interesting pieces of history and register to bid online on Charlton Hall.
The second day of the Toys, Dolls, & Figural Cast Iron auction by Morphy Auctions is replete with dolls, bears, and toys. A cuddly companion to Day 1, Day 2 contains Barbie and Disney figures, as well as several valuable lots of baby dolls. But the Bisque dolls are arguably the showcased items, with smooth porcelain faces and real human hair. One French Bisque Bebe doll, in particular, is a unique find because of the contrast of its pale blue eyes and “sunburnt” complexion. This doll by Jumeau contains her original fully jointed wooden body, stamped, with a costume of fine laces and pink inserted silk bows. A gorgeous addition to any collection, she is beautifully preserved and lifelike.
Also included in the auction are incredibly rare games from the past, including a gold rush inspired “Going to the Klondike.” Made in 1898, it features a grizzly bear spinner and wood pegs that are moved up in an illustration of pristine Canadian territory. There is also a Santa Claus board game as well as a moose hunt game. And while the latter has gone out of fashion in modern times, it is an incredibly interesting piece of Americana and possibly the only one in existence. There are several lots of early Halloween celebration including a pumpkin man, and lots of valuable marbles. To find more, go to Morphy Auctions.
The first day of Morphy Auctions’ upcoming Toys, Dolls, & Figural Cast Iron auction is an astonishing array of countless collectible categories. At over 801 lots, this auction has impeccably selected items ranging from cap guns and elaborate door stops to tin and steel automobile and train sets. These miniaturization of transportation are feats of toy making and engineering, with each metal piece a gorgeous replica of the life-size originals. The items are also incredibly sturdy, as the ensured parts did not snap in even in the playful hands of a toddler. They have stood the test of time and are in part why vintage toys, in their careful craftsmanship, are worth so much today. Other unique automobile finds include a carefully restored Sturditoys’ 2-piece oil tanker and Buddy L cars.
What the auction is most notable for though is its selection of valuable cast-iron mechanical banks, many of which are extremely rare. Included is one of the best examples of a Kyser & Rex cast-iron, skating mechanical banks in existence. This early feat of engineering springs to life when two skaters glide after a coin falls into the bank and a man presents a wreath to a little girl. Haunting and beautiful in its simplicity, the item is featured alongside other gems including a cat and mouse bank, which catches the mouse as the penny drops, and a magical cast iron bank in which a penny appears to change into 25 cents right before one’s eyes. To view the complete collection and register to bid go to Morphy Auctions.
The journey of Van Cleef & Arpels embarked as a union between two lovers, Estelle Arpels, and Alfred Van Cleef. The couple was driven by their pioneering spirit and passion for precious stones to transform Van Cleef jewelry into a celebrated brand. Their passion amounted to the production of well-crafted jewelry. Fast-forward to today, their aesthetic reflects Van Cleef & Arpels’s unmistakable designs. The upcoming sale offered by Bonhams presents an opportunity to own a Van Cleef & Arpels.
The best of 20th-century jewelry and contemporary jewelry are offered in a lot of 144. Amidst which is an intense blue diamond ring at the highest estimation of 1,200,000. And something as simple and plain as a gem-set lighter embraces an innovative twist. The item presented by a leading jewelry designer -Jean Schlumberger, is an illustration of unbound creativity. Schlumberger sought to reflect the accessories as if it were growing, uneven, or in random motion.
Jewelry pieces that are rare to find add life to this sale – pieces such as lapis lazuli ‘Panthère’ brooch from circa 1965. Lapis, one of the oldest gemstones in history, were richly inlaid in the sarcophagus of King Tutankhamen and other Egyptian kings and queens. View the full catalog and register to bid online on Bonhams.
The Fine & Decorative Art Auction offered by puts forth a vivid display of fine Chinese antiques from a prominent Texas collector and several other estates. A detailed and historically significant Chinese Ming Tibetan gilt bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha seated on a lotus throne, this Bhumyakramana-Mudra is the highest valued collectible of the auction.
A key piece is a carved Chinese Wumu rock by artist Shi An. The scholar’s rock represents a mountain range. The carving has four-character marks reading, “clouds crossing Xiang mountain,” raised on a Huanghuali stand. Watercolor painting on rice paper by Chinese literati painter Huang Binhong depicts a corner of the landscape from Wu Zhou to Lin Gu. An inlaid Biedermeier mahogany settee, a George II secretary bookcase, and a Philip & Kelvin LaVerne coffee table comprise a sampling of the furniture antiques available.
Paintings and fine art collectibles from popular artists such as John George Brown, Edouard Cortes, Charles Henri Joseph Leickert, alongside some rare carved Zitan pieces, jade, porcelains, scrolls, bronzes, snuff bottles, and more will be available in the auction. Explore the full listings and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
