The Collector’s Sale: American Furniture, Folk, and Decorative Arts auction by Freeman’s Auction has 115 Americana-style items from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Bring home a piece of history with a set of eight federal-style chairs. True to the federal period, these mahogany chairs feature shield backs, spade feet and are heavily upholstered. These chairs desire to complement any dining table of the same period. Enhance your art collection with an oil painting from the American School. This 19th century painting showcases a beautiful view of the river surrounded by mountains and a lone fishing boat in the middle. A Regency-style sideboard is also available. The 20th century sideboard stands 40 inches tall and is 79 inches long. It would look wonderful in any living or family room.
To view the entire catalog and to place a bid, visit Invaluable today.
Smoking tobacco in Qing Dynasty China was strictly prohibited. But snuff, or powdered tobacco, was allowed because the Chinese viewed it as a legitimate treatment for colds, stomach issues, and other ailments. The Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles auction, offered by Bonhams, presents 158 examples of the elaborate snuff bottles used throughout the country.
Despite their size, each bottle contains an intricate design. One of the most elaborately-decorated snuff bottles is the “Hundred Boys” bottle. The brilliant blue glass with the white design on top gives this bottle a distinct look. On one side, boys walk across a bridge while another group of boys plays in the water below. The other side also depicts two sets of boys. One plays chess while the other group fights. Produced sometime in the 19th Century, the bottle gives the impression of youth and joyfulness.
A snuff bottle with pink glass and a brown overlay is another notable piece in this auction. Like the “Hundred Boys” lot, this pink bottle also tells a story about opposites. This time, a magpie sits on a plum tree watching another magpie who sits on the rocky ground. The pink glass and brown overlay emphasize the juxtaposition of the ground and plum tree.
Among the more affordable pieces is a porcelain snuff bottle depicting eighteen Luohan. Luohans are high-level practitioners of Buddhism who have not quite yet reached enlightenment. Those interested in any of these pieces can register to bid online on Bonhams’s website.
Asian art in every form contributes to the larger tapestry of artistic expression, yet deserves its own time in the center spotlight. The Asian Works of Art auction presented by Doyle brings over 250 of these extraordinary pieces to the forefront. Ancient and modern art from China, Japan, and Southeast Asia can be viewed from every angle. Religious sculptures, palatial furniture, and elaborate snuff bottles are all highlighted in this auction.
One extraordinary lot is a 13-inch-tall Tibetan sculpture of the deity Vajra yogini, a dancing red figure adorned in gold ornaments and a garland of human heads. Its fierce beauty is mirrored in a flared gilt-bronze Tibetan bell, with each engraved detail depicting a character, animal, or inscription. Another standout lot is a Chinese cloisonné censer, painted in colorful reds and blues and crowned with a lively golden lion.
Beyond the cultural diversity, there are also significant differences in the materials that artisans used to craft these objects. The snuff bottles, in particular, were formed of everything, from agate to jade, from porcelain to a dried gourd. Creativity and elegance are both at their height in this auction, giving insight to some of the finest art of the East. View the full catalog and register for bidding on Doyle.
The Field & Range Firearms Auction, offered by Morphy Auctons, is a large sale made up primarily of antique and rare guns. One item creating early interest (and that has already been bid beyond its upper estimate) is a boxed Colt custom revolver. This special Colt features a nickel finish, with bird’s head ivory grips. It has not been fired and comes in the original blue box with paperwork and white liner box with matching end label.
Another lot creating some early interest is a Colt 1911 El Teniente 38 super semi-automatic pistol. There was limited production for this special offering from Lew Horton Distributors. It has been finished in the highly polished royal blue with synthetic pearlite grips and Colt medallions. The El Teniente pistol is rarely seen on the U.S. commercial market, and this specimen appears new with no evidence of use. Comes with factory box and outer numbers matching the sleeve.
Among the many unique offerings is a custom 20-shot C-96 Broomhandle Mauser Semi-Automatic pistol. Mauser is a German arms manufacturer and was originally known as Königliche Waffen Schmieden. Their line of bolt-action rifles and semi-automatic pistols have been produced since the 1870s for the German armed forces. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Mauser products and designs were also exported and licensed to a large number of countries that adopted them as military and civilian sporting firearms. This gun has been assembled from parts and renumbered to match. View any of these lots and register to bid on Morphy Auctions.
Chinese snuff bottles have fascinated collectors for many years. Originally designed to import ground tobacco to China in the 18th century, these smalls bottles became their own artistic medium as their designers carved, shaped, painted and etched them into completely unique items. Oakridge Auction Gallery offers a collection of Chinese stuff bottles as part of their two-day Fall Fine Asian Art and Antiques auction.
The small bottle with the most intrigue is an 18th century bottle made from white jade. The stark contrast between its white body and green jadeite stopper gives it a bright and appealing appearance. Next, an intricately carved snuff bottle of Chinese coral from the 19th century displays in great detail a vase of flowers with two lucky coins on one side, and a dog with two stylized pennant shapes on the other. Lastly, the bright pink of an enamel snuff bottle stands out against the muted earth tones of many of the other options. With fine detailing, the painted thin vine pattern across the pink surface with two scenes – one, of a cat in flowers and the other, a sheep and two lambs. Collectors may view the remaining lots and register to bid on Invaluable today.
Hindman’s upcoming auction consists entirely of jewelry and watches. The lot with the highest estimated value in this auction is a yellow diamond, platinum, and gold ring. The Gemological Institute of America notes that the diamond in this ring has a very good polish and symmetry. A necklace, bracelet, and matching pair of ear clips set all in 18 karat yellow gold and diamond parure is another notable piece in this auction. The set was produced by Buccellati Inc., an Italian jewelry and watch company.
One of the most affordable lots in the auction is a pair of 14 karat yellow gold badges for members of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. Dated 1906 and 1923 respectively, these two badges were owned by Frances Lord Blatchford of Massachusetts and Barbara Blatchford Fowler of Connecticut. Membership in the organization is restricted to women who have a documented bloodline to citizens of America’s original colonies.
Bidders should keep in mind that many lots available in this auction are expected to sell for six-figures, with the highest estimated value set at $320,000 (USD). However, emerging collectors can still find pieces at a more modest price point. Register to bid online on Bidsquare.
The Chinese, Silver, Fine Art Auction, offered by Elite Auctioneers, is a sale of fine pieces anchored by many excellent entries from China. Of the more unusual and rare works is an Italian Neoclassical table. The circular black marble top has a central inlaid micro mosaic roundel. The table is possibly from the studio of the renowned craftsman Cesare Torreggiani.
Another splendid piece up for bid is a Chinese hand-painted and enameled Famille Rose porcelain sculpture. It depicts a seated Hotei Buddha holding a string of beads. A four-character Zhuanshu mark is impressed on the bottom. The Hotei Buddha is almost always shown smiling or laughing, as he is in this example, thus his nickname in Chinese, the “Laughing Buddha.”
Two eye-catching painting are attributed to Francois Lafon, including an evocative oil painting laid over board depicting three women harvesting flowers from a planter. The picture is signed in the lower right and mounted in a wooden frame. View any of these lots and register to bid on Invaluable.
The Art of the American West Auction by John Moran Auctioneers offers a wide array of Western and Native American art and objects. The list includes Western-genre paintings and American landscapes spanning from the 19th century to contemporary, bronzes and sculptures by Western and Native American artists, Navajo weavings, and a variety of Native American jewelry, beadwork, pottery, carvings, basketry, and more.
Among the more valuable works is one by Karl Bodmer that depicts a “Moennitarri Warrior in the Costume of the Dog Danse.” Bodmer was a Swiss-French printmaker, etcher, lithographer, zinc engraver, draughtsman, painter, illustrator and hunter. He is best known in the United States as a painter who captured the American West of the 19th century. You will also find many fine works of pottery, including a “monumental Apache olla,” from the late 19th or early 20th century. An olla is a ceramic jar, often unglazed, used for cooking stews or soups, for the storage of water or dry foods, or for other purposes. This particular olla is urn-shaped with five columns of stacked diamonds, a figural motif with floating geometric elements throughout.
Another highly desirable piece is the John Nieto “Fancy Dancer” acrylic painting, which is signed and dated twice and titled on the stretcher. Nieto was well-known as one of America’s most dynamic contemporary artists, concentrating on Western themes that transcend mere representation. As can be seen, he utilized intense primary colors, applied in bold strokes to give dimension and character to the canvas. View any of these lots and register to bid at Invaluable
The September 4th Fine Furniture, Decorative Arts and Silver auction by Hindman features an astounding 795 lots across numerous collecting categories. The impressive furniture section leads the auction with over 500 highly decorative and elaborate pieces in Continental, English, and French styles, many of which date to the 18th and 19th century. It was during this period that new ways of building furniture became available, leading to the intricately crafted designs that remain both collectible and functional today.
This quality is evident in the carved cherubs and fleur-de-lis sitting atop bed frames and nubile nymphs curling along table legs and chairs, and ensures the Versailles-worthy creations’ status as family heirlooms for generations. Standout furniture includes an 18th century Queen Anne secretary bookcase and a monumental Venetian carved and gilt bed frame. There are several Louis XV style tables as well as Régence style seating and giltwood mirrors.
The auction also contains a strong collection of nineteenth-century statues, many of them bronzed and in diaphanous clothing, as well as other decorative works like an important pair of Neoclassical malachite urns and a Russian enamel drink service. Rounding out the collection is a large Asian art section. The ornamental coral, rose quartz, and porcelain pieces compliment the Western decorative works nicely. For the complete catalogue and to register to bid go to Bidsquare.
Scanlan’s upcoming Labor Day Buy Now Sale is a unique two week opportunity to purchase items unsold at previous Scanlan auctions. With set prices ranging from $45-$27,000 and no buyers premium, the collection offers significant savings on amazing works of art.
Dominating the sale are over 80 lots of Asian works that include a pair of early Tang Dynasty pottery of female polo players and a stunning palm frond iron kettle from 19th century China. There are many American Indian and Ethnographic pieces as well with provenances ranging from Mexico to Africa. And there are astonishing opportunities to own pieces by famous Western artists, including a Joseph Kleitsch woodland scene and a Jean Cocteau sketch of Orpheus in his signature surreal style.
Also available are several modestly priced pieces of history including a charming child’s wooden sled from 1869 and clay pots, masks, and sketches from the aforementioned categories. For a complete list of items for sale and to register to buy go to Bidsquare.
