![SHIRASE, Nobu (1861-1946). Nankyoku Tanken. [in English Antarctic Expedition].](https://auctiondaily-prod.s3.ap-northeast-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/10/SHIRASE-Nobu-1861-1946.-Nankyoku-Tanken.-in-English-Antarctic-Expedition.webp)
The latest Nobu Shirase and the Japanese Antarctic Expedition sale from Potter & Potter Auctions will offer over 400 lots from the collection of Chet Ross. Leading the catalog is Nobu Shirase’s Nankyoku Tanken (Antarctic Expedition). A rare personal account of Shirase’s expedition to the Japanese Antarctic, this first edition precedes the official narrative published in December of 1913. Among only four groups that explored Antarctica past 80 degrees south, Shirase’s “dash patrol” journey was the first non-European expedition at that time to accomplish this feat. There was no prior polar experience among those involved in the expedition, and the budget was small for such an undertaking. The available Octavo book includes 19 photographs on eight pages, 77 photographic illustrations, 80 maps, and a folding color map. A portrait photograph appears on the frontispiece of the Antarctic Expedition Support Committee, including Lieutenant Shirase.
Also on offer from the Collection of Chet Ross is a copy of The Japanese South Polar Expedition 1910-12. The offered first edition is an English translation of Nankyoku-ki, the Japanese Antarctic Expedition account, compiling official journals and records that first appeared in 1913. The book provides an insightful introduction to Shirase’s expedition, published by the Shirase Antarctic Expedition Supporter’s Association. Interested collectors can also consider Nanboku Kyokuchi Tanken-ki (The Expeditions to South and North Poles), a first-edition copy of the narrative on Arctic and Antarctic exploration by Kiichi Kamiya. View the complete catalog and register to bid by visiting Potter & Potter Auctions.
Nestled in a mountainous region, Bakshaish is the oldest rug-weaving town situated on the banks of the Talke Rud River in present-day Iran (formerly Persia). It is renowned for its aesthetic carpets, adorned with a variety of abstracted versions of traditional tribal motifs. The color palette ranges from soft red, navy, muted coral, salmon, and yellow to rich jade green and peacock and teal blues. One such room-sized Bakshaish carpet (circa 1880) is a key highlight of the upcoming auction, offered by Bonhams Skinner. It has an expansive layout decorated with abstract and geometric patterns. A Sultanabad or Zeigler rug crafted during the same period also leads the listings. The carpet features elaborate floral and geometric motifs, influenced by traditional Persian patterns. Woven using exquisite wool, it is styled with medallions, intricate borders and vines.
A 19th-century finely woven silk prayer rug from the Heriz region is another lot of interest. It is fashioned with stylized fleur-de-lis motifs and is designed with natural dyes. The silk pile woven on silk warps and wefts piece measures approximately four feet by six feet. Visit Bonhams to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Fine Carpets & Rare Textiles | Bonhams Skinner sale.
Loló Soldevilla (1901 – 1971) is considered a pivotal figure in concrete Cuban art and geometric revolution. Born in Havana, Cuba, Soldevilla started her artistic career late. She began painting in 1948 under the guidance of her painter friend Wifredo Lam. A lover of geometric compositions, she experimented with various sculptural mediums such as stone, plaster, and bronze besides painting. Soldevilla co-founded the Galería Color Luz with Pedro de Oraá in 1957, to solely support abstract artists and their ideas. An untitled artwork made by Loló Soldevilla is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from Toomey & Co. The painted wood and steel sculpture looks abstract and seems to be inspired by geometric forms.
The sale will also feature an oil on canvas by Emil Carlsen. An American Impressionist painter, Carlsen was known primarily for his striking still lifes. He painted landscapes and seascapes later in his career. The artist often employed a frosting technique wherein thick brushwork of white paint was applied in the end to enhance the composition. The available painting, titled Pastoral Lake with Figures, was rendered in 1881. According to the lot description, this work is listed in the Emil Carlsen Archives as number 3375. Visit Toomey & Co. to view the complete Fine Art auction catalog and place a bid.
German documentary and portrait photographer August Sander (1876 – 1964) began his photography career at a young age. By his 20s, he was successfully operating his own portrait studio in Linz, Austria. He experimented with landscape photography, architecture, and commercial photography as well. His classic black and white portrait from 1927 is a key highlight of the upcoming Christie’s auction. Titled Der Maler Anton Räderscheidt, the work is a compelling portrait depicting German painter Anton Räderscheidt. The photograph is part of Sander’s encyclopedic portrait series, People of the Twentieth Century.
Another notable lot is a portfolio of 13 chromogenic prints by William Eggleston, each flush-mounted on board. Cadillac captures scenes and objects, many of them in the southern United States. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Eggleston took a keen interest in visual media from an early age. The auction also features 34 gelatin silver prints by Walker Evans. It showcases a selection of African art sculptures that Evans photographed in 1935. Works by Julia Margaret Cameron, cyanotypes by Anna Atkins, and vintage prints by artists such as Brassaï and Man Ray are also presented in the auction. View the complete catalog of A Century of Art: Photographs from The Gerald Fineberg Collection by visiting Christie’s.
This fall, Stair will present its Asian Works of Art sale, representing cultures across many regions of the East, including China, India, Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Among the highlights of the auction is a Chinese famille verte porcelain ‘Li Bai’ water pot from the Kangxi period. Tang dynasty poet Li Bai was acclaimed for his poetic genius, a reputation that has endured to the present day. Despite the innovation in style, Li Bai’s poems on love, loss, friendship, and wine were timeless, inspiring, and evocative of earlier periods. The available famille verte water pot depicts the drunken poet Li Bai reclining against a wine jar.
Another notable work in the catalog is a Persian manuscript, Haft Peykar, Sunday Bahram Gur Visits the Moorish Princess in the Yellow Pavilion, by Nizami Ganjavi, a 12th-century Persian poet. Also known as Seven Portraits, the Haft Peykar is the fourth narrative poem of the Khamsa of Nizami that recounts the legend of the Sasanian king of the fifth century, Bahram Gur. A major theme of this mystical poetry is self-knowledge and the poet’s view on love. The available gouache on paper manuscript is framed and is on two panels. Bidders can consider a Nepalese gilt-bronze figure of Shadakshari Lokeshvara, as well as a pair of Chinese marble temple guardians. Visit Bidsquare to find more information on the Asian Works of Art – October 5, 2023 event and browse other online auctions.
German American artist Albert Bierstadt was renowned for his extensive landscapes of the American West. He traveled several times westward during the Expansion movement, along with land surveyor Frederick W. Lander, to paint on location. He was also a member of the Hudson River School, celebrated for their romantic portrayals of scenery. A 19th-century landscape oil work by Bierstadt is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from NY Elizabeth. The painting exemplifies how fascinated the artist was by the beauty of the Wild West.
A large oil painting on canvas by Angelo Maria Costa also leads the catalog. Belonging to the Italian Neapolitan School, he depicted Posillipo from the Riviera di Chiaia. The work portrays both the region’s natural and cultural character. Two massive noteworthy paintings by Dutch Old Master artists of the 17th century are striking oil artworks. Marked VG 1640, one is a rare and interesting riverscape from the Dutch Golden Period. The other work is a large scale depiction titled Marriage of the Virgin related to Rubens and his studio. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming 2341 Centuries of British Fine Art sale, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
In the latest “Crème de la Crème” Investment GIA Diamonds sale from Bid Global International Auctioneers LLC, over 330 lots of rare diamonds will be available. The offered loose diamonds range from two carats to 16 carats, and they are presented with GIA reports and a free setting for the winning bidder. Among the top lots is a 9.18-carat round-cut diamond with D color and FL clarity. It comes to auction with a Type IIa certificate indicating that the stone has no measurable nitrogen or boron impurities. Another notable flawless diamond in the sale is an 8.01-carat emerald-cut gem with D color. This brand new diamond has been recently cut. Another new diamond is a 7.52-carat pear-cut stone with E color and FL clarity.
A selection of other single diamonds and pairs will be offered in the upcoming sale, including a 6.02-carat emerald-cut diamond pair. Each diamond has H color with VS1 clarity and measures 3.01 carats. Pear, square, cushion, oval, heart, and princess cuts are represented as well. While the majority of diamonds in the upcoming auction are colorless, bidders can consider several stones bearing hints of yellow and deep brown. To find more information about each diamond, browse the full “Crème de la Crème” Investment GIA Diamonds auction catalog, and register to bid in other online auctions, visit Bidsquare.
American Abstract Expressionist painter Lee Krasner was considered by some to be the queen of abstraction and the dynamo of the East Hamptons. Krasner’s place in American art can be qualified in many ways, including through her role as a forerunner of the Abstract Expressionist movement. Krasner didn’t force colors; she let them come to her. An abstract oil painting attributed to Krasner is a leading lot in the upcoming Impressionist, Folk, Pop, and Modern Art auction, presented by 500 Gallery. The style in this painting can be seen as a manifestation of the horror felt in the wake of World War II, including about the calculated slaughter of innocent Jews, the use of the first weapon of mass destruction on the citizens of Japan, and the first direct attack on American soil. These were unprecedented events in the minds of most Americans. In the available work, the artist captured emotions of helplessness and confusion.
Other highlighted artists represented in the sale are Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Jean Cocteau, Paul Klee, and Egon Schiele. One notable lot is a set of 27 small watercolor sketches attributed to Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973). They are all painted on bond grey and tan-toned paper with darker grey fibers in the pulp. Each piece is signed. The sale also features a fine selection of paintings, works on paper, collectibles, and one-of-a-kind treasures. View the complete catalog of the Impressionist, Folk, Pop, and Modern Art auction and find other online auctions by visiting Bidsquare.
A 3.80-carat Ceylon blue sapphire ring is a leading lot in the Important Fine Art & Design Auction, October 22, offered by Auctions at Showplace. It is a platinum ring, brightly polished, featuring a centered cushion-mixed-cut blue sapphire. The sapphire is accompanied by an AGL report indicating the sapphire is natural from present-day Sri Lanka. The centered sapphire is surrounded by 16 round brilliant-cut diamonds. The total weight of the diamonds is approximately 0.48 carats. It belonged to Indrani Yogasundram, who lived in many different countries with her husband, Yogaraj, during his decades-long career as a Sri Lankan diplomat. In addition to the heirloom jewelry she possessed, Indrani acquired jewelry, art, and ornaments while stationed in China (1960 – 63), Sri Lanka (1963 – 65), and Iraq (1965 – 67).
Femme au Collier is a Post-Impressionist oil painting on canvas by Joseph Henri Baptiste Lebasque (French, 1865 – 1937). The portrait depicts a fashionable young Black woman, likely in Bohemian Paris in the 1920s. She dons an Art Deco costume comprising a blue cloche hat, reddish-orange flapper dress, gold earrings, and a coral necklace. The vibrant mix of colors in the painting exudes Post-Impressionism, which rejected objective recording of light and nature in favor of more ambitious expression using brilliant colors. It is signed to the lower right and housed in a gilt wood frame. Notable lots include some up-close pictures of Pablo Picasso by André Villers (French, 1930 – 2016) and Michael Coffey’s “Menage a Trois” vanity & stool designed in 1992 of carved Mozambique wood. View the complete catalog of the Important Fine Art & Design Auction, October 22 and find other online auctions by visiting Bidsquare.
The upcoming Diamond Jewelry sale, presented by Robinhood Auctions, will showcase a selection of fine jewelry. One highlighted lot is an 18-karat white gold bracelet, designed with 228 round brilliant-cut diamonds. The estimated total weight of these natural diamonds is 26.1 carats. It comes with a CGL report stating the diamonds have F-G color and VVS-VS clarity. Collectors can consider a 14-karat fancy white gold ring. The exquisite piece is set with one center natural diamond of SI1 clarity. The diamond weighs two carats and is pear-shaped.
The sale will offer more than 250 pieces of jewelry. Another noteworthy lot is a 14-karat white gold diamond collar necklace. It is set with 145 round brilliant-cut diamonds, measuring approximately 15.27 carats. They are graded E-F in color and VVS2-VS1 in clarity. Other notable items include a 14-karat white gold ring fitted with lab-grown diamonds and a pair of 18-karat white gold earrings (750 stamped), each set with rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and natural diamonds. View the complete catalog for this Diamond Jewelry Sale and find other online auctions on Bidsquare.
