This upcoming sale, presented by Swann Auction Galleries, reflects centuries of American Revolution and Civil War history with political proceedings, civil rights documents, historic newspapers, maps, and more. A key highlight is an archive of Ford’s Theatre and the theatrical Ford family. This lot contains more than 3,500 items of various sizes and conditions collected in three boxes. Several scrapbooks, pictures, letters, artifacts, and ephemera are dated between 1849 and 1968. Also showcased in the auction is a manuscript diary that includes 21 pages of memoranda. This diary is a compilation of meetings with George Washington and John Hancock in the midst of the retreat from New York during the American Revolution.
Other notable lots include an archive on the surrender of a Confederate cavalry brigade in May of 1865, early publications of the Continental Congress, an early printing of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense; Addressed to the Inhabitants of America, and a complete run of The Gentleman’s Magazine from the period of the revolution. Visit Swann Auction Galleries to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Printed & Manuscript Americana sale.
A first edition copy of Frederick Catherwood’s Views of Ancient Monuments in Central America will soon be auctioned by Freeman’s. A talented architect and traveler, Frederick Catherwood accompanied explorer and archaeologist John Lloyd Stephens on two trips through Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras between 1839 and 1842. The team surveyed over 40 archaeological sites, including Copan, Palenque, and Uxmal, conducting systematic surveys of many sites, some of which were previously unexplored. The pair aimed to dispel the myth that Mayan ruins originated in the Old World and to prove their indigeneity by including glimpses of daily life around the ruins. The 1844 plate book is a rare selection of Catherwood’s most fascinating views.
Another notable lot listed with Freeman’s is Rev. E. B. Hillard’s slim volume titled The Last Men of the Revolution. As part of Hillard’s patriotic campaign during the Civil War, this volume contains biographies and portraits of six centenarians, the last surviving Revolutionary War veterans. There are six albumen prints in the available book, each representing one of the veterans featured (excluding James Barham). Visit Freeman’s to view the complete Books and Manuscripts catalog and register to bid.
Available in the upcoming Texas Ranch Auction from Vogt Auction Texas is a broad selection of Americana celebrating the Texas lifestyle. Over 850 lots will cross the auction block in this event. The sale features a single, extensive taxidermy collection from Boerne, Texas. The hunter traveled the world to acquire specimens and bring them back to Texas for taxidermy. Among the top lots of this section of the catalog is a ten-foot-tall Russian brown bear mount. The bear was taken in 1991 and is displayed standing on its hind legs. Other notable taxidermies in the sale include a full-body alligator (displayed with a faux human foot in its mouth), a giraffe shoulder mount, and various big cats such as leopards and mountain lions.
An oil on canvas painting by Teresa Elliot is also available. Spiritus II depicts a steer in vivid shades of orange and brown, gazing straight toward the viewer. The auction house notes that this work was prominently displayed in a San Antonio, Texas lawyer’s office for many years before heading to auction. Additional works of fine art to consider include a marsh scene by José Vives-Atsara, a portrait of three Native American women by Ford Ruthling, and assorted landscape works by G. Harvey. Rounding out the catalog are antique furniture pieces, Native American jewelry, vintage advertising signs, and assorted artifacts from Texas homestead life. View the complete catalog for The Texas Ranch Auction and register to bid by visiting Vogt Auction Texas.
During this fall’s Asia Week New York, Christie’s will present its Arts of India sale. The curated event features paintings and sculpture from the Indian subcontinent. Among the auction’s top lots is a major 18th or 19th-century pichvai, or wall hanging, depicting Krishna in the cosmic form of Vishvarupa. This sequence—of Krishna revealing his true form to Arjuna during their extended dialogue—is notably described in the Bhagavad Gita. The available pichvai attempts to capture the infinite, powerful version of Krishna described in the text. He is depicted as a man with blue skin, seven heads, and ten arms covered in eyes. Vishvarupa stands on Vishnu’s divine serpent, Shesha, and both oceans and a mountain encircle his torso. Christie’s notes that other versions of Vishvarupa appear in the history of Indian art, though few examples are as large or impressive as the present lot.
Another notable work of fine art in the catalog is an illustration from a dispersed series on the Ramayana. Painted in the Pahari style between 1775 and 1780, this illustration depicts a group of monkeys encountering a demon, who tumbles out of a cave. It belongs to the “Bharany” section of the series, so named because it was originally owned by prolific Indian art dealer C. L. Bharany. A variety of other illustrations are available, including several lots from dispersed Bhagavata Purana folios. Bidders can consider a gray schist figure of a bodhisattva from the third or fourth century CE, as well as a monumental painted wood figure of the bull Nandi from the Tamil Nadu state. Visit Christie’s website to view the complete Arts of India catalog and register to bid.
Chicago-born American artist Howard Behrens is celebrated for his distinctive texturized style developed using the palette knife technique. He specialized in landscape and seascape subjects, including the tranquil lakes of Italy and the picturesque gardens of New England. Island of Capri, an oil painting on canvas by Behrens, is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from Robinhood Auctions. It depicts Capri Island, located in the Campania region of Italy. The work is hand signed and comes with a letter of authenticity. Another richly textured oil work is a painting by H. Claude Pissarro, portraying the French countryside with cottages. Characterized by the use of thick paints, the composition is rendered in an Impressionist manner.
Itzchak Tarkay’s Spring Afternoon is also a noteworthy piece that leads the catalog. It is a three-dimensional mixed media piece over paint on wood. Like most of his other works, this one depicts a dreamy composition of elegant-looking women. His vibrant imagery was an interesting contrast to the unimaginable horrors he witnessed in childhood at the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Contemporary Art Auction, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
This upcoming auction, offered by NY Elizabeth, presents a selection of timepieces from luxury brands. One highlight is a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona that comes with automatic movement and an ice-blue dial. It features a monobloc Cerachrom bezel with a tachymetric scale to measure average speeds of up to 400 miles or kilometers per hour. The three counters in the center keep track of ticking seconds, lapsed hours, and minutes. A reputed Swiss watchmaker based in Geneva, Rolex introduced the Daytona series in 1963. It was designed to meet the needs of racing drivers on a professional level.
A limited-edition Patek Philippe Annual Calendar watch is also available in this sale. The model found here has a 42-millimeter case. Additional features include a running second sub-dial, stainless steel hour/minute hands, and three separate apertures displaying day, date, and month. This watch has automatic movement and comes with the original box. The sale also features watches by Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, A. Lange & Söhne, Bulgari, and Omega, among other prestigious watchmakers. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming 2340 | Fine Watches sale, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
American artist George Rodrigue was born in the Southeastern American state of Louisiana. He initially painted Louisiana landscapes and genre scenes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But he shot to fame with his Blue Dog series based on the Cajun legend of the “loup-garou,” or werewolf. It was actually inspired by a photograph of his departed dog, Tiffany. Although Tiffany was black and white in real life, Rodrigue painted her fur blue and eyes yellow in his works. Kiss Me I’m Cajun Too (1992), an oil on linen by George Rodrigue, is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from Helmuth Stone Gallery. According to the artist, the dog’s expression exemplifies life, longing for love, and humankind’s search for answers. Two of his other paintings also illustrate the character in different compositions. Split Personality depicts the blue dog along with two different hued dogs, whereas Hot Days Ahead portrays two versions of the same character against a plain red background.
Gustave Courbet’s Rock Cliff Near Ornans also leads the listings. It portrays a landscape of cliffs and rocks, their reflections in River Loue, and a cloudy sky. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
English painter John Constable RA is celebrated for transforming the genre of landscape art. His illustrations of Dedham Vale, the area in the vicinity of his home, are considered very significant in this regard. He was also known to be the first English artist to paint in the open air, directly from nature, and also to portray foliage as truly green. Blackberry Paysage, one such oil work attributed to the artist, is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from 500 Gallery. There was a stark difference between the paintings of Constable’s earlier and advanced years. The initially joyous mood later changed into a sense of dejection following a personal loss. Another noteworthy painting in the sale is a still life in the manner of Georges Braque. The artist was the founder of Cubism and also practiced other forms of art. Akin to many of his other still-life compositions, this one portrays several objects gathered on a table.
Smoker in the manner of Tom Wesselmann also leads the catalog. It is part of a significant series by Wesselmann, depicting lips, mouths, hands, cigarettes, and smoke. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Autumn Fine Art Sale, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
In Vajrayana Buddhism, Hevajra is an important yi-dam (enlightened being) with Nairātmyā as his consort. The deity is characterized by 16 arms, four legs, and eight faces. The upcoming Christie’s auction will feature a rare gilt-bronze 15th-century figure of Kapaladhara Hevajra, belonging to China’s Ming dynasty period. Hevajra is depicted holding a kapala or a skull cup in each of his 16 hands. Eight support an animal representing eight diseases, whereas the other eight support deities believed to remedy those diseases. The deity stands with Nairātmyā held close to his body. The design of the figure is influenced by the Nepalese traditions that were once popular in Beijing.
Another gilt-bronze piece in the sale is a figure of the Indian mahasiddha, Avadhutipa (Tibet, 17th century). According to the Lamdré tradition, Avadhutipa was initially a non-Buddhist king who shunned all his possessions to become a vagrant after listening to the teachings of Damarupa. The figure was most likely made as part of a larger set portraying the entire lineage. It features a short inscription on the reverse. Visit Christie’s to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming sale of The Moke Mokotoff Collection.
A 1984 red Mercedes-Benz 280SL will be offered by Rivich Auction in the upcoming auction. Beautifully maintained, the luxury vehicle comes with a six-cylinder five-speed manual drive. The cabin features comfortable seats trimmed in beige leather along with a color-coordinated wooden trim dash and console. According to the seller, this original one-owner vehicle was purchased in Germany and imported to the United States. Other features include power windows, radio, horn, locks, electric antenna, interior lights, a convertible soft top, and more.
The auction will also offer a bicycle frame crafted in the Velodromo Vigorelli, Italy by Alberto Masi. This signed Masi bicycle is equipped with Bontrager carbon-fiber handlebars; FiR carbon front rim, John Cobb-designed A900 Jetstream TT carbon-fiber front fork, Mavic Comete back rim, and Syntace stem. Several jewelry pieces are also on offer in the auction. A highlight is an antique 14-karat gold diamond engagement ring wedding band set, weighing approximately 4.5 grams. View the complete catalog of Important Estates: Mid Century & Jewelry sale and find other online auctions on Bidsquare.
