Monica Lying on Her Side with Scribble is a rare limited-edition lithograph on paper by Tom Wesselmann, and it leads the End of Summer Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art, presented by Dane Fine Art. It was created in 1990 and was hand-signed by Wesselmann. It was published by International Images, New York. Artist Thomas K. Wesselmann (American, 1931 – 2004) believed that the female nude is a subject to which an artist can devote his full attention. Wesselmann shows women as the consumer, both consuming and being consumed, said Jan van der Marck, founding director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. Tom Wesselmann was an admired American artist whose paintings, collages, and sculptures made an impact on the Pop Art movement.
Other notable works in the sale come from James Havard, Jeff Koons, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, and Andy Warhol. Louis Icart’s modern version of Leda and the Swan, a rare, limited-edition dry point etching with hand coloring on paper, is noteworthy. It is a 1934, hand-signed original copy from the artist. The myth of Leda and the Swan has been brought to life in numerous forms by artists over the years. The unaware young Spartan queen Leda is taking a bath in a river when Zeus, the god of sky and thunder disguised as a swan, seduces and rapes her. The swan who is Zeus never apologizes to Leda and isn’t accountable for his actions. In Icart’s version, the swan is dark and mysterious, spreading its wings, almost engulfing Leda. Unlike most paintings that portray Leda as an innocent participant, this painting portrays her in a different light. View the complete catalog of the End of Summer Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art and find other online auctions by visiting Bidsquare.
This upcoming auction from Sotheby’s presents an extraordinary collection of the world’s rare wines. Featuring vintage and modern wines, this auction has starting bids ranging from $300 to $220,000. Leading the collection is a set of five bottles of Romanée-Conti 1999. This exceptional French wine has an intense, deep red color and a flavorful taste. The full-bodied wine offers aromas of undergrowth, mushrooms, and truffles. It has strong notes of raspberry, strawberry, and cherry as well. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) wines are known for their premium quality and great aging potential.
Six bottles of 1953 Château Lafite are another highlight of the sale. Also from France, these wines are packed with delicate aromas, firm acidity, and textures. They come from Château Lafite Rothschild, one of the largest vineyards in Medoc, France. Petrus, the best-known Pomerol is considered the world’s most expensive Bordeaux wine. The auction offers several bottles of Petrus, produced from 1924 to 2015. Fine bottles like a 1985 La Tâche, 1982 Le Pin, Pomerol, and 1961 Château Latour are also showcased. Visit Sotheby’s to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming A Monumental Cellar sale.
In its upcoming sale, Doyle will showcase items from Donald D. MacDermid’s historic home in Chester, Connecticut. Among the highlights are sculptural works, colonial Indian silver, and notable artworks by Henry Scott Tuke, Tom of Finland, and Edwin Augustus John. The sale also features an Edward Wormley stained pine shell console designed in 1941 and trompe l’oeil paintings including works by Yrjo Edelmann and Michael Theise. One of the top lots in the sale is a sculpture titled Hare on Globe Form by Barry Flanagan (1941 – 2009). The Irish-Welsh sculptor is renowned for his bronze statues of hares, human figures, and other animals.
A 1986 Cibachrome print depicting American artist Keith Haring in black and white is available. This photograph was captured by Annie Leibovitz as part of her commissioned work for a magazine in Florida. American photographer Leibovitz has worked for different iconic publications, including Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair. Visit Doyle’s website to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Property from The Estate of Donald D. MacDermid Sold to Benefit TASIS sale.
Stair presents a selection of decorative arts, furniture, fine art, and antiques in its upcoming September auction. Among the available French and American furniture pieces, a contemporary green and ivory upholstered three-seat sofa is a highlight. This leading lot has been designed by renowned American architect Peter Marino. The patterned sofa with round padded armrests is structurally sound. The backrest and seat cushions bear the same design.
Also offered in the sale is a group of five untitled color screenprints on woven paper. The artworks were rendered by Manubu Mabe (1924 – 1997), a Japanese Brazilian painter. Mabe worked as a vendor of hand-painted ties in São Paulo, Brazil before becoming a global artist. His works have been displayed at the São Paulo Contemporary Art Museum, the Boston Contemporary Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum in Rio de Janeiro, and many more. A variety of lighting, tableware, glassware, and timepieces will be a part of the auction. Visit Bidsquare to view the Thursday Morning at Stair – September 7, 2023 sale and browse other online auctions.
Bonhams’ upcoming Post War & Contemporary Art X Made in California sale will present over 120 lots of American fine art by the likes of Wallace Berman and Ed Moses. Leading the sale is a Verifax collage titled Dirty Tree by Wallace Berman. A sharp and insightful critic of American visual culture, Wallace Berman is credited with founding the California Assemblage movement. He was a leading figure in San Francisco’s avant-garde scene. The artist’s oeuvre includes a series of collages he created using an early Kodak photocopier, the Verifax, and painted text. The Kabbalah, jazz music, astronomical images, occult symbols, and American folklore all played an important role in Berman’s psychedelic art. This art took many forms, such as encrypted letters, magazines like Semina, and inscriptions on stones in Hebrew.
Other notable lots in the sale include a 2008 acrylic on canvas work by American painter Ed Moses. A pioneer of abstract painting and an explorer of materials, Moses played an important role in postwar West Coast art. Using multiple techniques, he created cracks, marks, and striations on the surface of his canvases, sometimes in conjunction with geometric abstraction. A founding member of the “Cool School,” Moses helped turn Los Angeles into a major force in the field of contemporary art. The available lot, titled Break-Out, is signed and marked ‘BREAK-OUT YBRANCO 08’. Find the complete catalog and register to bid in the Post War & Contemporary Art X Made in California event by visiting Bonhams.
The upcoming Era-Defining Art – 19th & 20th Century sale at 500 Gallery will present over 190 lots of masterpieces that portray the essence of these timeless eras. Leading the sale is Le Cap d’Antibes, a painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Considered one of the greatest French Impressionist painters, Renoir’s vibrant, light-filled landscapes and portraits have been regarded as some of the most iconic works of art from the Western tradition. His works depict the movement and light of landscapes and figures using broken brushstrokes and vibrant combinations of complementary colors. Like Claude Monet, the artist emphasized spontaneity and the nuances of light over the traditional techniques of art. The available 1915 limited edition gravure print comes with a Lisa Moran Fine Arts document.
Another top lot in this sale is Bernard Buffet’s Paris, Le Sacre Coeur. Buffet, a French painter, and printmaker best known for his austere, socially critical figurative paintings, was a leading figure within the anti-abstraction group L’Homme Témoin. In his landscapes, portraits, and still life paintings, Buffet used bold, black lines and a discreet palette, a response to the alienation and anxiety of the generation following World War II. The available work is characterized by straight, “dry” lines detailing buildings’ shapes. The elongated structures in Buffet’s print convey a sense of loneliness and despair. The available piece is an offset lithograph on cardstock from 1967. It is hand-signed in pencil and unframed. Visit Bidsquare to view the Era-Defining Art – 19th & 20th Century sale and browse other online auctions.
This summer, the Antique Canes Auction from Kimball Sterling will offer an octagonal gold quartz stone handle cane as a leading lot. The gold quartz is set in a gold case with a presentation on the side and various other decorations, a hardwood shaft, and a horn ferrule. Gold-bearing quartz like this is a rare form of natural gold found only in a few locations in the world. Gold quartz has natural veins of gold formed millions of years ago by hydrothermal pressure deep within the Earth. It is mined 1,500 to 2,500 feet below the Earth’s surface. The quartz comes in various colors but the available pearl white is considered the most desirable in jewelry.
A late-19th-century Thomas Craddock (1845 – 1918) relief carved wooden walking stick is notable as well. This cane was cut near President Thomas Jefferson’s tomb. This cane is profusely chip carved with multiple inscriptions about President Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence. It also has carved animals and symbols like birds, a flag, leaves, feathers, and several four-legged animals. Thomas Jefferson Craddock was born in 1845. The son of a carpenter, Thomas enlisted in the Confederate army, serving as a private and remaining active in local veteran groups until his death. Craddock was noted as a gifted cane carver from Albemarle, carving canes cut near the grave of Thomas Jefferson. The available cane is a fine example of his skills. Another notable cane in the auction features a 20th-century carved handle depicting two snakes wrapped around a tree trunk. The snakes have painted eyes, a signed sterling silver collar, a thick Malacca wood shaft, and a 1.5-inch matching stag horn ferrule. View the complete catalog of the Antique Canes Auction and find other online auctions by visiting Bidsquare.
Visual artist Julian Opie is associated with the New British Sculpture movement. His simple figurative portraits reflect his perception of contemporary life. His silhouettes are inspired by Egyptian hieroglyphics, Japanese woodblock prints, and traffic signs. One such artwork by Opie from a limited edition of 30 is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from Dane Fine Art. Titled Belgium 3, it is a set of free-standing acrylic figures on a wall-mounted Corian shelf. The work measures 26 3/4 inches by 23 5/8 inches. Another rare artwork in the sale from a limited edition is Louis Icart’s Motorcar. The original drypoint etching with hand coloring on paper is characteristic of the portrayal of women in the Art Deco period.
Keith Haring’s International Youth Year also leads the artwork section of the catalog. Published by The World Federation of United Nations Associations, New York, it is a lithograph in colors on Arches paper. The American artist’s Pop art was influenced by the New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s. His works explored social activism and advocated AIDS awareness. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Harvest Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
The latest Antique, Vintage & Modern Rug Auction from Nazmiyal Auctions will feature over 150 lots of fine rugs and carpets, including Persian examples and 20th-century works. Leading the catalog is an antique Persian Malayer rug measuring over 25 feet long. Dating back to the early 20th century, this piece was created in the Northwest region of Persia (now known as Iran). Many oversize Malayer carpets, like the available lot, were crafted by weaving families on commission. They utilized symmetric knots and a low pile to highlight the elaborate floral and stylized lattice patterns. This Persian Malayer rug features gold, light blue, and orange accents against a deep navy background. A swirling floral border surrounds the center all-over pattern. Another notable Persian carpet in this event is a Serapi area rug created around 1870. Woven in the area surrounding Heriz, antique Serapi rugs are particularly known for their traditional, loose patterns and clear colors. The auction house notes that this Serapi area rug has a generally low pile with minor areas of wear.
A Pop Art rug designed by Roy Lichtenstein is also available in the upcoming auction. Featuring a bold, whimsical pattern with an emphasis on stripes and interlocking shapes, the rug includes some figural elements such as an eyeball and leaves. The rug was crafted in India in the mid-20th-century and bears the artist’s name on the back. Bidders can also consider an antique Turkish Oushak rug, a vintage Märta Måås-Fjetterström Swedish area rug, and an antique Austrian needlepoint rug with a delicate flower center. For the full catalog and to register to bid in this Antique, Vintage & Modern Rug auction, visit Nazmiyal Auctions’ website.
Charles Eames and Ray Eames were industrial designers who contributed greatly to modern architecture and furniture. Herman Miller is the sole authorized manufacturer of furniture designs by the American couple for all markets, with the exception of Europe and the Middle East. The upcoming sale, offered by Showplace Antiques, will feature a Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller mid-century modern lounge chair and ottoman. It is fashioned with a wooden frame and tufted black leather upholstery, swivel bases, and Herman Miller label on the underside. Another striking contemporary piece is an Italian modern mosaic glass sideboard cabinet. It is adorned with a geometric design in reverse painted glass panels in black, white, blues, and grays. The cabinet has two central doors opening to two shelves, flanked by two doors with two short drawers above. With brass bar pulls, the body is mounted on four tapered gold-tone brass legs.
An Isamu Noguchi Akari series model UF3-Q modernist sculptural floor lamp also leads the listings. It features the Washi paper on bamboo ribbing and metal frame structure, with markings and the designer’s signature on the shade. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming New York City Estate Auction, September 10 sale, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
