Leading the upcoming Summer of Love, GIA Graded Diamond Auction from Bid Global International Auctioneers is an 18.88-carat oval-cut diamond. This Type IIa stone has D color and FL (flawless) clarity. It has been graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The offered diamond contains no inclusions (internal flaws) and no external blemishes under 10x magnification, earning it the most coveted rank on the GIA’s clarity scale. Another notable diamond in the auction is an emerald-cut example weighing 10.33 carats. It is graded with D color and VVS1 clarity. The emerald cut experienced a resurgence in popularity during the Art Deco period, and it has proved to have enduring appeal ever since. With its cut corners and dramatic lines, this style creates the illusion of a larger size per carat.
A variety of other diamond cuts are represented in the upcoming Bid Global auction, including square emerald cuts, round cuts, heart cuts, and more. Notable among these is a pair of round-cut diamonds with a combined total carat weight of 10.04. Each with G color and VVS1 clarity, these diamonds are customizable to rings, bracelets, bangles, brooches, pendants, necklaces, or earrings. To browse over 300 other diamond lots, register to bid in the Summer of Love, GIA Graded Diamond event, and find other online auctions, visit Bidsquare.
Fortuna Auction is offering over 200 quality lots in its latest Fine Jewels & Watches sale. An array of rings, bracelets, necklaces, and pendants are among the highlights of the catalog. Also available for bidding are loose diamonds, gemstones, brooches, watches, and more. Among the top lots in this sale is an 18-karat yellow and white gold necklace by Bulgari. The necklace features alternating yellow and white gold links with a lobster clasp. The links measure 18 inches long and together weigh 28.90 grams. The piece is stamped “750.”
Collectors of luxury timepieces can consider a Vacheron & Constantin men’s watch. A Swiss watch brand that has been in business since 1755, the company is the oldest such watchmaker still operating today. Vacheron Constantin continues to lead technical watchmaking by creating timepieces of exceptional complexity and unmatched hand-finishing that remain true to its past. The available yellow gold men’s watch comes with a Champagne dial, a date aperture at the three o’clock position, and a black leather strap. Visit Bidsquare to find more information on this Fine Jewels & Watches sale and browse other online auctions.
American painter William Wendt was known as the “Dean of Southern California landscape painters.” Closely associated with the Eucalyptus School, Wendt was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement. With his own studio in Laguna Beach, Wendt was among the significant artists to reside and work in California. His paintings are a distinct mix of clarity, consistency, and confidence. The upcoming auction from Bonhams will feature Showery Day, an oil on canvas painting by the artist. It is an Impressionist-style work executed with a sense of purity. Painting on the spot, he always drew inspiration from the hills, trees and streams. Wendt blended his naturalistic approach towards the landscape with abstract handling of the clouds.
Another artist who was strongly influenced by Laguna Beach and set up his studio there was Edgar Payne. However, his most important European works were created in France. Morning in Concarneau, a noteworthy oil on canvas available in this California Art auction, is one of them. Enchanted by the sea, Payne illustrated this Impressionist scene of a harbor replete with sailboats. The interplay of solid colors and subtle tones accentuates the sunlight. Visit Bonhams to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming California Art sale.
The latest Fine Carpets & Rare Textiles sale from Bonhams Skinner will feature a selection of rare and collectible rugs from the prestigious collection of Jim Dixon. The opening sales of rugs and carpets from the Jim Dixon Collection grossed $1.3 million at Bonhams Skinner in 2022. The latest offerings feature Turkoman, Central Asian, and contemporary woven works. Among the top lots is a contemporary custom Turkish carpet dating from the late 20th or early 21st century. Before coming to auction, this room-sized spread was made for the ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton of Naples, Florida. Also notable is a third quarter 19th-century Kazak rug woven with muted jewel tones and an elaborate geometric design.
Beyond rugs and carpets, this auction also offers a range of woven tapestries and textiles. These range from an Aubusson French tapestry to a 17th-century silk and linen Spanish embroidery piece. The offered Aubusson tapestry depicts a pair of dogs pulling a lady’s cart. A group of boys surround the cart, appearing to assist as the cart rolls past a small brook. A selection of Japanese kimonos and haori, many of which bear Modernist patterns, round out the offerings. To find more information and register to place a bid in the Fine Carpets & Rare Textiles sale, visit Bonhams Skinner’s website.
Highlighted in this upcoming French House Country Americana Auction, presented by W. A. Smith, is a 19th-century black hawk horse weathervane. Weathervanes have helped many civilizations predict weather changes. This exceptional piece stands on a custom-made iron stand. It features good original verdigris, original directions, and a gilt surface. The auction house tracks its provenance back to Austen T. Foster Farm, Derby Line, VT.
A fine burl elm large bowl dating back to the 18th century is also showcased in this auction. The bowl measures seven inches by 20.5 inches. According to the lot notes, the bowl is in good condition overall. A pair of oil on wood panels featuring two sisters’ portraits is highlighted as well. The sisters are seen in blue-green and yellow dresses. The panel comes with period mahogany frames. Other noteworthy items include a 1791 John Hancock signed document, an antique C. W. Parker carousel horse, an 18th-century blue-painted three-drawer blanket chest, and more. Visit W. A. Smith to find more information on the French House Country Americana sale and to register to bid.
A collection of fine watches will be available in NY Elizabeth’s upcoming auction. One of the leading lots is a 36-millimeter Rolex Day-Date wristwatch. The Rolex Day-Date will be showcased alongside watches like A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore, and Cartier Santos De Cartier. The Rolex Day-Date was introduced almost seven decades ago in 1956. The Day-Date watch, also known as the ‘President Watch,’ was the first watch to display the date and day of the week spelled out in full. The highlighted lot comes with a fluted bezel and steel gray dial giving the watch a luxurious and elegant appearance. It is exclusively crafted in solid 18-karat white gold.
A limited-edition Patek Philippe Chronograph watch is also available in this sale. The model found here has a 41-millimeter case and features 18-karat white gold. Additional features include a running seconds sub-dial, applied Arabic numerals, and syringe-type hour/minute hands. This watch has a manual movement and comes with a brown leather strap. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming 2332 | Fine Watches sale, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
A 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster is a highlight of Mecum Auctions’ Monterey sale. Mercedes-Benz introduced a new incarnation of its 300SL at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show, the fleet-footed 300SL Roadster (W 198 II series). The vehicle was designed in response to the growing demand for performance-driven open-top sports cars. A vertical arrangement of the headlamp lenses and a redesigned front end set the roadster apart from its predecessor. In addition, the new version included upgraded running gear, a modified coupe space frame, lower entry sills for easier access, and front-hinged doors. This example is equipped with a 2996cc/215 HP inline 6-cylinder and a four-speed manual transmission. The car recently received a professional, two-year body-off restoration by the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center of Irvine, California. Mecum’s Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster was the very first 300SL Roadster to feature Strawberry red metallic color. In 2012, this car won the Amelia Award at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
A 1963 Ferrari 250GT/L Lusso with a 2953cc V-12 engine is another leading lot. During the 1962 Paris Motor Show, Ferrari unveiled the 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Lusso’— a model that filled a gap between Ferrari’s race cars and its high-end luxury cars. Designed to replace the 250GT coupe, the 250GT/L incorporated a four-speed manual transmission and a leather interior. The available Ferrari 250 GT/L was one of the 350 cars built between 1963 and ‘64, making it an extremely rare vehicle. Visit Mecum Auctions for more information on the upcoming Monterey auction and to place a bid.
The oldest version of silk screenprinting gained popularity in China and Japan during the ancient period and the Middle Ages. The medium significantly transformed in the 20th century, when artists in New York started exploring it as a fresh form of creative expression. In the 1960s, Pop artists such as Andy Warhol used screenprinting to critique consumerism and capitalism. An original silkscreen on Lenox Museum Board by Warhol is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from Dane Fine Art. Titled Howdy Doody, it is published by Ronald Feldman Arts Inc. and belongs to a limited edition of 200. It depicts Howdy Doody, the eponymous marionette from the famous American children’s television program.
Another noteworthy work is Robert Longo’s Jules, a lithograph with embossment on paper from a rare edition of 45. It belongs to his 1980s Men in the Cities series. It portrays a man dressed in black and white in a dramatized posture with a contorted expression. The pose and attire are characteristic of his subjects depicted through this series, inspired by a still image from the movie The American Soldier. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Halcyon Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
Renowned for using vibrant hues in his paintings, Peter Max is associated with psychedelic art and American Pop Art of the 1960s. An artist of German-Jewish origin, he started exploring abstraction through his technicolor works marked by a certain bold graphic quality. Four such paintings by Max are the key highlights of the upcoming sale from Scottsdale Art Exchange. Titled Flower Blossom Lady, two of these works are large-sized original acrylics on canvas. Portrayed in an expressionistic style, the paintings depict an exuberant abundance of flowers achieved through textured brushwork and a Fauvist color scheme. With a sense of fluidity, Max creates a state of incessant flowering.
Day Dream Ver. I #5 from Max’s Romance series also has a rich color palette and kinetic flow with a Cubist influence. A daydreaming lady is portrayed reclining in a perpetual bloom. The piece puts together two different perspectives with flowers on one plane meeting a blue vase in another plane. Also available is Max’s Sitting Angel, which depicts his best-loved subject. As creatures with purity of spirit, angels are his favorite muses. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Our Annual Midsummers Day Auction, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
Dane Fine Art’s Summer Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art will highlight several works by American Abstract Illusionist painter James Havard. A master of trompe l’oeil, the artist also experimented with elements of Art Brut and Expressionism in his later career. Precision was an important part of his practice; Havard practiced animal husbandry as a boy, and his first paid art job was as a technical illustrator of electronic components. Featured in this sale is Havard’s Still Life for Morandi, a 1980 acrylic and pastel on board painting. The title likely references the Italian artist and printmaker Giorgio Morandi, who specialized in sensitive, delicately-colored still lifes. The available work features Havard’s signature swoops of paint and figurative elements, as well as several false shadows to create the illusion of three dimensionality.
Additional lots of interest include two Balloon Dog sculptures by Jeff Koons from a rare 2015 limited edition of 2,300. The original porcelain sculpture is available in both yellow and magenta. Another contemporary artist with work in the sale is Adam Parker Smith, a sculptor and installation artist who often uses humor to explore serious themes like fear, obsession, and envy. The result are works that subvert expectations and balance irreverence with whimsy. Dane Fine Art will present Smith’s Shibari Heart (Black) from 2019, a resin, jute, and wood sculpture that references the Japanese rope bondage technique. Interested bidders will also find works by Jasper Johns, Fernand Léger, and Louis Icart in this event. Visit Bidsquare to find the complete catalog for this Summer Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art and browse other online auctions.
