Leading the upcoming 21st Century Realism ARC Salon sale at Sotheby’s is a watercolor painting by Chung-Wei Chien. The Taiwanese artist is a painter of international repute who was the first Taiwanese Signature Member of the National Watercolor Society, as well as the first to display his work at the American Watercolor Society. Most of his work consists of painting scenes of urban life and architecture, depicting the play of light through clear colors and a balanced combination of free brushstrokes and precise lines. Chien’s watercolors capture the simplest subjects and infuse them with beauty and intrigue. It is the timeless nature of Chien’s artwork, combined with a contemporary and modern feel, which has brought him fame in North America and Europe. The available watercolor, titled Just Light Your Own Light, which won the Honorable Mention Award at the 16th ARC Salon, is due to be sold at Sotheby’s. The artist’s monogram is on the left side of the watercolor painting, which is dated 2022.
Another lot of interest in this sale is an artwork by Mica Pillemer titled Lockdown Self-Portrait (2021). Pillemer is a Melbourne-based award-winning artist with an extensive background in drawing portraits, still lifes, and narrative paintings. Using his classical training, Mica explores issues and ideas of contemporary relevance. Additional lots of interest include works by Sylvia Stratieva, Stephanie Deshpande, and Janet Maines. Browse the complete auction catalog and register to bid in the upcoming 21st Century Realism ARC Salon sale by visiting Sotheby’s.
The woman behind the famous Tiffany glass lamps was Clara Driscoll (1861 – 1944). She came from a humble farming family in Ohio. Driscoll started working at Tiffany Glass Studios in 1887 and soon became the head of the company’s women’s glass cutting department. She designed the Tiffany Dragonfly lamp that won a prize at the Paris International Exposition in 1900. A 1910 Tiffany Studios 18-light lily table lamp likely designed by Driscoll during this period is among the leading lots in the upcoming Modern Design | Art Auction at Bonhams. The lamp has iridescent favrile shades, patinated bronze tubes, and a base, each shade incised ‘L.C.T. Favrile.’
A pitcher designed by Betty Woodman is also available in this sale. Following the death of her daughter in 1981, Woodman (1930-2018) subsequently shifted her work from functional pottery to abstract works. This transformed her career from a potter to a renowned American ceramic artist. She started to create things that would bring positive energy, instead of fitting into a mold. The available Large Pillow Pitcher from circa 1980 is a glazed earthenware piece stamped ‘Woodman’ underneath the handle. The catalog also offers furniture from Louis Vuitton, Audoux Minet, Mario Bellini, and Paolo Buffa; sculptures by Marshal Fredericks; and modern decorative design. View the complete Modern Design | Art catalog and register to bid at Bonhams.
Nadeau’s Auction Gallery presents a set of 20 Dutch Ten Guilder Uncirculated Gold Coins in the upcoming Outdoor, Antique, Contemporary Art, and Decorative Accessories Auction. These standard circulation coins featuring Queen Wilhelmina were minted in the Netherlands from 1925 to 1933. Queen Wilhelmina served as the Queen of the Netherlands for 58 years, the longest of any Dutch monarch. The coins are engraved with the lettering ‘Koningin Wilhelmina·God Zij Met Ons,’ meaning ‘Queen Wilhelmina·God be with us.’ The total weight of the available lot is approximately 134.4 grams.
Collectors can also consider a 1973 Martin D-35 guitar. The instrument comes with an original hard shell case. It features a Luthier-installed Fishman Acoustic matrix pickup and carved Native American design headstock. In addition, the auction will present an upholstered George Smith custom sofa, an oil on canvas titled Safe by Max Bohn, and a Stickley oak master dresser from the late 20th century. Visit Bidsquare to find more information on the Outdoor, Antique, Contemporary Art and Decorative Accessories Auction sale and browse other online auctions.
An oval brilliant-cut diamond weighing 11.03 carats is leading this Estate Jewelry, Art & Collectibles auction, presented by Kodner Galleries. The central diamond is set in an 18-karat white gold engagement ring and complimented by two pear-shaped diamonds on either side. The central diamond has an EGL report stating it has J color and S12 clarity. The diamond looks flawless even on close inspection. Another leading lot is a fancy light yellow diamond ring. The central diamond is cushion-cut, weighs 10.02 carats, and has SI1 clarity.
Also available at the event is a vintage 18-karat yellow gold massive link chain necklace which converts to a shorter necklace and bracelet. Several pieces of fine art will be featured as well, including a painting by Luis Franco Salinas titled Piano Lesson. Spanish artist Salinas (1850-1899) studied in Valencia and first exhibited in 1867. Collectors can also consider a single strand 14-17mm South Sea pearl necklace, an Empire-style Pietra Dura marble hall table, and Macallan 30-year-old Scotch whisky. Visit Bidsquare to find more information on Estate Jewelry, Art & Collectibles sale and browse other online auctions.
The upcoming sale at 500 Gallery will feature an engraving after Francis William Edmonds’ painting The New Scholar. As a painter who balanced an art and business career during the mid-19th century, Edmonds rose to prominence in New York’s banking, politics, and cultural arenas. Edmonds’ paintings are filled with warmth, humor, tenderness, and a fine sense of detail without being overly sentimental. In addition to scenes of daily life in the countryside, often overshadowed by humorous overtones, Edmonds also painted literary subjects, portraits, and landscapes, typical of American nationalistic art in the 1830s. Taking its inspiration from Dutch genre painting of the 17th century (everyday scenes), The New Scholar illustrates the artist’s moralizing approach, depicting a young boy shrinking behind his mother, engaged in friendly conversation with the schoolmaster carrying the rod of discipline. The available framed work has the artist’s and engraver’s names below it.
Another top lot in this sale is an oil on Masonite abstract composition in the manner of Hans Hofmann. A major figure in Abstract Expressionism, Han Hofmann was also a mentor and teacher to emerging artists. Hofmann’s paintings frequently blur the lines between different schools of Cubism, Fauvism, and others. Interested collectors can also consider a rare, limited-edition lithograph print, titled Bras de Sien Pres Giverny by French Impressionist Claude Monet. To view the complete catalog of the Affordable Art Affair sale and to find other online auctions, visit Bidsquare.
American cartoonist Charles M. Schulz was the creator of the world-famous comic strip Peanuts. It first appeared in 1950 in seven newspapers and was syndicated by United Features. The upcoming sale from Revere Auctions will feature an original four-panel piece from this immensely successful work by Schulz. The daily strip for Monday, February 15, 1965 is in black ink over pencil on drawing board. The sale also showcases a hand-painted Lucite/acrylic sculpture by Peter Max. A striking psychedelic and Pop Art work, it depicts a brightly-hued Statue of Liberty and is signed along the lower edge. Max is well known for portraying American cultural icons with such bursts of color.
A large oil on canvas painting by Doug Argue also leads the fine arts listings. Titled Purple Monster Eating, it portrays a strange creature eating at the table. Inspired by German Expressionism, the work explores abstraction in infinite time and space. Another noteworthy lot is George Morrison’s oil and collage on canvas laid board. It depicts an abstract figure amid vivid flowers. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Summer Selections: Fine & Decorative Arts sale, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
Surrounded by a pristine lake is Stone Mountain, a quartz monzonite dome-like hill located 16 miles east of Atlanta, Georgia. The park is the most visited tourist site in the state. A 1925-P Stone Mountain Memorial half-dollar NGC MS-68 coin is available in the upcoming United States Coins Auction, presented by Farber Auctioneers and Appraisers. This Stone Mountain Memorial half dollar is an American fifty-cent piece struck in 1925 at the Philadelphia Mint. It was created to raise money for the Stone Mountain Memorial on behalf of the Stone Mountain Confederate Monumental Association. The coin features Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. The caption on the coin reads “Memorial to the Valor of the Soldier of the South.” It was also originally intended to be in memory of President Warren G. Harding, but no mention of him appears on the coin. It was designed by sculptor Gutzon Borglum.
Among gold coins, a 1913-P Indian Head $10 Gold Eagle. The Indian Head eagle is a $10 gold piece struck by the United States Mint from 1907 until 1916. Its minting was irregular until 1933. The sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens designed the obverse and reverse but died before seeing the released coins. Other notable Native American or Indian head coins in this sale include the 1878-P $3 Indian princess coin and 1915-P $2.50 Indian head raw gold quarter eagle. The sale also offers vintage stamps to collectors. View the complete catalog of this United States Coins Auction and browse other online auctions on Bidsquare.
This July, Revere Auctions will present more than 300 Asian, Indian, and Middle-Eastern collectibles in its upcoming sale. Among the highlights is a large soapstone sculpture belonging to the late Qing dynasty. With polychrome painted highlights, the piece stands 22 inches high and 15.5 inches wide. It depicts a seated Guanyin watching the water moon. The legs elegantly rest on lotus blossoms and the figure is surrounded by swirling water. According to the auction house, this sculpture was formerly owned by Zaiyi, also known as Prince Duan (Chinese, 1856 – 1923).
An antique Chinese parcel-gilt bronze incense burner is another notable lot. Dating to the 17th century, the available lot comes with a Hu Wenming mark. Wenming is considered one of the most famous metalworkers in Chinese history. The burner is characterized by densely worked backgrounds covered with delicate floral and foliate motifs. It has two handles in the form of open-mouthed dragons breathing fire. The event also offers objects like an ancient Chinese gold bead necklace and a cloisonné hand mirror from the Qing dynasty. Visit Bidsquare to find more information on The Arts of Asia, India, & the Middle East sale and browse other online auctions.
The American Artists Professional League’s upcoming Summer Studio Auction highlights works by AAPL members’ studios, allowing bidders to see the inspiration behind the pieces. Paintings, sculptures, graphics, and drawings are on display in the auction. Among the top lots is a pastel painting by Jodie Kain, a native New Yorker. In her work, Kain captures the quieter moments of life. A rhythmic world surrounds her paintings, which are resonant with emotion. Along with figurative painting, she also engages in plein-air painting in order to depict natural subjects. The available work was created using a photograph of a train view north of Boston to Maine, as a reference and memory.
A bronze sculpture titled Lord of the Couch by Joy Kroeger Beckner also leads the listings. Beckner is a Missouri artist famous for her life-like sculptures of dogs, including dachshunds. A sensuous sense of shape permeates Joy’s art. In addition to the Silver Medal from the National Sculpture Society, she has won six Best-in-Show awards for her bronze dachshunds. Bidders can also consider a bronze sculpture by Douglas Aja titled Morning’s Chill. Douglas is an award-winning artist based in Vermont, USA who specializes in African wildlife bronze sculptures. Visit Bidsquare to view the Contemporary Fine Art Summer Studio Auction and browse other online auctions.
One of the first sets of 3D glasses was created and used in 1838 by Charles Wheatstone. He applied principles of stereopsis, the ability to perceive depth, and made the first 3D viewing device: the stereoscope. A technological marvel for its time, the device allowed the viewing of separate images from the left eye and right eye to create a single three-dimensional image. Sir David Brewster remodeled the stereoscope to produce the first portable 3D viewing device. A 19th-century large, historic trade sign that resembles 3D eyeglasses with red and blue glass is a leading lot in the upcoming July Americana Discovery Auction from New England Auctions. Made with molded zinc or tin, the frame is covered in gold paint, still intact with some signs of wear. An American Blackhawk horse weathervane with a natural verdigris patina from circa 1875 will also be available.
Blondie’s Jalopy, a mini wooden car, is another notable lot. It is a lithographed tin “Sunshine Car” in vivid yellow. The fender and bumper have emerging heads of Dagwood and Blondie. When wound, the car rolls along, causing Blondie and Dagwood to bounce up and down, their loosely attached hats appearing to be blowing in the wind. It is an American toy made around the 1930s. The auction will offer collectibles like fireman’s hats, rocking Shaker chairs with red and tan woven seats, and more. View the complete catalog of the July Americana Discovery Auction and find other online auctions on Bidsquare.
