Leading the upcoming American Furniture, Folk and Decorative Arts sale from Freeman’s is a Chippendale carved mahogany tassel-back side chair from a prominent Philadelphia family. It was handed down from Edward Shippen, a civic leader and merchant who served as the first elected mayor of Philadelphia from 1701 to 1703. Considered fashionable in the late 18th century, tassel-back chairs are notable for their elaborately carved woodwork details. The available example is notable for its proportions, historic surface, and exceptional condition.
Another top lot in this sale is an important American Civil War flag from the USS Hartford. This hand-sewn piece with 13 stars dates back to the early 19th century and was likely flown by Flag Officer David Glasgow Farragut during the Battle of New Orleans. It was then passed down through Farragut’s family to the present owners. The flag is composed of wool bunting, hand-sewn flat-felled stripes, a hand-sewn linen hoist, and two hand-stitched grommets. Collectors of rare Civil War memorabilia can also consider a set of 21 Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Corps badge flags. These were invented to avoid confusion on the battlefield. Soldiers were required to sew one of these badges on their hats or coats. Additional items of interest include a rare Chinese Export porcelain tea and coffee ware set in the “Quaker Farmer” pattern and a miniature portrait of Abraham Lincoln from the mid-19th century. Find the complete catalog and register to bid by visiting Freeman’s.
The upcoming Bonhams auction features a range of world-class gems, natural pearls, gemstone carvings, and more. Leading the auction is a classic red spinel procured from a collector who had it cut from rough. The 20.36-carat cushion-cut stone is the size of a small plum and has a deep red hue. The clarity and cut make it an exceptional treasure. Discovered in the 1970s, the gem originated from an old mine in Burma.
Also highlighted in the sale is a multi-color conch pearl necklace. It has 47 conch pearls in hues of rose, pink, orange, white, papaya, and peach. The total weight of these pearls is approximately 250 carats. Each pearl alternates with a faceted diamond rondelle-form spacer bead. The string of pearls is set by an 18-karat white gold and diamond-set lobster-claw clasp. Beyond gemstones, crystal carvings are represented in the sale, including a fine rock crystal quartz carving of a polar bear.
Other notable lots include an oval-shaped black opal cabochon; a museum-quality large purple spinel; and a morganite, green beryl, and enamel clock by Manfred Wild. The latter piece was made in 1989. The functional hardstone carving depicts Poseidon carved from a single piece of bi-color beryl (aquamarine and morganite). Visit Bonhams to find more information on the Fine Gems, Opals and Lapidary Arts including Property of a Midwest Collector sale and register to bid on Bonhams auction.
Lee Friedlander is an influential American photographer, renowned for his “social landscape” style. His images include compositions portraying the modern urban life of post-war America. Friedlander’s The Little Screens, a set of 52 gelatin silver prints of photos captured during this period, is a key highlight of the upcoming sale at Sotheby’s. Reflecting the growing popularity of television in the 1960s and ‘70s, the images have been clicked in various locales across the country. Each black and white frame comprises a television set with fleeting moments in advertising, politics, or entertainment. The interiors are particularly uninhabited and drab.
Another notable lot is Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto’s The Music Lesson. It is part of his Portraits series, commissioned by the Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin. Sugimoto photographed a wax tableau created by Madame Tussauds Amsterdam, which was inspired by Johannes Vermeer’s masterpiece. He placed his tripod where Vermeer mostly likely would have positioned his easel. The hint of the tripod is seen in a mirror reflection above the harpsichord. Sugimoto is noted for such optical illusions, challenging the notion that photography portrays only truth. Visit Sotheby’s auction to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Pier 24 Photography from the Pilara Family Foundation Sold to Benefit Charitable Organizations Evening Sale.
Attention to detail in Jamie Browning Wyeth’s paintings validates his status as one of America’s leading Realist painters. Born in Pennsylvania to a family of renowned artists, Wyeth continued the family tradition. He is an artistic heir to the Brandywine School tradition of painting the rural Brandywine River of Delaware. Major subjects in his paintings include local people, animals, and landscapes. The Sea Locker by James Browning Wyeth is leading the upcoming Estate Treasures: Art & Rugs Auction, offered by 1stbid this April.
Notable among the rugs in this sale are French tapestries, Serapi rugs, Tabriz rugs, and signed silk rugs. Tabriz rugs are primarily made of silk and have been woven in Persia since the 1880s. The available Tabriz rug is a large carpet from the city of Tabriz, home to a weaving tradition that started during the Shah Abbas period in the 15th and 16th centuries. Tabriz was also a Persian market linked to Europe and Western commerce. Visit Bidsquare for more information on the upcoming Estate Treasures: Art & Rugs Auction and to browse other online auctions.
Victor Vasarely’s optical effects and images are among the most iconic of the 20th century. Known for his grid-like paintings and sculptures, Vasarely created illusions of depth, motion, and perspective that play with the sense of visual form. With his two-dimensional surface, he evoked the feeling of motion through his complex and colored geometric patterns associated with Op Art. By focusing on a primary subject, these works express a fundamental modern concern about the difference between what is visible and what is real. Leading the upcoming Aurora Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art from Dane Fine Art is an original screenprint in colors by Victor Vasarely. Titled Viva, this rare limited-edition print is hand-signed in pencil by the artist. The optical artwork shows two circles separating from the background. The print displays the distinctive style of the artist in bold jewel tones.
Additional lots of interest in this sale include an original color lithograph on paper from French artist Pierre Auguste Renoir. This limited-edition piece shows the artist’s second son, Jean Renoir, holding a cookie adorned with a frilly bonnet typical of French society in the late 19th century. Visit Bidsquare for more information about the Aurora Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art and to browse other online auctions.
During the mid-1800s, Tiffany & Co. started using diamonds in its designs and introduced new styles of luxury gold jewelry. The mix of diamonds and gold remains one of the company’s most popular combinations. A Tiffany & Co. gold and diamond ‘X’ necklace is a key highlight of the upcoming auction at Doyle. Made with 18-karat gold, it is fashioned with 156 round diamonds that weigh approximately 5.45 carats. Other jewelry lots of note include striking sets of earrings, such as a pair of white gold, cabochon ruby, and diamond pendant earrings. It comprises 58 round and oval cabochon rubies, weighing approximately 65.95 carats, and round diamonds that weigh approximately 7.0 carats. Also notable is a pair of pendant-earclips designed with gold, turquoise, coral beads, and diamonds. A wide link gold bracelet set with brownish red agate also leads the listings. It is fashioned with five rows of curved rectangular agate links.
The sale also features a French-made Hermès black shiny Mississippiensis alligator ‘Mini’ Kelly bag. The top handle piece is designed with gold-tone hardware, a turn-lock closure, and black leather interior with side slip pocket. Visit Doyle to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Fine Jewelry & Luxury Handbags sale.
Native Americans often emulate patterns and motifs from nature when crafting objects. A beavertail dagger or dag knife was named after the beaver’s tail, which was the original design inspiration for them. A double-edged weapon, it has been used by Native Americans for both fighting and utility purposes. An I&H Sorby stamped presentation grade dag knife with a large paddle-like forged blade is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from North American Auction Company. Its fancy handle has a carved grip scale pattern in solid bone, most likely of a Great American Bison Buffalo. Ornamented with silverwork accents, the handle features a circle guard front, diamond-shaped tapering gripping area, and circle pommel end.
Another significant dag knife is accompanied by a striking sheath with vibrant beadwork, possibly from the Northern Plains Native American Indians. The sheath is made of tanned Great American Bison Buffalo hide with geometric-patterned beadwork. The colors include yellow and blue, red, and chalk white. It is further adorned with old hand-rolled tin cone danglers and hand-cut hide fringes. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Fine Montana Collector Sale – April 2023, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
The upcoming live sale from Halphen Auctions will feature an original Leica M3 rangefinder camera. The model has a black painted body with silver painted trim and a lens marked ‘Ernst Leitz Wetzler’ along with the serial number. Leica M3, a 35mm compact rangefinder camera, was launched in 1954 by Ernst Leitz GmbH. It became one of the most iconic and successful M models with over 220,000 units sold until its production stopped in 1966.
Other notable works in the catalog include a Lalique French crystal vase with macaw parrot birds and a pottery figure by artist Josef Lorenzl. The latter, titled Butterfly Girl, shows a girl with arms held out as her dark red dress forms wings. Additional lots of interest include a set of three framed paintings of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and assorted Japanese Sumida Gawa pottery pieces such as vases, jars, and bowls. About 550 lots will be presented in this sale. To view the complete Asian Decoration, African, Fine Art, Jade, and Estate Sales catalog and browse other online auctions, visit Bidsquare.
This April, New England Auctions will present more than 400 British ceramics and Americana items in the upcoming sale. Among the highlights is a 2003 Lexus GX470. With an odometer reading of 30,857 miles, this car is in excellent condition. The interior of the black automobile is minimalistic and driver-focused. It comes with a wood-adorned dashboard and plush leather seats. The sale also features an oil-on-panel artwork by American painter and graphic artist Ralph Curtis. Titled Pair of Portraits, the painting was rendered in 1830. The subjects include a gentleman and a woman depicted in half-length. They are shown leaning slightly forward. The man in a suit has a long face while the woman is dressed in black. Both faces are outlined in a dark shade. A graduate of Harvard, Curtis (1854 – 1922) often made portraits of families, still lifes, interiors, and landscapes.
Other noteworthy lots include a gilded fish weathervane from 1900, a pair of vintage fire buckets from North Adams, a 19th-century two-sided game board, and a set of six hoop-back Windsor chairs. Visit Bidsquare to find more information on The Americana Collection of Jeannine Dobbs & The Estate of Jonathan Rickard and browse other online auctions.
Australian artist Paul Balmer grew up in South Africa, and he cites traditional African and Aboriginal art as among his influences. Rafael Osona Auctions will offer an oil on canvas by Balmer titled Bird’s Eye in the 2023 Designer Daffodil Weekend Auction. The painting shows a bird’s eye view of Nantucket. It depicts an overhead view of a steamship and numerous sailboats departing the Brant Point lighthouse, Coast Guard station, and docks in Nantucket Harbor.
Another notable lot is John Miller’s Yacht Passing the Bay. It is an oil on linen in molded gilt frame, titled and signed on the reverse. The painting depicts a bay with a pristine sandy beach and blue water on a bright day. Upon closer observation, viewers can see a yacht in a distance that is barely visible from the standpoint. Miller (British, 1931 – 2002) was an English artist born in London who became famous for his idyllic representation of beach scenes in his home county of Cornwall. Most of his paintings were of the West Penwith peninsula and Tresco in the Isles of Scilly. Rafael Osona Auctions will offer over 600 lots in this event, including partial contents of a Nantucket designer decorated estate and contents of several recently sold seaside homes. Visit Bidsquare for more information on the upcoming April 29, 2023, Designer Daffodil Weekend Auction and to browse other online auctions.
