Chinese ceramics date back to the Paleolithic era and rose to new heights during the Tang dynasty era. This was a period of great arts, culture, and discoveries, as well as advances and innovations in ceramics, which is why antiques from this period are prized today. A glazed stoneware tripod censer from this era is a key highlight of the upcoming J. J. Lally & Co. auction from Bonhams Skinner. The dark olive-brown glazed spherical vessel is heavily potted with rounded sides rising from three short legs decorated with a rim and neck. As a result of uneven glazing, the exterior and interior of this piece have different tones.
Another Chinese lot of interest is a jade figure of a recumbent beast, a bixie. This piece from the Six Dynasties era features a beast, a crouching figure poised for a leap. The creature shares a great deal in common with Han prototypes, including its posture and bulging eyes. The six Dynasties spanned between the Han dynasty’s collapse in 220 CE and the Sui dynasty’s conquest of South China. Explore more items and register to bid in the J. J. Lally & Co. sale by visiting Bonhams Skinner’s website.
The upcoming Discovery sale, presented by Bonhams Skinner, is a curated selection of antique curiosities and science artifacts. Among the leading lots is a full-body papier-mâché medical teaching model from the mid-19th-century. The piece features removable parts, allowing students to better understand muscles, joints, ligaments, and arteries. Dr. Louis Auzoux crafted this model. Dr. Auzoux was known for his papier-mâché medical models that were fully dissectible and were similar to examining real human bodies. Other antique medical teaching models are available in this sale, including a cast metal skull with two nose mounts and a set of eyes. This particular model would be used by plastic surgery students.
Beyond medical models, the Discovery auction will highlight a Wurlitzer “Bubbler” jukebox from the Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. With its color-changing posts and chrome accents, this classic jukebox evokes 1950s American nostalgia. It plays 78-RPM records. Bidders can also consider sets of surveyor’s tools, including two 19th-century compasses retailed by Benjamin Pike & Son. They feature engraved silver dials and an original box. Additional lots in the catalog include a Leica M2 camera and lens set, an August J. I. Töpler electrostatic influence machine, and a 19th-century floor standing globe. Visit Bonhams Skinner to find more information on the Discovery auction and to place a bid.
Nandi, the sacred bull of the Hindu God Lord Shiva, represents joy, virility, and power. A pair of Indian sandstone Nandi sculptures is a key highlight of this upcoming sale, presented by Auctions at Showplace. The seated Nandi, or Vrishabha, is intricately carved. It is outfitted with saddles, bridles, and headpieces upon the forehead. The mythological creature reclines on a rectangular base. Another key highlight of the sale is an artwork attributed to American artist Domenick Capobianco. Rendered in 1978, the abstract figurative oil on canvas depicts a sleeping boy with blond hair.
A Chinese jade carving of a man and mythical beast also leads the listings. The Chinese celadon carving adorned with russet jade accents stands on a fitted wood stand. Another notable lot is an antique Chinese bronze statue that possibly dates back to the Ming dynasty era (1368 – 1644). The piece features the deity Guanyin seated atop a guardian lion, all upon a lotus form base. Visit Bidsquare to view the complete catalog for this New York City Asia Week Auction, March 19 and other online auctions.
The American Waltham Watch Co. produced watches, clocks, compasses, and other precision instruments in the United States from 1850 to 1957. A pocket watch created by the company was gifted to Theodore Roosevelt by his sister before he left for Cuba. The upcoming sale from Blackwell Auctions will feature this watch, which has been referenced in Corinne Roosevelt Robinson’s book, My Brother Theodore Roosevelt. She includes a number of her brother’s letters in the book. Enclosed in a coin silver case, the watch runs for a few seconds when wound. Inside the cover of the case is engraved “Theodore Roosevelt” and “From D.R. and C.R.R.” Another regal timepiece in the sale is a French carriage clock gifted to Annie Oakley on the occasion of her birthday. A biography of Oakley mentions the clock was one of the gifts she received from members of European royalty.
Sitting Bull, an oil on canvas painting by Caroline Weldon, leads the fine art listings. This portrait of Lakota Sioux leader Sitting Bull is one of his four portraits by Weldon. The Swiss-American artist was a personal secretary and confidante of the leader. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming The American Sale, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
Stair’s The English Interior auction in early March is a celebration of the traditional English home. The catalog particularly features classic English furniture items such as a George III giltwood armchair that likely dates back to the late 18th or early 19th century. Under the reign of King George III, English furniture designers embraced mahogany. Giltwood was a popular expression of the Rococo style during this period. The available armchair features beige and cream upholstery, metal stud accents, and foliage motifs carved into the back and arms.
The Victorian style would later replace the George III style in popularity. As the Industrial Revolution swept England, it became possible for middle-class families to own higher-quality furniture made of walnut, rosewood, and velvet. A Victorian mahogany jupe expanding dining table is also available in the sale. Invented by English cabinetmaker Robert Jupe, this circular folding table can be spun to reveal additional leaves and add extra table space. A selection of fine art is also on offer. This includes an 18th-century portrait of a gentleman by distinguished painter Thomas Hudson, a set of 12 plates from George Edwards’ Natural History of Birds, and John Gifford’s painting of several hunting dogs at rest, titled At the End of the Day. To view the complete catalog for The English Interior sale and browse other online auctions, visit Bidsquare.
The Passed Cane Auction, presented by Kimball Sterling, offers a collection of canes from unpaid auctions and passed lots. Highlighted in the catalog is a hardstone and enamel exotic bird head cane. Dating back to 1900, the cane features a large rose quartz knob that is intensely pink and translucent. The carved gem-grade stone on the top depicts an exotic bird’s head with a frosted feather coat and polished beak. Canes with hard stone knobs are rare and dear to collectors owing to their high cost and difficult production.
Also featured in this timed auction is an 1895 Nephrite prestige cane. Topping the available piece is a wheel-cut handle with an oversized pommel shape. It has a spinach-green color and waxy translucency. Below the handle is a tapering silver collar engraved with the initials “JA” and Birmingham hallmarks. Another notable lot is a rare 1860 figural marine cane. The available piece shows a substantial whale tooth knob carved to depict a bird, possibly a seagull. Other interesting items include a Malacca sword cane, an 1890 porcelain dress cane, and a collection of Viennese “Giggerl” crops. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Passed Cane Auction, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
The Assiniboine or Assiniboin people are Native Americans belonging to the Northern Great Plains of North America. Known for their horsemanship skills, the men of the tribe were well-trained in hunting and warfare. Today, many of Assiniboine people live along with other tribes, including Gros Ventre. A war shirt used by Assiniboine/ Gros Ventre (circa 1885) is a key highlight of the upcoming March in Montana sale. This intricately beaded and striped piece is accented with a fringed bib. Such shirts were crafted for special occasions such as annual celebrations and ceremonies such as the Sun Dance. Another noteworthy lot is a watercolor painting titled Black Hank/A Sheep Herder by William Bill Gollings. The work was featured in A Gollings Sketchbook, A Collection of Sketches by the Cowboy Artist, by Robert H. Sherger.
A Navajo rug woven with four Yéi figures and a rainbow guardian figure is a striking piece in this sale. It is decorated with a stepped border and feathers. The Navajo people view the Yéi as their spirit deities. Those related to elements of nature are regarded as the most generous. To view the complete auction catalog and register to bid in the upcoming March in Montana 2023 sale, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
Red Poppy, a painting attributed to Georgia O’Keeffe, is a leading lot in the upcoming Antique & Modern Paintings auction from 500 Gallery. The beauty of the wilderness of Wisconsin, where O’Keeffe grew up, inspired her to paint. O’Keeffe explored abstraction in her still lifes, landscapes, and flower paintings such as Red Poppy. The artist would eventually be known as the Mother of American Modernism due to her work in pure abstraction. Another key highlight of this auction is Lee Krasner’s Abstract Composition, an oil painting by a transitional artist who bridged several movements in early-20th-century American art.
A bronze garden sculpture, titled Girl on a Swing, by Bessie Potter Vonnoh (1872 – 1955) is a top lot among sculptures in this auction. Vonnoh created the piece in 1906. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri and trained at the Art Institute of Chicago. She was a sculptor known for depicting graceful, serene women figures with gently sweeping garments. Selected artworks and prints from notable names like Jackson Pollock and Pablo Picasso are available in the auction as well. Visit Bidsquare to find more information on the upcoming Antique & Modern Paintings sale and browse other online auctions.
Memento Mori is a Gothic jewelry style that was widely popular during the 14th through 17th centuries. These items often featured skulls, skeletons, and moral messages. They were a symbolic and creative representation of inevitable death. Memento Mori rings get their name from the Latin phrase ‘remember we must die.’ The upcoming Noonans sale presents a circa 1730 Memento Mori skeletal ring. The Georgian gold ring is set with a rock crystal and has a black enamel layer. It features a skeleton motif adornment on its shank. The ring carries the ‘Memento Mori’ inscription and the owner’s name on its interior. Other notable jewelry items in this sale include a 10.13-carat diamond ring.
Also notable is a Cartier Trinity ring with three interlocking bands. Its yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold bands are studded with tiny diamonds. The Trinity collection was designed in 1924 by Louis Cartier. The intertwining design was a commission for Jean Cocteau, the French playwright. The ring’s design symbolizes friendship and fidelity. The sale will also showcase a Bon Ton jewelry set from Pasquale Bruni. The onyx and diamond jewelry set design has five floral petals that define the Maison icon. The faceting jewel petals have the Pasquale Bruni signature ‘Bon Ton’ cut. The auction also offers LeCoultre & Co. keyless watches, Omega and Rolex wristwatches, silverware, and gemstone jewelry. Interested collectors can explore the entire catalog on Noonans’ website and register to bid in the Jewellery and Objects of Vertu sale.
Op Art pioneer Jesús Rafael Soto (1923 – 2005) wanted his viewers to become participants because for the artist, there was more to art than met the eye. The Venezuelan sculptor and painter started his journey by painting cinema posters to support his family. He later experimented with Op Art and Kinetic Art. Soto played with the perception of images and objects in space, establishing an aesthetic for the future. Soto’s Café leads the upcoming Latin American Art Online auction from Christie’s. It is a signed, titled, and dated acrylic on wood piece with filament wire created in 1991.
Born to immigrant parents in Cuba, Wifredo Lam (1902 – 1982) moved to Madrid and Paris to study art. Lam soon found a home with Surrealists and Cubists like Picasso, who welcomed and inspired Lam. However, his work defies any category. Nu assis II, a gouache and charcoal on paper by Lam completed in 1939, is available in this Latin American art sale. Also in the limelight are works by Joaquín Torres-Garcia, Oswaldo Guayasamín, Alice Rahon, Fernando Botero, and others. Visit Christie’s to view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Latin American Art Online auction.
