Vilhelm Lauritzen was a celebrated modern Danish architect and luxury lighting designer. He was also the founder of the well-known architectural firm Vilhelm Lauritzen Arkitekter. Lauritzen’s travel to Central Europe introduced him to Functionalist architecture, which greatly influenced his structural works in Modernism. The Guldpendel pendant is considered to be the best example of his Minimalist style in lighting. A 1955 set of six Guldpendel pendants by Lauritzen is a key highlight of the upcoming Living Contemporary sale from Rago. Manufactured by Louis Poulsen, the brass-plated and enameled aluminum pendants are one of the most classic Danish designs from the 1950s. Another lot of interest is a pair of French room dividers attributed to Jean Royère. Made of enameled steel, the two partition screens can be used either horizontally or vertically. Royère worked in import-export trade before setting up his business as an interior designer.
A pair of French occasional tables attributed to Jacques Adnet also leads the catalog. Designed around 1950, the tables are fashioned with leather, brass and glass. Adnet’s designs are known for their sleek lines and clean forms. To view the complete auction catalog and register to bid online, visit Rago auction.
Representation is central to Nina Chanel Abney’s abstract art. Abney’s Temporary Friends leads this upcoming auction, presented by Christie’s, featuring Kenwal Steel’s collection in support of GLAAD. Abney hails from Illinois. She is an Black American contemporary artist who explores race, gender, pop culture, and politics in her work. Her art is unapologetic, with a mix and match of bold colors and everyday events. The available Temporary Friends by Abney is a complete set of five relief prints in colors on Hahnemühle Aurora paper, signed and dated 2019 in black ink.
A black and white etching titled T. E. Siegen (1999) on Somerset satin tan paper by Richard Serra (b. 1938) is among the featured lots. Serra supported himself as an artist and a student at Yale by working in steel mills. After traveling extensively through Europe and Africa in the 1960s, he got his first solo exhibition at Galleria La Salita, Rome. His first sculptures were nontraditional, made of fiberglass and rubber. He exhibited at the Kunsthalle Tübingen, Germany in 1978 and the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Paris in 1984. Proceeds from this sale will support GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), an American non-governmental media monitoring organization. Visit Christie’s to find the listed items and register to place a bid.
Featuring an impressive grouping from independent watchmakers, Sotheby’s will present the Fine Watches auction in early March. The sale starts with a Patek Philippe Reference 5650G-001 Advanced Research Aquanaut. The Ref. 5650G Aquanaut is a blue, sporty, and elegant limited-edition wristwatch, the first timepiece to be endowed with two avant-garde developments in the field of horology. The first innovation at the beating heart of this watch is an optimized Spiromax– a balance spring made with a patented terminal curve and inner boss that ensures greater precision. The second innovation is time zone correction with a flexible mechanism crafted from steel. The available watch is an 18-karat white gold, automatic dual-time wristwatch with date and day/night indication (circa 2017). The dial is blue semi-skeletonized with 29 jewels. The white-gold case measures 40.80mm in diameter. The case also has a sapphire-crystal glass case back, and screw-down crown. It is water resistant to 120 meters.
A pink gold automatic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak (Reference 15400OR.OO.1220OR.03) is a notable lot. The available watch has an 18-karat pink gold case, blue dial, and pink gold bracelet (circa 2015). The 36-jewel caliber is automatic with a self-winding mechanism, date display, and center seconds. The case also has a glare-proofed sapphire crystal display back secured by eight screws. The watch is water resistant to 50 meters. Sotheby’s will offer a vast selection of thoughtfully curated vintage and modern timepieces from major brands in this sale. Visit Sotheby’s auction to find the listed items and register to place a bid.
In Noonans’ first banknote auction of 2023, several notable currency collections will come to the market. This includes the Bruce Smart Collections of India, Britain, and Ireland; proceeds from these lots will be donated to Humane Animal Partners, an animal welfare organization. Leading the sale is a Cawnpore 2 Rupees, 8 Annas note issued by the British Government of India in 1918, formerly of the Bruce Smart Collection. The British introduced this note in response to widespread silver hoarding in the aftermath of World War I. The available banknote has been awarded grade 63 by Paper Money Guaranty (PMG). Another notable lot is a 500 Tomans note issued by the Imperial Bank of Persia between 1890 and 1923. Its intricate engraving was completed by English banknote printer Bradbury Wilkinson & Co.
Several rare banknotes from South Africa are also on offer, including an exceedingly rare Koffyfontein £5 note from 1901 during the Boer War era. There are only four other known examples of this note available in the private market. The offered note has been awarded grade 25 by PMG. Also notable is a 1960 proposed £1 note from the Bank of Jamaica and a 1,000-lire note issued by the Banca Nazionale nel Regno d’Italia in 1878. The Italian note features blue-tinted images of young women and angelic putti. Visit Noonans to learn more and register to bid.
Featured in the upcoming Bonhams Skinner auction of rare textiles is a mid-18th-century wool and silk tapestry. This pastoral tapestry portrays young men engaged in a game wherein one of the players pretends as a horse while another sits on his back. The decorative fabric is from the Amusement Champetre series and was designed by Jean-Baptiste Oudry. This specific tapestry is titled Le Cheval Fondu. Oudry was a renowned French Rococo painter and tapestry designer known for depicting hunting scenes, animals, and outdoor games.
Also showcased in this upcoming auction is a Flemish tapestry. Finely woven with wool and silk, the tapestry is from the late 17th century. The dyes used are bright and fresh, demonstrating excellent color preservation. A navy blue border edges the fabric while the center has intricate details and patterns. A Greek silk embroidered panel, a Dalmatic with applied silk ribbons, and a Swedish Rolakan blanket are other notable lots.
A range of textiles from across the globe such as medieval and Renaissance embroideries and Indonesian ikats are available. Interested collectors can explore the full listings and register to bid online by visiting Bonhams Skinner.
Swiss architect Pierre Jeanneret made notable contributions to the design and architecture of India’s well-planned city, Chandigarh. Jeanneret is considered one of the most significant figures in the city’s civic architecture project, in addition to his cousin, Le Corbusier, and English couple Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew. Inspired by the local craftsmanship, Jeanneret created classic furniture using local materials such as bamboo sticks and cane straps. A set of six office armchairs by Jeanneret is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from Barton’s Auction. These are based on his original armchair designs for the administrative buildings in Chandigarh. Another available Jeanneret piece is an office file rack, which has been partially restored.
A striking set of African bronze chairs and a table also leads the listings. The rare five-piece lot comprises four thrones/ chairs and a table. It features detailed, tribal figural bronze imagery and characters. The sale also includes a vintage leather sectional sofa by Roche Bobois. This stylish piece has channeled stitching. Roche Bobois is a French company that designs luxury furniture and home accessories. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
Hampton Estate Auction will offer fine jewelry items and watches from Tiffany, Rolex, Cartier, Bulgari, and more in an upcoming sale. Collectors will find an array of mid-century pieces as well. A mid-century diamond platinum cocktail earring set stands out. The earrings include diamonds weighing approximately 11.50 carats. It measures 62 millimeters by 25 millimeters in size.
The catalog also highlights a Tiffany diamond engagement ring. This platinum ring features a single diamond in the center measuring approximately 1.12 carats. The size five ring comes with a Tiffany & Co. diamond certificate. A mid-century Rolex 14-karat gold manual wind watch is another notable lot. The ladies’ watch size has a gold dial with stick hour markers. The watch is mentioned to be in working order. Established in 1905, Rolex is one of the leading luxury watch brands in the world. Its list of patrons has included John F. Kennedy, Paul Newman, Winston Churchill, and Warren Buffett. Find the listed items and discover more online auctions on Bidsquare.
Georges Le Saché, a renowned jewelry designer and maker, crafted pieces for well-known jewelry houses during the early 20th century. He ran his workshop for more than 30 years. Some of his noteworthy designs included ivory boxes with decorative enamel detailing. One such ivory and enamel match safe by Le Saché is a key highlight of this upcoming sale, presented by Everard Auctions and Appraisals. The French carved case features a hinged lid, attached gold ring and a striker plate at the base. Retailed by Tiffany & Co, the 18-karat gold box is adorned with C-scrolls and scrolling foliage. Another striking decorative collectible is a set of four Georgian sterling silver candlesticks by William Cafe, London. The engraved candlesticks are designed with stag and crown crests, square bases, and removable drip pans.
The sale also features a notable Golay Fils & Stahl women’s watch styled in a white gold, enamel, and a seed pearl chain. The 19th-century piece is studded with diamonds and sapphires. It has an Arabic numeral dial, separate seconds dial, and gilt accents. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
Californian artist Xavier Martinez (1869 – 1943) was famous for creating landscape and coastal paintings. Active in the late 19th and early 20th century, he adopted a Tonalist painting style and relied on somber grays, greens, and browns for his works. A well-known Bohemian figure, Martinez produced etchings, monotypes, graphics, and silverpoint. The upcoming sale from Turner Auctions + Appraisals presents a painting titled Mexican Mother and Child by Xavier Martinez. Made in the 1930s, the painting depicts a breastfeeding mother and child. The auction offers several other paintings by Martinez, items belonging to him, and more.
Chiura Obata’s painting titled Mountain Landscape is another significant lot. Completed in 1947, the signed artwork depicts rocky terrains amidst an almost barren landscape. The work reflects the artist’s love for nature and mountains. Born in Okayama, Japan, Obata adopted classic Japanese brush painting along with Modernist watercolor techniques. Bidders can consider works by Virginia Swinburne Hale, Louis Kronberg, Ruth Gaines, Josephine Wood Colby, and Bertha Reid as well. Interested collectors can explore the entire catalog and register to bid online by visiting Turner Auctions + Appraisals.
Four Martin brothers named Robert Wallace, Charles, Edwin, and Walter began producing stoneware pottery in London. The production was active between the 1870s and 1923. Frequently depicting unusual face sculptures, bowls, and vessels resembling sea creatures, their designs were known to have a Gothic style. The Ellison Collection Auction, presented by Rago, offers an example of the Martin Brothers’ pottery. The piece is a Wally-bird tobacco jar. It resembles a brown owl-like bird that has human features such as big eyes.
One of the top lots in the upcoming Rago sale is a lamp by Fulper Pottery. In 1909, Fulper Pottery launched a line titled Vasekraft. Most of its production can be characterized by distinctive shapes and multi-colored glazes. The offered lot is decorated with glass-filled openings that form geometric motifs. Colored in pink, green, and blue hues, the lamp is sheathed in a flambé glaze. Find a range of more eccentric items and register to bid online by visiting Rago auction.
