Akiba Antiques’ upcoming New Beginnings sale will present a range of fine jewelry, decorative Asian antiques, and vintage furniture that recalls an age of elegance and opulence. Among the top lots is a pair of Maison Jansen brass floor lamps designed to resemble a grove of bamboo or palm trees. Jansen was founded at the height of the Beaux-Arts movement in the late 19th century. The brand leaned into a preference for neoclassical lines and patterns, as well as old-fashioned luxury reimagined with modern materials. Jansen’s international reach set it apart for decades, with clients including the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The available pair of floor lamps recall that gilded history. Created during the 1970s during Jansen’s twilight years, these lamps use visual symmetry and luxurious sparkle to create visual interest. The auction includes several other notable furniture and decorative art pieces from the ‘70s, including a range of industrial-style tables by Italian designer Angelo Mangiarotti.
Key works of Asian art in the catalog include a white jade, silver, and semi-precious stone mirror from 19th-century China. Mirrors made of bronze have a rich history in Chinese culture, with some examples dating back thousands of years. However, other materials became more popular during the Qing dynasty, including silver and glass. The available mirror uses silver to provide a reflection and an inset white jade plaque to add beauty and elegance. Collectors can also consider sets of Christofle flatware, fine art by Gustavo Novoa, vintage jewelry items, and more. Visit LiveAuctioneers to view the complete catalog and register to bid.
Americana and Native American historical collectibles are coming to auction this January at New England Auctions. A scrimshaw powder horn marked, ‘Worren Desember 21, 1778,’ [sic] leads the auction. The available horn depicts a town scene with a church, houses, a pinwheel, and a ship. There are also drawings of two human figures, a snake, a dog, and a large heart on the powder horn. During the late 18th century, soldiers used scrimshaw powder horns to carry gunpowder. The available horn is a historical finding from the American Revolution. Other notable lots include an oil painting of a child with three dogs by Arthur J. Elsley dated 1919 and a Connecticut Valley Chippendale chest of drawers in cherry with a scalloped top.
The auction also includes several Native American finds. A featured lot is a late 19th-century rattlesnake basket of the Mission Indian community, the original inhabitants of the Californian coasts. They were termed “Mission Indians” by the Spanish explorers who arrived in the mid-16th century. Another notable Native American lot in the sale is a golden-yellow frontier hide jacket with heavily beaded floral designs from the 19th century. Find the listed items and more online auctions on Bidsquare.
Gilbert Stuart (1755 – 1828) is best known in art history for his incomplete portrait of America’s first President George Washington, known as the Athenaeum Portrait. Stuart began painting at the age of 14 and made over 1,000 portraits during his lifetime. The American painter rendered at least a hundred portraits of Washington, mostly copies of the original 1796 unfinished portrait. The upcoming Important Americana event, presented by Christie’s, will feature one of Stuart’s Athenaeum-type portraits of Washington. The artwork shows Washington seated in a gilded armchair with red upholstery. The painting is characterized by strong and distinct brushstrokes.
Antique figurines comprise a large section of the catalog, including a molded zinc and copper Goddess of Liberty Weathervane. Possibly made between 1880 and 1900 by J. L. Mott Iron Works, the figurine shows the Goddess in a dramatic pose with her arm high and her body arching in the opposite direction. A hand-colored engraving titled The Bloody Massacre by Paul Revere will also be available. Other key lots in this event include Portrait of a Boy by John Brewster, Jr. (1766 – 1854), a pair of Chinese export porcelain famille rose soldier vases and covers, a 17th-century Chippendale carved mahogany turret-top card table, and more. View the complete listings and register to bid by visiting Christie’s.
Leading the upcoming Asian Arts sale from Brunk Auctions is a Chinese huanghuali scroll table. Probably belonging to the Ming dynasty, the tabletop is a single, thick board of huanghuali wood. The top board has bold scroll ends with dragon figural relief carved skirts. The side panels also have pierced carved dragon figures, centering a yin and yang motif. Huanghuali is composed of two terms: huali– yellow flowering pear wood, and huang– yellowish-brown color. In Chinese, huali is old wood with surfaces that have mellowed to a yellowish tone due to long exposure to light. Huanghuali is a member of the rosewood family, but the sweet fragrance of huali distinguishes it from the similar appearing but pungent hongmu wood.
Another distinguishable lot is an imperial Chinese silk and gold thread carpet. The carpet has vibrant, polychrome designs on a beige background. The silk carpet features nine five-clawed imperial dragons hunting the flaming pearl amid swirling clouds. It has a striped border and center panel with a Chinese inscription on the top that reads, “Hall of Preserving Harmony.” The edges are tasseled with sewn sleeve-fitting wood poles for a hanging display. It was previously owned by the Carlebach Gallery, New York (accompanied by a letter dated September 4, 1954). Several Chinese artifacts, works of art by notable Asian artists, furniture, ceramics, jade snuff bottles, and other items are available in the sale. Find the listed lots and more online auctions on Bidsquare.
Italian architect and designer Cini Boeri began practicing her craft at a time when the profession was deemed “too tough” for women. She worked for several companies, including the famous furniture company Arflex. A Ledletto queen bed designed by Boeri for Arflex is a key highlight of the upcoming Welcome 2023 sale from Cain Modern Auctions. Created by the designer in 2014 as part of the Ledletto Collection, the bed features a headboard in metal with polyurethane foam padding. Another striking piece of furniture is Patricia Urquiola Hidalgo’s sectional sofa for B&B Italia. Blending Minimalism with playfulness, the Spanish architect and designer mixes various styles and patterns in her creations.
Two notable sets of chairs also lead the catalog. One is a set of six float chairs by Buzzi Space from Ryan Seacrest Entertainment Studio in Beverly Hills. Designed to create an airy and spacious feel, the transparent chairs are upholstered with cushioned seats and backrests. The other set of Lucite and chrome chairs by Leon Rosen for Pace Collection is equally noteworthy. The chrome bases feature a distressed rusted patina, which exudes a ragged yet sleek look. Visit Bidsquare to view the complete catalog and other online auctions.
French painter Maurice de Vlaminck (1876 – 1958) was a founding figure of the Fauvism movement. His Fauvist-styled paintings were characterized by use of intense colors and fierce brush strokes. Dutch Post-Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh inspired Vlaminck deeply and was a major influence on him. A gouache and ink on paper work by the artist is a key highlight of the upcoming Winter Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art, presented by Dane Fine Art. Titled La Maison Abandonnée, the painting depicts a dramatic landscape view with a stormy sky. Like most of the artist’s Fauvist work, this too is marked by wild brushwork and deep hues. Another noteworthy artwork is Watch Out!, an original screenprint with hand splattered paint on paper by Mr. Brainwash. French street artist Thierry Guetta (also known as Mr. Brainwash) is famous for his style of merging street art with Pop Art using recognizable imagery.
The sale also features KAWS’ Untitled VI, an original silkscreen on paper from a rare limited edition of 250. The American artist and designer makes repetitive use of macabre motifs and characters that have connected with collectors and institutions around the globe. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
A pair of square emerald-cut diamonds will lead the New Year’s Day Investment Diamond auction, presented by Bid Global International Auctioneers. Both loose gems weigh 22.88 carats each and are GIA certified with VS1 clarity. The new, recently cut diamonds are customizable for all types of jewelry including bracelets, brooches, pendants, necklaces, rings, bangles, or earrings. According to the lot essay, the pair has I-color with medium florescence, plus excellent polish and symmetry. It comes with GIA and portrait reports.
A Type IIa heart-cut diamond weighing 10.68 carats is another notable lot. Type IIa is known to be the purest type of diamond with no measurable nitrogen or boron impurities. They represent 1-2% of all natural diamonds in the world. The available flawless diamond is accompanied by an AGI report and has color D with excellent polish. The auction will bring 350 rare and valuable diamonds, all GIA-graded. The sale features a variety of cuts from cushion-cut diamonds and emerald-cut diamonds to fancy cuts. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
Jessica Hayllar (1858 – 1940), a British painter, was renowned for featuring interiors, leisurely domestic scenes, and flowers. Active in the late 19th and early 20th century, the artist was strongly influenced by her father, James Hayllar, who was a renowned painter himself. Her artworks captured meticulous details and portrayed human forms in a realistic manner. A painting titled Eastern Presents by Jessica Hayllar leads the upcoming Annual New Year’s Day Sale from Nadeau’s Auction Gallery. This signed artwork from 1885 shows two women unboxing a linen tablecloth.
A 10.07-carat pear-shaped brilliant-cut diamond is another leading lot. This mega-sized diamond is GIA certified and set in a platinum ring. The diamond has Y-Z range color and VS1 clarity. The central diamond is flanked by tapered baguette diamonds. The auction also offers several notable watches from Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Cartier. Find the listed items and more online auctions on Bidsquare.
The upcoming New York City Estate Auction, presented by Auctions at Showplace, will feature Doris Caesar’s nude bronze sculpture. Doris Porter Caesar was an American sculptor most recognized for her depictions of women. Caesar experimented with clay, bronze, and brass to create sculptures, frequently with stretched arms and legs. She cast her first bronze in 1927. She took the piece to E. Weyhe, a dealer on Lexington Avenue in New York City. There, she gained access to his collection of works by German Expressionist artists, where Käthe Kollwitz, Wilhelm Lehmbruck, and Ernst Barlach inspired her to distort the figures until they became “stick-like.”
Also on offer is Jean Dufy’s Bouquet de roses from 1940. It is an oil on canvas painting that depicts a vase of roses. Throughout his career, Dufy painted depictions of Parisian society, bucolic settings, circuses, horse races, stage performances, and orchestras. Explore more online auctions and register to place a bid on Bidsquare.
Halcyon Days Ltd is a heritage brand that has been creating commemorative enamelware for the royal family of Britain for historic occasions. It is one of the only 14 businesses to hold all three Royal Warrants to the British Royal Household as suppliers of objets d’art. A commemorative trinket box, paying tribute to Prince Charles and Lady Diana, is a key highlight of Lion and Unicorn’s upcoming sale. The top side of the hinged lid features silhouettes of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana. It is decorated with floral and leaf motifs throughout. The inside of the lid reads: “A tribute to HRH the Prince of Wales and the Lady Diana Spencer on the occasion of their marriage 29th July 1981.” Another interesting trinket piece is an Althorp ceramic fine bone china box. Featuring a silver silhouette bust of the Princess on the lid, it is adorned with floral motifs.
The sale also includes a noteworthy collectible set of 24 Barbers Teas cards of cinema and television stars and an additional card featuring a list of stars. An Elvis Presley rare rookie card comes as a bonus. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Lion and Unicorn.
