A.H. Wilkens to sell Art Deco Noritake collection June 1-2

LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

This sale, which the auctioneer predicts will set the standards for new values, will take place at the A.H. Wilkens gallery at 299 Queen St. East, in Toronto.

What is Art Deco Noritake? The Noritake factory in Japan has produced everyday porcelain and china, primarily for the Western market, from the late 19th century to present day. Art Deco Noritake was made from 1918 through to the 1920s. The porcelain was influenced by the Art Deco movement in France and the United States, most notably by the graphic artist Homer Conant. Ladies’ dresser jars, powder jars, cigarette boxes and trays were all designed to add a touch of color to the boudoir. The pieces were hand-molded and painted in high-luster glazes that are no longer used today. So many of these pieces were broken over the years—because they were made to be used—they are hard to find in today’s market.

The Marilyn Derrin collection, which includes pottery and porcelain with the “Nippon” or “Made in Japan” mark, as well as Art Deco Noritake, was put together by the late Marilyn Derrin. She was a passionate collector, who was fierce in her antiquing. On seeing her Noritake pieces, the principals of A.H. Wilkens wondered when they had last seen items of such caliber come to the Toronto market. They now realize that Derrin had swept the city clean of its best. She spent 30 years culling antique markets, shows and auctions to assemble one of the largest and finest collections of this Japanese porcelain, which was made specifically for the Western market.

Derrin was considered among the foremost specialists in the field, and participated in almost all of the Noritake Collectors Society’s annual conventions and forums. Pieces in her collection were studied and used as a reference in countless published books and price guides.

The core collection focuses on figural Art Deco Noritake, and includes dresser jars, powders, smoke sets, plates, lamps and condiment sets. Most notable are the Maiden Dresser Jar and The Girl in the Red Dress, both rare examples of European-influenced Noritake porcelain.

The auctioning of Derrin’s collection will be a celebration of her life and dedication to her collection. A.H. Wilkens is honored to be a part of this celebration.

Friday’s auction, which will begin at 7 p.m. EDT, features Art Deco Figural Noritake—230 lots, including dresser jars, portrait plates, flat powder jars, cigarette boxes and condiment sets.

Saturday’s sale, which will begin at 11 a.m. EDT, consists of Art Deco Figural and Hollowware Noritake, Nippon and Made in Japan export porcelain—250 lots including Nippon chargers, humidors, Coralene, early transitional Noritake, Art Deco painted hollowware, figural pieces and the largest collection of Made in Japan porcelain to come to the market.

Previews are Wednesday, May 30, noon-7 p.m.;Thursday, May 31, noon-7 p.m.; and Friday, June 1, 2-5 p.m.

For further information about A.H. Wilkens’ auction of Art Deco Noritake porcelain visit the website www.ahwilkens.com or phone 416-360-7600.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Hewlett's auction to feature William Coulter artwork May 20

The sale features property from various estates in California and Nevada, as well as an outstanding fine art collection consisting of oil paintings, watercolors, and pen and ink drawings by famous early California maritime artist William A. Coulter. The items, which include historical memorabilia about the artist’s life and showings, come from his family, and this is the first time they have been offered for sale.

Other highlights from the sale include a magnificent oak side-by-side secretary, a beautiful oak general store bean counter, a crotch mahogany butler’s secretary with Jacobean twist columns, over 100 lots of Roseville and Weller pottery including lamps, and beautiful colored Victorian art glass hand lamps, finger lamps and miniature lamps. Also included is a large selection of beautiful antique dolls and doll shoes.

This sale also contains a outstanding Regina music box, Seeburg Selectomatic 100 jukebox, a variety of Victorian mantel clocks, cupid dresser clocks, Art Noveau clocks and carriage clocks.

From Nevada comes a great collection of Victorian pickle castors and bride baskets.

There are numerous items of sterling offered such as a 90-piece Chantilly flatware set, Poole water pitcher, English hallmark canister set, candelabras and a large sterling silver 1903 Southern California racing trophy.

Other highlights include a Tiffany silver and stained glass picture frame, a C.M. Russell bronze, a Victorian roller organ, and volumes 1-8 of E. Benezit Art books printed 1952 in France, which are fine and rare.

Little Red Riding Hood items by Regal China and McDonald large and small canister sets will also be sold.

Fine jewelry at the sale includes a 10k gold Elks ring, a sapphire ring, a 14k gold amethyst ring, and a turquoise fetish necklace by Ben Livingston. A nice collection of vintage pocket watches, two 1940s baseballs signed by a Pacific Coast Leage team, several unusual cigar cutters, a kerosene cigar lighter lamp, a Hoge 1932 pressed-steel windup fire chief car, and a fancy postal scale will cross the auction block.

For details on any item in the sale, call 209-389-4542 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Old Toy Soldier Auctions issues a call to muster for June 2-3 sale

PITTSBURGH – Armchair generals and commanders of upscale bathtub fleets worldwide will show their firepower over the weekend of June 2-3 during a very special Old Toy Soldier Auctions event containing 1,200+ lots from several choice collections. Headlining the auction are soldiers from the collection of the late K. Warren Mitchell, plus the Bob Bailey collection of prewar Britains, and other important properties from American and overseas consignors. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.com.

OTSA owner Ray Haradin described the headliner collections as “an excellent match-up, since each brings something distinctly different to the mix.”

Bob Bailey, a Seattle collector who has been active in the toy soldier hobby his entire life, focused his efforts almost exclusively on early Britains. While working as a Pan Am flight attendant in the 1970s, Bailey wisely took advantage of his many layovers in London to scour the shops for Britains productions.

The late K. Warren “Mitch” Mitchell, who was from Warren, Ohio, was a respected veteran dealer and collector who began his buying and selling adventures in the 1970s.

“Mitch sold actively at shows until about the last four or five years of his life. I know many collectors who bought their first set of soldiers from him, and his reputation in the hobby has created a lot of interest in this sale,” said Haradin.

Day one of the June 2-3 auction comprises approximately 700 lots of toy soldiers made prior to 1970. Day two will cover the production period from 1970 to present day.

Among the opening sessions’ many highlights from the Bailey collection is a circa-1920 Britains boxed set #102. The 33-piece assemblage includes Grenadier Guards, Scots Guards and Irish Guard and is presented in a set box emblazoned with a spiffy gold and black printer’s label depicting the British Army. It is estimated at $3,000-$4,000.

Also from the Bailey collection, there are eight sets from Britains’ 1940 Historical Series made expressly for FAO Schwarz. “Eleven sets were produced for the series. Basically, Britains designed them as samplers, choosing figures that were already included in other sets. To have eight of these sets in one collection is remarkable,” said Haradin. The estimate range on the sets runs from $1,800 to $3,000.

One of the most exciting of the non-Britains sets is a Timpo Ivanhoe set #KN4. The coveted grouping of mounted figures includes Ivanhoe, Sir Brian De Bois Gilbert, and four others from the 12th-century Saxon warrior’s inner circle. Haradin said he has only ever seen one other set, and it lacked the Ivanhoe figure. Estimate: $2,000-$2,500.

Another lot expected to draw widespread interest is the exceptionally rare Cherilea Baseball set that includes the entire team plus umpire, housed in the original box. Ironically, the set was produced in England, where bats are meant for cricket, not baseball. The Cherilea set could drive in a winning bid of $1,500-$2,000.

An ever-popular Buck Rogers set includes the spaceman’s sidekicks and additional characters: Wilma, Ardala, Dr. Huer, the evil “Killer” Kane and robot Mekano Man. The appearance of a Buck Rogers set at auction always ignites a bidding war between Britains collectors and space toy enthusiasts. Estimate: $2,500-$3,500.

For collectors who like to show off their figures in settings, there are four Johillco for British Midwest Importers display sets. They depict, respectively: Cowboy Town, Indian Camp, Beachhead, and Crusaders with Castle. Each set comes with its correct figures – ranging from nine figures with the Old West Cowboy Town to 14 each for Beachhead and Crusaders – and is estimated at $800-$1,200.

“We’ve had a lot of calls about the Johillco sets based solely on our preview brochure,” said Haradin. “These particular display sets are very rarely seen. Previously, I had only seen one such set. Collectors love when rarities come out of the woodwork.”

King & Country is a brand whose star keeps rising with collectors. In particular, buyers seem to favor glossy, pre-1990 examples. Fourteen sets of glossy figures will be sold on day one, with many additional King & Country lots earmarked for day two.

German productions include the Heyde Fall of Troy set (partial), est. $2,000-$3,000; and circa-1905 large-scale US Gun Team at the Halt set, est. $3,500-$4,500. The opening session is rounded out with 20 mounted Lucotte French court figures, 20 Courtenay medieval knights and a nice sampling of Lou Steinberg dime store figures.

Sunday’s 500+ lots are a virtual panorama of contemporary toy soldiers. Highlights include 60 Mignot Napoleonic sets and productions by Imperial, a New Zealand company that folded five years ago. Similarly, Zulu War sets by Welsh manufacturer Trophy are expected to find favor. Trophy’s production has scaled down, and older, retired lines are becoming much more desirable.

Old Toy Soldier’s June 2-3 auction is an absentee, phone and Internet live bidding event (through LiveAuctioneers.com) that will commence at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on both days. For additional information call 412-343-8733 or tollfree 800-349-8009.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Trinity International's May 19 art auction spans centuries

Included in the old master works are Johannes Tavenraat, lot 28, with as estimate of $3,000-$5,000. Also included are Jacques D’Arthois, lot 32, estimated at $5,000-$7,000; Marc-Antoine Bilcoq, lot 37, estimated at $5,000 to $7,000. Other highlights include a study of the Christ Child attributed to Peter Paul Rubens, lot 39, with an estimate of $4,000 to $6,000 and an etching of Rembrandt’s The Artist’s Mother with her Hand on her Chest, lot 45, estimated $3,000 to $5,000.

Asian art has been very strong in the market recently. Leading the way at Trinity International Auctions is a piece by Wang Wen (style of Haung Shen) Figures Fishing, ink and color on silk, lot 23, which is estimated at $15,000 to $25,000. Of interest is lot 124, a Chinese archaic bronze vessel with markings, estimated at $800 to $1,200; lot 125, a pair of Asian 19th century lacquered panels with ivory figures, conservatively estimated at $600 to $800; and lot 127, a Chinese green jadite figure of Guanyin, estimated at $200 to $300.

American works are strongly represented and include a beautiful work by William Lester Stevens titled Apple Blossoms, oil on canvas, lot 146, estimated at $6,000 to $8,000. Also there is a painting by Luigi Lucioni, Still Life oil on canvas, lot 149, estimated at $8,000 to $10,000. Sporting art is particularly strong with a pair of paintings by Percival Rosseau, Dogs at Play, oil on canvas, lot 102, estimated at $15,000 to $25,000, and another significant painting by Alexander Pope Jr. , A Pair of Hunting Dogs, oil on canvas estimated at $3,000 to $5,000.

A real iconic historical gem of a piece is a work by Oscar Edmund Beringhaus, The Alamo, pen and ink highlighted by gouache. This lot 100 appears to be an illustration for a book with the notation “Chap 12” lower right and is estimated at $5,000 to $7,000.

There are a number of bronzes with a unique significant life-size piece by Felix DeWeldon titled The Charioteer of Delphi. Felix De Weldon was the sculptor of the Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington D.C. This life-size bronze was cast in 1950s with permission of the Greek government. It was placed at the front entrance to his home, Beacon Rocks in Newport, R.I. The house was designed by McKim, Meade & White. The book Newport Houses was published in 1989 by Rizzoli International Publications. This work is lot 47 and has an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000.

In addition to the DeWeldon bronze there are also a several Western bronzes by Charles Leis Wren, Fred Fellows and Edwin Deming.

Jewish American artists are always a favorite at Trinity International auctions and this one features works by Moses Soyer, lots 110-113; Benn Benn (three works); Abraham Harrington, The Triborough Bridge, lot 117, estimated at $1,800 to 2,200; and Louis Bouche, Bay Ridge Winter, oil on canvas, lot 118, estimated at $1,200 to $1,800.

Contemporary art is also well represented. Artists include Edward Landon, lots 264-266; Aex Katz, lots 189-192; Howard Hodgkin, Lotus, lot 193 with as estimate of $4,500 to $6,500; and Andy Warhol, S&H Stamps, 1965, lot 195, estimated at $2,000 to $4,000.

Overall this auction contains over 300 lots and they can view on line at www.liveauctioneers.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Fine art, fantastic furniture at Clars auction May 19-20

“The May sale will be a virtual greatest hits list of Contemporary art,” said Rick Unruh, director of fine art for Clars.

The auction will also feature a fine Victorian bedroom suite made by Pottier & Stymus of New York City.

LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Topping the fine art category is an important abstract work by Italian artist Parmeggiani Tancredi (1927-1964) whose work is held in numerous museum collections including the Guggenheim Museum, New York and the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Clars is honored to be offering his large oil on canvas, Untitled, circa 1958, on Sunday, May 20, with an estimate of $80,000 to $120,000.

From Dutch painter and sculpture Karel Appel (1921-2006), will be his vibrant gouache on paper Blue Nude, estimated at $20,000 to $40,000. Appel’s expressive figuration was greatly influenced by Pablo Picasso, whose masterful printmaking will be represented by a collection of his etchings, lithographs and linoleum cuts including 1933’s Le Repos Du Sculpteur et le Modelis au Masque ($15,000-$20,000) and 1961’s Football ($7,000-$9,000).

An equally as impressive work on paper is a very rare pencil drawing by Laurence Stephen Lowry (British, 1887-1976) depicting his iconic matchstick men entitled Windy Day estimated at $10,000 to $20,000. Additional modern and contemporary offerings include Edmondo Bacci’s (Italian, 1913-1989) oil on canvas Avvenimento ($8,000-$12,000); Walasse Ting’s (American/Chinese/French, 1929-2010) early oil and ink on canvas Chinese Landscape ($10,000-$15,000); Paul Jenkin’s (American/French, b. 1923) watercolor High Point ($6,000-$8,000); and Charles Schulz’s (Californian, 1922-2000) ink on paper daily comic strip Peanuts 8-13-1962 ($10,000-$15,000).

Highly desirable prints included in the sale range from Joan Miro’s (Spanish, 1893-1983) 1964 portfolio of eleven color lithographs Obra Inedita Recent ($7,000-$9,000); to Thomas Hart Benton’s (American, 1889-1975) lithograph Homeward Bound (The Race) ($5,000-$7,000); to Henri Matisse’s (French, 1869-1954) lithograph Le Repos du Modèle ($6,000-$8,000). Additional notable printmakers represented May 20 are Andy Warhol, Jacob Lawrence, Alexander Calder, Rufino Tamayo, Richard Lindner and Marc Chagall.

Impressive examples from the photography department include the work of fashion photographers Horst P. Horst (German/American, 1906-1999) and George Hoyningen-Huene (Russian/American, 1900-1968). Horst’s Mainbocher Corset, Paris ($10,000-$15,000) and Hoyningen-Huene’s Horst Study (Twisted Torso) ($7,000-$9,000) are brilliant examples of 1930s classical capturing of bodily movement on film.

Clars will also offer an outstanding collection of 19th and 20th century sculpture from various prestigious California and Texas collections. Nature Revealing Herself to Science by Louis Ernest Barrias (French, 1841-1905) and La Fantasia Arabe by Prosper LeCourtier (French, 1855-1924) are both estimated at $20,000-40,000. Also featured is Indian Warrior by Western artist, Alexander Phimister Proctor (estimate at $15,000-25,000), as well as Modern and Contemporary pieces by Elizabeth Catlett, Fletcher Benton, Felipe Castaneda, Robert Graham, David Kimball Anderson and many others.

Turning to California art, Hills over the Carmel River by August Gay (1890-1948) is expected to earn $40,000 to $60,000 followed by Figure by Boat by Seldon Connor Gile (1877-1947) estimated at $10,000 to $20,000.

Significant 16th through 19th century European paintings include: The Dead Christ Supported by Mary and Saint John the Evangelist, by a follower of Giovanni Bellini (Italian, 1430-1516) ($12,000-$18,000); Frederico Nerly’s (Italian, 1824-1919) Capri, 1869 ($8,000-$12,000); and Sketching Companions by Henry Hetherington Emmerson (British, 1831-1895) ($15,000-$25,000).

Also to be offered as a highlight of the Fine Art category will be several pieces consigned from the Honolulu Museum of Art.

A highlight of this sale will be an original bedroom suite created by Pottier & Stymus for San Francisco silver baron James C. Flood and his mansion, Linden Towers.

Linden Towers, a most impressive and massive estate built by 19th century San Francisco millionaire James C. Flood, was, at the time, regarded as the most elaborate country estate of the period. With an estimated worth of $18 million in the 1870s, Flood spared no expense in building and furnishing his Menlo Park mansion, commissioning artisans from around the world and using only the finest materials and furnishings obtainable. The décor in each of the over 40 rooms was personally selected by Flood. In an article published in 1948 in Peninsula Life Magazine, the author of the article, Theron G. Cady, gave this description: “A queen could command no finer bed-chambers than those of Linden Towers. Each bedroom had its own color scheme, which was carefully followed in the selection of drapes, linens, and the upholstery of overstuffed furniture.” The Flood Mansion was torn down in 1934 and all of the extravagant contents were sold. Clars Auction Gallery is extremely excited to announce that one of the extravagant bedroom suites has been discovered and will be offered on Sunday, May 20, a part of their Gallery sale. Deric Torres, director of decoratives and furnishings for Clars, said he knew, as soon as he saw the set, this was more than a beautiful Victorian bedroom suite. Further investigation confirmed that, in fact, this suite was commissioned by Flood himself and created for him by Pottier & Stymus of New York, who is regarded as one of the finest Victorian furniture makers of that period. Pottier & Stymus was also commissioned to create furniture for the Rockefellers and the White House.

This Victorian bedroom suite is made completely of ornately carved rosewood and includes the footboard, headboard, bureau and mirror. The entire suite, which at the time also included a massive canopy, was commissioned by Flood for an astounding 1875 price of $78,000. Indeed, he spared no expense in furnishing his country manor. Torres further commented that, several years ago, when furniture was stronger in the market than it is now, this suite would have carried a $75,000 to $100,000 estimate. This historic work of art in furniture has been conservatively estimated for the sale at $10,000 to $20,000.

Additional furniture at the two-day sale will be a coronation chair from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. This rare piece is estimated at $2,000 to $4,000.

For more information on the entire Fine Art category and sale overall and to register to bid, website at www.clars.com. Clars Auction Gallery is located at 5644 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Converse to run clocks, toys, fine art at May 24 sale

Online live bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and phone, write-in and absentee bids will also be accepted.

Previews will be held on Wednesday, May 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Thursday, May 24, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., when the first gavel comes down.

The Peoples Light & Theater Co. is located at 39 Conestoga Road in Malvern, in eastern Pennsylvania.

Bidders may also preview the lots online, at the Gordon S. Converse & Company website: www.auctionsatconverse.com.

Antique clocks, a specialty of Gordon S. Converse & Co., will be offered in abundance, and the collection of nearly 50 toys will feature numerous trucks and cars, airplanes and railroad trains. Chinese arts and porcelains were pouring in at press time.

The fine arts category will be highlighted by more than 25 oil paintings and some larger landscapes from a single consignor. Ethnic pieces will include African tribal arts and Native American arrowheads and pottery. Furniture will feature a Massachusetts tambour desk and an early 20th century English mahogany corner cupboard with cabinet top section and glazed doors.

Antique clocks are certain to attract keen bidder interest. Lots to watch include an early 19th century double steeple form mantel clock with fusee clockworks and strap brass movement plates, 23 1/2 inches high; and a mahogany veneer pillar-and-scroll clock with an interior label identifying the maker as Seth Thomas, with brass finials, 29 inches without finial.

Also offered will be a sheep's head-type single-hand lantern clock with an engraved brass case, in which the chapter ring is signed “Steph. Levitt, Chelmsford,” with three dolphin frets (one engraved) and a clockworks with an hour strike; and a fine Regency bracket clock (or chamber timepiece) with a solid mahogany case, nice Egyptian-style feet and a pineapple finial.

Artwork will include a framed oil painting titled Stravanger Fjord, signed indistinctly (possibly by “H. Lyber”), 36 inches by 52 inches; a framed oil on canvas landscape signed lower left by “H. Wolff,” 18 1/2 inches by 28 inches; a landscape work signed by the Danish artist Otto Balle (1865-1916); and an impressionist oil on canvas by Auguste Deneken, framed, dated 1943.

Oriental objects will be highlighted by a pair of circa 1840 rosewood carved, Chinese-made stands, 29 inches by 11 inches; a fine pair of polyglazed decorated Chinese reticulated plates; and a davenport service consisting of a serving platter and eight matching plates, in a design that honors the palette and forms of many Chinese export items during the 19th century.

Antique toys will include a German sedan called the “Baron” in very good to excellent condition, made by Blech-Spielman; a mostly plastic and finely detailed model of a Mercedes Benz touring car, about 27 inches in length; a silver tri-engine toy airplane, 20 inches long; and a metal toy sedan from the mid-20th century, 20 inches long and still with the original green paint.

Trains will feature an OO gauge train set by Markel with a transformer, tracks, buildings and train car accessories; and a set of Hornby-type trains, including four windup lithographic decorated locomotives and other cars. Also offered will be a Quapaw Native American vase, 10 inches tall, found in Phillips County, Ark., with original vivid polychrome paint and item shards.

Gordon S. Converse & Co. is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them directly, at 610-722-9004; or, email them at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Dolls, toys, books and more to discover at Skinner, May 16-17

Antique Dolls

Over 200 lots of antique, vintage & collectible dolls will be featured at the sale, highlighted by a French Bru Jne 5 bisque head doll (lot 184, estimated between $15,000 and $18,000). Outfitted in its original cotton dress and shoes, this doll has deep blue paperweight eyes and wears a quizzical expression. Other dolls up for bid include a blonde Depose E 6 J Bebe Jumeau decked out in the original cotton two-piece dress and wool cape, complete with an additional white cotton dress and hat (lot 81, $5,000 to $6,000); a papier mache Milliner model with apollo knot (lot 33, $1,500 to $2,000); and a French fashion lady doll (lot 22, $3,500 to $4,500) in a burgundy taffeta dress and extra two-piece dark green wool challis dress with black trim.

Vintage Toys

A diverse selection of toys by firms such as Hubley, Lionel, and Marx includes painted cast iron toy vehicles & accessories (lot 207, $300 to $500), lithographed tin toys, Britain’s painted metal soldiers, Steiff animals, and vintage PAR lithographed wood jigsaw puzzles (lot 224, $800 to $1,200).

Collectibles and Ephemera

For the collector, the May Discovery sale offers everything from baseball memorabilia to vintage comic books including a 1962 New York Yankees World Series 10K gold and diamond ring (lot 354, $2,000 to $3,000); a Babe Ruth autographed baseball (lot 386, $3,000 to $5,000); a Mills Novelty Co. Champions Play Baseball candy mints five-cent slot machine (lot 356, $3,000 to $5,000); a complete box of 1966 Topps Batman Television gum cards (lot 260, $1,000 to $1,500); and a 1961 Silver Age Fantastic Four Marvel Comics No. 1 (lot 248, $800 to $1,200).

Books and Historical Manuscripts

Notable book lots include a scrapbook dated 1828 filled with pencil sketches, gouache paintings, engravings, drawings, manuscript poems, and short stories (lot 516, $600 to $900); a collection of 18th century British & American newspapers (lot 526, $200 to $250); and a substantial fragment of the 1569 edition of Vesalius’s Anatomes Totius, with 40 full-page engraved plates depicting human dissection (lot 587, $2,000 to $3,000).

Antique Furniture and Decorative Arts

This sale presents an assortment of both antique and contemporary furnishings and decorative objects. Highlights include a Victorian Renaissance revival damask upholstered carved walnut hound's head arm chair (lot 855, $400 to $600); a Victorian Renaissance revival carved walnut Davenport writing desk (lot 613, $400 to $600); a classical-style upholstered carved mahogany loveseat (lot 720, $400 to $600); a set of four Chippendale-style carved walnut side chairs (lot 665, $400 to $600); a polychrome painted and gilt gesso and carved wood figure of a saint (lot 967, $1,500 to $2,500); and a pair of white-painted cast iron garden chairs (lot 785, $200 to $300).

For additional information on any lot in the sale, call 508-970-3000.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Countdown is on for Heritage space memorabilia May 12

LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding. The auction will begin Saturday at 10 a.m. Central.

“These are both very evocative pieces and represent what collectors love most about Space memorabilia,” said Michael Riley, chief historian and senior cataloger at Heritage Auctions. “They’ve got legendary names, important missions and they not only witnessed those things but actually made it to the moon, or very close. In fact, there are more than 50 lots in this auction that flew to the moon.”

An Apollo 14 lunar module flown gold medallion, presented to and from the collection of comedian Bill Dana (estimate: $15,000+)—famously known as José Jiménez, “the Chief Astronaut for the United States Interplanetary Expeditionary Force”—is already creating serious buzz within collector circles. The medallion was originally created by and gifted to Dana by Alan Shepard and his fellow astronauts in 1969 as a “10th anniversary” present of his “adoption” as the honorary eighth astronaut.

Gemini 5 Mission Commander Gordon Cooper’s worn and flown space suit insignia patch, originally from his personal collection, is expected to bring $15,000+. Gemini 5 was the first mission to have an insignia patch, examples of which are highly coveted and rarely come on the market. Also sure to pique the interest of collectors of early Space memorabilia is a large color photo signed by America’s first 16 astronauts (estimate: $10,000+), originally obtained by an early NASA employee, bearing the autographs of not only the original Mercury Seven astronauts, but also the nine members of the second group chosen by NASA. Signatures include those of Alan Shepard, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Neil Armstrong, Ed White, Jim Lovell and 10 other space heroes.

One of the most interesting lots in the auction is Russell Colley’s original Mercury spacesuit display (estimate: $7,000+), a 37-inch-tall by 12-inch-wide perfect replica of the spacesuit worn by the Mercury astronauts of the period.

“This diminutive suit, worn by a ventriloquist puppet named Horace, is incredibly detailed and was sewn by the same five women who tailored the suits for Alan Shepard, John Glenn, and the rest,” said Riley. “It was used by Mercury space suit inventor Russell Colley as a prop as he traveled around the country speaking to school and community groups about the development of the suit for the American space program. It has been wired for sound and video and includes the necessary monitor, wiring, amplifier, etc. needed to allow Horace to interact with interested viewers.”

Further highlights include, but are not limited to:

– An Apollo-era movie prop: a 7L-style spacesuit worn by David Janssen in the 1969 film Marooned. Estimate: $6,000+.

– A large color photo signed on the mat by the Apollo 11 crew and presented to Bill and Eleanor Bergen: Apollo 11 was, of course, man’s first landing on the moon. Everyone knows the names of crewmembers Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, but not as many know the name of William B. Bergen, the executive of North American/ Rockwell, most responsible for the Apollo spacecraft during its most critical development phase. Estimate: $6,000+.

– A color photo signed by the crew of the ill-fated space shuttle Columbia mission STS-107: On Feb. 1, 2003, the world reacted in shock and horror as the Columbia spacecraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere at the end of its mission. This official NASA photo is signed by all seven of the brave astronauts who lost their lives that day. Estimate: $5,000+.

To view a complete archive of Heritage press releases go to HA.com/PR.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Silver, jades, enamels at Auction Gallery of Palm Beaches, May 14-15

Included in the two sessions are the works of England’s most important silversmiths Paul DeLamarie (1688-1751), Paul Storr (1771-1844), and Benjamin Smith III (1793-1850). Each is considered one of the finest silversmiths in his day, with DeLamarie proclaimed by the Victoria and Albert museum as “the greatest silversmith working in the 18th century.” The collection has several fine examples of artistry in silver. Pieces by DeLamarie are few and far between. There are three examples by the silversmith in this sale, including Lot 394, a Geo. II chocolate pot, London, dated 1730, which is perfect in form and symmetry, along with Lot 393, a Geo. I mug, and Lot 392, a 1747 snuffer tray.

There are several outstanding pieces by Paul Storr. His reputation rests on his mastery of the restrained neo-Classical style developed in the Regency period and his later floral designs in the rococo styles. Lot 456, a superb Geo. IV tea kettle on stand, London 1827, is no exception as an example of his mastery of silver. The piece is sumptuously detailed in the rococo style with heavily chased flowers and foliage and the swing handles with stylized dolphins. An early piece by Storr, Lot 186, is an 1806 punch bowl, with a later associated 1816 Regency ladle.

Highlighting the silver collection is Lot 188, a Geo. IV silver-gilt salver by Benjamin Smith III. The salver is a remarkable work in silver with the wide circular border heavily cast with 15 front torsos of rearing horses amidst acanthus leaves. The articulation in the horses and leaves is exemplary of Smith’s work with animals in silver. The charger is engraved with the Royal badge of Geo. IV. The pre-sale estimate is $50,000-70,000.

There are several rare and early examples of 17th and 18th century English and Irish silver, including Lot 113 a Charles II 1674 London sterling tankard; Lot 112, a 1697 William III chocolate pot; and Lot 114 a Queen Anne 1710 Montieth bowl by silversmith Joseph Bell, presented to H. J. Hines.

The auction will also offer a fabulous collection of Chinese and Japanese objets d’art. The strength of the Asian market has been a boon for the sellers. Couple that with the large number of registered Asian bidders at each auction and the market is soaring. This auction will have several superb pieces including Lot 470, an ancient Chinese Bi jade/stone disk, 15 inches in diameter,and probably Liangzhu culture, Yuhang, Zheziang Province (31st/22nd century B.C.). These mysterious objects called Bi disks are symbolic of the sun spirit and as a symbol wealth.

Chinese white and celadon Jades are featured, including Lot 97 an 18th century white jade plaque carved with bats and prunus mounted in a silver box; Lot 184, an extremely rare 18th century Ming white jade hairpin with pierced flowers [similar examples in the Seattle Museum of Art]; Lot 368, a Ming celadon jade carved and pierced plaque mounted in a later export silver buckle; and Lot 185, an antique apple green jade pierced bead necklace with 65 beads with splashes of emerald green. The necklace is all natural and set with 18K white gold with diamond points spacers. There are many additional lots of Chinese and Japanese porcelains and objets d’art.

Four lots of Viennese enamels are being offered. The group is a tour de force in enamels. Lot 153 is an amazing enamel, silver, lapiz lazuli, and rock crystal ewer by Austrian maker Herman Bohm. Lot 154 is a rock crystal and enamel bird-form cornucopia, circa 1880; and Lot 152, a French 19th century large covered bowl with military scenes painted in the reserves. Other fine antique offerings include a well-executed piece of Judaica, Lot 453, which is an English sterling silver Torah breast plate with jeweling.

A nice selection of estate fine art will include Lot 482, a Picasso etching from the Vollard suite, "Minotaur Attacking an Amazon;" Lot 86 an American still life of raspberries by J. J. LaValley; Lots 110 and 111, two paintings by Polish artist Zofia Stryjenska; Lot 481, a drawing by American sculptor Richard MacDonald; and Lot 136, a regal English portrait of a military colonel by John St. Helier Lander, dated 1913. Several works by Miami outsider legend Purvis Young and two autographed books by Andy Warhol will also be sold.

For additional information on any lot in the sale, contact the gallery at 561-805-7115.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Showplace to auction estate of artist Norio Azuma, May 17

LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding for the 470-lot auction.

Norio Azuma, born Mie-Ken, 1928-2004, was a Japanese artist and collector who lived and worked in New York. The objects to be auctioned in Showplace Antique Center’s May 17 sale were part of his personal collection, and most have remained unseen for at least two decades.

Some fine Chinese highlights of the collection include a Yuan Dynasty blue and white meiping vase, a Sui Dynasty straw-glazed amphora, both estimated at $9,000-$12,000, and a Sui-Tang Dynasty carved red sandstone Guanyin figure estimated $15,000-$20,000.

Azuma was also a collector of Japanese antiques and fine art. An Iro-e Ko Imari porcelain Guanyin figure with removable hands will be offered at $6,500-$8,000, and a lot of five 18th century Ko Imari mukozuke bowls for $2,000-$3,000.

Additionally a self-portrait by artist Tsuguharu Foujita is expected to fetch $5,000-$7,000 and a Takamori Oguiss watercolor painting depicting a cityscape for $2,500-$3,500.

Azuma’s original works can be found in major corporate and museum collections around the United States and abroad, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, University of Nebraska, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Butler Institute of American Art, Seattle Art Museum, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, Cleveland Museum of Art, State University of Potsdam, Smithsonian Institute, the Free Library of Philadelphia, Library of Congress, Chase Manhattan Bank Collection, Philadelphia Museum of Art, National Academy of Science, St. Louis Art Museum, M.I.T., University of California, Art Institute of Chicago, University of Wisconsin, IBM., New Jersey State Museum, Princeton University, USIA, Des Moines Art Center, Rosenwald Collection, Hirshhorn Museum, American Republic Insurance Co. Collection, La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, Boston Public Library, Palm Springs Desert Museum, Chouinard Art Institute, Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art and Kanazawa Art College.

His work was also exhibited in shows such as “30 Contemporary Artists” at USIA, “28th Corcoran Biennial Exhibition” in Washington, D.C., “3rd International Triennial of Original Graphics,” “Contemporary American Artists” at the White House, “Sculpture and Prints” at the Whitney Museum of American Art, “Kagai Sakka Ten” at the Tokyo Modern Museum of Art, and “American Art Today” at the New York World’s Fair.

Among the original Azuma pieces being offered in this sale are several serigraphs, one titled Red Room circa 1970s for $700-$1,100. A series of original nude painted sketches are also up for auction at $500-$700 each.

Live bidding will begin Thursday, May 17, at 1 p.m. Eastern on Live Auctioneers.com. Bids may also be placed absentee or by phone. For information contact an auctions department representative at 212-633-6063 ext. 804 or 805, or visit Showplace Antique + Design Center’s website: www.nyshowplace.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Kaminski presents potent lineup for art auction May 17

Liveauctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding for this auction, which spans many genres and collecting interests. The spring sale includes a fine selection of old master works, American paintings, works by the celebrated Cuban artist Mario Carreno, an Auguste Rodin watercolor, a Salvador Dali and bronzes by David Aronson.

The cover lot of the catalog is a rare portrait by the painter Grant Wood, (1891-1942), famous for his legendary American Gothic, an iconic image of 20th century American art and pop culture. Wood was born in Anamosa, Iowa, and as a boy moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Always interested in art as a child, he later traveled to Europe to study the great 19th century Impressionist masters. After a visit to Germany, he came back to the United States with the idea to paint scenes of places and people he knew, using simple ideas of the old European masters. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Grant was not a prolific painter and it is rare for one of his works to come to auction. His portrait of a young woman wearing a blue jumper, oil on canvas, signed "Grant Wood - 1923" lower right, in its original frame, is estimated at $100,000-$150,000.

Two paintings by the celebrated Cuban artist Mario Carreno (1913-1999) originally from the Marta Vesa family of Havana and then to a private collector in Pennsylvania, include an abstract of a seated woman musician, oil on canvas, signed and dated 1947. A similar abstract titled Fiesta Nocturna, 1950 sold in 1950 in Madrid, Spain for over $77,000. The abstract is estimated at $60,000-$90,000.

The second painting is from his classical period, a brief but important period in the evolution of his style, and is titled Classic Nude, oil on canvas, signed and dated 1942. There is also a handwritten certificate of authenticity from his widow, Ida Carreno Gonzalez and verification by Carlos Martinez, former executive director of the Cuban Museum, Miami. The painting is estimated at $100,000-$200,000.

Another Cuban painting is by Leopoldo Romanach (Cuban, 1862-1951), Ballerina, oil on canvas, signed lower right and estimated at $10,000-$15,000. Romanach was a well-known professor of color theory at San Alejandro Academy and was instructor to many of the great early 20th century Cuban artists.

An important contemporary entry in the sale is a collage, depicting the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, JFK. Composed of collage, alkaline oil paint, and images from Time Inc. on cardboard, and inscribed NP MOV 67, (Neo Pop Movement, 1967), the collage measures 39 1/2 inches by 30 inches. It is significant as well, with next year being the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. Much research has been done on this poignant piece, and many people in the art world believe the work could be attributed to Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008), the acclaimed American artist of the 1950s. Rauschenberg, well known for his “Combines” and later for his paintings incorporating found images, photographs and objects on canvas using a silk screen process. This technique was the start of what is described as the American Pop Art movement. Contemporaries of Ruaschenberg, associated with movement, include Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns.

European collectors will be interested in a 17th/18th Italian portrait of Christ bound by ropes, oil on canvas, #388 verso, having a label “Mr. Nesmith Loring, Yarmouth Maine, Box 73,” also having partial Museum of Fine Art label with red border, in original crate labeled “Sweat Memorial Museum, 97 Spring St., Portland, ME,” also labeled from R.C. & N.M. Vose, Boston. The painting is estimated at $10,000-$15,000. A painting titled The Appeal to Coriolanus, oil on canvas, depicting the legendary Roman leader Caius Marcius Coriolanus, is estimated at $10,000-$15,000.

Important American paintings include a Jane Peterson (American, 1876-1965), Woman at the Piano, oil on canvas, signed lower left, purchased by Lillian Sweenie of Ipswich, Mass., in the 1960s at the artist's estate auction held by O. Rundle Gilbert Auctioneer, New York. It is estimated at $40,000-$80,000. A Reynolds Beal (American, 1867-1951), Sells Floto Circus, circus scene, crayon and pencil on paper, signed lower left and dated 1928, is estimated at $4,000-$6,000. An Elbridge Wesley Webber (American, 1839-1914) oil on canvas depicting ships in a harbor under moonlight is expected to make $4,000-$8,000.

Of interest to collectors of Cape Ann scenes is a marine painting by Aldro Thompson Hibbard (American, 1886-1972), painted during the last year of his life. It is an early view of docked boats in Gloucester, oil on artist board, signed, by the artist. In February a record for a Hibbard was achieved, as a Vermont landscape sold for $88,875. This marine painting is estimated at $15,000-$25,000.

By California impressionist Granville S. Redmond (American, 1871-1935) is a painting of California poppies, oil on canvas, signed and estimated at $40,000-$60,000.

Previously from the estate of Bruce Hyatt of Thousand Oaks, Calif., comes an Auguste Rodin (French, 1840-1917), female nude from the Cambodian dancer series, watercolor and pencil on paper, signed lower right and estimated at $12,000-$16,000.

British artists are represented by Sir Alfred Vickers (British, 1786-1868), landscape of a lake scene with mountains and a cottage, oil on canvas, and Sir Jacob Epstein (British, 1880-1959), Christ in Majesty, both valued at $4,000-$7,000.

With the publicity surrounding the 100th anniversary of the launching and sinking of the Titanic, 1912, a Brian Coole (British, b. 1939), signed RMS Titanic, off South Hampton, oil on board is sure to catch the attention of Titanic historians everywhere.

Sculpture in the sale includes bronzes by Boston University professor David Aronson, whose works are found in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship in 1960, Aronson was elected as an Academician at the National Academy of Design, in New York.

For details go to www.kaminskiauctions.com or phone 978-927-2223.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Morphy's May 26 Marbles sale includes rare 'miniature artworks'

Manufacturers represented in the sale include such coveted names as Christensen Agate, Akro Agate and Peltier. The selection includes boxed sets as well as single marbles.

One of the auction’s special highlights is an Akro Agate Kullerbubbel Gum marble set, a display that was designed to offer children a stick of gum and one agate marble for a penny. The lucky person who purchased the last stick of gum from the display box would receive the only included corkscrew “shooter” as a bonus. The boxed set with 120 marbles, 120 sticks of gum and shooter is expected to make $3,000-$5,000.

Christensen singles include three teardrop guineas. Also among the top lots by Christensen are a rare cobalt with orange and white marble, est. $1,000-$2,000; a hard-to-find red devil that is estimated at $1,500-$2,500; and a blue devil with electric-yellow stripes, similarly estimated at $1,500-$2,500. The latter two examples are pictured in all four editions of Everett Grist’s “Big Book of Marbles.” A third red devil, with yellow striping and spotting is also estimated at $1,500-$2,500.

Onionskins are led by a rare 4-panel controlled mica with faceted pontil. It has two opposing panels of almost solid red and two other opposing panels of turquoise and white with blizzard mica. Extremely hard to find in this configuration, the 1 1/8 in. marble could realize an auction price of $2,000-$3,000.

A circa-1870 marble made of gutta percha (papier mache) displays a color palette of mustard yellow, oxblood red, tan, blue and gold on a black base. Together, the colors create an iris effect. An early, seldom-encountered marble, it is in 9.5 condition and estimated at $3,000-$5,000.

A rarity known as a “birdcage” marble because of the distinctive cage-like shape its latticino forms within the glass boasts a medley of five colors. “In fact, we have never seen this many colors in a birdcage marble,” said Morphy’s marbles specialist Brian Estepp. The condition is rated 9.7 and it is estimated at $3,000-$5,000.

Many wonderful sulphide marbles, with figures suspended in the glass, are included in the sale, including a standing Jester, Kneeling/Praying Angel and a wonderful Painted Dog. The well-centered figure of a spotted canine with brown eyes and nose stands on a green “grass” base. It could bring $2,500-$3,500 on auction day.

Morphy’s Marble auction will take place on Saturday, May 26, 2012, commencing at 9 a.m. For additional information on any lot in the auction, call Morphy’s at 717-335-3435 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.morphyauctions.com.

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Old Masters through contemporary works at Skinner, May 18

Fine Prints:

Skinner continues to experience strong growth with multiples and works on paper. The upcoming sale will present an excellent assortment of prints and photography. A fine selection of modern & contemporary works will be offered, spearheaded by works of Roy Lichtenstein and Paul Klee.

The cover lot is Roy Lichtenstein’s Imperfect Diptych. From 1986 to 1988 Lichtenstein created a series of works that collectively came to be known as the Imperfect Series. Each work in the series features tangram-like geometric shapes, in which one element projects beyond the normal frame of composition. Lichtenstein often used a method known as overprinting to saturate colors; the Mylar elements in these collages have a clear coat overprint to maintain the reflective qualities of these saturated portions. Lichtenstein’s Imperfect Diptych (lot 79, estimated between $20,000 and $30,000) is the 24th work in the series and is an excellent example of the techniques used throughout the series.

Paul Klee’s Höhe! (Height!) of 1928 (lot 73, $50,000 to $70,000) demonstrates the artist’s iconic visual vocabulary of fine lines to create a dream-like and whimsical image.

African-American Artists:

The sale also features an interesting group of fine paintings and prints by African-American artists such as Jacob Lawrence’s Lawyers and Clients (lot 76, $4,000 to $6,000) and an untitled color lithograph by Gene Davis (lot 37, $2,000 to $3,000). Also on offer are several paintings by Sam Gilliam including an acrylic and pastel on canvas titled Iceland I (lot 510, $20,000 to $30,000), and an untitled abstract (lot 509, $2,000 to $3,000).

Photography:

Ansel Adams’s The Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming (lot 158, $35,000 to $45,000) represents one of many photography highlights. This work demonstrates Adams’s magnificent use of burning and dodging techniques to create the rich look of his iconic landscapes.

Adams inspired another photographer featured in the sale: Eliot Porter. A chance meeting with Adams and a subsequent meeting with Alfred Stieglitz prompted Porter to abandon a career as a research biologist to pursue photography. He eventually became a pioneer in dye transfer prints. Porter’s Certain Passages (lot 171, $3,500 to $4,000) is a portfolio comprised of eight landscapes that descended through the family of the artist. Harry Callahan’s Eleanor (lot 161, $12,000 to $18,000), an image of his muse, will also be offered.

Fine Paintings and Sculpture:

Fine paintings on offer range from Old Masters through contemporary works. Works from the 18th and 19th centuries include a strong group by Dutch and German Masters such as Jan Jacob Spohler, Hermann Herzog, Richard Zimmermann, and Hermann Baisch. Other highlights include a portrait attributed to Allan Ramsay (lot 208, $10,000 to $15,000) titled Portrait of a Lady Holding a Book of Verse; Eugène Louis Lami’s Equestrian Portrait of Louis Phillippe, King of France, 1830 (lot 210, $18,000 to $22,000); and Awaiting the Master by Wouterus Verschuur I (lot 244, $12,000 to $18,000).

Karel Appel’s Presque Une Joie (lot 517, $80,000 to $100,000) leads the 20th century works. The composition makes use of Appel’s signature texture: a thick impasto, often with paint applied directly from the tube. While the present work is not explicitly figurative, its title [“Almost a Joy”] refers to the human condition in terms of melancholy. For Appel, despair was always a counterpart to joy, but the speed with which it could change from one to the other was emblematic of the modern world. Two op-art pieces by Victor Vasarely (lots 528 & 529, both $25,000 to $35,000) will also be auctioned.

A bronze cast by George Kolbe, Skizze zu Wolkenfahrt (lot 501, $40,000 to $50,000), depicting Dante’s tragic lovers Paolo and Francesca, highlights the fine sculpture offered in the sale.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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Kaminski's May 16 Photography sale features Weegee, other greats

The auction includes modern photography by iconic names like Weegee, Helmut Newton, Michael Rockefeller and Imogen Cunningham. There are original photographs of Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and powerful images of the atomic bomb explosions that were part of the Manhattan Project. Additionally, there are vintage photographs by well-known Boston photographers, including daguerreotypes by Southworth and Hawes, John A. Whipple, and Niagara Falls by Babbitt.

Eight images by the iconic photographer and photojournalist Arthur Fellig (June 1899-December 1968) better known as Weegee are the featured lots. Famous for his stark, black and white images of urban life in the 1940s, his work was a realistic journal of crime, suffering and life in the streets of New York City. Weegee worked in film as well, with such notable directors as Stanley Kubrick. His images are highly sought after, and are found in the photography collections of the most prestigious museums in the country including the Getty museum and MoMA.

20th century photography includes entries by Eliot Porter, Man Ray, and A.P. Rosenthal, of the American Flag being raised at Iwo Jima. There is also a large lot of photographs of Fidel Castro and his family at leisure, once owned by fellow revolutionary Argentina Estevez. Other highlights include a Herb Ritts photograph of Denzel Washington, signed by the actor; and a botanical nautilus attributed to Imogen Cunningham.

Consigned by the family of a scientist who worked on the atomic bomb is a rare and important Manhattan Project collection of photography, letters, schematics, negatives and aerial shots of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan; and images of the 1946 Bikini Atoll test. Another highlight is a collection of photographs by Fritz Goro, science photographer for Life magazine.

Vintage photographs include a wonderful and extremely rare whole plate Daguerreotype attributed to Boston photographer John A. Whipple, with Governor of Massachusetts and George S. Boutwell, 20th Governor of Massachusetts, presiding over important legislation at the Massachusetts Senate Convention. Boutwell also served in Congress representing Massachusetts during the Civil War. The image is in a black thermoplastic frame.

Other interesting lots are a half plate ambrotype of Niagara Falls by Babbitt in a scarce gutta percha case and a quarter plate ambrotype in a gutta percha case of two images of Nelson Geary, Union Solider from New Jersey. The lot includes his Honorable Discharge, military records, bibles, and two books he carried with him, along with his cemetery plot receipt.

Other notable Daguerreotypes include a half plate of Francis Wayland, DD, former president of Brown University with supporting documents from Harper’s Weekly; plus examples attributed to Southworth and Hawes, M.A. Root, J. Black, Anson and A.P. Hart. Others include occupationals, prominent people, a Supreme Court justice, interesting poetic portraits, along with many tinted examples and group lots.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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Dylan Lewis sculptures may top $250K at Elite's May 19 auction

The bronzes carry a pre-sale estimate of $200,000-$250,000, and that may be too modest. The works are rare – one is edition 6/8, the other 7/8 – and they are the only pair available; all the others are in private hands. Their presence at the entrance to an estate or home would make a strong and unique statement. Each figure is 53 inches tall by 71 inches long by 21 inches deep.

Dylan Lewis is considered one of the premier cat sculptors in the world. The work to be sold is pictured in the artist’s limited-edition book titled Forces of Nature, a signed copy of which will be offered as part of the offered lot. In June 2011, Christie’s in London conducted an auction dedicated solely to Lewis’ works titled Predators and Prey II: the Dylan Lewis Bronzes.

Another factor pointing to a fierce bidding war for Leopard Crushing Serpent is the fact that Lewis created the works at the end of the cat sculpting part of his career, before shifting his focus to the human body. Leopard Crushing Serpent portends that shift, as it breaks from the mold of realism (which had been Lewis’ oeuvre) and enters a more abstract and mythical realm.

Along with the Lewis sculpture and other bronzes, the auction will feature a selection of fine antiques, to include original paintings, porcelain, art glass, estate jewelry, silver, ivory, jade, Asian antiques and more.

Another lot that may touch six figures or more is a pair of impressive ivory elephant tusks on stands (est. $75,000-$100,000). One of the tusks is 81 ¾ inches long, the other is 75 inches long (counting the bases). Each one weighs just under 100 lbs.

Three bronzes, in addition to the Lewis work, are expected to attract keen bidder interest. The first is a sculpture by Lynn Chadwick (British, 1914-2003), titled Winged Figures Version I (est. $50,000-$70,000, an estimate that seems quite reasonable, considering the work is appraised at $125,000). It depicts a male and female winged figure, each with a gilded, geometric-shape face.

The second is a bronze sculpture with gold patina by Pierre Arman (French/American, 1928-2005), titled Violin and Trumpet (est. $10,000-$40,000, with an appraised value of $40,000). One of a limited edition of eight, the work has an abstract design that fuses a violin and trumpet. It is signed to the front and numbered, and sits on a black marble base (overall height: 23 ¼ inches).

The third is a large bronze sculpture depicting Joan of Arc entering Orleans with a fan, by the French artist Emmanuel Fremiet (1824-1910). The work, featuring a two-tone gilded design and signed to the bronze base (and mounted on a red marble base) is overall 25 ½ inches tall. It is unique in that Joan of Arc’s head and hand are ivory. It is expected to command $8,000-$10,000.

Headlining the Asian objects category is a rare antique Chinese hand-carved ivory chess set with wooden box (est. $7,000-$10,000). The set, having ivory and tea stained colors in 32 pieces, holds the Qionalong four-character archaic reign mark. The set has emperor and empress pieces for each side, containing mother-of-pearl inlay. All pieces are relief carved throughout.

Also sold will be a pair of large and impressive 18th or 19th century carved ivory emperor and empress figures, with fitted wooden bases (est. $5,000-$7,000). Each piece is an exquisitely carved figure seated on a throne, in relief carved royal robes. Each surmounts an ivory base with fence and 3-panel reticulated screen, with calligraphy dating the pieces to the Qianlong period.

Returning to artwork, an original hand-signed aquatint and carborundum etching by the renowned Spanish artist Joan Miro (1893-1983), titled Sala Gaspar Barcelona, carries a pre-sale estimate of $6,000-$8,000. The etching, hand-signed lower right, measures 41 inches by 26 inches, plus a mat and frame. It also comes with a certificate of authenticity and an appraisal.

Rounding out just some of the day’s top lots is an oil on canvas painting by French artist Jules Ribard, depicting an Arabian cityscape scene with Bedouin figures, signed, 18 inches by 30 inches (est. $4,000-$6,000); and a lovely ladies’ Chinese 22K yellow gold necklace, 32 ½ inches long, with hoop link wreaths and malachite links connecting each ring (est. $12,000-$16,000).

For additional information on any item in the sale, call 561-200-0893 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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