ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The scenic oceanfront city of Charleston, S.C., commands center stage in Brunk Auctions Jan. 3-4 sale. For starters there is Louis Rémy Mignot's 1854 luminist painting with the poetic title Solitude or Sunset. Mignot, one of Charleston's most celebrated artists of the 19th century, was only 23 when he completed Solitude or Sunset. It was one of the most important paintings of his career. 

The painting has remained for generations in the possession of the Chazal family, French Catholic entrepreneurs originally from Santo Domingo. The 30 inch by 41 7/8 inch painting is in its original Barbizon gilt-wood frame and is estimated at $100,000 to $150,000, with an $80,000 reserve. 

LAS VEGAS - On Dec. 20, Kruse International will present the opportunity to bid on four celebrity-owned automobiles and aircraft in the auction portion of their 35th Las Vegas Car Collector Auction & Show, at the South Point Hotel and Casino. Those who cannot attend in person can preview the auction catalog and bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.com. 

Headlining the celebrity section of the sale are Elvis Presley's Lockheed Jetstar, Pamela Anderson's customized "LoveStream" Trailer Lounge and two of Wayne Newton's personal vehicles: a 1982 Mercedes Benz and a 2001 Jaguar. 

Starting today and continuing till Dec. 20, bidders can log on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com to place absentee bids. When the sale begins, bidders may then participate in the auction in real time via the Internet. 

PASADENA, CA – John Moran Auctioneers launches its 2009 art auction season with a Tuesday, February 17 sale of over 150 works covering California Impressionists, California style watercolorists, historical western artists and important American painters.

Leading the February sale is “Gossips," an important museum-quality painting by the leading California female artist E. Charlton Fortune (California 1885-1969). Fortune, regarded as a pioneer in the world of female artists, is most known for her paintings in and around the Monterey Peninsula. In the second half of the 20th century, appreciation for her works skyrocketed and prices have far exceeded one million dollars. “Gossips” depicts a group of women on a road near a village and is an impressive 38 by 45 inch canvas. The painting is an exceptional representation of Fortune’s expressive brushwork and use of light. “Gossips” is estimated to sell between $500,000 and $700,000.

BEVERLY, Mass. - Kaminski Auctions, one of Massachusetts' premier antiques and fine art auction houses, has announced details of its Holiday Estates Auction. The sale features a diverse array of fine art, antiques, collectibles and fine 18th- and 19th-century Italian furnishings from descendants of Conte Gennaro Balamo. Furnishings from early settlers of the Massachusetts towns of Salem, Hamilton and Wenham are also to be offered.

The auction will take place Saturday and Sunday Dec. 27 and 28 at Woodman's Function Hall, 122 Main St., Essex, Mass. Bidding commences at 10am each day, and preview periods are scheduled Friday, Dec. 26, 4-8pm; and 8-10am on the days of the auction. A complete catalog will soon be available online at www.LiveAuctioneers.com, and the auction will feature live online bidding through eBay Live Auctions.

PARIS - Christie's is honored to announce the sale of the Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé Collection, which will take place in Paris on Feb. 23, 24 and 25, 2009 at the Grand Palais, Paris, in association with the Pierre Bergé & Associates auctioneers.

The works of art in the respective apartments of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé at the rue de Babylone and the rue Bonaparte, were brought together to become one of the most important collections ever to come onto the art market. A reflection of 50 years of passionate and detailed search for rare and unique pieces, this
shared collection is a truly moving exhibition of their shared eye. It is one of the most sumptuous private collections of our time, a French paragon of quality and taste, consisting of masterpieces of Modern Art, Art Deco, European furniture and works of art, antiquities, Old Master and 19th-century paintings and drawings. The more than 700 works are expected to realize between $270 million and $404 million.

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Due to difficulties associated with eBay Live's applet problem of last weekend, the principals of Estate Road Show Auctions have rescheduled their auction of fine and costume jewelry from the Estate of Louise Mondani Graham. The sale originally scheduled for Dec. 7, will now take place on Sunday, Dec. 14.

"Many enthusiastic bidders are looking forward to having a second chance at this incredible collection. It's going to be an exciting event," said Estate Road Show's IT Director, Michael Whelchel.

NEW YORK - Christie's has announced that the largest collection of photographs featuring Marilyn Monroe to ever come to market will be featured as a part of their Dec. 16-17 sale of The Constantiner Collection of Photographs.

A captivating compilation, it includes photos of the screen legend that are rarely seen and which span Monroe's life from the time when she was not known to the world through to the weeks leading to her tragic and untimely death.

The Constantiner Collection offers an extensive and deeply personal insight into the life and career of Monroe - the greatest screen siren of all time. Demonstrating the many facets of Monroe's complex life, this collection fully celebrates her beloved public image with a range of jubilant works, while a selection of candid and profoundly intimate photographs provides a powerful observation of her personal nature, exploring the fragile and vulnerable quality of her extraordinary appeal.

NEW YORK - On Wednesday, Dec. 17 Swann Galleries will offer an outstanding private collection of 11 posters by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and seven by Alphonse Mucha as part of their annual auction of Rare & Important Art Nouveau Posters. The posters are from the collection of Bob and Peggy Marcus, who assembled their collection over the course of 30 years. They continually sought out the finest examples, always with an eye on condition.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire these extraordinarily rare and important works in exceptional condition, " said Nicholas Lowry, Swann president and poster specialist.

DENVER, Pa. - Morphy Auctions' remedy for chilly weather is a Dec. 11-13 Winter Sale of 2,900 lots of antique toys, banks, trains and antique advertising, enhanced by the warmth of superior-quality Austrian art-glass lamps and the cheerful colors of vintage Bakelite.

"With each successive auction we've expanded into new categories of fine and decorative art," said Morphy's chief operating officer, Dan Morphy. "In this sale, we're offering collections of rare Austrian bronze art-glass lamps and extremely fine Bakelite novelty jewelry. Both are from the same consignor, who has a remarkable eye for quality and artistic design."

More than 20 Austrian art-glass lamps from the single-owner collection will be auctioned, including a superb figural Peacock lamp whose draped bronze base dramatically replicates a peacock's showy tail feathers with inset jewels. Adding to its magnificence is a Mont Joye enameled-glass shade with quintessential Art Nouveau butterfly-and-dragonfly motif. Estimated at $6,000-$8,000, the 18-inch stunner is in excellent working order, as are all of the lamps from this collection.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - Abercrombie Auctions International will present its Grand Auction Dec. 6 at the Ritz Carlton Miami Beach during the second-largest art show in the world: Art Basel Miami Beach. In all, 381 superior-quality lots will be offered.

The auction is centered around a distinctive collection of fine art and collectibles, as well as many pieces of opulent estate and designer jewelry. Grand Masters such as Van Dyck and Rodin will be represented, as well as leading lights of Contemporary/20th century art, including Andy Warhol, Peter Max and Salvador Dalí.

Robert Indiana's Heliotherapy Love is estimated at $10,000-$14,000, while Flower Blossom Lady by Peter Max is estimated at $37,000-$50,000. Artworks by "rising stars" such as Keith Pawlak and Cerj Lalonde will be included, as well.

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. - More than 1,500 lots of furniture, art and accessories will cross the auction block as Pook & Pook Inc. conducts its largest-ever Variety Sale Dec. 4-5. Included in this expansive sale are 200 lots from the collection of Richard and Rosemarie Machmer.

The furniture up for auction includes an interesting mix of American, Continental and English pieces. This assortment is composed of sideboards, Dutch cupboards, corner cupboards, chests of drawers, sofas, chairs, beds, tea tables, candle stands, dining tables, tall case clocks, children’s furniture and various other furniture items.

SPEONK, N.Y. - A collection of iconic objects used during the taping of the CBS Television reality series Survivor is a featured attraction in Grey Flannel Auctions' live sale of coin-ops, antique advertising, toys and entertainment memorabilia to be held Dec. 14 in Speonk, N.Y. Absentee and live Internet bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com will also be available.

The Survivor collection was started after the series' third season, when producer Mark Burnett donated props from the show's taping in Africa to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. The props were sent to auction, where the consignor bought the pieces that formed the core of his collection. He acquired additional items from later charity auctions containing donations of Survivor objects from Burnett, as well as private-treaty sales with people who worked on the show's production crews.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Jackson’s International Auctioneers will host a two-day auction Dec. 2-3 featuring important European and American fine art together with significant Russian works. The sale includes items deaccessioned from the Grandview Trust of Pittsburgh together with property from collections and estates from across the nation. The 1,000-lot sale includes 12th century European works, paintings, bronzes, furnishings and Orientalia.

The auction will begin with an excellent offering of fine European paintings. Lot no.1, an oil on canvas by French artist Jacques C. Wagrez (1846-1908) depicting a gathering of beautiful young men and women around a storyteller in a meadow, measures 54 by 42 inches and carries an estimate of $18,000-$22,000. Next to sell will be a genre painting of an interior family scene by Danish artist Johann Julius Exner (1825-1910). The dated 1868 oil on canvas, 20 by 24 inches, is estimated at $10,000-$15,000.

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. - About 15 prominent estates and collections, featuring a dazzling array of fine and decorative arts plus other items, will be sold in a two-day, four-session sale planned for Dec. 6-7 by Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. The sale - a Historic Hillsborough Auction - will be held at the Leland Little showroom, with real-time Internet bidding available.

"Our end-of-year, holiday cataloged sale is always a blockbuster, and this one will be no exception," said the auction company's owner, Leland Little. "We are proud to be able to represent these fine estates and collections...about 1,000 lots will cross the block. The assortment and quality are second to none. It should be fun."

Cadillac Records, the new film starring Adrien Brody and a stellar supporting cast that includes Beyoncé Knowles, chronicles the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists in 1950s Chicago. Co-produced by Sony Music Film, TriStar Pictures and Parkwood Pictures, Cadillac Records will premiere in Los Angeles on Nov. 24 and in New York City on Dec. 1 - and you're invited!

Six VIP premiere packages are currently open for absentee bidding in an Internet-only auction through LiveAuctioneers.com, with all proceeds going to Phoenix House, a non-profit whose programs lend a helping hand to addicted adults and adolescents.

Three of the VIP auction lots are for the Nov. 24 premiere at the Egyptian Theater in LA; the other three lots are for the New York opening at the 19th Street East AMC Loew's, on Dec. 1.