The Auction Block
Doyle New York
Platinum and Diamond Ring
Signed Gumbiner
Estimate: $175,000 – $225,000
Auction Date: April 18
Doyle New York’s auction of Important Jewelry showcases jewelry by the world’s most prestigious makers, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, David Webb and Tiffany & Co., with offerings spanning the Antique, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Modern eras. This platinum and diamond ring, size 6, centers an emerald-cut diamond, flanked by two kite-shaped diamonds.
Sotheby’s
The Shirley Temple Blue Diamond
Estimate: $25 million – $35 million
Auction Date: April 19
Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale is led by the rare Shirley Temple Blue Diamond. Weighing 9.54 carats, the charming cushion-cut fancy blue diamond ring was originally purchased by the child star’s father, George Temple, in 1940 as the film “The Blue Bird” was completed.
Christie’s
Ruby Ring by Verdura
Estimate: $12 million – $15 million
Auction Date: April 20
Featured in the Magnificent Jewels & The Jubilee Ruby auction at Christie’s, the Jubilee Ruby — set in a distinctive gold and diamond mounting by the legendary firm Verdura — is the most important ruby of its caliber to be offered for sale at auction in the United States in more than 25 years. Until the middle of the 19th century, only the sovereign of Burma, or an individual deemed worthy by him, would have been allowed to possess such a magnificent gemstone.
Bonhams
Handwritten Sherlock Holmes Manuscript
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930)
Estimate: $380,000 – $420,000
Auction Date: April 11
A handwritten draft by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle of his 1893 Sherlock Holmes mystery “The Case of the Greek Interpreter” is a highlight of the Fine Literature sale at Bonhams. The work is best known for the first appearance of Holmes’s older brother Mycroft. Other Sherlock Holmes material will be offered, notably a handwritten page from “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” probably the most famous Sherlock Holmes story.
Freeman’s
Embroidered Plan of the City of Washington, 1807
Susanna Wilkinson Atkinson (aged 14 years)??
Estimate: $15,000 – $25,000
Auction Date: April 19
This rare and charming bit of folkloric antiquity — worked with silk threads, watercolor and ink on a silk ground, the needles inserted below the inscription — was made after a plan of the city drawn by Pierre Charles L’Enfant and Andrew Ellicott. Part of Freeman’s auction of American Furniture, Decorative and Folk Art, the embroidery has remained in the family since it was made. It is only the fourth known Plan of the City of Washington embroidery.
Auction Block
Attention Presidential Partisans, Party Loyalists and Political Junkies: Preserve your campaign memorabilia. It too could become rare and valuable, someday making your descendants a fortune...
Bonhams
Bonhams Presents a Presidential Treasures Exhibition at the Decatur House
Auction Date: March 25
Bonhams will host their Presidential Treasures exhibition at Decatur House (1610 H St NW) on Friday, March 25th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring highlights from the Caren Archive, including the first appearance of George Washington in print and the first printing of the Emancipation Proclamation. In addition, highlights from the collections of Kennedy administration staff members will be on display, including Mary Gallagher, Sue Vogelsinger, Preston Bruce and others who will be in attendance to share their recollections with guests. In this presidential election year, the exhibition is timed in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the publication of “Profiles in Courage,” John F. Kennedy’s seminal investigation of episodes of political bravery in the senate. Admission is free of charge. Bonhams.com
Weschlers
Thomas Jefferson Autographed Letter, Signed to Henry Dearborn
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000
Auction Date: March 18
Henry Dearborn was an American soldier and statesman who served in George Washington’s Continental Army and was present at the British surrender at Yorktown. In 1801, President Thomas Jefferson appointed Dearborn his secretary of war (which is how he addresses Dearborn in the letter), a position he held until 1809. During his tenure, Dearborn helped plan the removal of Indians beyond the Mississippi River. Weschlers.com
Swann Auction Galleries
“Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself,” Frederick Douglass
First edition copy, Published at the North Star Office, 1848
Estimate: $18,000 - $22,000
Auction Date: March 31
When Frederick Douglass's “Narrative” first appeared in 1845, he had already been lecturing for more than four years as the shining star of the New England abolitionists. It was an instant best-seller, going through 5,000 copies of the first printing in four months. It was the success of the book that alerted Douglass’s owner as to his whereabouts, which forced Douglass to leave the country for two years. In the fall of 1845, he set sail for Cork, Ireland, to begin a two-year lecture tour of Great Britain. Few original copies still exist of this text. Part of Swann’s auction of Printed and Manuscript African Americana. SwannGalleries.com
Doyle New York
United States Abraham Lincoln Indian Peace Medal, 1862
Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000
Auction Date: April 25
Silver Indian Peace Medals are some of the rarest and most sought-after items among American coin collectors. Issued during the presidencies of George Washington through Benjamin Harrison, the medals were presented to Native Americans with the intent of creating peaceful relationships, usually to mark an important occasion, such as the signing of a treaty. Fewer than 4,000 were ever produced, and today it is estimated that a mere 500 can be accounted for. This auction offers two of these rarities: an 1862 Abraham Lincoln medal and an 1871 Ulysses Grant medal. The sale also offers a wide selection of American and world coins, bank notes, medals and postage stamps. DoyleNewYork.com
The Potomack Company
“Mourning Picture of Columbia, Commemorating George and Martha Washington”
Embroidered and painted silk work by Eliza Gould, early 19th century
Auction Date: April 9
This stunning piece of Americana folk heritage is part of Potomack Company’s upcoming live auction. The female figure in the picture is Columbia, an iconic woman akin to the French Marianne who represents the historic pet name once given to the United States in reference to Christopher Columbus (hence The District of “Columbia”). She stands weeping beside a memorial plinth with painted likenesses of George and Martha Washington, within an oval embroidered frame surmounted by two urns, a weeping willow tree above, building and church in the background on a silk ground. PotomackCompany.com
The Auction Block: December 2, 2015
Sotheby’s??
“À la Source,” 1982?
Baltasar Lobo (1910–1993)? ??
Auction Date: December 7?
Estimate: $60,000 – $80,000??
Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art Sale will feature a broad array of pictures, works on paper and sculpture by artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including this Carrara marble piece. Highlights include important works on canvas by Pierre Eugène Montézin and Jean Dufy, two exceptional sculptures by Lynn Chadwick and works on paper by Daumier and Lautrec.
Bonhams
Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Tiffany & Co.??
Auction Date: December 8
Estimate: $400,000 – $600,000
This glowing, opalescent rare sapphire and diamond ring from Tiffany & Co. is part of Bonhams upcoming Fine Jewelry auction. The ring centers a cushion-cut sapphire, weighing approximately 8.05 carats, flanked by old European-cut diamonds, which continue to a plain mount.
Weschler’s
Serpentine Chest of Drawers, c. 1800–1805?
Attributed to Nathan Lombard (1777–1847)
Auction Date: December 4
Estimate: $30,000 – $50,000
A Federal inlaid cherry serpentine chest of drawers, attributed to Nathan Lombard, is one of the highlights of Weschler’s Capital Collections Estate Auction. The chest features trailing floral inlay along its leafage-carved concave quarter-columns, as well as Lombard’s distinctive cusp-and-spur feet and signature applied beaded strip along the back edge of the top.
Doyle New York
Platinum, Gold and Fancy Yellow Diamond Ring
Auction Date: December 16
Estimate: $100,000 – $150,000
Part of Doyle New York’s upcoming Important Jewelry auction, this marvelous 18-karat ring centers one old European-cut fancy yellow diamond of approximately 8.02 carats in a ring signed Tiffany & Co. The diamond is not original to the mounting.
Freeman’s
“Two Old Men and a Dog: Checkers,” 1950?
Norman Rockwell (1894–1978)?
Auction Date: December 6
Estimate: $60,000 – $100,000
This iconic drawing by Norman Rockwell is one of four seasonal studies (also to be offered are “Spring,” “Summer” and “Fall”). Other lots in Freeman’s American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists sale are stunning watercolors by Andrew Wyeth and paintings by Maxfield Parrish and Arthur Dove. ?
Bringing the Hammer Down
Final selling prices for last month’s featured Auction Block items
Sotheby’s
“Stabile with Mobile Element,”?1952
Lynn Chadwick (1914–2003)
Auction Date: November 17–18
Estimate: $400,000 – $600,000
Final Selling Price: $749,000
Freeman’s
Virginia Blanket Chest, 1798
Johannes Spitler (1774–1837)
Auction Date: November 11
Estimate: $40,000 – $60,000
Final Selling Price: $56,250?
Bonhams
“Dorothy” Dress?Worn in “The Wizard of Oz”??
Auction Date: November 23??
Estimate: $800,000 – $1.2 million
Final Selling Price: $1.56 million
Doyle New York
“Three Survivors,” 1964
Ibrahim Hussein (1936–2009)
Auction Date: November 10
Estimate: $10,000 – $15,000
Final Selling Price: $62,500
The Auction Block November 5, 2015
Freeman’s
“Huntsmen and Hounds, North Cornish Hunt,” 1954
Sir Alfred Munnings (1878–1959)?
Estimate: $250,000 – $400,000
Auction Date: November 19
Sir Alfred Munnings is widely considered to have been the greatest equestrian artist of the 20th century. His work continues to have a devoted following. Munnings's love of the Cornish landscape stemmed from visits he had made between 1910 and 1914 to Newlyn, an area that at that time was home to a renowned artists colony. This painting is part of Freeman's Sporting Sale.
Christie’s
“Norman Rockwell Visits a Country Editor,” 1946
Norman Rockwell (1894–1978)
Estimate: $10 million – $15 million
Auction Date: November 19
The top lot of Christie’s American Art auction, this major, large-scale work belongs to an important series of works Norman Rockwell completed for the Saturday Evening Post at the height of his career. The painting is being sold by the National Press Club Journalism Institute with the approval of the National Press Club. The proceeds from the sale will benefit both nonprofit organizations.
Bonhams
“The Cove, Isles of Shoals,” 1901
Childe Hassam (1859–1935)? ???
Estimate: $400,000 – $600,000
Auction Date: November 18
This painting, offered as part of Bonhams’ American art sale, comes from a prime period of Hassam's work, when he painted on the Island of Appledore, the largest of the Isles of Shoals. It manifests, with direct fluent brushwork, the brilliant midday light, clear sky, calm water and scintillating array of blues, reds, yellows and greens that he encountered. About nine miles off the New Hampshire coast, the Isles of Shoals were a source of inspiration and refuge for Hassam between about 1880 and 1916.
Doyle New York
“I Been Rebuked and I Been Scorned,” 1954
Charles White (1918–1979)
Estimate: $70,000 – $90,000
Auction Date: November 10
Named for a Negro spiritual, this charcoal and wash drawing was created nine years before the historic March on Washington in August of 1963, at which an estimated 250,000 people witnessed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. At this same gathering, Mahalia Jackson sang “I've Been ’Buked and I've Been Scorned.” The work is part of Doyle New York's Post-War and Contemporary Art sale.
Sotheby’s??
Pale Blue Faience Ushabti of Neferibresaneith,?570–526 B.C.??
Estimate: $60,000 – $90,000
Auction Date: December 8
Sotheby's will present an inaugural sale dedicated exclusively to Ancient Egyptian Sculpture and Works of Art. Highlights include a red granite portrait head of King Amenhotep III from the last ten years of his reign, two exceptional stone ushabtis and the piece featured here, 7.25 inches high, one of the best preserved faience ushabtis of Neferibresaneith.
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Bringing the Hammer Down
The historic results from Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale on Nov. 4 brought in the highest total for a single auction in the company's 270-year history: more than $422 million. Participants in the sales came from over 40 countries, with the highest number of winning bidders from the United States, Europe and Asia. However, the record owed a lot to the sale of three single works, by Giacometti, Modigliani and Van Gogh.
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Bringing the Hammer Down
Christie’s
“Benefits Supervisor Resting”
Lucian Freud (1922 – 2011)
Auction Date: May 13
Estimate: $30 million – $50 million
Final Selling Price: $56.2 million
Sotheby’s
San Ildefonso Polychrome Lidded Jar
Tony Da (1940 – 2008)
Auction Date: May 21
Estimate: $25,000 – $35,000
Final Selling Price: $68,750
Bonhams
“...Emerging into an opening that appeared to have been formed partly by the ravages of the wind, and partly by those of fire”
N. C. Wyeth (1882 – 1945)
Auction Date: May 20
Estimate: $400,000 – $600,000
Final Selling Price: $1,325,000
Freeman’s
Napoleon III Twin-Handled Urn
Auction Date: May 19
Estimate: $30,000 – $50,000
Final Selling Price: $131,000
The Auction Block
The Potomack Company
“Indian Capturing an Eagle, No 5”
John Joseph Boyle (1852 – 1917)
Estimate: $15,000 – $25,000
Auction Date: June 13
“Indian Capturing an Eagle, No. 5,” by renowned American artist John Joseph Boyle, depicts a young Native American man kneeling over an eagle and plucking a feather pensively from his catch. The sculpture was cast by New York's Roman Bronze Works and presented in 1908 as a gift from Boyle to his friend, the industrial artist and art educator Leslie W. Miller
Freeman's
Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887-1976)
"Peel Park, Salford"
Estimate: $250,000-$350,000
Auction Date: June 16
Lowry's paintings, featuring factories and textile mills in northern England populated by his iconic "matchstick" men and women, are by no means as naive or simplistic as they appear on first look. The throngs that haunt the canvases were, according to the artist, "part of a private beauty that haunted (me)." Peel Park, Salford, was one of his best-loved subjects. This work will be offered as part of the European Art & Old Master auction.
Christie’s
Grand and Petite Sonnerie Desk Clock,
c. 1925
Cartier, Paris
Estimate: $30,000 – $50,000
Auction Date: June 17
The dial and case of the clock are signed Cartier, Paris, and the movement and case are numbered. Part of Christie’s Auction of Important Watches, this superb piece has several exquisite features, including a white enamel dial, Roman numerals, an outer minute track with Arabic five-minute divisions, diamond-set hands, and a green guilloché case with white enamel border, the top with diamond-set initials.
Sotheby’s
Singing Bird Scent Flask, c. 1790
Estimate: $800,000 – $1,200,000
Auction Date: June 11
Unseen for generations, many of the timepieces in the Swiss Mechanical Marvels collection were created by preeminent artists of the late 18th and early 19th century, such as Jacquet-Droz and Piguet & Meylan. The highlight of the collection is the Singing Bird Scent Flask, a gold-enameled, pearl-and-gem-set piece, made specifically for the Chinese market. Music plays from the bird through a miniature six-pipe organ. The bird’s beak moves realistically, the body swivels and the tail goes up and down
Doyle New York
Gold and White Enamel Bangle Bracelet
Tiffany & Co., Schlumberger, France
Estimate: $8,000 – $12,000
Auction Date: June 11
This 18-kt. gold bracelet, signed Tiffany & Co., is part of Doyle New York’s Auction of Fine Jewelry. Including over 650 lots with more moderate estimates than in the Important Jewelry sales, the showcase includes glittering creations set with diamonds, colored stones and pearls, as well as gold, jewelry, fine watches and gentlemen’s accessories. Among the selection of fine watches for ladies and gentlemen are examples by Patek Philippe, Rolex, Boucheron, Graff, Cartier, Bulgari, Piaget, Blancpain and Tiffany & Co.
Christie’s
Diamond Rivière Necklace
Estimate: $ 1.4 million – $1.8 million
Auction Date: June 22
Part of Bonham New York’s Fine Jewelry Sale, this spectacular rivière comprises a graduated line of 51 round brilliant-cut diamonds weighing more than 70 carats, joined by a heart-shaped clasp weighing 2.04 carats and mounted in platinum. Each of the round diamonds in the necklace have ‘excellent’ grades from the Gemological Institute of America for polish, symmetry and cut — known in the industry as ‘Triple X’ (needless to say, this is extremely rare).
The Auction Block
Sotheby’s
San Ildefonso Polychrome Lidded Jar, New Mexico
Tony Da (1940-2008)
Estimate: $25,000 – $35,000
Auction Date: May 21
Sotheby’s sale of American Indian Art is distinguished by the Charles and Sharon Aberle Collection, which features early and exceptionally fine Navajo blankets. The sale also includes diverse works of Native art from the Great Lakes to the Northwest Coast, comprising basketry, pottery, carvings and jewelry.
Freeman’s
Monumental Napoleon III Bronze Twin-Handled Urn
Estimate: $30,000 – $50,000
Auction Date: May 19
Mounted on a rouge griotte marble pedestal, this urn is offered as part of Freeman’s upcoming sale of English & Continental Furniture and Decorative Arts. The sale will feature rare works of 18th-century porcelain by Chelsea and Worcester, speaking to a period of production that was guided by a fascination with natural forms, driven by advances both in botany and in taste.
Bonhams
“...Emerging into an opening that appeared to have been formed partly by the ravages of the wind, and partly by those of fire,” 1925
Oil on canvas
N. C. Wyeth (American, 1882-1945)
Estimate: $400,000 – $600,000
Auction Date: May 20
The father of Andrew Wyeth, Newell Convers Wyeth was one of the great American illustrators. His “Treasure Island” illustrations are widely considered to be among the greatest of all time. During his lifetime, Wyeth created over 3,000 paintings and illustrated 112 books. The present painting is an illustration from “The Deerslayer” by James Fenimore Cooper.
Doyle New York
Russian Silver Gilt and Cloisonné Enamel Coffee Pot
Workmaster Fedor Ruckert, Moscow, c. 1896-1908
Estimate: $40,000 – $50,000
Auction Date: June 3
Enameled silver is one of Russia's greatest artistic legacies. The acknowledged master of this work was Fedor Ruckert (1840-1917), a silversmith of German origin working in Moscow in the final years of Romanov rule. This exquisite piece is part of Doyle New York’s auction of 19th- and 20th-century fine and decorative arts, reflecting the opulence of the Belle Époque.
Christie’s
“Benefits Supervisor Resting”
Lucian Freud (1922-2011)
Estimate: $30 million – $50 million
Auction Date: May 13
As part of Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Evening Sale, this landmark painting by Lucian Freud will go on sale alongside equally monumental works by Mark Rothko, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Franz Kline, Hans Hoffman, Jeff Koons, David Smith, Roy Lichtenstein, Wayne Thiebaud, Francis Bacon and others.
Bringing the Hammer Down
Final selling prices for last month’s featured Auction Block items.
Doyle New York
Frida Kahlo Archive
Auction Date: April 15
Estimate: $80,000 – $120,000??
Final Selling Price: $137,000?
Christie's
Napoleon III Japanese Imari Porcelain Torchères
Auction Date: April 16
Estimate: $120,000 – $180,000
Final Selling Price: $149,000
Bonhams
Fair Copy of Enola Gay Log Book
Auction Date: April 29
Final Selling Price: $50,000
Sotheby's
“Silent Seasons – Summer No. II”
Will Barnet (1911-2012)
Auction Date: April 23
Estimate: $60,000 – $90,000
Final Selling Price: $118,750
Freeman's
Special Minguren I Coffee Table
George Nakashima (1905-1990)
Auction Date: April 22
Estimate: $30,000 – $50,000?
Final Selling Price: $55,000
Bringing the Hammer Down
Sotheby's
“Untitled VII” (from “Men in the Cities”)
Robert Longo (b. 1953)
Auction Date: April 1
Estimate: $6,000 – $8,000
Final Selling Price: $8,750
Doyle New York
“Shoe Shine Boy with Dog,” 1900
John George Brown (1831-1913)
Auction Date: April 1
Estimate: $30,000 – $50,000
Final Selling Price: $56,250 (includes Buyer's Premium)
Christie's
“Near Gloucester,” c. 1916-19
Maurice Brazil Prendergast
(1858-1924)
Auction Date: March 25
Estimate: $150,000 – $250,000
Final Selling Price: $125,000
Bonhams
Amethyst, Turquoise
and Diamond Ring
Jean Schlumberger
Auction Date: March 31
Estimate: $8,000 – $12,000
Final Selling Price: $52,500
Freeman's
Chinese "Jun" Bowl, Late Yuan
Auction Date: March 14
Estimate: $10,000 – $15,000
Final Selling Price: $25,000
The Auction Block
Sotheby’s
Silent Seasons – Summer No. II
Oil on Canvas
Will Barnet (1911 – 2012)
Estimate: $60,000 – $90,000
Auction Date: April 23
Sotheby’s April sale of American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture includes a rich array of American artwork from the 19th and 20th centuries, including this iconic painting by Will Barnet, which exhibits the artist’s characteristic motifs of the human figure and animals in casual scenes of daily life, depicted in a state of dreamlike whimsy. Other highlights include Gifford Beal’s ‘Fish Houses, Winter Day,’ as well as works by George Inness, Jasper Francis Cropsey, and notable 20th century artists like Charles Burchfield and Norman Rockwell.
christie's
A massive pair of Napoleon III ormolu-mounted Japanese Imari Porcelain
thirteen-light torchère
Estimate: $120,000 - $180,000
Auction Date: April 16
Part of Christie’s auction, The Opulent Eye: 19th Century Funriture, Sculpture, Works of Art, Ceramics & Glass, each of these rather magnificent torch lamps is of bottle outline with a pair of profusely scrolled acanthus handles, issuing thirteen scrolled candle-branches on entwined dolphin support. A truly opulent sight.
bonham's
An Important Suite of Diamond and Ruby Jewelry
Van Cleef & Arpels French, 1988
Estimate: $180,000 - $220,000
Auction Date: April 15
This diamond and ruby suite from the 1980's, part of Bonham’s Fine Jewelry sale, is a beautiful and romantic example of Van Cleef & Arpel's graceful designs set with superbly matched calibré set cut rubies and diamonds. This suite is a fine example of Van Cleef & Arpels interpretation of the unique time and fashion which characterized the 1980's with the image of wealth and success expressed in impressive jewels and dress.
Freeman’s
Special Minguren I Coffee Table
Curly maple burl and walnut
George Nakashima (1905 – 1990)
Estimate: $30,000 – $50,000
Auction Date:April 22
The American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts sale at Freeman’s is a welcome treat for those interested in the unique history and style of American craft and design. From the 18th century to the 20th century, the selection ranges from a Chippendale walnut case clock ca. 1775, to 20th century master furniture makers like George Nakashima, whose renowned “natural wood” design is on full display with this beautiful coffee table. Other offerings include Oriental rugs and carpets, as well as rare coins.
doyle new york
Frida Kahlo Archive
Estimate: $80,000 – $120,000
Auction Date: April 15
Doyle New York’s auction of Rare Books, Maps & Autographs is highlighted by an archive of unpublished love letters written by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo to Jose Bartoli.This group of letters is dated between August 1946—when Kahlo had just turned 39—and November 1949. Her letters were written while Kahlo was recuperating at home in Mexico City from a spinal fusion performed in June of 46. The archive comprising approximately 25 letters in Spanish from Kahlo to Bartoli.