Corner cupboard realizes $11,825 at Valley Auctions

A 19th-century pine and poplar corner cupboard with original blue paint and salmon-colored interior sold for $11,825 at a single-owner Americana sale held Nov. 3-4 by Valley Auctions in Dublin, Va.

Related Website: www.valleyauctions.com

Publish Date: 2007-11-12

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19th-CENTURY CORNER CUPBOARD WITH ORIGINAL BLUE PAINT REALIZES $11,825 AT SINGLE-OWNER AMERICANA SALE HELD NOVEMBER 3-4 BY VALLEY AUCTIONS (Dublin, Va.) - A 19th-century pine and poplar corner cupboard with original blue paint and salmon-colored interior sold for $11,825 at a single-owner Americana sale held November 3-4 by Valley Auctions, LLC. The entire sale – nearly 1,000 lots – comprised the collection of Keith Keiper of Dublin, Va., who owned wonderful examples of decorated stoneware, baskets and fine period furniture. “This was an important collection of great Americana,” said Robert Smith of Valley Auctions. “Only a few estates hit the market each year where every lot is something great. This was one of those estates.” Mr. Smith added the sale attracted “just about every major collector in the region, about 500 people each day,” plus there was active Internet bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com. Phone and absentee bids were also accepted. “It was a very busy two days,” Mr. Smith remarked. The corner cupboard was the top lot of the sale. It boasted a multi-tiered cornice over two doors with eight lights each, and four shelves behind and over two small chamfered drawers. The front styles served as feet, with small cutouts. “It was a gorgeous piece,” Mr. Smith observed, “that reflected the merchandise overall. People will flock to quality, and Mr. Keiper certainly knew about quality.” Following are highlights from the Nov. 3-4 sale. All prices include a 10% buyer's premium. A Wythe County, Va., pie safe, crafted in the 19th century, soared to $8,250. The poplar piece featured a tulip and urn pattern and was attributed to The Rich Shop (circa 1850). It included dovetailed construction; 7” turned legs; and two-board top. The pie safe had two drawers over two doors over tins and stood 50” high. A 19th-century Virginia sugar chest crossed the block at $7,975. The walnut and pine piece had a darker finish, applied later. Features included a two-board top; panels on all sides; tapered legs; a hinged lift top; burl panels; dowels; a lock in place; original butt hinges; and two supports that were added under the lid. The chest, at 29” high x 22-1/4” wide, was chamfered and splayed on all sides. A J. Weaver blue and gray ovoid six-gallon crock, in good condition and decorated with three sets of cobalt blue flowers, realized $5,335. The piece was stamped “J. Weaver #6” and measured 15-1/4” x 12-1/2”. Also, an early 19th-century table-top four-light cupboard, in excellent condition, achieved $5,170. The piece was painted mustard over red and had a bold cornice above the glass door. A beautiful 19th-century walnut and pine tall case clock, with brass finials and an eagle on top of the bonnet, chimed on time for $4,950. The open arched painted face had corners of leaves and fruit. The clock showed hours, seconds, days and two maps of each continent above the face. Other depictions included the moon; the ocean with schooner; a U.S. Naval flag; and a European landscape. A curly maple tester bed, crafted in the 19th century and featuring a paneled headboard with end scrolls, brought $4,675. The box spring-size piece had turned and tapered posts; acorn finials; and was highly figured. Also, a 19th-century curly maple chest, measuring 44” h x 40” w x 23-1/2” d, hit $3,300. The piece had a large drawer over three graduated drawers; half columns; and a molded apron. A 19th-century walnut and poplar step-back two-piece cupboard gaveled for $2,530. The piece featured molded cornice over two blind doors over a flat surface over two drawers over blind doors, all supported by simple notched feet (87” tall). Also, an early 19th-century walnut and poplar North Carolina chest, with hand-cut dovetails and two over three graduated drawers fetched $2,310. A 74-piece Kirk/Stieff sterling flatware set, mostly in the Repousse pattern, made $1,430. Included were six teaspoons marked “Sterling Stieff” in the Stieff Rose pattern. Also, a 19th-century painted blanket chest of walnut, poplar, oak and pine went for $1,100. The piece had a dovetailed case with strap hinges; painted sunburst on top; and three-panel front showing tulips, a vase and decoration. A rare blue and gray stoneware crock from the 1850s, either a cake or butter crock (8” z 14”), sold for $935; a 19th-century hanging red painted cupboard, with eight lights and dovetailed case (37” tall), found a new owner for $880; and a 19th-century figured curly maple two-drawer stand with drop leaves went for $840. The three-board top stand featured new pulls, hinges and drawer insides. The weekend event was held at Valley Auctions' spacious showroom facility, located at 5351 Wilderness Road in Dublin, Va., not far from Roanoke and Danville. Dublin is easily accessible to Interstate 81. Valley Auctions, LLC, is a rising star in the auction world in the mid-Atlantic states. The firm's next auction date has not yet been set. Watch the website for info: www.valleyauctions.com. Valley Auctions, LLC, is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, estate or collection, you may call them directly at (540) 674-4771, or e-mail them at valleyauctions@comcast.net. To get to Valley Auctions, take I-81 to exit 98 and go south on Rt. 100 to Hance Road, turn left and then left again on Wilderness Road. Valley Auctions will be on the left.

Big guns go for big bucks at Smythe sales of shipwreck artifacts, currency, stock certificates

A twin pair of bronze cannons from the 1784 shipwreck “El Cazador” saw a final bid of $10925 each, bringing the total for the one week, four auction extravaganza at Smythe to $1,259,250

Related Website: Click here to visit Smythe online

Publish Date: 2007-11-13

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Manhattan, New York - November 13, 2007 – Over 5500 lots which included an intriguing mix of historical paper, currency, stock certificates and artifacts recovered from the 1784 shipwreck “El Cazador” were greeted by enthusiastic bidders at Smythe & Company. The one week, four auction, whirlwind of sales that ended November 1, realized a total hammer of $1,259,250. Among the more noteworthy offerings were a pair of 18th century Spanish bronze breech loaded cannon. They were of typical form, measuring 39 1/2" in length and weighing 200 Lbs each. These canon were marked with the Bourbon arms of Charles III on their barrels. Each cannon realized $10925 “With four auctions closing in such a short period, it was a very busy week for us at Smythe.” said Mary Herzog, Vice President of R. M. Smythe & Co. “The 'El Cazador' shipwreck artifacts brought us a great deal of interest, but we also saw very strong bidding activity among many of the other lots.” Other noteworthy sales from the auctions include: Lot #: 2065 Estimate-$1,250-2,500 United States of America 5/11/1779. Virginia. #21. 24 Dollars in Twenty Livres Tournois. Red. Sheet of three certificates. Anderson US-99. Hessler X32C.Signed by Armistead and Francis Hopkinson, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Tear in the upper right of the top certificate, otherwise VF. Realized - $4830 Lot #: 2062 Commonwealth of Virginia 12/22/1781. #10201. Land-Office Treasury Warrant. 500 Acres/800 Pounds. Issued to and boldly signed on the reverse by Daniel Boone. Unlisted in Anderson. Fine, but with age tone. Broken folds have been expertly repaired. Ink is light with thin spot on verso of document. Realized - $8625 Lot #: 3490 Estimate-$800-1,200 RI. Wakefield, South Kingston. Bank of the South County. $25. 1850s. (RI-515 G16). Proof on India paper. Men working in foundry, top; Indian maiden as Liberty, left; young woman seated with spyglass, right. TCC. VF-EF. Realized - $2990 Lot #: 1596 Colombia. 8 Escudo, 1780NR JJ. Carol(us) III. KM 50.1. (NGC MS-63). obv.: Armored bust, facing right. rev.: Crowned arms in collar of the Golden Fleece. Nicked neck. tiny blackened reverse spots visible under magnification. Realized - $9200 Lot #: 2662 Estimate-$3,000-5,000 MA. Boston. Market Bank. $2. 1860s. (MA-265 G16a SENC). Full red tint lathe. Proof on India paper mounted on card. Group of elk at a stream. Corn basket lower left and male portrait lower right. Intricate color lathe work derived from the Cyrus Durand patents with the city and title interwoven with the denomination protectors in a repeating pattern across the note. An absolutely stunning impression. The India paper mounted directly to a gilt edged wide margined card with an overleaf of tissue guard from the presentation album. The only one we have handled from this series. The only other note from this Market Bank series by the National Bank Note Co. we have seen was the Denly Collection note that came from the January, 2002 CAA Sale. This example has small POC and was remounted on the wide card smartly. Some minor edge wrinkling on the India. NBN. Choice Uncirculated. Realized - $6325 Lot #: 1594 Spain. 1/2 Escudo, 1754M JB. Ferdinand VI. KM 378. (NGC AU-58) obv. darkened area behind head. rev. die break above "ISP". At this grade, a successful mail bidder will be pleasantly surprised. Realized - $7762 Lot #: 1595 Colombia. 8 Escudo, 1779NR JJ. Carol(us) III. KM 50.1. (NGC MS-64). obv.: Armored bust, facing right. rev.: Crowned arms in collar of the Golden Fleece. Slight lamination on cheek, and rubbed forehead away from Gem. Realized - $14,950 Lot #: 1314 Bulk lot of American Eagle proofs in Original Mint Packaging. Lot includes: 1) 1986 Silver Eagles (10) 2) 1987 Silver Eagles (5) 3) 2004 Silver Eagles (2) 4) 1986 One ounce Gold Eagles (7) [24] Realized - $6050 Lot #: 1278 1799 Small Stars BD-7 NCS AU Details, Damaged. R-3. A nice shade of yellow gold, and despite its flaws has a decent eye appeal. The damage that the NCS holder cites appears to be limited only to the rims. Realized - $9200 Lot #: 2164 United States Treasury Note (USA) Act of October 12, 1837. Hessler X-99I, Rarity 8. Specimen. Allegorical Wealth. Mercury, left. Justice, right. In 1837 a major depression hit the United States (Panic of 1837). To raise funds the government issued interest-bearing notes in denominations of $50, $100, $500 and $1000 that were redeemable one year after being issued. Blank notes were also issued so other denominations could be written in. The interest rate also varied which was to be written in. Ex Mittendorf Collection. Tipped onto larger sheet. EF. Realized - $6325 Lot #: 2133 Standard Oil (OH) 1875. #6. 100 shares. Black. Capitol Building. Liberty with flag and sword ("The Standard Bearer"). The original Standard Oil founded by John D. Rockefeller and signed as president by him. Also signed by Henry Morrison Flagler as secretary and again on the stub. Issued to and signed on the stub by Charles Pratt . Lightly cancelled in red pen through the vignette and the officers' signatures, hardly distracting. An extremely important piece of American financial history representing the early days of one of America's most significant industries. VF+. Realized - $4600 All prices listed include a 15% buyers premium. A complete catalog of all 5500+ lots including photos and realized prices can be viewed online at: http://static.smytheonline.com/prices_realized/index.php Accredited media interested in scheduling an interview to discuss this release or past or upcoming auctions are encouraged to contact Mary Herzog at 212-943-1880. High resolution photos are also available upon request. About R. M. Smythe & Co. R. M. Smythe and Co., established in 1880, buys, sells, and auctions coins, paper money, stocks and bonds and autographs at their corporate headquarters at 2 Rector Street in the heart of the Financial District in New York City. To order a catalog, to contact any of the firm’s specialists, or to make general inquiries, call 212-943-1880 or 800-622-1880, or visit the firm’s website at: http://www.smytheonline.com.

LiveAuctionTalk.com Highlights the Magic of Marine Art at Auction

Rosemary McKittrick brings the world of art, antiques and collectibles to life each week in her stories. Visit the Site. Sign up for a free weekly subscription.

Related Website: LiveAuctionTalk

Publish Date: 2007-11-13

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Nov. 12, 2007--A kinship with the sea shows up in different ways for different people. For some it’s a life as a seafarer. Other people become environmentalists. For 20th century painter Montague Dawson it was life devoted to painting the sea. Born in 1895, Dawson grew up close to the England’s Southampton water. He came from a long line of sea lovers. His father was an engineer and sea captain. His grandfather Henry Dawson was a marine artist. Recreating the sea’s magic on canvas was in his blood. Even as a young child he studied the giant vessels coming and going. Dawson’s fascination with the beauty of the great commercial sailing ships was obvious in his later work. Nothing escaped his attention. The massive ships. The hard breezes. The restless seas. The fierce skies. He connected the dots and captured the relationship in a way that few others did. Dawson completed his first watercolor at the age of five. It was the seeding of a talent that would end as Dawson being named one of the greatest marine artists of the 20th century. He never even went to art school. He did join an art studio in 1910 in Bedford Row, London, which made posters and illustrations. When World War I started in 1914, the sea lover joined the Royal Navy. He met Officer Charles Napier Hemy, the maritime artist. Hemy tutored Dawson and had a huge impact on his work. During World Wars I and II Dawson supplied the magazine “Sphere” with monochrome illustrations of historical events like the final surrender of the German Grand Fleet. It was illustrations like this that brought him the attention he longed for as an artist. Dawson’s painting of the China Tea trade clippers Chrysolite and Stornoway almost neck-and-neck racing home through the high seas is marine history frozen in time. The oil on canvas went on the block on July 25, 2007, in Christie’s, Marine auction. The 28 inches by 42 inches painting sold for $216,000. Read the entire article at http://www.LiveAuctionTalk.com. RSS: http://www.liveauctiontalk.com/rss/lat.rss.

Sotheby's New York to Sell a Masterpiece by Tilman Riemenschneide r - January 2008

On January 24, 2008, Sotheby’s New York will offer for sale a masterpiece by the German Medieval sculptor, Tilman Riemenschneider.

Related Website: Sothebys

Publish Date: 2007-11-14

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New York, NY – On January 24, 2008, Sotheby’s New York will offer for sale a masterpiece by the German Medieval sculptor, Tilman Riemenschneider. The rare and important Franconian Limewood figure of Saint Catherine, circa 1505, is one of only two sculptures by the artist in private hands in the United States and only the second by the master to come to auction in either the United States or United Kingdom. A major work of Riemenschneider’s late style, the sculpture is estimated to sell for $4/6 million. Proceeds of the sale will benefit the Scherman Foundation which supports various non-profit organizations. Prior to auction, the sculpture will be on view from January 19-23, 2008. Margaret Schwartz, Senior Vice President and Director of Sotheby’s European Works of Art Department, said, “This sculpture of Saint Catherine epitomizes Riemenschneider’s skill in creating a play of light in the carving of his drapery, as well as his fascination with detail and rich surface treatment. The present work is among the finest of German Gothic sculptures to ever appear at auction.” Featuring all of the signatures of Riemenschneider’s distinctive style of carving, Saint Catherine’s is carved from a single piece of limewood and elaborately ornamented using at least nine different tools to represent the different texture and detailing of her clothing. Because of the nuances of the decoration, it isbelieved that she was not meant to be painted, as some works by the artist were. Her posture is elegant, enhanced by the elongated s-curve of her stance and by the balance of a variety of compositional details including: her long hair falling down her shoulders, the diagonals created by the folds of her mantle and skirt, the elongated neck and tilt of the head and the shift of weight from her left leg and hip to the right. Dated to circa 1505 and measuring 41 ¼ in.(104.7cm.), the present sculpture was relatively unknown until the acclaimed exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tilman Riemenschneider, Master Sculptor of the Late Middle Ages in 1998. In the catalogue for the exhibition, the sculpture was among the great discoveries of the show, bringing to light new information about the sculptor’s use of punched decoration and tooling to enhance the surfaces of his sculptures. The exhibition of Riemenschneider’s work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art also reunited the figure of Saint Catherine with two other works that it was thought to have been originally exhibited with. The figures of a Female Saint, St. Elizabeth and Saint Catherine were most likely made for the central shrine of a carved altar with other saints flanking a central group, such as the Virgin and child. The sculpture was acquired by George Schuster of Munich in 1927 and has descended in the same family to the present owner. Prior to the exhibition in 1998 the figure had been seen only once in public in the last century, at the 1931 exhibition of Riemenschneider’s work in Hannover. Since the conclusion of the 1998/99 exhibition of the artist’s work in this country, the figure has been on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. About the Scherman Foundation Founded in 1941 by Harry Scherman, founder of the Book-of-the-Month Club, the Scherman Foundation gives grants to non-profit organizations involved with the environment, human rights and liberties, peace and security, reproductive rights and services, the arts and social welfare.

SOTHEBY’S SALE OF AMERICAN PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS AND SCULPTURE TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 28, 2007

Sotheby’s sale of American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture will take place at 10am and 2pm on November 28th.

Related Website: Sothebys

Publish Date: 2007-11-14

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OFFERING IMPORTANT WATERCOLORS BY WINSLOW HOMER FEATURING A DEDICATED CATALOG OF AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION New York, New York – Sotheby’s sale of American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture will take place at 10am and 2pm on November 28th. The entire exhibition will be featured on the 10th floor galleries at Sotheby’s New York from November 24th through November 27th. The works in this sale are estimated to sell for $44,990,000/67,820,000*. This sale is distinguished by a diverse selection of works by prominent American artists from the 19th and early 20th centuries, including selections of Impressionist works by John Singer Sargent, Guy Wiggins and Childe Hassam; Modernist works, including those by Georgia O’Keeffe and Milton Avery; and Western works of art by Henry F. Farny, Ernest Martin Hennings and Walter Ufer. Two works by Winslow Homer, one of America’s most important watercolorists, will highlight the sale. An extensive selection of works by America’s most important illustrators – Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, Joseph C. Leyendecker and Jessie Wilcox Smith – will be featured in a separate catalog, The Art of American Storytelling. As previously mentioned, Sotheby’s will offer two outstanding watercolors by Winslow Homer. Fishergirls Coiling Tackle, 1881 (lot 8, est. $4/6 million, illustrated on page 1, watercolor on paper), the cover lot for the sale catalog, depicts the fishing village of Cullercoats on the northeastern coast of England, where Homer stayed for nearly two years in the early 1880’s. This sojourn in England ushered in a pivotal change to both his technique and subject matter. In Fishergirls Coiling Tackle, Homer painted two young women in a courtyard, believed to be located outside of the artist’s studio, where village women would regularly work. These strong working women, so vastly different from the delicate, contemplative women Homer painted in America, were the subject of nearly one hundred fifty works during his two-year stay. Also by Winslow Homer, Portrait of a Lady (lot 15, est. $2/3 million, pictured at left) from 1875, depicts a young woman in an elegant white dress, trimmed with a patterned detail and accessorized with a black scarf at her neck, a dark belt at her waist and a black ribbon in her hair. In this watercolor on paper, Homer creates a dense, green background by layering transparent washes of pigment to achieve the dappled green foliage behind the figure. American Illustrators This sale will feature a large and varied group of American illustrations, reflecting the growing market interest in this genre. The separate catalog, The Art of American Storytelling, illustrates these works, which include seven Saturday Evening Post magazine covers and a strong selection of work by America’s most popular artists: Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, Joseph C. Leyendecker and Jessie Wilcox Smith. The catalog’s cover features Norman Rockwell’s Gary Cooper as “The Texan” (lot 36, est. $1.5/2.5 million, pictured at right) from the May 24, 1930 Saturday Evening Post cover. In The Texan, Rockwell successfully translated the glamour of Hollywood onto canvas. Rockwell completed a number of studies while in Hollywood, but his painting of Gary Cooper is the only one he mentions in his biography. Christmas in the Heart (lot 128, est. $800,000/1.2 million) was painted by Rockwell as an illustration for a January 1941 issue of American Magazine. According to letters from the owner, Rockwell donated this painting as a raffle prize to help raise money for local Arlington charities, and the winning raffle ticket was purchased for twenty-five cents at a fundraiser and street fair in 1942. When Rockwell’s Arlington studio burned down in 1943, many original paintings, drawings and notes were destroyed in the fire, but Rockewell’s generosity had inadvertently insured that Christmas in the Heart survived. Additional illustrations by Rockwell include: The Checkup (lot 70, est. $800,000/1.2 million), Graduation (lot 85, est. $800,000/1.2 million), Christmas: Santa Reading Mail (lot 122, est. $400/600,000) and River Pilot (lot 125, est.$1/1.5 million), which appeared in the September 21, 1940 issue of the Saturday Evening Post as an illustration for an adventure story of the same name by Carl D. Lane. Also being offered is a group of charming illustrations of the stages of childhood by Jessie Wilcox Smith. A highlight is Five O’Clock Tea from 1903 (lot 109, est. $150/250,000). Another great illustrator featured in this sale is N.C. Wyeth, who’s Indian Love Call (lot 39, est. $800,000/1.2 million, pictured on page 3), was painted in 1927, at the midpoint of the artist’s career as a painter, illustrator and muralist. Between 1920 and 1930, N.C. Wyeth was at the height of his powers. In creating this work, he returned to his formative years and his passion for the Old West and Native American culture. The focal point of Indian Love Call is an Indian brave in his birch bark canoe, who pipes a haunting song to his love as she approaches from the village. This painting was based on a popular song of the time, “Indian Love Call,” by Rudolf Friml with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein. Strong examples from each generation of the Wyeth family of artists are represented in this sale. Andrew Wyeth’s Sparks (lot 81, est. $2.5/4.5 million, pictured at right), a painting of a fire burning in a fireplace, addresses common themes in Wyeth’s oeuvre, such as memory, nostalgia and loss. Also by Andrew Wyeth are portraits of two of his friends. Turtleneck (lot 119, est. $1/1.5 million), from 1984, depicts Andy Davis, a member of a close knit African American community in Chadds Ford, Wyeth’s hometown. Army Surplus (lot 69, est. $800,000/1.2 million), from 1966, is a watercolor that depicts Willard Snowden, who worked for Andrew Wyeth, relaxing on the snowy bank of the hills of N.C. Wyeth’s orchard in Chadds Ford. In this work, Willard seems as natural a part of the landscape as the earth beneath him. Works by third generation Wyeth artist Jamie Wyeth include Pig and the Train (lot 42, est. $300/500,000) and Winter Pig (lot 106, est. $200/300,000). The strong selection of works by Milton Avery in this sale includes The Reader and the Listener (lot 18, est. $700/900,000, pictured at left). Painted in 1945, The Reader and the Listener modernizes a domestic scene of Avery’s wife Sally and daughter March reading together in their living room. Another highlight by Avery in this sale is Card Game (lot 96, est. $600/800,000) from 1944. By this year, Avery had started to simplify the shapes and detail in his compositions, paring down elements to express the experience of the painting rather than its subject. Woman on Wave (lot 27, est. $300/500,000), from the Collection of Harriet Walker Henderson (please see more information on this Collection below), from 1948, features a lone figure seated on a rocky edge above the sea, her back to the viewer as she watches an incoming wave break against the shore below. Bank of America Offerings Four paintings by distinctive American artists from the Bank of America Art Collection are being sold to benefit New York City Charities, including the Police Athletic League of New York City, The New York Public Library and the New York Restoration Project. The four paintings are: N.C. Wyeth’s Port Clyde, Maine (lot 58, est. $400/600,000), Andrew Wyeth’s The New Table (lot 19, est. $250/350,000), Oscar Berninghaus’ Opening the West (Stagecoach Through the Missouri Hills) (lot 156, est. $150/250,000), and William Trost Richards’ Newport Beach (lot 188, est. $150/250,000). Please see separate press release about works offered from the Bank of America Art Collection. The Genesee County Village and Museum has consigned Thomas Hart Benton’s Menemsha Pond (lot 57, est. $400/600,000), from 1950, which depicts a view of one of Benton’s favorite subjects, Martha’s Vineyard. Property from the Collection of Harriet Walker Henderson Property from the Collection of Harriet Walker Henderson includes Peaches Point by Maurice B. Prendergast (lot 24, est. $800,000/1.2 million). Painted circa 1915-18, Peaches Point dates from the last decade of Prendergast’s career, when he continued to refine his highly individual artistic vision and moved steadily towards abstraction. In Georgia O’Keeffe’s Two Austrian Copper Roses III (lot 28, est. $400/600,000, pictured at left), from 1957, O’Keeffe renders volumes that convey the tactile quality of rose through subtle graduations of the rich red tones. Stanton MacDonald-Wright’s Synchromy (lot 29, est. $400/600,000), from 1918, was inspired by European modernism, including the work of Futurists and Robert and Sonia Delaunay, who used strong colors and geometric shapes in their work, whose style they called Orphism. The sale also includes a strong selection of Western Art, indicating the continuing growth in this market. Highlights include Henry F. Farny’s His Favorite Wife (lot 157, est. $500/700,000). Farny’s images reflected his respect for Native Americans and generally portrayed them in groups living in harmony with each other and the land. Across the Taos Valley by Ernest Martin Hennings (lot 160, est. $500/700,000) captures the tranquil and majestic life of the Pueblo Indians in the Taos landscape. Other Western works include Walter Ufer’s December Evening (lot 164, est. $200/300,000) and Frank Tenney Johnson’s Time to Wake the Cook (lot 163, est. $300/500,000). Impressionist offerings include a beautiful portrait by John Singer Sargent of Baltimore lawyer, John Ridgely Carter (lot 143, est. $600/800,000). Painted in 1901, this portrait was commissioned and executed at the zenith of Sargent’s reputation as a brilliant portrait painter both in Britain, where he had made his home, and in America. For John Ridgely Carter (1864-1944), an American diplomat in London, a portrait by Sargent would have been an ideal asset in his well-appointed home. A Dream of Butterflies by Charles Burchfield (lot 49, est. $500/700,000, pictured at left) from 1962, is a fine example of Burchfield’s highly stylized depictions of nature, exaggerated by broad brushstrokes of color and over-scaled forms. In A Dream of Butterflies, the butterflies have become nearly the size of bushes and the knots on the birch trees engulf their bark. Burchfield’s ongoing interest in the spiritual qualities of the natural world and his reverence for the mystery of life is in perfect evidence. *Estimates do not include buyer’s premium.

Fostoria Elegant Glass – Fairfax and Lafayette

Fostoria plain glass patterns are so elegant and are well-suited to today’s decorating themes of simplicity and shape. We’ll look at Fairfax and Lafayette, glass from the 1930s and 40s, this month.

Related Website: Cat Lady Kate's Elegant and Depression Glass

Publish Date: 2007-10-06

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Fostoria plain glass patterns are well-suited to today’s decorating themes of simplicity and shape; with the undecorated blanks the beauty of the glass itself takes center stage. We’ll look at two of these this month, the more angular Fairfax and rounded Lafayette, which are often confused. These are very pretty as both plain glass and when used for decorations. We’ll publish future articles about Baroque, Raleigh, Century, and Sonata. If you enjoy elegant Fostoria glass these will be useful to help understand the glass you see and appreciate. Fairfax and Lafayette look similar in photographs, more similar than they are in person. Both patterns have rims on many pieces and both have an optic. Fairfax tends to be more angular. Plates have definite sides with rounded angled corners; cups have rounded rims and feet; bowls are have rounded angled corners. Many Lafayette pieces have scalloped rims – these are easy to distinguish! Lafayette serving pieces are less angular than Fairfax, but the most fail proof way to tell them apart is to look at the optic. Fairfax has a single wide, softly rounded rib optic on the underside and Lafayette has two narrow rib optics separated with a narrow flat space. Fostoria made Fairfax from 1927 to 1944 in green, pink, called Rose, crystal, amber, topaz or Gold Tint, plus azure blue, light rose purple, called Orchid, and even some pieces in Ebony and Mother of Pearl. Topaz is a light yellow that is cheerful and fresh. Mother of Pearl is crystal with a light iridescence that is charming and beautiful. The green is especially nice as it is a true, rich green and Fostoria’s pink is a clear, light candy pink. We have the pink demitasse cup and saucer and several pieces in pink and in clear on our website, Cat Lady Kate’s Elegant and Depression Glass. The piece in the top picture is the pink demitasse cup and saucer. Fairfax was a full line of dinnerware and table service glass, plus stemware and incidental pieces like candleholders, ashtrays, salad dressing bottles and a vase. Pieces you’ll want to find include the serving bowls, shakers and salad dressing bottle. Fostoria used Fairfax for some of their most beautiful etches, including Versailles, Trojan, June and the brocade patterns. The simple lines look beautiful when etched. These etches are among Fostoria’s more ornate designs and they would look terrible on glass blanks that were fussier. There was no true stemware in Fairfax. Instead complementary lines were used especially the Petal stem, number 5098 and the Waterfall stem, number 5099. These came in the same colors and in bicolors, with colored bowls and crystal stems and feet. Fostoria made Lafayette just a little later than Fairfax, 1931 to 1944 and some pieces remained until 1960. It came in crystal and topaz or Gold Tint and selected pieces were made in darker colors, notably Regal Blue, Empire Green, Burgundy, and Ruby. We’ve never seen one of these pieces as they are elusive. Fostoria made a few pieces in satinized crystal, called Silver Mist, amber, green, Wisteria and Rose. The topaz and crystal are fairly common and very pretty. Lafayette is rounded and came in many incidental pieces, such as several sizes of sweetmeats, divided relishes, trays and so on. These usually have handles that look like ribbon bows. The gently rounded shapes combined with the ribbon handles give the pieces a fresh, festive look that makes you think of parties. You may find pieces with solid handles with molded in scrolls that are otherwise quite similar to Lafayette. These are Line 2470 and they make excellent go-with pieces that can extend the range of items in Lafayette. The most common color we find in mid-Michigan is topaz, which is a soft, light yellow. The piece pictured in the top photo is the 2-handled oval relish that nicely shows the soft, flowing lines of this lovely design. You can see the 2-handled small oval tray, sweetmeat, and oval relish in our store in Topaz, plus we also have the Line 2470 small bowl. Fostoria used Lafayette for many of their etchings, including Fuschia, Midnight Rose and Navarre. Other companies made a Fuschia cutting or etch but Fostoria’s cannot be mistaken. The design is realistic and the pretty Fuschia bells dangle around the softly rounded optic and scalloped pieces of Lafayette. As for damage, be sure to check the plain centers of both Fairfax and Lafayette for wear and scratching. The ground base rims sometimes get light nicks in the edges that usually don’t show. The rims don’t seem to be particularly susceptible to chipping and most pieces that we have found are in excellent to mint condition. If you are buying online be sure to ask sellers about wear if they do not mention it. Our store on TIAS, Cat Lady Kate’s Elegant and Depression Glass, offers many Fostoria patterns, including pieces in Fairfax and Lafayette. Our business grew out of our love for elegant glass, especially Fostoria, and we enjoy sharing our information and hope that you will enjoy shopping in our store and find a piece of vintage glass that you will love to own. All our sales on both TIAS and eBay are fully guaranteed as we want our customers to be happy with their purchases. We wrap carefully and ship quickly so your glass reaches you safely and fast. Our eBay store is Vintage Elegant Depression Glass. Come check us out!

French Antique Store expands offering to include

European Antique Market debuts the vintage "Urban Chic Collection" at their fall container show, Saturday, October 20th.

Related Website: Country French Antiques

Publish Date: 2007-10-06

The Full Story:

There is an inherent rhythm that is vibrating throughout Louisville. Unless you’ve been in seclusion the last few years, you know that Louisvillian’s lifestyles are elevating to new heights. Whether it be Living in industrial buildings-turned-lofts or enjoying a café at a zinc top bar, Louisville is becoming a cosmopolitan city. For those city dwellers looking to furnish their digs with modern authenticity, European Antique Market will debut their vintage “Urban Chic Collection” Saturday, October 20th, along with some of the best antiques France has to offer. Shawn Stucker, owner of European Antique Market, has been importing from France since 1998. Her Open Houses are eagerly anticipated and have become known as feeding frenzies of good taste. The “Urban Chic Collection” consists of a range of metal furniture made by the world renowned French factory “Tolix”. The pieces date from the 30’s and the buckled sheet metal has been polished to restore its metallic sheen. Other items in the collection include a metal postal desk, polished metal and oak bar, oversized zinc letters and accessories. To experience European Antique Market’s collections visit their Blog at http://euroantiquemarket.blogspot.com European Antique Market is open Tue. – Sat. 10 - 4pm, Thursdays until 6pm. 933 Barret Ave. Louisville, Ky. 40204 If you would like more information on this topic or to set up an interview, please use the contact information above.