Sothebys’ Paris is to host “Turkophilia Revealed”, a stunning exhibition of Ottoman Art from private collections.

The exhibition will be held during the 14th International Congress on Turkish Art and will feature important examples of silverware, ceramics, textiles, calligraphy and Turqueries.

From 19th – 22nd September 2011.

Watch interviews with Chinese contemporary artists, Liu Wei and Qiu Zhijie at Sothebys.com

Following the great success of the sale of The Ullens Collection – The Nascence of Avant-Garde China, the second installment, The Ullens Collection –  Experimentation and Evolution, offers an extraordinary selection of seminal works by pioneering conceptual and video artists rarely seen before on the market, such as Chen Zhen’s 1992 installation Divine Judgment. Important early works by artists such as Liu Wei and Zeng Fanzhi will once again be a significant part of the sale.

Responding to the ever-growing demand for innovative and quality works from the region, Sotheby’s auction of Contemporary Art / Arab & Iranian features a diverse group of paintings and sculptures representing the modern masters from private collections as well as contemporary works fresh to the market.

The autumn sale of Important Furniture, Sculptures and Works of Art will consist of approximately 200 lots including rare carpets and textiles.

A mid-18th-century “à la façon de la Savonnerie” carpet, probably Aubusson, Louis XV, with “Mamluk” patterns is a rare example of craftsmanship made before French decor became fashionable.

A Louis XIV needlepoint table cloth, circa 1660-1680 and two Régence needlepoint panels, circa 1720, adorned with the French coat-of-arms are remarkable examples of European technique and “savoir-faire,” which were widely applied in Europe in the 18th century.

In the furniture section of the sale is a rare and fine gilt bonze mounted brown tortoiseshell, brass inlaid and ebony cartel clock, Louis XIV, circa 1700, attributed to André-Charles Boulle, and a pair of carved gilt beechwood folding stools, Louis XV, circa 1740, delivered for the prince-évêque de Rohan-Soubise.

Two Louis XV pieces of furniture stamped Lacroix for the viscount of Breteuil finalize a remarkable group of 18th century French furniture.

Among the sculpture in the sale is a French terracotta bust by Augustin Pajou depicting Claude-Edme Labille, circa 1784 and a French, Parisian, late 14th century ivory figure of the Virgin and Child.

The September 22nd Contemporary Auction offers carefully selected works by artists from the Post-War period through the present day. The sale covers a range of works from movements including Abstract Expressionism, Pop, Minimalism, Conceptualism, Contemporary Photography and Contemporary Chinese along with many of today’s most exciting young artists.

The September 22nd Contemporary Auction offers carefully selected works by artists from the Post-War period through the present day. The sale covers a range of works from movements including Abstract Expressionism, Pop, Minimalism, Conceptualism, Contemporary Photography and Contemporary Chinese along with many of today’s most exciting young artists.

Victor Higgins (Taos school, 1884-1949), oil on canvas, circa 1929, 27 x 30 in., scene of woman in front of adobe building, held in same family for 80+ years. Est. $200,000-$400,000. Mapes Auctioneers image.

Purchased prior to Wall Street Crash of 1929, artwork remained in family for 80+ years

VESTAL, N.Y. – An exciting fine-art discovery – a fresh-to-the-market late-1920s oil-on-canvas painting by Taos Art Colony luminary Victor Higgins (1884-1949) – will headline Mapes Auctioneers’ Sept. 30 auction.

An old family piece, the 27- by 30-inch artwork depicts a Native American woman in front of an adobe building with a vine-covered column in the foreground. It was purchased directly from the artist approximately 80 years ago and passed through descent to the consignor, who is the original owner’s great-nephew. The painting has never before appeared at auction or been offered for sale.

“The Higgins came from a retired gentleman who lives less than a mile from our gallery,” said David Mapes, owner of Mapes Auctioneers. “He walked into my office one day and said he and his wife were moving to Colorado and had two paintings they wanted to sell. The other painting was nice, but when I saw the Higgins, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was similar to a smaller painting by the artist that sold at Christie’s a few years ago for over $400,000.”

Closeup of central figure in Higgins painting

Mapes recalls that he told the consignor, “That’s a very good painting,” to which the consignor replied, “How good?” Mapes then delivered the news that, in his opinion, it was worth more than $100,000, adding that the auction record for a Victor Higgins painting is $769,000. “The consignor was stunned,” Mapes said.

Several identifications are written on the artwork’s stretcher – the name “Ruth” and the notation “Victor Higgins $600.” Mapes said it is likely that the original owner made the purchase prior to the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

“From what the consignor tells me, his great-uncle was an art aficionado who once served as director of the Municipal Art League of Chicago. He was also an attorney who lost a great deal of money when the stock market crashed. It’s unlikely that he would have been buying art after incurring major financial losses, so we think the painting may have been purchased in 1928 or 1929,” Mapes said.

According to Mapes, Higgins was a visionary in search of “the real America” and moved to New Mexico around 1915, when Taos was still an isolated village with dirt roads. “He was fascinated by the native people of Taos and became both a permanent resident and a member of the Taos Society of Artists, in 1917.”

Higgins’ signature from lower left of painting

The Higgins painting has been examined by a major art restorer who works with museums, Mapes said, and it was determined that the painting has never been cleaned or restored. “It is in original condition and in a nice period frame that may be the original,” Mapes said. The painting will be offered with a $200,000-$400,000 estimate.”

The other painting coming from the Higgins’ consignor is a 24- by 26-inch

Carl Hoerman (Taos school, 1885-1955), Arizona Desert, oil on canvas, 24 x 26 in., signed and dated ‘1929.’ Est. $1,000-$2,000. Mapes Auctioneers image.

Southwestern mountain landscape by Taos school artist Carl Hoerman (German/American, 1885-1955), titled Arizona Desert. Signed and dated “1929” on the front, the framed oil-on-canvas artwork is executed in soft desert hues with depictions of cacti and numerous other indigenous flora. On auction day it is expected to make $1,000-$2,000.

The 300-lot sale also includes a collection of 60 pieces of 19th-century New York state stoneware from an estate in Trumansburg, N.Y. Most of the vessels are ovoid jugs and jars, although there are also some 3-sided examples and later molded pieces from White’s Utica. Most have a floral motif, although one features a bird. Individual estimates range from $100 to $1,000.

American blue opaline glass fluid lamp, possibly Sandwich, Flame Bull’s-Eye pattern, 13 inches. Est. 750-$1,500. Mapes Auctioneers image.

A beautiful American blue opaline glass fluid lamp that may be by Sandwich measures 13 inches high and was crafted in the Flame Bull’s-Eye pattern. In excellent condition, it could bring $750-$1,500. Another glass highlight is the Steuben verre de soie perfume bottle with blue stopper, estimated at $200-$400.

The nicely mixed selection of antiques and fine art also includes a 35-inch-tall Theodore Coinchon (French, 1814-1881) garden bronze of Pan playing his flute, est. $2,000-$4,000; a Chief Big Moon cast-iron mechanical bank in original condition with 90% paint, est. $2,000-$4,000; and a 19th-century coin-silver teapot on stand by Bailey of Philadelphia, est. $1,000-$2,000.

Also, a 5-piece array of Deldare ware will be offered. The grouping includes vases and two trays, which aren’t commonly found. The smaller tray measures 9 by 12 inches and is titled “Dancing Ye Minuet,” while the 10- by 13-inch tray is titled “Heirlooms.” Both are in excellent condition, and each carries a presale estimate of $200-$400.

Mapes’ Sept. 30 Antiques & Fine Art Auction will commence at 5 p.m. Eastern time, with a preview the same day from 1-5 p.m. Their gallery is located at 1729 Vestal Parkway West, Vestal, NY 13850. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com.

For condition reports on the art or any other item in the auction, call 607-754-9193 or

e-mail info@mapesauction.com. Visit the company online at www.mapesauctions.com. View the fully illustrated auction catalog online at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

Sotheby’s October 5th Photographs auction in New York features a varied range of material from the 19th to 21st centuries.  Two landmark documents in the history of photographic literature will be offered—an early copy of Gardner’s Sketchbook of the War, and a complete set of Alfred Stieglitz’s photographic quarterly, Camera Work.  Modernist innovator Pierre Dubreuil’s mastery of the medium is evident in two of his best-known images: Spectacles and The First Round.  A dramatic, twice-signed mural of Ansel Adams’s famed Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, and a mural of Leaves, Mt. Rainier National Park are featured, along with other Adams photographs.  A rare lifetime print of Diane Arbus’s Viva, the Warhol superstar, was originally illustrated in an early issue of New York, nearly causing the magazine’s demise.  A massive print of Peter Beard’s Maureen Gallagher and Late-Night Feeder presents a dazzling array of color drawing and collage elements.

Following the successful May 2011 sales of volumes I and II, the third volume of works from the Collection of Allan Stone comes to Sotheby’s New York this autumn. Trained as a lawyer, but passionate about art, Mr. Stone opened his own gallery in 1960. He joined the ranks of influential New York dealers such as Leo Castelli and Sidney Janis, while blazing his own path with a unique selection of artists.