Leslie Hindman Auctioneers – Fine Furniture and Decorative Arts
Monday, April 19th, 2010Catalogue Now Online
Preview April 28th – May 1st
Auction May 2nd – Mat 4th 12pm
Chicago, Illinois
Articles by admin
Dazzling diamonds, designer jewels and famous names highlight Heritage May Jewelry auction
Monday, April 19th, 2010Selections from The Dorothy & Sidney Factor Collection; also Cipullo, Cartier, Tiffany, Harry Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels and more, May 3 in Dallas
DALLAS, TX — A fantastic collection of jewels by some of the most prolific and highly sought after jewelers and jewelry firms on the planet will have the eyes of collectors of brilliant gems and precious metals firmly fixed on Dallas on Monday, May 3, when Heritage Auction Galleries presents its Signature® Fine Jewelry Auction live at the company’s Dallas Design District showroom, 1518 Slocum Street, and online at HA.com.
“The selections in this auction run from the Venerable – names like Cartier, Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston,” said Jill Burgum, Director of Jewelry Auctions at Heritage, “to the artistic and contemporary, with names like Aldo Cipullo, David Webb, Marco Bicego and Donna Vock constituting just a few of the designers in the sale.”
Above all, however, what stands out in this auction are the diamonds with a dazzling array awaiting erudite bidders. The first among equals is the gorgeous pear-shaped 13.75 carat Diamond and Platinum Ring from the Dorothy & Sidney Factor Collection, being sold by the famous Beverly Hills family to benefit charity. It is estimated at $125,000-$175,000.
“You’ll be hard pressed to find a more elegant or eye-catching diamond,” said Burgum. “It was a gift from Sidney to Dorothy during the latter part of their legendary marriage, and has always been one of Dorothy’s favorite pieces. She’s parting with it now to let someone else enjoy its magnificence, as well as to act as a fundraiser for the family’s favorite charities.”
Another Diamond, Platinum Ring, this one from Tiffany & Co., featuring s 5.60 carat Lucida™-cut diamond, is also expected to turn heads. The Lucida™-cut from Tiffany is one of the company’s most popular cuts, introduced in 1999, and was the result of decades of development by the famed company. The elegant cut features elements of the Asscher and antique cushion-cuts melded into what is considered a more contemporary diamond cut. It features a modified square cut with truncated corners, a high step-cut crown, a small table and brilliant faceted pavilion – making for 50 total facets. It is estimated at $100,000-$125,000.
Also of considerable note to collectors is a Fancy Colored Diamond, Diamond, White Gold Ring featuring a Grayish Yellowish Green oval-shaped diamond weighing 7.84 carats, enhanced by round brilliant-cut diamonds weighing a total of approximately 3.00 carats, set in 18k white gold. It is estimated at $75,000 – $100,000.
A Fancy Green Diamond, Pink Diamond, Platinum, Gold Ring from designer David Alan, featuring a natural Grayish Yellowish Green radiant-cut diamond weighing 5.55 carats, estimated at $60,000-$80,000, is expected to bring some competitive bidding, while a simple yet stunning Diamond, Platinum Ring, weighing 4.07 carats, flanked by baguette-cut diamonds and set in platinum, is expected to bring $40,000-$50,000.
Of particular note in the designer jewelry selections is a grouping of four gorgeous and colorful designs from legendary Cartier designer Aldo Cipullo, one of the only craftsmen that Cartier let sign his pieces while he was in their employ.
“Cipullo invented the LOVE bracelet, which is just as popular today as it was 30 some years ago,” said Burgum. “His designs are timeless. Owning a Cipullo piece is an art experience.”
Roman-born Aldo Cipullo, the son of a prominent Italian jeweler, immigrated to New York in 1959 at age 23, where he studied at Manhattan’s famed School of Visual Arts. It was while working for David Webb, Tiffany and Cartier that he showcased his talent for innovative design. Cipullo’s passion for modern living influenced his pure, clean designs. The mass appeal of his designs was evident in the tremendous interest expressed in both the press and the public, as well as by socialites and celebrities alike. Some of his most well-known clients included Sophia Loren, Liza Minnelli, Elizabeth Taylor, and the Duchess of Windsor, as well as Pierre Cardin, Frank Sinatra and Richard Burton.
“In 1974, the same year he opened his own business – Aldo Cipullo, Ltd. – he won the prestigious Coty Award for his pioneering influence on the design of men’s jewelry,” said Burgum. “Ten years later, on February 2, 1984, Cipullo died much too early, at age 48, in New York City.”
Further highlights include, but are not limited to:
Bvlgari Fancy Yellow Diamond, Platinum, Gold Ring: Featuring two Fancy Yellow triangular-shaped diamonds, one weighing 2.12 carats together with one weighing 1.64 carats, flush set in platinum and 18k yellow gold, accompanied by its original signed box. Marked Bvlgari. Estimate: $35,000 – $45,000.
Diamond, Platinum Ring: Featuring a cushion-shaped diamond weighing approximately 4.45 carats, flanked by cut-cornered shield-cut diamonds, set in platinum. Estimate: $30,000 – $40,000.
Diamond, Platinum Ring: Featuring a round brilliant-cut diamond weighing 4.07 carats, enhanced by baguette and square-cut diamonds, set in platinum. Total diamond weight is approximately 5.65 carats. Estimate: $30,000 – $40,000.
Diamond, Platinum, White Gold Necklace: Featuring a kite-shaped diamond weighing 4.05 carats, enhanced by a full-cut diamond weighing approximately 0.45 carat, set in platinum, suspended by 18k white gold chain. Estimate: $30,000 – $40,000.
Diamond, Platinum Bracelet: From the Dorothy & Sidney Factor Collection. The bracelet features 38 pear-shaped diamonds of varying weights, enhanced by baguette-cut diamonds, set in platinum. Total diamond weight for the bracelet is approximately 32.50 carats. Estimate: $25,000 – $50,000.
Heritage Auctions, headed by Steve Ivy, Jim Halperin and Greg Rohan, is the world’s third largest auction house, with annual sales more than $600 million, and 500,000+ registered online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, and to join and gain access to a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HA.com.
Bonhams – London – The Sampson and Horne Collection
Monday, April 19th, 2010Catalogue Now Online
The Sampson and Horne Collection – Defining the British Vernacular
April 28th 10:30am
New Bond Street, London
Keeping you appraised of an antiques and design show you just can’t miss!
Sunday, April 18th, 2010The countdown is on!
I can’t wait to see you at New England Antique Show‘s much anticipated Spring Fever Antiques and Design Show and Sale! This event – truly a breath of fresh air – is April 24th from 10am to 5pm and April 25th from 11am to 4 pm. It will be held at the historic Concord Amory, located at 91 Everett Street, Concord, Massachusetts. There is plenty of free parking. And speaking of a good deal, click here for your two-for-one admission coupon, just for VIPs! (Val’s Important Pals!) Otherwise, a weekend pass is $7; Sunday only is $5. Children 16 and under are admitted free with the purchase of an adult ticket.
It goes without saying that this show is a “can’t miss” for anybody interested in antiques, collectibles, and decorative items for homes and gardens of any size. Over 40 dealers from 10 states will showcase outstanding items just in time for the spring wedding, graduation, and Mother’s Day season. Expect to find treasures including estate jewelry, fine art and pottery, toys and games, rare books and maps, tabletop settings, furniture, rugs, silver, china, glass, and crystal. Here on the left you see a wonderful garden antiques display by Debra Queen of South Dartmouth, MA, who will be bringing her delightful wares to Concord. Personally, I hope to find some Fenton glass for my Grandmother, Blue Willow china for my Mom, and mohair Teddies and animals for me at the show!
And what’s an event without a special guest? In addition to high quality, exceptional merchandise, the show also features a valuation clinic lead by industry veteran Linda Roberts, an accredited member of the International Society of Appraisers (ISA). Linda has vast experience identifying and valuing the full spectrum of vintage and antique collectibles. Linda looks forward to speaking with you about your special treasures you bring from home. Who knows…maybe that vintage vase you picked up at a tag sale for $0.50 a few years ago really is worth something? It’s certainly worth finding out! Each of Linda’s valuations is $5 with a show admission ticket, with a maximum of three items per person. All proceeds from the clinic will go to the Family Readiness Group of the 182nd Medical Company of the Concord Armory.
Val had the pleasure of speaking with Linda recently about her experience and the world of identifying and valuing antiques and vintage collectibles. Here’s some interesting highlights from the conversation…
Val: Linda, first of all, thank you so much for your time and participating in the upcoming Concord show. Can you tell us what exactly is an “appraisal?”
Linda: Sure. An appraisal is a written, bound document with extensive research, photos and opinion of value usually done for a specific purpose such as estate taxes, insurance etc. A verbal approximation of value, which is what is given at events, fairs, shows, etc., is just that, a verbal approximation with very little or no research. Nothing is in writing.
Val: Can you tell us about the most unusual item brought to you at an event?
Linda: Let’s see. I think the most unusual item was a dress worn by Judy Garland. The woman who brought it to me owned a costume store and would buy clothing from a dealer that purchased items from sales at movie studios. This dress had a label stating that it was Judy Garland’s costume. It dated from around the 1940’s. It was very difficult to assign a final value to it without more research; for example, the movie in which it was worn would contribute to its value. In a case like this, the owner was told to do some detective work and identify the movie in which the dress appeared. I suggested calling the archives at the studio or simply watching old movies! I eventually valued the dress in $1,800 to $2,300 range.
Val: Wow, that’s so cool! Can you tell us about the highest valued item you have assessed?
Linda: Sure! I was examining items in a home for an estate tax appraisal. I was crawling around a small storage area and found a few old paintings. One in particular was interesting to me because I recognized the artist immediately, even though it was in terrible condition. I discussed the painting with my client and told him it was painted by one of the “Philadelphia Ten” by the name of Fern Coppedge. Fern was an American artist who lived from 1883 through 1951. I was able to broker the painting and it sold for $250,000! The client was very happy and told me that if I were not there he would have sold the painting for $25 at a house sale!
Val: A quarter of a million dollar windfall… not bad! Have you ever been stumped by something someone has brought to you?
Linda: Of course. No appraiser knows everything. It is important for the appraiser to know their limitations. It is not unusual for an appraiser to give a referral instead of a value especially at an appraisal fair. Sometimes the referral is to another expert or to do some detective work on their own. Part of our expertise is to have extensive contacts in all fields. A good appraiser will reveal their specialties.
Val: Speaking of specialties, are you a collector of anything?
Linda: Yes, I am a collector! I love books with great illustrators such as those done by Margaret Tarrant. I love hand-painted porcelain as well as Lalique glass. My favorite is a rare large cockatoo that stands approx 12″ tall and has a 12″ wing span. He was made by Rene Lalique in the early 20th century. To the left is a picture of my collectible cockatoo for your readers!
Val: Thanks for your insights and looking forward to meeting you – and all of our community site readers – soon in Concord! And hopefully there is a Lalique treasure just waiting for you there!
The Spring Fever Antiques and Design Show and Sale is produced by Marvin Getman of New England Antique Shows. For more information please call (781) 862-4039 or visit NEAS’ website at www.neantiqueshows.com.
Getting right to the point with spiky Steiff hedgehogs
Sunday, April 18th, 2010Steiffgal does not want to hog your valuable time on this lovely spring day, so she’ll keep this post short and sweet (much like the charming item under discussion today!) Let’s get right to the point with this question from a reader who asks about her spiky Steiff hedgehog friend! Eryka writes…
“Hi,
I have a query about a little hedgehog that I got for Christmas from my dad, who knows that I love hedgehogs.
From the tip of his black nose (some sort of plastic ball) to his furry rear end he is about 6 inches. He has two felt front paws, two circular felt ears, and little round black eyes. He has a Steiff button and tag in one of his paws and it says: original Steiff 1670/10 Made in Austria Preis- Price. On the back of the tag it says that he is made from cotton and wool and the number is PA 55 MASS 73. He has airbrushed dark brown lines on his face, and his fur is mainly made up of long, stiff fibers which are light tan at the tips and darker brown near his body. His belly is flat.
What can you tell me about his make and the time period when he was produced? I have attached some photos for you.
Thanks!”
Let’s shine a little light on Eryka’s nocturnal buddy. What you have here is what Steiff calls Joggi Igel or Joggi Hedgehog. He is made from spiky “tipped” (meaning that the fiber ends are dyed a different color than the entire length of the fiber) mohair, in a lying position, and has a flat bottom. His sweet tiny face, ears, paws, and underside are made from grey felt. This particular Joggi was made in 6, 10, and 17 cm from 1966 through 2002. Eryka’s Joggi, number 1670/10, dates him in the 1968 to 1985 production period.
Today, hedgehogs are quite prolific in the Steiff line – but that was not always the case. The first hedgehog, as far as Steiffgal can tell, appeared in the Steiff catalog in 1951. Also named Joggi, this standing hedgehog was 12 cm tall and made from mohair from 1951 through 1977, and then mohair and dralon from 1978 through 1985. In 1961, a very similar 12 cm standing hedgehog design was produced; he was manufactured through 1966. Since the 1960’s, hedgehogs in all shapes, sizes, and materials have made regular appearances in the Steiff catalog, appearing as play toys, collector’s editions, woolen miniatures, puppets, wooden pull toys, a purse, and even a golf club cover! The current Steiff line features a tiny Steiff hedgehog keyring, which has the charming looks of the Eryka’s vintage Joggi.
And just why do hedgehogs seem to all of a sudden to be in the Steiff spotlight in from the early 1950’s onward? Steiffgal has a two word theory on this: Mecki and Micki. This beloved and well known (at least in Europe) hedgehog cartoon couple was first designed in Germany in 1940 by the artist Ferdinand Diehl. They became much more famous in the early 1950’s with their regular appearance on the German TV magazine HORZU. The Diehl Film company from Munich granted Steiff the licensing rights to produce the dolls in 1951, and they have been a mainstay in the line to this day. Both Mecki and Micki have been produced in 17, 28, and 50 cm from 1952 onward; a 100 cm Mecki was produced in 1967, perhaps as a special window display. The spiky tipped mohair that has been used for Mecki and Micki’s hair over the years hasn’t changed, and is almost identical to the spiked mohair used on most other mohair Steiff hedgehogs, even today.
Steiffgal hopes this quick review of the history of Steiff hedgehogs has “tipped” you off to a new area of collecting!
Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures, nocturnal or otherwise? Let’s talk! Click here to learn more.
Swann Auction Galleries – Old Master Through Modern Prints – April 27th, 2010
Friday, April 16th, 2010Old Master Through Modern Prints – Catalog now online
Auction – Tuesday April 27th, 10:30am & 2:30pm
Including works from Rembrandt van Rijn, Henri Toulouse-Loutrec, Paul Klee, Max Beckman
New York
Du Mouchelles April Auction – Detroit, MI
Friday, April 16th, 2010Du Mouchelles April catalog now online
Auction: April 16th – 6:30pm, April 17th – 11am, April 18th – noon
Estate Auction with over 2000 items including art, furniture, jewelry and memorabilia
Bohnams & Butterfields – Los Angeles Preview – April 20th, 2010
Friday, April 16th, 201020th Century Decorative Arts
Including Property from the Estate of Nancy M. Daly
Tuesday April 20th
Los Angeles
Reyne Gauge – Bankable Antiques – by: Reyne Haines
Friday, April 16th, 2010As children, we rarely gave thought to caring for our toys. They were made purely for our entertainment, and not to be dusted and kept on the shelf.
I had my share of Barbie’s who’s hair was cut, colored with a magic marker, and occassionally chewed on by the dog.
My brother could tell you all about flipping baseball cards, creating racetracks for his Matchbox cars and the autographs he collected over the years being a serious sports fan.
Sometimes, when I see a toy I played with as a kid in an antique shop it makes me pause. I wonder, had I taken care of those Barbie’s – what would they be worth today? How many rookie cards did my brother bend, tear and flip that would add up to some serious coin now?
Gone are the days for the $6.00 Barbie. Now, they are designer inspired and can cost a few hundred dollars right off the shelf. How can you justify spending that price when you know they are going to take them out of the box, lose those “designer” shoes within the first week, and potentially get a fresh look by your daughter and a pair of scissors?
Will these toys increase in value over time if you buy them, and place them on the shelf only to be admired from afar?
I don’t have a magic 8 ball to answer that question, but recently I read a press release about a few toys that have increased, just a little, since originally sold.
If you are interested in recreating your youth (or perhaps the youth of your grandparents!) take a look at the upcoming toy auction at RSL Auctions on May 22nd:
The sale consists of 360 lots, which translates to, something for everyone.
A portion of the collection up for sale came from Richard Stevens, an avid mechanical bank collector. Stevens was known for buying only the best. The best meaning the rarest, and those in the best condition.
A few of the best items in the sale are:
J&E Stevens “Calamity” cast iron mechanical bank. This bank comes from the ex-Stephen Steckbeck collection. It still has it’s original box! Estimate: $60-90,000
A very rare circa 1930 Kilgore cast-iron Turtle bank. Formerly in the collections of Stan Sax and Gertrude Hegarty. Estimate: $50-70,000
Circa 1886 – J&E Stevens “Breadwinners” cast-iron mechanical bank in near mint condition. Estimate: $90-120,000
I would have to imagine when these were first produced, the cost was a few dollars (if that).
80-100 years later, their value has increased exponentially!
I find it a bit ironic. A toy created to help children save their money becomes more valuable than the coins placed in it.
Happy Hunting!
Reyne
Bonhams – Fine African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian Art
Thursday, April 15th, 2010Catalog Now Online
Fine African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian Art
May 13th
Bonhams – New York
