George Keyt – Nayika III

This September, Sotheby’s auction of Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art will feature a selection of significant works by Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan artists such as Bikash Bhattacharjee, Lalu Prasad Shaw, George Keyt, Rashid Rana and Zarina Hashmi. Highlights include works by India’s Progressive artists such as Maqbool Fida Husain, Ram Kumar, Krishnaji Howlaji Ara and Mohan Samant.
For more information, please contact

Priyanka Mathew
Vice President, Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art
+1 212 606 7304
Priyanka.mathew@sothebys.com

400-lot collection includes Asian treasures retained by same family for 100+ years

PALMETTO, Fla. – Only rarely does a collection come to the auction marketplace that can match for quality and provenance the one Manatee Galleries is offering on July 27th. The Ambassador Ragnar Petri and Mrs. Ingrid Burdin Petri collection of European and Asian fine and decorative art is a testament to the connoisseurship of two world travelers driven by a passion for beauty and cultural history.

Chinese Guangxu blue and white dish, 7¼in dia., with underglaze blue six-character mark and of the period (1875-1908), featuring curled dragon and flaming pearl amongst thunderbolts. Est. $2,000-$3,000. Manatee Galleries image.

“Ambassador and Mrs. Petri are both originally from Sweden and now retired in Florida. Ragnar Petri served as Swedish ambassador and consulate to many nations, including Japan, Ecuador, Germany, Spain and Colombia,” explained Adrienne Falconer, president of Manatee Galleries. “Ingrid Petri was born into a family of collectors. Her father was Gylfe Burdin, a prosperous Stockholm businessman and art aficionado who acquired only the finest antique Asian porcelain, which Ingrid eventually inherited.”

Over a period of 65 years, the Petris have formed an exceptional collection that blends the Gylfe Burdin collection with antiques judiciously purchased during their years of diplomatic travels. The collection has remained solely in the Petris’ hands, and they have never before offered it for sale. Everything in the July 27 auction is fresh to the market, and most of the Chinese pieces – which have provenance from the Burdin collection – have been kept within the same family by direct descent for over a century.

Manatee Galleries has opted to place conservative estimates on all pieces. The Petris’ favorite Chinese work is a rare Chongzheng (1628-1643) transitional “Wucai boys” covered jar. The 11½-inch vessel is richly painted with a depiction of genteel ladies seated in a garden, watching boisterous young boys at play. A similar jar sold for HK$275,000 at Christie’s May 2012 sale in Hong Kong. It is entered in Manatee’s sale with a $3,000-$5,000 estimate.

An important famille verte covered jar, 18th/19th century, has a Chinese signature on the side of the jar and an underglaze blue double-circle mark, possibly of the Kangxi Period 1662-1722). Its motif depicts a robed dignitary holding a bolt of silk, followed by a servant with a large hand fan. Standing 8 inches tall, it is expected to make $1,000-$5,000.

Chinese Chongzheng (1628-1643) transitional “Wucai boys” covered jar, 11½in, similar to an example that sold for HK$275,000 at Christie’s May 2012 sale in Hong Kong. Est. $3,000-$5,000. Manatee Galleries image.

Another famille verte highlight is the brightly enameled 17th-century Kangxi Period Chinese plate, 9¼ inches (dia.), with an image of two elegant ladies in a verdant pavilion garden. The wonderfully decorative border features four cartouches with colorful winged insects. A similar example sold for $17,276 at Christie’s South Kensington’s Sept. 19, 2012 Interiors sale. The plate from the Petri collection carries a $2,000-$5,000 estimate.

Manatee Galleries’ catalog describes a rare and important 17th-century Chinese verte covered box as having “the finest-quality painting [we] have seen on a piece that is well over 300 years old.” Its lid is vibrantly filled with the image of two boys – possibly twins – bound together at the waist but running in opposite directions. The 4.1-inch diameter box retains a 1950s label from the Amsterdam gallery “Kunstzalen A. Vecht” and is estimated at $3,000-$5,000.

An eye-filling early 17th-century Ming Zhangzhou (Swatow) polychrome basin has steep flaring sides and is generously decorated in iron-red, green, turquoise and black enamels. Its central image is of a bird in full flight amongst peony blooms, and the medallions at each quarter turn bear Chinese marks. On verso, there are old collectors’ labels and a six-character Chinese mark. With no chips, cracks or repairs, the 15½in-diameter basin is entered in the sale with a $1,000-$5,000 estimate.

Yet another premier lot is a Chinese Guangxu blue and white dish with underglaze blue six-character mark, and of the period 1875-1908, featuring a central motif of a curled dragon and flaming pearl amongst thunderbolts. The 7¼-inch dish is estimated at $2,000-$3,000.

A showcase for Chinese artistry at its most appealing, an antique huanghuali wood screen is embellished with jade and hardstone on its panels, each with a lively scene of activities within an imperial or noble court. The multicolored screen measures 72 inches by 72 inches and is estimated at $4,000-$5,000.

Of the Asian scrolls to be auctioned, the most significant is a signed Kanou Motonobu (Japanese, 1476-1559) metallic scroll painting that measures 49 inches long by 19½ inches wide. Centered with an ethereal depiction of three horses standing in water – one of them leaning down to drink – the painting is of particular importance because it was created by the eldest son of Kano Motonobu, founder of the famous Japanese school of painting.

“The Kano family is one of the most important lineages in Japanese history,” said Adrienne Falconer. “They dominated the painting world from the end of the Muromachi Period (1333-1568) to the end of the Edo Period (1600-1868).”

The Motonobu Kanou scroll painting exhibits a technique known as wa-kan, a hybrid of Japanese and Chinese painting that requires careful brushwork techniques. The scroll is estimated at $3,000-$5,000.

The Petri collection also includes an outstanding selection of English Staffordshire, silhouettes and miniature paintings; and even some mid-century modern design. The star of the European antiques section, however, is a 19th-century “blue john,” white marble and slate urn on pedestal that has been electrified to function as a lamp. Blue john, which was discovered by the Ancient Romans nearly 2,000 years ago, is a rare natural variety of calcium fluorite known as “radix amethysti” for its distinctively colored deep purple veins. The only known deposit of this unusual mineral – also known as Derbyshire spar – was found in the hills of Derbyshire’s Hope Valley in England. Highly prized blue john was a favorite mineral of Birmingham silversmith and ormolu manufacturer Matthew Boulton, who used it in the production of candelabra, urns, candlesticks and other decorative and functional pieces.

The blue john mines and seams are now largely exhausted, making the urn/lamp in the Petri collection all the more valuable. Its auction estimate is $3,000-$5,000.

Manatee Galleries’ auction of the Ambassador Ragnar Petri and Mrs. Ingrid Burdin Petri collection will take place on July 27, 2013, starting at 4 p.m. Eastern time. Preview July 24-26 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., on July 27 (auction day) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment. The gallery is located at 1007 10th Avenue West in Palmetto, Florida 34221. All forms of bidding will be available, including absentee, phone and live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com, Artfact.com and the-saleroom.com. The online catalog may be viewed online at any of these three websites.

For additional information on any item in the auction, to leave an absentee bid or to book a phone line, call 941-722-4800 or email info@manateegalleries.com. Visit Manatee Galleries online at www.manateegalleries.com.

SINGAPORE – Discovering and learning about remote Asian cultures has long been a passion of Jaina Mishra’s. An award-winning photographer and travelogue writer, Mishra has spent the past 10 years reverently documenting what she describes as “vanishing cultures.” While immersing herself in the decade-long odyssey that took her to faraway mountains and valleys that few tourists visit, Mishra also collected tribal textiles, jewelry and folk art objects she felt were special. And although she never previously attempted to make her living from the sale of Asian cultural art, Mishra, an MBA whose fascination with distant places and people dates back to her childhood in India, is now taking that logical next step. She will share her remarkable finds with the rest of the world in an April 6 online-only auction conducted through LiveAuctioneers.com.

Mishra chose the business name Wovensouls because her collection began with textiles and later expanded to include other artforms. “Textiles are the woven expression of the soul of a tribe, so the name appealed to me,” she explained.

Before formally launching her business, Mishra tested the commercial waters by selling a few pieces privately. Then, at the end of 2012, came an important breakthrough. Mishra sold a piece to one of the world’s most prestigious museums. That particular sale was a validation to Mishra that she had achieved the level of sophistication required to identify and deal in top-quality Asian cultural art.

“It made me think, ‘If a top-class museum is buying from me, then the only thing standing in the way of Wovensouls becoming a successful venture is my own lack of effort.’ Up until that time, I wasn’t really sure if my eye was good enough. I had always bought using my eye and instinct, and only once had I bought an item solely because of its provenance or because someone else said it was good,” Mishra said.

All of the pieces offered in the April 6 auction are from Mishra’s 10-year personal collection and nearly all were obtained firsthand during her travels. The carefully assembled auction selection includes jewelry, hand-painted art objects, manuscripts and, of course, textiles. The cultures represented are largely Tibetan and Ladakh (an Indian culture influenced by Tibet), with the addition of pieces from Borneo (Dayak), India and the Golden Triangle of northern Thailand, South Vietnam and Laos. The latter region is home to the Yao and Attapeu Hilltribe peoples.

The collection also includes art from the Indian Gujarat culture. “Gujarat art is very beautiful and, I believe, undervalued,” said Mishra. “Some of the Gujarat people are descended from Romany gypsies. Their art is unique and deserves further research.”

Among the most impressive items in the sale are three decorative antique peraks, or headdresses, from the Himalayas. Peraks – which can weigh as much as 29 lbs. each – are usually passed down from mother to daughter until there is a generation with no female child. In such cases, the perak is donated to a monastery after a ceremony and subsequently auctioned. Lot 102 is from the Zanskaar Valley and is embellished with old turquoise stones, coral, silver and lapis. Its two side panels are adorned with rows of pearls, which are rarely seen in peraks. Estimate: $6,000-$8,000. Another fine Zanskaar Valley perak has similar decorative elements, but with highly prized coral rather than pearls on its side panels. Its estimate is $8,000-$12,000. The third example is from the Changthang region and has pearl borders along the hood and small, suspended coral chains that serve as a veil. This particular perak could make $9,000-$12,000.

Lots 113 and 115 are 19th-century Tibetan noblewomen’s headdresses known as pat’h. “These pat’h are very rare. Once they are gone, I doubt I’ll ever be able to find any others,” Mishra noted.

Photos of Tibetan pat’h are seen in the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford and in the Schuyler Jones book “Tibetan Nomads.” Status symbols in their culture, pat’h were used to support elaborate hairstyles and typically were enhanced with coral, turquoise and pearls. The two examples in Wovensouls’ auction are estimated at $12,000-$16,000 and $10,000-$15,000, respectively.

Presale interest has been shown in many lots containing woven Tibetan garments and accessories. They include bags and pouches, yak-wool pants, a bridal coat, kaabo cummerbund, and a costume set consisting of a coarse wool chooba and baku.

Pabuji-ki-phad are large, beautifully hand-drawn and hand-painted folk art textiles used as a backdrop mural for devotional performances by “bhopas.” Each narrates a story about the lok deva, or folk gods. Ancestral phads are passed from father to son and used over three or four generations. Lot 131, executed in stunning rose, green and blue shades, was acquired from one of the few surviving phad artists and is estimated at $5,000-$8,000. Lot 132 was created by the renowned phad master artist the late Shri Jadau Chand Shrilal, who work is displayed at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Its estimate is $4,000-$8,000.

There are seven palm leaf etchings in the collection, all from Odisha, India. Several of these fascinating hand-inscribed works narrate legends or folk tales. Others relate the story of a journey to Java Sumatra, are etched with writings about medicine, or, in one case, display content from the Kama Sutra, therefore classifying the etching as erotica.

Wovensouls’ April 6 online-only auction featuring the personal collection of Jaina Mishra will commence at 10 a.m. Pacific Time (1 p.m. Eastern). For questions about any item in the sale, e-mail jaina@wovensouls.com or call Singapore 011 659 824 2864. Prompt international shipping.

Log on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com to view the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live online during the April 6 auction. Visit Wovensouls online at www.wovensouls.com.

Childe Hassam American Impressionist Painter, Lithographer, water colorist and etcher (known to all as Childe, pronounced like child) left high school without graduating, and ended up working for a wood engraver. He attended drawing classes at the Lowell Institute, a division of MIT, and was a member of the Boston Art Club. He began his artistic career as an illustrator and water colorist and later worked in etching and Lithography .

By 1882, Hassam was exhibiting publicly and had his first solo exhibition, of watercolors, at the Williams and Everett Gallery in Boston. The following year, his friend Celia Thaxter convinced him to drop his first name and thereafter was known simply as “Childe Hassam”. Having had little formal art training previously, Hassam went to Paris in 1886 to study figure drawing and painting at the Académie Julian. He studied under Gustave Boulanger and Jules Joseph Lefebvre. However, he later considered the education he received there “superfluous.” What had a greater influence on Hassam’s work was the art he was exposed to in the city’s museums and galleries, especially the works of the Impressionists. Hassam returned to America and settled in New York City in 1889. He soon became close friends with fellow artists J. Alden Weir and John Henry Twachtman, whom he met through the American Watercolor Society. Hassam enthusiastically painted the genteel urban atmosphere He discovered in New York, which he greatly preferred to Paris. During his time in New York, Hassam made summer painting excursions to Thaxter’s home on Appledore Island, Maine, the largest of the Isles of Shoals; and to Gloucester, Massachusetts; Cos Cob, Connecticut; and Old Lyme, Connecticut.

Outstanding Pair of his works Lithography can be seen at;

http://www.antiques.com/classified/1135743/Antique-Childe-Hassam—-Venice—-Pair-Rare-Aquatints

James Stow & Anthony Yau

House of Stowe Galleries

At some point in time collectors are faced with the need to deaccession, or pair down their collections.   They often tire of their earlier purchases, deciding to upgrade to more rare, or one of a kind pieces. Sometimes they shift gears altogether, collecting a completely different artist, or era.

Selling your antiques online has both risks and rewards.  It offers you great opportunities to get in front of large audiences and obtain a good bang for the marketing buck.  After all, what could be better than getting to enjoy something for a while, then sharing it with some else by selling it for a profit?  For the addicted, this generally affords you the opportunity to purchase another great item, perhaps even more rare and expensive, which starts the process all over again!

As always, marketing your items is very important.  For this, you’ll need really good pictures!  Since the buyer is unable to hold the item in hand, you’ll also need to provide thorough descriptions.  Be open to answering questions from inquisitive buyers.  Price your items based on your research and current market conditions.  Keeping a list of which client bought what type of item can prove handy in the future when selling similar things.

There are many venues you can use to sell your collectables.  So which ones are best?  That depends on what it is you have to sell.  There are sites like eBay and Craigslist which work well for certain items,  but would they really offer the serious collectors for your Tiffany glass collection?

Other venues exist to help your efforts.  Google “selling antiques online” and you will find over a million results for auctions, online antique malls, and collectors clubs that might help you get in front of the right kind of buyers which should bring you more opportunity.

When working with online auctions or an online mall, it is important to know a few things.  First, do they deal in items like the ones you have?  Second, you should find out what kind of agreements they have between buyers and sellers.  Ask how they settle the purchase and what fees could be charged to you.  Finally, what kind of protection do they offer for both the buyer and the seller?

Remember, do not ship your item until payment has been received.  If you accept credit cards, be cautious when accepting credit cards from certain countries. You may not want to sell your entire collection to the Nigerian prince offering to pay you with his credit card.  PayPal is often the safe method for accepting credit cards if you do not already have merchant status in place.

Whether you use a popular online auction or mall, or create a web site yourself, you should be knowledgeable and exercise a sound strategy when offering your antiques.  In today’s world it isn’t just “caveat emptor” but also “vendo cum cautela” (sell with caution) as well.

19th/20th C. American & European Art, 10 a.m.
The Reingold Collection (following 19th/20th C. Art)
Post-War & Contemporary Art, 2:30 p.m.

On May 10th, Sotheby’s new sale of British & Irish Art will take place in London with dedicated sections for Victorian, Early 20th Century, Sporting & Marine, Scottish and Irish Art. The sale has brought together an outstanding collection of drawings, watercolours, oil paintings and sculpture that celebrates the distinct character of British and Irish art. We hope this fresh approach will both answer the demand of new buyers who collect across a variety of genres and engage collectors worldwide.
Each section features superb examples, with sale highlights including John O’Connor’s dramatic London view, Ludgate, Evening (lot 4), Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s powerful and passionate Joan of Arc (lot 11), Arthur Hughes’ The Birthday Picnic (lot 17), a portrait commission that displays the artist at his most original and accomplished, and Edmund Blair Leighton’s monumental God Speed (lot 26). Sir Alfred Munnings leads the Early 20th Century and Sporting sections with Somwhere the Sun is Shining (lot 54) and Portrait of William Waldorf, 2nd Viscount Astor on Bill’s Simondale II (lot 82). Scottish Art is strongly represented by the Colourists, led by Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell’s modern masterpiece, The Red Fan (lot 106), alongside fine examples by traditional and contemporary artists. Sir William Orpen’s stunning Portrait of Rose, Fourth Marchioness of Headfort (lot 136), with its pendant Geoffrey, Fourth Marquis of Headfort (lot 137), recall an enduring love-story that captivated Edwardian Britain, emerging here on the market for the first time. Further Irish highlights include paintings by Jack Butler Yeats, Louis le Brocquy and Roderic O’Conor amongst a broad offering of works featuring the best of past and contemporary artists.

Leland Little presenting check to Treasurer for the Foundation for Appraisal Education Vicki Nash Shaw

The Foundation for Appraisal Education is pleased to announce the establishment of a new 2012 scholarship in the area of fine and decorative arts. In alliance with the scholarship sponsor, Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd., the Foundation will be offering the Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. Scholarship in Fine and Decorative Arts for the first time in 2012. This $1,500 scholarship will be awarded to an individual applicant under the age of 30, attending college level courses, seminars or specialty training in fine and decorative arts.
A non-profit organization, The Foundation for Appraisal Education promotes the advancement of education related to the field of personal property appraising, and it assists individuals through scholarships for educational development to improve their capabilities by attending courses, classes, workshops and conferences. One of their key initiatives is the awarding of educational scholarships annually to aid those seeking to improve their knowledge in the field of personal property.
“We are enthusiastic about our new partnership with Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd.,” said Beth Szescila, President of the Foundation. “Their innovative approach to promoting fine and decorative arts education among young adults will foster training and development of future appraisers and other professionals in the field. The sponsorship of this scholarship is an indication of their strong commitment to the field of fine and decorative arts and its future. We are grateful for their financial support and focus on education.”
Established by Leland Little in 1998, Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. is located in Hillsborough, North Carolina and specializes in the auctioning of quality estate objects. They have achieved national prominence through their specialties, including their Fine Art, Decorative Arts, Fine Jewelry, Furniture, Historical Documents, Coins, Militaria and Fine Wine Departments. Their Asian Art Department is nationally renowned with dramatic growth during the past two years with both domestic and international clients.
In regards to the scholarship, firm president Leland Little commented “We are honored to be able to provide this opportunity for a young adult to pursue fine and decorative arts training, as it is important to encourage and support young adults entering the professional careers of appraisers, auctioneers, and curators.” Individuals under the age of 30 may apply through the Foundation’s defined application process. Students, appraisers, auctioneers, museum curators, or any individual wanting to further their educational development in the area of fine and decorative arts personal property may apply for the scholarship. According to Foundation Treasurer Vicky Nash Shaw, “this scholarship is the largest single scholarship ever awarded by the Foundation for Appraisal Education.”
Scholarships are awarded to cover the costs for tuition of courses, classes, workshops, programs or conferences and do not include travel, hotel or other associated expenses.
Applications for this scholarship will be accepted through June 30th of this year, and detailed information and applications can be found on the website for the Foundation for Appraisal Education: www.foundationforappraisaleducation.org or by contacting Diane Marvin, Vice President and Scholarship director, at dmappraise@aol.com. Leland Little Auction and Estate Sales, Ltd. can be contacted through its website: http://www.llauctions.com.
The Foundation for Appraisal Education offers two additional scholarships in the field of appraising personal property; one is for experienced and one for new appraisers. Information on those scholarships may be found on the same website and the application deadline is May 31st. The Foundation also promotes appraisal education through an annual publication, The Journal of Advanced Appraisal Studies. The 2012 issue will be released in April and further information will be forthcoming on the Foundation’s website.
Funding for all of these programs comes from donations, gifts and memorials from groups and individuals, as well as from corporate donations and sponsorships. Donations are tax

Fri., Jan. 13 @ 11am:
Discovery Day One / Early 20th C. &
Estates Goods
Sat., Jan. 14 @ 11am:
Discovery Day Two /
20th C. Modern

Previews

Jan. 7-11, noon-5pm
Jan. 12, noon-7pm
Open Jan. 13/14 @ 9am