Event features Modern art, American historical ephemera and Part II of photographer Alfred Cheney Johnston’s nude portraits

MERIDEN, Conn. – Over the summer months, Ryan Brechlin’s team at Nest Egg Auctions has had the opportunity to visit numerous estates and collections around New England, with contents ranging from Modern art to American political and historical ephemera. On Saturday, Sept. 24, the Connecticut-based company will conduct a mixed Estate & Antiques Auction featuring a premier selection gathered from those various sources.

World War II Japanese Naval archive: signal flag from Battleship Nagato, Imperial Naval field cap, samurai sword, U.S. soldier’s capture papers with additional grouping of six medals. Est. $3,000-$5,000. Nest Egg Auctions image.

Among the strongest categories to be offered is historical and military memorabilia. A key lot consists of a red and yellow signal flag that came from the World War II Japanese Battleship Nagato, grouped together with an Imperial Navy field cap and samurai sword from a non-commissioned officer on the ship.

“The Battleship Nagato was the lead ship at Pearl Harbor. When U.S. forces captured the ship, their men ‘liberated’ – or pillaged – the ship,” Brechlin explained. “What makes this lot so special is that it comes with the capture papers belonging to Robert B. Dippold, the soldier who liberated the items. His family even decided to include a group of six medals from Robert Dippold’s estate, which makes it an even more attractive selection of militaria.” The group lot is estimated at $3,000-$5,000.

Another important American historical item in the auction is a 1903 photo print of the Wright Brothers’ first flight, signed by Orville Wright. The 4½- by 6¼-inch photo is captioned “First Man-Flight, December 17, 1903 / Kitty Hawk, N.C.” Estimate: $800-$1,200.

A nostalgic relic from New York’s Coney Island is the wooden subway platform sign painted white with a red directional

Original Coney Island subway platform sign, 48 by 12 inches, painted wood. Est. $500-$1,000. Nest Egg Auctions image.

arrow and the message in bold letters: “TO CONEY ISLAND.” Measuring 48 by 12 inches, the memory-stirring marker could make $500-$1,000 on auction day.

Three lots of maps will be sold, including an 1846 Augustus Mitchell Atlas containing six maps in a bound folio with intact front and end papers. The maps represent mid-19th-century New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York City and Philadelphia. A rare edition, the atlas is expected to fetch $500-$1,000.

James Rosenquist (American, b. 1933-), Windscreen Horizon, 5/6, printer’s proof, pencil signed, 23 by 40 inches. Est. $300-$500. Nest Egg Auctions image.

The Modern art section of the sale is led by a wonderful collection of 18 lithographs by American pop art pioneer James Rosenquist (b. 1933-). Some of the artworks are artist’s proofs, while others are printer’s proofs; most are pencil signed by Rosenquist.

A presentation proof of Robert Motherwell’s “Elegy,” measuring 37 by 25 inchess is artist-signed and has an impressed monogram at lower right. The thought-provoking artwork suggestive of a Rohrschach inkblot is estimated at $3,000-$5,000.

The auction will also feature Part II of a collection of photographic nudes from the Estate of Alfred “Cheney” Johnston, with 125 photos apportioned into 60 lots.

“Our first selection of Cheney Johnston photos, which was the center of attention in our April 16th auction, brought terrific prices. There were individual photos that made as much as $3,600, and a group of negatives went for $28,000. Johnston was the premier American celebrity photographer of celebrities in the Art Deco era, and his work is greatly respected,” said Brechlin.

The second of three installments (the third to be auctioned next year), the Johnston photos in the Sept. 24 sale include beautiful nude portraits of dancer/choreographer Martha Graham, actresses Clara Bow and Barbara Dean; Metropolitan Opera star Mary Lewis and film and television star Barbara Stanwyck.

A fine array of decorative art has been handpicked for the sale, including Chinese and Japanese porcelain; an exquisite

Phanomen glass vase signed ‘Loetz Austria,’ 7¼ inches tall. Est. $1,000-$3,000. Nest Egg Auctions image.

71-piece set of hand-painted Haviland Limoges, and a coveted 7¼-inch signed Loetz Phanomen iridescent glass vase in tones of cobalt blue, peacock blue/green, yellow and rose. Estimate $1,000-$3,000. Another prized inclusion is the Royal Vienna convex oval plaque with a finely painted depiction of “the Expulsion of Hagar.” The piece measures 16 by 13 inches, has the requisite beehive mark and is impressed “CF 23.” In excellent condition, it carries a $1,000-$3,000 estimate.

Several excellent musical instruments round out the auction inventory, including four violins – one of them a hand-made working miniature example. A 1945 C.F. Martin & Co. tenor guitar Model 0-18T with solid spruce top and mahogany back, sides and neck could strum up a bid of $500-$1,000.

Nest Egg Auctions will conduct its Sept. 24, 2011 auction at the company’s gallery located at 30 Research Parkway, Meriden, CT 06450, commencing at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Preview hours are 12-5 p.m. on Sept. 22 and 23; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on auction day. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com.

For additional information, call 203-630-1400 or tollfree 800 448-0692; or e-mail ryan@nesteggauctions.com. View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com. The catalog may also be viewed on Nest Egg’s website: www.nesteggauctions.com.

Wire-wrapped glass Christmas ornament replicating a beetle, pictured in two reference books, est. $800-$1,500. Morphy Auctions image.

DENVER, Pa. – Snow-covered belsnickels and whimsical veggie folk will come together for a festive Holiday Auction at Morphy’s on Saturday, Sept. 17th. The 483-lot auction contains a very nice single-owner collection, select additional consignments of Halloween and Christmas antiques; and a small but choice array of vintage Easter goods.

The auction will open with a variety of Christmas ornaments, including rare examples made of glass, chalk and cotton. An unusual wire-wrapped glass beetle ornament pictured in John Lightner’s reference book “Christmas Rarities” could command $800-$1,500.

Ever-popular Dresdens will be offered, as well. An ocean freighter with cotton “smoke” billowing from its masts is

Dresden Christmas ornament of a freighter with billowing smokestacks, est. $2,000-$3,000. Morphy Auctions image.

expected to make $2,000-$3000; while a horseless carriage with driver is estimated at $1,500-$2,500.

Chosen as one of the auction catalog cover images, a superb 22½-inch-tall belsnickel Santa candy container is swathed in a blue robe heavily adorned with sparkly mica. The bearded figure of monumental size holds a miniature Christmas tree with red ball ornaments. Estimate: $6,000-$8,000.

A beautiful 19-inch bearded Father Christmas candy container is “dressed” in a blue hooded robe with fur and holly trim, and holds a tiny tree. In excellent condition, it is entered in the sale with a $5,000-$8,000 estimate.

Belsnickel holding decorated fir tree and wearing mica-laden robe, 22½ inches, est. $6,000-$8,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Another rare, fully robed belsnickel stands 21 inches tall, has a composition face with pious expression, composition hands, rabbit-fur beard and distinctively decorated hat. It is estimated at $6,000-$8,000.

“This sale contains a lot of very desirable figural and small chalk ornaments, as well as some candy containers I’ve never seen before,” said Dr. John Morphy, head of Acquisitions & Appraisals for Morphy Auctions. “An example would be the Halloween rooster witch in a black boot candy container with baby chicks peeping out of the side and toe. It’s extremely rare and might sell for as much as $4,000 at auction.”

Other unusual items Halloween items in the sale include a Victorian oil painting with a skeleton and jack o’ lantern theme, est. $3,000-$5,000; and a very rare Halloween Fortune Teller game that was chosen for the cover of the book “Halloween in America.” Estimate: $2,000-$4,000.

Another prized catch is the heavy composition witch and veggie man dancing toy. Both

Heavy composition witch and veggie man wind-up dancing toy, est. $4,000-$6,000. Morphy Auctions image.

figures are on a mechanical platform. When wound up, they move around in circles as though dancing. An early toy that is very seldom seen, it is cataloged with a $4,000-$6,000 estimate.

All forms of bidding will be available for the Sept. 17 Holiday Auction, including live at the gallery, by phone or absentee, and live via the Internet through Morphy Live (sign up at www.morphyauctions.com) or LiveAuctioneers.com. The sale will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern time.

For further information on any lot in the auction, call Morphy’s at 717-335-3435 or

e-mail serena@morphyauctions.com. View the fully illustrated catalog and all other auction information online www.morphyauctions.com.

On September 15th Swann will hold the first of three planned auctions offering historic material from the personal collection of Eric C. Caren, under the title “How History Unfolds on Paper.” This first sale crosses the boundaries of Swann’s regularly scheduled auctions. Although most of it could be described as Americana, dozens of lots are in the realm of English history, with a few from continental Europe, Australia, and Japan. The formats go well beyond our usual books and manuscripts, including newspapers, posters, broadsides, photographs, and maps. The chronological scope is broad, with a few 16th-century items, and lots covering every decade from the 1640s through the 1970s. Caren has been a tireless collector of paper Americana since early childhood, and is probably best known through his company RetroGraphics Publishing. These sales represent just a small portion of his large and ever-growing collection.

Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art sale this fall features a unique and diverse group of works drawn from private collections and fresh to the market. Highlights include significant paintings by leading modern artists M. F. Husain, Jehangir Sabavala, S. H. Raza and Jagdish Swaminathan amongst others.

Responding to the ever-growing demand for quality works in this field, Sotheby’s New York Classical Chinese Paintings Department is dedicated to providing our global clients a market alternative outside of Asia. The September sale consists of 83 diversified works from the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as a few modern and contemporary works that were executed clearly in the classical manner.

Committed to focusing on selling items of quality and rarity, Sotheby’s New York Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Department presents a strong sale this season. Among the notable highlights of this fall’s sale is an impressive archaic bronze ritual vessel (hu) dating to the late Shang or early Western Zhou dynasty, its elegant S-curves offset by the powerful articulation of the crisply cast decoration. In addition to the hu, a fine group of archaic bronzes is being offered from the Sano Art Museum, Mishima, Japan including a rare Shang dynasty fangyi (Lot 267).  There are also two unusual stone fragments of large Buddhist figures dating to the Northern Qi period as well as a rare early gilt-bronze votive steel of a Buddha dated to the year 471 of the Northern Wei. A good group of Qing dynasty jades formerly in the estate of Walter F. Dillingham of Honolulu includes a fine white jade washer bearing a Qianlong mark and of the period. A wide selection of fine ceramics, ranging from a rare imperial numbered Song dynasty purple-glazed jardinière to an attractive array of Qing dynasty imperial wares, will be on offer. Ming dynasty furniture is also well-represented with two good pairs of huanghuali yokeback armchairs; one of notably large scale (Lot 166), the other with fine flowing lines (Lot 131). The sale also includes an extraordinary twelve-panel Coromandel screen deftly carved with animals, birds, flowers and mythical beasts and a 17th/18th century rhinoceros horn libation cup carved with hawks and signed by You Kan.

Important French Parcel Gilt and Gem Set Jewel Casket, with the mark for Paul Rigaux and Pierre Leblanc (est. $20,000-$40,000)

Over 700 lots of fine art, decorative arts, and fine wine will be offered at LLAES Ltd.’s Two-Day Fall Catalogue Auction.  Fine Wine to be sold Friday, September 16th at 6PM, Fine & Decorative Arts to be sold Saturday, September 17th at 9AM.  This event will be held at the firm’s state of the art gallery in Hillsborough, NC.

Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. is proud to announce their Two-Day Fall Catalogue Auction.  The fine offerings at this sale will feature property deaccessioned from the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, the North Carolina Museum of History, the New Bern Historical Society, as well as other select estates and collections.  Floor, absentee, and telephone bidding will be available both days, as well as live online bidding through Live Auctioneers.

Of special note, LLAES, Ltd. is under current construction to expand their gallery space by 5500 square feet, bringing the total square footage to 15,500 square feet.  This expansion will offer 2000 square feet of additional gallery space, a state of the art walk in wine cooler, and ample storage for consignors.  LLAES, Ltd. expects the construction to be completed by December of 2011.

The first session on Friday evening will offer 107 lots of fine wine and will be led by a magnum bottle of La Tache, vintage 2005 (est. $6,000-$8,000).  This sale will also feature vintage 1996 Petrus, one bottle (est. $1,200 -$1,500), vintage 1959 Chateau d’Yquem, one bottle (est. $1,000-$1,500), as well as vintage 1985 Chateau Margaux, four bottles (est. $800-$1,100).  To discuss buying or selling fine wines contact Mark Solomon, Fine Wine Director, at mark@llauctions.com.

Starting at 9AM on Saturday morning, over 600 lots of Fine and Decorative Arts will be offered.  This session will start off

Southern Federal Inlaid Serpentine Sideboard, circa 1800, eastern North Carolina (est. $10,000-$15,000)

with an outstanding Confederate and Militaria collection.  A rare Mendenhall, Jones & Gardner Confederate Rifle, made in Guilford County, North Carolina (est. $12,000-$16,000) should generate excitement. Other lots of note include a McElroy Confederate Foot Officer’s Sword (est. $9,000-$12,000), a Confederate North Carolina Contract Forage Cap, circa 1860-62 ($4,000-$6,000), and an Identified Rhode Island Civil War Gillmore Medal (est. $3,500 – $4,500), which was awarded “For Gallant and Meritorious Conduct” at Fort Sumter.

Fine Silver will be strong, as usual, led by an Important French Parcel Gilt & Gem Set Jewel Casket with the mark for Paul Rigaux and Pierre Leblanc (est. $20,000-$40,000).  Other top lots include a Tiffany & Co. Japanese Style Sterling Bowl (est. $1,000-$2,000) and a Swedish Silver Tea Urn by Gustaf Mollenborg (est. $4,000-$6,000).

Over seventy lots of Fine American Art will energize the sale throughout the day.  Top lots include a series of four bas relief sculptures of calla lilies by Donald Sultan (est. $8,000-$12,000), an oil on canvas by Francis Flanagan, entitled, “Monhegan Island, Maine” (est. $4,000-$6,000), and an oil on canvas by Lendall Pitts entitled, “Source of Romanche” (est. $3,000-$6,000).  An unusually fine offering of contemporary American art and photography will also generate excitement, led by an untitled lithograph by Richard Diebenkorn (est. $4,000-$6,000) and a screen print on paper, pencil signed on the lower left by Andy Warhol (est. $2,000-$4,000).

Bronze Bird Fountain with remnants of gilding by Janet Scudders (est. $15,000-$25,000)

Sculpture will be well represented at this auction, led by a bronze bird fountain with remnants of gilding by Janet Scudder (est. $15,000-$25,000).  This sculpture bears a foundry mark reading “GORHAM Co. Foundeurs,” and was included in a 1919 exhibition of 22 garden sculptures organized by W. Frank Purdy, president of the Art Alliance in New York City.  Other fine offerings include a bronze fluid abstract modernist sculpture by Oded Halahmy (est. $500-$1,000) and a 19th century carved wood with gesso and polychrome paint statue of Our Lady of Guadelupe (est. $1,000-$2,000).

American Furniture offerings are extremely strong and provide an outstanding sampling ranging from 18th century to modern forms.  Top lots include a Southern Federal Inlaid Serpentine Sideboard, circa 1800 (est. $10,000-$15,000), a North Carolina Paint Decorated Blanket Chest, attributed to Alamance County, the first half of the 19th century (est. $5,000-$10,000), a circa 1810 New York Federal Linen Press (est. $4,000-$8,000), an American Classical Secretary Bookcase, circa 1820-1840 (est. $4,000-$6,000), a North Carolina Country Sheraton Sideboard attributed to Guilford County, early 19th century (est. $2,000-$4,000), and a Philadelphia Chippendale Arm Chair, second half of the 18th century, attributed to William Savery (est. $1,000-$2,000).

Amethyst, Turquoise, Diamond, and Pearl Vintage Choker Necklace, consisting of one round amethyst weighing approximately 44 carats (est. $4,500-$6,500)

The Jewelry Department at LLAES, Ltd. has again brought a fine collection of estate jewelry and watches to market, led by an Amethyst, Turquoise, Diamond, and Pearl Choker consisting of one round amethyst weighing approximately 44 carats (est. $4,500-$6,500). Other lots of note include a Platinum and Three Stone Diamond Ring (est. $3,500-$5,500), an Antique Red Coral Bracelet (est. $600-$800), and an 18KT Diamond and Emerald Link Bracelet (est. $1,000-$3,000).

Decorative Accessories, led by a Tiffany Studios collection including a Tiffany Blown Glass and Bronze Candelabrum (est. $4,000-$8,000) and a Tiffany Studios

Tiffany Blown Glass and Bronze Candelabrum, signed Tiffany Studios New York 10088 with Tiffany Studios Monogram (est. $4,000-$8,000)

16 Piece “Grapevine” Desk Set (est. $4,0000-$8,000), will be a highlight of the sale.  Other exciting lots include an Alamance County Redware Plate, circa 1800 (est. $2,000-$4,000), a Navajo Germantown Blanket (est. $2,000-$4,000), and a Fine Ormolu and Cut Glass Chandelier, 19th century (est. $2,000 – $4,000).

LLAES, Ltd. continues to bring fresh Asian Art offerings to market.  Lots of note include a Chinese Millefleur Bottle Vase, 20th century (est. $1,000-$2,000), a Large Chinese Famille Jaune Porcelain Vase, 19th century (est. $1,000-$2,000), and a Large Chinese Scholar’s Brush Pot, likely 18th century (est. $600-$900).

Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd.’s Two-Day Winter Catalogue Auction will be held on December 2^nd and 3^rd, 2011.  LLAES, Ltd. is always seeking quality consignments, whether it be an entire estate or a significant item. If you would like to discuss selling please call at 919-644-1243 or email at info@LLAuctions.com.  To learn more about Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd. please visit their website at www.LLAUCTIONS.com.