general antiques & arts

Canes and walking sticks, upon first mention, sound perhaps like the least interesting objects in the world to collect. Nothing could be further from the truth. There was a time when no well-heeled gentleman or lady would have been seen in public without his or her walking stick. These often elegantly decorated sticks were not used to give support for walking, but were accessories that were actually “worn” and were, in many instances, symbols of status and wealth. Many examples, especially those dated between the 19th and early 20th centuries, are made of materials such as ...

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I am happy to announce my cable TV debut this weekend! In February, I travelled to Texas to recreate my gallery for the filming of a TV show called ‘Accidental Fortune.’ We shipped out five boxes of decoys and artwork from Boston and I spent three days on location in San Antonio. The episode of Accidental Fortune will air at 8 PM and 11 PM on Sunday, April 18th on TLC. Tune in to watch the thrilling tale of discovery that surrounds several A.E. Crowell decoys!

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The three most-read press releases on ARTFIXdaily, published in the ArtWire section between September 1 and December 31, 2009, highlighted museum exhibitions: 1. Art and Illusions, Masterpieces of Trompe-l'loeil from Antiquity to the Present. On view through January 24, 2010, this major exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, Italy, explores the art of optical illusion with 140 artworks. From Roman antiquity to Old Masters to present-day painters, artists whose work masterfully "fools the eye" seems to perenially delight viewers. 2. Paintings by Jay Connaway on view at ...

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The top three fall art events, garnering the greatest number of views by ARTFIXdaily readers, were listed in the Calendar section from September 1 to December 31, 2009: 1. Chelsea Antiques Fair. Held twice annually, this five-year-old London antiques show takes place in the 17th-century style Old Town Hall on King's Road. About 35 exhibitors, including many BADA and LAPADA members, are focused on educating the collector; there is an extra emphasis on encouraging new collectors at this relaxed venue. The 2010 dates are: March 17-21, Sept. 22-26. 2. Identity Theft: How a Cropsey became a ...

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I am pleased to announce a new exhibition of paintings by renowned sporting artist Chet Reneson that will run from October 15 – December 15, 2009. The exhibition features a variety of subjects near and dear to Reneson, including five sporting scenes and four Bahamian paintings. I am particularly thrilled to present a snowy-blowy duck hunting scene that perfectly captures the bluster of a winter hunt, as well as a grouse shooting work and an intense image of two Bahamian fishermen hauling a great white shark into their boat.   ...

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ARTFIXdaily is compiling a comprehensive Fall 2009-Winter 2010 Events Calendar of international exhibitions, auctions, and shows. Museums, galleries, auction houses, historic sites, art fairs, artists, and art institutions are invited to send calendar listings for inclusion. Simply send us the event title, date, location, contact name, phone number or e-mail, an image, and URL. E-mail your Arts Event to info@artfixdaily.com. Art world professionals may also contribute press releases to our ArtWire marketing service. E-mail the press release as a Word doc along with up to three images and ...

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The most viewed blogs, events, and news releases running on the BETA version of ARTFIXdaily, from June 1 to August 15, 2009, featured intruiging lawsuits, exciting decoy auctions, and noteworthy contemporary artists. Top three blog posts: 1. Brooke Astor's Favorite Painting at Heart of Trial 2. Elmer Crowell Decoys Star on Cable News 3. Shock 'n' Awe; Chris Jordan's Green Theme Mega-Art Most popular events: 1. Susan Van Campen: Watercolors exhibition at Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York 2. Copley Fine Art Auctions' The Sporting Sale 2009 3. Art-40-Basel, the ...

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On July 15 and 16, Copley Fine Art Auctions held its annual sporting sale in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The 2009 auction shot over its $3.5 million low estimate settling in at $4.16 million, making it the most successful in the company’s history. In this landmark sale, 23 of the 25 highest estimated lots sold. Commenting on the auction, Copley Chairman Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. said, “To be up thirty percent from last year’s totals in this economy is a testament to the hard work of our entire staff, and the trust that our clients place in us. We make every effort to ...

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When someone says the words “diary” or “journal”, it evokes( to the average Joe) thoughts of young girls ensconced in their rooms quickly chronicling personal thoughts and school experiences, but to even the average antiques collector, the words more frequently bring to mind a treasure trove of records and inventory lists of antiques and decorative arts discoveries. On September 3 & 4, Garth’s Auctions of Delaware, Ohio will host its Annual Labor Day Weekend Americana auction comprised of over 800 lots which will include collections of great 18th century furniture from a Michigan consignor and Peaseware from Washington State. Each of these collections is accompanied by the sort of documentation that makes collectors and dealers of antiques smile. Garth’s was given copies of each collector’s diaries in which they recorded each object (with a picture), along with what they bought it as, where they bought it, who they bought objects from, ...

Award-winning art historian Sarah Burns will speak at the Thomas Cole Historic Site (www.thomascole.org) at the 5th annual Raymond Beecher Memorial Lecture on Sunday, October 10th at 2 pm.  The title of her lecture is “Outdoor Men: Manliness, Masculinity, and the Antebellum Landscape Painter.” Tickets are $7 per person, or $5 for members of the Thomas Cole site. For information and to purchase tickets call (518) 943-7465 or visit the website: www.thomascole.org/current-events/. The Thomas Cole National Historic Site is located at 218 Spring Street in Catskill, New York. With the Catskills as the focus for emerging artists in the mid-nineteenth century, American landscape painters provoked questions about what it meant to be American, what it meant to be an artist and our collective identity as Americans. Much like landscape artists today, the artists of the Hudson River School both hobnobbed in elite circles and also worked with their hands, hiking and camping in ...

Copley's fifth annual summer auction was a huge success, with the much-anticipated collection of five oil paintings by Carl Rungius (1869-1959) out of the collection of H. Wendell Endicott headlining the record-breaking sale. These museum-quality works saw active participation in the room and on the overflowing phone banks, which brought outstanding results. Humpback Grizzly led the charge, realizing an auction-high sale price of $460,000 on an estimate of $300,000-$500,000. Bull Moose followed closely behind, nearing its high estimate with a sale price of $373,750 ($200,000-$400,000). Near Summit Lake, British Columbia, a striking image of cliff-side mountain goats, sold for $316,250 on an estimate of $200,000-$400,000. The two smaller canvases brought over their high estimates, with Coming Up the Valley hammering at $86,250 and Toward the Skyline - Mountain Sheep bringing $69,000, each on a $40,000-$60,000 estimate.   The striking oil painting by Ogden M. Pleissner ...

The Columbus Museum of Art introduces an extraordinary and distinctive event featuring traditional and mid-century antiques, contemporary art, and design. More than thirty national and local dealers will set up shop in the Museum and offer antique furniture, decorative arts, clothing, jewelry, and toys – to name just a few. Join us September 23 – 26, to explore the connections between exquisite antiques from the past, well-designed products for everyday use, and the art of creating wonderful living environments through a variety of events. Mark your calendar and reserve your tickets today! Proceeds will support the CMA and the Museum’s new Center for Creativity, a hub that will engage visitors of all ages in experiences and encourage them to explore, imagine, and create.   Pre-Show Events     Art Escapes Antique Tours Wednesday, September 22 9:30 am - 4:30 pm   Choose one of two tours:  1.Columbus Visit the spectacular German ...

  M.S. Rau Antiques has acquired the ultimate gift for the ultimate jet setter and connoisseur: a set of near-perfect condition, vintage Louis Vuitton trunks, circa 1900. Reminiscent of a by-gone era of sophisticated, leisurely travel, these two steamer trunks ($22,500 each) and standing wardrobe trunk ($29,850) are artworks in their own right to display in a walk-in closet or as a stately home furnishing addition.     Flat-top trunks, one of Louis Vuitton's innovations, made cargo packing and stacking much easier. Thanks to the leather-lined compartments and hangers of the wardrobe trunks, travelers could pack delicate clothing without fear of damage in transit. Louis Vuitton first opened his doors in 1854. Among Vuitton's first customers was the Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. The iconic Louis Vuitton logo was created by Louis' son, George, in 1896. Steamer Trunks (http://www.rauantiques.com/item/.29-5425.html) This ...

  Fifteen scenic miles in the Catskills between The Thomas Cole National Historic Site (www.thomascole.org) and Olana New York Historic Site (www.olana.org) couldn’t be more beautiful. This stretch of history, known as The Hudson River School Art Trail, leads visitors to the sites that inspired America’s first great landscape painters by mapping the sites that inspired works of art by Hudson River School painters Thomas Cole, Frederic Church, Asher B. Durand, Jasper Cropsey, Sanford Gifford and other pioneering American artists. For more information about the Hudson River School Art Trail, visit http://www.thomascole.org/trail or call (518) 943-7465. The Art Trail, which is open for walking and hiking through October 31, brings together a series of eight sites where Hudson River School artists created some of their most recognizable works. The trail showcases breathtaking views of the landscapes appearing in Hudson River School works not only from the ...

  (New York – NY)  Art Miami LLC has announced plans to host the first Florida International Fine Art Fair (FIFAF) from February 3 – 13, 2011, in the burgeoning, Midtown Miami Arts District.  FIFAF is a “new generation” fair that is lining up to be the single most impressive destination fair for fine art in all of America.  FIFAF will present the most prestigious international fine and decorative art dealers offering rare European and American paintings, contemporary & modern art, sculpture, photography, high-style European furniture, lighting, couture and estate jewelry, and decorative arts from the 18th to the 20th centuries, with an emphasis on early to mid 20th century design.   FIFAF will be staged in a newly designed 100,000 square foot pavilion where Art Miami attracted over 35,000 attendees during Art Week in December 2009.  The ten-day fair will commence on Thursday, February 3rd with a glittering Opening Night ...

  Copley Fine Art Auctions will conduct its fifth annual summer auction of sporting art, decoys, fishing collectibles and other related folk art on July 22nd and 23rd in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Last year’s auction grossed over $4.1 million, and the 2010 sale aims to build on Copley’s fine tradition of achievement.  Copley has assembled an outstanding selection of decoys that will be on offer the second day of the sale, July 23rd. Session Two will start off with the Theodore Cross Collection of A. Elmer Crowell Bird Carvings. Cross was the author of two impressive books of bird photography titled Birds of the Seashore and Tundra (1989) and Waterbirds (2009), and this group of nineteen miniatures and life-size decoratives by famed maker Crowell includes the curlew from the famous 1927 photograph of the artist seated at his work bench. Other important carvings by A.E. Crowell on offer include an exceptional red-breasted merganser pair ($30/60,000), and an early ...

  New York and London, June 28, 2010  Haughton International Fairs have announced a superb roster of 62 world-class exhibitors -- with an unprecedented dealer return rate– for the 2010 edition at the Park Avenue Armory.  The prestigious “International Show” – the flagship fair organized by Anna and Brian Haughton, has retained its position as the premier platform in America for top dealers from Europe and the United States for the past twenty-two years.  It is a must for collectors, connoisseurs, museum curators and interior designers the world over.   The International Show is world-famous for its sumptuous, stylish décor, its extraordinary variety and its museum-quality offerings, which are rigorously vetted by teams of specialists.    It serves as an essential forum in the field of decorative arts-- an exciting blend of culture, academia and commerce that aims to energize future generations of collectors and ...

Clear as Mud: Early 20th Century Kentucky Art Pottery, a modest but ground-breaking look at art pottery produced in Kentucky in the first half of the 20th century, has just been published. It deals with such potteries as Cornelison Bybee, Waco, the Bybee Pottery Co. of Lexington (Selden-Bybee, Genuine Bybee), Louisville Pottery Co. (Cherokee), Kenton Hills Porcelains and Hadley. Such other ceramics as art tile, drain-tile premiums and Western Kentucky's "pinch pots" are included.    The book places what was going on in the commonwealth with what was happening in the rest of the South, especially North Carolina, and touches on the influences brought onto the regional scene. These influences include mass-market magazines, such as Gustav Stickley’s The Craftsman, which showcased the Arts & Crafts potteries of the Northeast and Midwest; tourists, who sought pots that reminded them of classic Asian and Greco-Roman forms; and the itinerant ...

  Copley Fine Art Auctions will conduct an auction of sporting art, decoys, fishing collectibles and other related folk art on July 22nd and 23rd in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Last year’s auction grossed over $4.1 million in sales, and the 2010 sale aims to build on Copley’s fine tradition of achievement.  Headlining the sale is a remarkable collection of five oil paintings by Carl Rungius put together by New England sportsman and business magnate H. Wendell Endicott. These paintings, including Humpback Grizzly ($300/500,000) and Near Summit Lake, British Columbia ($200/400,000), hung on the walls of his Gun Room Library at the Endicott House, now part of MIT, in Dedham, Mass. for over sixty years.   The sale will also feature the sporting art collection of the late Thomas W. Sheppard, which is one of the most important compilations of sporting art to come to the market in recent years. It is headlined by an outstanding Ogden M. Pleissner watercolor, Early ...

Loft and home owners with high open spaces have a dilemma. What art can be displayed on large walls that will not seem like a postage stamp, and that can personalize interiors without breaking the bank? Antique quilts with "long distance graphic impact" are the solution, and the subject of a lecture by New York City Americana dealer LAURA FISHER on Sunday, June 27 at 4:00 at the Herbert Johnson Art Museum at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.  "There are eye-dazzling graphics that dispel the old mental image of ‘quilt’ as a charming relic from granny's house," according to Fisher. "Many quilt designs seem to reappear in 20th century art movements like Abstract Expressionism, Color Field painting, Minimalism and Pop Art. To discover that similar visual effects came before from the hands of early quilt makers who were unschooled in modern art theories is eye-opening. While the pieced ...

The Historical Society of Princeton is pleased to announce Suzanne Perrault as its featured guest speaker for the 2010 Princeton Fall Antiques and Fine Arts Show.  Ms. Perrault will present “A Roving Eye,” an inside look at the Robert A. Ellison American Art Pottery Collection, recently installed in the New American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  The collection—which spans the years 1876 through 1956 and represents all regions of the nation—ranks among the foremost of its kind. Suzanne Perrault heads cataloguing at Rago Arts and Auction Center in Lambertville, New Jersey, and co-directs its department of 20th C. Design. She and partner David Rago are also private dealers, appearing at antique shows nationally and receiving clients by appointment. She is an author who lectures nationally and an expert appraiser for the hit PBS series, Antiques Roadshow, where she specializes in decorative ceramics and porcelain.Ms. Perrault’s ...

  On Sunday, June 6th, Grogan and Company brought a large assortment of Fine Art, 18th and 19th century Furniture and Decorations, Silver, Jewelry and Oriental Rugs from a variety of estates and collections, to the auction block.  The sale, one of the largest of the year, drew a packed audience and grossed 1 million dollars in sales. “I was pleased to see so many new faces,” commented President and Chief Auctioneer, Michael Grogan, “Nearly 15% of our purchasers were new to the Gallery.”  Grogan and Company kicked off the three day event with a Cocktail Preview Reception on Thursday evening.  The event was well attended by a veritable who’s who of local dealers and museum directors  mingling with private collector’s, family and friends.  “It was nice to spend time with our clients and friends in a social setting,” explained Nancy Grogan, “It gives us a chance to really stop and say thank you for ...

As the next step in the continuing expansion of its online and mobile access strategy, Christie’s International, the world’s leading art business, is pleased to announce the global launch of Christie’s Mobile Web, an optimized mobile experience that is free to all users of web-enabled cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), regardless of the device’s operating platform. The move builds on the July 2009 launch of Christie’s free app for the iPhone and iTouch to now include the full universe of mobile devices and operating platforms, including the best-selling Android, Blackberry, Palm, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, LG, and other popular models. "The launch of this expanded offering exponentially increases the number of people who can stay connected to their favorite Christie’s content, no matter where they might be. We recognize that our clients are increasingly mobile and rely on their portable devices more than ever to ...

Grogan & Company Fine Art Auctioneers and Appraisers will be conducting their June auction on Sunday, June 6th at 12:00 p.m. The auction, comprised of Fine Art, 18th and 19th century Furniture and Decorative Works of Art, Silver, Jewelry and Oriental Rugs and Carpets, will be held at their Dedham Gallery.   Fine art offerings feature a selection of important American and English portraits including Gilbert Stuart’s Portrait of General Charles Rainsford, a 30 x 24 inch oil on canvas of the British general responsible for recruiting Hessian soldiers to fight the colonists during the Revolutionary War. The portrait was created in England by Stuart between 1776-1777, while he was studying under Benjamin West. The work is estimated to fetch $25,000-35,000. A Pair of 19th century Oval Portrait Miniatures on Ivory depicting a boy and girl (Frances and Edward Howe), is estimated at $20,000-30,000 and is among a selection of fine portrait miniatures. A Portrait of the Lincoln ...

This June, Kensington Gardens will provide the stunning backdrop to Art Antiques London, which runs from June 10-16, 2010, a new art and antiques fair aimed at both the seasoned connoisseur and those who admire and value beauty and timelessness. Art Antiques London will incorporate the International Ceramics Fair and Seminar, which has been a fixture in the London calendar for almost thirty years. This highly anticipated new Haughton fair will be held in a beautiful custom-built pavilion opposite the Royal Albert Hall, adjacent to the site of the Great Exhibition of 1851.  The Fair’s participants are leading specialists in a wide range of disciplines, including furniture, paintings, jewellery, clocks, textiles, silver and ceramics, as well as rare books and modern and contemporary objet d’art.  Every object exhibited at the Fair is rigorously examined and vetted for quality and authenticity, so collectors can be assured they can buy with confidence.  The ...

Very few of us have had the opportunity to experience the rich culture of Cuba by visiting the island nation. The Katonah Museum of Art will bring some of that culture to us when it opens Cuba Avant-Garde: Contemporary Cuban Art from the Farber Collection, on June 27. This riveting exhibition, which runs through September 19, features some of the most important art to come out of Cuba in the past two decades. The Museum is located at 134 Jay Street (Route 22) in Katonah. For information and hours call 914-232-9555 x0 or visit www.katonahmuseum.org.   “Bringing Cuba Avant-Garde to Katonah is a rare opportunity for our community,” says Neil Watson, Executive Director of the Katonah Museum of Art. “Our audience in the Northeast has had limited exposure to Cuban contemporary art and the Farber Collection presents a richly textured overview of the exciting and provocative work of today’s Cuban artists.”   Opening a new dimension of ...

Recognized as the largest indoor antiques show in the United States, the 30th Annual Baltimore Summer Antiques Show will return to the Baltimore Convention Center Labor Day weekend, September 2-5, 2010. Art and antique aficionados from across the country and around the world will have the opportunity to view and purchase from the diverse collections of more than 550 international dealers drawn from the United States, Canada, France, Italy, England, China and Japan. Guests will be dazzled by aisle after aisle of fine art, furniture, Asian art, American and European silver, jewelry, porcelain, glass, textiles, American folk art and more, ranging from the antiquities to the 20th century.  The Baltimore Summer Antiques Show was acquired in October 2005 by the Palm Beach Show Group – owners and operators of the prestigious Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show, February 18-22, 2011; Fort Lauderdale Art, Antique & Jewelry Show, January 7-10, 2011; and the Dallas ...

Since 2002, Matthew’s Galleries has presented at least two fine arts auctions each year, specializing in 19th & 20th century paintings, watercolors, prints and sculpture. The auctions are in addition to operating its retail gallery for the last 41 years. While the gallery is still the only American Northwest fine arts auction house, preparation is being made for a June 1, 2010 antiques and decorative arts auction. The gallery’s clientele has long urged Matthew W. Gerber, owner/director, to return to antiques and decorative arts sales, which the gallery concluded in 1992. Consequently, the gallery is seeking a broad range of quality consignments for the June sale: ceramics, glass, fine jewelry, silver, watches, Oriental rugs, textiles, furniture, lamps, clocks, primitives, books, photography, memorabilia, collectibles, objects of art, and of course paintings, fine prints and sculpture.

Gray’s Auctioneers Llc, Northeast Ohio’s pre-eminent Fine Art & Antiques Auctioneers & Appraisers, received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Ohio River Valley Women’s Business Council, a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). WBENC’s national standard of certification implemented by the Ohio River Valley Women’s Business Council is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women, as well as financially and operationally solvent. By including women-owned businesses among their vendors, corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier/vendor diversity programs. About Gray’s Auctioneers ...

  Fifty of the nation’s foremost arts and antiques dealers will showcase rare period furniture, folk and fine art, ceramics, porcelain, silver, textiles and jewelry at the 49th Annual Philadelphia Antiques Show.  The event, organized by a committee of more than 200 volunteers, is widely recognized as the premier American antiques and decorative arts show in the country, and attracts thousands of visitors each year.  The 2010 show will feature a special museum-quality loan exhibit titled, A Call to Arms: Chinese Armorial Porcelain for the British and American Markets, 1700-1850.  The 49th annual show, which runs Saturday, April 17 through Tuesday, April 20, 2010, will be held at The Navy Yard.  The 2010 Philadelphia Antiques Show is presented by The Haverford Trust Company, and proceeds will establish the Penn Center for Ocular Imaging, part of Penn Medicine.  The Philadelphia Antiques Show is the major fundraiser for Penn Medicine. ...

If your family is wild about puppetry, then you won’t want to miss Puppets! Family Day: Design • Create • Perform at the Katonah Museum of Art on Sunday, May 16 from 12-4pm featuring special guests Theo, the bibliophile puppet of PBS’s Between the Lions and his creator, Peter Linz.  Family Day is free for Museum members, $5 for individual non-members (ages 3 and up), and $15 for non-member families. There is a $2 materials fee for puppet making activities.  For information call 914-232-9555, ext. 0 or visit www.katonahmuseum.org.   Family Day has become a perennial favorite and the Museum will be bustling with performances, art activities, snacks, gallery games, and opportunities to meet prominent professional puppet designers, makers, and performers throughout the afternoon. Children can make their own rod puppets with museum educators who will lead puppet designing, creating, and performing activities.   Join puppeteer Peter Linz and ...

The Katonah Museum of Art (www.katonahmuseum.org) invites you to join artists Dan Hurlin, Roman Paska, and Hanne Tierney and curator Leslee Asch for The Intimate Inanimate, a panel discussion that will provide a revealing look into works featured in the Museum’s current exhibition The Art of Contemporary Puppet Theater. Ms. Asch will moderate the conversation at the Museum on Sunday, March 28 at 5:30pm. This event is free for members and $10 for non-members. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (914) 232-9555, ext. 0 or emailing info@katonahmuseum.org.   In “The Intimate Inanimate,” Asch and the artists will explore puppetry’s ability to give form to the unseen. Hurlin, Paska, and Tierney will discuss the processes and the underlying themes emerging in each other’s work as well as puppetry’s relevance as a performance art today.   Leslee Asch is the Executive Director of the National Dance Institute. Before coming to ...

Quality, rarity and provenance have become the hallmarks of TEFAF Maastricht and the world’s most influential art and antiques fair has an extraordinary range of important works on show at the MECC (Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre) from March 12-21, 2010. Highlights of the 23rd edition of the Fair in the southern Netherlands include a bed that once belonged to the great French diplomat Talleyrand, the Italian Expressionist Marino Marini’s greatest picture, one of the last major paintings by Paul Gauguin, and a key early work by Damien Hirst. The European Fine Art Fair is constantly evolving to reinforce its pre-eminent position in the international art and antiques market and this year a record number of 263 of the world’s best dealers are exhibiting. The increase is largely due to the foundation of TEFAF on Paper, a new section specialising in Old Master and modern drawings, limited edition prints, photography, antiquarian books and manuscripts, ...

  Hill-Stead Museum is pleased to announce that its special exhibition of Gee’s Bend and other historic and contemporary quilts, the museum’s first loan exhibition, has been extended a full month, through March 28. The exhibition is a component of Hartford’s Community Health Services’ Community Threads project, a city-wide celebration of arts, community, and the history and culture of quilting.   Throughout the 20th century, women in the small rural village of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, made quilts as labors of love and necessity, eventually attaining economic freedom through their creations. In a manner befitting both their function and the deeply personal context of their creation, the museum is displaying the quilts on the Pope family beds. All five quilts in Hill-Stead’s exhibition, representing four African American artists – Charlotte McKinney of Statham, GA, Qunnie Pettway of Gee’s Bend, AL, Polly ...

  As the 7th Annual Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show came to a close, the show floor was buzzing about the remarkable number of sales that took place during this year’s event at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Throughout its five-day run Feb. 12-16, the show boasted record attendance as its impressive array of 180 international dealers attracted more than 50,000 art enthusiasts, high-profile collectors and industry experts that were eager to admire the nearly 200,000 items on display.  Exhibited items included fine art, sculpture, furniture, silver, textiles, bronze, jewelry, objets d’art, porcelain, ceramics, pottery, watches, clocks, Asian art and antiques, Persian carpets, glass and more ranging in date from the antiquities to the 20th century. After only seven years, the show has quickly established itself as the most anticipated winter event in South Florida and according to Bill Rau of the prestigious, New Orleans-based ...

At this year's Hunt Valley Antiques Show, February 19-21 in Timonium, MD, one lucky shopper can go home owning a true piece of American history.An 18th century grandfather clock featured in the new book Timeless: Masterpiece American Brass Dial Clocks will be offered for sale by Strasburg, PA-based Baldwin House Antiques.The tall-case clock, dated 1789, was created by noted Philadelphia clockmaker John Heilig to honor George Washington's inauguration as the nation's first president. Frank Hohmann, author of Timeless, has deemed it one of America's 100 most important brass dial clocks.The clock's face is inscribed with Washington's name and includes an engraved portrait of the president surrounded by cannons, drums and flags. An image of a dove, inspired by the weathervane atop Washington's home at Mount Vernon, appears on the clock's second hand.Washington passed through Philadelphia in 1789 on his journey to New York for his first inauguration.The ...

  From ancient castles to contemporary art museums Ireland is a land of mystical lore, majestic landscapes and magnificent art.  The Katonah Museum of Art (www.katonahmuseum.org) invites you to join them April 8-17 for a journey to the land of dreams and stories where you will visit private homes, centuries-old castles, and fine art galleries featuring local and international work.  Ireland is all about the people and guests will have the opportunity to meet and share meals with the artists who are carrying on the traditions of the Emerald Isle, transforming it into one of the most exciting contemporary art scenes in the world. Reservations must be made by February 22, 2010.  For detailed information about the trip including a full itinerary and cost and to make reservations this exciting journey to Ireland contact Molly Hermes at 914-232-9555 x2968 or mhermes@katonahmuseum.org. A few special highlights of the trip will include visits to: Dunsany Castle, home ...

  Jennifer C. Krieger, Owner of Hawthorne Fine Art (www.hawthornefineart.com)  in Manhattan and recognized scholar in American art will be exhibiting select works from Hawthorne’s inventory of 19th and Early 20th Century paintings at the Palm Beach Jewelry, Art, and Antique Show in West Palm Beach, Florida February 12-16. Hawthorne will be located in Booth 306 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The numerous works Ms. Krieger has chosen to showcase in Palm Beach include Thomas Moran’s Summer Squall, a soft and sweeping view of eastern Long Island’s grassy meadows. Summer Squall has been held privately for over 20 years and is considered one of Moran’s strongest examples of eastern Long Island landscape. The widely celebrated Walter Launt Palmer will be represented by Hoar Frost, a deep exploration of the artist’s subtle use of color in his snowy winter landscapes. Ms. Krieger will also be showing one of the earliest ...

Today Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, the largest auction house in the Midwest, announced the opening of a new auction facility in Naples, Florida, located at 1300 Third Street South. The addition of a Florida location will enable Leslie Hindman Auctioneers to better serve Florida clients with the sale of their property, appraisal services and regularly scheduled auctions. An invitation-only opening party will be held February 3 to celebrate the new location. “Many of our longtime clients winter or live year round in Florida, specifically the Southwest region, so Naples is an ideal location for a satellite office,” said Leslie Hindman, President and CEO of Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. “One of our goals is to serve our Midwestern clients' needs as well as cultivate relationships with new clients who are interested in consigning.” Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is a full service auction house and industry leader with over thirty years of experience. The auction ...

What do you think of when you read the word “puppet”?  The Katonah Museum of Art (www.katonahmuseum.org) will challenge your thoughts and preconceptions with the presentation of The Art of Contemporary Puppet Theater opening February 28 and running in all three galleries through June 13, 2010.   In every culture man has created stories and myths to explain the forces surrounding him and the fears, hopes and dreams he carries within. For centuries, masks and puppets have been used to add magic to the storyteller’s art.  The Art of Contemporary Puppet Theater will show that puppets are indeed more than children’s dolls, that within them can be found the illusion of life. They are symbolic mirrors in which we are startled and sometimes delighted to see ourselves reflected.   The art of puppetry has been traced back as early as the 5th Century, BC, when figures operated by strings were employed in ancient Egyptian ceremonies. In ...

Gray’s Auctioneers is pleased to announce its Holiday Auction, to be held Sunday, December 13th at 1 pm. The Holiday Auction marks Gray's 26th sale, and further proves Gray’s position as Northeast Ohio’s leading auction and appraisal facility. Of particular note is this sale’s remarkable selection of jewelry, including a stunning Russian Agate Cameo with 18kt yellow gold, diamond and pearl frame and dramatic black and white enamel. Also featured is a brilliant 14 kt. yellow gold marquise cut diamond engagement ring set. A luminescent single strand of Tahitian grey pearls are also available, particularly remarkable for their rosy pink overtone. Other jewelry selections include numerous diamond and precious stone rings, brooches, earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Gray's holiday sale also features a range of fine art - with paintings including a collection of dramatic contemporary works by Thomas E. Gordon, an oil on canvas still life ...

The Katonah Museum of Art (www.katonahmuseum.org) will present Bold, Cautious, True: Walt Whitman and American Art of the Civil War Era October 18, 2009 through January 24, 2010. Through excerpts of Whitman’s writing paired with some of the most important artworks of the mid-nineteenth century, Bold, Cautious, True creates an authentic window to America’s social and art history, with a poignant view of its bloodiest war. A champion of America and the individual, Whitman contributed to the war through his literary talents and by nursing wounded soldiers.  Although he published no poetry during the Civil War, he wrote many poems about his war experiences for later editions of his legendary Leaves of Grass. His poetic language and his celebration of the individual paralleled the changes taking hold in American art during and after the Civil War. Highlighting Whitman’s poems such as “Drum Taps,” the literature of Bold, Cautious, True helps viewers ...

More than 400 lots of superb English, French and Italian furniture and decorative arts from the collections of the late Antonio Mariani and his wife Liliane Mariani, owners of the well-respected firm Antonio's Antiques, come to auction in Bonhams & Butterfields' San Francisco salesrooms on November 2, 2009. The auction and pre-sale viewing (on Oct. 30-Nov. 2) will coincide with the popular San Francisco Fall Antiques Show and strong international collector interest is expected. Antonio's Antiques was established in San Francisco by the Marianis more than four decades ago and boasts a "Who's Who" of clients. Collectors, designers, connoisseurs, museum curators and novices alike flocked to Antonio's Antiques from around the world. The November sale, Part II of the Mariani Collection, brings many rare and impressive pieces to auction and follows the successful March 2009 sale of Part I. [see the press release: The Antonio and Liliane Mariani Collection ...

Style on Sunset: 'Grand Salon' Elegance to Highlight Sunset Estate Auction in November at Bonhams & Butterfields International fine arts auctioneers, Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to announce the November 15-16, 2009 Sunset Estate Auction in Los Angeles.  The thematic monthly sale will highlight 'Grand Salon' style and feature works from the 16th century, Spanish Baroque, Georgian and Louis XIV to 20th century modern periods as well as items from the present day.  Enjoy entertaining at home in the 'Salon' tradition surrounded by unique tables, seating, lighting, works of art, books, silver, rugs, objects of curiosity and Natural History fossils from prominent Southern California collections.  Designed to inspire conversation, provoke laughter and bring people together, the 'Grand Salon' at Bonhams & Butterfields delivers great values on one-of-kind items, diverse style and inspirational designs at affordable ...

THE extraordinary furniture and fittings of the home of `Time Lord’, Severin Wunderman, who built up the Gucci watch franchise and owned the Swiss watch brand Corum, will go on sale at Bonhams on September 30th. The magnificent eight-bedroom Chelsea home was his UK base until his untimely death last year at the age of 69. Mr Wunderman also owned a French Chateau in the Cote d`Azur and a penthouse in Los Angeles; but the four-storey Chelsea house was an extension of the man in its physical demonstration of his personality following a brush with lung cancer in the 1990’s. This was a man fascinated by the passage of time, and so Severin Wunderman filled his London home with a strange and eclectic mix of skulls, watches and images that spoke of time passing. One visitor to the house described it as: “By turn, grand, quirky, magnificent and arresting with its collections of skulls, carved head tobacco boxes, pug inkwells, stacked on the shelves.” The house also ...

Julien’s Auctions to offer property from the Collection of Barbra Streisand, the multi-award-winning international star, in a live and online auction at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. on October 17th and 18th. All proceeds from this auction will benefit the Streisand Foundation, founded more than two decades ago by Barbra Streisand the actress/singer/director/composer/activist/philanthropist to aid humanitarian causes worldwide. A preview of the collection will travel to England aboard Cunard Line’s opulent Queen Mary 2 during her August 23rd Transatlantic Crossing.  The highlights will then be exhibited at The Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland September 1st – 13th. From Ireland, the highlights will travel to Beverly Hills, Calif. Where a full public exhibition will take place at The Beverly Hilton from October 10th – 16th prior to the two day auction on October 17th and 18th. Julien’s Auctions will ...

Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to announce the September 27, 2009 auction of The JZ Knight Collection. Amassed over a decade, the Collection will feature eclectic and unique examples of period furniture, decorative arts, carpets and paintings from the 17th through 20th centuries with a particular focus on European and American elegance. Each item on offer during the 500-lot sale has been personally selected by Knight to reflect her passion for rare and unique items. Featured works from the Los Angeles-based auction include a discerning selection of 20th Century design as well as a diverse array of European furnishings, decorative arts, carpets and paintings. “The JZ Knight Collection symbolizes the heart and soul of a true collector. Knight’s passion for beauty and quality are represented throughout the offering, in all facets of the auction,” said Andrew Jones, Los Angeles Director of European Furniture and Decorative Arts at Bonhams & Butterfields. ...

The aggregrate art news Web site ARTFIXdaily unveiled a suite of free marketing tools today for galleries, auction houses, and museums to promote their own news. Art dealers, curators, auction house experts, show promoters, and other art world professionals are invited to write blogs covering their area of expertise. Blog topics may include recent acquisitions, upcoming and current exhibition overviews, new research, show previews, and excerpts from recently published books and catalogs. "The blog network was created to offer one centralized online source for the art community to have a voice and be connected," says ARTFIXdaily founder Julie Carlson. "This service is free and open to all involved with the sale and study of fine and decorative arts." Artists and art collectors may also contribute to the site. In order to create a blog, an application for ARTFIXdaily's ArtGuild membership program is completed on the company's Web site. Upon approval, the ...