sculpture

Some folks like to do things in a big way.  They enjoy the spotlight, and blossom with a little extra attention.  We’re sort of that way, too, so we understand.  Even when it comes to selling an antique or collectible, we think it’s always more fun to make a splash.  Why do anything the conventional way when you can make it fun? Do you remember that Super Hero Auction we had last year?  We had national news coverage for that event, plus plenty of local headlines and spots on our local news networks.  Our own John discovered he looked good in ...

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A few days ago, a Chinese collector came into the gallery to inspect a piece of Orientalia. He brought a black light, a jeweler's loop and a translator. After thoroughly inspecting the item, the collector remarked that the nuances and subtleties were all but missing on the Internet. That's why Robert and I spend so much time staging the Roland Auction exhibitions. The preview that opens Thursday, October 13 features more than 400 lots in the October 15 sale. Catalog descriptions are, at best, curatorial and academic. We don't editorialize. We don't "sell" in the catalog you view on ...

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A Chinese Vase expected to sell for $800. to $1,200., was sold by Sotheby's New York for an astonishing $18 million on March 22, 2011. Described as an unusual famille rose and gold decorated vase, an Anonymous Sotheby's bidder paid $18 million for this 20 century porcelain. The Chinese Vase was among 300 lots consigned by J.T. Tai and Company, a well-known  Dealer of Chinese Porcelain; the Sotheby's Sale realized $36.3 million and took nine hours to complete. Why did Sotheby's estimate the $18 million Chinese Vase at only $800-$1,200? Sotheby's felt there was no actual support to indicate ...

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American Paintings, Sculpture, and Works on Paper, 1942-1972. Absolute Abstraction is on view through March 12. Works in this extensive, wide-ranging show date from Josef Albers’ classic lithograph, Prefatio, 1942, to James Daugherty’s pastel, Synchromist Compostion, 1972. Also included are cubist works by Fannie Hillsmith, painterly expressionist pieces by Hugh Mesibov, op art by Bernard Rosenquit, Indian Space by Howard Daum, and those by Fred Becker and Hans Burkhardt that touch on the surreal. A strong selection of Atelier 17 students and teachers includes Minna Citron, Worden Day (with ...

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What happens when the works of 18th-century portraitist Thomas Gainsborough and late 20th-century Pop artist Tom Wesselman come face to face? The answer is an art show of mammoth significance. Such was the case at the Los Angeles Art Show, held this past week at the Los Angeles Convention Center. For the third year in a row, M.S. Rau wowed the crowds with an impressive array of artistic masters. From 16th-century master Pieter Breughel the Younger's Battle Between Carnival and Lent to 20th-century legend Norman Rockwell's Billiards is Easy to Learn, the M.S. Rau booth held a constant ...

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Cultural historian Marilyn Richardson has solved one of the persistent mysteries of American art history: where and when did the sculptor Edmonia Lewis die? The answer is, London, England, on 17 September 1907. According to British records, Lewis, whose full name was Mary Edmonia Lewis, had been living in the Hammersmith area of London and died in the Hammersmith Borough Infirmary. She left a modest financial estate. Beginning with publications from the late 19th-century, the date of her death has been given as anywhere between 1895 and 1911 with no supporting primary evidence. Although she ...

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American paintings, works on paper, and sculpture take center stage in Manhattan from May 17 to 26 in a series of major auctions and special events at leading art galleries. The dizzying array of art-centric festivities involves cocktail receptions, special exhibitions, three auctions, two dozen gallery open houses, and a pair of important fundraisers.  Thousands of works of art will be available for sale. View our Itinerary below to help plan logistics. Plus, a Slideshow offers a sneak peek of what's ahead. Even though these sales are focused on 18th- to mid-20th century art, the week ...

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