Press & Announcements
Read the latest press coverage & announcements about Freeman's.
Read the latest press coverage & announcements about Freeman's.
J.T. Palmatary’s rare birds-eye view of pre-fire Chicago sold just shy of $200,000 in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ September 13 Fine Books and Manuscripts auction conducted in Chicago. The Chicago map was printed in 1857 by Braunhold & Sonne and is one of four known copies. The three other copies are held by the Library of Congress, the Newberry Library and the Chicago History Museum. The example offered by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers was the only known obtainable copy of the map in private hands. Having sold to a collector in Chicago, it remains in private hands. “As the map is one of only four known copies, we’re thrilled that it sold to a Chicago area collector,” said Gretchen Hause, Director of Fine Books and Manuscripts at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Palmatary is known for his aerial views of cities. The birds-eye view of Chicago was completed just one year after the Illinois Central Railroad was built, which appears in the foreground of the map. Another notable feature is an area called “The Sands,” visible in the lower right-hand corner. Notorious in its time, the area was known for having a high concentration of brothels, gambling dens, saloons and inexpensive motels. In 1871, during the Great Chicago Fire, the Sands became a point of refuge for displaced Chicagoans. Palmatary detailed notable places in the city, as depicted on the map via a lower margin legend. The view includes street names, homes, churches and points of industrial interest. “The market remains strong for rare material in excellent condition. Both of these things contributed to the high price realized for Palmatary’s Chicago map,” said Hause. The Fine Books and Manuscripts department is now accepting consignments for its December auction. Visit hindmanauctions.com for additional information.
The September fine art auctions at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers begin with an American and European Art auction September 27, followed by Post War and Contemporary Art and Fine Prints auctions on September 28. Leading the American and European Art auction are paintings by important American artists, including Winslow Homer’s 1867 Coming Through the Rye. It will be offered from a private collection with a $400,000 – 600,000 presale estimate. The painting is one of two that are titled Coming Through the Rye, both completed by Winslow Homer in France in 1867. The version being offered by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is the more finished of the two and is thus more likely the one shown in early exhibitions, including a reception held at the Tenth Street Studio Building on March 27, 1873. The painting sold a few months later at an auction held at the Somerville Art Gallery that year. The other version is now in the permanent collection at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa. The Winslow Homer title “Coming Through the Rye” is drawn from a poem by Robert Burns, describing a woman who is captured by a lover while coming through a field of rye. But while Burns’ poem is somewhat bawdy, Homer’s woman holds her hands in a defensive posture, as if protecting her virginity, and her eyes are downcast, as if avoiding social contact. Nonetheless, the title makes explicit a romantic undercurrent to the painting, which was surely a large part of its appeal to 19th century viewers. Offered from the same private collection as the Winslow Homer is a 1903 painting by Childe Hassam titled Nude. It has a presale estimate of $80,000 – 120,000 and will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the artist’s work prepared by Kathleen M. Burnside and Stuart P. Feld. Among other American highlights are John Marshall Gamble’s Spring Morning, 1921, estimated at $70,000 – 90,000, and two paintings by Daniel Ridgway Knight: An Idle Moment, estimated at $50,000 – 70,000, and Captivite, 1874, estimated at $40,000 – 60,000. Also available will be a painting by Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau, Cornelia and her Jewels, 1870, that has a presale estimate of $30,000 – 50,000. Works by Jean Dufy, John Stobart, Fernando Cueto Amorsolo, Le Pho, Eastman Johnson and Maximilien Luce, among many others, will be offered in the American and European Art auction. Following the American and European Art auction will be the September 28 Post War and Contemporary Art auction and Fine Prints evening sale. Highlights of the Post War and Contemporary Art auction include a 1988 Fernando Botero bronze, Woman Dancer. It has a presale estimate of $200,000 – 300,000 and will be offered from a private collection. Jean Dubuffet’s Site avec 3 personnages from the artist’s Psycho-sites series will be offered with a presale estimate of $100,000 – 150,000. The sale includes an untitled work by Theodoros Stamos and George Rickey’s 1964 Seven Rotors Five Cylinders, both estimated at $60,000 – 80,000. The Fine Prints evening auction includes a 1978 Joan Miro, Mambo, with a presale estimate of $30,000 – 50,000, a 1959 Pablo Picasso, Femme Couchée et Homme à la Guitare, estimated at $20,000 – 30,000 and a Henri Matisse, Odalisque au Coffret Rouge, estimated at $20,000 – 30,000. Examples by Andy Warhol include Portraits of the Artists, 1967, ($20,000 – 30,000) and Marilyn Monroe, 1967, ($50,000 – 70,000). The Fine Prints sale includes a number of Wesselmann, Lichtenstein and Miro prints. Other highlights include prints of Barnett Newman, Joan Mitchell, Claes Oldenburg and Bridget Riley.
The September 13 Fine Books and Manuscripts auction will include J.T. Palmatary’s birds-eye view of pre-fire Chicago. The Chicago map was printed in 1857 by Braunhold & Sonne and is one of four known copies. Three other copies are held by the Library of Congress, the Newberry Library and the Chicago History Museum. The example to be offered by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is the only obtainable copy of the map in private hands. None other can be traced back to auction in the past 100 years. Palmatary is known for his aerial views of cities. The birds-eye view of Chicago was finished just one year after the Illinois Central Railroad was completed, which appears in the foreground of the map. Opened in 1856, the Illinois Central was the longest railroad in the world, running 705 miles from Cairo, Illinois. The tracks were built on trestles, protected by breakwaters and dikes, on a strip of land several hundred feet out into Lake Michigan. The lakefront land was originally designated for public use in 1836, but after months of fighting with City Council the Illinois Central was granted use of the land. Another notable feature of the Chicago map is an area called “The Sands,” visible in the lower right-hand corner. Notorious in its time, the area was known for having a high concentration of brothels, gambling dens, saloons and inexpensive motels. In 1871, during the Great Chicago Fire, the Sands became a point of refuge for displaced Chicagoans. Palmatary detailed other notable places in the city, as depicted on the map via a lower margin legend. The view includes street names, homes, churches and points of industrial interest. Palmatary’s Chicago map, estimated at $20,000 – 30,000, is one of over 100 maps that appear in the cartography session of the Fine Books and Manuscripts sale. Others include DuVal’s Le Canada faict par le Sr. de Champlain, Paris, 1664 ($15,000 – 20,000); Coronelli’s Globe Gore: The Great Lakes and Mississippi, 1688 ($5,000 – 7,000) and Schedel’s World Map, 1493 ($5,000 – 7,000). Other sessions included in the sale are fine printed books, Americana and natural history. Highlights from the fine printed books session include a section of exploration documentation such as Travels in Egypt and Nubia by Frederick Lewis Norden, estimated at $4,000 – 6,000. Other examples of printed books include Raphael’s Loggie di Rafaele nel Vaticano, Rome, 1772, estimated at $6,000 – 8,000. Fine bindings include an example of 18th Century German mosaique binding estimated at $800 – 1,200. The Americana session will offer a first English printing of the Declaration of Independence, The Remembrancer, London, 1776 (estimated at $1,500 – 2,500) and a copy of Abraham Lincoln’s Speech of Hon. Abraham Lincoln, Delivered in Springfield…July 17, 1858, estimated at $600 – 800. Offered in the natural history session will be Audubon’s Carolina Turtle Dove, watermarked 1833, with a presale estimate of $8,000 – 12,000.
Numerous items from the Mary Griggs Burke Collection of the Minnesota Historical Society were among top results of the July 17 – 18 Fine Furniture, Decorative Arts and Silver auction at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, including a 16th century Turkish rug. Over 95% of lots from the Historical Society sold, including six of the sale’s top ten lots. Two of the top results of sale from the Mary Griggs Burke Collection were important rugs, including a 19th century Agra rug that sold for $53,750 to a London buyer. A smaller rug, initially catalogued as Caucasian, was determined to be a Turkish “Lotto” rug named for carpet designs featured in works by the Venetian painter Lorenzo Lotto (1480-1557) and dating to the 16th century. The Lotto rug sold for $50,000 to a New York buyer. Also among the top ten prices realized was a Venetian painted commode that sold for $32,500. Other property from the Minnesota Historical Society included a Flemish wool tapestry that sold for $25,000 to a buyer in the saleroom (estimated at $5,000 – 7,000), a Continental alabaster plaque that sold for $20,000 to a U.K. buyer (estimated at $800 – 1,200) and an Italian School painting from the 17th century titled Titian-Haired Lady, Richly Attired, with Young Attendant, which sold to a Belgian buyer for $15,000 against a $6,000 – 8,000 presale estimate. “Mary Griggs Burke needs little introduction,” says Specialist Corbin Horn. “Her property is among the top collections disseminated in the last few decades, and her contributions to the Metropolitan Museum and the Minneapolis Institute of Art point to a bygone era of both wealth and scholarship in collecting.” Other objects among top results were a monumental Victorian clock, its case attributed to R.J. Horner, which sold for $68,750 (estimated at $10,000 – 20,000) and a Louis XV style fireplace signed by the renowned Parisian firm of François Linke, which sold for $27,500 against a $5,000 – 7,000 presale estimate. A superlative George II giltwood mirror estimated at $2,000 – 4,000 sold for $15,000 to a U.K. buyer. The Fine Furniture, Decorative Arts and Silver department at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers conducts four auctions annually and is currently accepting consignments for its October auction. Visit hindmanauctions.com for additional results and information.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ May fine art sales featured highlights from numerous estates, which included three of the top selling lots by Rosemarie Trockel, Henri Le Sidaner and Thomas Hart Benton. The May 23 and 24 Post War and Contemporary Art, Fine Prints and American and European Art auctions realized over 4.6 million with nearly 25% of lots sold selling above high estimates. Top selling lots in the May 24 American and European Art auction agreed with the current uptick the Impressionist and Modern market has shown so far in 2017. Offered from an estate in St. Louis, Missouri was a Thomas Hart Benton still life from 1962 with a presale estimate of $100,000 – 200,000. With numerous bidders participating via phone, three bidders emerged who actively bid until the painting sold for $455,000. The winning bidder was from the Midwest, competing against bidders in California and New York. “Since the Benton still life came from a private collection in Missouri, it drew additional interest being offered from the artist’s home state,” said Kara Kelpe, Business Development Manager St. Louis. “And we’re pleased to see it return to Missouri.” From another Missouri estate, Henri Le Sidaner’s Vieilles maisons à Chartres, 1921, estimated at $200,000 – 400,000 realized $413,000 and sold to a buyer in London. Other top results included the cover lot, Jules Breton’s Brittany Girl at Well, c. 1870. Fresh to market from a private collection, it sold for $161,000, well above its presale estimate of $20,000 – 40,000. Jean Dufy’s Nature morte au bouquet sold for $112,500 against an estimate of $50,000 – 70,000. Included in the May 23 Post War and Contemporary Art auction was a Rosemarie Trockel, o.T. (Pro), 1986, offered from a Chicago estate. From the artist’s Knit Painting series, it sold for $389,000 against a presale estimate of $300,000 – 500,000. Several examples far exceeded expectations and estimates such as Richard Lin’s Composition-Three Circles I, 1960, which sold for $151,400 against a $50,000 – 70,000 presale estimate, selling to a buyer in London. “Collectors of Lin, mainly in Asia and London, are very serious about repatriating the artist’s paintings,” said Head of Sale Zachary Wirsum. “The painting sold is an early example from when Lin started showing with Gimpel Fils in London, which contributed to its high price realized.” Additional highlights from the Postwar and Contemporary Art auction included High Snow-Low Sun A, 1961, from Theodoros Stamos’ High Snow-Low Sun series, which sold for $197,000 (estimated at $60,000 – 80,000) and Sam Gilliam’s Butterflies Are, 1976, which sold for $137,000 (estimated at $80,000 – 120,000). Two Andy Warhol’s from his Cowboys and Indians series were offered in the afternoon Fine Prints sale, May 23. The images of John Wayne and Annie Oakley are two of ten works from the series that was printed in 1986 and is recognized as one of Warhol’s last before his death in 1987. The portrait of John Wayne was estimated at $30,000 – 40,000 and sold for $62,500. The portrait of Annie Oakley was estimated at $20,000 – 30,000 and sold for $40,000. Additional results for the sales can be found on hindmanauctions.com.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ May fine art sales will include Post War and Contemporary Art and Fine Prints auctions on May 23 and an American and European Art auction on May 24. Property from important estates and collections offer many of the sales’ highlights, which include paintings by Rosemarie Trockel, Sam Gilliam, Jean Paul Riopelle, Theodoros Stamos, Henri Le Sidaner, Thomas Hart Benton and Frederick Carl Frieseke. From the Estate of Phyllis Warsaw, Chicago, Illinois is a 1986 Rosemarie Trockel, o.T. (Pro). Made of knitted wool on canvas, it carries a presale estimate of $300,000 – 500,000. Coming of age artistically in the male dominated German art scene, Trockel distinguished herself from the luminary figures of Beuys, Kiefer, Polke and Richter by aligning herself with gallerist Monica Sprüth, whose eponymous gallery carried a predominately female roster. Executed in 1986, o.T. (Pro) is one of the more starkly minimal works from the artist’s Knit Painting series, taking a more subversive route. Another sculptural highlight from the sale is an H.C. Westermann box made of walnut, ebony, pine and bronze. Westermann created Untitled (for Caroline Lee) as a gift for fellow Chicago sculptor, and then sweetheart, Caroline Lee around 1956. Aside from her romantic role, Lee was an employee of the Allan Frumkin Gallery and introduced Westermann to his future and long term gallerist. The box is accompanied by illustrated love postcards from Westermann to Lee and is estimated at $30,000 – 50,000. Other highlights from the Postwar and Contemporary Art auction include Sam Gilliam’s Butterflies Are, 1976 and Jean Paul Riopelle’s Envol II, 1958, both estimated at $80,000 – 120,000. Also available is High Snow-Low Sun A, 1961 from Theodoros Stamos’ High Snow -Low Sun series. The May 24 American and European Art sale includes highlights from the Estate of Alyn and Marlyn Essman of St. Louis, Missouri and from the collection of Beverly Pierson, Carmichael Bradley of Kansas City, Missouri. From the Essman collection will be offered a Thomas Hart Benton still life from 1962 with a presale estimate of $100,000 – 200,000. Also from the collection are two Jean Dufys, Promenade avenue Foch estimated at $10,000 – 15,000 and Nature morte au bouquet, 1927, estimated at $50,000 – 70,000. From the Bradley collection are mainly French highlights such as Henri Le Sidaner’s Vieilles maisons à Chartres, 1921, estimated at $200,000 – 400,000, Henry Moret’s Paysage a Pont-Aven, 1894, estimated at $30,000 – 50,000 and Gustave Loiseau’s Vase de fleurs et statuettes, 1908, estimated at $10,000 – 15,000. The Fine Prints sale will feature Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso, Tom Wesselmann, Keith Haring, Gustave Baumann, Robert Motherwell and Roy Lichtenstein. Highlights of the sale include two Andy Warhols from his Cowboys and Indians series. The images of John Wayne and Annie Oakley are two of ten works from the series that was printed in 1986 and is recognized as one of Warhol’s last before his death in 1987. The previews for the May 23 and 24 fine art auctions will be held in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ Chicago saleroom at 1338 West Lake Street and will open Friday, May 19. The sales will be conducted live and online at LH Live and Bidsquare. For more information or to view the online catalogue visit hindmanauctions.com.
The May 6 and 7 Arts of the American West auction at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers drew hundreds of collectors and dealers to the auction firm’s Denver saleroom, with hundreds more participating globally online. The sale had a 93% sale-through rate, showing impressive interest in the category, especially for jewelry, American Indian artifacts and contemporary western art. The auction realized over $850,000. Hopi jewelry by designer Charles Loloma sold particularly well. Three of the sale’s tops lots were Loloma pieces from the Estate of Betty Melaver. The highlight of the collection was a Hopi gold, turquoise, coral, sugilite bracelet, which sold for $48,750 following intense bidding in the room, on the phone and online. It was estimated at $25,000 – 35,000. Additionally, a Hopi 18 karat gold, turquoise and coral pendant sold for $13,750, well above its $6,000 – $8,000 pre-sale estimate, and a Hopi silver, turquoise, lapis and multi-gem bracelet sold for $12,500. Lastly, a Charles Loloma Hopi 18 karat gold and multi-gem ring sold above estimate at $5,250. The American Indian objects sold to benefit the acquisition fund of the Denver Art Museum performed well across the board. Objects from the collection included Indian baskets from indigenous tribes across the United States, plain’s and plateau beadwork, Navajo textiles, Northwest Coastal masks and other artifacts. “Fresh to the market property with institutional provenance or from a private collection is always exciting to the collecting community,” said auctioneer Maron Hindman. “The phone lines and online bidding barely ebbed in the slightest over the two day auction.” There were a number of surprises in the auction that seemed to enhance the overall energy in the room. Their was intense interest on a rare, late 19th century Pawnee beaded quiver and bowcase, which sold for $17,500 against a $3,000 – $5,000 estimate and in rough condition. Other examples include a colorful Navajo wedge-weave blanket that sold for $15,000 (estimated at $4,000 – 6,000) and a Shoshone beaded hide dress that sold for $10,625 (estimated at $6,000 – 8,000). Contemporary western art sales were strong including works by living artists such as John Nieto whose Reclining Apache sold for $16,250 and California artist Howard Post whose Canyon Road sold for $12,500. Additional highlights included Robert Daughter’s Church at Arroyo Seco and Gary Niblett’s San Geronimo Feast Day which both fetched $12,500. Other highlights of the sale included a redware vase by Santa Clara Pueblo artist Tami Garcia, which fetched $8,750 and an incised redware bowl by Margaret Tafoya, which sold for $4,500. The western enthusiasts actively bid on the collection of custom made Bohlin buckles, cowboy hats and accessories as well as all of the western furniture and accessories. Strong results across the entire sale reflect positively on the interest in the arts of the American west market. The department is currently seeking consignments for its November Arts of the American West auction, which will feature the Ruth and Robert Vogele collection of pueblo pottery and Southwestern Jewelry.
The Ringling Brothers’ circus is making its last stand in cities across the country, and Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will help carry on its legacy by selling memorabilia from the historic past time on May 4. The “Greatest Show on Earth” will close in May of 2017 after 146 years of entertaining. Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is delighted to be auctioning one of the largest collections of circus memorabilia to come to auction from a private collection. Consigned by one of the few remaining friends of the Ringling family, Mr. Richard Bennett, the collection includes circus posters and broadsides, photographs, circus equipment and ephemera. The collection represents circuses such as the Cole Bros. Circus, Adam and Seils Circus, Tom Mix Circus, and Sells Floto Circus, but the majority of property is from the Ringling Bros., Barnum and Bailey, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circuses. As a young man, Mr. Bennett met Henry Ringling’s wife, Ida B. Palmer Ringling, at Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin where both families had summer homes. Born and raised in Elgin, Illinois, Mr. Bennett took an early interest in the traveling circus shows he attended as a young man. He struck up a friendship with Mrs. Ida Ringling while staying at the lake. The Ringlings owned what was once called “South Shore Lodge” and had a two story brown house on the south shore. “I would visit her often, and we would talk about the old days in show business,” said Mr. Bennett. “I have all of her letters addressed to me stating the next time I was back to stop in because she had things from the circus for me.” Eventually, Mr. Bennett spent time in Baraboo and worked at the Circus World Museum as a clown in 1964. He would go on to travel and perform on the east coast with various circus groups. His interest in collecting memorabilia inspired those he encountered to gift him with property from their outfits. One major contribution to his collection came from a former Postmaster Assembly in Baraboo, William Kasiska, who personally knew the Ringling family and was allowed to take what he wanted from their collection before they moved the circus to Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1918. “I was in show business for over 16 years and traveled with many circuses,” said Mr. Bennett. “My house looks like a circus museum, and many performers often stop to view the collection.” Getting their start in Baraboo, Wisconsin, the Ringling Brothers have had close ties to the city since 1884. The seven Ringling brothers were born in Baraboo and remained in the city until they moved their growing circus operation to Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1918. Original Ringling Brothers buildings still stand, and the Circus World Museum was built at its former winter headquarters. The majority of the Ringling family is buried at Baraboo Walnut Hill Cemetery. P.T. Barnum also got his start in Wisconsin, creating his circus in Delavan, Wisconsin where he first gained notoriety as a promoter of the strange and exotic. He opened “P.T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Hippodrome” in 1871 and merged with James Bailey’s circus in 1881. The Ringling Brothers bought Barnum and Bailey from Mrs. Bailey in 1907. The Feld family, along with Houston Judge Roy Hofheinz, purchased the circus in 1967 after it had already established its stadium model of permanent venues with ticketed seats, which started around 1957. They sold to Mattel in 1971 and bought it back in 1982. It has been a part of Feld Entertainment since Irvin Feld’s death in 1984. The announcement of its closing came in January of 2017, stating the circus would close in May of 2017. The final Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show will be May 21 in Uniondale, New York. CEO of Feld Entertainment, Kenneth Feld, cited dwindling ticket sales and the removal of elephants from the acts amidst criticism from animal rights groups as reasons for the circus closing its doors. After decades of entertaining families across the country, the operation will leave behind a sense of nostalgia and reflection. While the spectacular and bizarre will live on, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus will become an enterprise of the past and a part of American history. Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is pleased to bring this collection of memorabilia to auction, and to commemorate an icon of American entertainment. The catalogue will be available online starting in April with a preview of the collection opening Sunday, April 30 in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ Chicago headquarters. The sale will be conducted in the Chicago saleroom and online via LH Live and Bidsquare. More information: Circus Memorabilia Collection.
Blending Classic Design with Modern Interiors: a 2017 Design Trend Showcased in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ January Auction Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ January 24-25 auction offers more than 700 lots of classic design for the informed buyer ahead of the design curve. The sale’s variety, edited for quality and heavy on French and Italian influence, includes objects from the affordable to the unusual that highlight centuries of human ingenuity. The AD100 2017 list released in Architectural Digest’s February issue shows that after nearly a decade of pervasive stark, white rooms, trendsetters are newly interested in classical design, this time with surprising twists. One of the year’s honorees, designer Jean-Louis Deniot, was quoted as saying, “high-voltage French style – think Régence chests showcased against stainless-steel walls and a backlit floor” are the next big thing. Head-turning French furniture is abundant in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ January auction. A pair of immaculate walnut bergères with orange silk upholstery (estimated at $800 – 1,200) would anchor any modern room. A Louis XVI commode with a gray marble top and dizzying zig-zag marquetry (estimated at $3,000 – 5,000), a Louis XVI side table with a magnificent and rare brocatelle d’espagne marble top (estimated at $4,000 – 6,000), or a conversation-making Empire chair with imposing Sphinxes (estimated at $800 – 1,200), would likewise electrify a high-concept home. Design publications have touted contemporary furniture and minimal interiors for many years now. The trend is slowly but definitely moving toward comfortable, modern interiors that also include interesting, historic furniture,” said Corbin Horn, Head of Sale. “The universe likes equilibrium; a contemporary sofa’s impact is actually made stronger by the balance of having it next to an Italian Baroque commode.” Hip rooms find new ways to use historic objects for contemporary living. In the upcoming auction, a dazzling marble mosaic, lacking provenance but probably Roman, is re-made into a cocktail table with iron legs (estimated at $5,000 – 7,000). Classical forms strike a luxurious pose in newly-built homes today. A generation of buyers who are outfitting a home for the first time have matured beyond wanting the ubiquitous molded wood and leather lounge chair, and they are ready for objects that imbue their surroundings with personality. Designer Richard Keith Langham, in dialogue with Architectural Digest, said “rooms should be comfortable, layered, and appointed with furnishings and details that acknowledge the past, albeit with a fresh and clear approach.” That ‘fresh and clear approach’ is accomplished with modern colors, lighting and textiles, emphasizing functional forms that have already lasted generations. “Classicism is alluring. It’s instinctual, but many don’t realize they have the instinct. A painting of a mysterious capriccio or an outstanding marble sculpture gets one’s attention, even if the beholder is a modernist,” says Corbin Horn. The Fine Furniture, Decorative Arts and Silver auction also includes over 100 lots of timeless English furniture and decorative arts, rugs and tapestries, unique silver and objects of vertu. The preview for the January 24-25 auction opens Friday, January 20 in Chicago.
Lost Jenny 79 to be Auctioned by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is delighted to be offering the heretofore lost Inverted Jenny position 79 at auction. This stamp has been in a private collection since it was separated from the original sheet of misprints in 1918. The Philatelic Foundation has authenticated the stamp, and it will be offered at auction on February 15, 2017 with a presale estimate of $200,000 – 300,000. In addition to the Jenny, the sale includes an unknown example of a block-of-four center invert 1901 Pan American Automobile stamps (estimated at $150,000 – 250,000), a center invert 1901 Pan American Fast Express stamp (estimated at $15,000 – 25,000), a rare Tete-Beche pair of the Buffalo Balloon (estimated at $5,000 – 7,000) and an imprint block of twelve Bolivian 1924 center invert 10-centavo Air Post stamps (estimated at $10,000 – 15,000). The collection is not exclusive to airmail errors and includes, among others, an uncommon example of the 1909 Bluish Paper 8-cent stamp, which The Philatelic Foundation graded VF-XF 85 (estimated at $10,000 – 15,000). The entire collection will be auctioned February 15 as part of The Lost Jenny 79 and Other Inverted Planes, Trains and Automobiles sale, which is set to begin at 12pm CT in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ Chicago saleroom. Catalogues for this sale are available for $10 at the gallery or $15 by mail. Contact 312.280.1212 to order a print catalogue. This important philatelic collection will be followed by an afternoon sale at 2pm CT of other international stamps, coins and paper money.
The November 14 auction featuring the O’Meara Benedict Collection of Dollhouse Miniatures included over 550 lots sold in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ Chicago saleroom and online. While many of the top lots sold to active floor bidders, the majority of lots sold to online bidders, due in part to the diversity of the collection. The top lot sold was a group of four Arts and Crafts style furniture articles, which sold for $6,875 against a pre-sale estimate of $200-300. Another highlight was a Dutch style marquetry secretary bookcase by John Davenport, which sold for $2,750 against a pre-sale estimate of $600-800. Property offered in the sale came from Maison des Maisons, or “House of Houses,” founded in 1977 by Betty “Bets” O’Meara and her daughter Sharon O. Carter in Denver, Colorado. Bets’ daughter Marilyn and her husband Andy Benedict joined the business in 1997 and helped to expand the breadth of the collection to include the work of numerous Native American and Southwestern artisans. “The O’Meara Benedict Collection is perhaps the most diverse collection of miniatures our firm has offered,” said Head of Sale, Genevieve King. The collection comprised numerous fine examples of early 20th century design, several of which were among the top lots of the sale. The iconic designs of Scottish architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh were well represented in the sale and attracted competitive bidding for items such as a group of eight Arts and Crafts style furniture articles that sold for $3,250 against a pre-sale estimate of $300-500. Other top selling lots included an American room box that sold for $2,500 (estimated at $800-1,200), four Persian style silk and wool blend needlepoint rugs that sold for $1,625 (estimated at $400-600) and a William and Mary style burlwood lowboy by John J. Hodgson that sold for $1,625 (estimated at $500-700). In 2014 Leslie Hindman Auctioneers conducted the Cookie Ziemba and Eunice Gold Miniatures auction and in 2013 The Adell Venus Collection of Miniatures auction. Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is pleased to have continued the tradition of offering distinct collections of miniatures at auction.
Significant Colored Stones and Diamonds Accompany Strong Antique and Vintage Showing at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers The December 4 and 5 Important Jewelry auction at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers features a strong showing of signed jewelry from vintage and antique periods, including a collection of nearly 50 David Webb works, in addition to colored stones and diamonds. Designed at the peak of Webb’s creativity and influence, highlights from the Webb collection are late ‘50s through ‘60s. One example is a large and impressive interwoven bracelet in gold containing over 30 carats of diamonds, a fine example of Webb’s bold aesthetic and intricate construction ($50,000 – 70,000). The artist’s emphasis on color is also on display in this collection, including several jewels utilizing fine enamel work in jewel tones and natural gems in vivid hues such as turquoise and coral. Additional jewels from vintage eras include multiple uses of aquamarine such as in a platinum, diamond and aquamarine brooch by Cartier ($8,000 – 12,000) and a platinum, aquamarine, diamond and ruby ring by Tiffany & Co. ($5,000 – 7,000). A pair of 18 karat yellow gold, enamel and ruby bead convertible bracelets/necklace by Verdura will be offered with a presale estimate of $15,000 – 20,000 and a pair of 18 karat yellow gold, platinum and diamond bangle bracelets, Van Cleef & Arpels, France, will be offered with an estimate of $6,000 – 8,000. Older signed examples include works by acclaimed maisons Giuliano and Castellani, chief architects of the Renaissance Revival movement. One example is a fine Renaissance Revival gold, silver, multi-gem and polychrome enamel pendant, circa 1860, by Augusto Castellani, which is estimated at $8,000 – 12,000. A strong theme of Egyptian and Egyptian Revival is also present in the sale, represented by a yellow gold Egyptian Revival brooch that has a presale estimate of $6,000 – 8,000. At the September 2016 Important Jewelry auction at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, a fine 6.40 carat antique cushion cut Kashmir sapphire sold for $473,000. Continuing the department’s excellence in handling colored stones, the December sale has an exquisite selection of fine certified colored gemstones from the most desirable international sources. A large selection of sapphires will be offered, which includes a fine platinum, Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring, J.E. Caldwell, Circa 1910 ($250,000 – 275,000) as well as two beautiful Burmese stones: an important platinum, emerald cut Burmese sapphire and diamond ring ($180,000 – 200,000) and a fine platinum, oval mixed cut Burmese sapphire and diamond ring, French ($60,000 – 80,000). Two Burmese rubies of top color will be offered. One is a contemporary ring by Michael Beaudry containing an impressive cushion cut stone of 5.01 carats adorned with additional rubies and colored diamonds, estimated at $100,000 – 150,000. The other is a more classic but rare unheated Mogok stone possessing the sought after “pigeon blood” hue with a presale estimate of $25,000 – 35,000. The jewelry department will be exhibiting highlights from the December sale in Palm Beach on November 17 and 18 and in New York City November 21 – 23. The Chicago preview will open Wednesday, November 30. Additional information as well as the December Important Jewelry catalogue is available online at hindmanauctions.com.
Fernand Leger Study for the Tate’s Deux Femmes Tenant Des Fleurs to Be Offered at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ September 30 Modern and Contemporary Art auction will offer a Fernand Leger painting titled Deux femmes tenant des fleurs. It was painted in 1954 as a completed study to the larger final work that hangs in the Tate Modern and was painted in the same year. Two years prior to its sale, the smaller painting was featured in R.S. Johnson International Galleries’ Fernand Leger retrospective exhibition during November and December of 1966 in Chicago. The show was the most comprehensive Leger exhibition presented by an American art gallery at the time. An important inclusion as a late career work, Deux femmes tenant des fleurs harkens back to Leger’s earlier cubist approach while emphasizing the figure. The abstracted bands of primary color contrast the stark stylized female nudes in grayscale. The smaller painting varies only slightly in details such as the placement of a necklace on one of the figures and the shape of the natural branches at the center of the painting. The colors are less saturated while the placement of the color blocks is near identical. It has a presale estimate of $800,000 – 1,200,000. Also appearing in the 1966 retrospective exhibition in Chicago was an earlier cubist work from 1914 titled Paysage Village, which will also be included in the sale. Showcasing Leger’s personal vocabulary on cubism, as applied to the landscape, the gouache will be offered with a presale estimate of $600,000 – 800,000. The September 30 Modern and Contemporary Art auction will offer a number of additional highlights from the early 20th century. A Max Beckmann painting titled Bathers from 1938 will be offered with a presale estimate of $300,000 – 500,000. Painted while the artist was in self-imposed exile in the Netherlands, Bathers is typical of the emotionally charged figuration that earned the German Expressionist Degenerate Art status in his homeland. Jean Metzinger’s Nature morte au vin de madre from 1915 is another strong cubist example being offered with a presale estimate of $400,000 – 600,000. Also available is the artist’s 1923 work titled La jejune femme pensive aux roses rouges (Dame assie aux roses rouges), a stylized portrait illustrating the artist’s range of technique, which has a presale estimate of $100,000 – 150,000. Contemporary works such as Bob Thompson’s Landscape with Blue Nude, 1965, is another highlight of the sale. It is quintessential of Thompson’s allegorical painting and references classical painting composition while employing abstract expressionist influenced color, gesture and texture in an unusually large format. It carries an estimate of $80,000 – 120,000. Saul’s Guernica, 1974, by Peter Saul is a fluorescence psychedelic interpretation of Picasso’s famed anti-war painting, an art historical riff reflecting Saul’s social commentary in objection to the Vietnam War. Its large scale and vibrant colors showcase Saul’s melting cartoon imagery and surrealist funk approach to painting. It will be offered at $250,000 – 350,000. A 1996-97 Ralph Goings photorealist canvas titled Double Ketchup will be offered with an estimate of $400,000 – 600,000. Quintessential of the artist’s diner condiment works, this example as the title would indicate, features not one but two bottles of ketchup in masterful detail. Other artists represented are Lee Krasner, Alexander Calder, Theodoros Stamos, Amy Sillman, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Sally Mann, Gabrielle Muenter, Ernst Barlach, Alejandro Obregon and Burhan Dogancay, to name a few. In addition to paintings the sale will offer sculpture, photography and works on paper. The preview in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ Chicago saleroom at 1338 West Lake Street will open Sunday, September 25. For more information or to view the online catalogue.
Antique Cushion Cut Kashmir Among Other Colored Stone, Antique And Signed Jewelry Highlights At Leslie Hindman Auctioneers The September 11 and 12 Important Jewelry auction at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers features significant antique highlights from the Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras in addition to the department’s focus on colored stones and signed jewelry. Leading the sale is an impressive, antique cushion cut Kashmir sapphire. The stone, accompanied by extensive certification, is offered here for the first time at auction as part of the fine Schoonmaker estate collection. Weighing over six carats, the present stone is an important example and is estimated at a conservative $225,000 – 250,000. Numerous additional fine, natural gems such as Paraiba tourmaline, rubies, emeralds, fancy sapphires and natural pearls are also offered. An important platinum, aquamarine and diamond necklace by Tiffany & Co. exemplifies the sale’s strength in both antique and signed jewels. The necklace showcases masterful use of platinum in its elegant and lightweight filigree work. This distinctive style, taken together with the restrained use of diamonds to accent the skillfully matched and faceted aquamarine, strongly evokes the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany, possibly aided by Meta Overbeck, during the period between 1915 and 1925. It has a presale estimate of $30,000 – 50,000. The sale has an expansive collection of classic signed works by Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Graff, Buccellati, Oscar Heyman Brothers, Julius Cohen, Schlumberger for Tiffany, Cummings for Tiffany, and others. Another highlight of the period collection is a Georgian gold, emerald and diamond bracelet. This impressive example of Georgian high jewelry utilizes intricate and bold repoussé work with exquisite emeralds and diamonds. The bracelet is presented in exemplary condition and estimated at $18,000 – 22,000. Important estate collections make up the majority of the sale, including the private collection of notable collector Olga Hirshhorn. The Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC was named after Ms. Hirshhorn who also donated her private collection of art to the Baker Museum in Naples. Highlights of Ms. Hirshhorn’s jewelry collection includes an 18 karat yellow gold, platinum, turquoise and diamond bracelet, Cartier, Paris and an unusually fine platinum, diamond and emerald cameo brooch, both estimated at $5,000 – 7,000. Rounding out the signed collection is an important selection of modernist work by such luminaries as Ed Wiener, Horaldo Burle-Marx and Andrew Grima. The works of these artists combined with a curated collection of sculptural jewels, ranging from the bold to the whimsical, provide a fascinating counterpoint to more classical choices. The preview opens Wednesday, September 7 in Chicago following the New York preview Monday, August 22 – Wednesday, August 24.
C. Bechstein Grand Piano Circa 1900 Triples Presale Estimates at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers The July 18 and 19 Fine Furniture, Decorative Arts and Silver auction at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers featured a C. Bechstein gilt bronze mounted marquetry grand piano that sold for $173,000 against a presale estimate of $30,000 – 50,000. Circa 1900, information obtained from C. Bechstein’s record archives indicates that the piano was shipped from Berlin to the firm’s London branch on May 31, 1901. Sold to a West Coast client, the lot drew international attention from 11 bidders in California, Florida, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Egypt and London. Significantly exceeding presale estimates, the sale totaled 1,240,585. Over 1,100 lots were auctioned, including French, Continental, English and American furniture and decorative arts as well as sculpture, silver, Middle Eastern works of art and Chinese export. Among highlights of the property sold was an 1817 George III silver-gilt tureen by Benjamin Smith II & Benjamin Smith III from the estate of Ann Downey, Palm Beach. Modeled after the Warwick vase, it sold to a private collector for $55,000 with a presale estimate of $20,000 – 30,000. A 1788 George III silver epergne by Thomas Pitts sold for $28,750 with a presale estimate of $10,000 – 20,000 and from a private collection of a Pittsburg family. A pair of large Meissen porcelain Schneeballen urns sold for $81,250 with a presale estimate of $5,000 – 7,000. Additional lots of interest include a Louis XVI style gilt bronze mounted mahogany and fruitwood vitrine cabinet, likely Francois Linke, which sold for $13,750 with a presale estimate of $5,000 – 7,000 and a Roman marble portrait head of a woman, which sold to a buyer in Paris for $16,250 against a presale estimate of $5,000 – 7,000. The Fine Furniture, Decorative Arts and Silver department at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is currently accepting consignments for its fall auction on October 18 and 19. Contact 312.280.1212 to discuss an auction estimate or potential consignment. Top 5 Lots C. Bechstein Gilt Bronze Mounted Marquetry Grand Piano Sold for $173,000 Presale estimate $30,000 – 50,000 A Pair of Large Meissen Porcelain Schneeballen Urns Sold for $81,250 Presale estimate $5,000 – 7,000 A George III Silver-Gilt Tureen, Benjamin Smith II & Benjamin Smith III, London, 1817, which modeled after the Warwick vase Sold for $55,000 Presale estimate $20,000 – 30,000 A George III Silver Epergne, Thomas Pitts, London, 1788 Sold for $28,750 Presale estimate $10,000 – 20,000 A Roman Marble Portrait Head of a Woman Sold for $16,250 Presale estimate $5,000 – 7,000
Mountain Decor and More at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers June 16 Denver Auction Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ June 16 Mountain Decor auction in Denver will feature an eclectic mix of fine art, furnishings and decorative objects. Interested bidders will discover over 450 lots representing many different collecting categories including period to modern designs. The consignments assembled are from a number of estates and private collections and include property from the Estate of Georgia B. Burnett (former owner of Georgette Antiques) of Winnetka, Illinois; Dr. Richard E. Anderson of Redding, Connecticut and property of a private collector in Palm Springs, California, among many others. The auction features unique items from traditional to rustic to modern. Nostalgic and traditional tastes will be offered alongside modern property, offering something for both mountain retreats and urban dwellings. Highlights include paintings by artists such as Robert William Wood, William Keith, Clyde Aspevig, William Sanderson, Jay Moore and many others. The sale also features a selection of contemporary works on paper and sculpture by artists such as Agnes Denes, James Rosenquist, Robert Barry, Richard Long, Alain Kirli and Robert Adams. Other sessions include 19th century English, American and Continental furnishings and decorative arts, Asian works of art, silver, porcelain taxidermy mounts, 19th century sporting prints, 20th century furniture, including Gustav Stickley and Edward Wormley, and much more. The sale begins at 10 AM MT in our Denver saleroom.