PAIR OF HUANGHUALI FOLDING HUNTING CHAIRS SOARS TO $26,880 AT SALE OF THE ESTATE OF THE LATE DR. KEVIN-JOHN McINTYRE HELD JUN. 12 BY FINNEY’S

Contact: Sharon Finney
(518) 479-4371 or (518) 817-1669
finneysauction@nycap.rr.com

PAIR OF HUANGHUALI FOLDING HUNTING CHAIRS SOARS TO $26,880 AT SALE OF THE ESTATE OF THE LATE DR. KEVIN-JOHN McINTYRE HELD JUN. 12 BY FINNEY’S

(SCHODACK, N.Y.) – A beautiful pair of Huanghuali Chinese folding hunting chairs with hemp seats and brass trim sold for $26,880 at a sale of the estate of the late Dr. Kevin-John McIntyre, held June 12 by Finney’s Auction Service. The sale was held in Finney’s spacious gallery facility, at 1568 Columbia Turnpike in Schodack, located about 15 minutes from Albany.

Huanghuali is a Chinese term that literally means yellow flowering pear wood. It is a member of the rosewood family. Most Huanghuali furniture was manufactured from the mid-Ming dynasty to the late Qianlong dynasty. Over time, the materials needed to make Huanghuali pieces gradually disappeared. What survives today is highly prized by collectors of Huanghuali.

The hunting chairs were the top lot of the sale, at which hundreds of fresh-to-the-market items crossed the block. Over the course of Dr. McIntyre’s rich and distinguished life, he amassed impressive collections of Oriental antiquities, European art, nautical items and rare antiques. All of these were auctioned without reserve (everything went, regardless of price).

“By any measure, this sale was a success,” said Sharon Finney of Finney’s Auction Service. “We had 118 on-site registered bidders, 150 phone bidders and 189 people registered to bid online, via LiveAuctioneers.com. Bids poured in literally from around the world. The items included Asian furniture and artifacts, telescopes, scientific items, early maps, erotica and art.”

Dr. McIntyre’s career included stints as senior vice president of The Discovery Channel-Asia, university professor, Foreign Service diplomat, documentary filmmaker and authority on Asian culture. He wrote and produced a six-part film series titled Artifacts, which detailed the history of porcelain, calligraphy, architecture, metallurgy, wood block printing and silk in Asia.
Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a 12 percent buyer’s premium.

Other Huanghuali pieces included a glass-top table 86 inches long, with eight round-leg chairs, two with arms ($10,800); an altar table with two drawers ($1,344); a canted display cabinet with two small drawers under the shelf ($3,920); a Ming hoof foot day bed ($3,080); a 2-door cupboard with brass backplate and dragon figures ($2,800); and a design cabinet ($2,240).

A pair of circa 1725 celestial and terrestrial globes went for $4,480. The globes, each measuring 20 inches tall, came with mahogany stands and a travel log from 1925, when repair work was done. The stands were circa 1967. A cartouche on the globe read “By B. Martin, Fleet Street.” Also, an early 1700s armillary sphere on a wood turned base also gaveled for $4,480.

An original oil on canvas landscape painting by the French artist Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796-1875), 7 ½ inches by 11 inches, signed by the artist and housed in a gilt frame, rose to $5,040, while an oil on canvas painting by English landscape artist Sidney Percy (1821-1886), titled Grazing and measuring 14 inches by 20 inches, signed and framed, commanded $4,760.

An 1854 oil on board painting of a field landscape by the American painter William Stanley Haseltine (1835-1900), signed, 13 inches by 15 ½ inches, housed in a gilt frame, climbed to $2,520. Also, an early painting of a Chinese seaport topped out at $3,640, and an embroidered Chinese silk panel (circa 1785), titled Long Pao, 83 inches by 62 inches, framed, sold for $1,400.

A late Ming dynasty Jing du Jiang blue and white bowl, 16 inches in diameter, breezed to $4,760; a 16-inch Oriental vase with peacocks and birds demanded $2,520; a 12-inch Asian blue and white floral vase went to a determined bidder for $3,080; and a blue and white Oriental lamp, 14 inches in height, with six character marks had paddles waging before hitting $3,920.

One lot consisting of a framed jade Kang cylinder (circa 550 BC), a jade bi disk (Nephrite, circa 950 BC), and a Kang cylinder (circa 720 AD) together hammered for $1,400. Also, a chronometer pocket watch by Ulysses Nordin, numbered on the face (#124598), in a gorgeous presentation wood box, wowed the crowd before selling for a respectable $4,144.

Finney’s Auction Service’s next big sale is tentatively slated for September, with a date and time still to be determined (watch the website for details, at www.finneysauction.com). Consignments are being accepted for this and all future auctions. To consign an item, estate or collection, you may call (518) 479-4371. Or, e-mail them, at finneysauction@nycap.rr.com.

To learn more about Finney’s Auction Service, log on to www.finneysauction.com. Updates are posted often.


Huanghuali chairs:
Pair of Huanghuali hunting chairs ($26,880) with a Huanghuali two-door cupboard ($2,800).

Huanghuali set:
Glass-top Huanghuali table, 86 inches long, with 8 round-leg chairs, 2 with arms ($10,800).






Oriental vase:
Oriental vase, 16 inches tall, with peacocks and birds decoration ($2,520).

Chinese seaport:
Early painting of a Chinese seaport ($3,640).

AGNEW & BROWN TARGET BALL FROM THE 1870s HITS THE MARK FOR $29,120, A NEW AUCTION RECORD, AT SALE OF PART 2, THE PETER FROBOUCK COLLECTION

Contact: Jeff Wichmann
(800) 806-7722
info@americanbottle.com

AGNEW & BROWN TARGET BALL FROM THE 1870s HITS THE MARK FOR $29,120, A NEW AUCTION RECORD, AT SALE OF PART 2, THE PETER FROBOUCK COLLECTION

The auction was conducted online from July 15-22 by American Bottle Auctions of Sacramento.

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – An Agnew & Brown 3-inch target ball from the 1870s, showing an embossed pigeon on the reverse side and quite possibly the only picture target ball ever made in glass, soared to $29,120 – a new world record for a target ball at auction – in an online auction held July 15-22 by American Bottle Auctions (www.AmericanBottle.com).

The ball was the top lot at Part 2 of The Peter Frobouck Collection. Part 1 was held March 29 of this year. Around 30 rare, vintage target balls were featured at each auction. Mr. Frobouck hails from Pittsburgh, as did Agnew & Brown when the firm was active in the late 19th century. That was when all target balls were made, before giving way to clay pigeons (or skeet).

Don’t feel badly if you’re unfamiliar with target balls. Not many people are. They are a small but slowly growing genre of collectible, especially popular today among well-to-do hunters and gun enthusiasts, but a novelty attraction among bottle collectors. Target balls had a brief but colorful life, bursting on the scene around 1876 before fading out altogether by 1895.

During that small window of time glass balls -- not all that dissimilar in size and shape to glass Christmas tree ornaments -- were stuffed with feathers and sawdust and catapulted from spring-loaded traps to be hit by shooters. They’d explode in the air in a feathery, dusty cloud, as a bird would. In fact, target balls were introduced because the bird population was declining.

During their heyday, target balls were produced by the millions, and not just here in the United States. Manufacturers sprang up in England, France, Germany and Australia, too. These glass orbs sold for a penny apiece back then, but today a rare example like the Agnew & Brown ball can command a hefty price tag. But it’s entirely possible to buy a nice ball for around $200.

“That’s the beauty of target balls,” said Jeff Wichmann of American Bottle Auctions. “It’s a collectible that’s still cozy and small enough that it hasn’t been overrun by big dollar investors looking to drive up prices in the name of a quick profit. Yes, some of the balls cost a lot of money, but that’s because they’re rare and beautiful. But it isn’t that way across the board.”

Factors such as the diversity of patterns, colors and country of origin can all combine to determine a target ball’s worth. Then there’s the cache of a colorful past. Target ball shooting was a sport observed by U.S. presidents, England's Queen Victoria and the German Kaiser. An early user was Annie Oakley, who blasted target balls at Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Shows.

The Agnew & Brown ball was in near-perfect condition and boasted a nice medium amber coloration (most balls were amber or blue). Along with the embossed pigeon, it also had the firm’s embossed name and address. Prior to being acquired by Mr. Frobouck, it was part of the Alex Kerr Collection, which American Bottle Auctions also sold, in chunks, from 2007-08.

In all, 31 target balls found new owners at the Peter Frobouck sale, which grossed around $70,000. Two balls failed to meet the seller’s reserve. Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a 12 percent buyer’s premium.

The second top lot of the sale also originated from the Alex Kerr Collection. It was a J.H. Johnston (also of Pittsburgh; there were five major manufacturers in Pittsburgh) target ball, in an extremely rare purple coloration. It soared to $14,560. The three-piece mold ball, in near-mint condition, featured a goodly amount of glass on the base and a staggering amount of embossing.

A three-piece mold, burst lip, 2.4-ounce target ball made by Jas. Brown & Son (also of Pittsburgh), graded 9.5 out of 10 for condition and boasting a light yellowish amber coloration, loads of embossing and great character, breezed to $10,080. Also, a near-mint E.E. Sage & Co. (Chicago) 2.1-ounce ball, light to medium amber, with large-letter embossing, brought $4,928.

A 2.6-ounce glass ball from Capt. A.H. Bogardus of Chicago (who had target balls made for him by several glasshouses), mint 9.8, medium to deep amber and with a rare embossed bottom, realized $4,704. Also, a target ball with stars (or crosses), 3-piece mold, 2.2 ounces, with a finely ground lip, razor-thin seams and a handsome warm amber coloration, garnered $2,464.

The top earner of the foreign-made balls was an E. Barton & Sons (U.K.) sand ball in varying shades of light blue, with baby mottled blue patches and green spots. Graded mint 9.8, the bottle had thousands of tiny bubbles throughout and went for $1,232. Another E. Barton & Sons ball, this one an elaborately designed brilliant blue orb graded a stout 9.9, rose to $952.

A German-made Sophienhutte In Ilmenau (Thur) amber colored target ball, 2.2 ounces, with an unusual lattice pattern and in 9.6 condition despite a dent in the bottom side, peaked at $896; while a rare Australian-made target ball with beautiful blue coloring and a two-piece design that turned from a square pattern to an odd geometric design on each side brought $896.

An amethyst Gablonz target ball (made in Germany and very rare and well made, despite being somewhat oddly shaped), 1.8 ounces and a little bit smaller than the standard 3-inch ball, pear-shaped and graded a solid 9.7, went for $896; and a Bogardus target ball made in 1877, with purple and clear coloring and some green near the top, graded 9.7, changed hands for $840.

There are no target ball auctions planned for anytime in the near future by American Bottle Auctions. “There just aren’t that many collections out there, so it’s anybody’s guess when we’ll have another one,” shrugged Mr. Wichmann. “My advice is just to watch eBay and keep an eye on our website. You just never know. One thing’s for sure, they’re gaining in popularity.”

American Bottle Auctions’ next big online bottle auction is tentatively scheduled for sometime in September, with a time and date to be determined (see website for info). The firm is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single piece or an entire collection, you may call them at 1-800-806-7722, or e-mail them at info@americanbottle.com.

For more information about American Bottle Auctions and its calendar of upcoming events, please log on to www.americanbottle.com. For more information about target balls, please visit the websites www.targetballs.com and www.glasstargetballs.com. Inquiries about target balls may be directed to Ralph Finch, an expert on the subject, at rfinch@twmi.rr.com.



Agnew & Brown:
This target ball made in the 1870s by Agnew & Brown sold for a record price of $29,120.

J.H. Johnston:
J.H. Johnston (Pittsburgh) target ball, in an extremely rare purple coloration ($14,560).

Jas. Brown & Sons:
Three-piece mold, 2.4-ounce target ball made by Jas. Brown & Son of Pittsburgh ($10,080).







E.E. Sage & Co.:
Near-mint E.E. Sage & Co. (Chicago) 2.1-ounce target ball, light to medium amber ($4,928).

Bogardus ball:
2.6-ounce target ball from Capt. A.H. Bogardus of Chicago, in mint 9.8 condition ($4,704).

Ball with stars:
Target ball with stars (or crosses), 3-piece mold, 2.2 ounces, warm amber coloration ($2,464).

E. Barton & Sons:
The top earner of the foreign-made balls was this E. Barton & Sons (U.K.) sand ball ($1,232).

FINE TALL CASE CLOCK BY SIMON WILLARD CHIMES ON TIME FOR $57,500 IN A SALE OF ANTIQUE CLOCKS & RELATED ITEMS BY GORDON S. CONVERSE & CO.

Contact: Gordon Converse
(484) 431-5543 or (610) 722-9004
Gordon@ConverseClocks.com

FINE TALL CASE CLOCK BY SIMON WILLARD CHIMES ON TIME FOR $57,500 IN A SALE OF ANTIQUE CLOCKS & RELATED ITEMS BY GORDON S. CONVERSE & CO.

(YORK, Pa.) – A fine and beautifully crafted tall case clock by the celebrated U.S. clockmaker Simon Willard (Mass., 1753-1848) changed hands for $57,500 at a sale of antique clocks and related horology items held June 18 by Gordon S. Converse & Co., based in Strafford, Pa. The auction was held at the Yorktowne Hotel in York, near the York Fairgrounds.

Online bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com. Following are some additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.

A rare and fine set of twin clocks telling the world time and perpetual calendar by the Swiss firm Gubelin soared to $16,100 for the pair. The set, with its fine enameling and bold presentation, was one of only three pair produced in the 1950s. The set sold is the only one in the Western hemisphere. The clocks were in excellent shape, ready to grace a mall or hotel lobby.

A monumental clock depicting the Reims Cathedral topped out at $8,050; an assortment of English table (or bracket) clocks sold for prices ranging from $3,450 and $6,325 (all to buyers outside the U.S.); a rare 400-day clock garnered $1,092; and a small wooden wall timepiece by Vermont clockmaker Charles Alva Smith made $1,265.

An interesting picture frame clock, featuring an oil painting of a city in Austria whose town clock is set with a real chiming clock behind the picture, commanded $1,322.50; and an unusual battery-operated (and recently made) working orrery clock, with planets made from colorful minerals resembling the planets themselves, went to a determined bidder for $517.50.

A large Chelsea mantel clock fetched $1,610; several examples by New York City clockmaker Ferdinand Kroeber went for under $100 each; and a gold Tiffany lady’s wristwatch brought a seemingly reasonable $661.25. Also sold were American shelf clocks, and French clocks, to include a wall clock by the master Berthoud and a 19th century Tiffany wall clock.

Gordon S. Converse & Co.’s next big sale is tentatively scheduled for sometime in August (check the websites, at www.AuctionsatConverse.com or www.ConverseClocks.com). Offered will be prints and original art, pottery, porcelains, silver, silver plate and decorative accessories – all online. It may be a “5-10-20” sale, with opening bids of just $5, $10 and $20.

Consignments are being accepted for this and all future sales. To consign an item, estate or collection, you may call Gordon S. Converse & Co. directly, at (610) 722-9004; or, you can e-mail them at Gordon@ ConverseClocks.com. Mr. Converse replies promptly to all e-mails.

Anyone interested in finding out what an antique item might be worth can find out by sending a photo of the item, along with a check for $40, to Gordon S. Converse & Co., Attn: Gordon S. Converse, 758 Mancill Rd., Strafford, PA 19087. For more information, please log on to www.AuctionsatConverse.com or www.ConverseClocks.com. Updates are posted frequently.


Simon Willard:
The top lot of the sale was this beautifully crafted tall case clock by Simon Willard ($57,500).






Gubelin:
Pair of clocks telling the world time and perpetual calendar by Swiss maker Gubelin ($16,100).

Chelsea:
Late 1800s wall clock by Chelsea ($805).

Bracket clock:
This wonderful early 18th century bracket clock brought $4,600.

Atmos clock:
This Atmos clock fetched a surprising $1,265.

French clock:
Late 18th- or early 19th-century French clock ($8,050).

Banjo clock:
Banjo clock signed Aaron Willard ($2,012.50).

ABOUT 35 ORIGINAL WORKS BY THE IMPRESSIONIST PAINTER WILLIAM VINCENT KIRKPATRICK (FLA./N.M., 1939-2004) WILL BE EXHIBITED IN MAITLAND, FLORIDA

Contact: www.Baterbys.com
press@baterbys.com
(866) 537-0265

ABOUT 35 ORIGINAL WORKS BY THE IMPRESSIONIST PAINTER WILLIAM VINCENT KIRKPATRICK (FLA./N.M., 1939-2004) WILL BE EXHIBITED IN MAITLAND, FLORIDA

The paintings come to the Maitland Art Center (MAC) courtesy of Baterbys Art Auction Gallery

(MAITLAND, Fla.) – About 35 original works of art by renowned Impressionist painter William Kirkpatrick (Fla./N.M., 1939-2004), who signed his canvases “William Vincent,” will be exhibited from July 16-Sept. 5 at the Maitland Art Center (MAC). The works are on loan to MAC courtesy of Baterbys Art Auction Gallery, of Orlando and Delray Beach (Baterbys.com).

It will be a coming home of sorts for Mr. Kirkpatrick, who studied at the Center in the early 1950s, when it was still called by its original name, the Research Studio. The young prodigy, born to Irish parents in St. Augustine, began painting when he was 10 years old and won his first art contest at the same age. He studied at MAC under resident artist Lois B. Tracy.

The exhibition is titled William Vincent Kirkpatrick: American Impressionist. It will showcase just a sampling of the prolific artist’s body of work, which consisted mostly of landscapes, florals, figures and portraits. He also painted murals, including two rather large ones at the Tomasita’s Santa Fe Station restaurant in New Mexico, where the artist lived later in life.

Mr. Kirkpatrick’s introduction to Impressionism occurred during the mid-1950s, when he studied and worked under the late writer and artist Alfred Morang, himself an accomplished Impressionist painter. Mr. Morang believed the medium of painting was a reflection of life itself, a “springboard to the imagination,” as he said. He passed this ethos on to many aspiring artists.

Mr. Kirkpatrick was one of three young painters who especially benefited from Mr. Morang's tutelage. The influence Morang had on the young student was considerable – the intimacy of the impressions, the vibrancy of the palette and the enduring affinity for landscapes, as well as other common subjects of interest. Mr. Morang died suddenly and tragically in 1962. At around that time, Mr. Kirkpatrick began studying at the Taos School of Art in New Mexico, and this ushered in yet another phase in his artistic development. It is there that Morang’s direct influence began to enlighten and influence his work, resulting in a style best described as American Impressionism -- bright colors, painterly textures and common subjects.

Mr. Kirkpatrick also studied in Denver (with his friend, the artist Ramon Kelley) and was also influenced by the artists Walter Gonske and Rod Goebel, whom he considered masters of Impressionism. He later studied Realism with the Spanish painter Gilboa, and Impressionism with the artist Mortimer Wilson, Jr., in Arizona. Mr. Kirkpatrick passed away at age 65 in 2004.

The estate of Mr. Kirkpatrick has been diligently maintained by his family ever since his passing. His works, in fact, had been kept from public view for years. But just recently, his mother-in-law approached Baterbys Art Auction Gallery about carrying his paintings on a consignment basis, and today the firm has more than 200 of Kirkpatrick’s original paintings.

The fate of these valuable and rare works has yet to be determined. Baterbys has hinted some or all may come up for auction, but a final decision on that has not been made. For now, the viewing public may enjoy at least some of Mr. Kirkpatrick’s artistic creations through Sept. 5 at the Maitland Art Center, located at 231 West Packwood Ave. (www.maitlandartcenter.com).

A book about the life of William (Vincent) Kirkpatrick, titled Invention, is available on Amazon.com as well as the Baterbys website (www.baterbys.com). For more information about Baterbys Art Auction Gallery, to include their calendar of upcoming auction events, please log on to www.baterbys.com. Their phone number is toll-free: (866) 537-0265.



Village By the Sea:
Original oil on canvas work by William (Vincent) Kirkpatrick, titled Village by the Sea.






Table With Flowers:
Original oil on canvas work by William (Vincent) Kirkpatrick, titled Table With Flowers.

Still Life Savannah:
Original oil on canvas work by William (Vincent) Kirkpatrick, titled Still Life Savannah.

Landscape:
Original oil on canvas board by William (Vincent) Kirkpatrick, titled Landscape.

Bloom:
Original oil on canvas work by William (Vincent) Kirkpatrick, titled Bloom.

Oil on Canvas:
Original oil on canvas painting by William (Vincent) Kirkpatrick, 11 inches by 14 inches.

Baterbys logo:
All of the works in the MAC exhibition are on loan, courtesy of Baterbys Art Auction Gallery.

LiveAuctioneers.com reports booming second quarter

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 8, 2010

LiveAuctioneers.com reports booming second quarter
with dramatic increase in platform use

CEO Ellison views the results as proof of continued strong interest in top-end antiques and fine art

NEW YORK (LAPRS)– LiveAuctioneers.com, the Manhattan-based Internet company that provides an online live-bidding platform and related support services to more than 960 auction houses worldwide, has released second-quarter statistics revealing a marked increase in sign-ups, site visits and page views.

“What our second-quarter results have shown us is that fine art, antiques and high-quality memorabilia seem to be performing as an independent microeconomy,” said LiveAuctioneers’ CEO Julian R. Ellison. “Globally, the economy is struggling, but at the same time, interest in collecting the best examples from any given category has never been higher. Fine art, in particular, has been surging, as we’ve witnessed lately in one record-setting auction after another.”

During the second quarter of 2010, there were more than 2.6 million unique visitors to LiveAuctioneers.com, where both current and archived auction catalogs are readily available to view. This figure reflects a 31.04% increase over the comparable quarter of 2009.

There was also a sizable jump in the number of visits to the LiveAuctioneers site, soaring from 3.2 million in Q2 2009 to 4.1 million in Q2 2010. Statistically, this result equates to a 31.99% increase in site visits.

“Visitors are sticking to the site and viewing more catalog pages than before,” Ellison observed. “During April, May and June, there were 33.7 million page views, as compared to 25.5 million in the corresponding quarter of 2009.”

Ellison added that a sizable flow of traffic is being redirected to LiveAuctioneers on a regular basis through search engines. “Last quarter there were 2.3 million search-engine referrals to LiveAuctioneers – a 16.98% increase over the second quarter of 2009. The user base just keeps on growing,” Ellison said.

Technology continues to be the drawcard for new visitors from non-English-speaking countries. “LiveAuctioneers’ bidding platform can translate nine major languages and automatically convert bids into any of 14 currencies,” said Ellison. “Add to that our online bidding apps for iPhone, BlackBerry and Google’s Android phone, and it’s a package that’s totally up to the minute, offering every possible convenience to enrich the online-bidding experience.”

Ellison noted that auction houses have responded enthusiastically to the company’s White Label platform service, which allows an auction house to customize the online bidding environment for those who participate in their sales. The benefits include being able to brand the LiveAuctioneers bidding platform with the auction house’s own name, linking the platform directly to the auction house’s Web site and allowing bidders to register directly with auction house staff.

“We’ve known from the beginning that in order to stay ahead of the pack we would have to keep the emphasis on new technology. We’re constantly refining, inventing and evolving. That’s where our focus will remain throughout 2010 and beyond,” Ellison said.

Visit LiveAuctioneers online at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

About LiveAuctioneers.com:

Founded in November 2002, LiveAuctioneers.com provides real-time Internet bidding capability to more than 960 auction houses worldwide. LiveAuctioneers.com has opened up once-exclusive antiques and fine art sales to the cyber community through online publication of auction catalogs, and Internet live bidding. For further information, log on to www.liveauctioneers.com.



Media enquiries:
LiveAuctioneers PR Services
pr@liveauctioneers.com

ABOUT 1,200 LOTS OF FIREARMS, MILITARIA, AMMUNITION AND ADVERTISING COLLECTIBLES ARE NOW ONLINE, AT SOLDUSA.COM. AUCTION ENDS JULY 17th

Contact: Chris Roberts
(704) 815-1500
croberts@soldusa.com

ABOUT 1,200 LOTS OF FIREARMS, MILITARIA, AMMUNITION AND ADVERTISING COLLECTIBLES ARE NOW ONLINE, AT SOLDUSA.COM. AUCTION ENDS JULY 17th

(MATTHEWS, N.C.) – Around 1,200 lots of rare and vintage firearms, militaria, ammunition and advertising collectibles are being offered in an Internet auction already underway by SoldUSA.com. The sale went online in mid-June and will conclude July 17. SoldUSA.com is a premier collectibles auction site, with over 42,000 registered users.

Many items in the sale are expected to fetch thousands of dollars. The expected top earner is an extremely fine smooth bore officer’s fusil (light flintlock musket) with both iron and brass decorative hardware (est. $3,100-$10,000). The gun, made by Jeremiah Cooper (N.Y., N.Y., circa 1815-1831) and has a scrolled presentation plate on the right side of the stock.

The presentation plate states, “Awarded by the 4th Comp. of National Guards, Chandler White Capt. to Wm. H. Curtis, for superior shooting, 1 Aug. 1826.” The fittings are half brass and half iron with the presentation plate being German silver. The metal on the musket is a gray patina with light pinprick pitting, the wood is immaculate and original, and the bore is near mint.

Following are additional anticipated top lots of the sale, with high and low sale estimates.

An extremely rare 1910 Colt cowgirl poster (the small lettering variation), as fine an example there is, is estimated to reach $2,000-$8,000. There are four variations of the poster (this one is considered number two). It measures 18 inches by 29 inches and displays a full and colorful cowgirl image, with correct bands top and bottom. It was printed by W.F. Powers Co.

An original Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show poster with Russian Cossacks graphic and in mint condition is expected to realize $1,000-$6,000. It is the best known example of the poster known to exist. The piece – measuring 20 ½ inches by 30 inches – is laid on linen (for archival purposes) and has no fading, soiling or wear at all. It was lithographed by A. Hoen & Company.

A Winchester model 42 .410 pump shotgun (serial #94641), made in 1952 and with a rare second barrel, should climb to $1,500-$5,000. Both barrels are numbered to the receiver. One is marked “SKEET” (26 in.), the other “MOD” (28 in.). The gun is in excellent-plus condition. The luster blue finish on the metal is almost 100 percent there, and the bore action is tight and crisp.

A very rare Winchester 1899 calendar with the December page and correct bands top and bottom has been assigned a $1,300-$4,500 estimate. The calendar, measuring 14 ¼ inches by 26 ½ inches, has had some light to moderate restoration work done to the edges, but it has not been backed and it appears as it did at manufacture. The lithographers were the Forbes Co. (Boston).

Two shell boxes are estimated to bring $525-$2,500. The first is a Cussins & Fearn Co. (“American Standard Loads”) 2-piece empty 12-gage box, all original and showing no restoration at all. It is considered to be one of the top 100 boxes to collect and appears on page 43 of The Encyclopedia of Shotgun Shell Boxes. The box has the correct top and bottom label.

The other one is a Rare Robin Hood (“Capital Shells”) 2-piece empty 12-gage box. The top has a couple of slight scuffs at the edges, but remains overall bright and clean, and the load information end panel has a couple of small tears. The bottom label has some scuffs, too. But the colors on the box are very bright and vibrant overall and it would display well in any collection.

A Colt model 1911 A1 .45 automatic pistol (serial #938990), made in 1943 and with a World War II holster and belt, should hit $1,000-$2,000. Condition-wise, the gun retains most of its parkerized finish (except for some holster wear). The barrel is blued, and the bore shows a grainy patina with the rifling still strong. The gun is complete and fires properly in dry operation.

SoldUSA.com’s next big sale will go online in mid-August and conclude Sept. 18-19. Featured will be high-end ammo collectibles, advertising items, rare tin signs, die-cuts, posters, calendars and many other hunting and fishing collectibles, plus militaria. The auction after that will go online in mid-October and end Nov. 13-14. Watch the website for details on both sales.

SoldUSA.com is one of the oldest Internet companies in the world. It was launched in 1990 by Ronnie Roberts, who began the firm as Dixie Sporting Collectibles. Mr. Roberts very shrewdly took note of the firm’s success with online sales and grew it into what it is today – SoldUSA.com, a premier hunting collectibles Internet auction site with 42,000+ registered users.

To learn more about SoldUSA.com and the auctions slated to end Sept. 18-19 and Nov. 13-14, log on to www.SoldUSA.com. The firm is always looking for quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item or a collection, you may call them at (704) 815-1550, or you can e-mail them at croberts@SoldUSA.com. For more information, log on to www.SoldUSA.com.



Officer's fusil:
The sale's anticipated top lot is this officer's fusil, or light flintlock musket (est. $3,000-$10,000).

Cowgirl poster:
Extremely rare 1910 Colt cowgirl poster, the small lettering variation (est. $2,000-$8,000).

Buffalo Bill poster:
Original Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show poster showing Russian Cossacks (est. $1,000-$6,000).

Winchester model 42:
Winchester model 42 .410 pump shotgun, 1952, with rare second barrel (est. $1,500-$5,000).

Winchester calendar:
Rare 1899 Winchester calendar with December page and all correct bands (est. $1,300-$4,500).








Cussins & Fearn shell box:
Cussins & Fearn Co. 2-piece empty 12-gage shell box, all original (est. $525-$2,500).

Robin Hood shell box:
Robin Hood “Capital Shells” 2-piece empty 12-gage shell box (est. $525-$2,500).

Colt model 1911 pistol:
Colt model 1911 A1 .45 automatic pistol,1943, with WWII holster and belt (est. $1,000-$2,000).

UNIVERSAL LIVE TO HOST MAJOR ONLINE ART AUCTION JULY 9th

July 2, 2010

CONTACT: Martin Shape
(847) 412-1802


UNIVERSAL LIVE TO HOST MAJOR ONLINE ART AUCTION JULY 9th

Sale to feature two original Renoirs, a Manassier and a Rizzi plus twenty signed Leroy Neimans.

(Northbrook, IL) A signed lithograph of his son by Pierre-August Renoir (French 1841-1919) is one of two Renoirs that will cross the block when Universal Live Auctioneers hosts an online high end fine art auction on Friday July 9 at 3:00PM Central Time. The sale will include 275 lots of original paintings, signed lithographs, sculptures and statues representing some of the best known names in the art world. Also to be offered is an extensive selection of antique and vintage posters.

Martin Shape, President of Universal Live, described the auction as, “Far and away one of Universal’s most prestigious in its fifteen year history of conducting thousands of auctions. Opening bids have been kept competitive and there is the potential for outstanding value in this sale.”

Included in the inventory is a second Renoir signed lithograph, an oil on canvas by Alfred Manessier (French 1911-1993), five Peter Max renderings (one original), signed Warhols, a signed nude and others by Wessleman and works by Rashenburg, Jim Dine, Chagall, Miro and Dali as well as Rockwell sculptures and Pescara statues.

Shape said he believes that less than 50 final full-color renderings of Renoir’s “L'Enfant au Biscuit” Child with Biscuit were produced in 1899. Renoir outdid himself and produced what is unquestionably the artist's finest print. The colors have a pastel tonality and a delightful mat finish. Many trials must have been made before Renoir was satisfied. Some proofs exist of the drawing alone in grey-black; others have a light pink for the face. Unfinished versions were also produced in varying degrees of color. We know of only three final color stone lithographs, and this is one of those few,” Shape said. The other Renoir is “Le petit garcon au porte-plume” Little Boy with Quill Pen. In it Renoir skillfully used background shading in order to centralize the focus and the impact of his son within the composition. This intriguing portrait study of Renoir’s young son, Claude, is shown here, deep in childish thought, as he writes (or draws) with his quill pen. His gaze is that of a child's. The overall portrait is a study in concentration, beautifully rendered with thoughtful lines and form.

Just as important is the Alfred Manessier original rare early oil on canvas Sea. The scene portrays rough waters at sea, with seagulls catching the wind above. The artist also later worked in stained glass, and a hint of that can be seen in the pattern of the waves catching the light. His last work for auction was sold for $54,000 in 2007. Manessier's art today is found in some of the most prestigious private collections and museums.

Representing a “Pop Art” rendering is one of the better known artists, James Rizzi, in It's Time to Buy a New TV. He captures the excitement of shopping for a new television in this fantastic three dimensional artwork. It consists of many individual cut out pieces that were pasted on the background at varying heights, making the vibrant scene really “pop out”. The Artist deviated from his usual small renderings and produced a 26 by 36 inch image size. According to Shape it is rare to find a large Rizzi.

The fully illustrated catalog and registration for absentee or live bidding are available through LiveAuctioneers.com at http://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/22029.

For additional information on any lot in the sale, call Martin Shape at 847-412-1802 or email sales@universallive.com.


Caption:

Renoir original stone lithograph “Child With Biscuit”

17th ANNUAL FOLK FEST – THE WORLD’S GREATEST SELF-TAUGHT ART SHOW AND SALE – WILL BE HELD AUG. 20-22 AT THE NORTH ATLANTA TRADE CENTER

Contact: Steve or Amy Slotin
(404) 403-4244 or (770) 532-1115
auction@slotinfolkart.com

17th ANNUAL FOLK FEST – THE WORLD’S GREATEST SELF-TAUGHT ART SHOW AND SALE – WILL BE HELD AUG. 20-22 AT THE NORTH ATLANTA TRADE CENTER

Event will be conducted by Slotin Folk Art, which also holds folk art auctions in Buford, Ga.

(NORCROSS, Ga.) – Folk Fest – billed as “The World’s Greatest Self-Taught Art Show and Sale” – will celebrate 17 years in Atlanta with a three-day show slated for Aug. 20-22 at the North Atlanta Trade Center in Norcross. Nearly 100 galleries and dealers will exhibit at the air conditioned, 85,000-square-foot venue. Norcross is located north of Atlanta, off exit 101 of I-85.

Visitors will pour into Georgia from all around the country to see what’s hot in the world of folk art. Folk Fest is where museums, prominent galleries, serious collectors and major art publications make their new discoveries. Attendees -- ranging from housewives to Hollywood producers - will find items priced from a $5 starter piece to a $50,000 museum masterpiece.

Since its inception in 1994, Folk Fest has become the largest and most important event in the rapidly burgeoning folk art genre. Prestigious galleries and dealers from across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Europe – all specializing in self-taught art, outsider art, Southern folk pottery, antique folk art and anonymous works – have regularly attracted 12,000 people or more.

As with previous Folk Fests, this year’s show will kick off with a Friday night meet and greet with the artists. Attendees of past events have mixed and mingled with some of the biggest names in folk art: Woodie Long, Charles Lucas, Cornbread, Michael Banks, Chris Clark, Willie Jinks, Mary Proctor, Ruby Williams, Michael Crocker, the Meaders family and many others.

Folk Fest has been staged from the start by Steve and Amy Slotin, owners of Slotin Folk Art, based in Gainesville, Ga. The couple regularly holds folk art auctions in Buford, a bit further north from Norcross, in addition to Folk Fest. It was Steve who got the folk art bug first, when he ran across an ugly Lanier Meaders face jug near his childhood summer camp in Cleveland, Ga.

“I discovered there were primitive forms of pottery and art all over the South,” Steve remarked. “These incredible pieces were created by housekeepers, janitors, factory workers, farmers and house painters. They created art, but had very little formal education at all. They used found materials – rusty metal, stray sticks, discarded objects, leftover house paint, mud.”

The art was pure and honest, beautiful in its simplicity and embodying the best the South had to offer. Mr. Slotin knew he’d found a treasure in his own back yard the day he saw that first face jug. He created Folk Fest to share it with the world. He advertised the very first event in a prominent folk art magazine, without a show date, a venue or even a single exhibitor signed up.

“I took this enormous leap of faith,” he said, “believing that if I could just share this primitive art, this local treasure with others, they would appreciate it as much as I did.” His gamble paid off. Exhibitors signed up and on opening night 6,000 enthusiastic people packed the auditorium. Over the course of its 16-year history, Folk Fest has doubled in size and attendance.

Mr. Slotin said that, despite folk art’s emergence as a legitimate and popular art form (it’s regularly displayed at the prestigious High Museum in Atlanta), he still finds himself having to explain to people exactly what folk art is. Generally, folk art (also referred to as self-taught art or outsider art) includes paintings, sculptures and Southern pottery – some of it anonymous works.

“For a long time this art has been kept outside the mainstream art community,” Mr. Slotin explained. “Self-taught art is the most important visual culture America has ever produced. And it’s not country crafts, duck decoys or split-cane baskets. It is highly personal art. It’s religiously inspired paintings, crude tin cutouts, wood-relief carvings and environmental sculpture gardens.”

And it’s usually created from refuse and other found objects. “Self-taught artists don’t seek out the art world,” Mr. Slotin observed. “The art world, collectors and dealers passionately seek them out. Their art is done by untrained people who draw on their culture and experiences in an isolated world. It’s made with a true, untutored, creative passion, raw and totally original.”

Artistically acclaimed acceptance has caused the folk art genre to blossom. But, ironically, its very existence is threatened by the inevitable urbanization and population of the onetime habitat of self-taught artists: rural areas. The purpose of Folk Fest, Mr. Slotin said, is to celebrate these artists and share with the public an art culture whose roots may soon disappear.

Sadly, over the years Folk Fest has had to say good-bye to many of folk art’s more celebrated masters, legends like Howard Finster, Leroy Almon, Mose Tolliver, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, R.A. Miller and Steve Slotin’s first find, Lanier Meaders. But the enthusiasm for folk art continues to strengthen, as visitors pour into Atlanta to add unique pieces to their collections.

Folk Fest will begin on Friday, Aug. 20, with the Meet-the-Artists Party & Show Opening, from 5-10 p.m. ($15 includes readmission). The Aug. 21-22 show hours are 10-7 on Saturday and 10-5 on Sunday. Admission is $7 both days. Children 16 and under are free. The North Atlanta Trade Center is located at 1700 Jeurgens Court in Norcross, off exit 101 of I-85.

For more information, you may call Slotin Folk Art at (770) 532-1115 or log on to www.slotinfolkart.com. Updates are posted often.


Lanier Meaders:
Double face jug by the late renowned folk artist Lanier Meaders.

Howard Finster:
Angel, by perhaps the most famous folk artist of all time, Howard Finster.






Woodie Long:
Jumping on Grandma's Bed by Woodie Long.

Fred Webster:
Snake Handlers by Fred Webster.

Cornbread:
Guinea Fowl by the artist Cornbread.

Mose Tolliver:
Cross by the late Mose Tolliver.







R A Miller:
Red Devil by the late R. A. Miller.

Bill Traylor:
Blue Cat by renowned folk artist Bill Traylor.