12 Holiday Gifts for the “Impossible to Buy For” on Bidsquare

Dec 12,2023 | 13:00 EST By E. Jung

12 Holiday Gifts for the “Impossible to Buy For” on Bidsquare

Looking for unique, one of a kind, and environmentally friendly gifts? You’re going to win with these. We all have someone on our list who is difficult to shop for. The holidays are more than gifts, sure, but what does one do for someone who is utterly wonderful but they just have everything? We have ideas to make your holiday shopping easier. We are leaning into the trend that’s been warming up for a few years, gift giving in a more climate-friendly way. It’s been circulating as early as 2021 in this Washington Post article, but the buzz this year is that it is indeed a long term trend indeed, toward a reducing the environmental impact of gift-giving. In the best cases, this may also be somewhat budget friendly. The rhetoric coming into play with this approach feels so fresh, and includes clutter-reducing ideas in the form of consumables, ...Read More

Alluring Art Objects and Accessories from the Estate of Chara Schreyer

Nov 14,2023 | 12:00 EST By E. Jung

Alluring Art Objects and Accessories from the Estate of Chara Schreyer

Fine Estate Inc. hosts a collection of items from the estate of indomitable tastemaker and art collector, Chara Schreyer. The sale, Art & Jewelry from The Chara Schreyer Collection will be held Nov 19, 2023 at 2pm EST. Fine Estate Inc., a leading Bay Area auction house, is showcasing an incredible selection of jewelry and works of art from her estate. Chara was known throughout elite fine art circles for building one of the world’s leading collections of modern and contemporary art, as well as for her devotion to philanthropy in support of the arts.  Her California homes were renowned for being more akin to galleries than living spaces, and she frequently hosted tours of her collection for enthusiasts and educational institutions alike.   Within the sale are incredible, unique pieces for collectors and aesthetic enthusiasts alike. A standou...Read More

Kimball Sterling's One-Owner Outsider and Folk Art Collection Showcases Masters of the Unconventional

Oct 30,2023 | 10:00 EDT By E. Jung

Kimball Sterling's One-Owner Outsider and Folk Art Collection Showcases Masters of the Unconventional

There’s an auction unlike any other happening next weekend. Kimball Sterling, known for its cane auctions, some from celebrity owners, is hosting “Outsider, Folk Art and Pottery- A one owner Collection.” Outsider and folk art, often overlooked by mainstream art circles, offers a fascinating glimpse into the uncharted territories of creativity. This genre, characterized by its untrained and often unconventional practitioners, captures the raw, unfiltered expressions of individuals who exist outside the traditional art world. The auction catalog features 93 works of art including paintings, sculpture, and ceramics. There’s a range of works from Mose Tolliver, Buddy Snipes, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Ned Berry, and James H. Jennings.  Mose Tolliver, affectionately known as "Mose T," emerged from Montgomery, Alabama, with an artistic vision entirely hi...Read More

The Moke Mokotoff Collection of Asian Art at Stair

Oct 04,2023 | 09:00 EDT By Anthony Wu

The Moke Mokotoff Collection of Asian Art at Stair

One of the most exciting collections of Asian art will be offered through Bidsquare at Stair, Hudson NY, on October 5. Titled ‘Asian Works of Art’ this sale features just over 200 lots with the majority originating from China, the Himalayan region, India and Japan. Many collectors have been anticipating this auction for weeks. Of particular interest are approximately thirty objects from the Moke Mokotoff Collection. John ‘Moke’ Mokotoff (1950-2022) was a New York dealer of East Asian art who specialized in Chinese and Indian textiles. He was also a devout practitioner and teacher of Buddhism, and for over forty years acquired hundreds of objects from the Himalayan region. Many pieces from his collection were recently offered at Christie’s New York in September of 2023.  At Stair, one of the most attractive lots from the Mokotoff Collection ...Read More

Chinese Porcelain Treasures from New Jersey at Tenmoku Auctions

Sep 28,2023 | 13:00 EDT By Anthony Wu

Chinese Porcelain Treasures from New Jersey at Tenmoku Auctions

Even though New York Asia Week wrapped up just a couple of days ago, there are still numerous Asian art themed-auctions going on at Bidsquare! One of the most exciting sales is at Tenmoku Auctions in Fairfield NJ.    On September 30, Tenmoku will be offering over 250 lots in their ‘Chinese Ceramics & Asian Works of Art’ auction, with most originating from China and Japan. These include bronze sculptures, earthenware figures, mark and period porcelain, Buddhist art, jade carvings, domestic furniture and scroll paintings.   The highlight of the sale is lot 60, a Chinese celadon glazed double gourd vase with a rare Yongzheng mark on the base. The mark suggests a dating of 1723-1735 and the vase’s form is extremely elegant. Double gourds have a significant meaning in Chinese culture. Since it consists of two spherical halves, double gourds can ...Read More

Painter of the National Parks

Sep 26,2023 | 14:00 EDT By Cynthia Beech Lawrence

Painter of the National Parks

Two very exciting paintings grace the October 5th and 6th Americana & International auction at Pook & Pook. Collectors will have the opportunity to acquire works by a recently rediscovered artist of international renown, who played an important role in promoting National Park landscapes to the American public. Gunnar Widforss (Sweden, United States, 1879-1934) roamed the world looking for beautiful landscapes. Born in Sweden, he earned a living in the first decades of the 20th century plein air painting in spa towns and scenic spots around the Mediterranean, where he was in proximity to both beauty and a customer base. He achieved success, having two paintings accepted in the Paris Salon. In 1921 he began a journey to Japan, which ended when he ran out of money in California. While there, Widforss fell back on his work formula of scenery an...Read More

Beached in Brighton

Sep 21,2023 | 12:00 EDT By Cynthia Beech Lawrence

Beached in Brighton

More than two hundred works by John Constable (1776 – 1837) are related to time he spent in Brighton between the years 1824 and 1828, half of which are small, vivid sketches such as lot #435. In this ink wash, three fishing boats rest on a beach. The nearest is recognizable as a Brighton Hog-boat with its leeboard hanging off the side, the center boat with a lug sail. A cluster of buildings and a fenced walkway lined with figures form the horizon. Visible on the walkway is a man sporting a top hat. Although the boats are resting, the curved lines of their hulls, of the bluff, and the cumulus clouds, together with the sparkling light suggest an exuberant scene. John Constable came to Brighton for his wife, Maria, who contracted tuberculosis in 1819. In an effort to restore Maria’s health with fresh sea air and sunshine, Constable moved his f...Read More

Fashion Features come and go, but Icons Live Forever

Sep 12,2023 | 16:00 EDT By E. Jung

Fashion Features come and go, but Icons Live Forever

It’s no accident that caftans experienced their comeuppance, but they’ve had staying power that outlasts the typical fashion cycle in the last few years. Seen in 2019 on the mainstage of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 11 “Category is: Caftan Realness” and again in Florence for the debut of Emilio Pucci’s 2023 Spring Ready to Wear Collection, this ancient holy garment turned 1970’s resort wear has seen multiple reincarnations, for years and years.  Now, whom do we have to thank for ushering their permanence into the fashion cannon, giving everlasting eye-catching flow on catwalks and Palm Springs poolsides? Why, of course, André Leon Talley.  Highlighting the late fashion journalist, editor-at-large of Vogue and fashion royalty is STAIR Galleries, with an upcoming sale of personal belongings from Talley’s estate. STAIR introduced the “The Collec...Read More

Unveiling the Elegance: Antique Canes Auction

Sep 08,2023 | 09:00 EDT By E. Jung

Unveiling the Elegance: Antique Canes Auction

Walking sticks, canes, staffs - these seemingly ordinary objects have a rich history of being both functional and fashionable. The upcoming Antique Canes Auction from Kimball Sterling, on September 16, is a journey into a world where craftsmanship, artistry, and historical significance merge. Let's explore some of the most notable lots that will be going under the gavel. 1. The Sword Cane: A Dashing Accessory with Hidden Power Made circa 1875, topped with a two piece walrus handle with an  etched bulldog, is the Walrus Sword Cane [Lot 44] a perfect blend of style and self-defense. Sword canes, popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, often concealed a small blade within their elegant design. More minimalistic designs in the sale include the Presentation Sword Cane [Lot 54], Pike Defensive Sword Cane [Lot 105], and the simply titled Sword Can...Read More

A Revelation of Chinese Works of Art at Revere Auctions

Aug 31,2023 | 15:10 EDT By Anthony Wu

A Revelation of Chinese Works of Art at Revere Auctions

With the Fall 2023 Asia Week New York just around the corner (September 14-22!) numerous American regional auction houses are gearing up for an action-packed Asian art season! One of the most exciting sales coming up takes place at Revere Auctions in St. Paul, MN.  On September 12, Revere Auctions will be selling 165 lots of Asian art in their sale titled ‘Movement: Fine Chinese & Southeast Asian Art’. This sale includes mostly objects from China such as contemporary sculpture and paintings, classical furniture, domestic and export porcelain, snuff bottles, jade carvings and Buddhist artworks. Many of the highlight pieces up for sale were previously in the collection of Bruce Dayton and his wife Ruth Stricker Dayton. Bruce Dayton (1918-2015) was a businessman and philanthropist whose family owns the Target Corporation.  The major highlight ...Read More