The natural world, and mankind’s place as an instinctive maker in that world, was, for a time, on the verge of being forgotten. During the late Victorian period in England, anxieties surrounding industrialized life triggered a bold reassessment of handcraftsmanship. The threat of cheap factory labor compelled designers and artists, who saw decorative expertise fading in the background of mechanization, to advocate reform and promote the advancement of the designer as craftsman. This shift, known as the Arts and Crafts movement, sought to create environments that incubated talent and upheld the cultural importance of fine workmanship. Similarly, the American Arts and Crafts movement followed British ideals and resulted in the birth of several utopian communities who cultivated fields such as woodwork, pottery, textiles, and metalwork. Then, ...Read More

In 1913, the Association of American Painters and Sculptors hosted the International Exhibition of Modern Art, commonly referred to as The Armory Show. This three-city exhibition, which ran in New York City, Chicago and Boston, was the pioneer exhibition of modern art in the U.S. and introduced American audiences to the concepts of Expressionism, Futurism, Cubism and other emergent styles championed by the European avant-garde. Lot 1, Hananiah Harari, Aeroscape, Oil on canvas, 1937; Estimate $4,000-$6,000 Although Americans had been astounded by what they saw in 1913, the two decades that followed The Armory Show were difficult for American modernists seeking to exhibit their work. The art establishment seemed to prefer the sure-bet of American Impressionism, with the more rebellious dealers exhibiting European Expressionists and Surrealist...Read More

He claimed that La Sirene, The Goddess of the Sea, was his life-partner and for a third generation Vodou priest with an aptitude for painting, they would have undoubtedly made a wondrous pair. "He" is Hector Hyppolite, the mythical painter considered to be the spiritual father of the Haitian Art Movement. Hector Hyppolite was born in 1894 in Saint-Marc and began his early life continuing his family tradition as a Houngan (Vodou priest) who also, on occasion, made shoes and painted houses. However, it wasn't until Philippe Thoby-Marcelin, a Haitian poet and novelist, noticed Hector Hyppolite's painterly talents that Hyppolite's rather isolated life began to unfold into a noticeable career in the arts.  Lot 74, Hector Hyppolite, "Poisson A Tete De Femme", Oil painting on board; Estimate $20,000-$40,000 In 1946, Philippe Thoby-Marcelin brought...Read More

Bidsquare is proud to be the exclusive online host for Rago Auctions’ collaborative sale, the Smithsonian Visionary Artists Benefit Auction, which celebrates the distinct and honorable Visionary Award. Established in 2014, the Visionary Award is presented annually at the Smithsonian Craft Show to artists who have risen to the pinnacle of the world of sculptural arts and design. This year’s recipient, Joyce J. Scott, joins the small but prestigious list of past recipients: Faith Ringgold, Dale Chihuly, Toots Zynsky, Wendell Castle and Albert Paley. The auction catalog features works created by past and present Smithsonian Visionary Artists, many of whom are familiar to the Bidsquare auction block, and will be sold to benefit the Smithsonian Institution. It's important to note that all 13 lots in the Visionary Benefit Auction are of the prima...Read More

A/D (“Artist Designer”) was a strong and unique voice in the 80s and 90s, for it was the only publisher of editions with the unique distinction to commission projects only from visual artists, and only for functional objects that were meant to be lived with and used. Lot 775, Sol LeWitt, Three End Tables; Estimate $20,000-$30,000 The idea was that visual artists would bring different solutions to design problems, and would challenge material limits in ways that designers and architects normally would not. The success of the gallery and all that they published was a result of this challenge, and of the standards that they were willing to commit to projects. The roster of artists published by A/D is impressive, from Sol LeWitt and Chuck Close, to Jennifer Bartlett and Arlene Shechet; and the fabricators used were always the best possible, wil...Read More

Rago in Lambertville, NJ will be featuring over 900 lots of decorative arts and paintings spread over three sales on April 13 and 14. In addition to their major offering of Asian works of art from the Estate of Hellen and Joe Darion, there is also a strong representation of Asian objects from China, Japan and the Himalayan region in their Remix: Classic + Contemporary auction on April 13.  Lot 263, Japanese Satsuma Porcelain Vase; Estimate $7,000-$10,000 One of the highlights is lot 263, a Japanese satsuma vase. Estimated at $7,000-$10,000, this vase has the mark of the prestigious Kinkozan studio, one of the top manufacturers of satsuma wares including Satsuma Lamps & Vases during the late 19th Century. Even though the majority Kinkozan’s works were offered to the domestic market, many major pieces were sold overseas to Europeans and Ameri...Read More

One feels an overwhelming desire to reach out and touch the heavily decorated and fiercely fibrous pages that crop up on Allie Alvis' bibliographic Instagram feed. Each post offers an educational and mostly fascinating peek inside the intriguing world of antique paper, embellished bindings and calligraphic celebrations. Alvis 'Boomerangs' gold leaf manuscripts from the 14th century, reveals hidden fore edge paintings, and points out creative markers left behind by medieval scribes. It's through her Instagram (@book_historia) that the she shares excerpts and close-ups from the Cullman Library and other libraries around the globe. The self-titled, "Pink-haired book historian" is a Reference Librarian for the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History - and it looks like fun.  After c...Read More

The results are in, and the March Asia Week auctions on Bidsquare featured exceptional prices! Many auction houses including Skinner, Brunk and Leslie Hindman yielded strong results for their Asian works of art from regions including China, Japan, India, and the Himalayas.  Chinese art is still the top performer as evidenced by the top pieces sold at Skinner’s Asian Works of Art auction on March 22. The biggest surprise was lot 298, a large cloisonné charger with dragons. Conservatively estimated at $1000-$2000 and with a ‘Ming-style’ attribution, this object realised almost 32 times its low estimate with a realized price of $319,800! Lot 298, Large Cloisonne Charger with Dragons; Sold for $319,800 The large charger is decorated with two confronting dragons in the central scene, all on a sky-blue ground containing floral blooms and Buddhist...Read More

Wedgwood is ripe for collecting with examples manufactured in a variety of bodies, colors and subject matter over 260 years of production. To the novice, Wedgwood is often light blue jasper or perhaps a familiar dinner service from childhood. What they might not realize is the breadth of production or the fact that Wedgwood collectors span the globe. Follow these pointers to learn how to identify Wedgwood and what to look for in this collecting area. Lot 176, Wedgwood Thomas Lovatt Solid Black Jasper Portland Vase; Estimate $2,000-$4,000 1. Quality  Look for especially high relief with good undercutting and fine details. This factor is a crucial indicator. Use the pointers below to hone your knowledge and your eye. 2. Marks  18th-century marks include an all lower case mark, a Wedgwood & Bentley mark, and an upper-lower case mark. 19th-cent...Read More

Among the most exciting and innovative periods in American silversmithing are the years between 1867 and 1887, a period of creativity in form inspired by the influence of the Aesthetic design movement and the growing interest in all things Japanese that permeated the American consciousness in the late 19th century. The latter of these influences, a byproduct of the forced opening of the U.S/Japan trade at the hands of Commodore Matthew Perry and the American Navy in 1854, spurred the adoption of a distinctly Japanese design sensibility across a wealth of American decorative arts. Lot 1208, Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Tea Set; Estimate $6,000-$9,000 At Tiffany, this hunger to capture the Japanese aesthetic was led by its head silver designer, Edward C. Moore, in the latter half of the 1860s. Moore’s designs won a bronze medal at the 1867 P...Read More