A blur of yellow taxicabs and hasty pedestrians flutter around Manhattans famous intersection, Columbus Circle, like a bright dial pushing the gears of a clock forward. Millions of yearly rotations are completed, generating the kaleidoscopic energy branded by no other city beyond the streets of New York. Anchored between Broadway and 8th Ave is the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) standing ten-stories high, above all the commotion, like a shimmering monolith.  This November, Bidsquare is proud to partner with the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) as the corporate sponsor and online auction host for MAD Ball 2017, an event that has recognized visionaries in the fields of the art design, business, and philanthropy for the past twenty years. The annual gala will bring together over five hundred guests for an evening that weaves creative recogniti...Read More

A young princess finds her heart in loves hidden amphibious depths while King Dumpling feasts on gnocchi inside a thick gold frame. Rago Auctions, Curiouser & Curiouser sale on October 22nd was no ordinary catalog, offering items cloaked in folklore and tightly tailored to the niche of both outsider art and one-of-a-kind oddities. Bidsquare’s online bidders clicked and waved their mouses like magic wands - bopping items on their heads and growing bids to twice their estimated size *poof!* Nearly 75% of all participating online bidders came through Bidsquare totaling over $160,000 of wins and securing the top 3 highest sales.  Here are some of the curious characters that enchanted the Curiouser & Curiouser charts: Lot 142, The Frog Prince, Terra-cotta with a fine polychrome, leathery glaze, German, 19th c; Sold For $37,120 Hopping over 4x th...Read More

The people of earth were busy in the summer of 1969; the Stonewall riots triggered the gay rights movement, 400,000 Americans (and their VW buses) descended on Bethel, NY for the Woodstock music festival, Charles Manson and his "family" committed a series of heinous murders and platform shoes were peeking up over the horizon. Through all of the violence and clouds of marijuana smoke, one particular event humbled them all - NASAs Apollo 11 Moon landing on July 20, 1969 and the gravity of the situation was far out, man.  On November 2, Skinner Auctions will host The Beauty of Space: Vintage NASA Photos showcasing the extraordinary photographic journey to the Moon and back as seen through the eyes of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronauts. Primarily viewed as scientific records, these NASA images clearly transcend documentation and confron...Read More

Silver, prized for its beauty and malleability, is one of the first metals discovered and used by humans. Silver objects dating ca. 4000 BC have been found in Greece and Anatolia (modern Turkey). Rago Auctions, Great Estates sale on Saturday, October 21 features a study in silver from some of the world’s most respected makers, including Tiffany & Co., Gorham, Buccellati and Georg Jensen. Explore the history and significance of some of these lots below. Lot 1037, Set of Gorham Martele Silver Plates (15); Estimate $30,000 - $50,000 The Gorham Manufacturing Company introduced Martele silver to great acclaim at the 1900 Paris Exhibition. Gorham’s Martele silver is hand-wrought in limited quantities, contains a higher standard of silver than sterling and often features extensive chased decoration - making it both costly and rare. These 15 Martel...Read More

Demonic possession. It can happen to anyone or anything - this unfortunate occurrence does have the tendency to befall objects and persons more easily this time of year. Perhaps, the concentrated acknowledgment of the dead is to blame. With thousands of Witches, Wiccans, Druids, and other Pagans gathering for Samhain painted skeletons parading on Dia de los Muertos and the conjuring of Americas similarly timed folk holiday known as All Hallows Eve, its no wonder why spirits come knocking.   While chilling winds begin to crawl toward winter's solstice, Rago Auctions prepares to host an unusual and fitting sale for the haunting season. Their Curiouser & Curiouser auction on October 22nd will feature objects curated by Marion Harris that lay latent with intrigue and shadowy pasts; outsider art, folk art, sideshow-related items, scientific and ...Read More

This season’s Asian Art market has gotten off to a great start! September saw an astonishing number of Asian Art pieces offered through Bidsquare with many exceptional results. It comes as no surprise that the majority of the Asian Art top sellers originate from China, thus showcasing the insatiable demand for top quality artworks from this region. The Chinese items still trending include traditional and 20th Century painting, classical furniture, mark and period porcelain, jade carvings, and bronzes. Skinner had their Asian Works of Art auction on September 15th. Their sale featured over 500 lots from China, Japan, the Himalayan Region, and India, with solid results across the board.  Lot 429, Kingfisher Feather Headdress and Four Hairpins, China, 19th Century; Sold for $110,700 Their highest-selling item was lot 429, A Kingfisher Feather ...Read More

As deciduous tree leaves gradually intensify and fade to perform their seasonal vanishing act, a warm display of color is revealed and provides autumnal bakers with an earthy template to reorganize their spice rack around - its about to be not-so-lazy-susan time!   Can you picture yourself happily clapping clouds of flour around a classic country kitchen? Then you'll want to thumb through Bidsquare's catalogs in search of antiques that have equipped dedicated flour fluffers for decades.    Here are some recommended ingredients when adding a savory dash of Americana, 20th Century Design and collectible antiques to your kitchen: Lot 2669, Jason Wein; Cleveland Art, Cluster Conveyor Light, Cleveland, OH, 2013; Sold for $687.50 Reminiscent of crab cages or deep frying trays, these reclaimed and patinated fixtures offer perfectly on theme lumino...Read More

Seven auctions - one weekend. Only a tightly run ship like Rago Auctions could victoriously steer their way through a deluge of items such as this! The entirety of 20th Century Design was represented from September 22nd-24th and Bidsquare bidders certainly took notice of the rare and important opportunities that this presented. Participants coming through the online platform spanned from America to Australia and they clicked, clicked and clicked again!  Bidsquare raked in $614,900.00 in online sales and over $3.7 million of total bids placed. The following selections are just some of the extraordinary results from Bidsquares weekend wins at Rago: Lot 1566, Lino Tagliapietra, Hama Hama vessel, Blown, inciso, and battuto glass, Murano, Italy, 1997; Sold for $21,760 Glass has always performed steadily on Bidsquare and the Modern Ceramics + Gla...Read More

On September 23, 2017, Rago will offer for sale the early 20th century design collection of Richard and Peggy Danziger. Richard Danziger, a prominent New York City attorney, began amassing his exceptional collection of early 20th-century furnishing and design in the 1980s. With the passion and instincts that make for a top-tier collector, he developed his eye in the galleries of the most knowledgeable taste-makers in the field. The Danziger Collection showcases both the beauty and utility of early 20th-century design, with rare pieces from Stickley, Rohlfs, Dirk van Erp, Tiffany Studios, and more. Having lived with these works for over three decades, the Danzigers are ready to see their collection move on to the homes of others who appreciate their aesthetics and history. The following pieces, selected by David Rago, represent just a sampli...Read More

When light is the inspiration for a living room the slightest cast shadow can define dramatic corners like a theater of white space. Recessed walls perform minimalistic movement for shelved objects that rest in their purposeful positions. Bright furnishings open complex monologues - there are no small roles here. With several modern design sales coming up at Rago this month, we called upon renowned NYC based interior designer and mid-century modern specialist, Amy Lau of Amy Lau Design to hear how she perfectly cast objects in her East Hampton Retreat project.  "A harmonious living space is as beneficial to our health as good food and exercise," Lau explains, "In creating spirited and meaningful environments, I draw upon the inherent beauty of natural materials and landscapes. I spend time getting to know the surroundings so I can understan...Read More