If an auction and its cast of items were likened to a cinematic production, nobody would be able to predict its ending. You might have your favorite movie characters picked out, but who jumps into the spotlight to carry the plot is anyone’s guess. We are always on the look out for moments that elevate unsuspecting items and Bidsquare bidders created quite a few zingers during Skinner’s 20th Century Design sale on December 14th.  Here are the Top 5 items that stole the show on Bidsquare! Lot 328, Two Multicolored Storage Units, Wood and paint; Sold for $17,200.00 What could have been an extra drinking coffee in the background of our auction movie turned into an oscar winning performer. These playful storage units rushed into focus as the highest selling lot in the sale and sold for nearly 57x their $300.00 high estimate for a whooping $17,20...Read More

Its when you turn around at the door to go back and find your gloves that you realize theres no more pretending - Old Man Winter has returned and hes blowing a grumpy wind in everyones direction. Creatures large and small tuck themselves away in search of comfort and warmth and we instinctively do the same. The defining moment that us Homo sapiens love to brag about is our ability to build a fire, and actually, we still cant think of a better way to pass the time this winter, than to gaze within the flames of your furnace as foot-long icicles start collaring your home.  Galerie Magazine, Connecticut Library designed by Charlie Ferrer, Photography by Joshua McHugh In our winter edition of "Make Room" we are simply melting over this recently featured design in Galerie Magazine by Charlie Ferrer for its harmonious methods and handsome hibernat...Read More

The shadows that attach and drag themselves around the sweet subjects of painter Wayne Thiebaud can glue you down to a single image for hours. Often shades of blue, these sugary shadows arouse and anchor an already vibrating color palette and offer dimensional delights to the fine portrayal of classic American confections. Lot 200, Wayne Thiebaud, Lollipop Tree, Oil on board under glass, 1969; Estimate $400,000 - $800,000 If paintings could raise your blood sugar, the one coming up at Nadeaus Auction Gallerys, Important Annual New Years Day Auction on January 1st should be consumed slowly. Topping the charts, like a giant dollop of whipped cream is Lollipop Tree, by Wayne Thiebaud from 1969 estimated for an intimidating $400,000 - $800,000. Complete with the ultimate stamp of approval, in the form of a Allan Stone Galleries label on the ver...Read More

Included in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ December 14 Post War and Contemporary Art auction is sculpture Metal Negro y Metal by Jesús Rafael Soto. Lot 3,  Jesús Rafael Soto, Metal Negro y Metal, Painted wood, metal and nylon thread, 1969; Estimate $100,000 - $150,000  This sculpture by artist Jesús Rafael Soto will be available in Leslie Hindman Auctioneers' upcoming Post War and Contemporary Art auction. This is the first time the sculpture will be offered for sale since it was purchased by the current owner in 1969, the same year it was made. Venezuelan born Soto is best known for his large-scale installations that draw inspiration from the kinetic and op art movements. Soto’s work often blurs the lines between his interest in movement and also the illusion (accentuate) of movement. This sculpture is one such example of that dynamic. The ca...Read More

It came to me like an unthinkable apparition...the sheer exactness of it all! I felt bamboozled...simply wide eyed! I am talking about the hypnotically decorated New York City townhouse of Neil Patrick Harris and husband David Burtka that I stumbled upon this week. When he isnt winning Tony Awards, filming hit television shows or popping up in movies, Neil Patrick Harris is doing magic. Not only does he serve as the President of the Board of Directors of Hollywoods Magic Castle and performs his own tricks - he collects.    In this edition of Make Room, were helping you to start the ultimate illusionist den of your own. [Disclaimer] Recommendations for hidden passageways will not be given, as that would clearly defeat the purpose. Photo: Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka’s Harlem townhouse; Architectural Digest Lets begin at the end of th...Read More

Even if you havent seen Casablanca, you've probably quoted it. The famous phrase, "Here's looking at you, kid" that we find ourselves smoothly reciting, was originally ad-libbed by Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) in the most iconic romantic melodrama ever filmed. The timeless classic continues to sweep starry-eyed viewers off of their feet and should one of them happen to be you, we found the perfect chair to catch your fall.  Lot 511, Kathy Callahan, Humphrey Bogart Chair, Plywood and paint, Massachusetts, 1991; Estimate $300 - $500 Dry your eyes! Youll never have to rehearse bitter-sweet goodbyes to Rick Blaine again! Coming up at Skinner, 20th Century Design sale on December 14th is a unique, hand-painted chair depicting Humphrey Bogarts character from Casablanca. How can you resist the design possibilities that this nonchalant stud so coo...Read More

It’s not every day an auction house sells a life size fiberglass cow in a top hat alongside Abraham Lincoln’s signature, a Hadrosaur dinosaur egg, and a New England Queen Anne tall chest. On December 13th, Pook & Pook is going to do just that when they offer up The Eclectic Collection of John Rexroad of Madison, Connecticut, over 300 lots of antique furniture, fine art, clocks, petrified objects, Native American items, ceramics, famous signatures, WWII posters, textiles, trade signs, and more. Lot 231, Life size painted fiberglass cow; Estimate $200 - $300 John Rexroad was born into the field of antiques. Collecting art and antiques has been with him for his entire life.  As a child John was surrounded by historic artifacts and art collected by his grandparents during their world travels. John’s passion for collecting evolved throughout his...Read More

There are enough precious metals burning deep inside Earths core to cover it in a thirteen-foot thick layer of high luster, extremely valuable bedrock (we choose to picture a globe of pure gold). The myriad of magical materials waiting to be mined or violently spit out by volcanic eruptions have fascinated mankind for millennia - especially when its destined for design.  Starting this weekend, Bidsquare will begin the holiday auction season in a series of fine jewelry sales from auction partners such as Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, Fortuna Auction, Rago, Cowans Auctions and Skinner. Here are some upcoming selections that epitomize the extreme beauty of our natural world: Lot 132, Cartier Coral, Diamond, and Emerald Flower Brooch; Estimate $15,000 - $25,000 Blooming inside the catalog at Fortuna Auctions' Magnificent Jewels sale on December 1...Read More

The rooms we love never look as if they came ready-made from a box. They reflect the person who lives within their walls. Ragos Remix - Authentic Style auction on December 2nd is an homage to bucking the norm in favor of authentic style. We (Rago) sat down with Rago’s Design Director, Arlen Sam Brown, to discuss a few of her favorite pieces of décor in the sale and to get some tips on working them into a broad range of design styles. Lot 645, Pair of giltwood fauteuils, French, Late 19th/early 20th c; Estimate $500 - $700 This pair of armchairs is the embodiment of the Remix story - a pair of 100 year old gilt wood fauteuils re-upholstered in a whimsical and contemporary embroidered fabric. You couldn’t ask for a cleaner example of old meets new. Perfect as a pair of french chairs pulled up to a bistro table in the kitchen. Elevate your din...Read More

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! December is typically a quiet period for Asian Art, but there are always great items to discover on Bidsquare. First up is Jackson’s International Auctioneers and Appraisers three-day sale of Native American, Asian, European and American Works! Day 1 of the sale takes place on December 5th and features over 500 Asian Works of Art from China, Japan, and the Himalayan Region. Highlighting this sale are two incredible Japanese pieces from the late Meiji Period (1868-1913). Lot 79, A Very Fine Japanese Mixed Metal Bronze Lidded Urn; Estimate $800 - $1,200 One of these is lot 79, A Very Fine Japanese Mixed Metal Bronze Lidded Urn. Standing at a good height of 9.5 inches, the attractive urn has fluted sides containing realistic mixed metal chrysanthemum blooms in silver and gold. The urn’s shoulders a...Read More