On September 21, the auction event The Genius of Gianni Versace: A Collection of His Iconic 90s Designs will be conducted by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers and include over 350 vintage Versace items from some of the designers’ most recognized work. This single-owner collection was carefully curated in the 1990s by a gentleman who recognized the artistry, fearlessness and talent of Gianni Versace. The trend setting designs, paying homage to Versace’s classical European roots, struck a chord with the collector who would go on to explore the many facets of the fashion house. Assembling a thoughtful representation of Versace became his passion, as is evident by this superb and rare collection of both couture and accessories, which he stored meticulously for the past twenty years. Items from Versace’s Baroque, Teatro, Bondage, Animal Print, Miss S&M...Read More

Director of Rago's Unreserved Department, Michael Ingham explores works by the Memphis Group! The Memphis Group from Rago Arts and Auction Center on Vimeo. Transcript: "Let’s take a quick look today at two lots featured in our upcoming August Rago Unreserved Auctions. "Memphis, founded by Ettore Sottsass, reacted against the international style and gave post-modernism in the 1980’s its most recognizable expression. "Lot 600 is Martine Bedin’s Super Lamp. Bedin, a French architect, is the youngest of the three founding members of Memphis. She was a talented lighting designer, and this lamp is classic example of her work. "Lot 601 is a perfect 1/6th scale replica of Masinori Umeda’s Ginza robot bookcase. Umeda valued Memphis’ references to the past, its humor, color, style, and ornamentation. The Ginza robot referances Umeda’s Japanese herita...Read More

If our memories could be wound back by the simple twist of a plastic dial, everyone would have the chance to revisit moments they spent with their favorite toys. On the reel of childhood highlights, there lies a special toy that accompanied us at school, on family trips, and one that had to be kept in our direct line of sight before bedtime. However, long after we've outgrown this gleeful stage of amusement, the magic within these nostalgic objects remains the same. In the auction world, the vintage and antique toy market are overflowing with charming stories that all originate from this place of play. Did the distant melody of an antique music box ever make you smile? Maybe the wheels of a cast-iron carriage parked themselves on a curious corner of your heart. Perhaps, you're tinkering with the idea of collecting vintage or antique toys! I...Read More

Skinner’s tradition of notable Americana sales continues with auctions on August 12 & 13 and an online auction August 6-14. The two-day and online sales comprise nearly 1500 lots of fine American folk art, furniture, ceramics, and maritime antiques. Day 1 kicks off the auction with two outstanding collections, the Collection of Gail and Don Piatt and the Arthur & Sybil Kern Collection of American Folk Art, Part I. The Piatt collection features a delightful array of fine country antiques with an emphasis on early New Hampshire painted furniture, samplers, lighting, decorative arts, and painted miniature smalls. Highlights include: • Rare cupboard/watch hutch (Lot 28, Estimate $4,000-$6,000) • Needlework Sampler “Ruhamah Dearborn,” Portsmouth, New Hamphsire (Lot 68, Estimate $2,000-$3,000) Lot 28, Rare Early Red-painted Pine Hanging Cupboard ...Read More

Before the invention of neon signs, digital marquees and blinking tubular alphabets, business owners across 18th-19th century America had to make due with straightforward materials such as tin, cast-iron, wood and paint to drive their marketing initiatives. To strike the interest of potential customers, local shops relied on imaginative branding through handmade signs and whimsical window displays.  These antique signs may appear humble, compared to our technological tinsel, but in terms of ornamental charm and attention to detail, these advertisements have what it takes to exude nostalgic staying power.  Lot 14, American Cast-Iron and Tin Occulist's Sign, 19th Century; Estimate $2,000 - $4,000 On August 4th, Stair Galleries in Hudson, NY will be showcasing an eclectic Americana auction featuring items that represent the collecting traditio...Read More

Playing with temperatures that reach 2000°F is a game that takes a lot of practice, especially when you're the one responsible for telling the flames what to do. Similarly, in both the ceramic and glass discipline, a great deal of success depends on the makers ability to take aim at a desired form and know exactly how much stress their creation can withstand. Though unpredictable at times, those who are able to master the fury of the flame have access to an endless gamut of fascinating outcomes. It's no secret that ceramic and glass art is one of Bidsquare's strongest categories, and over the years we've seen our bidders turn up the heat to capture exceptional works of art. Here are some of our favorite wins: Lot 1094, Yoichi Ohira, Massive Nostaldia Vase, Murano, Italy, 2004; Sold for $57,600 Originally estimated $15,000 - $20,000, this la...Read More

Amid the return of summers' humid haze and oppressive drought, a wind as sharp as an arrowhead punctures through with a familiar, howling signal - turning every Western art lovers attention toward the same place. On July 28th, The Coeur d'Alene Art Auction will hold their 33rd annual Fine Western & American Art auction from the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno. The catalog will include 315 selections of unparalleled quality that represent the most revered names the genre has to offer. Online bidding will only be available exclusively through Bidsquare.  Panoramic depictions of canyons, golden prairies and majestic mountainsides are met with an assortment of characters that navigate the classic American landscape through a variety of candid narratives. Masterfully painted night scenes, depicting moonlit ancestral teachings, are saturated in the s...Read More

Revolutionary craftsmanship should never be taken for granted, even after 250 years of practice.  What happens when artistic achievements appear so effortless that they set a new industry standard? In the case of Josiah Wedgwood, the founder and pioneer of the renowned English manufacturer known as Wedgwood, it was exactly this keen sense of precision and progress that exposed the modern world to the exquisite mastery and industrial expansion of both decorative and fuctional ceramics.  When grouped together, the extent of Wedgwood's accomplishments quickly come to life; one can appreciate ancient poetic narratives, everyday functionality, bright color palettes and wild sculptural feats spanning hundreds of years in the making. It is the vivid imagination and meticulous detail of Wedgwood (no matter which century it was produced) that makes ...Read More

When Judy Kensley McKie starts planning her next furniture piece, she begins by loosely drawing on a "lousy" piece of paper, knowing that it will surely be thrown away. A meditative state is required, something that she achieves through studious contemplation, sitting and sketching fast. She can sense when the marks are getting her somewhere and eventually, she settles on a direction in the midst of her remedial scraps. McKie's process is not only unconventional, it is as unplanned and humble as her furniture-making career - but why question a good thing when it works? Lot 170, Judy Kensley McKie Studio Furniture Antelope Sofa; Sold for $31,980 You can't tell by looking at it, but even something as refined as Lot 170, Judy Kensley McKie, Studio Furniture Antelope Sofa, recently sold to a bidder through the Bidsquare platform in Skinner's 20...Read More

We don't normally suggest that our audience booze and bid at the same time, but in this instance, we think it might go rather well. Our newfound thirst is a delightful side effect after browsing Skinner Auctions, Fine Wines & Rare Spirits sale coming up on June 26th. With First Growth Bordeaux, including a case of 1990 Margaux, two bottles of  Domaine de la Romanee Conti Romanee Conti 2010 and the Rhone, Piedmont, Tuscany and California vintages fully outfitted, the only thing that seems to be missing is a plate of rosemary crackers and stinky cheese.   Lot 137, Domaine de la Romanee Conti La Tache 1985, 3 bottles; Estimate $11,000 - $15,000 Here to give us three quick tips while we sip and search this upcoming catalog is Marie Keep, the founder and Director of the Fine Wines department at Skinner: BSQ: What advice would you offer to someon...Read More