For the second year in a row, Bidsquare is pleased to virtually present the Smithsonian Craft Show, an event steeped in excellence - showcasing America's finest craftspeople across multiple disciplines: Ceramics, Glass, Mixed Media and Paper, Decorative Fiber and Basketry, Jewelry, Wearable Art, Furniture, Leather and Metal, and Wood. The event, typically an in-person affair, has attracted enthusiastic patrons for over 30 years. Through the dedication of the Smithsonian Women's Committee, a core group of volunteer advocates who help fundraise for research grants and specialty programs to benefit the Smithsonian, the craft show continues to connect highly-skilled artisans with a devoted audience. This year, the Artist Shops feature 98 individuals who highlight all of the triumphs and expressive kudos that contemporary craft has to offer. The...Read More

Two classic cars, a 1958 Jaguar XK150 drop-head coupe and a 1970 Mk 2 Morris Mini Cooper S - are to be auctioned in Sworders' October 19-20 Design sale. The two cars come for sale in Essex from the executors of the late Cedric Gillson and are both in exceptional condition. Cedric ‘Gilly’ Gillson, the owner of Haworth quarry, was as proud a Yorkshire gentleman as you could find. He was seldom parted from his tweed flat cap for long (the auctioneers even found one under the seat in the Jaguar) and kept his vehicles in a heated double garage, arguably enjoying more luxury than Gillson permitted in his own home. Lot 1, a 1958 Jaguar XK150 drop-head coupe. Coming up in Sworders' Design sale on October 19. He purchased the XK150 drop-head in 1989 in parts as a restoration project (it had been garaged for almost its entire ownership) and famously ...Read More

An autograph book with a story so evocative of the British music scene in the early 1960s comes for sale in Sworders' Design auction this month. The notebook includes the signatures of three of The Beatles, together with those of Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Dave Clark Five, Cliff Richard, and Helen Shapiro. The notebook includes the signatures of three of The Beatles, together with those of Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Dave Clark Five, Cliff Richard, and Helen Shapiro. It is expected to make £800-1,200 as part of the Design auction on 19-20 October. The vendor, ‘Sue’, was one of three classmates at a North London grammar school, all born in the summer of 1949. She was aged between 13 and 15 when these autographs were collected. Lot 531, A 1960s autograph book, The Beatles, c. 1963 “Originally I was a mad keen Cliff Richard fan. I had a life-...Read More

'The ideal chair does not exist’, Hans J. Wegner, one of the most iconic names in Design history once said. Perhaps he was right? Wegner spent his entire life in pursuit of the unattainable ideal, which would see him reinventing the chair again and again for almost half a century in over 500 different ways. Throughout life we are told to sit up straight and not to slouch on sofas and armchairs – Wegner turned this notion on its head and was often seen with his legs swung over the armrests of some of his most iconic designs. At the centre of Wegner’s design philosophy was always universal comfort - the ability to always sit in whichever way is most comfortable and shift effortlessly between various positions. Lot 607 | Design, Wednesday 20 October. An 'AP-19 Papa Bear' chair, designed by Hans Wegner for A P Stolen, Denmark, reupholstered in ...Read More

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Freeman’s is honored to present The Alexander Hamilton Collection of John E. Herzog, a single-owner sale of Alexander Hamilton material, in an October 25 auction. Collectors of documents of American history, particularly items related to Hamilton and the US Federalist Era, will find objects of deep significance—including rare documents, autograph letters, checks, and broadsides—from a critical and fascinating moment in American history, presented by the specialists in Freeman’s Books and Manuscripts department. Lot 10, [Hamilton, Alexander] [Public Credit] Report of the Secretary of the Treasury to the House of Representatives, Relative to a Provision for the Support of the Public Credit of the United States...the 14th Day of January, 1790. First edition of Alexander Hamilton's fundamental report that ushered in the finan...Read More

We hope everyone had a fun and successful New York Asia Week! As many of you know, New York Asia Week has grown into a major two-week event held every September and March. It marks the beginning of the Asian art season, and prior to the pandemic, it was an essential destination for both experienced Asian art connoisseurs and beginners alike. Asia Week New York features a plethora of Asian themed auctions, exhibitions, gallery openings, and has even launched satellite events in Boston, Chicago and Washington D. C. Despite Asia week wrapping up last week, Asian art themed auctions are still ongoing throughout October, notably at Freeman’s in Philadelphia. Founded in 1805, Freeman’s is known as America’s oldest auction house and they have been putting together important Asian art sales over the past 15 years. Freemans will be offering their As...Read More

As summer winds down we begin to see the leaves starting to change color, slightly cooler mornings and pumpkin spice everything popping up on menus near you. September is not only the start to fall but also a good time to review the market as we close quarter three in the marketplace. If you refer back to our Top Picks article from July, 2021 the Pop Culture market was continuously breaking records only set a month or even a week before. People couldn't get enough Pop Culture! I’m happy to report the market has largely stayed the same. While there may have been a subtle market correction for items that underwent a rapid price inflation, their values are still 100% to 500% higher than a pre-pandemic market. But just slightly depressed from peak COVID time of January-July, 2021. However, items of true rarity and collector quality could not be...Read More

Paul Howard Manship (American, 1885 - 1966) created four bronze fountains The Moods of Time: Morning, Day, Evening, and Night for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. The sculptures were hour markers on a large sundial, allegorical figures representing the time of day. They were located in a reflecting pool in front of companion work Time & Fates of Man, in the Fair’s futuristic exhibition The Worlds of Tomorrow. The scale was monumental, the sundial pointer stood eighty feet. An enormous perisphere loomed in the background.  After Paul Howard Manship (American 1885-1966), four bronze sculptures, cast posthumously, The Moods of Time: Morning, Day, Evening, and Night, estiamted at $15,000-$25,000 At the time, Paul Manship was the most celebrated sculptor in America. As a student at the American Academy in Rome from 1909 until 1912, he became inte...Read More

The allure of Provence has long been an inspiration for artists and writers looking to enjoy its relaxed atmosphere and slower pace of life. Fortunately, Sworders upcoming Fine Interiors auction (September 14-15) is well-supplied with beautiful pieces that encapsulate this style and can inject a little Provencal magic into the home, wherever that may be. Lots from Sworders upcoming Fine Interiors auction on September 14-25 The fascination this area held for Van Gogh, Matisse, and Cezanne is understandable, with its beautiful light and cheerful – yet not overbearing – a spattering of colour (hues of orange, green, yellow, and violet abound in the area’s vernacular buildings and natural landscape). This distinctive character is reflected in its houses and interiors, from relaxed and comfortable farmhouses to magnificent châteaux. Lot 697, Hen...Read More

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way–things I had no words for.” – Georgia O’Keeffe Since time immemorial, people have found unique ways of expressing themselves through art. Prehistoric paintings illustrate the inherent connection between human beings and their roots in nature. Paintings also served utilitarian needs in folk culture before a patron system emerged in the medieval age. It was only when "art for art's sake" became the new form and style of expression in the West that the economics of art began to change. The 19th century witnessed the emergence of commercial art galleries. Subsequently, during the 1900s, the rich bought paintings and objet d’art that recreated the lost charms of the past. International art dealers played a key role in the economics of art during this period. Jose...Read More