From his earliest days, Alexander Ney knew what it was like to struggle. Born in Leningrad in 1939, he was a two-year-old when Hitler’s Germany launched their siege on his city, a battle that would prove to be the second most lethal of World War II. The city’s rail lines were cut, severing all access to food and power supplies. In the winter that ensued, between two and three million civilians, including 400,000 children, perished. Yet Alexander Ney survived. After gaining private art lessons from influential Russian sculptor V.V. Lishev, he studied at the Leningrad Academy of Arts, and then at the Surikov Moscow Art Institute. After graduating, he taught sculpture to children at the House of Young Pioneers in Leningrad. Ney defected to France in 1974, before moving on to New York City. On Wednesday, October 7, Kodner Galleries offer bidder...Read More

Ms. Sue Blair broke into the fashion industry in Paris when John Fairchild of Women’s Wear Daily introduced her to Jules Francois Crahay, the then head designer for Nina Ricci and later Lanvin. Ms. Blair went on to rub elbows with some of fashion’s biggest names throughout her career. The October 7 Luxury Accessories and Vintage Fashion auction at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will feature a special session of couture garments from the collection of Ms. Sue Blair, an international model and associate for important designers. Sue Blair with designer Jules Francois Crahay, Sue Blair with Bill Blass Ms. Blair moved to both Paris and Jerusalem with her husband who had worked as the foreign correspondent and bureau chief for The New York Times. In Paris she became the “muse” of Jules Francois Crahay and so began a great friendship that lasted until...Read More

One of the most interesting pieces on offer in The Cobbs Auctioneers’ Fine Art, Jewelry, Rugs, Collectibles, and Americana sale has to be the "Don’t Give Up The Ship" Eagle banner by John Haley Bellamy. Selling as Lot 89 on Saturday, October 3, this finely carved original is an impressive piece of Americana descending from the heart of New England’s rich nautical tradition. Bellamy has been variously described as a disciplined laborer, a helpless drunkard, a manic inventor, an aloof poet, an irresponsible pleasure-seeker, and a devoted kinsman. A 19th Century folk artist from Maine known for his stylishly carved wooden eagles, conceived for display on ships and homes, he was a confidant of Twain’s who kept mostly to himself. Bellamy never considered himself an artist, and is not known to have signed any of his pieces. Yet today, the demand ...Read More

Man’s relationship with sapphires goes back to earliest civilization. A sapphire was one of the twelve precious stones set in the Israelite High Priest’s breastplate, while in ancient Greece and Rome, kings and queens wore sapphires to protect them from envy and harm. In modern times the sapphire has maintained its place at the epicenter of the precious stones market. So much so that in 1981, when Prince Charles was looking to pop the question to the beautiful Diana Spencer, he sealed the deal with a stunning blue sapphire engagement ring. On Tuesday, September 29, Skinner gives you the chance to feel like royalty when they offer Lot 647 of their Fine Jewelry sale. Produced by the iconic jewelry house of Cartier, this gorgeous necklace features a pendant set with a 30 karat cushion-cut sapphire, framed by full-cut diamonds, suspended from a...Read More

Thomas Moran was an English-born American painter of the Hudson River School with a penchant for painting the Rocky Mountains. Residing in NYC, he was chief illustrator at Scribners Monthly, a position that helped launch him as one of the premier painters of the American landscape. Lot 262 - Thomas Morans Feudal Castle Morans vision of the West was critical to the creation of Yellowstone National Park. Commissioned by the United States Geological Survey to travel to the unknown region, he produced a series of paintings and sketches that captured the nations attention and helped inspire Congress to establish Yellowstone as the first national park in 1872. Today, his work is held in the collection of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, and is exhibited as part of the White House Collection. Barack Obama and Shimon Peres meet under the ...Read More

Over a twenty-year period, Cleveland’s Bob and Ann Friedman assembled a spectacular collection of contemporary art glass. With keen eyes, they travelled the country, amassing a beautifully curated 300-piece collection, with artists represented including David Bennett, Latchezar Boyadjiev, Emily Brock, Jose Chardiet, Dale Chihuly, William Morris, Dan Dailey, Richard Jolley, Hitoshi Kakizaki, and other category leaders. The Friedmans were true art lovers - they enjoyed the company of the artists whose work they collected, often entertaining them at their stylish Lyndhurst home. Lot 81 - William Morris Rhyton Bull On Saturday, September 26, Wolfs Gallery offers bidders the chance to savor the legacy of these inspired collectors when they offer the Friedman Collection of Contemporary Glass and Artwork for auction. Also included are a grouping o...Read More

There’s sure to be a memory or two sparked on Sunday, September 20 when Lot 6476 in Clars Auction Gallery’s September Fine Art & Antique sale goes under the hammer. A photo taken by American professional Art Rogers, it was once the center of a seminal copyright case that saw one of America’s leading artists come away with the proverbial black eye. Where it all began - eight adorable puppies wade into the cutthroat world of art The story begins in 1988, when artist Jeff Koons, deciding to create a sculpture called "String of Puppies," sent a greeting card bought in an airport gift shop to his workers in Italy. The photograph, which featured a couple holding eight German Shepherd puppies, became the model for four Koons sculptures, three of which sold for a total of $367,000 at SoHo’s Sonnabend Gallery. "String of Puppies" by Jeff Koons Upon ...Read More

Trying to operate a toy these days is enough to make your head spin. With technology often so advanced you need a degree in computer science to understand what’s going on. Well, at least that how it seems when the three-year-old next to you is playing around on his mom’s iPad. There was a time however, when toys were built with charm. Even more amazingly, there was a time when toys were built to last. On Saturday, September 19, Cowan’s Auctions offers bidders the opportunity to invest in childhood nostalgia when they stage their Cleveland Fall Auction Including Dolls and Toys auction. Lot 316 - the cast iron girl skipping rope mechanical bank The sale features a large collection of vintage toys, including wind-ups, figurines, mechanical banks, dollhouse pieces, trains, a hobby horse, plus a fantastic collection of vintage dolls from around ...Read More

Marc Petrovic, Glass Artist and Professor at Cleveland Institute of Art, and Bridget McWilliams, Director at Wolfs Gallery discuss: The Friedman Collection, contemporary glass at auction and the contemporary glass movement, its influencers and artists.

From our first Timex through to our last Rolex, man’s relationship with his watches tells the story of his life. As times passes, experience and maturity bring a greater appreciation for quality; we grow weary of our collection of assorted funky disposables and look for something a little more classical and substantial to lend weight to our appearance. On Wednesday, September 16, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers offers bidders a gilt-edged invitation to invest their hours wisely when they stage their Fine Timepieces sale. 133 lots are set to go under the hammer, with a stunning array of wristwatches, pocket watches and clocks cataloged from the likes of Cartier, Rolex, Piaget, Breitling, Jaeger LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet, Omega and more. Look now at the full catalog. For the man of ambition, purchasing a Rolex is a statement of stylistic intent. ...Read More