By 1976, promising Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming was looking for something to increase his physical and mental discipline. Taking the advice of mentor, Yang, he took up Tai chi, a decision that would have a profound effect on his work in the ensuing years. As his practice evolved, Ju Ming started thinking about sculpting works with a T’ai chi theme. Later that year he staged a solo exhibition at the National Museum of History, a show that proved such a success he would go on to be named one of the Ten Outstanding Taiwanese Youths of 1976. On Sunday, September 13, bidders get their chance to see what all the fuss was about when Lot 91 in Clarke Auction’s Important Fine Art, Midcentury, and Jewelry sale goes under the hammer. The powerful bronze figure is from Ju Ming’s 1984 T’ai Chi series, and comes signed and dated. What a brilliant opportuni...Read More

Wickliff Auctioneers’ Premier September Auction promises to be a real dazzler. Running over two days, it features nearly 700 lots of expertly curated pieces sure to be in high demand. Day 1 on Friday, September 11, focuses on jewelry, with names like Tiffany, Honora, Yurman, Hardy and Judith Ripka among the brands represented. Bidders will find themselves feasting on a stunning array of rings, necklaces, bracelets and more, plus pre-owned and new timepieces.  Lot 543 is expected by many to top the sale. A Tiffany & Co. diamond platinum lace necklace of quatrefoil lily link design, it contains a total of 259 white round brilliant cut diamonds. Any bidder hunting that special ring for that special someone will be looking long and hard at Lot 530, a platinum 2CT Marquis diamond ring loaded with star power. Clocks turn up everywhere these days ...Read More

The old adages about buying an engagement ring – that the groom-to-be should walk into his neighborhood jeweler and pick out the biggest ring he can buy with two months’ salary, that it should be a round brilliant cut solitaire on a platinum band, that it must be brand new because no one wants to wear “someone else’s ring” – are getting rather tired, don’t you think? For many, buying a ring at auction is a somewhat mysterious or even intimidating proposition. Others have simply never entertained the thought. We would like to shine some light on auctions, particularly our triannual Important Jewelry sales here in Chicago’s West Loop, as the ideal place to make this important purchase. Unbeatable value, a full range of style options, the possibility of owning and wearing a true antique: these are a few of the reasons we suggest including an a...Read More

There’s something about the collecting of stamps that is instantly nostalgic. Not surprising really, when you consider that for many of us, they were the first things we ever collected in earnest. Yet there’s more to stamp collecting than freckle-faced 10-year-olds with lovingly preserved albums. It’s a multi-million dollar industry, filled with savvy collectors investing their time and dollars wisely. On Thursday, September 10, Rago offers bidders the chance to build out their stamp investments when they stage their Stamps, Coins and Currency sale. Best not to dawdle though - the sale kicks off with over 50 lots of world stamps from the collection of Dr. Robert Peter Turk, a distinguished soldier, a committed physician, a scholar, and an outstanding educator.  Lot 3000 is sure to create its share of interest. Featuring vintage stamps from ...Read More

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi is widely recognized as the last great master of the Japanese ukiyo-e genre of woodblock printing and painting. His career spanned two eras – the last years of Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868), and the first years of modernization following the Meiji Restoration. As time passed, Yoshitoshi became increasingly concerned about the loss of traditional Japanese culture. So much so that by the end of his career, he was almost single-handedly struggling against time and technology. Alone, he managed to push the traditional Japanese woodblock print to new levels, before it effectively died with him in 1892. Posthumously, his reputation continues to grow. Two of the 47 woodblock prints that make up The Faithful Samurai On Thursday, September 10, Rago offer bidders the opportunity to sample the legacy of this heroic Japanese artist...Read More

It’s a sale whose very name betrays the great diversity of the pieces on offer. Friday, September 4, Stair Auctioneers & Appraisers hold their English, Continental, Asian and American Furniture, Decorations and Art sale, and as you work your way through the title you soon realize about the only thing they left out were fresh fruits and vegetables! Of course the great winner in all this is the bidders, both online and in person on the Stair premises. With 375 lots representing such diversity, this is sure to be a sale that sends most bidders home with a cheery smile on their face. American Furniture The great American novel demands a great American desk! Lot 146, an American rosewood grained and stenciled kneehole writing table should provide amble inspiration to your efforts to become the next Salinger, Fitzgerald or Hemingway. Honestly, if...Read More

Bidders looking to kickstart their art collection should pencil Friday, September 4 in their dairies, when Cowans Auctions hold their annual Studio Painting, Prints and Works on Paper sale. 155 lots go under the hammer, presenting a great opportunity for both first time buyers and established collectors to snap up affordable art of the highest order. The sale features fine paintings, prints and works on paper - late 19th Century and early 20th Century pieces by respected artists such as Reginald Grooms, Paul Ashbrook, Charles Meurer, E.T. Hurley and others. Look now at the full catalog. Lot 118 features three lithographs by Leonor Fini, an Argentine surrealist painter, designer, illustrator and author known for her unapologetic depictions of powerful women. Lot 47 is a simmering autumn landscape by Harris Shelton, a Texas lawyer who began p...Read More

Pook & Pook, Inc. warm up for Labor Day next week when they present their largest ever online only sale, a three-day extravaganza featuring over 2,300 lots. Set down for September 1, 2 & 3, the auction series include items from individual collectors, estates and institutions from all over the country. What a way for the company to kick off its long awaited fall auction calendar! Lot 871, Native American beadwork, including pouches, a pincushion, and two Skookum dolls The Online Americana auction on Tuesday, September 1 offers bidders a chance to own classic pieces of American decorative arts. This highly accessible sale includes strong examples of folk and fine art, furniture, stoneware, silver, metal and woodwork, Toys, Native American objects, and a variety of Pennsylvania-made pieces. Lot 1156, five assorted dresser boxes, a brass lock b...Read More

When you think Chinese sculpture, typically, you think of jade. Prized for its hardness, durability, musical qualities and beauty, jade has been the go-to stone in virtually all periods of Chinese history. By the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.) the royal family and other big wigs were so enamored of the stone they were burying each other in jade suits sewn in gold thread, with the idea that it would preserve the body and the souls attached to it. On Friday, August 28, Converse Fine Arts & Antiques Auctions offers bidders a gilt-edged opportunity to invest in jade when they hold their Important Asian Online Auction. Sprinkled among the 290 lots on offer is a great selection of jade pieces, available at a variety of price points. Lot 53 is a real eye catcher! An exquisitely carved 19th Century white jade fishing boat. The sweet smell of suc...Read More

Estate sales are a collectors dream. Not only do they provide a plethora of great pieces across a whole range of categories, but they bring with them a deep sense of immediate history. When you buy from an estate sale, you get an overwhelming sense of your place in the chain that is the auctioned piece’s history. Welcome aboard stranger…you are the newest link. On Thursday, August 27, Rago offers bidders a wonderful opportunity to take their place in history when they stage their Unreserved Estate Goods & Jewelry sale. 625 lots are set to go under the hammer, and such is the range of collectibles up from grabs that bidding is sure to be spirited. Below, weve picked out a few pieces of interest, but really, were only scratching the surface. For the full catalog, head to Bidsquares online auction page now. Just the name is enough to get your ...Read More