Auction PR Publicity Announcements News and Information
Auction PR Publicity Announcements News and Information

Skinner’s Auction of European Furniture and Decorative Arts to Feature Large Collection of Wedgwood Wares; Highlights Include Anna Pottery Snake Jug and Vezzi Teapot

BOSTON, Mass. – Skinner, Inc. will host an auction of European Furniture and Decorative Arts in two sessions on Friday, January 7th and Saturday, January 8th in its Boston gallery. The first of four European Furniture and Decorative Arts sales Skinner will host in 2011, this sale will offer more than 1,000 lots of material.

Approximately 500 lots of America and English pottery and porcelain will be offered, highlighted by nearly 400 lots of assorted Wedgwood wares. Featured in the sale are selections from the Benton and Beverly Rosen Collection, the Ron and Carol Glynn Collection, the Lotwin Collection, the stock of Earl Buckman and pieces from a private New York gentleman. 18th to 20th century, including a wide variety of jasper and dry body wares, studio pots and a large and varied assortment of Keith Murray wares provides this auction will offer something for every level of Wedgwood collector. Also included in the sale is a nice assortment of wares manufactured by Minton, Worcester and Doulton as well as examples of Picasso pottery.

One notable highlight is a rare Anna Pottery snake jug from Aura, Illinois. This is a fantastic example of the imagination and exuberance of American pottery in the 19th century. The Anna Pottery was run by the brothers Cornwall and W. Wallace Kirkpatrick in Anna, Union County, Illinois, between 1859-1896. Their whimsical, imaginative and wonderfully bizarre creations were displayed at various venues, including international exhibitions such as the Philadelphia Centennial in 1876, and reflect the cultural and political nature of a mid-late American state. Anna pieces rarely appear at auction. Lot 3 is estimated at $20,000 to $30,000.

Also of note is a Vezzi Teapot, a very early piece of European porcelain. Examples like this are rarely seen outside of museums. Not only is it an example of the infancy of porcelain produced in Europe, it is also a rare survival from a Venetian factory. Vezzi was the first Italian factories to make hard-paste porcelain, though the company was short-lived, founded in 1720 and closed in 1727 when it went bankrupt. At the time, the quest for producing true porcelain like that made in Asia was a frenzied one in Europe. Lot 632 is estimated at $20,000 to $30,000.

Other highlights include lot 680, a French Art Nouveau carved walnut sideboard attributed to Eugene Gaillard (1862-1933), a famous Art Nouveau designer. This piece displays classic Art Nouveau styling, with its use of sinuous, whiplash curves, and naturalistic elements. It is estimated at $3,000 to $5,000. Also up for bid is an Austrian cold painted bronze figural boudoir lamp, lot 991, designed as cast by Franz Xavier Bergman, one of, if not the, most famous Austrian producers of these types of whimsical bronzes. This piece bears Bergman’s mark of the letter B within a stylized vase and shows incredible detail. The lamp is estimated at $2,000 to $4,000.

Previews, Catalog and Bidding
Previews for the auction will be held on Thursday, January 6th from 12 to 8 p.m. and Friday, January 7th from 12 to 8 p.m. Illustrated catalog #2532B is available by mail for $35 ($42 for foreign requests) from the subscription department at 508-970-3240. It is also available at the gallery for $32. Prices realized will be available at www.skinnerinc.com during and after the sale. Skinner’s site also allows users to view all lots in the auctions, leave bids, order catalogs, and bid live in real-time through Skinner-Live. To register for real-time bidding go to http://www.skinnerinc.com/buy-sell/skinner-live.php. Or, for more information call 508-970-3000.

www.skinnerinc.com

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