The spotlight will be focused on estate jewelry and fine art at John Moran’s two-session Antiques and Decorative Arts Auction to be held on April 27th.
The evening session’s many pieces of exquisite jewelry include an abundance of diamond solitaire rings of all cuts and sizes. Among those are a 10.79 ct round-cut diamond ring offered for $20,000 – 30,000, a 3.01 ct round-cut and a 4.03 ct round cut ring offered at $9,000 – 12,000 each, and a pear-shaped diamond set in an 18K gold ring and weighing in at 3.95 ct that is expected to bring $5,000 – 7,000. Another pear-shaped diamond, weighing 2.65 cts, is offered for $12,000 – 15,000. Several emeralds, aquamarines, and sapphires set as rings, necklaces and earrings are also sure to attract enthusiastic bidding, such as a 22 ct pear-shaped Columbian emerald ring (est: $5000 – 7000), a 5.25 step-cut emerald ring accented with 34 round-cut diamonds (est: $3500 – 4000), and an amusing vintage aquamarine sputnik pendant (est: $5000 – 7000).
Bidders will also find one of John Moran’s largest ever selections of wrist and pocket watches, with offerings from all the major makers: Rolex, Tissot, Cartier, Omega, Piaget, Audemars Piguet, Chopard and Tiffany to name a few.
Renowned scenic and costume designer Alexandre Benois was the art director for silent filmmaker Abel Gance’s epic masterpiece, “Napoleon”. This sketch for the character Saint-Just is estimated to bring $4000 – 6000.
Though jewelry is sure to draw a large audience, a quality selection of fine art from 19th and 20th century European and American artists is also expected to shine in the evening session. Moran’s has steadily built up a strong record for sales of European paintings, in addition to their well-known sales of American Impressionists, and is thrilled to be offering several works by important Russian artists, including four oils and two watercolors by the Futurist David Burliuk (1882 – 1967). A member of the Blue Rider Group along with such other luminaries as Kandinsky, Jawlensky and Feininger, Burliuk is represented in the collections of world-class museums including the Met, the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, the Whitney and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. With accessible estimates ranging from $400 up to $9,000, the six paintings are an exciting opportunity for collectors to acquire the work of a major innovator in 20th century art history.
Another immensely influential Russian, Alexandre Benois (1870 – 1960), was renowned as a critic, art historian and editor, but best remembered as the scenic director of the Ballets Russes and the 20th century’s pre-eminent stage and costume designer. He was also Art Director for French silent filmmaker Abel Gance’s 1927 masterpiece “Napoleon.” The four graphite-on-paper drawings by Benois in the April 27th sale were prepared for that film, including a drawing of St. Just, who was played by Gance himself. Each of the four works is offered with an estimate of $4000 – 6000.
Film enthusiasts will also appreciate a work from another well-known Russian, Boris Chaliapin (1904 – 1979) the portraitist and illustrator who created over 400 covers for Time magazine. He is represented in the sale by a 1941 oil portrait of the character actor Akim Tamiroff (est: $5000 – 7000.) The Oscar-nominated Tamiroff made over 150 appearances in movies and tv shows and reputedly inspired the character Boris Badenov on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. Other artists represented in the auction include Paul Jacoulet, Martin Coulaud, Vincenzo D’Auria and John Francis Murphy. Two charming oils by Italian/American artist Virgilio Tojetti (1851 – 1901) depict figures frolicking in trees filled with lovely spring blossoms (est: $3000 – 4000).
Russian Futurist David Burliuk’s painting of a milkmaid with cow and ducks is one of six works by the Blue Rider member at Moran’s April sale. It is estimated at $5000 – 7000.
As usual, bidders will find an exceptional selection of decorative arts. Highlighting the silver offerings is a magnificent Tiffany sterling silver flatware service in the “Wave Edge” pattern made in the late 19th century. The 258-piece service for twelve comes to auction directly from a descendant of one of the partners in the firm of Tiffany and Co. and is estimated to sell for $20,000 – 30,000.
John Moran is anticipating an exciting sale. The fully catalogued evening sale is scheduled for 6:30pm. For those unable to attend the sale in person, absentee and telephone bidding are offered, as well as live online bidding through ArtFact.com. A fully illustrated catalog of the evening sale will be available on Moran’s website at johnmoran.com. The afternoon Discovery Sale, an un-catalogued, no-reserve auction open to floor and absentee bidding only, will offer the same types of items as those in the evening session and begins at 3:00pm. All of John Moran’s auctions are held at the Pasadena Center in Pasadena, CA.
For more information, please visit www.johnmoran.com, or call 626-793-1833, or email [email protected]