Auction Blog



Multiple Estates Provide Eclectic Offering of Fine and Decorative Arts at Schwenke November Fine Estates Auction


Posted November 8th


Extensive Gorham LaScala Sterling Flatware


W. Thompson Coin Silver Tea Service


Chinese Cloisonee Enamel Vase, Qianlong Mark


Chinese Famille Rose Porcelain Vase


Chinese Carved Hardwood Marble Top Altar Table


Chinese Carved Panel


Louis Vuitton Luggage Case


Spanish Church Interior, OC


Fritz Scholder Oil-Linen Of A Native Dancer


In The Manner Of Paolo Veronese Boy With Shield


James K. Bonnar From A Rear Window OC


Attr. Joseph Hoppner, Portrait Sir John Beckett


Framed Alexander Calder Pencil Signed Lithograph


George III Serpentine Dressing Chest


Oriental Room Size Carpet

Also Featuring a Large Collection of Asian Decorative Arts

Woodbury, CT – On Thursday November 16th, Schwenke Auctioneers will hold its November Fine Estates Auction with an offering of over 390 lots of freshly consigned estate property from estates throughout Connecticut and Westchester County, New York. The auction includes a broad selection of Asian decorative arts, American, English and Continental decorative arts, folk art and American country furniture, English & other sterling silver, jewelry, fine art, miscellaneous decorative arts, and estate oriental rugs.

This auction is an online sale with absentee and phone bidding, plus live internet bidding on multiple platforms. Bidding begins at 12:00 noon on November 16th. Preview times are Sunday, November 12th from noon to 6:00pm; Monday, November 13th, Wednesday, November 15th from 10:00am to 5:00pm, and Thursday, November 16th from 9:00am to 12:00 noon sale time. Preview is also available at other times by appointment. The gallery is closed from 12:00 noon on Thursday, auction day.

The top lot of the sale is an extensive set of Gorham sterling flatware in the "LaScala" pattern, comprising thirty five dinner forks (84.608 OZT), thirty two luncheon forks (49.295 OZT), twenty seven soup spoons (44.195 OZT), eighteen fish forks (14.660 OZT), eighteen tablespoons (33.855 OZT), eighteen teaspoons (22.485 OZT), nineteen dinner knives, seventeen luncheon knives, eighteen fish knives, nineteen fruit knives, seventeen butter knives, two serving forks (5.2 OZT), three serving spoons (16.835 OZT), one ladle (2.62 OZT), one pie server, two pickle forks, (1.265 OZT), one pierced server (3.345 OZT), three pierced salad servers (10.396 OZT). Total weighable silver 282.859 OZT. Provenance: Property of a CT Private Collector.

Other lots of sterling silver include a Black Starr & Frost sterling pitcher, 7 1/2" high, 8 1/2" wide and weight: 17.875 OZT, provenance Property of a New York City Private Collector; a Gorham sterling handled tray with repousse floral border; and a set of four sterling candlesticks, by Hawksworth Eyre & Co.

American coin silver lots include several different groups of coin silver flatware and other items, but most notably a three piece coin silver tea set, marked "Wm. Thomson-New York", comprising a tea pot, lidded sugar bowl and a creamer, with total weight 70 OZT, and provenance: Property of a CT Private Collector.

Also offered in some quantity is Native American and Mexican sterling silver jewelry, including three Navajo silver cuffs, a Navajo silver and multi-stone ring and belt buckle, and two Mexican sterling bracelets including an onyx or jet inlaid hinged bangle signed with illegible hallmark.

A large number of Asian decorative arts items are being offered, including Chinese and Japanese cloisonné urns and vases, Satsuma porcelains, Chinese export and domestic porcelains, Asian bronzes, Chinese wood carvings, Japanese woodblock prints, Asian folding and hanging screens, and Asian furniture and architectural elements. Among the fine cloisonné items is a Chinese cloisonné enamel vase, Qianlong mark, in a flattened pear form with dragon and flaming pearl amid clouds, measuring 9" high, 7" wide, 2" deep. Another Asian item of interest is a Chinese blue and white porcelain charger with scalloped edge and decorated with a peacock and flowering blossoms, measuring 18" diameter, provenance: Property of a West Coast Private Collector. Also featured is a Chinese cast bronze censer with wild boar masks and eight immortals in relief, four character mark to underside, mounted on hardwood stand, dimensions 10 1/2" wide, 4 1/2" high.

Many lots of Chinese hardwood furniture are being offered, including several pair of Chinese carved hardwood arm chairs from a Connecticut estate, as well as pairs of Chinese marble top tables and a Chinese carved marble top altar table. Two unique large carved Chinese palace tables are also being sold, also from a Connecticut estate. Among the many carved Chinese architectural panels being sold is a Chinese carved and polychrome wood panel depicting sparrows among cherry blossoms, measuring 11" high, 16 1/4" wide, provenance: Property of a New York City Private Collector.

Estate accessory items are plentiful in the sale, with notable examples including two Louis Vuitton vintage suitcases, a Victorian octagonal Garnkirk pottery chimney pot, a French collapsible traveling wash stand, an English mahogany campaign medical apothecary case, a pair of brass ecclesiastical altar candlesticks, a Victorian wooden croupier box, a pair of French 18th century brass candlesticks, and an Art Deco marble inkwell stand and blotter.

European and American fine arts abound in the sale. Among the more noteworthy lots are an oil on canvas by Jose Maria Llopis de Casados (Spanish fl. early 20th C.), depicting an elaborate church interior scene, signed lower left, titled "Interior" on Panama-Pacific International Exhibition label, verso, 42" high, 33 1/2" wide; Reginald E. Nickerson (American, 1915-1999) "Nantucket" Nautical Scene, oil on canvas, signed lower right. A marine artist and ship painter, Nickerson painted as William C. Trenholm and Thaddeus Bannister before he signed his paintings as Reginald Nickerson. Measuring 21 1/2" high, 43 1/2" wide, the work carries provenance: Property of a Greenwich CT Estate.

Of special interest are three framed works by Fritz Scholder, (Native American, 1937-2005), including a signed lithograph "Indian/Pistol", signed, numbered in pencil "114/150", 30 1/4" high, 37 1/4" wide; and an oil on linen of a native dancer, signed lower left, bearing Elaine Horwitch Gallery label verso, 23 3/4" high, 19 1/2" wide, both works with provenance: Property of a CT Private Collector.

An early English work being offered is an engraving by James Gilray, (English, 1756-1815), satirical hand colored print "The Bridal Night" published May 18, 1797. Dimensions are 16" high, 22" wide, with provenance: property of a NYC Estate; also, a portrait of a gentleman by F.C. Von Hausen, depicting seated gentleman, possibly comedian Jack Benny, in double breasted suit with red pocket kerchief, signed lower right "F.C. von Hausen '36", measuring 40 3/4" high, 32" wide. F.C. von Hausen was perhaps the most famous portrait artist in Florida during a fifty year career painting the wealthy and glamorous socialites of Florida. Provenance is the property of a CT Private Collector.

From another CT Private Collector is a rare oil on canvas in the manner of Paolo Veronese "Boy with Shield" (Italian, 1528-1588), with a partial Metropolitan Museum label verso with title, artist information and owner "Mrs. H.S. Sanford". Second label: "The Page - Paul Veronese, bequeathed by her mother to Miss Wilhelmina Sanford", measuring 45" high, 30" wide.

Also on offer is a James K. Bonnar (American, 1883-1961) oil on canvas titled "From a Rear Window", signed lower right, with Bethel Inn exhibition label verso, and measuring 23" high, 27 1/4" wide.

An important portrait of Sir John Beckett, attributed to British portrait painter John Hoppner is being sold. Hoppner trained at the Royal Academy, and in 1789 he was appointed portrait painter to the Prince of Wales (later George IV) and after the death of Reynolds, he and Lawrence were the leading portraitists in Great Britain. The portrait, measuring 32" wide, 37" high, has the original stretcher and frame, and the provenance is Sotheby's NY, Sale #1267, lot 267, January 18, 1989; CT Private Collection.

On a more modern note, three Alexander Calder (American, 1898-1976) signed lithographs are on the block, one a signed artist’s proof entitled "Variations". The work measures 29" high, 36 1/4" wide and is offered for a CT Private Collector.

Many lots of fine English and European furniture and related decorative arts will be hammered, most notably a George III serpentine inlaid mahogany chest, late 18th century, with various exotic wood veneers and satinwood crossbanding, inlaid bracket fee, dimensions 35 1/2" high, 42 1/2" wide, 22 1/2" deep, offered for a Westchester County private collector. Also from the collection are a rare Continental Biedermeier sofa with gilded winged griffin feet; a superb George III inlaid mahogany linen press; a unique Scandinavian mahogany secretaire abattant with multiple secret drawers, and a French Empire gilded and figured mahogany pier table with matching pier mirror.

Over two dozen estate oriental carpets will cross the block, including Persian, Caucasian, Indian and Turkoman room and scatter sized rugs, together with a large collection of Chinese Art Deco rugs of varying styles and sizes. Select among the estate carpets is a very fine Persian room size rug, in blue and red tones, measuring 13’ 8” long by 10’ 2” wide, from a New York City Private Collection.

The catalog for the sale is viewable at www.woodburyauction.com. This sale is an online only sale, with absentee and phone bidding available by registering directly with Schwenke Auctioneers. Live internet bidding is available on the firm’s website, and the sale will be broadcast live through Live Auctioneers and Invaluable. For additional information please call the auction hall office at 203-266-0323.



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