Sotheby’s New York Highlights Release January-March 2011

MAGNIFICENT TOYS AND TRAINS:                                            Highlights Exhibition: through 28 February

SELECTIONS FROM THE JERNI COLLECTION

Throughout January and February, Sotheby’s will exhibit selections from the Jerni Collection, the largest and most comprehensive collection of top quality European and American toys and trains ever assembled. The exhibition takes up an entire floor of Sotheby’s York Avenue headquarters, yet remarkably, what is on view represents a mere 20% of the tens of thousands of objects included in the collection.  The 35,000 objects in the Jerni Collection were assembled piece-by-piece over a 50 year period by a single dedicated collector who is one of the world’s leading authorities on model trains and toys. The pieces date from roughly 1850–1940, and form an encyclopedic collection of toys and trains from every major European and American manufacturer operating during this period including Märklin, Bing, Ernst Plank Carette and Rock & Graner, chronicling the ‘Golden Age’ of European toy manufacturing.  The Jerni Collection is undoubtedly the greatest toy and train collection in the world and this is the first time that any portion of it has been shown to the public.  The entire collection is available for private sale through Sotheby’s as a single lot. 

SOTHEBY’S AT ISLEWORTH: EDUARDO CHILLIDA                      Selling Exhibition: January-April 2011

Isleworth Golf & Country Club, Windermere, Florida

Throughout the first months of 2011 Sotheby’s will hold a selling exhibition of works by one of the foremost Spanish sculptors of the 20^th century - Eduardo Chillida. The artist’s estate is bringing a selection of the late artist’s monumental works to market for the first time since the sculptor’s death in 2002. Twelve large-scale pieces conceived for the outdoors will be presented as a private sale offering from January to April through a single-artist exhibition of monumental sculptures at Isleworth Golf & Country Club in Windermere, Florida. The natural splendor of Isleworth makes the community an ideal venue to showcase the works of Chillida who used natural surroundings as integral and inextricable elements of his sculptures.

OLD MASTER DRAWINGS                                                                                Exhibition opens: 22 January

26 January 2011

A newly discovered drawing by Sir Peter Paul Rubens and an exceptionally rare composition study by Rembrandt van Rijn are among the highlights of Sotheby’s January sale of Old Master Drawings in New York. Rembrandt’s Judas Returning the Thirty pieces of Silver offers a fascinating look at the process by which the artist arrived at the final composition for his early masterpiece of the same name (est. $600/800,000, pictured right). There are no fewer than three drawings that clearly relate to the development of this composition, two of which are in museums in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.  The drawing on offer is the only one of the group to indicate the whole composition, and it incorporates various features not yet seen in any of the other related works.  A second preliminary sketch for the painting was discovered on the back (or verso) of the drawing upon its consignment to Sotheby’s, adding another exciting layer to the drawing.  The discovery of Rubens’s Venus Nursing Cupids adds an important and beautiful work to the artist’s oeuvre that has long eluded scholars and collectors (est. $500/800,000, pictured left).  Completely unknown until now, Rubens’s striking rendering emerged only very recently, and quite unexpectedly, from a private collection in France.  Dated April 1616, it carries an inscription that opens a new window on the relationship between Rubens and the important Antwerp senator and patron Paulus van Halmale.  Among the other highlights is an important, rediscovered Renaissance drawing by one of the greatest of Raphael’s pupils and associates, Perino del Vaga. Jupiter and Juno in an Alcove Surrounded by several Amorini is an elaborate preparatory design for a renowned series of tapestries, known as Furti di Giove, which was commissioned by Andrea Doria, a nobleman and associate of Emperor Charles V, for his palace in Genoa (est. $600/800,000).

IMPORTANT OLD MASTER AND 19^TH CENTURY PAINTINGS                               Exhibition opens: 22 January

FROM THE COLLECTION OF JACOB ELIE SAFRA

26 January 2011

Sotheby’s will offer old master and 19^th century paintings from the extraordinary private collection of Jacob Elie Safra in a single-owner evening sale.  The auction will offer a wide range of styles and genres including Dutch, Italian and French pictures, and is highlighted by significant works from Giovanni Paolo Panini, Jacopo Amigoni and Jan Miel.  Two Capriccios of Classical Ruins by Giovanni Paolo Panini typify the kind of work that made him the most sought-after artist of his time in Rome (est. $1/1.5 million).  Jacopo Amigoni’s magnificent Venus and Adonis represents one of the most exciting mythological works by the artist to appear on the market in recent years (est. $1.5/2.5 million, pictured).  Originally formed as a pair, its mate resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

IMPORTANT OLD MASTER PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURE                       Exhibition opens: 22 January

27 January 2011

A monumental work by the Renaissance master Titian is undoubtedly the highlight of Sotheby’s Important Old Master Paintings & Sculpture sale, the premiere auction of Old Masters Week in New York.  A Sacra Conversazione: The Madonna and Child with Saints Luke and Catherine of Alexandria is one of only a handful of multi-figured compositions by the 16^th-century artist remaining in private hands, and the most important to appear at auction since 1991 (est. $15/20 million, pictured).  Having remained out of the public eye for more than 30 years and painted circa 1560, the canvas is a mature work executed when Titian was at the height of his powers.  During almost the half millennium since it was painted, the work has only changed hands five times, moving from one illustrious private European collection to another before being acquired by the late husband of the present owner in 1956.  Also on offer are important works from the collection of 20^th-century press baron and business tycoon Lord Beaverbrook.  Proceeds from the sale will go to benefit the Beaverbrook Foundation, a charitable organization. The highlight of the group is Claude-Joseph Vernet’s A Grand View of the Sea Shore Enriched with Buildings, Shipping and Figures, a monumental canvas depicting a peaceful seascape at sunset (est. $1.5/2 million).

OLD MASTER & 19^th CENTURY EUROPEAN ART                                                    Exhibition opens: 22 January

28 January 2011

The sale will offer a particularly fine selection of paintings and drawings covering a wide range of collecting interests.  The Old Masters section is highlighted by nineteen paintings from the Cleveland Museum of Art, offered in their own single owner sequence.  Madonna and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist and Two Angels by the Master of the Greenville Tondo (est. $30/50,000) leads the Italian offerings which also feature still lifes attributed to Carlo Manieri and Simone del Tintore.  A strong Dutch and Flemish group includes an evocative Still Life of a Pewter Tankard, Lemon, Oysters and Grapes by Jan Davidsz. De Heem (est. $30/50,000).   Among the 19^th Century European paintings and drawings on offer is William Etty’s Reclining Female Nude from the J. Paul Getty Museum (est. $6/8,000) and a handsome Portrait of a French Officer by a follower of Jacques Louis David (est. $8/12,000).  The sale also includes beautiful views of Venice, including the auction’s cover lot of Venice, the Piazza San Marco from the Piazzetta by Follower of Giovanni Antonio Canal, called Canaletto (est. $40/60,000, pictured).

IMPORTANT JEWELS                                                                                        Exhibition opens: 29 January

2 February 2011

From delicate period jewels to bold contemporary designs, the first jewelry auction of 2011 at Sotheby’s comprises a wide selection of styles to ensure there is something for every taste and occasion.  Just in time for Valentine’s Day, several heart-shape jewels are featured in the sale, including a beautiful Platinum, 18 Karat Gold Twin Stone Ring set with entwined emerald and yellow diamond hearts (est. $50/75,000) as well as an Enameled Heart Pendant made by Carol Giuliano in the late 19^th century (est. $5/7,000).  Amongst the auction’s important diamond highlights is a classic Harry Winston Ring set with a 16 Carat Emerald-Cut Diamond (est. $300/400,000, pictured) and a 9 Carat Heart-Shape Diamond and Ruby Ring by Oscar Heyman & Brothers (est. $45/55,000).  Complementing the array of diamond engagement rings and timeless jewels from Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier, collectors will also find unique jewels by David Webb, Tony Duqette and Michele della Valle.

FINE AND RAREST WINES

5 March 2011

CONTEMPORARY ART                                                                                          Exhibition opens: 5 March

9 March 2011

The midseason spring sale of Contemporary Art will offer a rich and varied selection of works from abstract expressionist to the present day. The sale is formed of some 350 works, ranging in value from $5,000 to $250,000.  A highlight of the sale will be Willem De Kooning’s Untitled, an oil on newspaper that was executed circa 1977 (est. $100/150,000, pictured).  Collectors will also be able to choose from highlights that include Glenn Ligon’s White #12 from 1994 (est. $150/200,000) and Girls by Sarah Morris (est. $25/25,000).

WHAT MODERN IS: TRUE STORIES OF MIDCENTURY DESIGN

Panel Discussion, Friday, 4 March 2011, 6 pm

At the New York School of Interior Design, 170 East 70^th Street, NYC

Jointly sponsored by the New York School of Interior Design and Sotheby’s Institute of Art, this program presents the story behind the revival of midcentury furniture and industrial art as told by some of the people who made it happen, and previews the Sotheby’s exhibition and 10^th March sale of objects from the Mark McDonald collection. Featuring pioneering dealer Mark McDonald, founder of Fifth/50, probably the country’s first gallery of midcentury design; as well as collector John Waddell, whose acquisitions of iconic works are the centerpiece of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 20th century design galleries; and Sotheby’s SVP and Director of 20^th Century Design James Zemaitis, whose deftly-curated sales have helped to develop a broad and enthusiastic market for American midcentury decorative arts,  the program is moderated by author and NYSID faculty member Judith Gura. Audience members will receive a Mark McDonald Collection catalog.

WHAT MODERN IS: THE COLLECTION OF MARK MCDONALD                                Exhibition opens: 5 March

10 March 2011

Sotheby’s is honored to announce a dedicated sale of works from the legendary collection of Mark McDonald.  The sale offers works assembled over the full span of Mr. McDonald’s impressive career as an influential gallery owner, during which time he helped to create and build the market for midcentury furniture and design in America. His successful galleries, from Fifty/50 and Gansevoort Gallery in New York City to 330 and the current Mark McDonald, Ltd in Hudson, NY, became art-world landmarks where the new style of ‘Midcentury Modern’ moved to the forefront of the design and decorating worlds. Sotheby’s previously offered works from Mr. McDonald’s collection in 1993, during his transition from Fifty/50 to Gansevoort Gallery. What Modern Is will offer iconic yet affordable masterworks of American, Scandinavian and Italian design, with many of the works carrying estimates in the range of $5,000-30,000. American midcentury furniture and design is led by Charles and Ray Eames’s Unique ESU Cabinet from the 1950s (est. $25/35,000).  The sale also features an impressive selection of Scandinavian ceramics and glass, including an extremely rare variant of a Leaf Platter by Tapio Wirkkala (est. $20/30,000, pictured).

20^th CENTURY DESIGN                                                                                          Exhibition opens: 5 March

10 March 2011

The annual March sale of 20^th Century Design offers works by icons of design across the most popular styles of the period. The sale features a group of additional works from An Important Midwestern Collection, which achieved the top two prices of our December 2010 sale of Important 20^th Century Design in New York. The group of 30 works from this collection on offer in the March sale includes pieces by René Lalique, as well as a selection of elegant Art Deco designs. The sale is also highlighted by an exceptional private collection of mirrors by Line Vautrin.

IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART, INCLUDING RUSSIAN ART              Exhibition opens: 12 March

16 March 2011

The sale includes a wide range of paintings, drawings and sculpture, from classic impressionism to modernism. Among the highlights is a portrait by Marcel Gromaire, a group of landscapes by Albert Marquet, and figural works by Henri Lebasque and Dorothea Sharpe. The sale also includes a section of Russian and Latin American art.

INFORMING THE EYE OF THE COLLECTOR:                                                  Exhibition opens: 18 March

CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART FROM J.T. TAI & CO.

22 March 2011

Sotheby’s is honored present a single owner sale of Chinese ceramics and works of art from the legendary collection of J.T. Tai & Co.  J.T. Tai left Shanghai in 1949 and moved to New York where he set up a gallery on Madison Avenue. He was a remarkable and exotic addition to the New York art world and became perhaps the greatest of a new post war generation of Chinese art dealers. J.T. Tai sought out Chinese Works of Art collectors who he identified as having both the resources and enthusiasm to create sensational collections. The two with whom he had a particularly close relationship were Avery Brundage and Arthur Sackler, who would go on to assemble two of America’s greatest Asian art collections. Both of these collections are now housed in major museums - the Avery Brundage Collection forms the core of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco and the Sacker collection is housed in the Arthur M Sackler Gallery in Washington DC. Among the highlights from the sale is a fine and rare blue and white bowl, Ming Dynasty, Yongle Period (est. $800,000/1.2 million).

HARMONY OF FORM, SERENITY OF COLOR:                                                Exhibition opens: 18 March

A PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTION OF ‘SONG’ CERAMICS

23 March 2011

This single owner sale celebrates the timeless beauty of ‘Song’ ceramics. A highlight of the 82 wonderful objects in the sale is A Fine and Extremely Rare ‘Xingyao’ Ewer from the Tang Dynasty (est. $400/600,000, pictured).  Further highlights include A Fine ‘Ding’ Dish, Northern Song Dynasty formerly in the Toguri Collection, Japan, (est. $500/700,000) and A Rare Russet-Splashed Black-Glazed Truncated ‘Tuluping’, also from the Northern Song Dynasty, and formerly in the Hellner Collection (est. $100/150,000).

FINE CHINESE CERAMICS & WORKS OF ART                                               Exhibition opens: 18 March

23 March 2011

The auction will include over 200 lots of jades, porcelain, furniture and paintings with an estimate of around $8 million. Among the highlights are A Fine and Rare Large Imperial Zitan Long Table (Tiaoan), Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period estimated at $500/700,000 and A Well-Carved Celadon Jade Brushpot, Qing Dynasty, 18th/19th Century which leads the jade in the sale, and is expected to realise $300/400,000.

INDIAN & SOUTHEAST ASIAN WORKS OF ART                                                         Exhibition opens: 18 March

24 March 2011

The highlight of the sale is a spectacular 10^th century Cambodian Athlete sculpture which is 160 centimeters in height and exceptionally well carved. The splendid heroic figure is a mate to the Koh Ker–style athlete at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena that is almost identical in posture and physical appearance (est. $2/3 million, pictured). Other highlights include a monumental South Indian sculpture of the Goddess Sridevi (est. $120/180,000), an exquisite silver and copper inlaid Pala bronze from eastern India (est. $200/300,000) and a pair of exceptional Tibeto-Chinese gilt bronzes from the Qing Dynasty (est. $150/200,000 each).

MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY SOUTH ASIAN ART                                              Exhibition opens: 18 March

25 March 2011

The sale will be led by one of the most important works by Akbar Padamsee ever to have appeared on the market - Untitled (Reclining Nude) which is expected to fetch $500/700,000. This monochrome work from 1960 was acquired by the current owners from the artist and has never before appeared at auction. Other highlights include Prakriti by Sayed Haider Raza from 2000, estimated to fetch $500/700,000 (pictured), an Untitled 1956 work by MF Husain with an estimate of $400/600,000 and Untitled, a Subodh Gupta painting from 2007 (est.200/300,000).

FINE & DECORATIVE ARTS                                                                                           Exhibition opens: 26 March

30 & 31 March 2011

Sotheby’s introduces a sale spanning English, French and Continental Furniture, Silver, Ceramics and Tapestries in March 2011. The two day sale is highlighted by works from the collection of Albert Hadley, who formed the most exciting, influential and talked-about American decorating firm of the twentieth century with his partner “Sister” Parish. Sotheby’s is honored to present works from the Parish-Hadley firm, offering collectors and fans the opportunity to acquire pieces from a legendary era. Those who frequented the offices of the Parish-Hadley firm in particular will recognize rare prototypes for many works that ended up in some of the most important private residences in the United States.

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