Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Doyles This Weekend: Belle Epoque Auction

We're quite excited by the upcoming Doyles auction titled 'Belle Epoque: 19th & 20th Century Decorative Arts'. In my opinion it's not really all strictly 'Belle Epoque', but that doesn't matter. It has lots of interesting items that will tempt us.

There are some 605 items in the auction and a wide range of  decorative items including furniture, paintings, silver, pottery and lighting.

You might have fun looking at the on-line catalogue. Not all the photos are in as yet.

Doyles on line catalogue

A few examples (and not necessarily the ones we're interested in so that you can't bid against us!).

 
      John McClure Hamilton, 1916 (?) Est. $600 - $800
If you Google the artist he lived 1853 - 1936 and was a Philadelphia resident who most of his life worked in London. His work is held by 4 American museums including the National Potrait Gallery in Washington, DC. 




        Syrian Bone and Mother of Pearl inlaid Chair: Est. $800 - $1,200
I think this is a fun conversation piece. It would be more to look at than to actually sit in, but of course you could. You would feel like royalty on a throne!

  
      Gorham Sterling Silver Pitcher: Est. $400 - $600
I think this is a very nice shape and would make a beautiful table decoration or a vase for flowers.



 Charles Parker Co, Aesthetic Movement Bronze 
      Hanging Cabinet Est. $1,000 - $1,500

I think this is really interesting looking, and would be a focal point in a room.

  
    Art Nouveau Gilt $ Enameled Vast: Est. $500 - $700
I think this is a lovely vase and one of the less expensive offerings in this category. They have quite a number of well known makers represented such as Lalique and Galle.



             Venetian Mirror: Est, $500 - $700
I love Venetian mirrors. They dress up any room. We have a reproduction one in our powder room, and bought a pair at auction with one of them in our living room.

We'll be going to the preview this weekend and it looks to be lots of fun. I'll bet we bid on something! Check out the catalogue on-line and it may give you some ideas.

1 comment:

  1. The pictures you posted of the upcoming Doyle's Belle Epoque auction are fascinating; fascinating enough to prompt me to go look at some of the objects in real life. I found the painting by Hamilton very disappointing when viewed in the gallery. It lacks real presence, the nose looks like botched plastic surgery - no wonder the low price. The gilt enamel vase in real life doesn't have the subtlety of the picture; the gilt dominates the vase in an unfortunate way.

    The hanging cabinet is a different story. While the picture treats the cabinet advantageously, in real life the cabinet is still an exciting object and well worth viewing.

    The lesson I for me is the importance of viewing an item in person to learn the reality of the object, however inviting the advertising is.

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