ATLANTA, GA.- A period Louis XV ebony and gilt bronze bureau plat, an equestrian study in oil by Rosa Bonheur (French, 1822-1899), and a large bronze winter scene sculpture after Evgeni Lanceray (Russian/French, 1848-1886), are just a few of the expected highlight lots in Ahlers & Ogletree’s three-session April Estates & Collections auction slated for April 20th, 21st and 22nd.
The auction, starting at 10 am Eastern time all three days, will be held live in Ahlers & Ogletree’s new location on Atlanta’s Upper West Side, at 1788 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard, near The Works, and online. The over 1,200 lots will include items from the private collections of Barry Hunter, owner of Parc Monceau; and Bruce Cusmano, owner of Metropolitan Artifacts.
Session 1, on Thursday, April 20th, will feature 489 lots of Asian arts, English and American antiques, fine art and decorative arts. Session 2, the following day, will contain 313 lots of Mid-Century and Modern art and design, fine estate jewelry and luxury handbags. The final session, on April 22nd, will showcase 430 lots of European art, antiques and wonderful decorative arts.
All three of the aforementioned featured lots will be offered in Session 3. The period Louis XV bureau plat (French flat-topped writing table having drawers to the frieze) is ebony veneer over walnut with oak secondary woods and gilt bronze mounts. It has a rectangular top centering a red Moroccan and gilt tooled leather writing surface. It’s 64 inches in width (est. $15,000-$25,000).
The lovely undated oil on canvas by Rosa Bonheur, titled Study of a Brown Bay Horse, is a landscape rendering of a standing chestnut brown bay horse with trees in the distance. The work is artist signed lower left and measures 15 inches by 18 ¼ inches (sight, less frame). There are various paper labels and inscriptions on verso. The painting is expected to reach $8,000-$12,000.
The 1881 patinated cast bronze sculpture after Evgeny Lanceray is a large winter scene titled A Pleasure Ride in a Winter Troika. It depicts a carriage drawn by horses with multiple figures and is impressive at 16 inches tall by 37 inches wide. The piece shows a Cyrillic signature and the mark of the F. Chopin Foundry (Russian, 1805-1888). It carries an estimate of $30,000-$50,000.
Another noteworthy lot in Session 3 is the French Art Deco Le Boule gaming table by G. Caro (French, 1789, successor to Briotet and a predecessor to the game of roulette). The table dates to the second quarter 20th century and has a stationery mixed wood horse racing motif playing surface, rising on square iron legs with horse heads. It’s 76 inches square (est. $30,000-$50,000).
Session 1 will be led by a 1944 oil on canvas bust-length Portrait of Colonel Anna Friedman (who served as secretary of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels) by Howard Chandler Christy (American, 1872-1952, also a member); and a black Japanned bureau bookcase (or secretary) in the Queen Anne taste, 19th century or earlier, having overall gilt figural chinoiserie decoration and a double bonnet top, 90 ¼ inches tall. Both lots should bring $8,000-$12,000.
A rare set of four unframed U.S. Golf Association Amateur Golf Championship paper shield-shaped tickets, held at the Merion Cricket Club in Ardsmore, Pennsylvania from Sept. 24-27, 1924 (and won by Bobby Jones) is expected to finish at $4,000-$6,000. The same estimate has been assigned to an early 20th century Handel (American, 1885-1941) table lamp and shade, the 15 ½ inch diameter painted glass shade decorated with a wooded landscape with trees and a lake.
Rounding out the Session 1 highlights is an 1860 drypoint and etching on paper by the noted American artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903), titled Rotherhithe (Wrapping). The work depicts two male figures on a hull with ships in the background. It’s signed and dated lower left and is in a 17 ¼ inch by 13 ½ inch frame. The artwork carries an estimate of $3,000-$6,000.
On to Session 2, where a heavy 18kt yellow gold and diamond panther collar necklace in the manner of Cartier, containing approximately 364 round brilliant cut diamonds weighing about 10.00 carats, should find a new home for $10,000-$20,000; while an Italian 18kt yellow gold hinged collar necklace of ribbed form, with scrolling terminals and a hand-applied high polish finish, marked 750, Italy and weighing 213.2 grams, is expected to gavel for $10,000-$15,000.
A Yamaha (Japanese) G2 black lacquered baby grand piano, manufactured in 1972, with a needlepoint upholstered bench, serial #E1443140, the piano 56 ¼ inches wide by 67 ¼ inches deep, should play a sweet tune for $5,000-$8,000. Also, a John Wesley Williams (West Va., 20th/21st century) studio furniture bird’s-eye maple standing desk and chair having a flip-top writing surface, exposed dove tails and sculptural base and legs, should make $3,000-$5,000.
A Kate Vogel (English, b. 1956) and John Littleton (American, b. 1957) art glass sculpture titled Bagged Bags (1983), hand-blown as a large raspberry pink bag tied at the neck, containing two smaller bags in amethyst and cobalt, 14 inches tall, has an estimate of $4,000-$6,000; as does an oil on canvas by Nicola Simbari (Italian, 1927-2012), titled Sail Boats in Puerto Marques, of sailboats on the shore, signed lower right and 31 ¾ inches by 35 ¾ inches (canvas, less frame).
