CRANSTON, RI.- Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers will greet the New Year with a 438-lot Winter Fine & Decorative Art online-only auction featuring fine items from prominent area estates and collections. The event will be held on Monday, January 22nd, starting at 10 am Eastern time. Previews will be held by appointment only, at the Bruneau & Co. gallery in Cranston, R.I.
Expected top lots include a landscape painting by Bruce Crane (Conn./N.Y., 1857-1937); a rare circa 1880 Bark John & Winthrop carved whale’s tooth; a circa 1830 Chinese oil on canvas painting of the 13 Hongs of Canton; an early 20th century Pairpoint Puffy Papillion table lamp; a 1977 Philippines 5,000-Peso gold proof coin; and a Tavannes Hermes silver golfing belt watch.
“We have an interesting array of items in this auction, from a fresh gold and silver coin collection to a group of ladies’ 1940s platform heels, to 18th century samplers and 1960s modern mannequins,” said Kevin Bruneau, president of Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers and an auctioneer. He called the Bruce Crane painting “a fresh find” and “the perfect study, a misty fall morning.”
The Crane painting, an oil on canvas depicting an open field with a small stream surrounded by a forest covered in fog, is expected to bring $2,000-$3,000. “It will be interesting to see the result on this fine impressionist work, in this ever-changing art market,” Mr. Bruneau said. Crane studied at the Art Students League, and was influenced by the French Barbizon School in France.
The stout whale’s tooth was carved on the John & Winthrop, a whaling ship captained by William T. Shorey, the only black ship’s captain of the time. It’s carved with an elaborate landscape depicting ships in a harbor with a bustling city (likely San Francisco) with hills and mountains. It’s marked “Bark John & Winthrop 1876 1880”. The estimate is $2,000-$4,000.
The circa 1830 Chinese Export oil on canvas painting depicts the 13 Hongs of Canton, the site in which the legal trade with the West and China was conducted from 1757 to 1842. The work depicts numerous trade ships in the harbor of the factories where the Spanish, American, English and Netherlands flags flew. The unsigned painting should command $3,000-$5,000.
The early 20th century Pairpoint Puffy Papillion table lamp depicts yellow butterflies and red roses in the Papillion pattern over a two-light lamp with two pulls over a shapely column with a botanical base. The beautiful brass and glass lamp is marked “Pairpoint Mfg. Co.” on the bottom and came out of a prominent Massachusetts collection. The estimate is $800-$1,200.
The first 29 lots in the auction are all gold proof coins, mostly individual coins but a few in groups. “Our consignor, who brought us in for what I thought was just going to be an Asian art collection, sent us away with the entire contents of the family safe,” Bruneau said. They should be very happy with the outcome of the auction; timing is everything with gold and silver coins.”
Chief among the gold coins is lot #1 – a 1977 Philippines 5,000-Peso gold proof coin that’s expected to reach $3,000-$4,000. The U.S. Franklin Mint New Society V Anniversary coin, contains 2.21 ounces troy of .900/1000 fine gold. The coin is in uncirculated condition and is nicely presented in the original plastic sleeve with blue folder case and accompanying papers.
The 20th century Swiss-made Tavannes Hermes silver golfing belt watch boasts a white squared face with black Arabic numeral numbering in a sterling silver case set into a belt buckle attached to a deep brown leather belt. The beautiful ladies’ watch is marked "Tavannes Hermes" to the face and "Sterling Silver" to the interior. It should realize $1,500-$2,500.
A lovely blue wooden mandolin made in China in the 20th century by George Washburn features a mother of pearl inlaid headstock and finger board with vibrant blue finish. It’s marked "George Washburn Model M-ISDL/TBL Serial No. DC04050202" to the interior and "Washburn" to headstock. Pulled from an Amherst, Mass. estate, it should go for $150-$250.
The 19th century American Wringer Company shaving cup salesman’s archive of Michael Martin Flynn, a notable salesman for the company, includes a shaving mug with wringer on the front; salesman sample; a three-piece sterling silver desk set; a collection of photographs; a cane marked "Won by M.M. Flynn in voting contest at Veteran Firemen’s Fair as the most popular Superintendent, Woonsocket, R.I., May 1897"; and some documents (est. $300-$500).
Other noteworthy lots include a Chinese Qing Dynasty tea dust porcelain vase having a tall neck and a wide body finished in a vibrant green tea dust glaze, with a partial mark on the bottom (est. $600-$900); and an exceptionally carved 18th century Dutch Continental soldier’s horn snuff box decorated with figures holding guns and plants with a carved wood botanical lid, pulled from the collection of a Newport, Rhode Island estate. The estimate is $500-$800.
Previews will be held by appointment only in the Bruneau & Co. gallery located at 63 Fourth Avenue in Cranston. To arrange a preview, please call 401-533-9980, or send an email to info@bruneauandco.com. Internet bidding will be facilitated by the Bruneau & Co. platform (bidLIVE.Bruneauandco.com) as well as LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com, plus the mobile app “Bruneau & Co.” on iTunes or GooglePlay. There is no live in-gallery bidding.
The first quarter of 2024 will be very busy around the Bruneau & Co. gallery. February 7th is the date of the Winter Historical Militaria and Firearms auction, featuring over 300 lots of historical Revolutionary War power horns, Civil War Confederate clothing, and a rare Rev-War-era U.S. canteen. That will be followed up by a February 24th Pop Culture auction, packed with more than 500 lots and growing, to include comic books, trading and sports cards, vintage toys and more.
March 18th will be a day comprised of four smaller boutique auctions featuring The Rhode Island School of Design American folk art band box collection; the Mendon, Massachusetts Historical Society cream pitcher collection; 43 original player paintings from the former McCoy Stadium Pawsox, last seen in 2003; and the Historical Police Equipment collection of Matthew G. Forte, who authored books on American police collectibles and American police equipment.
