SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- Turner Auctions + Appraisals is pleased to devote its next auction to Icons: One Man’s Collection on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The sale features over 200 lots of icons and other religious or devotional items from a private collection in Northern California. Most items are from 19th/20th century Eastern Europe or Russia. The majority of Eastern European icons are ornately decorated with beads, embroidery, or other embellishments. In addition, most Eastern European icons are enclosed in kiots or shadowbox frames. Many Russian offerings feature silver oklads, a metal covering to protect the icon.

The icons’ subject matter includes Christ, the Virgin, the Theotokos (Mary as the mother of Jesus), the resurrection, the Dormition (the “falling asleep” or death of Mary without suffering), and an array of saints. Other religious items in the auction include reliquaries, crosses and crucifixes, illuminated miniatures, a retablo, and devotional objects or pictures. Completing the sale are several works from the Estate of Grace Garcia, a well-known Northern California collector and purveyor of religious items.

Turner Auctions + Appraisals begins its online auction on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at 10:30 am PDT; sale items are available for preview and bidding now. The online auction will be featured live on multiple platforms: LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable, Bidsquare, and Turner Auctions + Appraisals’ free mobile app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Apps ("Turner Auctions"). All are easily accessed through ‘Upcoming Auctions’ at the company’s website.

Here below are some highlights of the upcoming online sale

Lot 7: An Icon of the Theotokos with Beaded Shroud, in Kiot. Eastern Europe, 19th/20th Century. An icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Mother of God (14" long), painted on wood, with beaded shroud and mounted on black cloth with gold-painted pressed paper angels/ border; in an arched rectangular wood shadowbox frame/kiot. 11 1/8" x 18 1/2" x 2 1/2". Condition: glass missing, replaced with plastic; some losses to paper border; the kiot with wear commensurate with age. Estimate $200-$400.

Lot 141: Artist: In the Style of Cornelis Schut III (c. 1629-1685). Title/Subject: The Annunciation. Unsigned. Medium/Ground: Oil on copper. Size: 9" x 6 10/16" (in European frame, 18 3/8" x 16 1/2"). Condition: scattered spots of old in-painting in the background, some frame abrasion; the copper plate mounted on a wood board (9 1/2" x 7 1/2") with scattered wormholes; some losses to frame. Estimate $1,000-$1,500.

Lot 100: A Silver Icon of the Theotokos and Prophets. Russia, 19th/20th Century. An icon of The Mother and Child surrounded by Old Testament Prophets, tempera painted, with a silver oklad with 84 standard silver mark; in a scalloped shadowbox frame/kiot with a gilt-painted liner. 6 3/4" x 5 1/2" (kiot 10" x 9"). Estimate $200-$400.

Lot 18: An Icon of the Mandylion, Beaded Velvet, in Kiot. Eastern Europe, 19th/20th Century. A painted icon of the Mandylion, the Holy Face with a beaded halo on a blue-beaded pink velvet cloth, the ornate foil liner with faux floral and leaf embellishments, in a rectangular shadowbox frame/kiot. 13 1/2" x 11 3/4" x 3 1/4". Condition: the glass missing/replaced with plastic; faux flowers with losses/wear; the kiot with wear commensurate with age. Estimate $300-$500.

Lot 53: An Icon of the Virgin Hodegetria, in Kiot. Eastern Europe, 19th/20th Century. A painted icon of the Theotokos as the Virgin Hodegetria, with white-painted foil oklad embellished with faux flowers, in a rectangular shadowbox frame/kiot; 14" x 12 1/4" x 2 3/4". Condition: the kiot with scattered wormholes and wear commensurate with age. Estimate $300-$500.

Lot 93: A Greek Icon of Four Saints. A small icon of four saints, including Saint Maron and Saint Nika, with Christ above. Tempera on gold leaf, wood panel. 6 7/8" x 6". A note in Italian verso reads: "Greek icon...Byzantine style on gold background from 17th century, purchased in Gomel in Russia from a soldier Cambiaso Epifanio." Condition: striations of craquelure; scuffing; edge loss to paint, including one at bottom approx. 7/8"-long; loss to wood panel on two corners verso, and scattered wormholes. Estimate $600-$800.

Lot 50: An Icon of the Head of Saint John, in Kiot. Eastern Europe, 19th/20th Century. An icon of the severed head of Saint John the Baptist, tempera on wood, with ornate foil liner and faux flower embellishment in a rectangular shadowbox frame/kiot; 12" x 10 1/4" x 3". Condition: the glass missing, replaced with plastic; the kiot with wear commensurate with age. Estimate $200-$400.

Lot 11: An Icon of Christ with Beaded Shroud, in Kiot. Eastern Europe, 19th/20th Century. An icon of the Body of Christ (Epitaphios), painted on wood, with beaded and faux jeweled shroud, with an ornate foil liner embellished with faux flowers in a scalloped shadowbox frame/kiot. 12" x 14" x 3 1/2". Condition: glass missing, replaced with plastic; the kiot with old repairs and wear commensurate with age. Estimate $200-$300.

Lot 95: Large Icon of Christ's Entry Into Jerusalem. Russia, 19th Century.
An icon depicting Christ's Entry Into Jerusalem, tempera, and gesso on wood panel. 24" x 17 5/8" x 1 1/8". Condition: craquelure/flaking, some areas of raised/buckling paint, and multiple spots of loss, the largest at the horse's back foot (approx. 2 1/4" x 1"); scattered areas of old in-painting/surface repair; a surface crack at bottom of panel. Estimate $300-$500.

Lot 9: European School (19th Century). Title: Christ and His Disciples. Medium: Oil on canvas. Dimensions: 29" x 38" (image); 36" x 45" x 3" (frame). Condition: the canvas has been relined; craquelure throughout. Estimate $800-$1,200.

Lot 179: Two Icon Panels, Saint Luke and Saint George. Russia, 19th Century; an oval icon, tempera and gilt/gold leaf on oval wood panel with incised details; depicting Saint Luke the Evangelist (11 1/4" x 8 3/4"). Together with a Greek Circa 19th/20th Century icon of Saint George slaying the dragon, tempera on rectangular wood panel, having applied earlier stretchers with wormholes (13 1/4" x 10 1/2"). Condition: both with craquelure, wear/ scuffing, spots of loss. Estimate $300-$500.

Lot 202: A Gilt Icon of Saint Demetrius. Eastern Europe, 19th/20th Century. An icon of Saint Demetrius slaying Tsar Kaloyan, tempera and gold leaf on wood panel; 11 1/2" x 10". Condition: craquelure, some scuffing, both stretchers missing. Estimate $200-$300.

Lot 151: An Orthodox Reliquary Cross. Eastern Europe, Circa 19th Century. A gilt metal reliquary cross embellished with an enameled crucifix and medallions of holy figures and themes. 14 1/4" x 9". Condition: cracks/losses to the crucifix and medallions; surface wear/scuffing. Estimate $150-$250.

Lot 45: A Beaded Icon of Our Lady of Kazan, in Kiot. Eastern Europe, 19th/20th Century. A painted icon of Our Lady of Kazan, the brown velvet oklad beaded and embellished, with a white-painted foil dove and ornate foil liner in a curved-top shadowbox frame/kiot; 15" x 12" x 3 1/2". Condition: the glass missing, replaced with plastic; the kiot with scattered wormholes and wear commensurate with age. Estimate $200-$300.

Lot 162: An Icon of Saint Nicholas with Silver Oklad. Russia, Late 19th Century. An icon of Saint Nicholas, tempera on wood panel, with ornate relief silver oklad; marked: "[?] A.A. [over] 1891 84 [cross cannons]." 11" x 9 3/4". Condition: craquelure, small oklad loss on halo and edges surrounding shoulders, but overall good. Estimate $200-$400.