OAKLAND, CA.- On Saturday and Sunday, March 21 and 22, 2015, Clars will host their Fine Art, Decoratives, Jewelry and Asian Antiques Auction. Coming to this sale will be the continuation of important offerings from the billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife estate plus the special collection of antique furniture and decorative art from Thomas Livingston Antiques of San Francisco, property from the Lyman Museum (Hilo, HA) and the Academy of Sciences (san Francisco, CA) and historic offerings from the original Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.

Decorative Arts and Furnishings
Property from the Pebble Beach, Nantucket and Pittsburgh residences of Richard Mellon Sciafe will continue to dominate the March sale. Over the past few months, the property offered has been extremely well received by the market and has set numerous auction records. For March, the offerings from the Scaife estate will include Staffordshire and early English porcelain and exceptional antique furniture including an American Chippendale tiger maple highboy, circa 1790 and a miniature George III style ebonized settee, circa 1860.

Turning to another important collection that will feature fine period furnishings, Clars will offer the collection of renowned San Francisco antique store, Thomas Livingston Antiques. For over four decades, this thriving antiques business was a central force in San Francisco’s famed Jackson Square Historic District as well as Ashby Adeline Antiques District in Berkeley. Recently retired, founders Thomas Livingston and Karel Wessel were known region-wide for the exceptional 18th and 19th century American and English furniture as well as the finest in period decorative arts, lighting, metalware and art glass. Among the highlights from this collection that will be offered include a circa 1790 George III drop leaf harvest (wake) table that is estimated to sell for $6,000 to $8,000; a George III revolving bookstand, circa 1790, which is estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 and a circa 1810 Baltimore Federal slant front desk that is valued at $4,000 to $6,000.

Rounding out the significant decorative art and furniture offerings will be a collection of Studio Furniture including a suite of three tables executed by Arthur Espenet Carpenter in 1957. Each of these tables will be offered for $4,000 to $6,000.

Bernard Maybeck, renowned 20th century architect, was the master behind many important buildings in the United States. Among them was the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco which he designed for the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. For the past seven years, this magnificent structure has undergone a $21 million restoration project funded in part by the Maybeck Foundation. In celebration of it’s re-opening, and the 100 year anniversary of the Panama Pacific International Exposition, Clars will be offering fragments from the original building including a lion’s head which once flanked one of the dramatic entry ways. Each of these historic pieces will be offered for $1,000 to $1,500.

Last month Clars set a new record for a Chinese triple Fusee clock. This month, two offering of note in this category will be a French champlevé decorated mantle clock expected to achieve $14,000 to $18,000 and a Chinese bracket clock executed by Yu Change (estimate $4,000 to $6,000).

Also of note on Saturday, March 21st, will be a truly exceptional collection of over 100 lots of fine U.S. and World stamps from the Herbert Morton estate, a longtime member of the American Philatelic Society, along with gold and silver U.S. coins. This stamp collection is expected to cumulatively earn more than $100,000.

Fine Art
Clars is pleased to offer an exceptional collection of 17th, 18th and 19th century, European portraiture featuring numerous paintings that were acquired over the latter part of the 20th century by a savvy San Francisco buyer. Works such as “Portrait of a Gentleman Thought to be Nicolas Ghys” by a Follower of Pierre Gobert (French, 1662-1744) as well as “A Portrait of Thomas Stanley in a Red Coat” by a Follower of Godfrey Kneller (German, 1646-1723) are just a few of the featured portraits that will be offered.

A charming, yet classic, Impressionist, New York winter snow scene titled “Wall Street,” by Guy Carleton Wiggins (American, 1883-1962) is sure to attract numerous bidders. This oil on canvas board will be offered for $8,000 to $12,000.

Asian Art and Antiques
Highlighting the Asian category in March will be a selection of Chinese pierced jade plaques from a private collection, some carved with auspicious characters, others reticulated with various auspicious motifs including butterflies, bats and flowers. In porcelains, highlights will include a pair of fish bowls from the late Qing/Republic period. A four-panel screen with porcelain plaques and depicting various immortals, bearing the signature Wang Qi, is estimated to sell for $8,000 to $12,000.

In furniture, a selection of huanghuali furniture includes horseshoe chairs, official’s hat armchairs and a tiao’an table. In addition, a 19th century Japanese six-section screen is expected to earn $5,000 to $7,000.

Fine Jewelry and Timepieces
Diamonds and Rolex’s will highlight this category with the top offerings being a marquise cut diamond and platinum ring. The marquise brilliant cut diamond weighs 3.05 cts and the ring is estimated to achieve $25,000 to $45,000. Following will be an Edwardian diamond, platinum and 18k yellow gold ring highlighting two old mine cut diamonds weighing approximately 1.66 cts and 1.50 cts. (Estimate: $5,000 to $8,000)

In timepieces, a circa 1995 Gentlemen’s Rolex Daytona Cosmograph 18k yellow gold wristwatch will take center stage. This fabulous timepiece is estimated at $10,000 to $15,000.

Clars Auction Gallery’s Fine Art, Decoratives, Jewelry and Asian Art Auction will be held Saturday and Sunday , March 21st and 22nd, 2015.. The sales will begin promptly at 9:30am on Saturday and Sunday. Previews for this sale will be held Friday, March 20th from 1pm to 6pm and 9am, Saturday and Sunday beginning at 9:30 am and by appointment. A complete catalog will be available online one and one-half weeks prior to the sale. For more information, please visit www.clars.com or email: info@clars.com

Clars Auction Gallery is based in Oakland, CA. As the largest full service auction gallery in the Western United States, Clars has worked in partnership with Christie’s New York on several important collections. Clars Auction Gallery has also been the chosen auction gallery of a number of institutions and distinguished private collectors across the country.


Bidding for Clars’ auctions is available in person, by phone, absentee and live online at www.clars.com, and through www.liveauctioneers.com