NEW YORK, NY.- Bonhams will hold its Fine Maritime Paintings & Decorative Arts sale on June 25, offering works from three important US Maritime Art collections.
The Kathleen Bikoff Collection features paintings by many prominent maritime artists:
· Up-Channel The Red Jacket by Montague Dawson (est. $30,000 - 40,000). Red Jacket was a clipper ship, one of the largest and fastest ever built. The ship was named after Sagoyewatha, a famous Seneca Indian chief, called Red Jacket by settlers.
· An 1815 oil painting by British artist Thomas Luny titled The destruction of the French fleet at Santa Domingo (est. $10,000-15,000), which depicts the last fleet engagement of the Napoleonic Wars in 1806.
· A watercolor painting of The H.M.S. Glory of 98 Guns at her mooring signed by Derek G.M. Gardner (est. $3,000-4,000). This painting is a notable highlight among the large collection of Gardners works in this auction.
The Anthony S. Catania Collection includes numerous maritime artifacts and paintings of historical importance, as well as scientific instruments will feature:
· A 1 ½ inch singe draw telescope signed by Benjamin Messer of London (est. $10,000-15,000). This impressive telescope was possibly owned by the Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, an American naval commander most noted for his heroic role in the War of 1812. Included with the telescope are three commemorative medals for Perry and a hand-colored print of him with the telescope.
· A highly desirable 8 ½ inch ships wheel Chelsea Mariner ship strike clock for the yacht Sumar signed by Tiffany & Co. (est. $12,000-18,000). This clock is hinged with a bronze ten-spoke ships wheel fitted to the casement and is supported by a mahogany base pedestal.
· A 4-inch 20th century signed Chelsea Mariner clock and barometer (est. $ 4,000-6,000). The clock was presented to Tom Clark with an inscription from his associates from President Harry Trumans Cabinet. Clark was appointed by President Truman as Attorney General in 1945 and later became Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
From the Donald Horsburgh Graf Spee Collection:
· An important and rare photo archive for the German battleship S.M.S. Graf Spee (est. $2,000-3,000). The album documents the service of the Graf Spee and its crew from 1937 to the end of World War II. Photographed events include the daily life of the crew, military engagements in Norway, and the attack of British ships in the Indian Ocean.
Gregg Dietrich, Maritime Art consultant for Bonhams, says This sale offers a range of material both for the seasoned collector looking to build collections and for new collectors looking for that first wonderful piece.
Other notable lots in the sale include:
· A group of three framed Marconi messages from the R.M.S. Olympics radio log book (est. $10,000-15,000). The R.M.S. Olympic was the Titanics sister ship. On April 15, 1912, the day the Titanic sank, communications between the Commander of the R.M.S. Carpathia and the Commander of the R.M.S. Olympic took place. These three documents record the moment when the authorities chose not to let the Olympic assist in the transport of survivors.
· An oil painting by James Edward Buttersworth dated 1851 (est. $60,000-80,000) illustrating the match between the two ships America and Titania.
· An oil painting titled The battle between the U.S.S. Monitor and the C.S.S. Virginia (Merrimac) (est. $3,000-4,000) by British-born American artist, Alexander Charles. Stuart, whose ship portraits and paintings of battle scenes have been widely exhibited in prominent museums across the U.S.
The auction will being at 1 pm.