OAKLAND, CA.- Renowned author as well as arts advocate and collector, Danielle Steel has parted ways with her private Stinson Beach (CA) art collection following the recent sale of her longtime beachfront retreat. Known as the “Steel Stinson Collection,” Clars Auction Gallery will offer these works from her private collection during their July 25 and 26, 2015 Fine Art, Decorative Arts, Furnishings, Jewelry and Asian Art and Antiques auction.

The Steel Stinson Collection, which is expected to fetch well over $100,000, features paintings, sculptures and mixed media works by John Beech, Kati Casida, Peter Forakis, Tim McKinley, Doug Owen, Julie Speidel plus the iconic Ken Kalman animals that playfully characterized the grounds of Steel’s Stinson Beach property for over the past decade.

Furthering the significant private collections to be offered, it’s “Dolls! Doll! Dolls!” from the lifetime collection of Lee and Richard Trotter, owners and founders of Trotter’s Antiques of Pacific Grove (CA). The Trotter’s began collecting in the mid 1960s, acquiring their dolls from original owners and fellow collectors worldwide. Almost every doll appealed to Mrs. (Lee) Trotter from German character to Madame Alexander to the highly coveted French Bru bébé. The exquisite features of a Bru doll make them among the most desirable with their finely hand-decorated bisque faces set with paperweight eyes, full cheeks, and a pouty mouth, that is joined to a lovely kid-and-bisque body. They were manufactured and assembled on St. Denis Street in Paris from 1866-1899 in small quantities, which is the main reason, along with their art and beauty, that Bru dolls are so fiercely sought after by true doll collectors.

Clars’ will be offering seventy-plus doll lots from the Trotter’s collection including Victorian China Head, Madame Alexander, Story Book, International, composition, bisque miniatures, Schoenhut, Lenci, Black Americana, and German bisque socket head and shoulder head examples. Highlighted within this collection is a 28” Bru Bebe Jne No. 10, estimated to bring $7,000 to $10,000 and a 35” Francois Gaultier doll, estimated to fetch $4,000 to $6,000.

The Decorative Arts and Furnishings department is also please to be offering a Northwest Coast Ksan totem pole commissioned for the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, Fountain of Whales Courtyard. Executed from a 5.5 ton 36’ red cedar log from the Queen Charlotte Islands, and created by master carvers Earl Muldoe, Walter Harris, and Vernon Stephens from the Ksan Indian Village, Northern British Columbia, the pole measures 36’h x 4’w and is estimated to sell for $8,000 to $12,000.

In furnishings, the highlights will be a Philip and Kelvin Laverne patinated bronze low table expected to fetch $6,000 to $9,000 and a beautiful Tiffany and Company, New York, nine tube tall case clock which carries an estimate of $4,000 to $6,000.

Of historic and collectible note, will be a collection of discharge papers signed by George Washington as General and Commander in Chief of the United States of America; a collection of gold records personally owned by the legendary James Brown; and a collection of World and United States stamps and coins, including gold and silver, as well as ancient examples which will be offered during the Saturday session.

Jewelry and Timepieces
The continuation of the special collection of timepieces and pocket watches will highlight the jewelry and timepieces offerings with a Gentleman's Rolex GMT Master Oyster Perpetual 18k yellow gold wristwatch, ref. 16758, circa 1980 expected to bring $10,000 to $15,000.

Also of note will be a carved jadeite, diamond and 18k white gold pendant estimated to bring $8,000 to $12,000 and a Tiffany & Co. diamond, 18k yellow gold and platinum clip brooch (estimate: $2,000 to $4,000).

Asian Art and Antiques
Among the highlights of the Asian Art to be offered are the collections of Chinese ceramics from various estates including export porcelain from the estate of Richard Mellon Scaife and a selection of blue-and-white ceramics from a San Francisco estate. The continuation of Chinese monochrome ceramics from Graeme Hanson collection will also be offered. Representing Chinese enameled porcelain from the late Qing and early Republic period, a porcelain Budai accompanied by five children produced by Zhu Maocheng, is estimated to bring $2,000 to $4,000. Also of note will be a pair of Chinese mother-of-pearl inlaid chairs with marble inset seats along with other Chinese side tables with mottled marble panels.

Clars Auction Gallery’s July Fine Art, Decorative Art, Furniture, Jewelry/Timepieces and Asian Art Auction will be held Saturday and Sunday, July 25th and 26th, 2015. The sales will begin promptly at 9:30am on Saturday and Sunday. Previews for this sale will be held Friday, July 24th from 1pm to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday beginning at 9:00 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) and is the largest full service auction gallery in the Western United States. Clars Auction Gallery has been the chosen auction gallery of a number of institutions and distinguished private collectors across the country.