ALAMEDA, CA.- Michaan’s December fine jewelry bursts with beauty, color and rarity in an over fifty lot sale section. Highlights sparkling across the color spectrum include an AGL certified star sapphire, diamond and 14 karat white gold ring at an estimate of $30,000-50,000 (lot 5038). An extravagant 8.66 carat round brilliant cut, GIA certified diamond and platinum ring commands the sale as the single largest diamond offered, estimated at $50,000-80,000. The color J stone of a VS1 clarity measures a whopping approximate half inch in diameter, listed as lot 5060.

The department will hold another decidedly gorgeous pop of color in its sale repertoire, however not in a jewelry piece, but in an authentic Hermès rouge lizard Kelly bag. The circa 1991, 32 cm model remains in wonderful condition, with a lustrous skin and minimal wear. The Hermès 32 cm rouge lizard Kelly bag will be sold alongside jewelry offerings on December 11th as lot 5061 at an auction estimate of $15,000-20,000.

Highlighting timepieces at sale is an exquisite G. Billian Fils of Zurich 18 karat yellow gold pocket watch at an estimate of $12,000-18,000 (lot 5007). Classic and unpretentious in appearance, the pocket watch’s beauty is also evidenced in its display of mechanics. The white faced, chronograph minute repeater bears a perpetual calendar (with days of the week en francais) as well as a moon phase display. Marks include a Helvetia hallmark as well as Billian Zurich prominently scrolled upon the dial. The piece remains in exceptional condition, inherited in 1992 by the consignor who had tucked it away in a drawer, unaware of the value that it carried.

Reintroduced to the marketplace since its recent discovery and Stanford University research release is the Charles Le Brun attributed Crossing the Red Sea (lot 5070, $500,000-700,000). This homage to Nicolas Poussin’s The Crossing of the Red Sea had not been on record since 1773, when it sold at auction in England. Since that sale, it was publically presumed either lost or destroyed. The painting resurfaced most recently in 2009, when the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University contacted the National Gallery of Victoria in regards to research of the piece. The lost replica had found its way to the university as it was on loan from a private San Francisco collection where it had resided since the 1960s. Since Crossing the Red Sea had resurfaced, it now came to serve as a key player in solving the mysteries surrounding Poussin’s work. Le Brun’s replica remained substantially better preserved than Poussin’s original, therefore everything from tonal values, reconstruction of damaged forms, expressed effects of sunlight and painted facial features became more clearly understood. In essence, Le Brun’s painting became a noted, key player in art history, unlocking multiple mysteries surrounding the circa 1680s Poussin work.

Additional esteemed European and American artists highlight the approximate one hundred lot fine art presentation. From European paintings is a Henri Lebasque titled Reclining Nude ($100,000-120,000), Thomas Hill’s Three English Setters in California ($40,000-45,000) and Jean Dufy’s Seashells ($20,000-30,000). Highlighted American paintings include works by Theodore Wores, Edmund Osthaus, James Guiford Swinnerton, Lowell Nesbitt and Margaret Keane. Also to be presented at sale will be American sculpture from Edgar Tolson and Thomas Eakins, as well as a Peanuts comic strip drawing entitled Tug of War by the iconic Charles M. Schulz.

Tiffany Studios finery will come aglow in December, with two outstanding pieces spotlighted from the decorative arts portion of the sale. A classic Tiffany Tyler Scroll Table Lamp circa 1910 will be sold at an estimate of $15,000-20,000. A background of graduating, rectangular, mottled green leaded glass is intersected by an encircling scroll design of dichroic glass. When unlit, the scroll appears as a dark butterscotch hue. When lit, the glass breathes new life in fine swirls of amber and golden yellow. The shade then sits on a large Onion brass base, measuring approximately 20 inches in height minus the shade and an approximate 26 inches with. An extremely rare Tiffany Studios Butterfly Lamp Pendant will present one of the scarcest decorative objects at auction, listed at an estimate of $6,000-8,000. The piece comes alive when lit, its wings glowing in both mottled, sky blue Favrile glass and striated glass of an opaque burnt orange with transparent, light sage green. The body beams with brilliant, bright green eyes, a pale pink head and a largely blue abdomen. The wingspan measures approximately 11 ¼ inches across at the widest point, with a peak height measurement of approximately 6 ¼ inches.

Fine china, crystal and silver abounds in the sale. Consummate fine dining in the grand California style is exemplified by the dining room from a Spanish colonial style Hillsborough home including a Renaissance Revival banquet size dining table from a Crocker mansion, several pairs of Sevres urns, a Dresden figural capo di monte thirteen piece centerpiece and an extensive Dresden china service, an extensive suite of Bohemian crystal stemware, bowls and plates with hand painted figures of dancing couples and a Shreve dessert & seafood set, the dessert coupes fitted with Steuben aurene glass liners. From a wealthy 19th century New York collector, beautiful English china including a Spode shell service, a Coalport floral service with botanical specimen floral sprays together with an elegant Victorian sterling tea service in a canteen. The 20th century section of the sale culminates with an amazing selection of Tiffany decorative arts including important Tiffany Studio lamps, silver and an extremely fine French gilt bronze clock featuring Father Time in a boat fashioned in the Empire style. Tiffany lamps range from Tyler, Linenfold and a couple of blooming lily light lamps. Tiffany silver features a magnificent centerpiece and Flemish silver flatware service.

The aforementioned pieces will be sold on December 11, 2015 in Michaan’s fine auction encompassing jewelry, fine art, furnishings and decorative arts.