| Press Contact: | Catherine Riedell | Stuart Slavid | Stuart Whitehurst |
| Director of Marketing | Director of European | Specialist in European Furniture | |
| Skinner, Inc | Furniture & Decorative Arts | & Decorative Arts | |
|
978-779-6341, x231 |
978-779-6241 ext. 306 | 978-779-6241 ext. 255 | |
SKINNER HOSTS TWO-DAY AUCTION, APRIL 25TH &26TH
FEATURING FINE CERAMICS AND EUROPEAN FURNITURE & DECORATIVE ARTS
Fine Ceramics include the Lloyd J. Bleier Collection of Wedgwood and the Kanter Collection
European offerings include 200 lots of Silver and the Estate of Jacques and Louise Wimpfheimer
BOSTON, Mass. - April 10, 2002 – www.skinnerinc.com - Skinner, one of the nation’s leading auction houses, will host a two-day European Furniture and Decorative Arts auction on Friday, April 25that 4:00 p.m. and Saturday April 26th at 10:00 a.m. in its Boston gallery at 63 Park Plaza in Boston. Friday evening’s session is the Fine Ceramics portion of the sale and it features includes nearly 500 lots of with the greatest portion are Wedgwood and related wares. The Saturday session features European Furniture & Decorative arts including 18th and 19th century English and continental furniture, 19th century American furniture, paintings, sculpture, and other decorative arts, as well as 200 lots of silver and 37 lots of Oriental carpets and rugs.
Fine Ceramics: The Lloyd J. Bleier Collection of Wedgwood and the Kanter
Collection
Featured in the ceramics session are two major collections; the Lloyd J. Bleier
Collection of Beverly Hills, CA and the Kanter Collection of Chicago, IL. Lloyd
J. Bleier was nationally recognized as a collector, authority and educator on
Wedgwood and his collection spanned the nearly 250 years of production with
fine representations of many of the Wedgwood wares. As a scholar at heart, Bleier
was always willing to share his vast knowledge with the greatest of enthusiasm.
He was a past board member of the Wedgwood Society of New York, and a founder
and board member of the Wedgwood Society of Southern California. From lead glazed
earthenwares to Wedgwood and Bentley to 20th century studio pottery to modern
wares, the Bleier collection captures a true overview of the variety of wares
produced. Highlights from his 300 plus lots include a wide variety of black
basalts, early jasperwares, creamwares and fairyland lustre. Along with his
ceramics, his thirst for knowledge had him acquiring an extensive reference
library. A wide selection of his books pertaining to English pottery and porcelain
will also be included. Monnie Kanter, a longstanding Wedgwood collector, author,
lecturer and scholar, has consigned over 50 fine and early Wedgwood medallions,
mostly 18th century portraits, in both jasper and black basalt. Also included
in this “Part I” of the Kanter collection is a fine and important 18th century
green jasper mantle plaque. Complimenting the Bleier and Kanter Collections
will be other fine examples of Wedgwood as well as other fine English pottery
and porcelains. Highlighted ceramics lots include:
· Lot 248: Wedgwood Solid Pale Blue Jasper Footed Bowl, England 1785, estimated
$3,000-$5,000.
· Lot 249: Wedgwood Green Jasper Dip Sucrier, Cover and Stand, England, late 18th century, estimated $800-1,200.
· Lot 253: Wedgwood Three-Color Jasper Dip Diceware Incense Burner, England, late 18th century, estimated $3,000-5,000.
· Lot. 142: Wedgwood Encaustic Decorated black Basalt Rum Kettle and Cover, England,c.1800, estimated $4,000-6,000. Other ceramics lots, to be offered in the Saturday session include:
· Lot 814: Berlin Painted Porcelain Plaque of a Party of Ladies Bathing, late 19th/early 20th c. with impressed KPM mark. Unframed, plaque size 12 ½ x 10 1/8 inches estimated $1,000-1,500.
· Lot 1026: Pair of “Sevres” Porcelain Ormolu Mounted Covered Urns, late 19th c, signed G. Poiterin, estimated $5,000-8,000.
The Estate of Jacques & Louise Wimpfheimer
On Saturday, one of the more interesting collections for sale is the estate
of Jacques and Louise Wimpfheimer. The Wimpfheimers were longtime residents
of Stonington Connecticut, beloved figures in the world of thoroughbred horse
racing, and avid collectors of equine-related art and antiques. Their passion
for the sport began with the purchase of their first horse in 1954. In the nearly
50 years that followed, the Wimpfheimers became two of the most recognized personalities
in the world of East Coast championship horse racing, breeding and racing their
horses throughout the United States and France. Jacques Wimpfheimer’s contributions
to the sport were innumerable. He held several leadership roles within the industry
including director of the Grayson Foundation, co-founder of The New York Backstretch
Employees Pension Fund, and most notably, a five-term presidency of the Thoroughbred
Owners and Breeders Association. His accomplishments with the TOBA include overseeing
possibly the single most important event in the history of the industry: the
introduction of graded stakes races in North America. Mr. Wimpfheimer was also
secretary of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, a member of the
Jockey Club and co-founder of The Blood-Horse Magazine, where he served as vice
president and later as trustee. 1971, Jacques Wimpfheimer was named by the New
York Turf Writers Association as the “Man Who Did The Most For Racing.” In the
world of business, Mr. Wimpfheimer was well known as president of A. Wimpfheimer
& Company, which operated American Velvet Company. In their hometown of Stonington,
Connecticut, both Jacques and Louise Wimpfheimer were respected members of the
community, active in both social and political circles, as well as cultural
and charitable organizations. The Wimpfheimer’s collection comprises a wide
variety of horse-related material including portraits of winning race horses
once owned by the Wimpfheimer family, silver and silver-plate trophies from
major horse races, as well as period furniture and decorative arts. Key lots
include:
· Lot 759: Portrait of Two Horses and a Dog in a Landscape, by George Jackson (English, fl. 1830-1864), estimated $5000-7000, a charming example of its type.
· Lot 600: Bronze Figure of a Stallion, by Christophe Fratin (French, 1800-1864) “Hercule”, estimated $1000-1500.
· Lot 795: Large Silver Plated Suffolk Downs Massachusetts Handicap Trophy, won by the Wimpfheimer’s racehorse Bounding Basque on June 22, 1985, setting a course record, estimated $300-400.
Silver Offerings
Skinner’s auction also features over 200 lots of Silver including British, European,
Middle-eastern, Asian, and American offerings, from the 17th-20th centuries,
with highlights as follows:
· Lot 1133: George III Silver Hot Water Urn, London, 1792, maker Robert Sharp, estimated $2000-3000.
· Lot 1202: Pair of German Art Nouveau Figural .800 Silver Two-Light Candelabra, formed as iris flowers raised on lily pads, estimated $6000-8000.
· Lot 1212A: George Jensen Sterling Compote, Denmark, 1926-32, design number 263B by Jensen himself, estimated $1500-2500.
· Lot 1259: Tiffany & Co. Aesthetic Movement Sterling and Mixed Metal Bowl, New York, 1875-91, estimated $10,000-15000.
· Lot 1264: Gorham Sterling Aesthetic Movement Seven-Piece Tea and Coffee Service, 1880-1, estimated $3000-5000.
Other European Furniture & Decorative Arts Offerings
Small offerings in the sale include glass, textiles, porcelains, clocks, and
barometers, including a small collection of tea caddies. Furniture offerings
include British and European furniture from the 18th-20th centuries, including
a grouping of Biedermeier pieces. Highlighted lots are as follows:
· Lot 814: Berlin Painted Porcelain Plaque of a Party of Ladies Bathing, with impressed KPM mark, estimated $1000-1500.
· Lot 816: Pair of Late George III Inlaid Mahogany Games Tables, c. 1800, estimated $2800-3500.
· Lot 875: A Fine George III Inlaid Mahogany Demi-lune Sideboard, c. 1780, of impressive proportions, estimated $14,000-18,000.
· Lot 888: Regency Giltwood and Verre Eglomise Three-Part Overmantel Mirror, estimated $6000-8000.
· Lot 1026: Pair of “Sevres” Porcelain Yellow-Ground Ormolu Mounted Covered Urns, estimated $5000-7000.
· Lot 1076: Continental Part Ebonised Fruitwood Stumpwork Embroidery Inset Table Cabinet, estimated $1500-2500.
Catalogue & Previews
Previews for the sale will be 12 noon to 5 p.m., Thursday, April 24th, and 12
noon to 8 p.m., Friday, April 25th. There is no preview on Saturday morning.
Illustrated catalog #2191 is available for $32 ($39 for foreign requests) from
the subscription department at Skinner/Bolton (978-779-6241 ext. 240). They
are also available at the gallery at $29. Prices realized at the auction will
be available in real-time at www.skinnerinc.com
during and after the sale. For more information, call 978-779-6241, fax 978-779-5144,
or visit www.skinnerinc.com.
Note to Editors: Photos available upon request. Contact Catherine Riedel at 978-779-6241 x 231.
About Skinner:With galleries in Boston and Bolton, Mass., Skinner is a full-service auctioneer and appraiser of antiques and fine art. Regularly seen on the PBS series, Antiques Roadshow, Skinner is one of the nation’s leading auction houses. Skinner conducts auctions year-round and has received world-record prices for many pieces sold at auction. Departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, Paintings & Prints, English & Continental Furniture & Decorations, Fine Ceramics, Jewelry, Couture, 20th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Art, Fine Judaica, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Science & Technology, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographica, and Discovery. For more information on upcoming auctions, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com.