BOSTON, Mass. – October 3, 2005 – www.skinnerinc.com - Skinner, one of the nation’s leading auction houses, will host an auction of Asian Furniture and Decorative Arts on Saturday, October 22 nd, in Boston , at 10:00 a.m. The sale of more than 1,000 lots offers a huge assortment of objects, with selections for every budget. Highlighting the offerings will be the Collection of William Sturgis Bigelow from the Museum of Fine Arts , Boston , which is being sold to benefit acquisition funds at the museum. Also offered will be s everal items from the collection of The New Orleans Museum of Art, proceeds from the sale of which will go toward re-building the museum. Offerings from this collection include bronzes, snuff bottles, netsukes, and ceramics, in addition to selected porcelain items.

The Collection of William Sturgis Bigelow
Objects from the collection of William Sturgis Bigelow (1850-1926) also highlight the auction. Bigelow was a Boston physician, and an avid collector of Japanese art and objects, who was among the earliest and most influential forces in a growing American interest in Japan at the turn of the twentieth century. Deeply interested in Buddhism and Japanese culture, Bigelow traveled to Japan in the early 1880s, where he remained for nearly a decade. In 1911, he donated his extensive collection to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston . Of particular note in the Skinner sale's offerings from this collection is a group of mixed metal works, including an incense burner with the attributes of the gods of luck in silver and other assorted metals, and a quantity of other mixed metal objects, as well as a large group of bronzes. “It’s an incredible selection,” notes department director James Callahan. Furniture and architectural elements from the collection include a lacquered Tzu Tan chair, in addition to a Huang Hua Li armchair, a Huang Hua Li seal box, and a pair of Kang Hsi lacquered cabinets. A large group of Japanese carved hardwood ramma architectural elements also will be offered, including two 16 feet in length.

Additional Highlights
Additional highlights include a complete writing set from Japan, comprising a lacquer work stationery box (Bunko), and writing box (Suzuribako), with a high relief Maki-e of a rustic cottage in various gold colors on a black ground, and gold interiors with chrysanthemum flowers an a gilt silver water dropper (Bunko). Also featured are a Korean parade helmet from the 18 th/early 19 th century, and a 17 th/18 th century rhinoceros horn cup.

Previews and Catalogue Information
Previews for the auction will be 12 to 5 p.m. Thursday, October 20 th, 12 to 7 p.m. Friday, October 21 st, and 8 to 9 a.m. Saturday, October 22 nd. Illustrated catalog #2315 is available by mail for $32 ($39 for foreign requests) from the subscription department at 978-779-6241 x240. It is also available at the gallery for $29. Prices realized will be available at www.skinnerinc.com during and after the sale. For more information, call 978-779-6241, or visit www.skinnerinc.com. Skinner's site also allows users to view all lots in the auctions, leave bids, and order catalogues online.

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About Skinner
Skinner, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art and the only major auction house headquartered in New England . With expertise in over 20 specialty collecting areas, Skinner draws the interest of buyers from all over the world and its auctions regularly achieve world record prices. Skinner provides a broad range of auction and appraisal services, and it is widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in the auction business. Skinner’s appraisal experts regularly appear on the PBS-TV series, Antiques Roadshow, and its specialty departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, Paintings & Prints, English & Continental Furniture & Decorations, Fine Ceramics, Jewelry, Couture, 20 th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Art, Fine Judaica, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Science & Technology, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographic Art, and Discovery. Skinner galleries are located in Boston and Bolton , Mass. For more information on upcoming auctions and events, visit Skinner's web site www.skinnerinc.com.