Skinner

TUESDAY, JULY 30 | 10AM-4PM | WESTCHESTER, NY Skinner is inviting consignments of Fine Musical Instruments for upcoming 2019 auctions. Skinner’s Director of Fine Musical Instruments, Adam Tober will be in the Westchester, NY office on Tuesday, July 30 to offer verbal evaluations and accept consignments of your bowed and fretted string instruments, including antique violins, violas, cellos, and their bows, as well as vintage guitars, mandolins, and banjos. By appointment only. To inquire about consigning or to schedule your appointment, please call 212-787-1114 or email newyork@skinnerinc.com. REQUEST APPOINTMENT

Skinner is now inviting fine silver consignments for upcoming 2019 auctions. Department specialists will be available by appointment to offer verbal evaluations and accept consignments in the Westchester, NY office on Thursday, July 18 between 10AM and 4PM. To inquire about consigning or to schedule your appointment, please call 212-787-1114 or email newyork@skinnerinc.com. REQUEST APPOINTMENT

Skinner is inviting consignments in Chatham, MA for upcoming 2019 auctions. Meet with Skinner experts on July 17 for a complimentary auction evaluation and consignment of your Jewelry, Fine Art, European Antiques, Silver, and Musical Instruments. Photos will be accepted for large or particularly fragile items. To make an appointment, please email info@skinnerinc.com, call 508-970-3000, or request one below. A member of our team will contact you directly for an appointment time. REQUEST APPOINTMENT

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19 | 5:30PM | BOSTON GALLERY Join us Wednesday, June 19th for a discussion and overview of the New England Studio Furniture Movement with Owain Harris, instructor at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine and a New Hampshire Furniture Masters ISFD Pinnacle Award winner. Learn about influential furniture makers in the region who are shaping this re-emerging segment of the design market. The makers will be on hand in the gallery starting at 3PM. Please join us in the Boston Gallery for the reception beginning at 5:30 and the discussion at 6. This event is held in conjuction with the June 20 20th Century Design auction, which features works by local New England studio furnituremakers. Questions? Contact us: events@skinnerinc.com 508-970-3240

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19 | 5:30-7PM | NEWTON, MA Our June online auction introduces Spring Spirits; a spirits focused sale that fulfills every passionate collector’s dreams and Cellar Discoveries for Fine Wines; unique, affordable and coveted lots perfect for the introductory buyer looking to build a cellar and those wishing to expand their already established collection. On Wednesday, June 19th from 5:30-7PM Fine Wine & Rare Spirits specialists will be pouring highlights from the upcoming auction and available to discuss any questions you may have about buying and consigning. Lower Falls Wine Co.2366 Washington St.Newton Lower Falls, MA 02462

Standout Results in the Fine Books & Manuscripts Auction MARLBOROUGH, MA  – May 23, 2019. Skinner’s Fine Books & Manuscripts online auction featured great returns for material related to the sciences. Important landmarks in the history of science have performed well consistently for decades. A collection carefully culled from the inventory of Dr. Adrian Pollock, a prominent London bookseller in the 1970s, is especially appealing now. Dr. Pollock kept all of his correspondence regarding his book purchases, and several letters regarding Newton’s Opticks are especially interesting. Dawson had a different copy of the same edition of the book in lesser condition (later binding, trimmed down, etc.) that was priced considerably less; by more than $1,000, but Dr. Pollock chose to buy the better and more expensive copy. His choice was vindicated by the auction result: His first edition Newton’s Opticks from 1703 sold for $43,050. Dr. Pollock’s rare book collection […]

BOSTON, MA – Skinner, Inc. will hold an auction on July 13, 2019, of European Furniture & Decorative Arts. With over 500 lots in the sale encompassing fine silver, ceramics as well as furniture and decorative arts there is an item for both discerning collectors and novice buyers. Styles range from classic Georgian silver and early oak furnishings to elegant Belle Epoque tables and mantel clocks. Explore works from the 17th to the 20th century and see how you can mix periods and styles to create individual design-schemes in your own home. The Furniture of Paul Sormani Regarded as one of the most elite Parisian ébenistes of the 19th century, Sormani was born in 1817 in the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venice. Inspired by the work of the Royal maitres menuisiers et bronziers of the 18th century, he is best known for his pieces in the Louis XV and XVI style of […]

Four centuries of music-making tradition cross the auction block at Skinner, with works of Hendrik Jacobs, Giovanni Battista Gabrielli, Charles François Gand, and Eugenio Praga. With approximately 360 lots on offer, including a broad selection of violins, violas, violoncellos, and their bows, the June 2 auction will also feature a collection of contemporary classical and flamenco guitars, in addition to vintage fretted instruments by Gibson and C.F. Martin. The son of a wealthy engineer and educated as an engineer himself, Eugenio Praga’s apparently charmed life afforded him the luxury of pursuing a career in lutherie out of intellectual curiosity rather than financial necessity. All of which circumstances allowing the 19th-century Italian violin maker to indulge his interests at his own pace – as violin restorer, bow maker, medal winner, and caretaker to one of the world’s most famous violins: Nicolò Paganini’s Guarneri del Gesù, the “Cannon.” The lattermost experience may […]

Deputy Director of Jewelry and all-around and bon vivant John Colasacco enacted a “takeover” of The Gentleman’s Auction. John’s lifelong interest in antique and period jewelry is matched by his love of antiques — particularly the accoutrements of entertaining. With his passion and trained eye, John appraises decorative arts & silver for the PBS series Antiques Roadshow. Vintage Cocktail Glasses I love how they look, you can find unique sets almost anywhere, or you can mix and match. I don’t always use them for cocktails either- depending on the shape they’re wonderful for ice cream or fruit desserts. Silver Serving Pieces They add sparkle and elegance to the table. Even though my flatware is stainless, I use my George III serving spoons and a 19th century silver salver all the time. For more special occasions I grace the table with a pair of George II sauce boats. I like sleek […]

Join us for First Tuesday in Marlborough Tuesday, June 4 | 1:30PM – 4PM Specialists Robin S.R. Starr, Karen Keane, Jonathan Dowling & Kaitlin Shinnick will be on hand to evaluate items and accept consignments for upcoming auctions. Experts Available in June: Robin S.R. Starr – Director of American & European Works of Art, will be on-hand to evaluate paintings, prints, sculpture, and photography for upcoming auctions. She is looking forward to seeing examples by listed, sought-after artists, as well as iconic works of fine art photography from the 19th through 21st centuries, with market interest over $1000. Post-War and Contemporary Art is particularly strong in the current market. Karen Keane – Our Generalist this month is Skinner’s CEO. Karen is one of the firm’s most versatile appraisers, possessing a broad knowledge of furniture, fine art, and decorative arts. Karen’s specialty areas include Americana, and she will be looking for folk art, […]

Whether you would like to purchase a few artworks to fill wall space in a new apartment or you are interested in beginning a serious art collection, buying at auction can be a straightforward entry point. The process is rather transparent, and it is one of the few opportunities in the US art market to have an idea of pricing up front. Auction houses always provide an estimate of a work’s value—a range in which the specialists believe a work will sell. Following are my top tips for new collectors. Figure out what you like. You ought to do this first, no matter where you think you’ll buy your first few pieces. Visit local museums, commercial galleries, auction previews, and art fairs. Read art books and periodicals. Follow artists, museums, curators, art critics, and gallerists on Instagram (some of my favorites are @lornasimpson, @icaboston, @whitneymuseum, @louisianamuseum, @eugenie.tsai, @curator_on_the_run, @robertasmithnyt, @galerielelong, […]

The art of silversmithing as practiced by the Navajo, Zuni, and other Pueblo Indians is a relatively recent cultural development. It was not until sometime between 1850 and 1870 that the Navajos acquired the skill of working in silver from the Mexican plateros (silversmiths) they encountered. From the Navajos, the art spread to the Zunis, and to a lesser degree to the other smaller tribes of the Pueblo groups. Although many tribes eventually learned the craft of silversmithing, none have developed it to the level of the Navajo, Zuni and later the Hopi. Eventually, each tribe evolved designs and styles of its own. In these early years, however, Indian jewelry designs were all heavily influenced by the fashions of the Spanish colonizers. Early examples of classic jewelry produced by the Navajo were the squash blossom necklace with its crescent-shaped pendant (naja) at the lower extremity, this was copied from the […]