Left: Ancient Apulian Small Volute-krater, c. 380 B.C. (Lot 196, Estimate: $2,500-3,500). Right: Wedgwood Encaustic Decorated Black Basalt Volute Krater Vase, England, 19th century (Lot 302, Estimate: $5,000-10,000)

The Wedgwood factory’s beginnings coincided with discovering the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and the blossoming of the neoclassical style based on the architecture, art, and artifacts revealed through archaeological excavations.… Read More

Believe it or not, Skinner held its first online-only auctions in 1999. At the time, bidders experienced a platform built on emerging technology. Fast-forward to 2020, and it’s hard to find a collector or even an occasional buyer who hasn’t participated in an online auction.

The main feature of an online-only auction is that bidding takes place over an extended period of time—as a bidder, there is no need to spend hours in a saleroom waiting for the lot(s) you are interested in to come on the block.… Read More

Above and below: French .800 Silver and Parcel-gilt Chess Set, late 19th/early 20th century, bearing maker’s mark “G Fres” possibly for Guillemin Frères, sold for $25,830

The pandemic has fueled renewed interest in board games as people worldwide stay safe at home and seek diversions. The recent popularity of the Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit” has toy industry and market analysts noting triple-digit increases in the sale of chess sets to an already “hot” market. 

Chess is an ancient game, originating in 6th-century India; it wasn’t until the mid-19th century that the form of the pieces we are familiar with today were standardized.… Read More

Detail | Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre Temple on a Rock Vase and Cover, England, c. 1920, sold for $61,500 on July 13, 2019

BOSTON, MA – July 22, 2019. Skinner held an auction of European Furniture & Decorative Arts, with ceramics and fine silver in Boston on July 13, 2019. The sale saw active participation from bidders in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia competing for items online, by telephone, in the room, and via partner platforms.… Read More

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.… Read More

BOSTON, MA – March 27, 2019 – Skinner will hold an auction on April 12, 2019, in Marlborough of Clocks, Watches & Scientific Instruments. With over 450 lots on offer, the sale features a fine array of scientific instruments, timepieces, American and European wristwatches, pocket watches and mechanical music boxes.

Horology

Offering 70 lots of classics and curiosities related to mechanics and the history of watches acquired throughout Bernhard Stoeber’s long career perfecting the creation, service, and quality control surrounding watches and their technicians.… Read More

Boston, MA – March 4, 2019 – Skinner presents an Asian Works of Art auction featuring 500 lots of Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian art and antiques. Coinciding with Asia Week New York, the sale features five important private collections: Chinese monochrome ceramics, Gandharan and Sino-Tibetan Buddhist sculpture, Japanese Satsuma ware, and Chinese textiles. Collected over an extended period, each illustrates the highly selective tastes of the collector.… Read More

BOSTON, MA, February 12, 2019 – Skinner will present a live auction of Americana in our Boston Gallery on March 2nd. The auction features 465 lots representing a broad offering of American Furniture, Folk Art, and Decorative Arts from collections across the country.

Presidential Portraits and George Washington

A compelling group of material relating to George Washington, from various consignors, speaks to Washington’s widespread popularity and influence before his death in 1799, and the decades of reverence for his memory after it.… Read More

MARLBOROUGH, MA – January 28, 2019 – Coins and currency are seen not only as a utilitarian tool for commerce but also as miniature works of art. These small sculptures and engravings historically feature gods and goddesses, rulers, and allegorical figures, rendered in an artistic manner. The Skinner February auction, online from February 13-22, of coins and currency highlights some of the most desirable and beautiful of these designs.… Read More

[BOSTON], MA – January 28, 2019 – In the first department offering of 2019, the January auction (open for bidding January 30-February 7) features a New England Cellar, a single-owner collection largely accumulated and curated upon release from local retailers. This pedigreed compilation features storied vintage Champagne (Krug, Cristal, Eric Rodez), pristine lots of First Growth Bordeaux (Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Cheval Blanc), Burgundy (Comtes Lafon, Meo Camuzet), a deep strain of exemplary Italian producers (Sassicaia, Valdicava’s Madonna del Piano and Rinaldi) and California darlings Kistler and Peter Michael.… Read More