The endless fecundity — and beauty — of the natural world is a constant theme in antique rugs, and that is especially true of the selection for our Fall 2020 Sale. The importance of the idea of “the Garden” is an often-noted feature of Islamic Art in general, and Persian Art in particular. A garden, of course, has echoes of the original Paradise, Eden, as well as the Paradise to come. But beyond all notions of the life-to-come, a garden, no matter how small, represents respite and shelter in a region where much of the landscape is arid and unforgiving.… Read More

Subject and Symbolism

The symbols depicted on a textile can tell you quite specifically what the function was and who would have owned it. Chimes, twin fish, and double happiness characters are symbols for blessings in marriage, designating a marriage robe. At the same time, Imperial dragons were strictly only used on Imperial textiles until the later parts of the Qing dynasty. 

Manchu Wedding Robe, China, 19th century. Sold for $9,225 in September 2019.

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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

Skinner’s upcoming August Americana auctions are comprised of a varied and interesting array of early American furniture, paintings, needle works, objects of historical interest, and maritime pieces. Totaling over 1300 lots, each object displays some alluring characteristic that makes it best in its class, whether it’s an 18th century New York Windsor highchair with fine blue-green paint (Lot 377, Estimated between $20,000-25,000) or a late 19th century cap gun toy with a humorous message (Lot 1344, $800-1,200).… Read More

BOSTON, MA – Skinner, Inc. presents splendid rugs, carpets and textiles from the Caucasus region, Persia, Anatolia, India, Central Asia, and China at auction on Tuesday, April 25 at 12PM. Public previews will be held on Sunday, April 23, 12 to 5PM; Monday, April 24, 12 to 7PM; and Tuesday, 9 to 10:30AM.

Lawrence Kearney, Director of Fine Oriental Rugs & Carpets, notes that this auction includes three special collections with a preponderance of fresh-to-market examples of woven and embroidered artistry.… Read More

BOSTON, MA – Skinner, Inc. will host an auction of American Indian & Ethnographic Art at 10AM on December 1 in its Boston gallery, featuring a wide range of weavings, pottery, baskets, pre-Colombian art, and objects from the Northeast woodlands, as well as an impressive collection of American Plains Indian material. The auction includes a standout selection of Paiute beaded baskets from The George and Jackie Bernheimer Collection.… Read More

BOSTON, MA – This fall Skinner is excited to offer its first online-only auction of Fine Oriental Rugs & Carpets. Opening on October 13 and running through October 21, the auction will feature over 400 lots of antique rugs, carpets, and textiles from the Caucasus region, Persia, Anatolia, India, Central Asia, and China.

A private collection of antique rugs leads the auction. Formed in New York City during the 1950s and 1960s, the collection is like a time capsule of refined, eclectic taste.… Read More

The Irish Arts & Crafts movement often does not get the attention it deserves in publications and exhibitions. That is why it was particularly exciting to visit the Making It Irish exhibition at the McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College over the weekend. The curators have brought together over 150 objects, including textiles, metalwork, glass, furniture, books, and jewelry, to examine the movement in the context of the enormous social and political upheavals that characterized Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.… Read More

Discovery Country Americana live and Jewelry & Silver online February 4th through 12th

MARLBOROUGH, MA – March 4, 2016 – Skinner is hosting a live auction of Country Americana on Thursday, March 10 and an online-only auction of Jewelry & Silver from March 3 through 11. Bidders are invited to view items and meet with specialists in person on March 8 and 9, or anytime online.

The live auction features over 700 lots of 18th, 19th and 20th century Americana including Chippendale, Federal, country and reproduction furniture, folk art, quilts from an Arkansas collector, British and Asian ceramics, metalwork, glass and more.… Read More

Chinese Imperial Carpets Highlights March 13 Auction

BOSTON, MA – February 29, 2016 – Skinner, Inc. is pleased to announce its auction of Fine Oriental Rugs & Carpets on Sunday, March 13 at 12PM. With over 300 lots on offer, the sale features a number of early, striking collector’s pieces, as well as a broad range of 19th century furnishing rugs and carpets, many of which were consigned from estates or private collections.

Chinese Rugs

Among several early Chinese rugs and rug fragments in the sale, one of the most significant is a 16th century Ming Imperial Carpet Fragment (Lot 84, estimated between $8,000 and $10,000). … Read More