Kishi Ganku (1756-1838), Tiger and a cub. Estimate 100,000 — 150,000 USD. Lot sold 87,500 USD. Photo Sotheby's

ink and color on silk, framed, signed Echizen no Kani Ganka, 64 in. by 34 in., 162.6 cm by 86.4 cm.

Provenance: Christie's New York, 28th March 2006, lot 174.

Bibliography: Bunjinga kenkyukai, ed., Tora hyakutai (One hundred figures of tigers), Tokyo: Nichibo shuppansha, 1985, p. 1.

Notes: Ganku was from Kanazawa (present Ishikawa prefecture) and apprenticed in a textile shop as a teenager. He was said to have been drawing realistic animals and birds from the age of four. It is not clear how he learned painting in Kanazawa but it is possible that he studied with Mori Ransai (1740-1801) of the Shen Quan (1682-1760) school.  Shen Quan (whose Japanese name was Nanpin) was a Qing dynasty Chinese painter who influenced many Japanese painters with his realistic Western style drawings.

Later, he went to Kyoto to become a professional painter and studied the paintings of many ancient Chinese masters including Li Sixun (651-716). It is also possible that he had some contact with Maruyama Okyo (1733-1795).

He is known for his forceful, powerful tiger paintings. He studied the skulls of tigers and drew them from several different angles and went as far as measuring the parts of bones and counting the number of tiger teeth.

Sotheby's. Saturday at Sotheby's: Asian Art, New York, 19 sept. 2015

Portrait of Heungseon Daewongun by Yi Hancheol et Yu Sook, 1869, painting on silk , 133.7 × 67.7cm, Seoul History Museum , Treasure No. 1499 -1.

Portrait of Heungseon Daewongun by Yi Hancheol and Yi Chang-ok, 1880, silk painting, 113.7 × 66.2cm, Seoul History Museum , Treasure No. 1499-1.

Portrait of Heungseon Daewongun by Yi Hancheol and Yi Chang-ok, 1880, painted on silk , 126.0 × 64.9cm, Seoul History Museum , Treasure No. 1499-1.

DALLAS, TX.- This fall, the Dallas Museum of Art has mounted Spirit and Matter: Masterpieces from the Keir Collection of Islamic Art, the first North American exhibition from one of the world’s most significant and rarely exhibited private collections of Islamic art. This unprecedented exhibition showcases more than 50 of the most historically important masterworks from the Keir Collection, which is arriving in Dallas this year on a 15-year loan to the DMA. 

Assembled over the course of five decades by the noted art collector Edmund de Unger (1918–2011), the Keir Collection is recognized by scholars as one of the most geographically and historically comprehensive of its kind, encompassing almost 2,000 works spanning three continents and 13 centuries of Islamic cultural production—from rock crystal to metalwork, ceramics, textiles, carpets, and works on paper. Spirit and Matter marks the first of multiple exhibitions that present different areas of the collection over the course of its loan to the Museum. 

Tile with Lustre-Painted Decoration, Iran, 12th-13th century, ceramic, The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art, K.1.2014.98. 

Following the announcement last year that the Keir Collection would arrive at the DMA on a long-term loan, the Museum opened in May 2014 a focused exhibition of one of the collection’s most notable works: a rock crystal ewer from Egypt’s Fatimid Caliphate (969–1171), one of only seven of its kind in existence. The ewer has remained on view at the DMA as part of the new exhibition.  

“We are deeply grateful to the Keir Collection’s Trustees for entrusting us with this unparalleled treasure, which will enhance the DMA’s growing strengths in the area of Islamic art,” said Maxwell L. Anderson, the Museum’s Eugene McDermott Director. “It’s a great privilege to introduce these works to a North American audience for the first time in the collection’s history, offering our visitors a unique opportunity to gain greater insight into the artistic heritage of the Islamic world.” 

The "Homberg Ewer", Syria, 1242, brass inlaid with silver, The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art, K.1.2014.82.

On view through July 31, 2016, Spirit and Matter has been organized and developed by Dr. Sabiha Al Khemir, the DMA’s Senior Advisor for Islamic Art, who was integral in bringing the Keir Collection to Dallas. The arrival of the Keir Collection at the DMA has transformed the Museum’s Islamic art holdings into the third largest in North America.  

“With distinctive strengths across nearly every major period of Islamic cultural production, the Keir Collection is one of the most important collections of Islamic art ever assembled,” said Sabiha Al Khemir. “We are thrilled by the opportunity to display this remarkable collection with new scholarship and interpretive strategies that will illuminate the 13-century history of Islamic art for audiences locally and globally.” 

Manuscript, The Shahnama of Firdawsi, Iran: Shiraz, 1539, work on paper, The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art, K.1.2014.35.A-N.

Over the course of the loan, the DMA is establishing a new gallery space dedicated to exhibiting works from the Keir Collection, and will also create the first-ever digital archive of the collection to enhance its accessibility for scholarship and public engagement. The loan and exhibition of the Keir Collection affirms the DMA’s commitment to expanding its collections through long-term loans and cultural exchanges, as a complement to its robust acquisitions program.  

The Keir Collection’s exhibition at the DMA exemplifies the Museum’s DMX program, which was launched in 2012 and facilitates loans of cultural objects from international organizations in exchange for the Museum sharing its expertise in conservation, exhibitions, education and new media. Texas has the fifth largest Muslim population in the United States, and until now Dallas has been the only one of the four largest metropolitan areas in the nation lacking a significant public display of the art of the Islamic world. None of the projects of DMX, including the Keir loan, involve fees, but instead are intended to foster scholarship, relationship-building and lifelong learning. 

Spirit and Matter: Masterpieces from the Keir Collection of Islamic Art is organized by the Dallas Museum of Art. The exhibition is presented by Kosmos Energy. 

Silk and Metal Thread Brocaded Fragment, Asia: Anatolia, Ottoman, second half of the 16th century, textile, The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art, K.1.2014.51.

The Keir Collection 
Named after the 18th-century British mansion where it was once housed, the Keir Collection includes textiles, carpets, ceramics, rock crystal, metalwork and works on paper. Reflecting the tastes of Edmund de Unger—a Hungarian-born lawyer who began collecting Islamic art in the 1950s—the Keir Collection is particularly strong in the fields of early luster ceramic ware, while the rock crystal—including the currently exhibited Fatimid Ewer—is perhaps the most important collection of its type outside the treasury of San Marco in Venice. Other highlights include the sumptuous silk textiles with their intricately drawn designs from the imperial workshops of 16th- and 17th-century Safavid Iran, and then there are distinctive examples of illuminated figurative manuscripts from the 14th to 17th century. With the exception of an exhibition of some 100 works at the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin in 2007–08, most of the collection has never been exhibited in a museum setting prior to its presentation at the DMA.

Large Dish, second quarter of the 13th century, metal, The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art, K.1.2014.77. 

Pictorial Silk and Metal Thread Brocaded Velvet Fragment, Asia: Persia, Safavid, circa 1600, textile, The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art, K.1.2014.44. 

Miniature painting - Cup-Shaped Automaton, Egypt or Syria: North Africa, 715 AH/1315 AD, work on paper, The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art, K.1.2014.4.

Pendant, Egypt, probably Cairo, late 11th century, gold, with cloisonné enamel, The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art, K.1.2014.90.

Silk Velvet “Summer ” Carpet, ,India: Mughal, second half of the 17th century. Textile. Strainer/Stretcher dimensions: 124 × 103 × 1 1/2 in. (3 m 14.96 cm × 2 m 61.62 cm × 3.81 cm) The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art, K.1.2014.105. 

Silk and Metal Thread Brocaded Fragment, Asia: Anatolia, Ottoman, second half of the 16th century, Textile. 33 × 25 in. (83.82 × 63.5 cm). Strainer/Stretcher dimensions: 33 1/4 × 26 in. (84.46 × 66.04 cm). The Keir Collection of Islamic Art on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art, K.1.2014.49. 

Saperda puncticollis

Saperda tridentata 

Saperda tridentata

Saperda quercus ocellata

Saperda populnea

Saperda scalaris

Saperda lateralis

Saperda candida

Saperda interrupta

Saperda punctata

Saperda (Anaerea) carcharias

Saperda octopunctata

Saperda perforata yellow form

Saperda perforata

Saperda perforata

Grande statue de divinité debout en bois laqué or, Vietnam, XVIIIe - XIXe siècle. Photo Mercier & Cie

à huit bras, les mains originales en namaskara mudra, les autres mains tenant des cloches. La tête ornée de deux petites têtes derrière les oreilles. (Manque des attributs, craquelures, accidents). H. : 143 cm. Estimation: 2 000 - 3 000 €

Dimanche 4 octobre à 14h15 à LILLE. MERCIER ET CIE, 14 RUE DES JARDINS 59000 Lille. Contact : Tél. : 03 20 12 24 24 - Fax : 03 20 51 06 62 - contact@mercier.com

Partie d'une frise en grès beige, Vietnam, Période Champa, XIIIème siècle. Estimation 1 000 - 1 500 €. Photo SCP Morand

représentant une tête de divinité surmontée de rinceaux feuillagés, montée sur socle. 37 x 26 cm. restaurations. Estimation 1 000 - 1 500 €. 

SCP R. MORAND & L. MORAND et MORAND & MORAND. INTERIEURS PARISIENS II. Vendredi 9 octobre à 14h00 à PARIS. HOTEL DROUOT, 9 rue Drouot, SALLE 4, 75009 Paris. Contact : Cristina MOURAUT. Tél. : 01 40 56 91 96 - Fax : 01 47 34 74 85 -cmouraut@etudemorand.com

Wittgenstein Vitrine (for the 1908 Kunstschau), 1908; Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshops), Vienna, Austria, 1903-32, maker; Carl Otto Czeschka, Austrian, 1878-1960, designer; Josef Berger, Austrian, 1874/75-?, goldsmith; Josef Hoszfeld, Austrian, 1869-1918, Adolf Erbrich, Austrian, 1874-?, Alfred Mayer, Austrian, 1873-?, silversmiths; Josef Weber, dates unknown, cabinetmaker; Wabak, Albrech, Plasinsky, Cerhan (unidentified craftsmen); silver, moonstone, opal, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, baroque pearls, onyx, ivory, enamel, glass, and ebony veneers (replaced); Overall: 66 1/4 x 24 x 12 5/8 in. (168.275 cm x 60.96 cm x 32.07 cm); Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc.

DALLAS - In December 2013, the Dallas Museum of Art announced the acquisition of one of the most significant additions to its collection to date: an exceptional silver vitrine originally owned by the Wittgenstein family of Vienna and designed by Carl Otto Czeschka (1878–1960) of the Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshops). The Wittgenstein Vitrine stands over five feet tall and is made of solid silver encrusted with enamel, pearls, opals, moonstones, and other semiprecious stones. This masterpiece, unique in the production of the Werkstätte, is one of the most important objects of the 20th century, marking the apogee of ornamental richness in Viennese Secessionist art and questioning the very direction of early modern design.

Flower vase, 1910, Josef Hoffmann, Austrian, 1870 - 1956, designer Adolf Erbrich, Austrian, born 1874, maker Wiener Werkstätte, Vienna, Austria, active 1903 - 1932, silver with malachite, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Junior Associates.

ince its arrival in Dallas, the vitrine has been the subject of an intensive research and conservation program. The exhibition, Modern Opulence in Vienna: The Wittgenstein Vitrine, will reveal these results by exploring the conservation effort and charting the context and history of this masterwork’s design and fabrication, iconography, and provenance. The exhibition will also present new perspectives on designer Carl Otto Czeschka, his work for the Wiener Werkstätte, and the important patronage of the Wittgenstein family. 

November 15, 2014 to May 29, 2016 | Conservation Gallery

Dessert glass, c. 1906-1910, Otto Prutscher, Austrian, 1880 - 1949, designer, Josef Meyr's Neffe, Bohemian, Adolf near Winterburg, Austria, Active 1816 – 1822, glass, enamel, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Friends of the Decorative Arts.

Givenchy, l'Officiel, 1953 by René Gruau

Lucien Lelong, 1946 by René Gruau

Jacques Fath, 1947, by René Gruau

Jacques Fath, 1950 by René Gruau

Jacques Fath, 1950, by René Gruau

Pierre Balmain, Fémina, 1946, by René Gruau

Pierre Balmain, l'Officiel, 1952, by René Gruau

Pierre Balmain, l'Officiel, 1953, by René Gruau

Pierre Balmain, l'Officiel, 1953, by René Gruau

17.05 carats Diamond Ring. Estimatie 9,500,000 — 12,000,000 HKD (1,113,373 - 1,406,366 EUR). Photo: Sotheby's

Centring on a brilliant-cut diamond weighing 17.05 carats, flanked by each side by a tapered baguette diamond, mounted in platinum. Ring size: 6¼

Accompanied by GIA report numbered 10153290, dated 13 June 1997, stating that the 17.05 carat diamond is F colour, VVS2 clarity, with Excellent Polish and Symmetry.

Please note that the certificate is more than 10 years old and might require an update.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels & Jadeite, Hong Kong, 07 oct. 2015, 02:00 PM

Pair of 21.20 and 20.50 carats Diamond Earrings. Estimatie 9,500,000 — 11,000,000 HKD (1,113,373 - 1,289,169 EUR). Photo: Sotheby's

Each set with a cushion-shaped diamond weighing approximately 21.20 and 20.50 carats respectively, to a hook surmount, mounted in silver topped 18 karat yellow gold.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels & Jadeite, Hong Kong, 07 oct. 2015, 02:00 PM

Fine 9.65 carats Type IIa Diamond Ring. Estimatie 8,600,000 — 10,000,000 HKD (1,007,896 - 1,171,972 EUR). Photo: Sotheby's

Simply set with a brilliant-cut diamond weighing 9.65 carats, mounted in 18 karat white gold. Ring size: 5½ 

Accompanied by GIA report numbered 10488844. dated 26 March 2015, stating that the 9.65 carat diamond is D colour, Internally Flawless clarity, with Excellent Cut, Polish and Symmetry; also accompanied by diamond type classification report stating that the diamond is determined to be a Type IIa diamond. Type IIa diamonds are the most chemically pure type of diamond and often have exceptional optical transparency.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels & Jadeite, Hong Kong, 07 oct. 2015, 02:00 PM

Very Fine 55.96 carats Type IIa Diamond necklace. Estimatie 8,500,000 — 11,000,000 HKD (996,176 - 1,289,169 EUR). Photo: Sotheby's

Set with forty graduated heart-shaped diamonds together weighing 55.96 carats, linked by brilliant-cut diamonds together weighing approximately 2.75 carats, mounted in 18 karat white gold, length approximately 425mm. 

Accompanied by forty GIA reports, stating that the forty diamonds ranging from 3.67 carats to 0.51 carat are all D colour, Flawless to Internally Flawless clarity, with Excellent Polish and Symmetry. Twelve diamonds ranging from 3.30 to 1.02 carats diamonds are also accompanied by diamond type classification reports stating that the diamonds are determined to be a Type IIa diamond. Type IIa diamonds are the most chemically pure type of diamond and often have exceptional optical transparency. 

From ancient Greek to modern day, diamonds have long been magical and powerful symbols of eternal love, romance and commitment. In Greek mythology, diamonds were the tears of God, Roman literature referenced diamonds as fragments of fallen stars, and Cupid’s irresistible arrows of love and passion were tipped with diamonds, accentuating the magical and symbolic power of diamonds and its connotation to love.

The heart, a universal representation of love and affection, refers to the emotional and spiritual essence of a person, a symbol of compassion and joy. There is no ultimate expression of love, than that of a diamond fashioned in the shape of a heart, to mark every memorable occasion when the heart is touched and the promise of love is made.

This necklace is the embodiment of pureness and perfection of eternal love, encompassing forty impeccable diamonds of D colour, flawless to internal flawless clarity, and of the finest proportions. Twelve of which are also certified to be Type IIa diamonds, possessing a purity of colour and a high degree of transparency and luminosity which is present in only 2% of the world’s entire diamond production. This rare collection of diamonds guarantees to charm and captivate every heart.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels & Jadeite, Hong Kong, 07 oct. 2015, 02:00 PM

Exquisite 2.11 carats Fancy Intense Blue Diamond and Diamond Ring. Estimatie 6,800,000 — 8,000,000 HKD (796,941 - 937,577 EUR). Photo: Sotheby's

Centring on an emerald-cut fancy intense blue diamond weighing 2.11 carats, flanked by two trapeze-shaped diamonds, mounted in 18 karat white gold. Ring size: 5½

Accompanied by GIA report numbered 8579752, dated 24 June 2015, stating that the 2.11 carat diamond is natural, of Fancy Intense Blue colour, VVS1 clarity.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels & Jadeite, Hong Kong, 07 oct. 2015, 02:00 PM

An important and very rare set of four huanghuali 'Four-corners-exposed official's hat' armchairs, sichutouguanmaoyi, Late 16th-early 17th century. Estimate $1,800,000 - $2,500,000. Price Realized $4,197,000. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015

Of grand proportions, each chair has a well-carved, curved, protruding crestrail supported on a broad S-shaped splat and elegantly curved rear posts which continue to form the rear legs. The attractively grained, matched splats are cut from the same section of wood. The curved arm rails are supported on tapered, curved vertical stiles and extend beyond the curved front posts. The molded rectangular frame encloses a mat seat, all above beaded and shaped aprons and spandrels. The legs are of rounded square section and are joined by stepped stretchers and a foot rest above plain aprons. The joints are reinforced with huangtong hardware. Two of the four chairs have huangtong footrest covers. 48 in. (122 cm.) high, 23 ¼ in. (59 cm.) wide, 18 5/8 in. (47.4 cm.) deep.

Provenance: Two of the set of four without huangtong footrest covers:
James Freeman, London.
Eskenazi Ltd., London, 1998.

Two of the set with huangtong footrest covers:
Eskenazi Ltd., London, 2000.

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ARCH. IGNAZIO VOK 

Literature: Eskenazi, Ltd., London, Chinese Works of Art and Furniture, London, 1998, no. 7 (two of the set of four).
R. Kerr, 'Four High Yokeback Armchairs Reunited as a Set', Orientations, December 2000, p. 81.
N. Grindley et al., Pure Form: Classical Chinese Furniture: Vok Collection, Padua, 2004, pls. 6-9.
V. Fischer, Sit in China: An Excursion through 500 Years of the Culture of Sitting, Stuttgart, 2009, pp. 23-25, pls. 5-6. 

Exhibited: Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Köln, Pure Form: Classical Chinese Furniture: Vok Collection, 6 November 2004 - 28 March 2005.
Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt, Sit in China: An Excursion through 500 Years of the Culture of Sitting, 2009. 

Notes: Originally commissioned as a set of four, the present chairs were at some point split into two pairs and later reunited by the present collector in 2000. See Rose Kerr, 'Four High Yoke-back Armchairs Reunited as a Set', Orientations, December 2000, p. 81. In the article, Kerr suggests that the extraordinary height of the present chairs and their elegant form suggest a formal use and a display function, and that they would have only been offered to guests of honor. The chairs would have conveyed a sense of dignity and power on any sitter. 

The present set of four chairs displays an unparalleled grace and finesse seen only in the finest furniture dated to the Ming dynasty. Several features distinguish this magnificent set: the grand proportions, the graceful curve of the crest rail, the exceptionally well-carved sweeping hook handles, and the beautifully figured S-form backsplat. The curved, matched backsplats have the same beautifully figured grain and confirm that all four splats were cut from the same section of timber. The large sections of huanghuali required to achieve the dramatic curves of the arms and crest rails would have resulted in a significant amount of wastage, and suggests the enormous financial resources of the gentleman who commissioned the set. The confident carving of the outswept hook handles and the superior quality of the huanghuali suggest that the chairs were constructed by a master craftsman. And the beautifully worked brass metal fittings carefully secured at the joints not only provide structural support but add a touch of flourish to this superb set of chairs. 

The most comparable published example is a single chair, illustrated by G.W. Bruce, Living with Ming - the Lu Ming Shi Collection, Hong Kong, 2000, pp. 56-7, no. 4, where it is also dated late 16th-early 17th century. The chair shares the same grand proportions, cusped aprons, and huangtong fittings found on the present examples. Compare, also, two huanghuali ‘Official’s Hat’ armchairs, of similar height and proportions, currently in the Nelson-Atkins Collection and published by R. Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch’ing Dynasties,New York, 1979, no. 10 (fig. 1).

Fig.1. “Offcial’s Cap” Armchair (one of a pair), China, late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) or early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), 17th century. Huanghuali wood, 47.5 x 23 x 17.5 in.(120.7 x 58.4 x 44.5 cm). The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 64-4/13 B.

Sets of four chairs are rare and unusual, and, only a few prominent sets have appeared, most notably the exquisite set of four horseshoe-back armchairs from the Robert H. Ellsworth Collection, sold at Christie’s New York, 17 March 2015, lot 41 (fig. 2). 

Fig.2. One of an extremely rare and important set of four huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs, quanyi, from the Collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, Part I: Christie’s New York, 17 March 2015, lot 41.

Christie’s. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 17 - 18 September 2015, New York, Rockefeller Plaza

A red-figure Apulian skyphos with Eros and female images, Magna Graecia, Southern Italy, Apulia, ca. 5th to 4th centuries BCE, 12¼ in. high, 11½ in. diameter, est. $7,000-$9,000.

BOULDER, COLO.- Artemis Gallery will launch its busy fall auction season with a Thursday, Sept. 24 online auction led by Part II of the late James Caswell’s collection. Caswell was an artist, National Endowment for the Arts Fellow and respected owner of Historia Antiques in Santa Monica, California. The entire Caswell estate consignment, which comprises approximately 40 to 50 percent of Artemis Gallery’s Ancient, Ethnographic and Spanish Colonial Auction inventory, is cataloged with estimates at or below cost. 

“This sale will be an outstanding buying opportunity for dealers and collectors alike,” said Teresa Dodge, managing director of Artemis Gallery. “Rarely do we see material of this caliber ‘priced to sell.’ And due to popular demand, we’re making our Marketplace section of more-affordable items the ‘closer’ in this and all future sales. Collectors love it.” 

Several other high-quality collections are represented in the 400-lot event, most notably that of Mexican-born silent film star Lupita Tovar. The pieces acquired by Ms. Tovar have remained on display in her Bel Air mansion for many years. 

The auction is broad in scope and contains ancient and ethnographic art from the Americas to Southeast Asia. One of the top highlights is Lot 17, a stunning 31-inch Greek transport amphora, circa 3rd to 2nd century BCE, with provenance from the William Dale collection. Mr. Dale was a lifelong US diplomat who amassed a sizable antiquities collection while posted in the Near East. He brought his collection home to America in 1964. The amphora is estimated at $7,000-$9,000 and, like all items in the auction, is guaranteed authentic, exactly as described in the catalog, and legal to buy/sell under the US statute covering cultural patrimony. Each lot sold will transfer to the new owner with a certificate of authenticity from Artemis Gallery.  

Large Ancient Greek Transport Amphora, Greece, Greek Islands, ca. 3rd to 2nd BCE, 31"H x 14" at largest diameter. Estimate $7,000 – $9,000.

A stunning pottery transport amphora dating to the period just after Alexander the Great. Tannish clay, elongated near-conical body with nearly horizontal shoulder; small peg toe with convex bottom; long narrow neck; plain rounded rim, slightly wider than neck. Double-roll acute angular handles with vertical sides, faint stamp impression of maker's mark on top of handle. Custom acrylic base that accentuates the classical lines of this beauty! Appealing to both true lovers of ancient art and those looking for strong aesthetics.

Provenance: Ex-William Dale collection. Mr. Dale was a life-long US diplomat stationed in the Near East and amassed a large collection which he brought back to the US in 1964.

Another great prize is Lot 48, a 2,500-year-old Chinese Warring States bronze axle cap that dates to circa 475-221 BCE. Originally part of a cart or chariot, the vase-form piece is decorated in low relief with sinewy dragons in a cloudy sky. Additional decorative work appears on six triangular panels. Formerly in a Pasadena, California collection, it is expected to make $4,000-$5,000 at auction. 

Rare Bronze Axle Cap, China, Warring States Period, ca. 475 to 221 BCE. Estimate$4,000 – $5,000.

An extremely rare and fabulous bronze "hubcap" from a cart or chariot in an almost vase form decorated in low relief with central band comprised of two sinewy dragons in a cloudy sky, on either side 6 triangular panels with cold-worked decorations. Inside the vessel are signs of two iron pins that held this in place. Ironically, just after we found this incredibly rare piece, we found a Han Dynasty pottery Ox Cart with very similar axle caps on each side of the wheels. Size: 8-1/4"H x 3-1/2" at widest diameter. 

Provenance: Ex-private Morse collection, Pasadena, CA collection.

“There are so many important items in James Caswell’s collection, it’s difficult to choose even a few that merit special mention, but some of his silver is remarkable,” said Dodge. Lot 180, a circa-1800 Mexican coconut shell chalice fitted with a silver ormolu stem, rim and base is carved with sophisticated sgraffito of a type associated with itinerant traders and sailors of that period. The 8-inch-tall chalice is estimated at $2,500-$3,000. 

Colonial Coconut-Silver Chalice, Latin America, Mexico, ca. 1800 CE. Estimate $2,500 – $3,000.

A coconut shell chalice carved with sophisticated sgraffito (shallow scratched etchings) and fitted with a silver ormolu stem, rim and base. The rim is engraved with a personalized inscription in German. In Mexico, the tradition of carving coconut shells began in the 19th century when itinerant traders and sailors were looking for a means to pass the time and created keepsakes for their loved ones. Nails and glass shards were used to create the intricate carvings. This example boasts such a complex and intricate foliate design program; it must have taken weeks to lay out followed by months to actually execute! Size: 8"H x 4-1/2" at widest point. 

Provenance: Ex-Historia Gallery, Santa Monica, CA.

An exceptional sterling silver Spanish Colonial-style crown made by Andean silversmiths in Bolivia, circa late-19th to early 20th century, was hand-hammered and expertly molded in repousse, then chased throughout. The wonderfully decorated crown with a cross-shape finial weighs 8.5 ounces and measures 6 by 7 inches. It was likely intended for a santo figure. Also from the Historia Antiques/James Caswell collection, the crown is estimated at $900-$1,200.  

Colonial Silver Crown, South America, probably Bolivia, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. Estimate $900 – $1,200.

An exceptional sterling silver Spanish Colonial style crown, hand made by the Andean silversmiths in Bolivia from high content .925 silver using the same techniques used since the Colonial era by the Andean silversmiths, meticulously hand hammered, expertly molded in repousse, and chased throughout. Descendants of the Inca culture, the Aymara speaking artists have devoted themselves to preserving this thousand year old tradition. This crown was most likely intended for a Spanish Colonial Santo figure. A wonderful example for any collection of Spanish colonial devotional art! Unmarked but guaranteed sterling or higher, the crown is comprised of 4 elaborately decorated "arms" attached to a circular base with twin roped bands. Gorgeous! Size: weighs 8.5 ounces; 6"H x 7"W. 

Provenance: Ex-Historia Antiques, Santa Monica, ca.

The Caswell collection boasts many fine Latin American retablos, including Lot 169, an artist-signed (Ignacio Munoz) and dated (1868) depiction of Mater Dolorosa, a popular subject venerating the Virgin Mary. Polychrome painted primarily in blues and greens, and measuring 14 by 10 inches, it is modestly estimated at $1,500-$1,800.  

Mexican Retablo Mater Dolorosa, Latin America, Mexico, dated 1868 CE. Estimate $900 – $1,200.

Edvard’s ticket for the World Exhibition in Antwerp, 1885 - Vincent at the age of nineteen. 

AMSTERDAM.- On the occasion of the Van Gogh commemorative year 2015, the Van Gogh Museum will present Munch : Van Gogh, an ambitious exhibition that brings together Vincent van Gogh and Edvard Munch. Many iconic masterpieces that are only rarely put on loan, as well as other first-class works from around the world will be exhibited. Munch : Van Gogh will be the very first exhibition in the reopened Exhibition Wing of the spectacularly renewed Van Gogh Museum. Inspired by Munch : Van Gogh, ten prominent cultural institutes in Amsterdam (among which EYE Film Institute, Toneelgroep Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, De Balie) will organize a Cultural Programme throughout the city. 

Edvard Munch, Morning, 1884, KODE Art Museums of Bergen, Rasmus Meyer Collection.

Vincent van Gogh, The Potato Eaters, 1885. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

This long-awaited Munch : Van Gogh exhibition (25 September 2015 to 17 January 2016) concentrates on the artistic affinity between the two giants of Western painting, Edvard Munch (1863-1944) and Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). Their oeuvres and artistic ambitions reveal striking parallels: both are known for their emotionally charged paintings and drawings, their unique and innovative style and their tormented lives. Both artists modernized the arts and they developed a highly personal, expressive visual language to convey the universal emotions of the human condition. Despite the many references to the similarities between Munch and Van Gogh in literature and popular culture, this level of in-depth research into their affinity has never before been carried out. 

Hans Olaf Heyerdahl, Portrait of a Girl with a Bunch of Flowers, 1882. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night over the Rhone, 1888, Musée d’Orsay, Paris.

More than a hundred artworks brought together for the first time 
Munch : Van Gogh will be the first exhibition in history to pay extensive attention to the similarities between both artists. With more than a hundred unique and important artworks, among which iconic masterpieces that are seldom put on loan (The Scream, Trinquetaille Bridge, The Sick Child, Madonna), Munch : Van Gogh will offer visitors the opportunity to admire an important part of both artists’ oeuvres at one location.  

Vincent van Gogh, Montmartre: Behind the Moulin de la Galette, 1887. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

Camille Pissarro, Haymaking, Éragny, 1887. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

Edvard Munch, Spring Day on Karl Johan Street, 1890, KODE Art Museums of Bergen

The first exhibition in the renewed museum 
In the second week of September, just a few weeks before the opening of Munch : Van Gogh, the spectacular new glass entrance building of the Van Gogh Museum will be opened to the public. The famous Exhibition Wing designed by the Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, which has been closed for more than three years, will now be part of this building. Munch : Van Gogh will be the very first exhibition in the reopened wing of the completely renewed museum.  

Edvard Munch, Portrait of Karl Jensen-Hjell, 1885, Private collection.

Edouard Manet, The Smoker, 1866, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis

Cultural Programme throughout the city of Amsterdam 
Inspired by Munch : Van Gogh, ten prominent cultural institutes in Amsterdam (EYE Film Institute, Toneelgroep Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Toneelgroep De Appel, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, The Dolhuys Museum, De Balie, SLAA, Netherlands Philharmonic Ochestra and Van Gogh Museum) will organize a Cultural Programme based on the legacy of the two kindred artistic spirits. With films, performances, debates and music, the collaborating cultural partners will show that Munch and Van Gogh’s influence on contemporary art and culture is still vibrant. For instance, The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in collaboration with Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam will organize concerts with the theme of Angst and EYE Film Institute will show short films by young filmmakers inspired by The Scream. The popular Friday Nights in the Van Gogh Museum are the innovative epicentre of this Cultural Programme.

Vincent van Gogh, Italian Woman, 1887, Musée d’Orsay, Paris. 

Utagawa Kunisada, The Fourth Month: The First Cuckoo, 1854, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

Vincent van Gogh, The Sower, 1888. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

Edvard Munch, Fertility, 1899–1900, Canica Art Collection, Oslo.

Vincent van Gogh, Sketch of Starry Night over the Rhone in a letter, 2 October 1888, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

Edvard Munch, Sketch of Despair with literary text, 1892, Munch Museum, Oslo.

Vincent van Gogh, Garden with Courting Couples: Square Saint-Pierre, 1887. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

Edvard Munch, The Dance of Life, 1925, Munch Museum, Oslo.

Emile Schuffenecker, Man with Pipe(After Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait), 1892–1900, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

Edvard in Dr Jacobson’s clinic, 1908–09.