Neue Auctions' April 27th, Art In Bloom Auction Features Contemporary Art Glass, Paintings, More

By Author: Bridget McWilliams
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A mixed media collaboration artwork between Dale Chihuly and Italo Scanga, a rare early lithograph by M.C. Escher, original paintings by Julian Stanczak and Sir Henry Raeburn, and three stoneware vessels by Claude Conover are all part of Neue Auctions' online-only Art in Bloom auction slated for Saturday, April 27th, starting at 10 am Eastern time.

“The catalog is loaded with contemporary art glass, including pieces by Chihuly, Kirkpatrick, Mace, Scanga, Brock, Weinberg, Carlson, Francis, Leppla, Novotny, Roubicek and Smith, as well as the fine contemporary by painting Stanczak and the antique portrait by Raeburn, plus sculpture and fine objects – 364 lots in total,” said Bridget McWilliams of Neue Auctions.

The mixed media glass construction collaboration between Dale Chihuly (American, b. 1941) and Italo Scanga (Italian/American, 1932-2001) is a 1995 work titled Pinball Machine. It incorporates painted cast iron, blown glass, painted found objects and cast and painted found objects, including Chihuly blown glass Ikebana Flowers and floats, as well as gilded putti.

“Chihuly and Scanga were very ...
... close friends and were commissioned to make this piece for our consignor,” Ms. McWilliams said. “The lot includes a fax copy of the proposed drawing.” The artwork, impressive at 85 inches tall and 57 inches in length, is signed by both artists and dated 1995 to the cast iron base. It’s an expected top lot, with an estimate of $15,000-$25,000.

The 1932 lithograph on paper by Maurits Cornelis (M.C.) Escher (Dutch, 1898-1972) is titled Castel Mola and Mount Edna, Sicily. It’s a rare early litho from the artist that’s signed lower left, numbered (“8/24”), and signed and dated in the plate with an “MCE” monogram and date (“12-32”). At 9 inches by 12 inches (less the frame), the litho should bring $12,000-$18,000.

The early acrylic on canvas painting by Polish-born American artist Julian Stanczak (1928-2017) is an untitled work done in 1965, measuring 38 inches by 37 inches as framed. It’s artist inscribed in pencil en verso and nicely framed. The painting was hand-done, before the use of tape, and comes to auction from the estate of a prominent Clevelander (est. $12,000-$18,000).

From the same estate, the oil on canvas Portrait of Henry David Inglis by Sir Henry Raeburn (British/Scotland, 1756-1823) has a canvas size of 30 inches by 25 inches (42 inches by 35 ½ inches as framed). Inglis (1795-1835) was a Scottish travel writer and journalist. The painting, which was sold at auction by Sotheby’s London in 1999, has an estimate of $12,000-$18,000.

The three stoneware vessels by Claude Conover (American, 1907-1994) were consigned from an Oklahoma collection and all three are signed and titled to the base and carry identical estimates of $6,000-$10,000. One, titled Cehnal, is bulbous shouldered form with a cylindrical neck. The other two – titled Verac and Tzots – are both ovoid cylindrical form.

A dazzling flame-worked borosilicate glass sculpture by Brent Kee Young, executed in 2009 and titled Vaulted Variation, is from the artist’s Matrix series and should command $15,000-$20,000. The work is 45 inches tall and 19 inches wide. Young’s work has been featured in 21 museums around the world. The acclaimed glass artist is a Cleveland Institute of Art Professor Emeritus.

Jewelry will be plentiful in the auction and will feature, among others, these lovely pieces:

- A diamond and ruby bracelet in 14k white gold, set with 14 oval faceted rubies (15.04 carats), 28 baguette diamonds (1.48 carats) and 448 round diamonds (7.76 carats) (est. $15,000-$18,000).

- A conch pearl and diamond ring, 14k white gold set, with a 7.45-carat conch pearl of soft pink color, surrounded by 12 fancy cut pear-shaped diamonds with a total diamond weight of 1.04 carats, the shank pave set with 40 diamonds (est. $7,000-$9,000).

- A Brazilian rhodonite and diamond 14k white gold ring, set with a faceted cut Brazilian rhodonite stone of about 9.39 carats, accented by four fancy cut diamonds (.12 carats), two baguettes (.16 carats) and 54 round diamonds (.95 carats) (est. $4,000-$6,000).

There are two bronze sculptures in the sale by Harriet Whitney Frishmuth (American, 1880-1980). One, from 1925 titled Crest of the Wave, stands 21 inches tall and is one of the artist’s most popular sculptures, originally cast as a 66-inch-tall fountain (est. $6,000-$9,000). The other, titled Allegra, is from 1929 (est. $3,000-$5,000). Both are signed and raised on marble bases.

Two blown glass vessels by Dante Marioni (American, b. 1964), titled Scarlet and Gray Pair, are both signed and dated 1997. One is 35 ½ inches tall, the other 17 ¾ inches tall (est. $4,000-$5,000). Also, a large abstract wood ash fired ceramic form sculpture by Yasuhisa Kohyama (Japanese, b. 1936), inspired by Shigaraki ware, 19 inches tall, should sell for $3,000-$5,000.

A lithograph on paper by the surrealist master Salvador Dali (1904-1989), titled Symphonie Bicyclette (1970), is artist signed in pencil lower right and numbered lower left. The litho is matted and framed and has an image size of 30 inches by 21 ½ inches (43 inches by 34 inches as framed). The sheet is laid down to Strathmore Watercolor illustration board (est. $6,000-$9,000).

Two wood and glass sculptures by Joey Kirkpatrick (American, b. 1952) and Flora Mace (American, 20th/21st century), will be sold as separate lots, each expected to bring $2,000-$4,000. One, 40 inches tall, shows a torso made of branches over a wood basket spilling blown glass fruits on a shaped wood base. The other, titled Head Leaning (1989), 32 inches tall, depicts a clear blown glass head and a blown glass pear under a painted wood circle and branch form.

Internet bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. The auction will be clerked live on auction day by Neue Auctions team members. The catalog is up now on the two bidding sites.

To learn more about Neue Auctions and the 364-lot online-only Art in Bloom auction slated for Saturday, April 27th, starting at 10 am Eastern time, please visit www.neueauctions.com. Cynthia Maciejewksi and Bridget McWilliams can be reached by phone: 216-245-6707; or via email at cynthia@neueauctions.com, bridget@neueauctions.com.