It all began with a dry goods auction in a Philadelphia coffee house on November 26, 1805, when Tristram Bampfylde Freeman hammered down two bales of "superfine and common cloths." It is widely regarded as the world's finest assemblage of photographs in private hands. The Clark will draw from its extensive holdings of works on paper to present this special installation. "The Art of Warner Bros Cartoons" at the James A. Michener Art Museum looks at the rambunctious birthplace of characters that have become part of American folklore. Following a successful European tour, Pittsburgh's Frick Art & Historical Center is the final US destination for paintings and sculpture by many of America's most celebrated artists. "It's too valuable to give up. It's one of the best shows north of New York City." "There were huge crowds waiting for the opening and our advance ticket sales were the highest since we have been running the show." Somewhat resembling a fantastic voyage through different lands, cultures and times, the event treats attendees to a small slice of history as recorded on paper. That the show was shoehorned into two piers rather than the normal three - and obviously short some 200 dealers as a result - seemed moot to most folks. The Lauderdale set of 71 early English auction catalogs,1674-1701, was purchased by a New York dealer on behalf of the Grolier Club for $168,000. "From paperback covers to magazine art, this is an area that has seen a great deal of interest over the last few years." An imperial famille rose enameled octagonal lot became the most expensive snuff bottle ever at $665,600. Bidding opened at $45,000 and fluttered between the phone and prominent dealers in the room. The phone bidder prevailed six figures later. Brewster gets his proper due as the museum showcases the works of this prolific folk portrait painter, considered by many to be the greatest of his time. Bert Gallery presents an exhibition of contemporary and historic paintings exploring the evolving language of color. The Cleveland Museum of Art has added an exhibition of Michaël Borremans' work as part of the Project 244 series. Bronze works by Antoine-Louis Barye will be on view at Brooklyn Museum's second-floor Mezzanine Gallery. A deluge of rain and scheduling snafus did nothing to diminish strong presentations by 83 dealers. John Sauls continued to build on his success this spring with another sold-out event in tents, sheds and farm buildings. The shows' new owners, Susan and Bo Franks, welcomed more than 300 dealers to the venues scattered about this village halfway between Houston and Austin. Over 30 years the events have grown, with satellites and tailgate shows in more than a half dozen contiguous towns. Guernsey Auctions, known for pop culture pageantry, recently staged its first single auction entirely devoted to jazz, playing before a packed house. The rare walnut piece was carved with a religious allegorical front panel made in the Fifteenth or Sixteenth Century. The picture will be included in an upcoming catalogue raisonné of the artist's work. The institution is a bold venture that heralds the distinctive arts and culture of the area. The Newark Museum's newest exhibition traces this country's love affair with sterling silver. Historic Deerfield features more than 120 objects from the museum's Asian art collection. The exhibit is In honor of the Hood Museum of Art's 20th anniversary. It is elegant but relaxed, exotic but accessible, scholarly and commercial. Everything about show was improved. "Good, better, best, never let it rest" could be the motto of the event, which goes from strength to strength each year. A Tiffany bronze and Favrile glass candlestick, a paw footed version of rare form, nearly doubled its high estimate. Cottone's first fine art and antiques sale of the year saw competitive bidding, with much phone action and a full house. "Collectors found it fascinating for its uniqueness and untouched, original condition." The Spanierman Gallery will feature more than 70 paintings, as well as a number of bronze sculptures and works on paper. The museum will also display ten examples of signatures from signers of the Declaration of Independence. The artists featured introduced new subject matter and experimented with a host of new techniques. New this year were five exhibitors, new booth designs and an improved entrance and traffic flow plan. Diane and Meg Wendy put together a bright, attractive and seamless show. The slip of bamboo that Anna and Brian Haughton planted a decade ago has taken over an entire mountainside. The sale totaled nearly $750,000 in an event marked by spirited competition from online bidders in 46 states, the District of Columbia and 22 foreign countries. At the firm's centennial sale, an impressive selection of paintings helped push the total over the $1 million mark. How Dr Kugelman, a semiretired physician, and his wife, a personal property appraiser with an avid interest in canine search-and-rescue operations, became mesmerized by Eighteenth Century Connecticut furniture is itself an intriguing story. Created in 1699 when Antonio Stradivari was 55 years old, The Lady Tennant violin illustrates the hallmarks of Stradivari's emerging Golden Period style. |
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