Turner Auctions – Online Auction Icons and Images Divine: One Man’s Collection
Saturday, May 11, 2024 • 10:30am-2:30pm pdt
Preview and register to bid at www.turnerauctionsonline.com/upcoming-auctions
461 Littlefield, South San Francisco, CA 94080
888-498-4450 • info@turnerauctionsonline.com
www.turnerauctionsonline.com

SAN FRANCISCO — Turner Auctions + Appraisals is devoting its next auction to Icons: One Man’s Collection on Saturday, May 11. The sale features more than 200 lots of icons and other religious or devotional items from a private collection in northern California. Most items are from Nineteenth/Twentieth Century Eastern Europe or Russia. The majority of Eastern European icons are ornately decorated with beads, embroidery or other embellishments. In addition, most Eastern European icons are enclosed in kiots or shadowbox frames. Many Russian offerings feature silver oklads, a metal covering to protect the icon.

The icons’ subject matter includes Christ, the Virgin, the Theotokos (Mary as the mother of Jesus), the resurrection, the Dormition (the “falling asleep” or death of Mary without suffering) and an array of saints. Other religious items in the auction include reliquaries, crosses and crucifixes, illuminated miniatures, a retablo and devotional objects or pictures. Completing the sale are several works from the estate of Grace Garcia, a well-known northern California collector and purveyor of religious items.

Highlights of the online sale include an icon of the “Theotokos with Beaded Shroud,” in Kiot, Eastern Europe, Nineteenth/Twentieth Century. An icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Mother of God (14 inches long), painted on wood, with beaded shroud and mounted on black cloth with gold-painted pressed paper angels/ border; in an arched rectangular wood shadowbox frame ($200/400); Artist: in the style of Cornelis Schut III (circa 1629-1685), “The Annunciation,” unsigned, oil on copper ($1/1,500).

A silver icon of the “Theotokos and Prophets,” Russia, Nineteenth/Twentieth Century, an icon of the Mother and Child surrounded by Old Testament Prophets, tempera painted, with a silver oklad with 84 standard silver mark, in a scalloped shadowbox frame ($200/400).

A painted icon of the Mandylion, the Holy Face with a beaded halo on a blue-beaded pink velvet cloth, Nineteenth/Twentieth Century, the ornate foil liner with faux floral and leaf embellishments, in a rectangular shadowbox frame ($300/500)

A painted icon of the “Theotokos as the Virgin Hodegetria,” Nineteenth/Twentieth Century, with white-painted foil oklad embellished with faux flowers, in a rectangular shadowbox frame ($300/500).

A small icon of four saints, including Saint Maron and Saint Nika, with Christ above. Tempera on gold leaf, wood panel. A note in Italian verso reads: “Greek icon…Byzantine style on gold background from Seventeenth Century, purchased in Gomel in Russia from a soldier Cambiaso Epifanio” ($600/800).

An icon of the severed head of Saint John the Baptist, Nineteenth/Twentieth Century, tempera on wood, with ornate foil liner and faux flower embellishment in a rectangular shadowbox frame ($200/400).

An icon of the Body of Christ (Epitaphios), painted on wood, with beaded and faux jeweled shroud, with an ornate foil liner embellished with faux flowers in a scalloped shadowbox frame ($200/300)

An icon depicting Christ’s Entry Into Jerusalem, Russian, Nineteenth Century, tempera and gesso on wood panel (300/500).

European School (Nineteenth Century). Title: “Christ and His Disciples,” oil on canvas ($800-$1,200).

Two icon panels, Saint Luke and Saint George. Russia, Nineteenth Century; an oval icon, tempera and gilt/gold leaf on oval wood panel with incised details, depicting Saint Luke the Evangelist. Together with a Greek circa Nineteenth/Twentieth Century icon of Saint George slaying the dragon, tempera on rectangular wood panel ($300/500).

An icon of Saint Demetrius slaying Tsar Kaloyan, Nineteenth/Twentieth Century, tempera and gold leaf on wood panel ($200/300)

An Orthodox reliquary cross. Eastern Europe, circa Nineteenth Century gilt metal reliquary cross embellished with an enameled crucifix and medallions of holy figures and themes ($150/250).

Turner begins its online auction on Saturday, May 11, at 10:30 am PDT; sale items are available for preview and bidding now. The online auction will be featured live on multiple platforms: LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable, Bidsquare, and Turner Auctions + Appraisals’ free mobile app. For information, 415-964-5250 or www.turnerauctionsonline.com.