Winter Associates – Live July Auction
July 22nd at 5:30PM
www.AuctionsAppraisers.com 860-793-0288
21 Cooke Street, Plainville, CT 06062

PLAINVILLE, CONN. — On July 22, Winter Associates’ auction starts at 5:30 pm. From New England estates comes a selection of traditional and contemporary paintings and prints, jewelry, sterling silver flatware and hollowware; Mastercraft, Eldred Wheeler and antique furniture, along with Asian collectibles and art, Oriental rugs, bronze sculptures, clocks and unique Americana.

An Emile Gruppe (American, 1896-1978) oil, “Mending the Nets,” leads the pack of American paintings. Known for his impressionistic renderings of everyday scenes in Rockport and Gloucester, Mass., Gruppe was a prominent artist in the budding artist colony of Rockport. Other American artworks include a watercolor harbor scene by Jane Peterson (American, 1876-1965), large landscapes by Leo Blake (American, 1887-1976), a cloudy skies seascape with crashing waves by John Mackay, landscapes by Harry Russell Ballinger and Charles Gordon Harris, along with an etching by John H. Twachtman of a Newport harbor. An 1869 ship portrait by Luigi P. Renault rounds out the marine offerings. For those with contemporary tastes, two oils by Nicola Simbari with bold brushwork and color, Roy Lichenstein’s comic-strip style triptych “Open Fire” featuring early lithographs based on his 1964 oil series, Frank Stella’s 1970 lithograph “Luis Miguel Dominguin” from the “Aluminum Series,” and a vivid abstract oil by Guy de Montlaur will be offered.

A stoneware leach jug inscribed “1718” on the shoulder is 19 inches high, the cylindrical body has 20 pierced rows of grid-like piercings. A similar pierced jug sold in 2014 had a handwritten note attached describing the piece as a leach jug, “used to obtain lye from ashes for making soap, rare as most were made of wood.” Another noteworthy and curious item to cross the block is a cast iron “dumb” stove in the form of George Washington, a mold in two parts, is 47 inches high. “Dumb” stoves were an invention of the early Nineteenth Century, an ingenious design connecting the fire-less dumb stove on a higher floor to a functioning stove below, this made it possible to heat multiple rooms using only one firebox. An early painted cow weathervane, circa 1900 carousel horse by Friedrich Heyn, life-size swan decoy, carved folk art mermaid and three original oils by Linda Nelson Stocks are all colorful folk art additions to the sale.

Bernard Rohne, a Twentieth Century metal artist influenced by Abstract Expressionism and Geometric Abstraction, designed a series of furniture for Mastercraft. He used burl veneer and oxidized brass panels to create a unique line described by industry professionals as a Brutalist take on Hollywood Regency. Items to be sold include a long bureau, wall mirror, pair of small chests, king canopy bed and coffee table. A true Twentieth Century juxtaposition to the Mastercraft pieces are seven lots of Eldred Wheeler, highlighting time-honored designs in rich tiger maple and cherry, including a queen tester bed, pair of single-drawer stands, chest, tall chest, double-pedestal dining table and six dining chairs.

Jewelry and accessories from a West Hartford, Connn., estate and others will include a Tiffany & Co. 14K gold cigarette case, a 14K charm necklace, platinum and diamond wristwatch, Georg Jensen sterling “Splash” bracelet and necklace and a 1904-08 bracelet set with lapis lazuli with birds; also a wide variety of 14K rings set with amethyst, pearl, diamond, sapphires, citrine, aquamarine, etc. The original 1911 receipt will accompany an antique Persian Serapi/ Goravan carpet, 11 feet 9 inches by 13 feet 6 inches, purchased from Paine Furniture Company of Boston; it is being sold to benefit the Chelsea Groton Foundation. An Edo/ Meiji pottery vase also has an interesting provenance, bearing an Avery Brundage Collection label. A selection of Asian items include oil paintings by Li Shuji, Wang Kun and Lei Zhuhua, sculpture, pottery, textiles, etc.

Winter Associates’ auction catalog is available online at www.auctionsappraisers.com as of Friday, July 12. Winter Associates is in central Connecticut at 21 Cooke Street. Previews are Friday, July 19 from noon to 4 pm; Sunday, July 21, from 2 to 4 pm; and on Monday, July 22, from noon to 5 pm. Previewers are welcome at other times, call to schedule an appointment at 860-793-0288.