William Bunch will conduct an Antiques, Fine and Decorative Arts Sale on Tuesday, May 26. Several fine estates will be highlighted and appeal to a broad audience. Material will range from ornate to modern, historical and decorative.
The post-Memorial Day sale will feature a collection of militaria including swords, guns, and other accoutrements. A collection of bladed weapons is highlighted by a Prussian cuirassier broadsword model 1845, with troop stamp of the Garde du Corps Regiment of the Kaiser Elite Unit. Notable firearms will be mid-1800s pepperbox pistols and several Colt revolvers. A Civil War-era flag flown by the monitor U.S.S. Klamath proclaiming "Klamath//God & Navy" will be sold alongside a period commissioning pennant. A small grouping of military uniforms and Civil War-era attire is slated to be sold, including a First City Troop Cavalry Philadelphia jacket, marked on the inside sleeve with names of its former owners.
A dedicated portion of the sale will also feature books and ephemera. Several volumes of books, primarily comprised of military, medical, and art reference, will be included. A rare Napoleonic broadside addressed to the residents of Spain is a key lot of ephemera, which will also showcase autographed letters and photographs of political and historical figures.
The sale will shift its focus to furniture ranging through a variety of periods and styles. The ornate curves and figural carvings of Victorian-era and Continental furniture contrasts with the understated lines of a signed Gustav Stickley glass-front cabinet. Mid-Century Modern pieces will be highlighted by designers such as Hans Wegner, Rem Rojile, and Hundevad & Co. Also featured will be a collection of Middle Eastern mother-of-pearl inlaid furniture.
Decorative arts is similarly diverse, punctuated by several important items. Highlights will include a Continental silver framed mirrored plateau, finished with undulating Rocaille sides and Classical motifs. The Art Nouveau aesthetic is captured in a Tiffany & Co. harp desk lamp (#424) with signed Favrile glass shade. Americana will include stoneware crocks, tramp art jewelry boxes, and a sampler dated 1798 from Montrose, Pa.
The eclectic sale will also feature several bronze sculptures. The most notable pieces will include a large grizzly bear figure by 19th century Russian sculptor Nicolai Lieberich, as well as an important man with animals completed by American Realist Christopher Parks.
One of the most unique items in the sale is a 1917 American Racing Derby carousel horse. The figure, carved by renowned designer Prior & Church, recalls the golden years of amusement parks. This horse was assembled and used at the Ocean Park Pier in Santa Monica, Calif., and was later moved to Albert Kinney Pier in Venice, Calif.
Asian antiquities will feature Chinese porcelain, pottery, and painted scrolls. Included will be a collection of Canton pieces, a fine pair of Famille Verte ginger jars, and a large powder blue vase. Japanese decorative arts will also be represented with bronzes, pottery, and Satsuma pieces.
The sale will conclude with over 200 lots of fine art from many listed artists. Work by Chester County, Pa., artists will include Paul Scarborough, Karl Keurner, and pieces from the estate of Mary Beaumont, including Frank Stepler and local historian Dorothy Lapp. Amongst the strongest pieces are those by renowned American impressionists, including a fine spring landscape by Henry White Taylor, a rare floral still life by Walter Baum, and a portrait by William Merritt Chase.
Earlier European portraiture is exemplified in a large rendering of Eleonora De Medici completed in the style of 17th century Dutch court painter Franz Pourbus, which will be showcased alongside a contemporary British portrait of a stately man. Other highlights from this category will be a portrait of a young girl at a spinning wheel attributed to 19th century German artist Karl Freidrich Boser as well as a serene lake scene in the manner of the French Realist Corot.
Work by European Modernists will feature a portrait by Sylvain Vigny and a still life by Italian Gino Severini, whose bold, geometric application of color is consistent with his early career. A Provençal café scene from American Fauvist Marguerite Zorach is also included.
A full catalog is available to view online at www.williambunchauctions.com.
Saleroom preview is scheduled for Monday, May 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on sale day beginning at 9 a.m.
For additional information, call 610-558-1800 or email info@williambunchauctions.com.