Beachwood, OH, USA, May 9, 2023 — An 1854 Portrait of a Gentleman by British artist John Thomas Peele (1822-1897), a large Louis XV-style rock crystal chandelier, and a stoneware vessel by Claude Conover (American, 1907-1994) titled Kohnal are a few expected top lots in Neue Auctions’ online-only Decorative Objects, Fine Art & Antiques auction planned for Saturday, May 20th.
“This is truly a fresh to market auction, featuring wonderful rare porcelains, sculptures, Grand Tour pieces, paintings, sterling silver, ancient and antique glass and many other beautiful things,” said Cynthia Maciejewski of Neue Auctions. The 323-lot auction will begin at 10 am Eastern time, with Internet bidding facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com.
The oil on canvas Portrait of a Gentleman by John Thomas Peele is 30 inches by 25 inches and is housed in a period frame measuring 39 inches by 33 ½ inches. It’s signed and dated lower right and has an estimate of $2,000-$4,000. Peele was a close friend of the artist Frederic Edwin Church (American, 1826-1900). Some of Peele’s paintings were displayed in Church’s home.
The large, modern Louis XV-style rock crystal chandelier is 12-light, 3-tiered form, with seven bobeche for candles (one in the center), with scrolled arms draped with variously shaped pendant prisms in rock crystal, amethyst rock crystal and clear crystal, with beaded crystal swags. The chandelier is impressive at 50 inches long by 38 inches wide and should finish at $2,000-$4,000.
The Claude Conover stoneware vessel titled Kohnal is of pillow form on a one-inch cylindrical foot, with a cylindrical neck and mouth. It measures 12 inches in height by 14 ½ inches wide and has a surface that’s decorated with an alternating radiating pattern of rectangles with dots and cross hatchings. It’s signed to the foot, “Claude Conover Kohnal” and should hit $3,000-$5,000.
A group of early (circa 1810-1825) Italian Ginori porcelain plates from the Doccia porcelain manufactory, with hand-painted, named Italian urban views attributed to the painter Ferdinando Ammannati, is expected to realize $2,000-$4,000. The set consists of 12 plates and one larger serving plate, each hand-painted with a named Italian site, with cobalt blue and gilded borders.
A two-sided serigraph sculpture on freestanding hexagonal composite board signed by Victor Vasarely (Hungarian, 1907-1997), titled Northstar, is artist signed and numbered (“6/100”). It’s presented in its original cardboard box and comes with a certificate of authenticity. The piece, which measures 15 ¾ inches by 18 inches, carries a modest pre-sale estimate of $1,500-$2,500.
An 1830 oil on canvas Portrait of a Gentleman with a Top Hat by Louis Joseph Fanelli Semah (French, 1804-1875), and signed and dated lower left, measures 16 ¼ inches by 10 ¾ inches (canvas, less frame) and is expected to bring $1,200-$1,500. Semah exhibited paintings at the Salons in Paris. In 1844, he was awarded a gold medal for his Christ in the Garden of Olives.
An antique Persian Heriz wool carpet, 10 feet by 16 feet, boasting geometrics with a red field and a wide exciting border, has had some repair work but should still reach $2,000-$4000. Also, an 1866 oil on canvas still life painting by the 19th century Dutch artist H. Janssens, of an iris, rose and lily of the valley in a glass vase, with fruits and a walnut, should reach $1,000-$2,000.
A set of six 18th century Chelsea porcelain botanical plates, each scalloped edge plate decorated with floral sprigs and scattered blooms, with butterflies and insects in colorful glazes, the rims in dark iron red, unmarked, should rise to $1,000-$2,000. Also, a circa 1970s Brutalist style coffee table with geometric bronze base and applied copper and brass plaques, plus a conforming glass top, measuring 16 ½ inches by 47 inches by 21 inches, is expected to command $800-$1,200.
A live, in-gallery preview will be held May 8th through 19th, weekdays only, from 10 am to 5 pm, in the Neue Auctions gallery located at 23533 Mercantile Road (Suite 100) in Beachwood, Ohio.
The auction will be clerked live on auction day, May 20th, by Neue Auctions team members. The catalog is up now and posted live on the two bidding sites. Phone bidding is available on select lots. Neue Auctions invites everyone to be added to its email list to receive notifications and information regarding current and future sales. The firm is always seeking quality consignments.
To learn more about Neue Auctions and the Decorative Objects, Fine Art & Antiques auction on Saturday, May 20th, at 10 am Eastern time, visit www.neueauctions.com. Updates are posted often. Cynthia Maciejewksi and Bridget McWilliams can be reached by phone at 216-245-6707; or, you can reach them by email, at cynthia@neueauctions.com or bridget@neueauctions.com.