A Breath of Fresh Air Collecting for Today’s Living at Rafael Osona Auctions

A single owner’s collection of period painted Scandinavian furnishings from a Nantucket Waterfront Estate plus, Frank Gehry furniture, antiques, fine art & décor from multiple family compounds offered at Rafael Osona’s April 24th online auction, now open for bidding, Over 500 lots.

Rafael Osona, Daffodil Weekend Auction, April 24, 2021

NANTUCKET, MARCH 22, 2021 – A collection of 18th and 19th century Scandinavian Neoclassical lime-washed furnishings, 10 naïve Swedish folk Bonads, and Danish paintings is presented alongside two classic American Jeeps, Nantucket Art, antiques, décor, hand knotted carpets, estate jewelry, and Frank Gehry’s for Knoll mind-bending breakfast table and chairs in 3 lots “Cross Check”, “Faceoff” and “Top Hat.” 

“In compiling the spring auction” Rafael noted, “I selected objects that reflect today’s living. The material is fresh; its lines are clean yet elegant. Nantucket seaside décor, Swedish Neoclassical discipline, and 20th c. design are a perfect mix for 21st c. lifestyle and collecting.”

Among the offerings, a dozen carved and partial gilt mirrors span 1790-1830 representing Swedish Neoclassical and Gustavian period styles, including trumeau and a Pier Mirror, circa 1790, with gilt-carved olive branch pediment above classical carved columns, vases and portrait, original split mercury glass panels and gilt carved elements at the base. The mirrors, among 100 lots from a single owner collection (much of which was sourced from Cupboards and Roses) including desks, chests of drawers, armoires, fine pairs of armchairs, ceramics and this Scandinavian daybed, lime-washed with carved pediment, star, scrolls, and reeding.

Lot 136, Peder Mork Monsted Oil on Canvas "View from Himmelbjoerget", circa 1926. Estimate $5,000-$7,000

This 1926 view from the Himmelbjerget, or “Sky Mountain” painted in oil by Peder Mørk Mønsted, a leading Danish artist of his day, portrays a storied vantage point of interest for historians and fine art collectors alike. Another storied painting that shares Mønsted’s Adelson Galleries provenance is a tender but virtuous childhood portrait of Denmark’s Jonas Colin, by Georg Mathias Fuchs. Fuchs was a student of Venetian, Jacopo Amigoni, a highly sought-after Baroque portraitist and decorative painter among the high courts of Europe. 

A simpler life: late 18th & early 19th c. Swedish folk art bonads: each a window into the pious and celebratory values among families of the day. The naïve paintings were traditionally hung to brighten the home during dark winters and amuse the children.

Lot139, Swedish Gustavian Mora Tall Case Clock in Blue Paint, 19th Century. Estimate $1,500-$2,500

Long case clocks – hand crafted in Mora, Sweden, circa 1790-1880; the works were sold to customers who engaged Mora craftsmen to custom build and embellish the feminine or masculine cases.

From Cornwall, artist Robert Jones’ 2006 oil, “Atlantic Shore II” impresses in both size and substance. From the New World, a 21st c. Native American twist on trompe l’oeil. Theodore Villa’s (attrib.) painting of an Apache Chief’s ceremonial shirt treads a thin line between reality and the spirit. The artist is of White Mountain Apache (Coyotero) and Spanish descent.

For New World adventuring: Low-mileage, Nantucket summer home-garaged cars, offered in 2 lots: a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4 (28k miles) and a 2006 Wrangler X (10k miles).

Rafael Osona is highly regarded for consistent and exceptional offerings in Fine Art, Nantucket Baskets, Americana, Maritime, Scrimshaw & Decorative Arts, Estate Jewelry, Carpets and more. He is a third-generation antiquarian, respected expert in the fields of Maritime Arts and Nantucket baskets. He is a 41-year master in the discrete sale of privately-owned antiques, fine art and custom décor to global patrons. The auction house is a family enterprise.