Rafael Osona Auctions - Online Auction | July 2, 2022, Select Contents from Multiple Luxury Estates

June 13, 2022 – Rafael Osona hosts a 625-lot online auction July 2, 2022. The collection will be presented in a gallery setting during a three-day auction preview. Auction catalog may be viewed online. Furnishings, fine art, antiques, and décor from recently sold Nantucket estates together with compelling selections from Pawleys Island, Boston, Albany, and Palm Springs lead Osona’s 42nd annual American Independence Holiday Auction, presenting both quality and range.

Lot 179, Stephen Swift Mahogany Five-Drawer Desk, signed S. Swift, 2000

Modern furniture design features an outstanding collection of Stephen Swift’s bench-made cherry and mahogany furniture, including a rare scallop shell bed, a 4-poster bed, dining room table and chairs, desk, bar stools and nightstands. (14 lots) Swift’s iconic designs are presented alongside a set of eight bespoke dining chairs, each having removable equestrian grade leather panels, by McGuire. Further to equestrian interests, a 12 hand, natural hide Palomino Pony; the steed a life-sized riding or rocking toy complete with hand-tooled leather western saddle.

Among hundreds of fine art offerings, and from America’s early Abstract Modernist art movement, two paintings by De Hirsh Margules are offered. Dubbed the Baron of Greenwich Village, Margules was intrinsic among New York City’s 1920s-40s avant-garde artists, gallerists, and thinkers. The two watercolors offered explore an experiential sense of place in two stalwart Nantucket icons - presumably painted on Nantucket; likely when Margules accompanied his patron, Alfred Stieglitz, as guests at one of Frederick Howe’s locally infamous ‘Sconset salons.  American post-impressionist painter, Frank Swift Chase similarly used experiential light to capture an emotional tension within a woodland’s quiet. Chase was a founder of both the Woodstock and Nantucket Artists Associations.

Lot 117, Anthony D. Blake (New Zealand b. 1951) Oil on Canvas "Nantucket in 1880", circa 1997

“Nantucket 1880”, a harbor scene painted by Anthony Blake (New Zealand) brings historic drama to Osona’s maritime offerings. The painting is an expressive contrast to the stillness apparent in 5 early water views by American painter, Robert Stark Jr., including Stark’s signature and iconic “Red Sail.” There’s a stunning still life painting by American artist, Janet Rickus; her precisely placed and shadowed subjects seeming somehow animated, as do the architecturally populated moors and dunescapes of Joan Albaugh (American). The auction’s fine art offerings are packed with more than 100 works by Nantucket favorites James Cromartie, John Austin, Jan Munro, Illya Kagan, David Lazarus, Maggie Meredith, George Thomas, Donald Demers, Ken Layman, Irmgard Arvin, and Joan Griswold.

From a Sherburne Turnpike Nantucket Estate, pool-side teak furniture by Kingsley Bate and by Henry Hall of San Francisco offer benchmark quality for both pool and garden.

Collectors will note a scarce Stanislaus Fournier New Orleans wall clock, among several clock offerings. Porcelain dinner services include both Wedgwood’s Flying Cloud and George Davis’ Nantucket Basket Weave, as well as a service by Richard Ginori. There’s a 19th century collection of canes and walking sticks, sterling silver flat and hollow ware, interior décor, Americana & folk arts.

Lot 61, Civil War Era Quilt, "Triangles in a Time Warp", circa 1860s

A civil war era American patchwork quilt leads a solid collection of 1930s quilts (10 lots) and textiles, including contemporary and vintage Oriental rugs.

Fine Jewelry offerings include 14k gold locally designed Nantucket basket pendants, earrings, and bracelet, plus South Sea, Akoya and other cultured pearls and fashionable necklaces.

Nantucket baskets showcase the work of Jose Reyes, (3 lots) two outstanding basket nests by Bill and Judy Sayle, Chin Manasmontri, Stephen Gibbs, Stanley Roop, and others.

Lot 205, Canton Cider Jug, late 18th Century

The Gail and Rich Mellin 19th century collection of Chinese Canton porcelain brings to auction 44 unique lots, including cider jugs, well and tree platters, fruit baskets, tea caddies, candlesticks, punch bowl, tureen - with not a tea cup and saucer in sight!

The core of the Mellin collection will be offered during Osona's August 6 auction.

625 lots will be auctioned live, online, Saturday, July 2nd beginning promptly at 9:30am. Live online bidding is available via Bidsquare.