"What can we do to help the world with maps?"  This was the question moving through the mind of Farhad Vladi, a discerning collector of maps and the foremost international island broker (a delightfully kismet combination of interests). Over the course of his near five-decade career, Vladi has sold more than 2,000 private islands and amassed an extraordinary selection of antique maps - a passion which started out as a generous gesture. Whenever Farhad Vladi represented an island, he would seek out antique maps of said islands to give as a gift to his clients, and it was this thoughtful quest that would burgeon into a world-class collection of his own. As a member of the International Map Collectors Society, Vladi has traveled the world in his quest to amass a collection of the finest, rarest, and most beautiful maps he could find. The collec...Read More

When one looks at interior environments associated with Lee Stanton, the immediate gravity and delight of earthbound objects begin to proliferate - tree trunk sculptures, English book boxes, haunting marble busts, urns, miniature spiral staircases, sundials, charcoal nudes - all placed, just so, to remind the senses of exactly how rich this plane of existence can be.  Lee Stanton, a noted antiquarian, and thirty-year collector of 17th, 18th and 19th century British and European antiques has filled three of his own homes - as well as the homes of many others - with a plethora of timeless designs that emphasize an eclectic mix of traditional, modern, and industrial influences.   Lee Stanton at his home in Los Angeles, Photograph by Bjorn Wallander for Elle Decor   His Instagram [@leestantonla] is a trove of styled vignettes where you can find...Read More

On August 26th, Rago in Lambertville NJ will be hosting their inaugural Asian Art sale. This 303 lot auction is represented by objects from China, Korea, Japan and India, and comes from various private collections including a prestigious Madison Avenue antique store. All categories are considered for this auction such as export porcelain, ceramics, jade and jadeite carvings, Buddhist sculptures, furniture, and scholar objects. Lot 152, Chinese, Rare and Large Guanyin, c.1600; Estimate $20,000-$30,000 The highlight of the sale is lot 152, an extremely rare Chinese gilt and lacquered bronze figure of Guanyin. Dated to circa 1600 of the late Ming Dynasty, this superbly cast figure of the Buddhist Boddhisatva (enlightened being) of Compassion is one of the best examples to recently hit the Asian Art market. Guanyin is also known as Avalokiteshv...Read More

The ever-present series of adjustments that have detoured so much of our daily lives and altered a range of anticipated events have compelled those caught in the crosshairs to push forward with a rebounding grit. Although, uncertainty is top of mind, there remains unexpected strokes of enthusiasm and verve that breakthrough the marsh to provide us with clear moments of excitement. Bidsquare, the exclusive online bidding platform for the Coeur d'Alene Art Auction for the fifth consecutive year, readied itself for an increase in online participation in light of pandemic restrictions and limited, in-person auction attendance. The event on July 25, 2020, was held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno Nevada and marked the 35th year of the Coeur d'Alene Art Auction's annual sale - where, typically, a fleet of private jets would've touched down on “...Read More

Out there in the distance, gigantic shapes curtain and carve around blazing orange canyons, Elks cry out for their herd and nomads track prints of their caravan in the silent white snow. Candid narratives and sweeping American landscapes tell the stories of moonlit ancestral teachings, Cheyenne warriors, cattle drives, and cowboys chasing Longhorns when the country was wild all around. The paintings, sculptures and important historical items offered in The Coeur d'Alene Art Auction have always manifested and commanded an impressive market of their own for Fine Western connoisseurship and this year's awe-inspiring highlights prove steadfast. On July 25, 2020 The Coeur d'Alene Art Auction will present their 35th annual sale with exclusive, online bidding made available through Bidsquare. This union offers a rare advantage for registrants look...Read More

We hope everyone is enjoying the nice summer weather! June and July are typically slower months for the American auction houses, but because of the current pandemic, many of them are finally presenting their postponed sales from the spring season. This should keep each and every art lover very busy! Shapiro Auctions will be featuring their Important Fine and Decorative Art Auction on July 25th,  a 510 lot sale which will include everything from fine art, decorative arts and jewelry. Some of their highlights include lot 90, an oil on canvas of a riverbank by French Post-Impressionist painter Maximilien Luce (1858-1941), estimated at $125,000-$175,000, and lot 106a, a rare collection of 1,740 early photographs of strongmen and athletes, estimated at $80,000-$120,000. Lot 86, Le Pho, Cueilleur de fleurs, Oil on canvas; Estimate $40,000-$50,000...Read More

Technically speaking, a case can be made that early seventeenth century American's were the first to conventionally recycle. That's right! American makers during the colonial era were determined to be resourceful and through the use of a unique alloy they started striking a path of their own. Pewter, consisting of an approximate mix of 90% tin and other metals such as copper, antimony, bismuth and sometimes traces of silver, is a highly moldable, soft metal that can be dated as far back as Ancient Rome and Egypt. The earliest example of pewter was discovered in a tomb, c. 1450 BC and is documented to have been forged along side the Bronze Age in the Near East. The formula for pewter varies with time period, having at one point, been made with lead - all versions have a long history of both utilitarian and decorative uses. In Europe, regulat...Read More

With a packed schedule of Asian Art auctions in June barely behind us, there’s still a couple more Chinese-themed auctions to take us through the summer months. Oakridge Auction Gallery in Ashburn VA will be hosting a two-day sale of Chinese art on July 25 and 26. This auction is divided into three sessions of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy, and Chinese Snuff Bottles. The first session of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art features 327 lots including porcelain, jade carvings, textiles, dragon robes, scholar objects, Buddhist sculptures and jade carvings. Lot 202, Chinese Famille Rose Rotating Vase, Qianlong One of the most interesting pieces in this sale is lot 202, a famille rose vase. These porcelain vases are extremely difficult to produce since they consist of three separate pieces that have to be se...Read More

Shall we enter through the grand, c.1860s Italiante mansion or the luminous, cutting-edge, structure? No matter which doorway we decide, we will soon be roaming through an impressive blend of art eras - discovering Master drawings, European paintings, one of the largest international ceramics collections in the U.S. and marvelous wings of Asian, African, and Oceanic art. We have found ourselves in the Crocker Art Museum. Crocker Art Museum, Historic building | via crockerart.org Originally purchased in 1869 by Judge Edwin C. Crocker and renovated by local architect Seth Babson, the property was unique from the start. Babson designed the mansion to a spectacular degree by using the finest materials and focusing on the goal of integrating and displaying the Crocker family's growing art collection. The original family complex included a bowlin...Read More

One of the many questions I receive, working in the antiques and auction industry is, "What is Pop Culture?" The funny part is, it’s not all that different from saying something is Jacobean, Victorian, Art Deco or Mid Century Modern. The term is used to describe something as being from “Popular Culture.” That’s it! Whether it’s Roy Rogers and the Lone Ranger or Pikachu, Optimus Prime, Steve Austin, and Luke Skywalker, “Pop Culture” is used to describe anything that relates to a property that is or was popular during a particular period of time. The cool part is, there's no time stamp of a certain period - anything can become part of Pop Culture, regardless of age! It's an ever-expanding field of study. People collect Pop Culture items because it takes them back to a time, typically childhood, (which for most) is filled with fun and happy me...Read More