It would be easy enough, when viewing Lot 155 in Material Culture’s September Estates sale, to see nothing more than a 150-year-old guitar. Made by C.F. Martin between 1855 & 1866 in a New York Parlor style, and sold with its original coffin case, the piece is blessed with the timeless appeal and elegance that handcrafted instruments always seem to possess. Its no secret they get better with age. But a quick glance at the portrait being sold with the guitar offers insight into the instruments tragic and colorful past. Pictured is the original owner, Johnnie Campbell, who left his family plantation in Jackson, TN to fight with the Confederate Army in their battle to secede from the Union. That same year Campbell, just 16, was giving water to a Union soldier when he was struck and killed by a bullet from his own side. Yet the Martin guitar st...Read More

In the last quarter of the 19th Century America was experiencing a period of unprecedented prosperity and growth. Despite increased wealth and a steady stream of European craftsmen entering the country in order to provide goods and services, there was still significant bias for goods fabricated across the Atlantic. This tide changed after the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, where makers of American cut glass showcased elaborate sets of cut glass in every conceivable shape, and with patterns quite different from their European counterparts. Record numbers of attendants arrived in Chicago by rail and were soon convinced that they should join their affluent neighbors in purchasing sets of cut glass from a domestic maker. True cut glass is hand decorated and consequently very expensive. It took time to make, which created great dema...Read More

Of all the fascinating categories out there in the collectibles market, none bring as much fun and enjoyment to their owners as vintage toys. With their irresistible blend of charm and nostalgia, they take us back to a time when manufacturers built things to last (yes, even toys!). No wonder then, that demand for vintage toys continues to be strong at auctions all over the world. On Saturday, September 24, Potter & Potter Auctions offers toy buffs a golden opportunity to add to their collections when they hold their Toys, Advertising & Coin–Op sale. Over 500 lots are set to go under the hammer, from a catalog that includes a wide assortment of motorcycle and automobile toys, mechanical and still banks, vintage ray guns, board games, pinball machines, fortune telling machines and vending machines, advertising signs, counter displays, slot ma...Read More

Collectors are set to break out of the summer slowdown with Pook & Pook’s two-day September Decorative Arts sale. Offering a combined total of over 1,200 lots, this two day sale is chock-full of a variety of unique items that are accessible to enthusiasts on any budget. This is an online only sale exclusive to Bidsquare, so kick back in the comfort of your own home and join the online auction! Lot 55 - four pieces of teepee pattern spatter, including a sugar bowl, a blue saucer, a red and a green plate  Wednesday, September 14 kicks off with a bang when over sixty lots of spatterware go under the hammer. A broad term for pottery with colors that look spattered or sponged onto its surface, it was first crafted in England around 1780, and is usually called spongeware in European circles. Country and folk items are set to shine in this auction...Read More

Next Week’s Asia Week events in New York City mark the unofficial start of the Fall Asian art season. With numerous sales occurring at the international auction houses, every collector, dealer and Asian Art lover is searching for the hottest new market trend. Not to be outdone, September marks the beginning of the Asian Art season for many American regional auction houses. Brunk Auctions in Asheville, North Carolina will be holding their Asian Art sale September 15-16. This auction includes 700 works of art from China, India and South East Asia. Of note is their extensive collection of Japanese artworks formerly from Commander USNR (Ret.) Wayne S. and Mrs. Lydia B. Shiver.  A Pair of Shrine Temple Carved Wood Shi-Shi Lions Japanese in Brunk Auctions September 15, 2016 auction This grouping contains porcelain, ceramics, woodblock prints and ...Read More

When it comes to staging quality jewelry auctions, no name in the business is held in higher regard than Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Year in and year out, the Chicago-based auction house stages anticipated jewelry sales, with buyers from all points of the globe bidding on prized lots. Leslie Hindmans latest jewelry offering is set to kick off on Sunday, September 11, when they launch their two day Important Jewelry sale. Over 1,300 lots are set to go under the hammer. Below weve focused our attention on Day 1 of the sale, but rest assured, the catalog is strong from top to bottom, both Sunday and Monday, and competition is sure to be fierce.  Lot 67 promises to be one of the real highlights of the sale - a platinum and diamond graduated line necklace. Comprised of 88 exquisitely cut European diamonds, this vision of timeless elegance will d...Read More

Leland Little Auctions’ Fall sale is set down for Friday, September 9, and with nearly six hundred lots ready to go under the hammer, including jewelry, fine art, modernism, fine silver, Asian art, couture, Antique furniture and ceramics & pottery, demand is sure to be strong. Of special interest however, especially for collectors of indigenous art, are the 143 lots of African art sure to kick off the sale with a real bang. On offer is a stunning range of pieces from countries across Africa. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or looking to get started, this is a gilt-edged opportunity to savor the rich artistic history of the planet’s oldest continent. Africa’s history is the history of civilization, be sure to take a look! Lot 63 is comprised of two stunning bronze masks attributed to the Senufo people, a tribe of about one and a half mil...Read More

Since their first forays to the exotic East, Westerners have had an almost endless fascination with the Buddha. Whether searching for spiritual enlightenment, a change in fortune or a new direction in décor, the allure of the cross-legged figure has proved irresistible. He is the rock star of new age spiritualism and the pacifists prince. Buddha So who was the Buddha? Well, Gautama Buddha, also known as Siddhārtha Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha, was an ascetic and sage who lived around 400 B.C., upon whose teachings Buddhism was founded. He is recognized by Buddhists as an enlightened or divine teacher who attained full Buddhahood, who shared his insights to help sentient beings end rebirth and suffering. From a design aesthetic, the Buddha figure has always been admired for its elegance and the presence it brings to spaces, both indoors and ...Read More

Newell Convers Wyeth, better known as N.C. Wyeth, grew up on a farm in Massachusetts at the end of the nineteenth century. Wyeth showed his artistic talent early, and studied at the Massachusetts Normal Art School in Boston. In 1902, Wyeth received the opportunity that would shape the rest of his career and firmly cement his place in the canon of American art—to study with the father of American illustration, Howard Pyle. Arguably the most successful of Pyle’s protégés, Wyeth encapsulated all of his teachings and within two years was well on his way to establishing his own career.   Wyeth in his studio, c. 1903, Photo Source: N.C. Wyeth Wikipedia Wyeth ventured west in 1904 and 1906, spending vital time observing, studying, and absorbing all the rich subject matter of the west. In his own words, Wyeth described this early attraction, saying...Read More

In its 2016 August issue, Art+Auction profiled 250 auction houses around the globe, many houses on Bidsquare were featured on the list. Blouin Art+Auction reports: Although the art market remained robust this past year, there has been a marked shift in the global landscape. According to the 2016 Art Market Report, produced by Dublin-based economist Clare McAndrew and released under the aegis of the European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF), there was a 7 percent decline in sales worldwide, from $68.2 billion in 2014 to $63.8 billion in 2015, with much of that decline coming as a result of a contraction in the Chinese economy. Despite the drop, sales in the United States rose 4 percent, to a record $27.3 billion, confirming the nation’s primacy as the global market leader, with a 43 percent share of the market. Sales held steady in the United Kin...Read More