In 1998 an English friend of mine was riding his Vespa through Shoreditch in the wee hours of a Saturday morning when he noticed a strikingly painted mural on the wall up ahead. He also noticed that a large chunk of the work was painted on a piece of wood attached to the wall. Lot 285 - Girl with Balloon screenprint, and Lot 290 - Love Rat screenprint Being an enterprising type with a true appreciation of the word “free,” he pulled out his trusty screwdriver, removed the painted wood and took it home on the back of his scooter. Fifteen years later, with a few more mouths to feed, he sold the piece on for 75,000 pounds. The mural was by Banksy. Lot 292 - Pulp Fiction screenprint Banksy, the English-based graffiti artist, political activist and film director, is clearly one of the most polarizing artists of his generation. Starting out in Bri...Read More

We all know that putting together a Thanksgiving dinner is no small undertaking. Not only does it require meticulous planning and hours of toil, but there’s also guest logistics, child management and a plethora of other tasks requiring constant attention. So when time comes to serve dinner it’s important that you utilize pieces that will truly do the fruits of your labor justice. Bidsquare's online auctions are full of expertly curated collectibles more than capable of elevating the levels of "joie de vivre" at your Thanksgiving table - take a look now, and say goodbye to those disapproving sneers your mother-in-law offers every time she looks down at your cutlery! Dinner Service Time to throw out those chipped Ikea plates and send in the cavalry! This 34-piece English porcelain dinner service consists of one large serving bowl, one platter...Read More

Sailing into the sunset on an ocean liner requires luggage not only tough enough to handle the journey, but refined enough to do your shipboard entry justice. Lets face it, there’s not much point investing in expensive designer label leisurewear if you arrive dockside carting a "Dora the Explorer" wheelie. Which brings us to Lot 267 in Material Culture’s November Estates sale. A cabin trunk by French manufacturer Louis Vuitton, it has the timeless charm that calls to mind 1930s voyages to the continent – dinner at the Captain’s table, strolls on the sunbathed deck and an ocean-bound romance or two. In the world of luggage there is no brand more esteemed than Louis Vuitton. Founded in 1854 by its namesake, the company has grown into one of the world’s most valuable luxury brands, with an estimated value of around US$30 billion. Other lots in...Read More

Alexander Gardner was one of the real pioneers of early American photography. One-time manager of legendary lensman Matthew Bradys Washington salon, he was Brady’s chief photographer in the field during the early days of the Civil War. Gardner managed the famous horse-drawn photographic laboratory and took many pictures attributed to Brady. He accompanied the Union troops on their marches, their camps and bivouacs, their battles, and on their many hasty retreats during those grim early days. Alexander Gardner (left), and Lincoln at Antietam In 1866 Gardner published his Sketch Book, recognized as the "first modern photo-essay” and the first published collection of Civil War photographs. Conceived by Gardner as a post-war memento, the 100 prints represent selections from the over 3,000 negatives taken during the Civil War by himself and asso...Read More

Rago’s December Fine Jewelry sale offers a study in contrasts between Art Deco and Art Nouveau jewelry. The online auction includes extraordinary examples of the art and technique present in both styles, each of which conveys a distinct message through a characteristic vocabulary of design.

Steel heiress Cornelia Guest is parting with much of the contents of her family compound in Old Westbury, N.Y. The actress, former horse-riding champion, author, accessories and clothing designer, caterer and animal rights activist has consigned a select collection of treasured pieces to be sold through Stair Galleries on Saturday, November 14. New York socialite Cornelia Guest (left), and her parents pictured in 1952 Guest, the daughter of polo player Winston Frederick Churchill Guest and the socialite C. Z. Guest, is moving to a farm in Columbia County, N.Y., which she plans to turn into an animal sanctuary. Parting with the objects for sale, she said, “just pulls at your heart in a way that you never expect.” With a heritage such as Guest’s, it’s not surprising to see a number of offerings related to polo and horses. Lot 237 (above) is a...Read More

The Japanese have long had a reputation for producing objects of great beauty. With a Zen-like approach to design, they have the ability to infuse even the most practical of objects with clean lines and elegance. Lots 142 & 143 allow bidders to keep an eye on things...and to look good doing it! This truth is evident in the sale of two lots selling in Kodner Galleries’ Antiques, Fine Art, Jewelry & Decorative Art sale. Lot 143, a pair of 1940s World War II Japanese battleship bigeye binoculars, and Lot 142, a pair of 1950s Japanese Imperial Navy binoculars, may have been designed to keep an eye on military matters for the land of the Rising Sun, yet its hard not to be impressed by the retro sleekness of their design. The jewelry category is deep and filled with unique and interesting pieces. Lot 127 - a vintage ladys Israeli pear shaped whit...Read More

No one ever accused 19th Century entrepreneur Adam Bogardus of modesty. Holder at one time of just about every shooting record in the book, he titled a 1898 biography he authored: “One Thousand Secrets of Rich and Wise Men Revealed,” by C.A. Bogardus, “Champion Shot of the World.” Bogardus was also an inventor, and in 1877 created the first practical glass ball trap. This trap threw the ball 60 feet through the air in a very long arc that revolutionized the sport of target shooting. Bogardus, who owned a shooting galllery in Chicago, promoted himself tirelessly and soon became the leading manufacturer in the U.S. target-making business. Those looking to try their hand at a Bogardus should check out Pook & Pook Inc.’s Sporting Auction, set down for Saturday, November 14. Selling as Lot 170, the Bogardus iron trapshooting target ball thrower ...Read More

Sometimes it’s hard to comprehend that there was a time when people existed without television. Just what they did with themselves is anyone’s guess; suffice to say it’s hard to imagine an existence without the spine-tingling plot twists of the Kardashians or the moving dignity of a televised Donald Trump. On Wednesday, November 11, Leland Little Auctions deliver clues to the above conundrum when they offer Lot 150 in their sale of the Personal Collection of Philip P. Huggins. A 19th Century reverse painted table screen depicting a young woman departing by boat from the shore, it has, on first glance at least, the resounding look a pre-electronic flat screen TV! Now sure, an evening’s entertainment gathered round such a piece in your living room is sure to have its limits, but then it truly is a lovely work with strong romantic vibes and be...Read More

When it comes to literary champions, you’d be hard pressed to find two writers sitting on loftier perches than Shakespeare and Whitman. Kings of their respective times, with legacies growing richer as each year passes, and enthusiastic audiences that never seem to diminish. On Sunday, November 15, Skinner offers bidders a unique opportunity to snare prized collectibles by these great men when they stage their November Fine Books & Manuscripts auction. Both are extremely valuable editions, rarely available at auction, so competition is sure to be fierce. Lot 287 will have devotees of The Bard licking their lips in anticipation! An 1820 edition of Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies published according to the true original copies. The book is bound in full brown calfskin and decorated in a very spare geometric style reminiscent of...Read More