OAKLAND, CA.- Clars Auction Gallery will offer a fine selection of Asian works of art on Sunday, April 24th. This auction will include various Chinese antique porcelains, jade and stone carvings, furniture, Chinese paintings, embroidered works, and other categories of Asian works of art.
A finely molded Dingyao bowl featuring lotus and other aquatic plants along with a double-fish medallion will headline the auction. The Song dynasty bowl was acquired from the late Chingwah Lee Collection of San Francisco sold at Sotheby’s Los Angeles Fine Oriental Art Sale on June 8th, 1981. A fine example of Chinese monochromes is the Qianlong mark and period celadon-glazed and carved vase displaying overlapping lotus petals throughout. Another Qing imperial porcelain is the Guangxu mark and period famille rose ‘Three Rams’ bowl, which has four medallions each depicting the Three Rams against a lemon-yellow sgraffito ground.
The jade, hardstone and snuff bottle portion of the sale will feature an eclectic selection of carvings from the Neolithic period up to the modern era. A fine example can be seen in the white jade snuff bottle with finely carved decoration in the Rococo style. Rounding out the section is a group of jade and hardstone toggles and pendants from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The furniture portion will feature a pair of 18th century huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs. These armchairs feature decorative carved panels on the backs with auspicious floral groupings and mythical creatures. Another furntirue highlight is the huanghuali altar coffer dated to the late Qing to Republic period. The wide single panel top is flanked by a pair of everted flanges above three drawers with white brass hardware, atop a coffer cabinet with a pair of hinged double doors. The simplistic design exemplifies the rich and attractive huanghuali wood grains.
Another highlight of the sale is an ink on paper hanging scroll by Wu Changshuo (Chinese, 1844-1927). The ink painting depicting plum blossoms is extensively inscribed by the artist and dated to 1915. The painting is a perfect example of the artist’s masterful utilization of dry and wet brush techniques to illustrate the strength of the branches and the depth of the scene. This painting was acquired in Shanghai prior to 1945 and this is the first time that it has been offered for sale at auction.
FINE ART
Clars fine art is excited to offer the first printings of the photograph “Girl with Candy” by Ukrainian photographer Oleskii Kyrychenko. Oleskii gained recognition on social media after uploading the photo of his young daughter holding a (unloaded) double barrel rifle with lollipop in mouth, just days before Ukraine was attacked by Russian forces. Oleksii, who’s been a photography hobbyist since school, wanted to capture and show the world what a war-torn Ukraine would look like for its people and its children. Despite attempts to share the images on Facebook, they were not truly appreciated until his dystopian photograph because reality.
Clars will be auctioning the first printings of the photograph, printed here in Oakland by permission of the photographer. Clars will be auctioning one photograph, printed here in Oakland by permission of the photographer, in our April 24th sale with an estimate of $1,000 - $2,000. Oleksii has requested that half of the proceeds be donated to “Come Back Alive,” a non-governmental organization helping the Ukrainian military by supplying troops with technical support and medical aid.
The print multiples portion of the sale will also hold two works by famous art nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha (Czech, 1860-1939). Titled Tetes Byzantines, the lot will include both the Brunette and the Blonde profiles printed on the original 1897 round paper. The two images became quite popular at the turn of the century and were printed numerous times in different variants for advertising and souvenir purposes. Brunette and Blonde will be offered at $6,000 - $9,000 for the pair.
Clars Auction Gallery is also pleased to offer two prints by Yayoi Kusama, “Grapes”, a screenprint, from 1982, and “Shoes” a lithograph, from 1984. A preeminent figure in the art world, Kusama emerged onto the art scene in the 1960s in New York, collaborating with Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenberg, and Robert Morris and contributing to the rise of feminist and pop art. Throughout her work, Kusama has explored such themes as her own obsessive-compulsive disorder, hallucinations, sexuality and freedom. “Grapes” and “Shoes” exhibit Kusama’s signature style, featuring polka dots and nets in dense patterns with obsessive repetition. In 1993, Kusama represented Japan at the Venice Biennale. She has been the subject of major exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, Centre Pompidou, Tate Modern, and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo as well as a major retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 2012. In 2017, she opened the Yoyoi Kusama Museum in Tokyo near her studio and the psychiatric hospital where she has voluntarily lived since 1977. Each print is estimated at $10,000-$15,000.
FURNITURE AND DECORATIVE ARTS
There will be a fine selection of coins, silver, and other objects de vertu. Highlights include a Parker Rare and Exceptional ribbon eye dropper fountain pen, dated 1914, estimated at $8,000-12,000, and an 1887 $1 Gold type 3 Princess Head PCGS Proof 63 cameo valued at $5,000-7,000.
Also to be offered, is a collection of Native American basketry and blankets, a large selection of Daum glass, and Berkeley Mills furniture.
FINE JEWLERY
The Fine Jewelry & Timepiece department at Clars Auction Gallery is excited to offer a selection of diamond, colored gemstone and gold jewelry, in their upcoming April 24th sale.
This sale features a variety of brightly colored gemstone jewelry to enlighten your wardrobe in time for Spring and build up the foundation of your jewelry collection at accessible price points. These whimsical and colorful pieces include a pair of beryl and fourteen karat gold earrings, estimated at $800 – 1,200, a turquoise, diamond and eighteen karat white gold ring, estimated at $1,800 – 2,200, a pair of floriform eighteen karat gold earrings and a pendant necklace suite, estimated at $400 – 600.
Clars will also be offering a nice selection of diamond jewelry in time for bridal season, including a diamond and eighteen karat white gold necklace, estimated at $3,500 – 5,500, a pair of South Sea pearl and fourteen karat white gold earrings, estimated at $800-1,200, a pair of diamond tassel and fourteen karat white gold earrings, estimated at $1,500 – 2,500.
