SANTA ANA, CA.- Southern California’s premier source for prestigious estate offerings, Don Presley Auctions, is ready to ring in the New Year with a carefully curated sale of antiques, art and jewelry. The Friday/Saturday Jan. 1-2 event is brimming with nearly 1,100 top-quality lots to be divided equally between the two days.

“Consignors for whom we had auctioned important pieces before came back to us with even better items than before. They said the market has improved so much that it’s a good time to sell high-end merchandise,” said auctioneer and company owner Don Presley. “Many of the antiques and furnishings in our New Year’s sale came straight from residences and estates in Beverly Hills, Newport Beach and other exclusive neighborhoods.”

Both European and American paintings will be available, but the largest section of the sale consists of extraordinarily beautiful antique decorative art. The list of manufacturers, or regions of manufacture, includes Meissen, Sevres, Tiffany, Royal Vienna, KPM, Limoges and Meiji-period Satsuma.

A very seldom-encountered complete Meissen monkey band, Lot 646, includes 21 different figures playing musical instruments under instruction from their simian conductor. Extremely desirable to collectors, the 22-piece set is expected to make $25,000-$35,000.

The ultimate in Sevres artistry, a pair of exquisite 19th-century jeweled, enameled cobalt blue covered urns is entered as Lot 641, with a pre-sale estimate of $5,000-$6,000. Also of special note is the pair of monumental 19th-century lidded vases in robin’s-egg blue with highly ornate gilt handles and gilt base.

A sparkling array of art glass includes Baccarat, Loebmeyer, Bohemian luster and other makes and types. A grand Baccarat garniture set consists of an epergne and two shallow bowls supported by seven (total) bronze putti. Empire clocks, champleve three-piece clock sets, signed bronzes and sterling silver round out the European decorative-art offering.

Chinese porcelains and jades, and a large selection of Chinese jewelry will be available for those who seek superior-quality Asian antiques. Additionally, seven extremely fine silk rugs will be sold.

The furniture section is led by several Empire-style vitrines and Lot 181, a magnificent scagliola painted-marble cabinet with gilt bronze hardware and mounts estimate $6,000-$10,000. The scagliola technique came into fashion in the 17th century as an effective substitute for costly marble inlays and was first employed in furniture hand-crafted for the Medici family in Florence and nobles in Tuscany.

Don Presley’s annual New Year’s Day Auction is always a popular affair. Many consider it Presley’s most enjoyable event of the year.

“Not only does this auction contain some of the most exceptional estate antiques and art available anywhere, many of the items will be offered with no minimum and no reserve. If there is a reserve, it will be the opening bid. We try to be as transparent and up front as possible so our customers can bid in confidence,” Presley said.

The Jan. 1-2, 2016 auction will start on both days at 12 noon Pacific Time/3 p.m. Eastern Time. The auction gallery is located at 2202 S. Main Street in Santa Ana, CA 92707. Preview daily (except for Christmas Day) now through Dec. 31 from 10 a.m. till 5:30 p.m., or on the morning of each of the auction sessions.

All forms of bidding will be available, including absentee, phone and live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers. For additional information, call Don Presley at 714-633-2437 or email info@donpresley.com. Visit the company’s website at www.donpresley.com.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com .