Downtown Los Angeles, CA, Jan 22, 2020 — Andrew Jones Auctions will present its first-ever auction of Collections Curated by Designers of Distinction on Sunday, Feb. 23, online and in the gallery at 2221 South Main Street in downtown Los Angeles, starting promptly at 10:30 am Pacific time. The auction comprises 500 lots of select important antiques and fine art.
“We’re proud to have been chosen to offer six important collections of antique furniture, Asian works of art, decorative and fine art above all other California auction houses,” said company president Andrew Jones. “The arbiters of style that assembled these collections have put their signature on the aesthetic thread of each while reflecting the character of the individual owners.”
Turkish-born Kalef Alaton (1940-1989) is widely regarded as one of the biggest influences on the Californian residential interiors in the 1980s. His feel for antiques and ability to mix styles, colors and textures was unparalleled. He created elegant, timeless interiors, including that for Yasuko and Maury Kraines of Beverly Hills, with a focused aesthetic on fine English antiques.
Mr. Alaton’s selection of occasional tables of exotic woods, some inlaid with Italian hardstones, included a William IV goncalo alves table surmounted by a decorative inlaid hardstone top and centered by the Doves of Pliny (est. $4,000-$6,000). The dining room featured a suite of English furniture, including a pair of George III mahogany urns and pedestals by Gillows of Lancaster (est. $4,000-$6,000).
The collection also includes a number of monumental Chinese jadeite and hardstone carvings, highlighted by a spectacular pagoda censer (est. $6,000-$8,000). The Beverly Hills residence featured a Steinway art case model B grand piano (est. $15,000-$25,000); and their Rancho Mirage home a Bosendorfer model B225 black lacquer grand piano (est. $15,000-$25,000).
Craig Wright is another proponent of classic forms and has influenced West Coast interior design through his design studio, C.M. Wright, and his shop Quatrain. From his personal collection comes a wonderful mix of antique and modernist furniture, from richly upholstered seating to the clean lines of a Russian Neoclassical Karelian birch writing table expected to hit $3,000-5,000. Mr. Wright was one of the first decorators to embrace the stately power of Russian design. Another highlight of this collection is a fantastic set of thirteen Zuber wallpaper panels, Les vues du Brésil, that carries a pre-sale estimate of $4,000-$6,000. The marvelous selection of versatile Khotan carpets in soft color pallets can work quite well in contemporary and traditional interiors.
Therien was an advocate of clean design, influenced by Baltic and North European style. A Swedish Empire parcel gilt mahogany mirror by Pehr Gustav Bylander, Sweden’s most famous mirror maker of the early 19th century, with an estimate of $1,000-$1,500, is really a reflective piece of sculpture. Moving centuries forward, a Danish modern teak and leather folding Guldhøj stool by Poul Hundevad is expected to hammer for $600-800. Interestingly, the design of the stool was inspired by a Scandinavian Bronze Age folding chair found in southern Denmark.
The home of Pat and Jerry Epstein was decorated with polish and sophistication by James Lumsden to highlight their collection of modern and contemporary art, which features ten works by their friend, Robert Graham (1938-2008). Kim is a large-scale bronze figural work by Graham from an edition of six (est. $25,000-$35,000). Pat Epstein (1924-2015) was an accomplished sculptor in alabaster, marble and mixed media. “We are fortunate to have six of her pieces, including a freeform sculpture, 1990 (est. $500-$700) in this auction,” Mr. Jones said.
The embracing interior of a Beverly Hills residence designed by Hendrix Allardyce incorporated a truly international selection of pieces that blended harmoniously to reflect the personality of the homeowner. A rare pair of North Italian Neoclassical walnut and marquetry commodes, in the manner of Giuseppe Maggiolini, circa 1800 (est. $15,000-$20,000), are refined statement pieces.
The collection also includes several early Chinese pottery works and ceramics, led by two large Tang Dynasty models of warriors (est. $4,000-$6,000). By contrast, there is Untitled, 2000, a set of three glazed stoneware wall slabs by Jun Kaneko (Japanese, b. 1942) (est. $10,000-15,000). Also included is an impressive German Baroque gilt and black japanned Chinoiserie decorated bureau cabinet, possibly Dresden (est. $20,000-30,000). The decoration relates to the work of Martin Schnell (1685-1740) and pieces that he had made for palaces of Augustus the Strong.
Property from the San Francisco estate of Francis A. Martin III, curated by Steven Volpe, reflects an amazing partnership between collector and decorator that produced a deeply personal and beautiful home. The pair of French gilt bronze mounted Chinese porcelain potpourri vases and covers (est. $10,000-$20,000), with mounts attributed to Alfred Beurdeley, are jewel-like. A single related example is in the Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor. Equally exquisite is a Cartier silver gilt mounted marble pendule à cercle tournant timepiece (est. $12,000-$18,000).
The Martin collection features several works of sporting and maritime art, including a dynamic painting by Antonio Jacobsen (Danish/American, 1850-1921) that captures a famous moment in yacht racing history – America’s Cup, Volunteer vs. Thistle, 1887 (est. $30,000-50,000), which shows the moment the defender Volunteer overtakes the state-of-the-art Thistle to retain the Cup. Two additional works by Jacobsen are included in the sale.
Also yachting-related is a complete set of 26 plates from Frederic Schiller Cozzens’ (American, 1846-1928) American Yachts, 1884 ($30,000-50,000). The Martin collection includes a host of English and European furniture, paintings, prints, fine silver and works of art. There are also six groups of hand-made luggage from Tanner Krolle, Pickett and Louis Vuitton (est. $500-$7,000).
Internet bidding for the Collections Curated by Designers of Distinction auction will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Previews will be held in the gallery, Thursday thru Saturday, Feb. 20-22, from 10-5 Pacific time.
Andrew Jones Auctions’ next major sale after this one will be a DTLA Collections & Estates auction on Sunday, March 22, also online and in the downtown Los Angeles gallery. Previews will be held Thursday thru Saturday, March 19-21, from 10 am until 5 pm Pacific time.
About Andrew Jones Auctions:
Andrew Jones Auctions is downtown Los Angeles’ only full-service fine art and antiques auction house, with an understanding of market trends and foresight for the 21st century. The staff has a wealth of knowledge with worldwide experience, having worked for years at major international auction houses in America and Europe, sourcing property from across North America. The sales are diverse, eclectic and fun, featuring items from the antiquity to the 21st century including important furniture, design, art, jewelry, unique accessories and more. For more information about Andrew Jones Auctions and the Feb. 23 Collections Curated by Designers of Distinction auction, please visit www.andrewjonesauctions.com. Updates are posted often.
Media Contact:
Aileen Ward
Andrew Jones Auctions
2221 South Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90007
213-748-8008
aileen@andrewjonesauctions.com