The End of History: November 2014

Sunday, November 30, 2014

The Great Buddha of Kamakura

The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a monumental outdoor bronze sculpture of Buddha located at the Kōtoku-in Temple in Kamakura Japan. The bronze statue was cast in 1252. According to temple records. It was preceded by a giant wooden Buddha, which was completed in 1243 after ten years of continuous labor, the funds having been raised by Lady Inada (Inada-no-Tsubone) and the Buddhist priest Jōkō of Tōtōmi. That wooden statue was damaged by a storm in 1248, and the hall containing it was destroyed, so Jōkō suggested making another statue of bronze, and the huge amount of money necessary for this and for a new hall was raised for the project.

The hall was destroyed by a storm in 1334, and rebuilt again, then was damaged by yet another storm in 1369, and was rebuilt yet again. The last building housing the statue was washed away in a tsunami in 1498, Since then, the Great Buddha has stood in the open air and has always been one of Japan's most visited sites.

The original statue is 48 feet tall, our reproduction which dates to the 19th Century is 7.5 inches tall.

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Lusting for Lustre

Søren Kongstrand was an entrepreneurial Dane from the town of Esbjerg, Denmark. His original trade was creating copper plumbing for his family owned hardware store. Alongside his practical training, he started to gain interest in copper as an art form. He finally moved on to pottery full time - almost always incorporating copper into his signature lustre glazes. This piece is likely an early career work dating from the time he opened his studio - around 1911. The result is a metallic sheen that exposes layers of oxidation ranging from minty green to a pleasing dusty rose.
A huge statement at 14 inches tall.

Friday, November 28, 2014

Flavio of the Week

An absolutely monumental work attributable to Flavio Poli for Seguso Vetri d'Arte. The autumnal color combination suggests his late 50s period. Heavy and prismatic, this piece is really more sculpture than vase.
11.5 inches x 8 inches wide

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Silver Shells

A set of 4 sterling silver, mid century Italian sea shells, the largest is just over 4 inches long. Sold only as a set.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Neoclassical Modernism

Czech this out. At 15" tall , this is one of the largest examples of Bohemian glass to ever grace our shop. A dodecagon shaped smokey gray crystal vase by Moser with bands of gilt depicting ancient Roman warriors in pose circa 1930s

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Copper Keepers

Black Italian glass dappled with generous accents of aventurine - handsome for a gentleman's bar or anywhere you need a shot of glitter and glamour - Barovier & Toso circa 1960s.
12'' to 13"

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Beauty & The Beast

Jean Marais was the rare quadruple threat Actor/Ceramicist/Beauty & Beast. The french star of his famous lover Jean Cocteau's film was also an accomplished surrealist in his own right. He created this beastly piece, thrown and signed by his own hand, in the 1950s - no doubt influenced by his most famous role as La Bête. The glaze is a lustrous gun metal grey.
16"tall x 8" (horn to horn)

Friday, November 21, 2014

Contemporary Freeform Sculpture

A very nice abstract, solid aluminum sculpture, signed Karen Tallyn. Mounted on a wood base. Overall height 10.25 inches. Signed on the underside.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Mid Century Marble Maiden

A large mid century unsigned marble sculpture of a seated and partially clothed woman on the original aluminum base. Total height 37 inches (11.5" for the base).

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Skyscraper Vases

A quintessentially Art Deco pair of ceramic vases by Belgium company, Boch Freres, circa 1930. Just over 12 inches tall.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Michael Andersen Rears Again

Another sumptuous piece of Persian glaze from Michael Andersen & Sons of Bornholm Denmark, circa 1930s/40s. Over the years we've had this same sculpture several times, but each example is very different in the way the glaze varies. This example is a particularly beautiful deep shade of celadon and copper, 13 inches tall.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Perfect Purple Pair

As often happens here, we find ourselves in Italy in the middle of the 20th Century. A very handsome pair of purple quartz and bronze oblelisks, 2 feet tall.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Monumental in Finland

A spectacular and large, 22 inches tall, crackle raku glazed vase by Friedl Holzer-Kjellberg for Arabia circa 1950. Recently acquired from a private Swedish collection.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Magnificent Millefiore

Fantastic heavy glass bookends circa 1950s attributed to Fratelli Toso with a dizzying array of floating florets. The color way and clarity makes these feel like a display of underwater anenomie at play.

6" x 6"

Friday, November 14, 2014

Terracotta ala Roma

A handsome pair of neoclassical urns from mid-century Italy for Mottahedeh, well known manufacturers of faithful reproductions commissioned by the likes of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other cultural institutions around the globe. Red jasper with black decorative details.
12.5" x 8"

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Salviati Bubbles Up

A clear Murano glass mid century sculpture by Salvati & Co. Substantial and heavy at 15 pounds, 13 inches tall.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Roman Rider

We just acquired this magnificent bronze and marble sculpture of a Roman soldier on horseback from the auction sale of a private art collection in Germany. The sculpture is signed F. Peleschlin and dated 1911., 17 inches in length.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Abstract Orange

We recently acquired this stunning orange oil on canvas abstract painting from a Chicago auction, it's signed M. Livingston, 34 by 24 inches.

Monday, November 10, 2014

A Passage to India

A beautiful example of Indian export furniture in the Regency style, inlaid all over with mother of pearl, mid 20th Century.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

More Danish Deco

Another beautiful piece of Michael Andersen ceramic from the 1930s, this time a lidded jar with classical nudes, in the Persian glaze that is a signature of the studio, 9 inches tall.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Rarest Bitossi

Although we've seen many examples of the Bitossi Asian bust over the years, we have never seen one in white before, not only that but this is a completely new form that we've never seen in any other color. An all white Aldo Londi for Bitossi mid century bust of Buddha, 14 inches tall.

Friday, November 7, 2014

Rattan Wrapped Raymor

A nice pair of 1950s matte black ceramic bottles with ratan detail. Signed Made in Italy Raymor.

The tallest one is just over 11 inches tall. Sold as a pair.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

The Rape of Europa

An important Danish Art Deco ceramic sculpture by Gertrude Kudielka for Hjorth circa 1935, 15 inches tall. Recently acquired from a private Swedish collection.
Europa was a Cretan moon goddess who was adopted into Greek mythology as a virgin Phoenician princess abducted by Zeus in the form of a bull, raped by him, and subsequently abandoned. Europa was the daughter of the King Agenor of Sidon and the continent of Europe was named after her.
One night Europa had a dream. In this dream two continents, which were in the forms of women were arguing over Europa. Asia maintained that since Europa had been born in Asia she belonged to it. The other continent, which was nameless, said that her birth was not important, that Zeus would give her to it.
It was early morning, disturbed by the dream Europa did not go back to sleep. She summoned her companions, who were all daughters of nobility and of her age. It was a beautiful day and they went off gathering flowers by the sea. Zeus noticed this charming group, particularly Europa, who was the prettiest of the maidens. Zeus appeared to the group as a white bull. A white bull more beautiful than any other. A bull that smelled of flowers, and lowed musically. A bull so obviously gentle that all the maidens rushed to stroke and pet it.

The bull laid down in front of Europa. She slid on to its back. Instantly, the bull charged off, plunging into the sea, and began to swim rapidly from the shore. Europa saw that a procession had joined them, Nereids riding dolphins, Triton blowing his horn, and Poseidon. From this she realized that the bull must be a god. She pleaded with him to pity her. Zeus spoke to her and explained his love. He took her to Create, where he had been raised. He promised that she would bear him many famous sons.

Noël Nicolas Coypel (1690-1734), The Rape of Europa. Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

West Coast Abstraction

A strong and forceful mid century bronze sculpture by California artist Grace Goodrich, entitled "Earthbound" signed and numbered 1/5, 12 inches in length.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Lion's Share

A nice pair of French Art Deco gilt bronze male and female lion bookends, unsigned but of beautiful quality. Each marble base is 9.5 inches in length.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Arne Bang Collection

We Just acquired this exquisite collection of 8 Arne Bang studio ceramics from a Palm Beach estate.
The tallest vase is 6.5 inches and the bowl is 8 inches diameter. All pieces date to the 1940s or early 1950s and are priced individually.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Belgium Bling

From the great Belgium glass maker Val Saint Lambert comes this special snowflake. Signed but illegibly and on its own rotating stand, this twinkling star is 10 inches tall, circa 1970s.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Pegasus

Here we have a marvelous representation of the winged horse, Pegasus, from Greek mythology.
Our rare example was made by Hans Henrik Hansen for Royal Copenhagen in 1938. 15 inches wide and 10 inches tall.