Skinner to Host Auction of European Furniture and Decorative Arts The Michael Howard Theater Collection is featured in the October 6, 2012 auction in Boston along with fine silver, European furniture, and decorative arts.
News-Antique.com - Sep 21,2012 - Boston, MA – September 21, 2012 – Skinner, Inc. will host an auction of European Furniture and Decorative Arts on October 6th in its Boston gallery. With more than 900 lots offered, the sale features a broad array of silver, Continental porcelain, glass, statuary, clocks, paintings and prints, lighting, rugs, textiles, and antique furniture. The collection of renowned actor, director, and master teacher Michael Howard will also be offered.
Fine Silver
The silver session features nearly 450 lots, with a broad range of flatware and hollow ware from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Central and South America. The bidding begins with British silver, and features two assembled Paul Storr covered tureens with unicorn finials (lot 40, estimated between $5,000 and $7,000).
Continental silver follows with highlights that include a large sterling silver compote with pendant grape clusters by Georg Jensen (lot 144, $9,000 to $12,000), as well as several Georg Jensen flatware sets including one in the Cactus pattern (lot 137, $10,000 to $15,000) and another in the Acorn pattern (lot 159, $3,000 to $4,000).
Offerings by American makers are particularly strong. An early 20th century Gorham presentation sterling silver punch bowl service (lot 300, $30,000 to $50,000) offers a fine example of Gorham design and craftsmanship. The punch bowl is lightly hammered and cast with grape and vine decoration. The tray and twelve cup holders bear a similar decorative motif, including grapes, oak leaves, and acorns.
Highlights from Tiffany & Co. include four Chrysanthemum pattern sterling silver candlesticks (lot 310, $18,000 to $22,000) and a Persian-style sterling silver coffee service (lot 333, $6,000 to $8,000), both from the early 20th century. Several lots of silver designed by Elsa Perretti are expected to generate interest, including a sterling silver covered tureen and underplate (lot 151, $4,000 to $6,000) and a pair of Bone pattern sterling silver candlesticks (lot 153, $2,000 to $4,000).
The final lot of the session is a patinated .999 silver and bronze figure of an eagle, entitled Freedom, by contemporary American sculptor Steve Retzlaff (lot 442, $8,000 to $12,000). The sculpture stands two and one half feet tall and the silver content amounts to nearly 700 troy ounces.
The Michael Howard Theater Collection
The sale will also feature approximately fifty lots of collectibles associated with theater from the personal collection of Michael Howard. Howard is a renowned actor, director, and teacher of the dramatic arts, having taught at the Julliard School, Yale School of Drama, American Conservatory Theatre, and most notably at his own studio. Citing his master teacher, Lee Strasberg, as a major influence not only professionally but also as a collector, Howard has been actively collecting since his career started more than 60 years ago.
Much of the Michael Howard collection relates to Shakespearean characters and the actors who played them. Examples include a painting of Edwin Booth as Iago by Thomas Hicks (lot 509, $4,000 to $6,000) and three Chinese reverse paintings on glass illustrating scenes from The Winter’s Tale, The
