This is a very eclectic auction with a broad range of offerings including jewellery, contemporary furnishings, art, and porcelains. Given the diverse backgrounds of the collectors who have contributed to this auction, it is no surprise that we have antiques, collectibles, art and jewellery from every continent save for Australia (well, and Antarctica).
If you are looking for gifts or to treat yourself, check out the array of gold bracelets, rings, pendants and necklaces, mostly mid to late 20th C but even 12 KT gold antique European jewellery.
If we stretch the definition of jewellery a little bit, let’s look at the selection of Victorian and Edwardian hat pins. Hat pins had the very practical function of securing a large chapeau to a woman’s hair. But hat pins took on a significant role in emerging women’s independence as hat pins made a very effective weapon for self defence. In the late 19th and early 20th C women in greater numbers began navigating public spaces unescorted and hat pins proved very effective in warding off unwanted advances. The use of hat pins as a fashion statement or as a means of encouraging women’s independence became controversial as public officials worried about potential hat pin accidents. During the so-called “Hat Pin Panic” cities like Chicago and Paris banned women from wearing hat pins with exposed sharp ends while riding on public transit.
Our online” jewellery box” also contains costume jewellery. For those looking to make a fashion statement we have several boldly designed pieces of costume jewellery from Berber necklaces to sterling chokers. Some of these were acquired when our consignor was living and travelling through Africa.
There are a number of paintings by different artists in this auction that were purchased from Toronto galleries. We have listed some of the current or estimated gallery prices to show what the current retail values of the artists’ work are. The back story of one artist is particularly worthy of note. Lilian Lampert was a survivor. Born 1931 in Poland, Lilian was forced to change her family name from Lampert to Baczewska and go into hiding to survive the Nazi purge. By 1945 she had lost most of her family. She later became a well recognized graphic artist in Poland. But by 1968 following a second wave of antisemitism she emigrated to Canada where she re-established a career as a graphic artist. Later she turned to painting in several media: watercolour, acrylic, and pastels. The paintings we have in this auction have come either through her gallery or other Toronto galleries or have descended in her family.
A number of our consignors have moved into smaller condos or apartments and have downsized their collections. As a result, we are offering many pieces of high-quality contemporary furniture like French armoire, side tables, as a well as modern dining and bedroom suites. One pair of chairs is particularly worth noting. The mid-century chairs, lot 112, are made by the famous American manufacturer Grosfield House. Identical examples are listed on websites like 1stdibs or incollect for astronomical prices. The upholstery is in very good condition but there is wear to the finish on the carved wooden arms.
People growing up in the 1960s and 1970s have all heard the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a tragedy made famous by the Gordon Lightfoot song of the same name. But few of us know about the wreck of the Lady Elgin in 1860. The Lady Elgin was a luxurious passenger sidewheeler that was struck and sank in a violent storm on Lake Michigan on September 8, 1860, by the schooner Augusta, causing the deaths of 300 of the 400 passengers. It is the greatest loss of life on the Great Lakes. The Augusta was captained by Darius Nelson Malott of Leamington. Ontario. According to a note included with the sextant, Lot 8, this sextant was owned by Darius Malott. Malott died 4 years later to the day when his ship the Mojave was lost just 10 miles from the site of the crash with the Lady Elgin.
The sextant appears to have been saved somehow. The sextant’s original mahogany case has a different name inscribed on the cover. That is the name Alexander Campbell of Maitland, NS. who became a ship’s captain in 1874. Unfortunately, Captain Campbell also suffered shipwrecks losing ships and cargo in two separate sea tragedies. The sextant if it was onboard all these tragedies carries a tragic history but is an amazing survivor to have avoided being lost at sea at least four times. We leave the rigorous research necessary to prove provenance to the future owners.
This is a very interesting auction so please look through it carefully and feel free to ask any questions or give any comments.
