The Winter Antiques Show at the Park Avenue Armory in New York celebrated its 60th year Diamond Jubilee with a plethora of museum quality art and antiques from around the world.
The country’s most prestigious antique show featured 73 dealers who specialize in American, European, English and Asian fine and decorative arts. All net proceeds from the show benefit East Side House Settlement, a social services institution in South Bronx, New York.
Among the highlights of the show were several paintings on display at New York, N.Y.-based Adelson Galleries’ booth, including several by esteemed American painter John Singer Sargent (1856-1925). “Bedouin Encampment”, painted in 1906 by Sargent (22 ¼” x 28 ¼”) is an excellent example of the artist’s fascination with exotic subjects and is among his most modernistic works, according to the gallery. It is priced at $6.5 million (above, left). A second Sargent on display was a portrait entitled “Madame Errazuriz (The Lady in Black)” (above, right). The portrait (32 ¼” by 23 ½”), which is oil on canvas, was painted in 1882-1883 and is priced at $3.5 million.
One of the most important examples of the art furniture movement in America was seen at the show at the booth belonging to New York, N.Y.-based Lost City Arts. Featured prominently was the impressive Vermilion Desk and Chair by Wendell Castle, who is often credited with being the father of the art furniture movement. Made by hand in 1965 out of vermilion wood, the desk (34”h x 62”w x 24”d) has legs that resemble that of a gazelle. It is believed to be one of the most important pieces of furniture designed by the Kansas-born artist. The price of the desk and chair is $650,000.
Fans of the Art Deco movement flocked to see the wall-sized stain glass at the New York, N.Y.-based Maison Gerard booth This Art Deco Window by Gerda Wegener was made in France circa 1925 and is priced at $68,000. On either side of the stain glass was a pair of rare folding campaign armchairs made of metal, leather and canvas. Created by Jacques Adnet, the chairs were made in France around 1950. The ensemble is priced at $22,000; a second pair is also available for the same price.
To celebrate the show’s Diamond Jubilee, a diamond and sapphire encrusted tiara that once belonged to Queen Victoria was on display in the center of the exhibition hall. The same tiara is seen adorning the queen’s head in the famous 1842 portrait by Franz Xaver Winterhalter which hangs in Windsor Castle. The small flexible tiara was designed by her husband, Prince Albert. Given by Victoria to her eldest daughter, the Princess Royal, the tiara passed down through the family for years. It is now the property of a private collector who loaned the tiara for this special exhibition marking the show’s Diamond Jubilee.
