PRESS RELEASE:
LEIGHTON HOLDS FIRST CONSIGNMENT DAY EVENT, AND THE TREASURES CAME!
Upper Saddle River, NJ - Leighton Galleries' December 9th auction will include consigned items from their first "Open Consignment Day" event. Held over three days, the open call invitation was extended only to Leighton's email list, resulting in an overwhelming non-stop three-day consignment extravaganza.
Among the treasures that walked in (other than the consignors themselves of course), was a small collection of Chinese porcelains consigned by a nice young man, originally from Egypt, who inherited the pieces from his father. Offered from this collection are four blue and white pieces including an Imperial Dragon moon flask, a Yen Yen vase, and a Yuan Dynasty (attr) peony jar similar to others that have shown strong sales recently.
A good collection of antique Indian arts will also be offered from a local Saddle River gent. Included is a 17th/18th century copper alloy figure of the Hindu deity Shiva Nataraja (not estimated), an elaborately carved deity wood panel of large size estimated at 2000-3000, and a carved Hindu shrine estimated to bring 800-1200.
A Milton Avery pen and ink drawing also walked in with its owner of almost 30 years, a lovely lady from Wyckoff, New Jersey. The piece is titled "New Bristol, Tenn" and was purchased at the Kornbluth Gallery in Fair Lawn, New Jersey in 1982. Other fine artworks that came into the gallery include a Wolf Kahn mixed media "The Fallen Pine" estimated to bring 2000-3000 and according to the consignor sat in his attic for 40 years (we love the attic stories!), a 27" bronze after Pierre Julien "Amalthea and Jupiter's Goat" estimated at 2000-3000, a Joan Miro signed lithograph "Behind the Mirror" estimated at 300-500, a pair of bronze Marly horse groups after Guillaume Coustou estimated to bring 600-800, an oil on canvas by Carl Smith "Canadian River Roundup" estimated at 300-500, and an unusual ethnographic stone head sculpture of unknown origin carrying a modest estimate of 100-150.
Other artworks in the sale come from a nice couple that are downsizing to a condo, exchanging maintenance for travel. Since their children live out of state, they are ready for a more carefree lifestyle. As the consignor said "When you get to this age, you live for your grandchildren". Their fine collection of paintings include Jean Kevorkian, H. Claude Pissarro, George Shawe, Jean Pierre DuBord, Hahn Vidal, Jacques Bouyssou, Alain Bouju and Maurice Monnard. A watercolor illustration entitled "The Cherry Thieves" has an interesting story attached to it. It was custom made for the consignor, whose wife always stole the cherries from his manhattans. The artist overheard him tell the bartender "there must be a cherry thief around here"! The situation resulted in a darling artwork depicting elves stealing cherries from a martini glass.
For the person who has everything, Leighton will also be offering a pop art-style fabric poster of The Real Housewives of New Jersey consigned by Danielle Staub. As far as we understand, these were gifted to each of the housewives by Bravo network. It measures 40"x 62", and is a striking piece. The perfect gift for the person who has everything!
427 lots in total will cross the auction block including bronzes, silver, china, jewelry, Persian rugs, a large collection of fine crystal including Baccarat, Steuben, Waterford and Swarovski, clocks, needleworks, a large Dept. 56 collection, swords, 1960's Directional dining room furniture in the style of Milo Baughman, a CDV of Major General George Armstrong Custer, Fleetwood Mac and Jerry Lee Lewis autographed posters, unusual prints, lots of ivory including large tusks, Russian icons, a large Victorian church / dollhouse tenement, coins, the classic, the bizarre, and everything in between from Royal Doulton figurines to Roscoe Hillenkoetter's WWII foot locker!
As is usual with a Leighton auction, all lots are sold to the highest bidder and come from finer estates and residences, and, in the case of this auction, from nice people who walk into the gallery on consignment day. The auction is scheduled for Thursday, December 9th at 5pm. It will be held at the Knights of Columbus Banquet Hall at 79 Pascack Road, Washington Township (Bergen County), New Jersey. Previews are scheduled for Wednesday, December 8th from 5-8pm, and on Thursday December 9th from 1-4pm. An illustrated web-based catalog is available at www.leightongalleries.com. For information call 201-327-8800 or info@Leightongalleries.com