#Hot #Lots #Coming #Auction #September #WorthPoint
A sofa synonymous with French chic, a sought-after baseball card, an Omega watch that oozes cool, a rare dragon lamp, and a historic fashion gown of ethereal beauty are among the outstanding lots WorthPoint’s Industry Partners are offering collectors in September auctions.
Designer Pierre Paulin injected a fresh breeziness into French furniture design in the 1960s and ’70s, cultivating a sleek new aesthetic. Billings Auction in Los Angeles, California, is offering one of his iconic designs in its Fall 2024 Modern Art + Design auction on September 14.
Lot 1 is Paulin’s “Big C” Sofa from 1971, which has a wooden frame and soft, curved lines. The designer was famous for the oversized scale of many of his designs, like the Big C, which set the scene for the loungy mood of the ’70s.
Now synonymous with French chic, Paulin created his modular modernist furniture, including the Big C sofa, between 1969 and 1972. He wanted to change the way people decorate, so he developed dining tables, sofas, chairs, and other pieces with flowing lines and near-surreal forms. His work became known for using emerging technologies to make forward-looking designs. French presidents Georges Pompidou and Francois Mitterand commissioned him to create spaces in the Élysée Palace in Paris.
When it comes to sports cards, baseball is king of the market for collectibility and investment potential.
Mickey Mantle and Honus Wagner examples understandably get much attention, as some have sold for millions of dollars. But there are plenty of other baseball cards that are also valuable to collectors. Brockelman Auctions of Rhome, Texas, is offering many during its September sale of sports memorabilia, which ends on September 14.
One of these is Lot 54 of Nap Lajoie, a Cleveland Hall of Famer. The card, from the 1903-04 Breisch Williams E107 card set, is SGC-graded 2.5 and one of only seven graded by SGC in all grades, with the highest being 3.
Considered the first major set of the 20th century, the E107 card set by the Breisch-Williams Company of Oxford, Pennsylvania, was marketed between 1903 and 1904. It includes 159 cards (including variations) and has a mix of veteran players from the late 19th century and those just starting out at the turn of the 20th century. Collectors avidly seek each card, with Lajoie being among the most desirable.
A second baseman for the Cleveland Naps, Lajoie was renowned for being among the finest ballplayers both on and off the field. His talents earned him elite status with other players of his day, including Wagner.
Watch collectors won’t want to miss Lot 304 that Grant Zahajko Auctions is offering during the Fine & Decorative Arts, Silver, Glass, Native American + More sale on September 18 in Davenport, Washington.
With its sturdy, innovative movement and distinctive look, the Omega Seamaster Chronograph Automatic is one of the Swiss brand’s most famous styles and was its first sports watch. First introduced in 1948, the Seamaster was constructed to stand up to challenges at any altitude, whether in the skies or below the ocean’s surface. Known for its precision, durability, and unique design, the Seamaster quickly became popular with professional adventurers.
Whether wanting to wear it for pleasure or buy it as an investment, these Seamaster Chronograph timepieces ooze cool and have a cult following among collectors and enthusiasts.
One of the top items Cottone Auctions of Geneseo, New York, is offering at its sale on September 20 is sure to light up collectors: Lot 21, a leaded glass and patinated bronze table lamp with a dragon design.
Part of The Important Collection of Dr. Martin May, Plantation, Florida, the lamp, circa 1906, is by New York City company Duffner & Kimberly, which produced bronze and leaded art glass lamps during the same time as its competitor, Tiffany Studios.
Duffner & Kimberly, a partnership between Frank J. Duffner and Oliver S. Kimberly, introduced its first lamps in 1906. The company exclusively focused on creating high-end art glass shades with matching brass or bronze bases that are on par with Tiffany’s and highly desirable with collectors, especially signed examples.
The dragon lamp being offered, one of four known, has red eyes, as does another lamp (the other two have yellow eyes), and is extremely rare. Cottone has sold many Duffner & Kimberly lamps, including this poppy floor lamp.
It’s rare to find fashions that have not been transformed according to the tastes and needs during the time they were designed. Augusta Auctions of Bellows Falls, Vermont, is offering a rare exception to this at its End of Summer Elegance sale on September 25.
Lot 250 is a famous Delphos gown by Italian design house Fortuny. The 1930s dark green silk sculptural gown is adorned with brown Murano glass beads and has two stenciled belts.
The deeply and delicately pleated Delphos gown was first created by Spanish designer Mariano Fortuny and his wife and muse, Henriette Negrin, around 1909. Inspired by the Ionic chiton on the classical Greek sculpture, the Charioteer of Delphi. The gowns, characterized by fine, handmade pleating, stood out for their innovative construction and essential shape, which gently hugged a woman’s body. They were a worldwide sensation and are still loved today for their timeless look.
A work of ethereal beauty and a landmark in fashion history, the classic yet eternally modern Delphos continues to be sought after by private collectors and museums alike.
Adina K. Francis has been a writer and editor in the antiques and collectibles field for more than 20 years. She has a bit of an obsession with the Victorians and thinks that dogs are one of life’s greatest gifts.
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