AUCTION ALERT: "Out of the Ordinary" Auction of Curiosities; September 10, 2015 South Kensington, London

A few highlights from Christie's upcoming "Out of the Ordinary" curiosity auction; 10 September 2015 South Kensington, London. Thanks, Bart Grob, for bringing this to our attention!

See all lots and find out more here.

Images:

1. An Italian Carved Marble 'Vanitas' Bust Of A Woman, Late 19th Century
2. A South German Or Austrian Group Of Carved And Pierced Ivory And Bone Miniature Furniture
3. A Life-Size Prototype Model Of A Gorilla, Dr. Louis Thomas Jérôme Auzoux, Circa 1863
4. A Welsh Taxidermy Specimen Of A Polycephalic Lamb (Ovis Aries); Early 20th Centur
5. A Late Victorian Taxidermy Caiman (Caiman Crocodilius) Mounted As A Dumbwaiter; Late 19th Early 20th Century
6. A Taxidermy Model Of An Australian Flying Fox Or Fruit Bat (Pteropus), Late 19th Century
7. French School, 18th Century, Ménage A Trois
8. Sir Joseph Noel Paton, R.S.A. (Dunfermline, Fife, 1821-1909 Edinburgh); The Commander-In-Chief Of British Forces In The Crimea, And Staff.

Amazing Auction Alert: "Out of the Ordinary" Auction, September 5th, Christie's Auction House, South Kensington, London

All of these exquisitely idiosyncratic objects--and many, many more!--will be included in the upcoming "Out of the Ordinary" auction at Christie's South Kensington, London on September 5th.

You can find out more--and see the complete listings!--by clicking here. Thanksso much  to Carol Holzner and Pam Grossman for bringing this amazing sale--which I will do my best to attend!--to my attention.

 

Lots, top to bottom:

1. Lot 16: A RARE NORTH ITALIAN TAXIDERMY OSTRICH , BY JOSEPH VULPINUS, DATED 1785; £8,000 - £12,000($12,264 - $18,396)
2. Lot 13:  A WAXWORK ANATOMICAL MALE TORSO; EARLY 20TH CENTURY; £800 - £1,200($1,226 - $1,840)
3. Lot 12: A TAXIDERMY PEACOCK PAVO CRISTATUS; 20TH CENTURY; £1,000 - £1,500($1,533 - $2,300)
4. Lot 4: A PAIR OF GERMAN SCAGLIOLA DIDACTIC PANELS ; MID-19TH CENTURY, BY FRANZ JOSEF STEGER & CARL ERNST BOCK; £8,000 - £12,000($12,264 - $18,396)
5. Lot 3: THREE PAINT AND INK HEIGHTENED PHOTOGRAPHS; THE PHOTOGRAPHS LATE 19TH EARLY 20TH CENTURY, LATER RE-INTERPRETED BY MARCOS RAYA, 2013; £3,000 - £4,000($4,599 - $6,132)
6. Lot 11: A GROUP OF THREE PAINTED CANVAS MASONIC PANELS; EARLY 20TH CENTURY; £1,000 - £1,500($1,533 - $2,300)
7. Lot 6: A GROUP OF ELEVEN VICTORIAN HAIR-WORK MOURNING ART PICTURES; LATE 19TH EARLY 20TH CENTURY; £1,000 - £1,500($1,533 - $2,300)

Amazing Auction Alert #583: "The Rouchomovsky Skeleton’: A Russian Gold Fully Articulated Skeleton In Silver-Gilt Sarcophagus," 1901

The fully articulated human skeleton in a velvet-lined coffin chased around on each side with three panels showing the course of life, one end with attributes of the arts, the other with attributes of war,  the removable cover with the journey in the footsteps of the Angel of Death, surrounded by the faces of infants alternately laughing and crying...

This fantastic piece is up for sale as Lot 291 in Sotheby's "A Treasured Legacy: The Michael and Judy Steinhardt Judaica Collection"auction coming up on April 29, 2013. Who would like to purchase it for The Morbid Anatomy Library?

The Rouchomovsky Skeleton’:  A Russian Gold Articulated Skeleton In Silver-Gilt SarcophagusEstimate: 150,000 - 250,000 USD

The fully articulated human skeleton in a velvet-lined coffin chased around on each side with three panels showing the course of life, one end with attributes of the arts, the other with attributes of war,  the removable cover with the journey in the footsteps of the Angel of Death, surrounded by the faces of infants alternately laughing and crying.
Skeleton signed in Cyrillic, on the right splint-bone: Mozyr [18]92 Odessa [18]96 and on the left splint-bone Rouchomovsky.

Sarcophagus signed on lid: Israel Rouchomovsky and in Cyrillic on base Israel Rouchomovsky Odessa 1901.
length of skeleton 3 1/2 in., length of coffin 4 3/8 in.
9 cm; 11.2 cm
the skeleton 1892-1896, the sarcophagus 1896-1906
Israel Rouchomovsky, Mozyr and Odessa

Catalogue Note

The Skeleton
Israel Rouchomovsky (1860-1934) came from a poor family in Mozyr, Belarus. Almost three-quarters of the population of the town was Jewish, and according to some accounts his parents wanted him to become a rabbi.[i] His memoirs describe how he was drawn to silversmithing, and the efforts required to get a work permit and move with his family to Odessa, where he arrived in 1892. They also recount how he helped a colleague make a first gold skeleton, now held in the Museum of Historical Treasures of the Ukraine.[ii]  He had thought this first skeleton would require a month of work, when in fact it took four, and he thought he could do even better; only certain sections of the first skeleton could move. The inscription on the leg shows that the fully articulated skeleton – supposedly with 167 different parts[iii] – required five years of work.

In his own words:"In the second piece, with the help of minute ball-bearings, all body members can move in all directions, and even the lower jaw can be opened and closed. This time I was entirely satisfied and I could say without any humbleness that I succeeded, I really succeeded, and it was at that point that I realized that this "deceased" deserved a beautiful sarcophagus."[iv]

It would be another five years to make the case, finished in Odessa in 1901. Again in Rouchomovsky's own words: "The sarcophagus is cut in massive silver and is covered entirely with ornaments and miniature figures [which he describes in minute detail]." Of the whole project, almost a decade of careful craftsmanship, the artist wrote, "although the work has taken very long, I can say that it is one of my best works, and I have always remained more than content with it, not only with its execution, but also with its underlying conception."...

You can find out more--and put a bid!--by clicking here.

Thanks so much to friend and excellent artist Martin Bland for bringing this wonderful piece to my attention! Click on image to see larger, more detailed images.

"St. Dennistoun Mortuary" Coin-Operated Automaton LIVE AND IN ACTION!!!

Regular readers of Morbid Anatomy might remember a recent post on this blog about an amazing 1920/30s era coin-operated automaton depictingthe St. Dennistoun Mortuary (yes, really!) that will be going to auction this Saturday. Skinner Auction House just sent along a video of this magnificent machine in action.

Press play above and enjoy. WOW.

The piece is estimated to go for between $4,000-$6,000 as part of an upcoming Science, Technology & Clocks auction taking place Saturday, June 2 at 10:00AM. Full lot description from the Skinner Auctioneers website follows:

Lot 207
"St. Dennistoun Mortuary" Coin-Operated Automaton, attributed to Leonard Lee, c. 1900, the mahogany cabinet and glazed viewing area displays a Greek Revival mortuary building with double doors and grieving mourners out front, when a coin is inserted, doors open and the room is lighted revealing four morticians and four poor souls on embalming tables, the morticians move as if busily at work on their grisly task and mourners standing outside bob their heads as if sobbing in grief, ht. 30 1/2, wd. 24, dp. 17 1/4 in.

Estimate $4,000-6,000

Brass coin plate stamped J. Dennison Leeds NO. 80

As I said before, whoever buys this, please (please!!!) let me come over to meet it! You can find out more about it here.

Amazing Auction Alert: Bonhams "Objects of the Wunderkammer including an Exceptional Private Collection of European Ivories," London

Wow. Via Artdaily.org:

LONDON.- On Wednesday 2 November, to coincide with Halloween, Bonhams will hold its first sale dedicated to the Wunderkammer, also known as the ’Kunstkammer’ or ‘cabinet of curiosities’, a collection of fine objects created from the rarest and most exquisite materials and designed to induce excitement and wonder in the viewer.

Comprising works of art ranging from ivory figures and reliefs, early and rare bronzes, fine enamels, chalices and caskets, the Wunderkammer brought together objects produced from the most expensive and highly prized materials of the day, including ivory, tortoiseshell, rhino horn, enamel and gilt bronze.

This unique, one-off sale features one hundred and thirty ivory carvings, including a very spooky South German skull (estimate £10,000 – 15,000); an eerie 17th century anatomical model of an eye (estimate £4,000 – 6,000); and a gruesome relief depicting the martyrdom of Saint Erasmus (estimate £10,000 – 15,000). The top lot is a rare collection of forty four mid 18th century ivory intaglios of Roman Emperors, which has attracted a pre-sale estimate of £20,000 – 30,000. ...

You can read the full article on Artdaily.org by clicking here. You can find out more about the auction by clicking here.

Images of lots, top to bottom:
1) Lot No: 225
An 18th / 19th century North European carved and painted wood skull
possibly from a large crucifixion group, 14cm high

Estimate: £500 - 700, € 580 - 810

2) A rare South German anatomical model of an eye
probably late 17th century
composed of ten individual sections including an iris, pupil, and a section painted with veins, with a turned handle to the reverse and on a turned ivory spiralling stem and foot, together with a small 17th century circular carved wood and painted box which the eye fits into when disassembled, glass lense repaired, the ivory 8.5cm high, the box 8cm diameter (2)

Estimate: £6,000 - 8,000, € 6,900 - 9,200

Footnote:
The exquisite workmanship combined with the use of a rare and prized material in this miniature model of a human eye are typical of the objects that were collected and displayed in the Wunderkammer. Detailed models of eyes, as well as skulls and skeletons that are now associated with the Wunderkammer, were produced from the 17th century onwards and originally conceived as anatomical teaching tools. Ivory carvers such as Stephan Zick (1639-1715) and Johann Martin Teuber were influenced by the anatomical drawings of Andrea Vesalius in the mid 16th century and later George Bartisch who produced a manuscript relating to the eye in 1583. For a similar anatomical model of an eye, see Christies, London, December 4 2008, lot 75.

3) Lot No: 174Y
An 18th century South German ivory skull
carved with an entwined crown of thorns, with a snake above, later mounted on a perspex rectangular plinth, the ivory 10.5cm high

Estimate: £10,000 - 15,000, € 11,000 - 17,000

Footnote:
For a comparable ivory skull see the Robert and Angelique Noortman Collection: Paintings and Works of Art from Chateau De Groote Mot, sold at Sotheby's, Amsterdam, December 17, 2007, lot 557.
A similar skull monogrammed by Josef Konrad Wiser (1693-1760) but lacking the snake was sold at Sotheby's, London, July 9, 2008, lot 92, £37,250.

Master Pieces from Itinerant Art, Auction Sale of the Fabienne & François Marchal Collection of Fairground Art at Drouot Montaign, Paris

PARIS, FRANCE – Auction sale of the Fabienne & François Marchal Collection of Fairground Art at Drouot Montaigne on September 28-29, 2011. Held by Cornette de Saint-Cyr with nearly 900 lots including a portable Alfred Chanvin & anon. carousel with wooden horses. Selected auction pieces will be shown at Drouot Montaigne from Sept. 7-18. The entire collection will be displayed at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre from Sept. 23-26.

The Fairground was a major vector of communication in the 19th century, popularizing scientific and medical inventions, as epitomized here by wax anatomical figures from the Palace Museum. The Fabienne & François Marchal Collection is the fruit of many years devoted to the safeguard of a specific aspect of our artistic and cultural heritage.

Among the historic and/or rare items will be some 80 wooden horses and 160 other carousel animals, dating from 1850-1960, including a Van Guyse Noah’s Ark; Spooner centaurs; and rare animals by Mathieu & Bayol. Various target games, wheels of fortune and a music hall shy or bouffes-balles will be among the historic fairground games. There will also be numerous decorative items (monumental figures, caryatides, stall fronts, merry-go-round elements), including large triumphant figures by Alexandre Devos, and salon carousel decorative elements by Anton Benner.

All images from the Cornette de Saint Cyr auction house website; text from The Carousel News and Trader. You can find out more--and bid on these lots and many, many more!--by clicking here.

"Conjuring & Circus: Books, Prints, Posters and Apparatus" Auction, Bloomsbury Auctions, London, September 8

It has just come to my attention that Bloomsbury Auction House in London, England will be auctioning off a pretty epic collection of 729 lots related to "conjuring and circus"--a few of my favorites above--this Thursday September 8th.

You can find out more--and learn how to bid!--on the Bloomsbury Auction website by clicking here. Thanks so much to Morbid Anatomy reader Janine Veazue for sending this along!

All images sourced from the auction website; details about each can be found here.

The Edward Gorey Auction, Bloomsbury Auctions, New York, Thursday December 9th, 11 AM

Ooooooh... This is very exciting: An Edward Gorey Auction, featuring a broad variety of one-of-a-kind objects drawn from The Great Man's personal collection. A few of the 60 lots can be viewed above, full details on auction and objects can be found below:

The Edward Gorey Sale
New York, 9 December 2010, 11am

To be held on premises at 6 West 48th Street, New York, NY 10036
View sale online or download a pdf.
Live Bidding to be held on-site, absentee bids acccepted, free internet bidding via liveauctioneers.com and the-saleroom.com

Bloomsbury Auctions New York is very pleased to announce an auction devoted entirely to the author and illustrator Edward Gorey (1925-2000). Known for his whimsically macabre illustrations and intensely unique personal illustration style, this sale will feature an array of items owned by Gorey, as well as a large selection of his published books, original artwork, and personal jewelry.

The central focus of the sale will be 14 fur coats once owned, worn (and one also designed) by Edward Gorey from the 1950’s to early 1980’s. While gentlemen wearing fur coats were hallmarks of Gorey’s early pen and ink illustrations, Gorey himself had a change of heart in the 1980’s, putting the fur coats into storage – never to be worn again. Always well cared for, all coats have been in storage for well over 30 years. Mr. Gorey left the entirety of his estate to the care and welfare of animals. The proceeds from the sale of the coats will benefit the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust, whose sole mission is the care and welfare and animals, and the Edward Gorey House in Yarmouth Port, MA, which celebrates Gorey’s life and work through public exhibitions. Each coat is accompanied by a letter confirming the provenance as well as a custom label with an original Gorey design which has been sewn to the inside lining.

Other noted items include the original hand-penned and colored front cover illustration by Gorey for Edward Fenton’s book Penny Candy, a turquoise onyx skull pendant, two Gorey hand crafted bean bag -like creatures, Gorey’s illustrating fountain pen and approximately 50 signed, first, or interesting editions of Gorey’s classic books.

For all inquiries, please contact us at newyork@bloomsburyauctions.com or 212.719.1000.

For further information on the fur coats only, you may also contact the Edward Gorey House at 508.362.3909 or info@edwardgoreyhouse.org.

Exhibition Times:
Saturday, December 4, 10am-3pm
December 6, 7, 8 10am-5pm
Thursday, December 9 9am

You can find out more, peruse the full 60 lots, and find out how to bid by clicking here.

All images drawn from the auction website. Object descriptions and price estimates, top to bottom:

1. Silver Bat Silver cloth with shoe-button eyes; stuffed with rice (190 x 360 mm). Bean bag toy designed and hand-stitched by the artist. Provenance: James Marshall. The versatile Gorey designed and personally made bean bag animals such as bats, frogs, rabbits and elephants. He stuffed the earliest ones with rice. He usually made them for friends like the children's book illustrator James Marshall; and only rarely were they sold to the general public. $1000 – $1500
2. Fur Coat owned and worn by Edward Gorey Lynx coat, below knee, big lapels, brown silk lining, extra large collar. Label sewn in celebrating the 2010 Annual Goreyfest and Gala. Provenance: Edward Gorey to the Edward Gorey Charity Trust, Accompanied by a letter signed by Andreas Brown, Co-Trustee, confirming the ownership. $800 – $1200
3. Skull Necklace A skull neclace on a string, possible onyx, turquoise, or Abyssinian. Provenance: Edward Gorey to the Edward Gorey Charity Trust, Accompanied by a letter signed by Andreas Brown, Co-Trustee, confirming the ownership. A FINE EXAMPLE OF THE ECCENTRIC JEWELERY WORN BY EDWARD GOREY. $500 – $800
4. The Listing Attic New York: Duell, Sloan & Pearce, [1954]. Original pictorial boards, in the original unclipped dust jacket. Condition: edges lightly darkened, very faint old dampstain at top edge and to verso of jacket, cloth and jacket lightly rubbed at corners with a short tear to the upper panel of the jacket. FIRST EDITION OF GOREY'S SECOND BOOK. $150 – $200
5. The Vinegar Works New York, Simon & Schuster, 1963. 3 volumes, comprising: "The Gashlycrumb", "The West Wing" and "The Insect God." Square 4to. Original pictorial boards, housed in original slipcase. Condition: "The Gashlycrumb" somewhat shaken, spines darkened, light rubbing to corners; slipcase lightly chipped along extremities and soiled. FIRST EDITIONS; FIRST PRINTINGS. $250 – $300

Recent posts of interest: A Visit to The Edward Gorey House Museum, Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts

Thanks so much to Colin Dickey and his very follow-able Twitter feed for alerting me to this!

Auction Report: "The Gallery of Creation, a Museum of Natural History, Created by Joseph Hurt Studio, Inc."

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Video: The Gallery of Creation Adventure of Lion & Lamb
Watch robotic animals discuss the creation of the world from a biblical prospective. Found here.

Regular Morbid Anatomy readers might recall a recent blog post about the a Georgia-based creationist natural history (sic) museum--"The Gallery of Creation, a Museum of Natural History"--being disseminated at public auction. Morbid Anatomy reader Sarah of the blog A Discourse on the Arts and Sciences was curious to know the outcome of that auction; Following is her exclusive investigative report, for your reading pleasure:

While the contemporary art market has struggled over recent months in terms of desirable material entering the market, the antiques market has been blessed. In particular, the genres of natural history, taxidermy and, surprisingly, kitsch have been a virtual goldmine in recent weeks, which have been bolstered even further by interesting provenances as well.

The Australian sale of the Owsten Collection (see report here) sold extremely well, with numerous pieces of highly significant natural history selling well above high estimates. I was particularly in love with the collector’s cabinets, myself.

Another captivating sale which I heard of, via Morbid Anatomy (thank you), was the de-accessioning of the collection of "The Gallery of Creation, A Museum of Natural History" on June 25th and 26th in Social Circle, Georgia (more on that here).

This Creationist natural history museum was founded by William Hurt Studios and catered to church groups, school classes and family outings. I wish I had gotten a chance to see it before it closed.



I have to admit, my first reaction was one of sheer captivation. What a great combo, natural history and that special kind of kitsch which only seems to happen in the South. Maybe my family stopped at too many tourist destinations during my childhood, but I shamelessly confess to a love of this kind of nostalgia. I envisioned lots of big blonde hair waving paddles for--quite simply--one of the oddest assortment of items I have ever come across available for sale in one place.

This particular sale was one of those examples of the sometimes odd attractions collectors can have. It certainly wasn’t about the ‘finest’, or art--it was about the sometimes most determined aspect of our attractions --nostalgia --as well as an occasional appreciation for good old fashioned camp.

In following up to the sale, I found that many of the pieces did sell quite reasonably. Prices do not include buyer’s premiums.


Oil Painting on Canvas of the Ark
8’6” wide x 5’ high
$600


Model of a Velosoraptor
$425


Vitrine Display of Various Skeletons & Skulls
14 feet wide x 9 feet high x 4 feet deep
$4,250


Vitrine Display of Seascape with Animation Features
12 feet wide x 9 feet high x 4 feet deep
$2,600


Vitrine of Mounted Birds, including Peacock, Toucan,
numerous parrots (Sphinx Macaw) and others
13 feet wide x 9 feet high x 4 feet deep
$4,100


Large Animated Vitrine of Lion & Lamb Conversing
$3,750

Another upcoming auction item worthy of pangs of nostalgia, as well as camp, is none other than Trigger himself, the trusted companion of Roy Rogers to be sold on July 14th in New York. The dispersal of the Roy Rogers & Dale Evans Museum Collection is being handled entirely by Christies and will take place on July 14th and 15th; more on that here.


TRIGGER (1934-1965)
Estimated $100,000 - $200,000.
Roy Rogers & Dale Evans Museum Collection

Entertaining the masses so thoroughly for over two decades, Roy Rogers and Trigger were one of America's most recognizable duos, becoming instant classics in people's eyes, hearts and imaginations. Trigger also reached legendary status in his own right, and is undeniably one of the most memorable horses that ever lived. Trigger was apparently purchased for $2,500 back in the day.

Thanks so much, Sarah, for the excellent report. More information of the Museum of Creation can be found here. For backstory on the auction, click here. Click here to find out more about the Roy Rogers & Dale Evans Museum Collection auction. Click here to check out guest-poster Sarah's lovely blog A Discourse on the Arts and Sciences.