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July 22nd, 2024, Live Auction starting at 5:30pm

From New England estates comes a strong selection of traditional and Contemporary paintings and prints, jewelry, sterling silver flatware and hollowware; Mastercraft, Eldred Wheeler and antique furniture, along with Asian collectables and art, impressive Oriental rugs, bronze sculptures, clocks and unique Americana.

An Emile Gruppe (American, 1896-1978) oil “Mending the Nets” leads the pack of desirable American paintings. Known for his impressionistic renderings of everyday scenes in Rockport and Gloucester, Gruppe was a prominent artist in the budding artist colony of Rockport.   Other American artworks include a watercolor harbor scene by Jane Peterson (American, 1876 - 1965), large landscapes by Leo Blake (American, 1887-1976), a cloudy skies seascape with crashing waves by John Mackay, landscapes by Harry Russell Ballinger and Charles Gordon Harris, along with an etching by John H. Twachtman of a Newport harbor. A handsome 1869 ship portrait by Luigi P. Renault rounds out the marine offerings. For those with Contemporary tastes, two oils by Nicola Simbari with bold brushwork and color, Roy Lichenstein’s comic-strip style triptych “Open Fire” featuring early lithographs based on his 1964 oil series, Frank Stella’s 1970 lithograph "Luis Miguel Dominguin" from the "Aluminum Series," and a vivid abstract oil by Guy de Montlaur.

A stoneware leach jug inscribed “1718” on the shoulder is 19” high, the cylindrical body has twenty pierced rows of grid-like piercings. A similar pierced jug sold in 2014 had a hand-written note attached describing the piece as a leach jug, “used to obtain lye from ashes for making soap, rare as most were made of wood”. Another noteworthy and curious item to cross the block is a cast iron “dumb” stove in the form of George Washington, a mold in two parts, is an impressive 47” h. “Dumb” stoves were an invention of the early 19th C., an ingenious design connecting the fire-less dumb stove on a higher floor to a functioning stove below, this made it possible to heat multiple rooms using only one firebox. A set of George Washington and Lady Liberty (designed in 1843 by Alonzo Blanchard as symbol of unity for young America) recently sold at Copake Auctions in 2020 for $10,500.  An early painted cow weathervane, c. 1900 carousel horse by Friedrich Heyn, life-size swan decoy, carved folk-art mermaid, and three original oils by Linda Nelson Stocks are all colorful folk art additions to the sale.

Bernard Rohne, a 20th C. metal artist influenced by Abstract Expressionism and Geometric Abstraction, designed a series of furniture for Mastercraft. He used burl veneer and oxidized brass panels to create a unique line described by industry professionals as a Brutalist take on Hollywood Regency. Items to be sold include a long bureau, wall mirror, pair of small chests, king canopy bed and coffee table.  A true 20th C. juxtaposition to the Mastercraft pieces are seven lots of Eldred Wheeler, highlighting time-honored designs in rich tiger maple and cherry, including a queen tester bed, pair of single-drawer stands, chest, tall chest, double-pedestal dining table and six dining chairs.

Jewelry and accessories from a West Hartford, CT estate and others will include a Tiffany & Co. 14K gold cigarette case, a 14K charm necklace, platinum and diamond wristwatch, Georg Jensen sterling “Splash” bracelet and necklace and a 1904-08 bracelet set with lapis lazuli with birds; also a wide variety of 14K rings set with amethyst, pearl, diamond, sapphires, citrine, aquamarine, etc. The original 1911 receipt will accompany an antique Persian Serapi/ Goravan 11' 9" x 13' 6" carpet purchased from Paine Furniture Company of Boston, Massachusetts; it is being sold to benefit the Chelsea Groton Foundation. An Edo/ Meiji pottery vase also has an interesting provenance, bearing an Avery Brundage Collection label. A handsome selection of Asian items include oil paintings by Li Shuji, Wang Kun and Lei Zhuhua, sculpture, pottery, textiles, etc.

This sale will be live at the Plainville CT gallery starting at 5:30pm on July 22nd. Winter Associates’ auction catalog is available online at www.AuctionsAppraisers.com as of Friday, July 12th. Winter Associates, Inc. is located in central Connecticut at 21 Cooke Street in Plainville, CT. Previews are Friday, July 19th from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.; Sunday, July 21st from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.; and on Monday, July 22nd from 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. Previewers are welcome at other times, please call to schedule an appointment. (860) 793-0288.

Absentee bids can be submitted prior to the sale and bidders are welcome to actively bid during the sale online or by phone bid. Pickup will be by appointment only, please call the office and we will do our best to accommodate you.