Baccarat bronze chandelier could light up $10,000

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Over fifty lots of gold coins, furnishings and décor from the Estate of Ronald Shepler, and an extraordinary collection of fine art will be offered at the Fall Antique and Fine Art auction at Cordier Auctions on November 8 and 9. Highlights of the sale include paintings after Sir Peter Paul Rubens and Louis Aston Knight, a Baccarat chandelier, an 18K plique a jour brooch, and a William Zorach sculpture. The auction will be held in the company’s auction house located at 1500 Paxton Street in Harrisburg, PA.

Saturday’s auction features coins, collectibles, jewelry, silver, glass, and porcelain. First up are over 50 lots of gold coins including American as well as numerous foreign pieces from countries including Germany, Canada, South Africa, Russia, Belgium, Austria, France and more, many in uncirculated condition. Amongst the collectibles will be a Hershey’s Honey Bar dispenser circa 1925 (estimate $400-800) and an eight foot long vintage Marty’s Hot Dog sign ($400-600). Also offered will be a thirteen inch steam engine brass bell ($2,000-3,000).

Jewelry will feature a stunning 18K and plique a jour brooch in the form of an angel ($1,000-1,500). Amongst the more than sixty lots of silver will be a 19th century cased French communion set ($2,000-4,000) and a Gorham sterling coffee and tea set in presentation case ($4,000-6,000). A Steuben Excalibur paperweight with a sterling letter opener ($1,500-3,000) will dazzle the discerning collector. In the glass category, bidders will be captivated by a L.C. Tiffany favrile compote in blue ($1,000-1,500). Also offered will be a selection of Lalique and Waterford, including the Lismore pattern. Porcelain collectors will find an extensive Carlton Ware collection with multiple patterns and forms.

Sunday’s session will include furniture, rugs, ethnographic and decorative arts, folk art, fine art, clocks, and lighting. Featured will be the vast collection of fine furnishings, décor and antiques from the Estate of Ron Shepler, renown decorator from Harrisburg, and Eleanor and the late Heath Allen of Camp Hill. More than 120 lots of antique and modern furniture will include a cassone chest (estimate $800-$1,000) and an inlaid 20th century pool table ($2,000-$4,000). More than 40 rugs, both antique and semi-antique, will also be offered.

Among the Asian arts, bidders will find a variety of ivory including a Buddha head vessel ($1,000-$1,500). In decorative arts, a marble lavabo with mosaic ($4,000-$6,000) will be featured. Items in the folk art category include a 19th century portrait of an artist estimated at $2,000-$4,000. A Virginian folk art carving of a flower garden ($200-$400) will also go on the block.

The fine art category offers an extraordinary variety of pieces. Paintings include a portrait of a donkey and horse by R. Bonheur (French, 1822-1899) carrying an estimate of $4,000-6,000. A Louis Aston Knight (French American, 1873-1948) landscape ($8,000-$10,000) will also be offered, as well as a number of paintings by J.C. Terelak (American 1942-). A large, gilt-framed painting Charity after Sir Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577-1640) carries an estimate of $5,000-10,000. Other paintings will include such pieces as an Otto Drevs (German, 19th and 20th century) painting of kittens ($600-800), a large Peter Max (American, 1937-) painting of an angel ($10,000-12,000), and an Arthur Melzer (American, 1893-1989) with an estimate of $4,000-6,000.

Two lots of interest are two nine by sixteen foot murals by muralist Lumen Winter deaccessioned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. One of the murals, entitled The Empire State Express, was seen in the movie The Godfather. Another highlight is the bronze sculpture Clarissa by William Zorach (American, 1887-1966) estimated at $15,000-30,000. Also offered will be a painted room screen by Nancy Newhall (American, 1908-1974). Newhall was a photography critic best known for writing text to accompany photos by Ansel Adams and Edward Weston. She became a pioneer of the genre of oversized photography collections, and often wrote about issues of conservation.

Sunday’s auction will conclude with clocks and lighting. Among the highlights in clocks will be a large inlaid tall case clock carrying an estimate of $8,000 to $10,000. Of note in lighting will be a set of Arts & Crafts chandelier with pendants ($400-$600) and an elaborate Baccarat bronze collection chandelier ($5,000-$10,000).

A full online catalogue of the two day auction is available by visiting www.CordierAuction.com. Questions can be directed to Cordier Auctions & Appraisals at mhartman@cordierauction.com or by calling 717-731-8662.