Art Deco bronze dancers may waltz to $10,000

CLOSTER, N.J. – Only a fool would miss Sterling Associates’ April 1st Spring Art & Antiques Auction. The Wednesday evening sale of 450 quality lots includes beautiful

19th-century American, European and Asian fine and decorative art, as well as furniture, fine jewelry and watches. Most of the items were hand-selected from MidAtlantic and New York-area estates by Sterling Associates’ owner Stephen D’Atri and his team. Other pieces came primarily from two well-curated private collections.

“We’re offering very fresh estate art and antiques from exclusive homes and estates,” D’Atri stressed. “No one would be branded an April fool if they bid in this sale. Quite the opposite.”

A tasteful selection of bronzes is entered in the auction, most coming from a single-owner private collection. One of the highlights is Lot 320, a Charles Octave Levy (French, 1820-1899) silver and dore bronze figural sculpture of a draped woman on a craggy rock, pouring water from a vessel. It stands 51¾ inches tall, inclusive of its hexagonal plinth, and is signed “CH Levy.” Additionally, it is impressed with a Tiffany & Co. foundry mark. Estimate: $7,000-$9,000. Lot 355 is an Albert Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (French, 1824-1887) patinated dore bronze of a woman in a dramatic pose, holding a lyre in one hand. The 25½-inch figure, also bearing a Tiffany & Co. foundry mark, could make $3,000-$4,000 at auction.

A period Art Deco bronze sculpture of a dancing couple – with the female figure arched backward on one leg in a “dip” – was created by Peter Tereszczuk (Austrian, 1875-1963). The 14-inch duo, surmounted on a green onyx base, stands 14 inches tall (inclusive) and carries a pre-sale estimate of $8,000-$10,000.

To add a touch of elegance to any mantel, one needs look no further than Lot 206, an antique garniture clock set of patinated bronze and Belgian red marble. The central clock is surmounted by a figure of a woman holding a bow and quiver. Flanking the clock is a pair of candelabra, each replicating a nude woman – one in a chariot, the other riding an owl. Estimate: $5,000-$7,000.

A spectacular antique dore bronze chandelier features swagged ropes of crystal beads as well as prism and teardrop-shape crystals. Each of its six arms is decorated with crystal drops and supports a vertical interior light. “This is the type of chandelier that

stops people in their tracks when they walk into a room and see it,” said D’Atri. Entered as Lot 358, the chandelier’s opening bid is $3,000, and its estimate is $5,000-$7,000.

Presented in an ornate frame, Lot 408 is an oil-on-board portrait of a beautiful young woman with a faraway look in her eye. It was painted by Luca Postiglione (Italian, 1876-1936), who came from a family of noted Neapolitan artists. Postiglione exhibited works at both the 1904 Italian Exhibition in London and the 1906 International Exposition in Rome. The 22 by 16¾-inch (framed) portrait in Sterling Associates’ auction is expected to sell in the $2,000-$3,000 range.

Two Chinese-calligraphy hanging scrolls are signed with two seals, possibly those of Lin Tze-Hsu. Loosely translated, the writing says, in part: “On the jade tripod wherein the incense is burned, there stays the sleeping duck.” Sixty-four inches long, the ink-on-paper scrolls are offered as one lot with an estimate of $300-$400. The auction also includes many other pieces of excellent Chinese porcelain and art.

Highlighting the furniture section is Lot 364, an antique marble-topped and black-lacquered vitrine or pedestal cabinet with hand-painted porcelain plaques and dore bronze mounts. Its estimate is $3,000-$3,500.

Several luxury-brand men’s wristwatches enhance the jewelry section of the sale. Lot 282, a Patek Philippe platinum and diamond watch is estimated at $2,500-$4,000, while Lot 283, a handsome 18K yellow gold, round-face watch made by the same Geneva company in 1980, is expected to reach $5,000-$6,000. Lot 281, a Vacheron Constantin watch with 14K gold casing and a lizard-leather band is cataloged with a $1,500-$2,000 estimate, and Lot 281A, a perennially popular Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air-King watch with blue dial, carries an $1,800-$2,500 estimate.

All bidding in Sterling Associates’ auctions is conducted remotely, but the company is a brick-and-mortar establishment where anyone can inspect the goods. Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.com or Invaluable.com.

For additional information on any item in the auction or to reserve a phone line, visit www.antiquenj.com, call 201-768-1140, or e-mail sterlingauction@gmail.com. View the fully illustrated catalog online at www.LiveAuctioneers.com or www.Invaluable.com.