Press Release

Lot 164	Lot 273

A wide variety of clocks will be offered day one of the sale; most unique among them is a rare collection of Japanese pillar clocks (hashira dokei) circa 1840. Japanese pillar clocks were used to measure temporal hours, and as such, have adjustable seasonal markers on the throat. Estimated at $600-$900, lot 110 represents a beautiful example, featuring an ornately engraved front plate with flower laden basket theme and butterfly indicators.

Lot 230	Lot 223

More traditional forms of silver will be available to adorn a special occasion table or a preexisting collection on a mantle or sideboard. A Reed & Barton sterling silver service for twenty in the Francis I pattern (total weighable silver = 126.10 troy ounces) consisting of 93 pieces is estimated at $3,000-$4,000 (Lot 275). Also notable is a 112 piece sterling silver flatware set in the Blackington Marie Louise pattern (weighing 115.40 troy ounces) estimated at $800-$1,000 (Lot 273). Porcelain highlights include a four piece collection of Wedgwood white on crimson dip Jasperware circa 1930 (lot 230, $300-$500), and a sweet mid to late twentieth century twelve piece Herend Hungarian porcelain collection in various shapes and patterns featuring a Rothschild bird teapot (lot 223, $200-$400).

Collectors of Asian Art will be pleased with the depth of quality and variety of material from collections throughout the country, including jade, ivory, rhinoceros horn, soapstone, porcelain and fine art. Not surprisingly, a 5.5” antique Asian carved rhinoceros horn vessel in the form of a goddess head circa 1900 (lot 15 $1,000-$1,500) is garnering considerable pre-auction attention, due in part to Kamelot’s success with a piece of the same material that grossed over $8,000 at a sale earlier this year. Also following a successful track record, Kamelot’s sale will feature a fine collection of ivory including a stunning Gama Sennin carved Okimono Japanese ivory 'The Toad Sage' circa 1900 (lot 11, $300-$500) and an exquisitely carved ivory depicting a reclining Asian goddess on a fitted stand circa 1920 (lot 6, $400-$600).

Lot 6	Lot 361	Lot 311

More than 140 lots of fine art will be offered on Thursday’s portion of the sale, with the lion’s share of property reflecting American and European works from the nineteenth to twentieth centuries. At the forefront of the fine art selection is an oil on canvas landscape painting by German American artist Hermann Ottomar Herzog (lot 361). Herzog’s paintings were collected for their realism and atmospheric quality bercesant of the natural environment. The painting is estimated to bring $10,000-$15,000 in Thursday’s auction. A picturesque landscape painting by Elizabeth Fisher Washington titled “Figures along the Wissahickon” (lot 311, $5,000-$8,000) pays homage to the plein air style of painting popular amongst the Bucks County Impressionist School to which the artist belonged. Works of many other fine American artists are represented including two works by Hans Hofmann in gouache and watercolor titled “Morning Mist” and “Townscape” (lot 400, $2,000-$4,000 and lot 402, $1,000-$2,000) and an oil on canvas titled “Close of Day” by New Jersey/New York artist Arthur Hoeber (lot 327, $1,000-$2,000). Leading among the European selections is a French landscape oil painting by André Lanskoy (Russian/French, 1902-1976) estimated at 3,000-$5,000 (lot 316) and an oil painting by Enrico Fanfani (Italy, 1824-1885) featuring Helen of Troy gazing out to sea estimated at $1,000-$1,200 (lot 353).

Lot 402	Lot 327	Lot 589

Quality furniture offerings are at the forefront of the June auction and include a wide range of styles and periods to include Continental, English, French, Victorian, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and mid-century modern. Friday’s portion of the sale will focus on twentieth century design, dominated by Art Deco and mid Century modern furnishings in particular. Several Art Deco period beds will feature in the sale, included among them is a hard to find nickel over bronze Art Deco king size bed circa 1930 which comes with a pre-sale estimate of $1,000-$1,800 (lot 568). A very similar example is found in lot 579, a full size brass Art Deco bed having peacocks and cranes circa 1930. Peacocks, in fact, were a favorite design motif among artisans during the Art Deco era. Such is the case with lot 589, a very interesting Art Deco style cast aluminum peacock form fire screen of a stylized bird with flared tail standing on cylinder base. ($2,000-$3,000). Other notable Art Deco pieces in the sale include a pair of Art Deco upholstered arm chairs circa 1930 (lot 590, $1,000-$1,500), a French Art Deco three arm silver over bronze figural chandelier circa 1925 (lot 535, $1,000-$1,800), and a pair of twentieth Century Art Deco Rosewood chairs (lot 553, $400-$800). Mid-century furniture will be strongly represented on Friday as well, with selected highlights including a pair of mid-century modern Italian upholstered club chairs with velvet trimmed flat circa 1950 (lot 725, $1,000-$1,500), a bronze astrolabe inspired coffee table having round glass top circa 1960 (lot 784, $600--$900), and a pair of Paul Evans style metal cube form end tables having welded decoration (lot 838, $800-$1,200). For the dining room there is a good Alberto Abruzzi lucite dining table with octagonal glass top circa 1960 (lot 711, $400-$600) as well as six carved and painted dining chairs in the manner of Serge Roche (lot 664, $400-$600). Estimated at $2,000-$3,000, lot 811 is a rare sounding sculpture by twentieth century sculptor Val Bertoia having five moving brass rods. In the early 1970's designer and sculptor Harry Bertoia and his son Val made hundreds of these sound sculptures representing the formation of “Sonambient”, which was the term used by Bertoia to describe sculpture’s spatial and tonal environment, essentially a fusion of visual art and music.

Lot 568	Lot 579	Lot 725

Kamelot has consistently sourced a rich variety of Continental furniture and the June auction will feature a hardy stock indeed, with over 250 lots set to cross the auction block on day three of the sale. Top contenders include a very good antique French Louis XV serpentine front marble top commode (lot 972, $3,000-$5,000), a Louis XVI style painted and gilt even arm sofa circa 1900 (lot 938 $1,500-$2,500), and a very good example of a large French Empire style mahogany and bronze mounted cylinder desk circa 1900 (lot 924, $1,500-$2,500). Also among the Continental offerings is a 1927 Steinway parlor grand piano estimated at $3,000-5,000 (lot 1290). Those in the market for textiles will find many fine antique and modern rugs from a variety of backgrounds in Saturday’s sale. Lot 1403 is a fine and rare room size silk and wool Oriental rug having central medallion framed by black field with floral decoration and multiple borders and is expected to earn $1,000-$2,000 at auction. Other choices include a 8'9'' x 11'9'' Persian Bakhtiari rug($900-$1,100), a 6’5” x 9’7” Tabriz rug ($800-$1,000), and a 8’1” x 10’ Oushak rug ($800-$1,000). A prefect find for the funkier tastes is lot 1389, a 8'2'' x 11' European mid-century shag rug $900-$1,100.

Lot 590	Lot 972	Lot 938

Lot 924	Lot 1403	Lot 1389

Over 70 lots of garden antiques and outdoor furnishings hailing from several Main Line Philadelphia estates will round out the three day auction. Attracting serious attention is a large early nineteenth Century carved marble Neoclassical bust having wreath crown and draped robes estimated at $500-$800 (lot 1344). Another gem is found in lot 1299, a fine antique monumental Neoclassical carved marble garden planter circa 1900 ($600-$900), along with lot 1294, a two part bronze and marble fountain circa 1910 featuring putti and fish ($1,000-$1,500). Outdoor furniture is also well represented, with a variety of styles and forms to choose from. Lot 1300 features a good set of ten French classically inspired wrought iron garden chairs having arched decorated back splats over screened shaped seat circa 1950 ( $1,200-$1,800), and a very good carved marble garden bench having curved seat with decorated edge on scroll and lion paw carved bases circa 1900 is featured in lot 1341 ($800-$1,200). Highlighting the available garden tables in the sale is a large cast stone top dining or garden table having molded and shaped top supported on wrought iron base with scroll decorated ends and stretcher (lot 1297, $1,000-$1,500 ), and an iron glass top Salterini table together with eight chairs circa 1950 (lot 1320, $600-$900).

Lot 1300	Lot 1341	Lot 1297

Kamelot’s three day Town and Country Estate Auction will take place on Thursday June 12th, Friday June 13th, and Saturday June 14th beginning at 10AM on each day, and the doors will open at 8AM on all three auction days as well. The auction house will be open to the public for preview June 10th through June 14th from 10AM until 5PM each day. To view the complete catalogue on line, or for more information visit www.kamelotauctions.com or call 215-438-6990.