Nakashima Furniture and A Pomodoro Sculpture will Headline Ahlers & Ogletree's March 27-28 Auction

Information may not be reliable

A collection of five furniture pieces by the renowned American woodworker George Nakashima (1905-1990), a polished bronze sculpture on a Lucite base by Arnaldo Pomodoro (Italian, b. 1926), and a 19th century Regency-style mahogany library table are just a few of the expected top lots in Ahlers & Ogletree’s two-day, two-session Spring Fine Estates & Collections auction scheduled for March 27th and 28th, starting at 10 am Eastern time both days. 

More than 1,000 quality lots will come up for bid across the two days. The event will be held online-only, through LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Bidsquare.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Gallery previews will be held March 22nd-26th, from 10-5; masks and social distancing required. To book a virtual preview appointment, call 404-869-2478. 

Session One, on Saturday, March 27th, will contain Asian arts, Modernism, Mid-Century and Contemporary design, fine art and decorative arts, estate jewelry and fashion. Session Two, the following day, will feature period antiques, silver, fine art, important books and maps, antique scientific equipment and tools and antique weapons. Both days will be live-streamed on video at LiveAuctioneers, where people can watch and bid in real time. 

Session One highlights will include the Nakashima and Pomodoro pieces and designs by Tommi Parzinger, Mies van der Rohe and TH Robsjohn-Gibbings; and original works by Ika Kohlmeyer, Ed Mell, Carroll Tyson, Jr., Paul Resika, Shag, Claude Conover, Arik Levy, Andres Serrano, Jack Tworkov, Mary Engel, William Steiger and Rufino Tamayo. 

Session Two highlights will feature a collection of nautical works by Henry Scott, period New York and Massachusetts furniture, original works by Maurice Utrillo, Samuel Burtis Baker and Arthur Weeks, an original printing plate from the day of President Kennedy's assassination, important silver from Italy and Germany and period furniture from Europe. 

The five furniture pieces by Nakashima will be offered as individual lots. All five are from the same seller, who acquired the pieces from her mother, a doctor in Tucson who purchased them directly from Nakashima. They include a 1966 walnut Minguren coffee table with rosewood butterfly and several free and raw edges (est. $20,000-$30,000).

Included is the original handwritten receipt, plus Nakashima’s graphite sketch plans. 

The polished bronze sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro, from 1976, is titled Sfera. The work is signed, titled and numbered (#2 of 6) on the base. It’s from an edition of just six. The sculpture is archived in the online catalogue raisonné of the artist as number 590, and was recently conserved by the Atlanta Art Conservation Center (est. $80,000-$120,000). 

The late Victorian era (circa 1880) English part ebonized mahogany library table in the Regency taste was previously sold through Sotheby’s and Christie’s and carries a pre-sale estimate of $8,000-$16,000. The table has a tooled green leather writing surface above a Greek key frieze with two concealed drawers to both sides, on fluted legs with casters. 

This isn’t the only exceptional table in the sale. Others are expected to attract keen bidder interest: 

- A circa 1730-1740 mahogany and maple veneer Queen Anne dressing table, made in Massachusetts, having an overhanging shaped top with figured maple panels framed by walnut crossbanding and five veneered drawers (est. $7,000-$12,000).

- An unusual abstract mirror polished stainless steel “Rock Table” made in 2005 by the Israeli/French artist Arik Levy (b. 1963), marked “ALSMOM01”, 23 inches wide by 20 ½ inches deep, with a few scuffs and scratches (est. $4,000-$6,000).

- A T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings (English) for Widdicomb (American) mid-20th century biomorphic coffee table with wood top, brass tapered legs, marked to underside and 16 ¾ inches tall by 71 inches wide by 46 ¾ inches deep (est. $2,000-$4,000). 

Paintings by European artists will be led by a watercolor and gouache on paper Parisian street scene by Maurice Utrillo (French, 1883-1955), titled Lapin Agile, La Rue St. Vincent and Rue des Saules, Paris, signed lower right (est. $15,000-$20,000); and an oil on canvas framed nautical painting by Henry Scott (British, 1911-2005), titled Sunset, North Atlantis, Leander and Spindrift, signed lower right and titled (est. $6,000-$8,000). 

Paintings by American noted listed artists will be plentiful and will include the following: 

- A mixed media work by Ida Kohlmeyer (La., 1912-1997) titled Cluster Drawing (1975), signed and dated, in a 61 inch by 41 inch frame (est. $9,000-$12,000).

- An oil on canvas Western Landscape by Ed Mell (Ariz., b. 1942), signed, 36 inches by 48 inches, in a 41 inch by 53 inch giltwood frame (est. $8,000-$12,000).

- An oil on canvas by Samuel Burtis Baker (Mass./D.C., 1882-1967), titled Viola with Guitar (1919), signed, 37 inches by 30 inches (canvas) (est. $5,000-$7,000). 

A carved and painted folk art eagle plaque and shield attributed to John Haley Bellamy (Maine, 1836-1914), with a banner reading “Don’t Give Up the Ship”, 28 ½ inches long, has an estimate of $8,000-$12,000. Also sold will be a ceramic vessel by Claude Conover (American, 1907-1994), titled Blueb, 20 ½ inches tall, artist signed and titled on bottom and having no cracks or chips, just a few minor firing imperfections (est. $5,000-$7,000). 

Strict safety measures due to COVID-19 will be taken during all in-person previews. To contact the gallery for any reason, call 404-869-2478; or, email info@AandOAuctions.com To join the Ahlers & Ogletree email list for information on upcoming sales, visit www.AandOauctions.com.

To learn more about Ahlers & Ogletree and the Spring Fine Estates & Collections auction on March 27th and 28th, please visit www.AandOauctions.com. Updates are posted often.