Clars’ Modern Art Sale Sets Loie Hollowell Record. Review by Madelia Hickman Ring, Antiques And The Arts Weekly.

OAKLAND, CALIF. – On Friday, March 25, Clars Auction Gallery set a new record for Loie Hollowell (American, b 1983), when Point of Entry (Blood-Orange Moon Over Orange Sac), a mixed media work measuring 48 by 36 inches achieved $1,050,000 from a buyer in the United States who was a new client for Clars. The price was not only the artist’s highest price realized in a sale in the United States (the current overall record for Hollowell stands at $2,126,095 for Linked Lingams [yellow, green, blue, purple, pink], set in June 2021 in Hong Kong) but it was the first time in Clars’ 50-year history that a lot has surpassed the million dollar mark. It was far and away the top lot of 1,579 lots of modern and contemporary art, design, furniture, decorative and fine art, Asian art and jewelry offered March 25–27; the tally for the three days of sales was about $3 million, a total that ranks in the top three in the firms’ history and the highest sale since the company changed ownership in 2019.

Rick Unruh, chief executive officer and director of fine art at Clars, said, “Clars showed the global art world that when one has an exceptional, contemporary piece, such as our Loie Hollowell, they (the bidders) will come – and they did. We went all out with marketing, we even marketed it in Asian newspapers to get to the Hong Kong market. We had clients from all over the world interested. Many of the bidders on it were new to Clars.”

The second highest price of the sale at $150,000 was a rare drawing by Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973) titled, Etudes VII (d’apres Manet) from 1961. Well-documented in the artist’s catalogue raisonné, the lot had multiple international bidders but in the end sold to a buyer in San Francisco. Rounding out the top three at $106,250 was the double-sided oil on canvas work titled Fishing Town with Women on Beach/Seascape with Trees by Maria-Mela Muter (Polish French, 1876–1967). It received serious international attention, including from Poland and Israel and sold to a buyer in Poland.

Works by such iconic artists as Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Wayne Thiebaud, Salvador Dali, Sol Lewitt and Richard Diebenkorn peppered the sale and brought strong results too. Particularly noteworthy was Roy Lichtenstein’s Shipboard Girl offset lithograph from 1965, which made $53,125, a price that is an improvement over the $20,000 hammer price the Napa Valley, Calif., seller paid for it when they acquired it from Clars in 2013. The seller of the Litchtenstein also sold a portfolio of 39 prints – etchings, aquatints, drypoints and soft ground etchings – by British artist David Hockney (b 1937), which nearly doubled its low estimate to finish at $34,925. Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm had been acquired at Sotheby’s New York in 2011 for $8,125.

Cristina Campion, Clars’ associate director of Twentieth Century design, was thrilled with the international response to works by American master woodworkers, like George Nakashima and Vladimir Kagan. A 1971 wall hanging cabinet by Nakashima that retained its original work card from the George Nakashima Studio topped off at $62,500, more than twice its high estimate and sold to an international buyer bidding on the phone. A contour rocking armchair from the Vladimir Kagan collection, circa 1999, had provenance to Dennis Miller Associates of New York City and found a new home with an online bidder for $16,900, more than three times its high estimate.

Another favorite among bidders was Danish designer Hans Wegner, who was represented in the sale with six lots. Leading the group at $17,500 was a valet chair, followed by a Papa Bear lounge chair that realized $13,700.

Clars is excited to present our Summer Modern + Contemporary Art sale on Friday, June 17th.

The offered works will span numerous movements and mediums. One major highlight of the sale will be a striking oil on canvas by Bay Area artist, Raimonds Staprans (American, b. 1926). The 1990 work, titled Blue Boats, is a strong example of his use of bold colors and geometric forms to build his composition. The presence of heavy linear division and abstraction of everyday objects makes the work a stunning example of his hallmark style. While he considers himself an abstract painter, his works were influential in the Bay Area Figurative Movement, along with colleagues Wayne Thiebaud and Robert Diebenkorn. The painting is estimated at $150,000–$200,000.

Another important work being offered is a work on paper, titled Odalisque by Henri Matisse (French, 1869–1954). Considered the godfather of Fauvism, Matisse is renowned for his vibrant portraits, still lifes, and cut-out paper collages. After an influential trip to Morocco in the 1910s, Matisse drafted numerous examples of the Odalisque, inspired by the orient and the ideal exoticism. Clars Auction Gallery is pleased to offer a 1928 “return to order” study of the Odalisque, composed of black india ink. Previously exhibited at Delaware Art Museum and from the ex-collection of Baltimore, Maryland architect Robert Raley, the work on paper is estimated at $60,000–$80,000. Clars is grateful to George Matisse for confirming the authenticity of the drawing.

Other important pieces to be offered in the sale include works by Leonor Fini, Gordon Onslow Ford, Yayoi Kusama, and Ray Parker to name a few.

Clars is pleased to offer a wide range of 20th Century Design items in the upcoming June 17th Modern + Contemporary auction.

Highlights begin with the early 20th century and include a rare Roycroft Sideboard, Model 1, estimated at $8,000–$12,000. There will also be a selection of Tiffany Studios items.

Moving along to the Mid Century, there will be a Phillip Lloyd Powell New Hope lounge chair and ottoman, circa 1960, estimated at $7,000–$9,000.

Continuing to later in the century, Clars will also feature a Jun Kaneko glazed ceramic slab, estimated at $6,000–$9,000.

There will be numerous noteworthy designers including Birger Kaipiainen, Mies Van Der Rohe, Børge Mogensen, George Nelson, Charles and Ray Eames, Milo Baughman, Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl, Hans Olsen, Phillip Lloyd Powell, Raymond Loewy, Mario Bellini, Arne Vodder, Jun Kaneko, Olivier Mourgue, Peter Hvidt, and Eero Saarinen among others.

Also on offer will be a fine assortment of art glass items including a Lalique clear and frosted glass Masque de Femme.

Rolex, now known for crafting some of the world’s finest timepieces, once began as a London-based timepiece distributor named Wilsdorf and Davis.

Hans Eberhand Wilsdorf, the son of German ironmongers, founded the company in 1905, alongside friend and partner, Alred James Davis. Wilsdorf’s mission was to elevate the contemporary wristwatch by enhancing the precision of its movement. To do so, Wilsdorf introduced small and precise Swiss movements into his timepieces, establishing a niche for reliable wristwatches.

Three years after its founding, in 1908, the company would be renamed Rolex. There is much speculation as to how the founders landed on such a name. But to put it simply, Wilsdorf said “I tried combining the letters of the alphabet in every possible way. This gave me some hundred names, but none of them felt quite right. One morning, while riding on the upper deck of a horse-drawn omnibus along Cheapside in the City of London, a genie whispered ‘Rolex’ in my ear.” By 1919, the company had relocated to the watchmaking capital of the world, Geneva, where Montres Rolex S.A. was registered. Over the next several years, Rolex would continue to gain recognition for its engineering, including the first Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision to be awarded to a wristwatch. From its founding, the firm would continue to introduce generation after generation of advanced timepieces.

The Submariner:

Some of Rolex’s greatest innovations include the Submariner. The Submariner, in conjunction with the Explorer, was introduced in the early 1950s, marking the firm’s new focus on sport. The Submariner, which was designed for divers, was the first of its kind to reach depths of 100 meters. This innovation would mark new standards for diver’s watches.

Clars will be offering an early Rolex small crown Submariner wristwatch, reference 6205, on May 19th at their Fine Jewelry & Timepiece Sale.

The timepiece, reference number 6205, is an early model of the Rolex Submariner. It was produced only second to 6204, and was later followed by 6200. Reference 6205 is one of three early models produced in 1954, including reference numbers 6204 and 6200. Although reference 6205 was produced the same year as 6204 and 6200, it quickly ceased production, while other models continued to enter the market. These early models marked the beginning of a 60+ year evolution of the Submariner.

References 6204, 6200 and 6205, share major aesthetic differences from their later counterparts, marking a major shift in its design progression. Reference 6205, was one of the first models to display the name ‘Submariner’. The dial does not feature the Submariner’s now iconic Mercedes hands, but pencil hands which are sought-after by collectors. Reference 6205 is considered ‘small crown’, as models today are easily identified by their oversized crown, a feature beginning with reference 6200. The watch remains intact with its original riveted Rolex Oyster bracelet.

The Daytona Chronograph:

Rolex continued its innovation surrounding sport with its introduction of the Daytona Chronograph in 1963. The timepiece was designed to meet the needs of race car drivers, allowing them to gauge average speed and track elapsed time.

Clars will be offering a Rolex Daytona Chronograph wristwatch, reference 6263, on May 19th at their Fine Jewelry & Timepiece sale.

This Daytona Cosmograph, reference no. 6263, began production in the early 1970s. Reference 6263, was the first model to be fitted with screw-down pushers, allowing for water protection up to 100 meters. Reference no. 6263, is one of the last to include a manually wound Valjoux movement. In 1988, the watches were equipped with automatic movements. This early model features a unique black dial, lacking the ‘Daytona’ name, but signed ‘Rolex Oyster Cosmograph’, marking the early evolution of the watch.

In its 110+ years, Rolex has pushed the advancement of timepieces. Some of these advancements include the waterproof capabilities of the Submariner, and the elegantly designed chronograph of the Daytona. Both models, developed in the mid-20th century, have undergone later evolutions, marking the timelessness of their designs.

The May sale will feature a Spring Fine Jewelry and Timepiece Sale on May 19th, with general auctions to follow on the 21st and 22nd.

Fine Jewelry

The Fine Jewelry & Timepiece department at Clars Auction gallery is thrilled to present a dynamic selection of diamond, colored gemstone, signed jewelry and timepieces in our upcoming Spring Fine Jewelry & Timepiece Sale, set to take place on Thursday, May 19th beginning at 10AM PST. The collection includes important diamonds, such as lot 3150, a 2.03 carats fancy blue VVS modified rectangular step cut diamond, estimated at $500,000–$700,000. Exceptional colored gemstones are highlighted by lot 3114, a 7.67 carat Colombian emerald and diamond ring, estimated at $16,000–$18,000; and lot 3046, a 3.77 carats unheated Burma and diamond ring, estimated at $10,000–$15,000. Makers such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany & Co., Fabergé, and more are well represented, including lot 3057, a Cartier sapphire and eighteen karat gold Panthère ring, estimated at $5,000–$7,000. In addition, Clars is excited to represent two important Rolex wristwatches, including lot 3020, an early Rolex small crown Submariner wristwatch, reference no. 6205, estimated at $80,000–$100,000; and lot 3018, a Rolex Daytona chronograph wristwatch.

Lore and mystery surround blue diamonds, including some of the world’s most famous gemstones, such as the infamously ‘cursed’ Hope Diamond. Blue diamonds are among the rarest gemstones in the world. Their remarkable color is most often caused by the mineral impurity boron. These stones, precious for their rare hue, are infamously difficult to cut, as the rough is commonly asymmetric in shape and display color zoning. It is common for cutters to fashion colored stones into brilliant-cuts, to make the color appear more saturated. Contrary to common cutting practices, lot 3150, is fashioned as a step-cut. This demonstrates how truly exceptional the inherent color of the stone is. The cut allows multiple views into the depths of the stone, flaunting its exceptional clarity. This mystique, in conjunction with its beauty and rarity, make blue diamonds some of the most desirable gemstones on the market.

The timepiece, reference number 6205, is an early model of the Rolex Submariner. It was produced only second to 6204, and was later followed by 6200. Reference 6205 is one of three early models produced in 1954, including reference numbers 6204 and 6200. Although reference 6205 was produced the same year as 6204 and 6200, it quickly ceased production, while other models continued to enter the market. These early models marked the beginning of a 60+ year evolution of the Submariner.

References 6204, 6200 and 6205, share major aesthetic differences from their later counterparts, marking a major shift in its design progression. Reference 6205, was one of the first models to display the name ‘Submariner’. The dial does not feature the Submariner’s now iconic Mercedes hands, but pencil hands which are sought-after by collectors. Reference 6205 is considered ‘small crown’, as models today are easily identified by their oversized crown, a feature beginning with reference 6200. The watch remains intact with its original riveted Rolex Oyster bracelet.

This Daytona Cosmograph, reference no. 6263, began production in the early 1970s. Reference 6263, was the first model to be fitted with screw-down pushers, allowing for water protection up to 100 meters. Reference no. 6263, is one of the last to include a manually wound Valjoux movement. In 1988, the watches were equipped with automatic movements. This early model features a unique black dial, lacking the ‘Daytona’ name, but signed ‘Rolex Oyster Cosmograph’, marking the early evolution of the watch.

Furniture & Decorative Arts

The Furniture and Decorative Arts department will be offering an Italian polychrome decorated dressing chest circa 1750, commanding an auction estimate of $6,000–$9,000.

Appealing to a musically inclined audience, the sale will include four pianos, two of which are Steinways, one, a Model M, is valued at $8,000–$12,000.

Fine Art

Clars will be offering a beautiful oil on canvas by artist Michele Cascella (Italian/American, 1892–1989) in the May 22nd sale. The painting titled Summer Holidays is a classic example of the artist’s impressionist style. Much influenced by artists such as Van Gogh and Raoual Dufy, Cascella utilizes a colorful and vibrant palette to entice his audience. The painting is estimated at $4,000–$6,000.

The prints and multiples portion of the sale will feature a wide variety of works from artists like Alex Katz, Yaacov Agam, and Jim Dine to name a few. It will also feature two Yayoi Kusama (Japanese, b. 1929) prints each estimated at $10,000–$15,000. With prints ranging in price and genre, Clars will have something for any buyer.

Asian Art

Among the woodblock prints created by the great shinhanga artist, Kawase Hasui (1883–1957), is lot 6803. The design Zojo Temple, Shiba is regarded as his most outstanding and iconic creation. Among collectors of Japanese prints of the shinhanga movement, it is one of the most expensive designs.

Clars拍卖行将于5月19日10时举办春季精品珠宝名表拍卖。此次精选跨越百年呈现一系列钻石宝石首饰、品牌设计珠宝以及精致名表，汇集了卡地亚、蒂凡尼、梵克雅宝、Seaman Schepps、法贝热等名家风采。详情敬请点击这里浏览完整图录，欢迎通过以下联系方式垂询。Lauren Della Croce：[email protected] Yao Jiang 江湛瑶：[email protected] 微信：yaoj423

Clars will hold its Spring Fine Jewelry & Timepiece Sale on May 19th, 10AM PST. The collection includes a wide selection of diamond, colored gemstone and signed jewelry spanning over a century. Maker’s such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co, Van Cleef & Arpels, Seaman Schepps, Fabergé, Rolex and more are represented in the dynamic collection. To view the full catalog, please visit here. For inquiries, please reach out to Lauren Della Croce at [email protected] and Yao Jiang at [email protected] or WeChat yaoj423.

Clars拍卖行5月22日（星期日）拍卖会将呈现多件精品亚洲艺术品，拍品将包括瓷器，玉石，家具，书画，绣品，金属制品，以及各类杂项。点击这里浏览完整图录。拍卖垂询Harry Huang 黄曦 [email protected] 及Megan Ma 马艺铭 [email protected] (微信mayiming0723)。

The May 22nd sale at Clars will offer numerous highlights from the Asian Art Department include porcelains, jade and stones, furniture, paintings, embroideries, metalwork, among others. To view the full catalog, please visit here. For inquiries, please reach out to Harry Huang at [email protected] and Megan Ma at [email protected] or WeChat mayiming0723.

NBC media interview with Senior Fine Art Specialist Alexa Malvino, on the incredible results of the photograph Girl with Candy by Oleksii Kyryrenchko.

Clars will hold its Spring Fine Jewelry & Timepiece Sale May 19th, 10AM PST.

The collection includes a wide selection of diamond, colored gemstone and signed jewelry spanning over a century. Maker’s such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co, Seaman Schepps, Fabergé, Rolex and more are represented in the dynamic collection.

Clars拍卖公司4月24日（星期日）拍卖会将由各类精品亚洲艺术品领衔，拍品将涵盖各代瓷器，家具，书画，玉石，鼻烟壶，以及各类杂项。点击这里浏览完整图录。拍卖垂询Harry Huang 黄曦 [email protected] 及Megan Ma 马艺铭 [email protected] (微信mayiming0723)。

The April 24th sale at Clars will be led by the Asian art department with numerous highlights from porcelains, to furniture, paintings, jade and snuff bottles, among others. To view the full catalog, please visit here. For inquiries, please reach out to Harry Huang at [email protected] and Megan Ma at [email protected] or WeChat mayiming0723.

The April 24th sale at Clars will be led by the Asian art department with numerous highlights from porcelains, to furniture, paintings, jade and snuff bottles, among others.

Asian Art

Clars Auction Gallery will offer a fine selection of Asian works of art on Sunday, April 24th. This auction will include various Chinese antique porcelains, jade and stone carvings, furniture, Chinese paintings, embroidered works, and other categories of Asian works of art.

A finely molded Dingyao bowl featuring lotus and other aquatic plants along with a double-fish medallion will headline the auction. The Song dynasty bowl was acquired from the late Chingwah Lee Collection of San Francisco sold at Sotheby’s Los Angeles Fine Oriental Art Sale on June 8th, 1981. A fine example of Chinese monochromes is the Qianlong mark and period celadon-glazed and carved vase displaying overlapping lotus petals throughout. Another Qing imperial porcelain is the Guangxu mark and period famille rose ‘Three Rams’ bowl, which has four medallions each depicting the Three Rams against a lemon-yellow sgraffito ground.

The jade, hardstone and snuff bottle portion of the sale will feature an eclectic selection of carvings from the Neolithic period up to the modern era. A fine example can be seen in the white jade snuff bottle with finely carved decoration in the Rococo style. Rounding out the section is a group of jade and hardstone toggles and pendants from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The furniture portion will feature a pair of 18th century huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs. These armchairs feature decorative carved panels on the backs with auspicious floral groupings and mythical creatures. Another furniture highlight is the huanghuali altar coffer dated to the late Qing to Republic period. The wide single panel top is flanked by a pair of everted flanges above three drawers with white brass hardware, atop a coffer cabinet with a pair of hinged double doors. The simplistic design exemplifies the rich and attractive huanghuali wood grains.

Another highlight of the sale is an ink on paper hanging scroll by Wu Changshuo (Chinese, 1844–1927). The ink painting depicting plum blossoms is extensively inscribed by the artist and dated to 1915. The painting is a perfect example of the artist’s masterful utilization of dry and wet brush techniques to illustrate the strength of the branches and the depth of the scene. This painting was acquired in Shanghai prior to 1945 and this is the first time that it has been offered for sale at auction.

Fine Art

Clars fine art is excited to offer the first printings of the photograph Girl with Candy by Ukrainian photographer Oleskii Kyrychenko. Oleskii gained recognition on social media after uploading the photo of his young daughter holding a (unloaded) double barrel rifle with lollipop in mouth, just days before Ukraine was attacked by Russian forces. Oleksii, who’s been a photography hobbyist since school, wanted to capture and show the world what a war-torn Ukraine would look like for its people and its children. Despite attempts to share the images on Facebook, they were not truly appreciated until his dystopian photograph became reality.

Clars will be auctioning one photograph, printed here in Oakland by permission of the photographer, in our April 24th sale with an estimate of $1,000–$2,000. Oleksii has requested that half of the proceeds be donated to Come Back Alive, a non-governmental organization helping the Ukrainian military by supplying troops with technical support and medical aid.

The print multiples portion of the sale will also hold two works by famous art nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha (Czech, 1860–1939). Titled Tetes Byzantines, the lot will include both the Brunette and the Blonde profiles printed on the original 1897 round paper. The two images became quite popular at the turn of the century and were printed numerous times in different variants for advertising and souvenir purposes. Brunette and Blonde will be offered at $6,000–$9,000 for the pair.

Clars Auction Gallery is also pleased to offer two prints by Yayoi Kusama, Grapes, a screenprint, from 1982, and Shoes a lithograph, from 1984. A preeminent figure in the art world, Kusama emerged onto the art scene in the 1960s in New York, collaborating with Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenberg, and Robert Morris and contributed to the rise of feminist and pop art. Throughout her work, Kusama has explored such themes as her own obsessive-compulsive disorder, hallucinations, sexuality and freedom. Grapes and Shoes exhibit Kusama’s signature style, featuring polka dots and nets in dense patterns with obsessive repetition. In 1993, Kusama represented Japan at the Venice Biennale. She has been the subject of major exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, Centre Pompidou, Tate Modern, and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo as well as a major retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 2012. In 2017, she opened the Yoyoi Kusama Museum in Tokyo near her studio and the psychiatric hospital where she has voluntarily lived since 1977. Each print is estimated at $10,000–$15,000.

Furniture & Decorative Arts

There will be a fine selection of coins, silver, and other objects de vertu. Highlights include a Parker Rare and Exceptional ribbon eye dropper fountain pen, dated 1914, estimated at $8,000–$12,000, and an 1887 $1 Gold type 3 Princess Head PCGS Proof 63 cameo valued at $5,000–$7,000.

Also to be offered, is a collection of Native American basketry and blankets, a large selection of Daum glass, and Berkeley Mills furniture.

Fine Jewelry

The Fine Jewelry & Timepiece department at Clars Auction Gallery is excited to offer a selection of diamond, colored gemstone and gold jewelry, in their upcoming April 24th sale.

This sale features a variety of brightly colored gemstone jewelry to enlighten your wardrobe in time for Spring and build up the foundation of your jewelry collection at accessible price points. These whimsical and colorful pieces include a pair of beryl and fourteen karat gold earrings, estimated at $800–$1,200, a turquoise, diamond and eighteen karat white gold ring, estimated at $1,800–$2,200, a pair of floriform eighteen karat gold earrings and a pendant necklace suite, estimated at $400–$600.

Clars will also be offering a nice selection of diamond jewelry in time for bridal season, including a diamond and eighteen karat white gold necklace, estimated at $3,500–$5,500, a pair of South Sea pearl and fourteen karat white gold earrings, estimated at $800–$1,200, and a pair of diamond tassel and fourteen karat white gold earrings, estimated at $1,500–$2,500.