Clars Auctions’ Senior Vice President, Deric Torres, was honored to participate in a celebration hosted by The Menlo Park Historical Association and The Museum of American Heritage.
We are honored to present the rare and globally sourced bead and tribal art collection from the estate of Naomi Lindstrom on August 14th.
Estate Spotlight
Stories & News
Fall Modern + Contemporary Art + Design Post Sale Highlights
Modern + Contemporary
Stories & News
The September 16 Modern + Contemporary Art + Design sale at Clars, totaled over $1.3M across 230 lots.
Andy Warhol (American, 1928–1987), Cowboys and Indians (the complete set of ten screenprints), 1986, screenprints in colors, 36″ x 36″ each. Sold: $503,750
Clars’ Fall Modern + Contemporary Art + Design sale on September 16th started off the season with impressive results having 230 lots achieve a little over $1.3 million in sales. Fine Art led the way with $1.1 million in sales with the highlight being Andy Warhol’s complete set of ten screenprints, Cowboys and Indians, selling for $503,750. Rick Unruh, Clars CEO, remarked, “Clars is definitely ‘moving up the ladder’ in being recognized internationally as one of the premier auction houses for Modern and Contemporary works. This past auction was our 3rd complete set of Warhols to be offered in the last 2 years — all with outstanding results.”
Another stellar performance was several Pumpkin screenprints by Yayoi Kusama (Japanese, b. 1929) selling for a combined price of $108,750.
Yayoi Kusama (Japanese, b. 1929), Top left:Pumpkin (Y), Top Right:Dancing Pumpkin (YOR), Bottom Left:Napping Pumpkin, Bottom Right:Red Colored Pumpkin. Sold: $108,750
Clars Auction Gallery had a nearly 100% sell through rate for the Fall Design sale, with just above 100 lots selling for over $210,000 total.
Angelo Mangiarotti Eros Dining Table. Sold: $18,750
Clients from across the country were vying for Design lots, with many items selling at or above the high estimate. Cristina Campion, Associate Director of 20th Century Design at Clars commented, “strong sales like this one really demonstrate that Clars is a recognized name among Design collectors across the United States.”
Mario Bellini, Cab Chairs Model 413. Sold: $10,625
Top picks included an Angelo Mangiarotti ‘Eros’ Dining Table sold for $18,750, with a $6,000–$9,000 estimate. Other auction highlights include a suite of eight Mario Bellini Cab Chairs, Model 413, that brought $10,625, a set of Christian Liaigre Bazane Stools that sold for $9,375, a Charles and Ray Eames 670 and 671 chair and ottoman that realized $8,125, and a Vladimir Kagan Ondine Chair that commanded $8,125.
Christian Liaigre Bazane stools. Sold: $9,375
Clars is gearing up for it’s next Design auction on December 18th, and is hopeful that the department will continue to see an upward trajectory in sales.
Vladimir Kagan Couture Sloane II sofa. Sold: $8,125
For over 30 years Eddi acquired, researched, and catalogued antique walking sticks from around the world.
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Fundraiser | San Francisco Historical Society
Event
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Clars Auction Gallery is proud to support this upcoming Fundraiser for the San Francisco Historical Society. All proceeds from this fundraiser will be directed to the preservation and upkeep of the San Francisco Historical Society. To learn more about this event, please visit: https://www.sfhistory.org/event/antique-appraisal-day-with-clars/.
Clars Auctions’ Senior Vice President, Deric Torres, was honored to participate in a celebration hosted by The Menlo Park Historical Association and The Museum of American Heritage.
We are honored to present the rare and globally sourced bead and tribal art collection from the estate of Naomi Lindstrom on August 14th.
Estate Spotlight
Stories & News
Valuation Day | Lamorinda Village Seniors
Event
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Clars Auction Gallery is proud to support the Lamorinda Village | Senior Living through this Fundraiser. To learn more about this event, please email: [email protected].
Clars Auctions’ Senior Vice President, Deric Torres, was honored to participate in a celebration hosted by The Menlo Park Historical Association and The Museum of American Heritage.
We are honored to present the rare and globally sourced bead and tribal art collection from the estate of Naomi Lindstrom on August 14th.
Estate Spotlight
Stories & News
Hagerty House Panel Discussion
Event
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Hagerty House Friday – August 19th
Ride and Drive 9 – 11AM | Panel and Discussion 11:30AM – 12:30PM | Lunch 12:30 – 2:00PM
Our morning starts out with a ride and drive featuring a 1968 Camaro SS, 1954 BelAir, and 1969 Firebird. Don’t know how to drive stick? No problem! Two of the vehicles are automatic and lots of fun. While waiting for your turn, enjoy grab-n-go breakfast items along with coffee and tea. Later, we will settle in for a panel on The Costliest Mistakes A Collector Can Make. Collecting items of value requires preparation, strategy, and proper risk management. Join Hagerty for a conversation with Clars Gallery and Draneas Law on the six most important factors to consider when advising clients with high value collections. Our panel features Rick Unruh – CEO and President of Clars Gallery, John Draneas – Attorney at Draneas Law, collector car specialist, contributor to John’s Legal Files in Sports Car Market magazine, and Brian Rabold – VP Automotive Intelligence at Hagerty. We will complete the afternoon with a delicious lunch and plenty of time to catch up with old friends..
Pictured: Brian Rabold, Vice President of Automotive Intelligence: Hagerty; Rick Unruh, CEO and President: Clars Auction Gallery; John H. Draneas, Attorney: Draneas Law.
Clars Auctions’ Senior Vice President, Deric Torres, was honored to participate in a celebration hosted by The Menlo Park Historical Association and The Museum of American Heritage.
We are honored to present the rare and globally sourced bead and tribal art collection from the estate of Naomi Lindstrom on August 14th.
Estate Spotlight
Stories & News
Dragon Vases Soar Above Estimates
Asian Art
Stories & News
Clars Auction Gallery had an excellent August sale with many highlights and strong prices in our Asian Art Department.
Dozens of telephone bidders were vying for two Chinese imperial bronze ‘dragon’ vases. These vases soared well above estimate to realize a price of $245,000.
Left: Chinese imperial bronze ‘dragon’ vase, mark and period of Qianlong. Right: Chinese imperial bronze ‘dragon’ vase, mark and period of Jiaqing. Sold: $245,000
Each features five-clawed dragons in pursuit of flaming pearls amid scrolling clouds in low relief. The precision and intricacy of the molding indicates the imperial origin, while the patina on the surface demonstrates the age. One statue has the inscription “Qianlong Nianzao of the Great Qing Dynasty” and the other has the book “Great Qing Jiaqing Nianzao,” both of which were purchased in Tokyo, Japan around 1949.
We are honored to present the globally sourced bead and tribal jewelry collection from the Naomi Lindstrom estate on October 16th.
Asian Art
Estate Spotlight
June Modern + Contemporary Art + Design Post Sale Highlights
Modern + Contemporary
Stories & News
The June 17th Modern + Contemporary Art + Design sale at Clars totaled $1,070,250 across 239 lots.
Clars was pleased to establish the new, world auction record for Raimonds Staprans (American/Latvian, b. 1926) with the painting Blue Boats selling for $187,500. This beats the previous record held by Clars from September 2020 of $147,600. As Rick Unruh, CEO of Clars, stated, “Staprans has incredible upward momentum at auction at the moment. There is a scarcity issue with his exceptional works currently. Blue Boats was one of those exceptional works. Reaching a new price level and ‘raising the bar’ is challenging but rewarding when it occurs.”
Raimonds Staprans (American/Latvian, b. 1926), Blue Boats, 1990, oil on canvas, 44″ x 48″. Sold: $187,500
Also of note was a rare collection of four works by Leonor Fini (French/Argentine, 1908–1996) that were offered at Clars Modern + Contemporary sale on June 17th. This combined collection sold for an astounding $250,625 with one particular painting, Zorniga, selling for $187,500.
Leonor Fini (Argentine/French, 1908–1996), Zorniga, 1959, oil on canvas, 31.5″ x 10″. Sold: $187,500
Highlights for Design included a set of Mario Bellini Cab chairs that sold for $17,500, and a Phillip Lloyd Powell New Hope Chair that brought $15,000. Cristina Campion, Associate Director of 20th Century Design at Clars noted, “There’s always a strong market for good Design. We’re currently seeing bidders vying for the top lots, and as a result Clars is achieving strong auction records across the board.”
Mario Bellini, Cab Chairs Model 413, set of ten. Sold: $17,500
Phillip Lloyd Powell, New Hope Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Sold: $15,000
For over 30 years Eddi acquired, researched, and catalogued antique walking sticks from around the world.
Estate Spotlight
Stories & News
Clars + The Junior League
Event
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Clars Auction Gallery was a proud sponsor of The Junior League of San Francisco’s 110th Anniversary and Women at the Center Honors Awards Honoring: Mayor London N. Breed and Sallie Huntting, May 20, 2022.
Rick Unruh, President and CEO of Clars Auction Gallery, led the auctioneering efforts at the awards ceremony, where proceeds from each sold lot were donated back to the Junior League of SF and community programs.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – May 20 – Rick Unruh attends Junior League Women at the Center Honors on May 20th 2022 at War Memorial in San Francisco, CA (Photo – Natalie Schrik for Drew Altizer Photography).
Clars Auctions’ Senior Vice President, Deric Torres, was honored to participate in a celebration hosted by The Menlo Park Historical Association and The Museum of American Heritage.
We are honored to present the rare and globally sourced bead and tribal art collection from the estate of Naomi Lindstrom on August 14th.
Estate Spotlight
Stories & News
How to Care For Your Jewelry
Fine Jewelry
Stories & News
The beauty of jewelry can last hundreds, even thousands of years if loved and cared for properly.
These attractive gemstones and precious metals are built into everyday forms, intended to withstand wear. There are simple steps you can take to ensure the safety and care of their precious jewels. This article will review simple at-home steps you can take to ensure the sparkle and longevity of their pieces.
Cleaning:
Gemstones were cut to sparkle, so it is important to keep jewelry clean. With over 3,000 species of gemstones, it is important to take note of which gemstones one has in their possession, and what sort of care they require.
Left: A Retro aquamarine, diamond and platinum pendant brooch. Right: A pair of gemstone and fourteen karat gold earrings.
Clean by hand:
Diamonds are famous for their brilliance, and ironically, heavily attract grease. Therefore it is important to be diligent about keeping diamonds clean in order for them to sparkle. Specialized jewelry cleanings products are not necessary to accomplish this. A household grease cutter, such as non-fragranced Dawn dish detergent in warm water, following by a soft-bristled toothbrush, will help to get the diamonds’ sparkle back. Make sure to also scrub underneath the diamond and in-between prongs.
A fancy light yellow and platinum diamond ring.
For durable gemstones such as sapphires or rubies, which are still relatively less durable than diamonds, the same process but with a mild non-fragranced hand soap will do the trick.
Left: A pair of multi-hued sapphire and eighteen karat gold earclips. Right: A pair of ruby, diamond and platinum earrings.
For relatively soft gemstones, which are highly porous, such as emeralds, opals, and pearls, special care must be taken. The content of moisture is essential to for the gemstones to remain intact and retain their beauty. Dehydrating a gemstone like these can result in crazing, cracks or even breakage. Do not utilize abrasive products that include alcohol or grease cutters. This can reduce moisture in these stones, causing irreversible damage. When cleaning these jewels, use warm water with a household non-fragranced hand soap on a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean the setting around the stone.
Left: A black opal, diamond and eighteen karat white gold ring. Right: A Tahitian black South Sea pearl necklace.
Ultrasonic cleaners:
With so many personal and at-home adaptions of the ultrasonic cleaner available on the market, it may be a tempting purchase. However, not all ultrasonic cleaners are considered equal. Most commercial level ultrasonic cleaners can risk shaking gemstones loose from their mountings, risking a sparkly gemstone going down the drain! It is best to wash by hand in a contained space. Or, stop by the original retailer and ask for a quick cleaning!
Over 90% of the gemstones on the market have received some form of treatment to enhance their beauty. It is important to be informed about the treatment associated with the stones. Specifically, know (or assume) that your emerald is fracture-filled and do not place it in the ultrasonic cleaner. Fillers, which help enhanced the clarity (and color in some cases) of the gemstone can shake loose.
A pair of Colombian emerald, diamond and platinum earrings.
Polishing:
A loved piece of jewelry will eventually appear worn, with hundreds of little light scuffs and scratches. This is easily reconciled with a touch of metal polish. A standard metal polish, such as Noxon, can revive the brightness of the metal. Use a microfiber cloth to do the buffing. Be mindful that every time a piece is polished, a little bit of metal is removed from the piece. So it is important not to over polish. You should also be mindful about vintage and antique jewelry. An old patina is something that takes years to form and carries the beauty of history. Be sure to contemplate what you find attractive before taking out the metal polish.
Left: A fourteen karat gold bracelet. Right: A Georgian diamond and silver brooch.
Storage:
Storage is important to maintain the integrity of jewelry. Consider factors such as form, materials, and the characteristics of the gemstones. Always be sure that precious materials are not stored with non-precious materials. Gold will not normally tarnish, however if that gold bracelet is stored next to some loose change, that metal will eventually turn! For costume jewelry, it is important to keep the area clean and dry to avoid tarnishing.
Separate gemstones. Gemstones of differing hardness can cause damage to one another when rubbed together. To prevent your sapphires from chipping your emeralds, or your diamonds and chipping your diamonds, keep them separated. A nice and easy way to prevent this is to individually store your jewelry in plastic bags. However, best to keep your pearls in linen to prevent deterioration.
A little bit of tender love and care can make a jewelry collection last generations. Be sure to understand what you have, what its needs are, and take the time for care for them. And when in doubt, ask a professional!
Are you curious about how to buy and sell an NFT at Auction? The print of the photo, Girl with Candy, fetched $8,165 at auction, and the digital version is now being offered in Clars’ inaugural NFT auction. If you’re curious on how to get started and how to purchase your first NFT, Clars’ NFT offering of Girl with Candy allows buyers and collectors a chance to own on the blockchain while raising funds for Ukraine.
Oleksii Kyrychenko (Ukrainian, b. 1974), Girl with Candy, 2022, Edition of fifty (50).
The Museum of Permuted Art creates thought provoking NFTs to bring IRL classical art to web3 by collaborating with today’s NFT artists and institutions. Prioritizing innovation, they use their own blockchain technology to explore ways to connect present day art to the past, engaging their community with different cultures, periods and art forms. 4% of the total MoPAr mint proceeds are directed to their #ForTheArt fund that seeks to make an impact in the arts as directed by their collectors and community.
Clars Auctions’ Senior Vice President, Deric Torres, was honored to participate in a celebration hosted by The Menlo Park Historical Association and The Museum of American Heritage.
