Oakland, CA – 19 & 20 – May 2018 –

Clars Auction Gallery is honored to present an important work by Piet Mondrian on Sunday, May 20th, as part of their Important Fine Art, Decorative Art, Furniture, Jewelry and Asian Art Auction. This impressive work will be offered along with several other investment level works and property which come to this sale from important museums, estates, and collections.

FINE ART

Piet Mondrian, Cottages Along the River Gein Lined with Trees

A painting hidden from the public for several generations will surely get the art world talking since this piece has never before come up for public offering. The work by Piet Mondrian (Dutch, 1872-1944), titled Cottages Along the River Gein Lined with Trees, circa 1905, was created just after the Fauvist movement began to inspire the already Impressionistic influences in his work. The movement, which began in 1904, is seen in the bright pinks, reds, and blues in the river Gein, contrasted by the very Hague school style of the cottages along the river in the painting. Little cows dance around the trees that are just globs of white and black if observed closely. This work was created right before Mondrian dropped one of the a’s in his last name to become more accepted by the Parisian Avant-Garde; therefore, by the signature “Mondriaan,” we know this

Byron Galvez, Love

work must have been painted around 1905 before he left for Paris and dropped the “a” to become Mondrian in 1906. This work is a fascinating look into the naturalistic period of the young artist’s changing style on the brink of breaking into the Neoplasticist movement for which he is now most famous. This historically rich painting will be offered for $300,000-$500,000.

• Learn more with Senior Fine Art Specialist Jenny Wilson 

The Fine Art offerings in this sale will present a number of other important works. Highlighting the Latin American section of the sale will be a large collection of outstanding oil paintings, works on paper, and prints from the Mexican Museum (San Francisco, CA) Among the artists represented by these works will be Byron Galvez (Mexican, 1941 – 2009), Diego Rivera (Mexican, 1886 – 1957), Francisco Zuniga (Mexican, 1912 – 1998), Rufino Tamayo (Mexican, 1899-1991), and David Alfaro Siqueiros (Mexican, 1896-1974).

American Art

Richard MacDonald, “Sissone”

Having held some of the highest auction records thus far for Contemporary California sculptor, Richard MacDonald (American, b. 1946), Clars will be once again offering six (6) of the artist’s most desired bronzes from a private collection in Vancouver, Canada. MacDonald’s figurative work truly depicts the beauty of the human body and the spirit behind it with dancers, performers, and athletes as his subject matter. One such work depicts the exquisite beauty and physical form of a ballerina in bronze titled, Sissone, 2010 which is estimated at $40,000-60,000.

One of the most beloved cartoonists of all times is Peanuts creator, Charles “Sparky” Schulz (American, 1922-2000). Schulz lived and worked in Santa Rosa, California where he created daily and Sunday comics featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Sally, Linus and many others. Schulz’s personal secretary for 28 years was Loraine Lytle Webster (Sebastopol, California). Clars is pleased to be offering seven (7), original inks on paper, United Features Syndicate, Inc., daily comics from Mrs. Webster’s estate. Among the works to be offered will be ‘All right team, let’s show ‘em we never give up!…,’ 1982. Each will offered with an estimate of $8,000-12,000.

Charles M. Schulz

Paul Sawyier, Fountain and Formal Rose Garden

After the enormous success in its February 2018 auction of a watercolor hammering at $45,000 (from an $8,000-12,000 estimate), Clars will be offering two more works by Kentucky artist Paul Sawyier (American, 1865-1917). The first, a lovely oil on board titled, Fountain and Formal Garden, will be offered for $30,000-50,000. The second is a bucolic, river sunset scene watercolor titled, Evening on the Elkhorn, which will be offered for $10,000-15,000.

DECORATIVE ARTS & FURNISHINGS

From significant musical instruments to sterling, this portion of the sale will present a number of exceptional and rare pieces.

Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand Piano

For musical instrument collectors, a magnificent Bösendorfer Imperial Concert grand piano will be offered for $30,000-50,000. In guitars, a 1938 Martin 000-28 acoustic guitar, is valued conservatively at $4,000-6,000, and a 1959 Fender Jazzmaster carries an estimate of $4,000-6,000.

From a group of Pre-Columbian pieces will be an Olmec seated figure that is estimated to achieve $20,000-40,000. (Provenance: Sotheby’s New York December 1, 1983 Sale 5118 lot 4 EX: Ben Heller Collection)

A very rare Russian silver and enamel decorated presentation sabre and dagger, originally presented to Boris Yeltsin will be offered for $25,000-35,000.

Olmec seated figure

Furthering the fine sterling selection, a pair of French House of Maison Puiforcat

sterling silver candelabra is expected to bring $15,000-20,000, and a custom Tiffany & Co. sterling silver snake vase is valued at $4,000-$6,000.

Making a rare appearance for World’s Fair collectors will be eight hand-carved pillars from the Ceylon Tea Pavilion/Ceylon Exhibition Hall from the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Each pair carries an estimate of $4,000-6,000.

For American history collectors, a signed Abraham Lincoln presidential appointment dated May 18, 1864, is estimated conservatively at $3,000-5,000. Rounding out the highlights will be a Meissen Triumph of Venus figural group carries an estimate of $5,000-7,000,

Russian silver, and enamel decorated presentation sabre and dagger

and a Hawaiian koa wood poi bowl (calabash), 19th century estimated at $4,000-6,000.

French Maison Puiforcat sterling silver candelabra

And for Mid-Century aficionados, Clars be offering a Finn Juhl dining suite including (8)

Egyptian chairs and Judas table, circa 1950. The chairs are estimated at $20,000-30,000, and the table will be offered for $10,000-15,000.

JEWELRY & TIMEPIECES

A number of high-value jewelry pieces will be offered at this sale. Among the featured pieces is a 132 ct. total weight emerald, diamond and 18k white gold bracelet that carries an estimated of $10,000 – 12,000. Carrying the same estimate will be a 16 ct tanzanite, diamond and 18k yellow gold brooch/necklace.

Emerald, Diamond, 18K White Gold Bracelet

Among the other jewelry highlights will be an 8ct. total weight diamond and 18k yellow gold bracelet and a pair of Tiffany & Co. 3.55 ct. total weight diamond and 18k yellow

gold earrings.

ASIAN ART & ANTIQUES

The highlight of this category will be the presentation of a collection of Himalayan thangkas from a Reno (NV) collection. In the April 2018 sale, the collection of Himalayan thangkas offered saw very impressive results. The thangka Avalokitesvara sold for $36,300 with the total collection achieving over $81,000.

Clars’ Fine Art, Decorative Art, Furniture, Jewelry and Asian Art Auctions will be held on Saturday and Sunday May 19th and 20th, 2018. The sales will begin promptly at 9:30am and Preview for this sale will be held Friday, May 18th from 1pm – 6pm, and by appointment May 14-17.

A complete catalog is available online at live.clars.com
please email: info@clars.com with any direct inquiries

Bidding for Clars’ auctions is available in person, by phone, absentee and live online at:
Live.Clars.com, through Liveauctioneers.com and Invaluable.com.

Clars Auction Gallery is located at 5644 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609.

Clars Auction Gallery is based in Oakland (CA) and is the largest full service auction gallery in the Western United States. Clars Auction Gallery has been the chosen auction gallery of a number of institutions and distinguished private collectors across the country including the Richard Mellon Scaife Estate, the Thomas J. Perkins Estate and The Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC). In the last 5 years, Clars Auction Gallery has sold over $105,000,000 of Fine Art, Furnishings, Jewelry, Vehicles and Collectibles and has set multiple new world auction records.