California has a lengthy history of woodworking and studio furniture design. One of the most renowned master woodworkers was Arthur Espenet Carpenter.

Born in 1920, Arthur Espenet Carpenter was a self-taught furniture maker. He began making wood turned bowls at his studio in San Francisco in the late 1940s to early 1950s. By the mid-1950s, he had expanded to build custom furniture. Carpenter found that production was so busy that he felt disconnected from the furniture building process. In 1957, he decided that it was time to relocate to Bolinas, California, where he custom built his own house for his family. At his Bolinas studio, Espenet would create unique one-of-a-kind pieces for his clients, as well as his most well-known iconic pieces, such as the Wishbone armchair.

Espenet valued function as well as form. While his furniture pieces appear quite sculptural, they were also designed with comfort and utility in mind. For example, the arm hits the armrest of the Wishbone chair at just the right angle. Clars is offering a suite of eight Wishbone chairs, including two armchairs, with an auction estimate of $20,000–$30,000 in our June 15th Design auction. Also to be offered is a stunning dining table having five butterfly inlays, estimated at $10,000–$15,000.

While there’s a certain simplicity or minimalism to Espenet’s designs, great attention is also paid to the finer details. An example of this point is the drop-down cabinet, which features a wood turned locking knob above well carved hinged supports, that sold at Clars for $5,937.

Another example of Espenet’s extraordianry attention to detail can be seen in a set of two nesting walnut low tables, which commanded $6,875 at auction. While seemingly simple, the tables feature exposed dovetail joinery.

The featured Arthur Espenet Carpenter jewelry box below, while quite functional, is also very sculptural. The contoured form has six bandsaw-carved drawers that feature prominently on the case.

Though Arthur Espenet Carpenter passed away in 2006, his legacy continues with his son, Tripp Carpenter, who learned woodworking as a child, and now is a professional woodworker in his own right.

From the wall frescoes of ancient Rome to the trompe-l’oeil ceiling murals of Renaissance Europe, optical illusions have been a popular trend in visual art for ages.

Artists like Victor Vasarely and M.C. Escher revamped the way artists fool the eye in the 20th century. Perhaps inspired by the revitalized interest in optics, Jasper Johns created an image that toys with our perception of color.

In the work, titled Flag (Moratorium), Johns presents the United States flag with pink, green, and black, replacing the traditional stars and stripes palette. The viewer is invited to stare at the small white dot in the center of the flag for 30 seconds, then avert their gaze to a white wall where they will see the same flag in its original red, white, and blue. This phenomenon, known as a negative afterimage, is caused by stimulation of the cells that carry signals between the eyes and the brain. Johns’ artwork is often layered — whether literally with material or metaphorically with meaning — and Flag (Moratorium) takes this layering a step further, with a covert optical illusion hiding just beneath the surface.

Johns’ flag prints are among his most well-known and iconic works. He first began exploring the American flag as a subject in the mid-1950s and the flag became a recurring motif in his art, representing various themes and concepts. The flag prints emerged during a time when abstract expressionism dominated the art scene. Johns’ use of familiar imagery, like the flag, challenged the prevailing ideas of what art could be. By appropriating this national symbol, Johns questioned the boundaries between art and everyday objects, inviting viewers to reconsider their own perceptions and interpretations.

The flag prints were created through various printmaking techniques, such as lithography, screen printing, and etching, allowing Johns to experiment with different textures and color variations. Today, Johns’ flag prints are highly regarded and can be found in significant museum collections worldwide. They continue to be celebrated as essential contributions to contemporary art history.

The June 15th Modern + Contemporary Design Auction will include master craftsman from across genres and cultures.

California has a lengthy history of woodworking and studio furniture design. One of the most renowned master woodworkers was Arthur Espenet Carpenter. Born in 1920, Arthur Espenet Carpenter was a self-taught furniture maker. He began with making wood turned bowls at his studio in San Francisco in the late 1940s to early 1950s. However, by the mid-1950s, he had expanded to build custom furniture. Carpenter found that production was so busy that he felt disconnected from the furniture building process.

In 1957, he decided that it was time to relocate to Bolinas, California, where he custom built his own house for his family. At his Bolinas studio, Espenet would create unique one-of-a-kind pieces for his clients, but would also create his most well-known iconic pieces — such as the Wishbone armchair. Clars is excited to offer a suite of eight Wishbone chairs, including two armchairs, in our June 15th Design auction. The suite has an auction estimate of $20,000–$40,000. Also to be featured is a stunning dining table having five butterfly inlays, estimated at $10,000–$15,000.

Another highlight from American designers in the auction is a Philip and Kelvin Laverne ‘Marriage Whirl’ table, estimated at $15,000–$20,000.

Danish Modern will also have a prominent role in the auction. Highlights include a pair of Finn Juhl NV-45 chairs, estimated at $20,000–$40,000, and a single chair, estimated at $8,000–$12,000. The auction will also include an extensive Georg Jensen ‘Acorn’ pattern table service, estimated at $5,000–$7,000, and an Illum Wikkelso Leather V-11 Sofa, valued at $4,000–$6,000.

The Summer Design sale features master craftsman from across genres and cultures. Clars is pleased to present a monumental Tony Hunt Totem pole, measuring 8’11”, and estimated at $4,000–$6,000. A part of the Kwakwaka’wakw community in British Columbia, Hunt was born into a family of professional woodcarvers and started training at an early age.

Also on offer will be an Alain Chevret table, estimated at $4,000–$6,000.

There will be two custom roadsters from a single owner advanced collector in Sonoma Valley, CA. One is a 1930 Model A Tudor with a Chevrolet 350ci Vortex Turbo engine, estimated at $25,000–$30,000, and the other is a 1927 Model T with a Ford 302ci 40 over engine with comp cam, valued at $25,000–$30,000. Both have custom paint and interiors and many added performance features which make these hot rods very fast, street legal machines.

Clars is also proud to represent select items from the personal collection of EGOT winning actress, the legendary Rita Moreno. Rita’s remarkable career ranges from music to film and dance, though she is arguably best known for her Academy-Award winning performance as Anita in the 1962 motion picture, West Side Story. Later in her career, she would work in both television and the stage. Items in the auction range from stage worn dresses by designers including Bob Mackie, scripts and awards, as well as fine artworks.

The auction will include a host of other well-known names in design including Stan Bitters, Peter Voulkos, Gertrud and Otto Natzler, Frank Gehry, Mario Bellini, Liberty & Co, and Tiffany Studios, among others.

Cristina Campion, Associate Director of 20th Century Design and Furniture & Decorative Arts at Clars, spoke to Rob Stewart, PBS TV Host & Executive Producer, on the importance of analyzing and authenticating furniture for 2023’s Antique Valuation Day.

American Studio Furniture is commanding strong prices realized at auction, particularly for the masters, including Arthur Espenet Carpenter, George Nakashima, and Wharton Esherick, among others.

It’s always important to analyze the underside of a chair to see if there are any signatures or stamps. However, one cannot rely on a signature or stamp alone. It is equally significant to look at the form itself and the construction of the piece holistically to ensure that the form is consistent with other examples by the designer. Also crucial to the value of a piece is the provenance or history, if it’s been exhibited in any museum collections, or is referenced in literature.

Louis Comfort Tiffany was a prolific American designer whose career spanned from the 1870s–1920s. While he was most well known for his stained glass, he produced pieces in a variety of mediums, including pottery, metalwork, and lighting.

At the close of the 19th century, Louis Comfort Tiffany first developed Favrile glass. Deeply impressed from a recent trip to Europe in the 1860s, Tiffany drew inspiration from Roman and Syrian glass making. After much experimenting, Tiffany’s technique of ingraining color within the glass set it apart from other types of iridescent glass, resulting in the beautiful distinctive hues of Favrile glass.

Tiffany was also largely inspired by nature – he was captivated by the array of lush colors of flowers and plants. This attraction to color also contributed to the brilliant shades featured in Favrile glass objects.

Tiffany went on to win a grand prize at the 1900 Paris Exposition (the World’s Fair), for his Favrile glass. Later, he began producing lamps and large stained-glass Favrile pieces, cementing himself as one of the most influential figures in the Art Nouveau style through to the Arts and Crafts period.

This June 15th at Clars Auction Gallery, we are excited to offer a number of excellent pieces by esteemed artists throughout the Modern and Contemporary periods.

First featured is a photo-collage by influential English artist, David Hockney. Titled Gregory Watching the Snowfall, Kyoto, February 21st, 1983, the arrangement of violet-toned photographs depicts Hockney’s partner, assistant, and frequent model, Gregory Evans, lying in bed and looking out the window of a Japanese washitsu at the garden outside.

Another highlight in the June sale is an oil on board painting by French Fauve artist, Louis Valtat. The work, titled Fraises, depicts a cluster of bright red strawberries on a deep green lettuce leaf. Valtat’s technique blends the color-forward elements of Fauvism with the expressive brushwork of Impressionism to create a sense of movement in a traditional still-life composition.

Lastly, we are presenting a signed multiple by American Neo-Dadaist, Jasper Johns. Titled Flag (Moratorium), the print is a rendering of perhaps Johns’ most well-known subject: the American flag. This work was made to commemorate the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations that took place in 1969. The symbolic use of orange and camouflage-green tones, along with a white “bullet hole” in the center of the image, is meant to highlight the violence that occurred throughout the controversial war.

This sale will also offer additional important works by renowned artists such as Rafael Coronel, Brett Weston, Milton Reskin, Wayne Thiebaud, and Hunt Slonem.

Clars’ June 16th and 17th auctions will offer an extensive collection of Japanese woodblock prints, important artwork from artists such as William Keith and Albrecht Durer, a selection of fine Native American baskets, and beautiful diamond, colored gemstone and gold jewelry that will stun at any event.

Asian Art

The Asian Art department will offer an extensive collection of Japanese woodblock prints by Kawase Hasui (Japanese, 1883–1957). Hasui is a prominent Japanese artist who was known for his exquisite woodblock prints, particularly his landscapes. He was a key figure in the shin-hanga (“new prints”) movement, which revived traditional Japanese woodblock printmaking techniques in the early 20th century. Highlighting the collection of over twenty woodblock prints, Hasui’s Winter Moon at Toyama, is estimated at $2,000–$4,000. Hasui’s works continue to be highly sought after by collectors and art enthusiasts. His contributions to the shin-hanga movement and his skill in capturing the essence of Japan’s natural beauty have made him one of the most celebrated Japanese printmakers of the 20th century.

Fine Art

Clars is pleased to offer a monumental painting by William Keith (American, 1838–1911) titled, Into the Yosemite Valley, circa 1895–1906, on Friday, June 16th. Estimated at $100,000–$120,000, this 36″ x 60″ canvas has remained in the same family for well over 100 years since it was originally commissioned by Robert C. and Francesca Hall (Pittsburgh, PA) from the artist. Mr. Hall is referenced as such in the book, Keith, Old Master of California, Volume I, by Brother Cornelius (1942) on page 451. This is one of the most important works by Keith to have come to auction in well over ten years.

Clars is also excited to offer a striking example of Albrecht Durer’s (German, 1471–1528) Sea Monster in the Friday June 16th sale. This 1498 engraving depicts a nude female beside a scaled and bearded merman, thought by many to represent the abduction of Scylla by the sea demon Glaucus of Greek Mythology. This printing is on laid paper with a High Crown with Flourish watermark, categorized as a Meder a printing, and was purchased from Christie’s Old Master Prints auction in 2011. The engraving is estimated at $25,000–$30,000.

Furniture & Decorative Arts

The Furniture & Decorative Arts department will offer a selection of fine Native American baskets in the Friday, June 16th auction, as well as other European decor in the June 17th auction.

Fine Jewelry & Timepieces

The Fine Jewelry & Timepieces department is excited to offer a selection of diamond, colored gemstone and gold jewelry in their upcoming June 16th sale. This sale features a variety of wardrobe staples to build up the foundation of your jewelry collection at accessible price points. To be featured in the sale are a nice selection of diamond jewelry in time for bridal season, including lot 7000: a yellow diamond, diamond and fourteen karat white gold ring, estimated at $4,000–$6,000; and lot 7003: a pair of diamond and eighteen karat white gold earrings, estimated $3,500–$4,500.

The sale will also include a colorful gemstone selection, including lot 7066: a pair of emerald, diamond and fourteen karat gold earrings and necklace suite, estimated $5,000–$7,000; lot 7004: a Mozambique, diamond and platinum ring, estimated $3,500–$4,500; and lot 7106: a coral, seed pearl and fourteen karat gold convertible necklace, estimated $3,000–$5,000. Other wearable pieces in the sale that will highlight your everyday life include lot 7110: A pair of eighteen karat gold earrings, Tiffany & Co, estimated $1,500–$2,500; and lot 7123: a stainless steel wristwatch, Superocean, Breitling, estimated at $1,200–$1,800.

“I knew I would be a painter. It never occurred to me that I would do anything else,” March Avery.

Born into a family of artists — her father being Milton Avery and mother Sally Michel — March Avery cultivated a style that was distinctly her own. Growing up, she was surrounded by artists who were friends of her parents. She began creating by the age of two through painting, drawing and sculpting. She developed a style of her own that celebrates brilliant color and abstract forms.

Working across multiple mediums, David Hockney is known for his painting, drawing, prints, photography, collage, set design and digital media.

Hockney was born on July 9, 1937 in Bradford, United Kingdom, and studied at Bradford School of Art and London’s Royal College of Art. In 1964, Hockney moved to California. Drawing inspiration from the region’s light, color, and landscape, his swimming pool paintings garnered him international recognition.

During the 1980’s, Hockney began creating intricate photo collages that he called “joiners.” His early photo-collages consisted of polaroid photographs in a grid. He evolved his style to photo lab processed 35mm photographs, creating abstract representations of the scenes he had photographed in a more organic layout. Photos were taken over a number of minutes, highlighting Hockney’s interest in showing the passing of time, and often show slightly different perspectives of the subject. Deeply inspired by artists such as Pablo Picasso and Greorge Braque, Hockney’s photographic collages are a historical nod to the cubist collages that inspired him. He remains one of the greatest living artists of his generation.

Clars will be offering select items from the personal collection of EGOT winning actress, the legendary Rita Moreno, at our Summer Modern + Contemporary Art + Design Auction.

Rita’s remarkable career ranges from music, film, and dance. Maybe best known for her Academy-Award winning performance as Anita in the 1962 motion picture, West Side Story, she also worked in both television and the stage later in her career. Items to be offered on June 15th include fine art, stage worn dresses by designers including Bob Mackie, scripts, and awards.