Consignments are now invited for our upcoming Modern + Contemporary Fine Art Auction on Thursday, May 15th.

Schedule an appointment today with one of our Fine Art Specialists. The deadline to consign is Friday, April 25th. To schedule your appointment, call (510) 428-0100 x 130 OR email [email protected].

The Furniture & Decorative Arts portion of the April 18th auction will feature an impressive selection pieces. Featured is a sculptural Alvar Aalto bentwood tea trolley.

Crafted by Finnish modernist master Alvar Aalto, this elegant tea trolley exemplifies his signature minimalist form. Aalto’s visionary approach to design brought warmth and humanity to modernism — balancing clean lines with natural materials.

This piece is not only functional — it’s a sculptural icon of 20th-century design.

This April 18th we will offer pair of Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen Swan chairs — sculptural, iconic, and effortlessly modern.

Designed in 1958 for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, the Swan chair is one of Arne Jacobsen’s most celebrated works. A master of Danish modernism, Jacobsen blended form and function with striking elegance. His designs, including the Egg and Swan chairs, continue to shape interiors worldwide.

This pair, produced by Fritz Hansen, represents the enduring legacy of Scandinavian design — minimalist, organic, and timeless. Offered at an estimate of $1,200–$1,500, these iconic chairs will be sure to enhance any space.

This season, we will introduce a series of selected embroidery pieces, with the highlight being an 18th-century Qing dynasty imperial yellow satin brocade robe, chuba with gold dragon patterns among colorful clouds.

From the end of the Tang dynasty, China’s relationship with Tibet evolved with continuous political and religious exchanges during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, sending precious court-manufactured silk fabrics to Tibet. Initially reserved for the imperial court, these fabrics later became significant gifts for Tibetan nobility and high-ranking monks. In the 18th century, the Qing court custom-made luxurious silk garments for Buddhist ceremonies, granting many dragon robes, which gradually became traditional attire for Tibetan nobility.

This Chuba-style robe was custom-made in Tibet from 18th-century Chinese yellow ground brocade, adorned with a five-clawed golden dragon clutching a fiery pearl amidst colorful clouds in pink, blue, green, and ochre, with a terrestrial map motif at the hem. The collar and trim are in pale blue silk depicting original wave-like edges, measuring 55 inches in height and 70 inches in width. This robe not only showcases the exquisite craftsmanship of the Qing court but also serves as an important physical testament to the historical exchanges between China and Tibet.

Big moment on Pawn Stars! Our very own appraiser, Deric Torres from Clars Auctions, helped a customer who thought she had a rare Oscar Bach Hall telephone table worth a fortune. After closely inspecting the piece, Deric revealed it wasn’t authentic — here’s why:

…because the casting was not well done, not marked, and not executed in the same manner one would expect on a well-documented authentic example. Below is information about the history of the firm, and Bach’s bitter break up with business partner Bertram Segar — who is infamous for making poor reproductions of designs created by Bach.

Oscar Bach was a technically adept, stylistically diverse, and commercially successful master metalsmith. Born in Germany, he studied at both the Royal Academy and Imperial Academy of Art in Berlin before becoming the artistic director of a metallic arts firm in Hamburg. In 1911, Bach won the Grand Prix at the World’s Exposition in Turin for a bed he designed for Kaiser Wilhelm II. That same year, he moved to the United State to establish a business with his brother Max in New York City.

The brothers quickly opened a metal design studio and flourished throughout the 1920s and 30s, with Oscar creating beautiful objects for wealthy New York clientele and custom architectural elements for country estates. He designed a multitude of domestic objects and grand commissions, including the lobby panel for the Empire State Building and monumental plaques for Radio City Music Hall — created in collaboration with Hildreth Meiere. Bach was awarded the prestigious Medal of Honor in 1926 from the Architectural League of New York for a set of bronze doors he designed for their club room. Not just a talented designer, but a savvy marketer and self-promoter, Bach enjoyed a long and successful career. His work can be found in the permanent collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Minneapolis Museum of Art, The Wolfsonian, and Reynolda House.

In April of 1923, upon an acrimonious split with a third business partner named Bertram Segar, the Bach brothers moved to a new studio at 511 West 42nd Street and renamed their firm Oscar B. Bach and Associated Craftsmen. Bertram Segar remained in the West 17th Street studio, renaming it The Segar Studios. There, Bertram Segar continued to reproduce many of Bach’s original designs and variations on Bach’s designs, either selling them in an unmarked state or stamping them with his SEGAR STUDIOS mark.

Desperate to set the record straight, Bach put full page advertisements in multiple issues of Arts & Decorations stating that, “All products designed and executed in my studios bear my facsimile signature, and no other articles are genuine.” And, “It is distressing to find other things — ugly things that I could not create, put before the public with the insinuation that they are my work. It is not only distressing but a fraud on the public.”

This is why the conclusion of it not being authentic was determined. Watch the full story unfold and how Deric gently let the buyer down easy (we hope). Catch the episode and let us know what you think!

4月18日，Clars拍卖公司将在其春季亚洲精品艺术拍卖会上为广大藏家呈现一系列的精美藏品。本次拍卖将隆重呈献多件珍贵艺术品，涵盖家具、瓷器、刺绣及现当代艺术及各类精品杂项。

家具部分家具由一对18世纪中国黄花梨南官帽椅领衔。官帽椅起源于宋代，并在明清时期盛行。由于其出众的外形和美好的寓意，历来深受官员和士人青睐，也广受世人喜爱。官帽椅的名称源于其背部高而前低，形似古代官吏所戴的幞头纱帽。实际上，带扶手的椅子基本上都有这种形状。如今，北京匠师常称带扶手且靠背和扶手都突出部分的椅子为“四出头官帽椅”，如果扶手不突出，则称为“南官帽椅”。Clars的一对极具江南地区官帽椅的独特风格。拍品采用罕见的三段式靠背板设计，扶手线条简洁流畅，没有使用联邦棍结构，展现了经典的匠艺魅力。

瓷器部分则特别呈现一组清嘉庆款黄地粉彩花卉番莲花盆及盆托。花盆及盆托均呈典雅菊花状，盆壁较深，设有两个圆孔；盆托周壁低浅，底部无孔。二者皆置于四个如意云形足之上，外壁精绘缠枝番莲纹及八宝祥纹饰，底部书以矾红篆书「大清嘉庆年制」六字款识。

本季我们将推出一系列精选刺绣作品，尤其值得瞩目的是一件十八世纪清代御制黄地织锦缎彩云金龙纹藏袍。自唐末起，中国与西藏的关系不断演进，自元、明、清各朝通过政治与宗教交流，持续向西藏输送宫廷织造的珍贵丝织品。这些织物起初为宫廷专用，后来成为赠予西藏贵族与高僧的重要礼品。十八世纪，清廷特为佛教仪式定制华美丝绸服饰，赐予大量龙袍，逐渐成为西藏贵族的传统礼装。

本件藏袍用十八世纪清代御制黄地织锦缎，于西藏打造，饰以五爪金龙攫珠图案，背景铺陈多彩云团，粉、蓝、绿及赭石交错辉映，衣摆为陆地图纹。衣领与饰边用淡蓝色丝绸描绘原始波浪形边缘，整体高55英寸、宽70英寸。此袍不仅展现清代宫廷工艺之精，更是中藏历史交流的重要实物见证。

亚洲现当代部分重点呈现旅美华裔抽象艺术大师庄喆的两件重要作品：第一件为1971年创作的《四季篇》（Seasons Page），艺术家采用综合媒材在画布上进行创作，作品尺寸为33英寸高、49.5英寸宽，左下角带有庄喆的中文署名。该作曾于1972年在美国德州休斯敦的杜博斯画廊（DuBose Gallery）展出，并附有庄喆本人的亲笔签名与展览手册，极富收藏价值。第二件为庄喆的《无题抽象风景》，这是一幅布面油画，右下角有艺术家的中文签名，带框尺寸为39.25英寸高、49.5英寸宽。此作来源于私人收藏，于20世纪80年代初从旧金山一家画廊购入。庄喆的艺术风格融汇东西方美学，以抽象表现主义的手法诠释中国传统文化意境，在国际艺术界享有盛誉。

此外，一尊明代木雕水月观音雕像亦将亮相本次拍卖。这尊观音像高约1.1米，以自在随意的坐姿安坐岩石之上，右腿曲起倚靠右臂，左腿舒展，足踏一底座。整体雕刻生动传神，观音头戴精致宝冠，神态安详慈祥，面容丰润细腻。颈胸处雕琢华美项链及璎珞装饰，衣纹飘逸，色彩依稀可见，充分体现出宋元以来水月观音自在闲适的艺术风格，兼具高度的历史与艺术价值。

我们期待4月18日与您在Clars Auctions的春季亚洲精品拍卖上相见。

At our Fine Asian Art Auction on December 20th 2024, Clars presented an exceptionally rare Qing Yongzheng Robin’s Egg Glazed hu-form Vase which sold for an astounding $630,000.

Are you interested in learning about the value of your items? CONSIGN NOW for our next Fine Asian Art Auction on April 18th.

The story of this vase is as compelling as the piece itself. According to the consignor, the vase originally belonged to his mother-in-law, who lived in Brooklyn, New York, in the 1970s. She was of Swedish immigrant descent, sent to an orphanage at the age of six after her mother’s passing, and later adopted by a kind family. As an adult, she married a man who worked for Nestlé and had two sons. After her husband’s death, she returned to Brooklyn, where she lived with her family and was beloved for her involvement in church activities, playing the piano, and teaching Sunday school.

In the 1970s, she bought the vase from a street vendor’s stall in Brooklyn for a small amount. She treasured it and often displayed it on her piano, filled with dried leaves. In 1986, she moved to California to live with her son, bringing the vase along. However, the vase was forgotten for decades, stored in a shoebox in a closet until Clars Auctions rediscovered the vase, unveiling a story that had been hidden for years.

The consignor expressed, “Such a beautiful and historically significant vase should not be hidden away in a closet; it deserves to be admired by many.” And that’s exactly what happened. The remarkable vase took center stage at auction and captured the attention of collectors worldwide.

The “Lujun Glaze” porcelain, also known as Robin’s Egg glaze, originated during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, crafted at the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln under the supervision of Tang Ying. It was named for its resemblance to the low-temperature Jun wares of the Song Dynasty. The glaze combines techniques from both Jun ware and Yixing drip-glaze, resulting in unique flowing shades of red, blue, and purple. The surface is smooth and silky, with colors that change dynamically under natural light, evoking the beauty of nature.

As recorded in the Record of Ceramics Completion Stele, the Lujun glaze “resembles the Eastern Kiln and Yixing drip-glaze,” with distinctive fluid patterns and colors. It represents Tang Ying’s innovative fusion of traditional styles and highlights the Qing Dynasty’s dedication to ceramic artistry and aesthetic perfection. Due to its complex production process, surviving pieces are rare and mostly palace ware, making them highly valuable collectibles and a pinnacle of Qing porcelain craftsmanship.

The Chinese Robin’s egg glazed hu-form vase sold by Clars has an elegant and dignified form, showcasing a flared mouth, short neck, elongated curved body, and wide splayed foot, standing at approximately 19 centimeters tall. The mouth, neck, and belly of the vase are adorned with three string patterns, which are simple yet graceful, adding a three-dimensional effect and enhancing the visual appeal of the piece. This design reflects the refined and majestic style typical of Yongzheng porcelain. The base is engraved with a two-line, four-character mark: “Yongzheng Nian Zhi,” further indicating its imperial provenance and outstanding craftsmanship.

This March 21st at Clars Auctions, we will be featuring a curated assortment of artwork from a wide range of periods and locales.

Starting in our own state of California, we have an oil on canvas by plein air painter Marion Kavanaugh Wachtel (American, 1876–1954). Wachtel was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and studied in Chicago before moving to California, where she studied under Scottish American master landscapist William Keith.

Keith’s influence coupled with her new surroundings inspired Wachtel to move away from portraiture and embrace landscape painting, focusing her attention on the mountains, coasts, and foliage of southern California. The painting in this month’s sale is titled Autumn, Trabuco Mountains, California, (estimate: $8,000–$12,000) and depicts the leaves changing color amidst the peak on the border of Orange and Riverside Counties.

Next in our selection of highlights this month is an oil on panel painting by contemporary Canadian artist Ambera Wellmann (Canadian, b. 1982). Wellmann is known for her surreal, collage-like painting techniques that evoke the work of earlier experimental painters like Francis Bacon and Max Ernst, often depicting hybrid bodies and intensely pigmented bacchanal-like scenes. These works regularly bring over $100,000 at auction, and Wellmann is currently represented by major contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth. In Wellmann’s early work, her mastery of blending color is apparent, as is her ability to access emotion in unexpected imagery. The piece featured at Clars this month is titled Cloud #7 (estimate: $8,000–$12,000) and dates to 2009. Wellmann presents a mass of gray and white clouds in varied tones moving against a cerulean sky while a hint of peachy, warm sun glows from behind the vapor.

A third feature in our March auction is a large-scale sculpture by German artist Wolfgang Stiller (German, b. 1961) titled Matchsticks (estimate: $5,000–$7,000). Stiller, whose first solo gallery show was in 1986, focuses his practice on objects and installations, often transforming familiar and ordinary items into uncanny and unsettling facsimiles. Among his ouvre are cast wax geodes, a recreation of a scientific laboratory inside a disused train car, and bronze baby heads fashioned into ginseng roots. The human head is a common point of inspiration for Stiller, and this is apparent in Matchsticks, in which three wood matchsticks are topped with hairless, male heads, burnt black and resembling medieval death masks in a kind of postmodern memento mori.

Also among the featured highlights in our March auction are works by Thomas Hill, Maurice Braun, John Frederick Kensett, Tavakol Esmaili and much more.

The Furniture & Decorative Arts segment will feature a number of standout pieces in our March 21st auction.

One such piece is a rare Northern Baroque carved altar table with tabernacle, dating to the late 17th century, estimated at $8,000–$12,000. Fully carved with biblical reserves, this exquisite table highlights the exceptional craftsmanship of the period.

Clars is pleased to announce its upcoming March 21st Furniture, Art, Jewelry & Asian Auction, beginning 9:30 AM PDT. This highly anticipated sale will showcase an exceptional selection of rare and beautiful works, offering something for every collector, from fine antiques to contemporary masterpieces.

Furniture & Decorative Arts

The Furniture & Decorative Arts segment will feature a number of standout pieces. We’ll begin with a rare Northern Baroque carved altar table with tabernacle, dating to the late 17th century, estimated at $8,000–$12,000. Fully carved with biblical reserves, this exquisite table highlights the exceptional craftsmanship of the period.

Also featured is a Chamberlains Worcester armorial porcelain dinner service made for Sir Joseph Scott of Great Barr Hall, estimated at $4,000–$6,000. This early 19th-century set reflects the connection between the patron and the renowned Worcester factory.

Additional highlights include a pair of English polychrome decorated ironstone potpourri urns, valued at $1,800–$2,500, and a George I gilt bronze mounted ebonized bracket clock, by John Gerrard, estimated at $1,800–$2,500. With these and other fine offerings, the auction promises an impressive array of rare and historical pieces.

Fine Art

Clars’ Fine Art section will feature works from diverse periods and regions. A key highlight is Marion Kavanaugh Wachtel’s Autumn, Trabuco Mountains, California, a breathtaking oil on canvas capturing the changing colors of the leaves in the foothills of California’s mountains. The painting is estimated at $8,000–$12,000.

Ambera Wellmann’s surreal and emotionally charged Cloud #7, an oil on panel, offers an exploration of color and form and is estimated at $8,000–$12,000.

Other notable works include Wolfgang Stiller’s Matchsticks, a large-scale sculpture that blends the human form with everyday objects, valued at $5,000–$7,000, and pieces by celebrated artists such as Thomas Hill, Maurice Braun, and John Frederick Kensett.

Fine Jewelry & Watches

The Fine Jewelry & Watches Auction will feature a curated selection of exquisite jewelry pieces, from vintage watches to one-of-a-kind designs. Collectors can expect stunning gold jewelry, statement pieces, and timeless designs suited to a variety of tastes. With items ranging from elegant rings to bold necklaces and bracelets, this sale offers an opportunity for both seasoned collectors and newcomers to acquire pieces that reflect craftsmanship and style. In addition, vintage watch collectors will be delighted by the fine offerings available for bid.

Asian Art

The Asian Art department will showcase a range of rare and desirable items, including a 19th-century Chinese famille verte globular vase, decorated with the Eight Immortals, estimated at $1,000–$1,500.

Another exciting highlight is a Hirado blue and white trumpet form vase — featuring scholars beneath cranes and pine trees — and a watercolor and ink painting by Chiura Obata that captures the iconic landscape of the Carmel coast, estimated at $1,500–$2,500. These treasures reflect the depth and beauty of Asian artistry.

Whether you’re a seasoned collector or a first-time bidder, Clars Auctions invites you to join us for this exciting event, where beauty, history, and exceptional craftsmanship converge.

The Warehouse Auction: March 22nd

The Warehouse auction offers a dynamic and diverse selection of art, prints, and photographs, with each month featuring a curated mix of paintings, sculptures, and works from across the globe, all with accessible estimates. The Asian Art section will showcase a thoughtfully curated array, including Japanese woodblock prints, ceramics, folding screens, and other fine decorative items. In the Jewelry department, we are thrilled to present a range of affordable pieces, from diamonds to silver and gold necklaces. Additionally, The Warehouse boasts an accessibly priced collection that encompasses modern and antique furniture and décor, silver, porcelain, glass, fashion, collectible toys, books, and indigenous arts.