If you have ever thought about selling at auction, NOW is the time. Incredible prices are being achieved on fine paintings, prints and sculpture.

Clars’ Fine Art Specialists will be in the following areas to offer private and confidential in home appointments: San Francisco | Carmel | Palo Alto | San Rafael | Healdsburg

To schedule your appointment, call (510) 428-0100 x 123 OR email [email protected]

Clars Auctions is delighted to present a collection of Japanese and Western art from the esteemed Mitsui (Koishikawa) family, a prominent business dynasty with roots dating back to the Edo period, in our October 18th Auction.

The Mitsui family’s legacy began in 1673 as a kimono shop and evolved into the influential Mitsui Group, a zaibatsu (conglomerate) that has played a pivotal role in Japan’s economic development from the Edo period to present day.

Their impact on commerce and culture is well-documented, notably in the book Mitsui: Three Centuries of Japanese Business. A remarkable 1930 article in Fortune magazine noted, “There is no business enterprise anywhere which is at once so diverse as the house of Mitsui in Japan.” This diversity is beautifully reflected in the collection we are proud to offer.

Spanning the 20th century, the collection showcases a blend of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary innovation, allowing art enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the rich narrative of Japanese culture. Among its highlights are exquisite gifts exchanged during the marriage of Princess Hiroko (1897–1983), of the Shimazu Clan, and Mr. Takanaga Mitsui (1892– 1962), of the Mitsui Koishikawa clan, symbolizing the family’s appreciation for art and culture.

The collection features a diverse range of early 20th-century Western decorative arts, including Tiffany Studios glass and a bronze sculpture acquired directly from the renowned artist, Antoine Bourdelle, in Paris, reflecting the Mitsui family’s global perspective to fine art. Additionally, the collection proudly highlights works by contemporary Japanese artists Morino Taimei and Kyohei Fujita, showcasing their mastery of ceramics and glass.

Clars is thrilled to present our Important Fall Fine Art Auction on Thursday, September 19th, at 1 PM PDT. This exciting event will feature a diverse selection of remarkable pieces from William Merritt Chase, Pablo Picasso, Yayoi Kusama, and much more.

One of the most exciting pieces up for auction is an exceptional oil on panel painting by renowned American Impressionist, William Merritt Chase (American, 1849–1916). Titled A Mother’s Joy and created in 1889, this piece measures 17″ x 17″ (43.2 x 43.2 cm) and is signed by the artist. It carries an estimated value of $600,000–$900,000 USD. The painting’s provenance includes its acquisition by New Jersey Governor Franklin Murphy from Fifth Avenue Art Galleries in 1891, and it has been exhibited in notable venues such as the Society of American Artists and the Chicago Interstate Industrial Exposition. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from D. Frederick Baker and Ronald G. Pisano, Inc., this painting is a significant highlight of the auction.

Another standout in the auction is a ceramic pitcher by the legendary artist, Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973). Best known for his revolutionary Cubist paintings, Picasso also made significant contributions to ceramic art. This particular pitcher, titled Piquet Gothique aux Oiseaux with estimate of $8,000–$12,000, showcases Picasso’s distinctive style with its simplified painting technique and depiction of three black birds. The pitcher, crafted in 1953, is a testament to Picasso’s prolific work in ceramics, a medium he explored extensively after his initial visit to the Madoura pottery studio in Vallauris, France.

The Important Fall Fine Art Auction will also feature a striking photograph by photographer, Helmut Newton (Australian/German, 1920–2004). Known for his dramatic black-and-white compositions and collaborations with major fashion designers, Newton’s work has been influential in the world of fashion photography. The gelatin silver print offered in this sale, titled Vogue, France, Yves St. Laurent, Paris, captures Yves Saint Laurent’s collection inspired by film noir aesthetics, and exemplifies Newton’s iconic style of high drama and eroticism. This photograph will be offered at $10,000–$15,000.

Several collectable and notable prints will also be offered in the September auction. Among them are two woodblock prints by artist, Gustave Baumann (American/German, 1881–1971), who is celebrated for his revival of the woodblock technique in the U.S. The two available prints, Spring Freshet valued at $5,000–$7,000 and The Sycamore at $6,000–$9,000, both highlight Baumann’s mastery in depicting southwestern U.S. landscapes.

An amazing print by the ever-popular Pop Art icon, Yayoi Kusama (Japanese, b. 1929), will also be up for auction. The screenprint, A Pumpkin BB-C, which reflects her famous pumpkin in vibrant blue, is priced to sell at $20,000–$30,000. This is a must have for any Kusama fan and a perfect piece just in time for fall.

The sale will continue with even more memorable prints including a 1978/79 Untitled etching by Minimalist, Donald Judd (American, 1928–1994), priced at $5,000–$7,000 and two spectacular prints by pop artist, Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923–1997). Lichtenstein’s famous Crak offset lithograph from 1964 will be on the block at $10,000– $15,000 along with his small edition pencil signed print created for Guild Hall East Hampton at $5,000–$7,000.

From the Pacific Rim and estimated at $15,000–$20,000, Clars will be offering an elegant, yet colorful painting from 1963 by artist, Cheong Soo Pieng (Singaporean, 1917–1983). Heading north, a magnificent, oil on canvas by Contemporary artist, Liao Zhenwu (Chinese, b. 1964), titled The Story of Meditation, will be offered for $5,000–$7,000. Always a favorite among collectors is South Asian artist, Jamini Roy (Indian, 1887–1972). Known for capturing the essence of simplicity in the life of the Indian people, a classic gouache on paper, Untitled (Seated Figure), is another of the many highlights at Clars Auctions on September 19th and will be available for $7,000–$10,000.

The Important Fall Fine Art Auction will have many other notable artists represented. One such artist is S.C. Yuan (Chinese/American, 1911–1974), who is known as one of the foremost painters of the Monterey Peninsula. The two untitled paintings in this month’s sale depict a conversation between two figures, estimated at $3,000–$5,000, and a barn, estimated at $6,000–$9,000. Both showcase the restrained palette preferred by the artist.

Another more contemporary California work on paper by Funk Art pioneer, Roy De Forest (American, 1930–2007), with an auction estimate of $6,000–$9,000, will be offered. De Forest was a major figure in Bay Area modern art during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, and he was also a key member of the faculty at U.C. Davis. De Forest taught alongside fellow California icons, including Wayne Thiebaud, William T. Wiley, and Robert Arneson. Alongside this piece we will also be offering a striking work by another California artist, Sam Francis, estimated at $8,000–$12,000.

Clars is also pleased to offer several contemporary works of sculpture which round out our diverse collection this month. Included is a work by Vivian Wang (Chinese, b. 1945) featuring a glass figure of a seated child with a red and black painted hat and outfit with an auction estimate of $3,000–$5,000. Wang began her career as a fashion designer before transitioning to fine art. She is known for glass figural sculptures that pay homage to her Chinese heritage. Another striking piece in this group is a mixed media sculpture by American artist Peter Anton (American, b. 1963) depicting an ice cream bar, valued at $4,000–$6,000. Anton is known for his hyperrealist sculptures of dessert foods. Also included in the sculpture section is an anemone-like glass cube by Wilfried Grootens (German, b. 1954) with an estimate of $3,000–$5,000 as well as a glass mime figure by Martin Janecky (Czech, b. 1980) with an estimate of $4,000–$6,000.

Clars is now seeking Important Fine Art consignments for our upcoming Fall auction. Schedule your private and confidential appointment now to speak to one of our Fine Art Specialists to determine your item’s auction potential.

Clars is pleased to offer the Art & Photography Collection from the Estate of Professor Raymond Lifchez (Berkeley, California).

Lifchez was Professor Emeritus of Architecture and City & Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley for over 50 years. Lifchez made a deep and lasting impact on teaching, advocacy for accessible design and was a pioneer in incorporating accessibility/disability justice into design education.

Photographers to be featured include: Ruth Bernhard, Manual Alvarez Bravo, Harry Callahan, Robert Capa, Keith Carter, Robert Doisneau, Horst P. Horst, Michael Kenna, Joanne Leonard, Sally Mann, Nicholas Nixon, Bill Owens, Man Ray, Leo Rubinfien, Anna Draper Shaw, Garry Winogrand, and Max Yavno.

Clars is excited to present our Important Summer Fine Art Sale on June 20th, commencing at 10 AM PDT. The sale is bursting with exceptional artwork from iconic creators such as Salvador Dalí, Roy Lichtenstein and Aaron Douglas.

One of the most exciting pieces in this month’s Important Summer Fine Art Sale is a never-before-sold oil on canvas painting by world-renowned Spanish Surrealist, Salvador Dalí. Over the course of the early to mid-twentieth century, Dalí established himself as perhaps the most celebrated of the Surrealist painters, famous for both his instantly recognizable visual style and for his eccentric personality and antics. The painting in this month’s sale, titled Portrait of Mrs. Luther Greene, is an oil on canvas that was commissioned by the sitter’s husband in New York City in 1942 — the year of the artist’s first retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art.

The portrait depicts the patron seated in the foreground, wrapped in a red robe. Behind her is a classic, Dalíesque desert landscape with two figures standing in the distance. An amorphous hill on the far right is dotted with buildings — resembling a forgotten ghost town — and a small boat sits beached by the shore on the far left. This exemplary piece is accompanied by the preliminary sketches done by the artist in preparation for the painting.

Another noteworthy piece in the sale is a serigraph by American Pop art pioneer, Roy Lichtenstein. Lichtenstein was one of the most prominent figures to come out of the Pop Art movement and is most known for his comic strip-inspired paintings, prints, and sculptures. The print featured in the June sale is titled Reverie and dates to 1965. Pictured is a young woman with blonde hair and a melancholy expression, holding a microphone while a speech bubble over her head reads the lyrics, “The melody haunts my reverie.” This lyric — taken from the song Stardust by Tin Pan Alley musicians Hoagy Carmichael and Mitchell Parish — was written in 1927 and popularized during the 1930s big band era. The retro feel of the imagery is characteristic of Lichtenstein’s work, as is the comic-style dot work, bold color, and thick, black lines. Reverie was created for a portfolio, titled 11 Pop Artists published by Original Editions, that included 2 other prints by the artist as well as prints by Andy Warhol, Tom Wesselman, and other major names in the Pop Art movement.

A third striking highlight in our sale is an oil on canvas painting by key Harlem Renaissance figure, Aaron Douglas. Douglas is widely known for the murals he was commissioned to paint in several high-profile locations. These locations included several Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the Harlem YMCA, and one of his most acclaimed works, Aspects of Negro Life, at the New York Public Library in Harlem. Douglas worked with writers Alain Locke and W.E.B. Du Bois, and had illustrations included in publications like Vanity Fair, the NAACP journal The Crisis, and Opportunity: A Journal of Negro Life among others. Douglas developed a distinctive, graphic style that combined the aesthetic exploration of modernism with more traditional African subject matter. He often used bold color and evocative light sources with leafy foliage and human figures in silhouette. These figures are at times depicted in an African village or tribal setting, dancing, holding spears, or traversing a jungle-like landscape.

In other instances, figures are shown in American cityscapes, holding industrial tools with skyscrapers looming in the distance, or playing brass instruments in bands. The work in our June sale shows three silhouetted human figures holding spears and chasing five bison-like animals through an abstracted environment that uses the interplay between color and light to mimic an earthly landscape while remaining nonobjective. Douglas’s approach marries the celebratory aspects of Harlem Renaissance figuration with an Orphism-inspired understanding of color theory that creates a composition in which movement and light become as intrinsic to the material as paint and canvas.

In addition to the aforementioned works, we are also pleased to offer abstract sculptures by Claire Falkenstein, a life-size bronze gown by Karen LaMonte, a suite of six bullfighting paintings by LeRoy Neiman, an abstract expressionist oil by Tancredi Parmeggiani, and much more in our Important Summer Fine Art Sale on June 20th.

A striking highlight in our Important Summer Fine Art Sale is an oil on canvas painting by key Harlem Renaissance figure, Aaron Douglas. Douglas is widely known for the murals he was commissioned to paint in several high-profile locations.

These locations included several Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the Harlem YMCA, and one of his most acclaimed works, Aspects of Negro Life, at the New York Public Library in Harlem. Douglas worked with writers Alain Locke and W.E.B. Du Bois, and had illustrations included in publications like Vanity Fair, the NAACP journal The Crisis, and Opportunity: A Journal of Negro Life among others. Douglas developed a distinctive, graphic style that combined the aesthetic exploration of modernism with more traditional African subject matter. He often used bold color and evocative light sources with leafy foliage and human figures in silhouette. These figures are at times depicted in an African village or tribal setting, dancing, holding spears, or traversing a jungle-like landscape.

In other instances, figures are shown in American cityscapes, holding industrial tools with skyscrapers looming in the distance, or playing brass instruments in bands. The work in our June sale shows three silhouetted human figures holding spears and chasing five bison-like animals through an abstracted environment that uses the interplay between color and light to mimic an earthly landscape while remaining nonobjective. Douglas’s approach marries the celebratory aspects of Harlem Renaissance figuration with an Orphism-inspired understanding of color theory that creates a composition in which movement and light become as intrinsic to the material as paint and canvas.

In addition to the aforementioned work, we are also pleased to offer abstract sculptures by Claire Falkenstein, a life-size bronze gown by Karen LaMonte, a suite of six bullfighting paintings by LeRoy Neiman, an abstract expressionist oil by Tancredi Parmeggiani, and much more in our Important Summer Fine Art Sale on June 20th.

A noteworthy piece in our Important Summer Fine Art Sale is a serigraph by American Pop art pioneer, Roy Lichtenstein. Lichtenstein was one of the most prominent figures to come out of the Pop Art movement and is most known for his comic strip-inspired paintings, prints, and sculptures.

The print featured in the June sale is titled Reverie and dates to 1965. Pictured is a young woman with blonde hair and a melancholy expression, holding a microphone while a speech bubble over her head reads the lyrics, “The melody haunts my reverie.” This lyric — taken from the song Stardust by Tin Pan Alley musicians Hoagy Carmichael and Mitchell Parish — was written in 1927 and popularized during the 1930s big band era. The retro feel of the imagery is characteristic of Lichtenstein’s work, as is the comic-style dot work, bold color, and thick, black lines. Reverie was created for a portfolio, titled 11 Pop Artists published by Original Editions, that included 2 other prints by the artist as well as prints by Andy Warhol, Tom Wesselman, and other major names in the Pop Art movement.

In addition to the aforementioned work, we are also pleased to offer abstract sculptures by Claire Falkenstein, a life-size bronze gown by Karen LaMonte, a suite of six bullfighting paintings by LeRoy Neiman, an abstract expressionist oil by Tancredi Parmeggiani, and much more in our Important Summer Fine Art Sale on June 20th.

Frank’s Fisherman, located on San Francisco’s waterfront, was established in 1946 and began as a chandlery for the bay area’s commercial fishing fleet.

For nearly five decades, Frank’s Fisherman was a cornerstone of Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, CA. Founded in 1946, the store transformed under the ownership of 4th generation San Franciscan brothers, Ken and Ron Brown, who purchased the store in 1977. From then on, Ken and Ron began what became a lifelong passion for researching, collecting and selling maritime antiques. With a mission of maintaining a sense of history, the brothers remained an integral part of the Wharf for 47 years, focusing on important 18th and 19th century maritime and scientific antiques.

Renowned for their expertise, the brothers were a trusted resource for museums and private collectors alike. Their recent closure in February 2024 marked the end of an era, but their legacy lives on in their remarkable collection. The store featured an unusual mix of artifacts, making Frank’s Fisherman the destination spot on Fisherman’s Wharf for collectors and travelers from around the world. Clars is honored to present a curated selection from the Frank’s Fisherman collection in The Maritime Sale on April 18th.

Highlights include an American carved eagle from New Hampshire, estimated at $4,000–$6,000; a Japanese silk and metallic thread commemorative embroidery of the U.S.S. Chattanooga, estimated at $2,500–$3,500; a waterline ship model of the Elin Maria in case, estimated at $6,000–$8,000; and a magnificent scratch-built paddle wheel steamship model of the ‘California,’ crafted by Tom Fordham (d. 2004) at a scale of ¼″ + 1′, estimated at $6,000–$8,000.

The Maritime Sale will also include a small collection of amusement park collectibles, featuring two iconic items from the legendary San Francisco’s Playland at the Beach: an elephant animatronic character supporting a globe, and a whimsical larger-than-life paper mache head of a man/boy with large ears.

Ms. Meri Jaye was a renowned, San Francisco interior designer of passenger and cargo ships, as well as the corporate headquarters for American President Lines.

Ms. Jaye, who designed up on Lombard Street in San Francisco, CA, amassed a distinguished collection with a keen eye. She had a notable array of shipping related artwork, furnishings, ship models, and other artifacts related to the projects she worked on. Many of her pieces, acquired from reputable dealers in the 1960s and 1970s, haven’t been offered for sale in over 50 years. Property from the Meri Jaye estate will be offered in both The Maritime Sale on April 18th, and our Furniture, Art, Jewelry & Asian Auction on April 19th.

Pieces to be offered this April include a rare manuscript by Admiral Horatio Nelson, exquisite ship models, half-hull models, and unique nautical furnishings — like royal tiller yokes and ships’ tables. Among the treasures from her collection, we are thrilled to present a rare and breathtaking oil on canvas painting by the English-born American artist, Edward Moran (American/British, 1829–1901). Entitled New York Bay from the Battery, painted in 1871, this masterpiece is estimated to be valued between $20,000–$40,000. Moran began his artistic journey as an apprentice to landscape painter, Paul Weber in Philadelphia. He later established himself as a prominent marine artist in the United States, studying at the Royal Academy in London and setting up studios in Paris and New York City.

Arguably, Moran’s most significant contribution lies in his series of thirteen Marine History paintings, capturing pivotal moments in American maritime history. The featured work in our April sale provides a captivating glimpse of New York City’s harbor, with its intricate composition portraying two small boats navigating turbulent waves in the foreground, amidst a backdrop of numerous ships entering the harbor.

Another notable highlight from Ms. Jaye’s collection is a portrait miniature of Marie Antoinette by Pierre De Nolhac. It was published in London by Arthur L. Humphreys in 1905 and is valued between $600–$800. Other highlights include an HMS Bellerophon stern model in case with letter fragment stating that the model was made by a sailor on duty on the Bellerophon in 1815, estimated at $4,000–$6,000; and Don Quixote, printed by Don Joaquin Ibarra, estimated at $5,000–$7,000.