New & Noteworthy
Stay up to date with news, highlights, & features from across Freeman's.
Stay up to date with news, highlights, & features from across Freeman's.
In the early twenty-first century, fashion houses began to prioritize branding more intensely than ever before. This can be seen clearly in popular culture about fashion. Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum’s mission in the early 2000’s to find the next “in” fashion designer on Bravo’s, then later Lifetime’s, “Project Runway” has completely evolved, with their new venture “The Cut” on Amazon openly stating its end goal is to find an up and coming mastermind behind the next mega-brand. While this transition has been treacherous for some established fashion houses, Rei Kawakubo, the designer and founder of Japanese fashion brand Comme des Garçons, has kept branding at the forefront of her mind since her label’s genesis. As quoted in Vogue, Kawakubo stated in 1969 “It is true to say that I ‘design’ the company, not just clothes.” Kawakubo’s focus on branding Comme des Garçons in the mid to late twentieth century was ahead of its time, and by 1973 her label was established officially as a company. In the following decades Kawakubo’s collections garnered criticism from the French fashion elite during Comme des Garçons’ runway shows at Paris Fashion Week. Kawakubo’s ensembles broke all the rules, everything from her color selection, (she favored black), to technique, ensemble’s proudly featured unfinished seams, and even her silhouettes, often models walked the runway draped in asymmetrical fabric, sent shockwaves throughout the fashion industry. However, any press is good press, and the label’s unique style lent itself to the branding demands of the twenty-first century. Figure 1. Lot 136 from sale 740, Spring Fashion and Accessories, held March 19th, 2020 sold above its high estimate, and is one of many Comme des Garçons pieces to appear at auction through Hindman. Instantly recognizable for its nonconformist style, Comme des Garçons expanded far beyond its own company, and collaborated with a plethora of fashion brands across a variety of markets including, Nike, Moncler, Lacoste, Converse All-Star, and even the epitome of traditional French fashion, Louis Vuitton. These collaborations lead to Comme des Garçons integrating into streetwear; the brand’s wildly successful collaboration with Converse All-Star is readily available to the public at retailers like Nordstrom, bringing Kawakubo’s style to the mainstream fashion market. Kawakubo set her sights high for Comme des Garçons and all it could achieve, proving fashion is a vehicle for more than just clothing, but rather presenting an attitude, a singular style, and ultimately a brand. Figure 2. Lot 169 from sale 663, Spring Fashion & Accessories: 1800-2015, sold for an impressive $4,750 to The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on April 8th, 2019. Comme des Garçons and its various iterations are popular items on the secondary fashion market and have sold successfully at auction through Hindman. As recently as March 19th, 2020, designs from Comme des Garçons have appeared consistently in Hindman sales. Auction 740, Spring Fashion and Accessories featured a Comme des Garçons by Junya Watanabe, Kawakubo’s protégé, lot 136, and sold for $687.50 (Fig. 1). However, the brand has long been of interest among bidders, with lot 169, from sale 663, a Rare Early Comme des Garçons Knit Sweater, circa 1983-84, selling to The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on April 8th, 2019 for an impressive $4,750 (Fig. 2). Additionally, Comme des Garçons will feature extensively in Hindman’s upcoming Summer Fashion and Accessories and Couture auction, sale 768. Pieces covering the last twenty years of the brand’s collections will be presented to the public for auction as soon as June 19th, 2020 (Fig. 3). Such unconventional ensembles feel perfectly suited to go to the podium for an unprecedented and equally as unique calendar year ahead. Figure 3. Ensembles from a two decades worth of design from Comme des Garçons will be headed to the podium this summer, June 19th, 2020 in sale 768 including lot 90 a Comme Des Garcons Jacket and Skirt F/W from 1996 and lot 96, a Comme des Garcons Soft Sculpt Dress, from 2014.
It should come as no surprise to those familiar with Hermès Paris that the logo of the legendary lifestyle brand, stamped and embossed across a plethora of luxury goods, has been a horse drawn Duc carriage since the 1950s. A Duc in the French monarchy was a high ranking nobleman, just below members of the ruling family. When Thierry Hermès began the company with his harness workshop in Paris, France in 1837, he was not focused on serving the needs of King Louis Philippe I, the then King of France, but rather French noblemen. The company has always focused on taking mundane products of their client’s every day, harnesses and saddles, and elevating their design, holding form and function to an equal standard, to make those who are not royal feel royal. Just like the Duc of their logo, Hermès strives to create products for their clients, whether monarchical or not, that infuse their life with the luxury of royalty. Not long into the twentieth century, Hermès was approaching its hundredth year as a firm, and the house’s product line began to expand in the early 1920’s. Thierry Hermès’ grandson, Émile-Maurice was now in charge of the family run company alongside his brother Adolphe. Not only was the company, at the time named Hermès Frères, ascending rapidly in clientele now serving foreign royalty creating saddles for the czars of Russia, the firm was building upon its history of designing luxuriously functional pieces, with leather handbags. Created simply because Émile-Maurice’s wife could not find a leather bag to her liking, the house began what would be a storied history into women’s accessories. Over sixty years later, Émile-Maurice’s own grandson, Jean-Louis Dumas, would create the iconic Birkin bag at the behest of the purse’s namesake, English actress Jane Birkin, who complained she too just couldn’t find a bag to fit her needs. Jean-Louis’ father, Robert Dumas, successor to Émile-Maurice, continued to focus on the firm’s interest in women’s accessories pioneered by his father-in-law in the 1920s, debuting the Hermès scarf in 1937, the year of the company’s 100th anniversary. Created from imported Chinese silk, more durable than other silks on the market at the time, and with Dumas’ penchant for color and composition, the scarf became an instant success. Hermès’ tried and true formula of form and function reigning supreme again. The scarf, with thousands of designs created between its inception and today, has been seen on a plethora of celebrities and royalty. It has adorned the likes of Audrey Hepburn, acted as a sling for Grace Kelly, and to this day is styled as a head scarf by Queen Elizabeth II. As recently as 2020, the Hermès scarf has found renewed fame with American physician and diplomat Dr. Deborah Birx. During the daily White House briefing, Dr. Birx’s ensemble always features a new Hermès scarf, whether wrapped delicately around her shoulders or tied in a classic knot around her neck. America has become enraptured by Dr. Birx’s collection, resulting in both an Instagram account dedicated to posting her daily selection, to even a Saturday Night Live sketch during the show’s 2020 Mother’s Day episode. Prints similar to those found Dr. Birx’s own collection will be featured in Hindman Auctions’ upcoming auction, Summer Fashion and Accessories (Online Only) Sale 768, on June 19th, 2020 at 10:00 am. April 8th, Dr. Birx wore the Rocaille II design complementary to the Coquilles pattern by Robert Delpire from LOT 238 in Sale 768 (Fig. 1). Dr. Birx continued her nature theme by wearing a delicate cherry blossom similar to two scarves soon to make their way to the podium at Hindman, LOTS 220 and 221 also in Sale 768 (Figures 2-3). Due to their respective relationships with fashion icons, and royalty, Hermès scarves and leather handbags are wildly popular among vintage collectors and fashionistas alike. With the exclusivity surrounding Hermès’ handbags, as stories of waitlists ran rampant in the early twenty-first century, and the bags’ reputation for its exquisite hand craftsmanship, buyers often scour the luxury resale market to find the Birkin of their dreams. Pictured, two 40cm Hermès Birkins, lots 271 and 272 from sale 740 Spring Fashion and Accessories, were won for significantly less than they would have cost the bidder had they purchased the items in store, making fashion dreams accessible for devotees to Hermès (Fig. 4). However, significantly less does not mean lesser, as this deal still costs bidders $7,500 and $5,750 respectively. Scarves are similarly a great deal at auction, with the opening bid asking a mere $150 or less, with lots 262 and 266, pictured, selling at the opening bids (Fig. 4). The auction world works to continue Hermès’ vision, whether royalty or not, luxury is not inaccessible, and should be integrated into even our most functional pieces with ease.
William Ralph Blass, better known as Bill Blass, was an American designer and pioneer in American fashion during the late 20th century. Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1922, Blass’ rise to the top of the fashion industry was rather unorthodox. After leaving Indiana to attend the Parson’s School of Design in New York City at the age of 17, greater global events eventually took precedence in Blass’ life. Blass served over three years in the U.S. Army during World War II, putting his time at Parsons on hold, but his service did not deter his design ambitions. By 1946 Blass was working for Anna Miller and Co. back in New York. When the company merged with Maurice Retner Ltd. in 1959 Blass became the head designer of the new Retner Ltd.. Blass’ designs promoted a sophisticated ease in women’s clothing, not unlike the chic and sporty designs of his European contemporary Coco Chanel. His popularity with America’s elite, including Diana Vreeland of Harper’s Bazaar and eventually American Vogue, aided in the U.S. creating a strong presence in the global post-war fashion scene, rivaling the established French fashion houses. Blass would spend the following decades promoting a modern American lifestyle with his designs, eventually becoming the owner of Retner Ltd. in 1970, and renaming the brand something closer to home, Bill Blass Ltd. Bill Blass the label would solidify his place in the pantheon of great American designers, continuing well past Blass’s own retirement in 1999 and into the twenty-first century. Blass’ material appears often in Couture and Luxury Accessories auctions at Hindman. Designs across multiple decades of the esteemed designer’s career have made their way to the podium, producing some of the most interest from buyers and vintage lovers alike. Most recently, sale 740 Spring Fashion and Accessories featured a rare Bill Blass Matisse-Inspired Jacket and Top from the designer’s Spring/Summer 1988 collection, lot 28 (Fig. 1). As noted by fashion journalist, Amy Fine Collins, in her 1988 article for Art in America “Sequined Simulacra”, while Blass may have taken inspiration directly from the creations of French Post-Impressionist Henri Matisse, but his exposure to such pieces came from a 1987 exhibition held in Washington D.C.’s National Gallery of Art. Blass’ recreation of fine art in the context of fashion only serves to highlight the constant tension between the two institutions, with Collins asserting “Art has no practical value, but can appreciate, while clothing is functional but largely devoid of any real investment potential,”. However, Collins admitted Blass himself disagreed with her assessment as Blass stated his Matisse ensembles were “investment pieces—just as a painting would be,”. Ultimately, it would be Blass whose evaluation of the material would come out on top. Over thirty years after the Matisse ensembles debuted, lot 28 sold for $1,375 in sale 740, only adding to the enduring and ever changing tension between fine art and fashion.
Are the 2000s vintage? It can be hard to believe but 2000 was already twenty years ago. While many recognize clothing that is at least twenty years old to be vintage, in December 2018 the New York Times argued the vintage cycle for the early 2000s is even shorter. The 2000s aesthetic has made an unprecedented early come back in contemporary fashion and auction can be a great place to find some original 2000s pieces for your wardrobe. Whether you consider them vintage or not is up to you, we won’t judge! Here are some of our favorite 2000s pieces that have sold at auction this past year. Two Chanel Vinyl Bags Two Chanel Vinyl Bags, 2000s, Sale 740, Lot 217, Sold for $1,187.50 Chanel has an enduring legacy as the “it girl” brand of choice and the early 2000s were no different. Karl Lagerfeld celebrated Chanel’s most famous bag, Coco Chanel’s 1955 release the Flap Bag 2.55, with a re-issue in 2005 aptly titled the Reissue 2.55. A 50th anniversary celebration, the Flap Bag’s rebranding was so wildly successful the quilted purse was seen on actresses and socialites alike in the early 2000s. Today Chanel still holds its title as the “it girl” bag of choice. As vinyl and Lucite bags have become increasingly popular over the past few years, seen recently on veritable “it girl” Ariana Grande, lot 217 in sale 740 from Hindman’s Couture and Luxury Accessories department was decidedly ahead of its time. One lucky bidder was able to have their “it girl” moment for an impressive $1,187.50. Yves Saint Laurent Earrings Yves Saint Laurent Earrings, 1990-2000s, Sale 703, Lot 250. Sold for $531.25 Before it was just Saint Laurent there was an Yves to account for. In the 2000s, Yves Saint Laurent was no stranger to integrating logos and branding within their designs. While the brand did not engage in dripping their branding across any and all of their designs like many of their contemporaries, it is not coincidence their most popular purse, the YSL tassel bag, places the brand’s logo front and center. Even after the company’s rebranding, the “Y” in YSL still remains integral to any accessory monogramming. While the 2000s label love endures in the brand’s handbag designs, an unexpected accessory has made a return from the brands vault: rhinestone wording on accessories. Seen now mostly on barrettes, rhinestone wording has made a huge comeback thanks to 2000s nostalgia. The trend is so popular one dedicated fashionista won lot 250 from sale 740 for $531.25. Now that’s what we call commitment to an aesthetic. Chanel Giraffe Textured Purse Chanel Giraffe Textured Purse, 2000-02, Sale 740, Lot 222. Sold for $937.50 Animal print, whether you love it or hate it, it is definitely here to stay. The 2000s aesthetic was not just preoccupied with loud logos, but any and all design details that could make one’s ensemble stand out. Animal prints were key to being as eye catching as possible, for better or worse. As Chanel was an established favorite among our 2000s logo loving glitterati, the Chanel Giraffe textured purse fit perfectly into one’s wardrobe. Small accessories were popular during this time as well, a commentary on how everything in our world seemed to be shrinking, especially cell phones. Nothing felt more futuristic than a teeny tiny accessory. The petite size of this purse adheres to this 2000s preference and has reemerged as a recurring 2000s trend on red carpets. For examples, see Lizzo’s microscopic purse at the 2019 American Music Awards. One bidder will be able to live out their futuristic fantasy as lot 222 in sale 740 sold for a steal at $937.50
Bob Thompson’s The Sack (The Snook), 1961, is a drama of bold exaggerations, highlighted by the artist’s use of assertive, and unmodulated colors. Hindman is proud to offer this work as lot 49 in our May 21st, Post War and Contemporary Art Auction. Thompson’s short, dynamic, career began in the late 1950s and ended in his premature death less than a decade later. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Thompson studied briefly at Boston University and at the University of Louisville. On the advice of a teacher, in the summer of 1958 he traveled to Provincetown, where he was introduced to the expressive figurative work of Jan Muller, Hans Hofmann and Red Grooms. Later in 1958, Thompson migrated to New York, where he quickly arrived at his iconic style. Using as a springboard the dynamism of classical scenes by artists such as Piero della Francesca, Nicolas Poussin, and Tintoretto, Thompson transformed their compositions into simplified, abstracted forms applied with flat, bright color fields. The Sack (The Snook) highlights the singular aspects of Thompson’s mature style. Executed in Paris, where Thompson and his wife had settled in 1961 thanks to a Walter Guttman Foundation grant, the collage-like painting depicts an enigmatic scene, with its silhouetted figures and vivid colors. Although the exact inspiration for this artwork is unknown, Thompson frequently drew on Greco-Roman mythology and the Bible, as well as appropriating material from Classical paintings. He turned this subject matter into his own vision of contemporary allegorical nightmares. In The Sack (The Snook), two mysterious figures in hats enrobe a third in a black sack. To their right, two other figures appear to have thrust a person head-first into a purple sack. Additional ambiguous figures populate the mid-ground. The scene takes place against a shallow, compressed space that calls attention to the picture plane. The flattened forms and silhouettes evoke the undulating rhythms and syncopated movement found in jazz music, which Thompson deeply admired. Together, these elements combine to create an abstracted, dreamlike atmosphere that renders place and time indistinct.
During her lifetime, Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, better known by her nickname “Coco” Chanel, was a pioneer in early twentieth century French fashion. Notably, Coco was lauded for her innate ability to subvert firmly established norms in women’s fashion with her designs. Chanel’s preference for casual pieces, such as pants for women’s everyday wear, instead of previously popular corseted silhouettes, was one of many ways in which her personal style forever influenced women’s fashion design. However, Chanel’s innovation extended far beyond a preoccupation with clothing, and lent itself to the entirety of an ensemble, infusing her aesthetic into everything from fragrance to accessories. In the early twentieth century, accessories like fine jewelry were a means of visually establishing one’s wealth, a function jewelry served for centuries prior. In keeping with her rebellious spirit, Chanel saw jewelry differently. Instead of viewing costume jewelry as an attempt to imitate the appearance of the wealthy, she felt costume jewelry was simply a way to adorn an ensemble or to transform an outfit, and not necessarily a signifier of wealth to be worn in the evening to events attended by fellow bourgeoisie. Chanel advocated for wearing jewelry, both costume and fine pieces, together at any time of day, utilizing her minimal, sporty clothing designs as the perfect contrast to her penchant for layering cuffs, necklaces, and rings. The popularity of Chanel costume jewelry has not wavered since its introduction almost 100 years ago in the 1920s. It is a staple of the luxury resale market and is a continually a popular item among bidders. Even designs created by the late Karl Lagerfeld for the fashion house attract competitive bidding. Pictured here are three twenty-first century Chanel cuffs from Lagerfeld’s tenure, Lots 207, 208, and 191, respectively, from sale 740, Spring Fashion and Accessories (Fig. 1). Each cuff was the subject of competitive bidding, with 208 and 191 selling well above their low estimates. Cuffs were a favorite of Coco Chanel’s, who often opted to utilize these pieces to elevate an ensemble, creating the illusion of a jeweled cuff sleeve. In the 1970s, the fashion house introduced a commemorative cuff featuring a cameo portrait of Coco, who passed in 1971 (Fig. 2). A highly sought-after piece of Chanel collectors, this cuff appeared in sale 740, lot 164, and sold for over the high estimate at $800. Figure 2. A highly collectable cuff, lot 164 sold for an impressive $800 in sale 740 Spring Fashion and Accessories. Interested in buying Chanel costume jewelry? Have items you would like to consign for our next couture auction? Please email all inquiries to beatricelevine@hindmanauctions.com to begin your consignment today.
Hindman’s Modern Design Department is excited to offer A Pair of ‘Sculptured Metal’ Lounge Chairs by Paul Evans in our upcoming May 19 Modern Design Auction. Read more about this iconic metalsmith, craftsman, and designer below. Paul Evans (1931–1987) was a prolific designer-craftsman whose work eschewed the canon of design history until recent years. Today Evans’ radical and varied body of work is a testament to his contributions to the American Craft Movement in the United States. Crafting a dynamic visual language, Paul Evans’ universal appeal stems from his sculptural forms embodying creativity in the face of industrialization. Evans’ timeless shapes borrow techniques of manufacturing and mass production to realize furniture that is as conceptualized as sculpture. Born during the Great Depression in Trenton, New Jersey, Evans’ first introduction to woodworking and metalsmithing began at a Quaker preparatory school. Demonstrating unique sensibilities from an early age, Evans’ was awarded a scholarship by the “patron of craft” Aileen O. Webb to attend Rochester’s School for American Craftsmen and later Cranbrook Academy of Art. In 1955, Evans’ settled in New Hope, Pennsylvania, and cultivated a friendship with fellow craftsmen Phillip Lloyd Powell that lasted over a decade. Their shared showroom and early collaborative works helped contribute to the craft renaissance that was taking shape in America. The studio became a laboratory rife with experimentation and Evans’ embarked on a journey of material investigations daringly radical from his contemporaries. A shift in Evans’ work occurred when he and his assistant witnessed dockyard workers spraying zinc dust onto ship hulls to prevent corrosion. Evans’ then began the innovative application of epoxy and bronze over wood and steel frames to achieve the impression of massiveness to his furniture pieces. Figure 1: This Paul Evans DIRECTIONAL Stalagmite dining table, model PE-102 featured bronzed resin over steel and realized $15,250 at Hindman in 2017. By the time Evans’ was approached by Directional Furniture Company in 1964, he had already exhibited and sold through America House in New York, the leading retail gallery for pioneering American crafts to the public. Their extensive roster of artists included the likes of Wharton Esherick, Paolo Soleri, Tage Frid, and Wendall Castle. With the need to scale up production, Evans’ studio maintained on average 80 assistants––predominantly women. Ultimately, due to the complexity of forms and materials Evans’ partnership with Directional dissipated in 1979. Opening his showroom in New York at the height of Postmodernism, Evans’ evaded the classification as only “A carpenter in steel who gets burnished color with a torch” as Life magazine had once dubbed him. Figure 2: Hindman is excited to offer A Pair of ‘Sculptured Metal’ Lounge Chairs by Paul Evans in our upcoming May 19 Modern Design Auction. To achieve the ‘Sculptured Metal’ technique Paul Evans’ Studio used primarily for their work with Directional- first epoxy resin was applied over a steel frame, then the resin was sculpted in freehand form, sandblasted, and finally coated with atomized bronze. During the 1980s Evans’ worked with his son to explore the possibilities of kinetic furniture and embraced the eclecticism, ornamentation, kitsch, and irony that came with the movement. A day after his retirement at the age of 56, Paul Evans’ suffered from a heart attack bringing a definitive end to his three-decade-long career. What makes Evans’ work so compelling––from his stalactite-shaped chairs to his cityscape polished metal cabinets––is his ingenuity with materials which forged a distinct visual language for the tactile. With the resurgence of craft in the mid-2000s, Evans’ name has now become ubiquitous and crosses generational and international collecting spheres with bidders at auction today.
For most, the name Karl Lagerfled is synonymous with the Parisian fashion house Chanel. His presence in the 90s and early 00s fashion scene with Chanel was hallmarked by theatrical runways at the Grand Palais, decades of ad campaigns featuring whoever “it” model of the moment was, and of course his signature personal style, silver ponytail and all. However, Lagerfeld worked under a plethora of well known brands in his early career including Pierre Balmain, Jean Patou, and Chloé. Lagerfeld’s tenure at Chloé is particularly fascinating, with the designer entering the company in 1963 alongside fellow designer Graziella Fontana, Tan Giudicelli and Michèle Rosierrs, only to become the house’s main designer a mere 3 years later in 1966. Lagerfeld worked with the brand for decades, eventually becoming their art director in 1992. While at Chloé, Lagerfeld was prolific, producing some of his most playful and irreverent work. Such whimsy is prominent in Chloé’s 1983 autumn/winter collection where a parade of models strutted down the runway in garments displaying various plumbing fixtures as accessories to garments inspired by shower heads dripping dazzling crystals. The various iterations of the shower dress became signature pieces of this collection, with two later acquired by Eunice Johnson and the Ebony Fashion Fair (Fig. 1). The shower dress was featured in the 1983/84 Ebony Fashion Fair where Mrs. Johnson celebrated the piece as Lagerfeld’s “most outstanding creation”. The shower dress’s history continued well into the twenty-first century here at Hindman Auctions. The ensemble made its way to the auction podium in the December 6th, 2019 sale Luxe Holiday Featuring Property from Ebony Fashion Fair: The Final Show (Fig. 1). With overwhelming interest from fashionistas and fashion institutions alike, lot 74 sold for a record breaking $32,500 making it the highest selling Karl Lagerfeld at auction. The successful sale of the dress, acquired by the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, marked a bittersweet end to 2019, selling the same year of Lagerfeld’s death. The lighthearted design of Lagerfeld’s iconic shower dress compels us to remember the playfulness of his imagination and fashion can, ultimately, be a lot of fun.
Offered as a highlight of the April 28th-29th Fine Furniture, Decorative Arts and Silver auction, this Asprey & Co. Silver Twin-Handled Horse Jumping Trophy, Sheffield, 1912 has a storied history. It was awarded to Major General William Brooks Bradford by Michael I King of Romania in 1929. An Army Captain at the time of this particular victory, Bradford was a highly accomplished show-jumper and Cavalry officer in the United States Military. During his nearly 4-decades of service as an officer in the Army, Bradford was a frequent participant and winner of equestrian competitions at the highest global level. His achievements include a 4th-place finish in ‘Individual Show Jumping’ event at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and captaining the US Olympic Equestrian Team at the 1938 Summer Games in Berlin to a 4th-place team finish. Although he narrowly missed the winner’s podium at the Olympic games, he was considered a top horseman of his age. In addition to the trophy being offered at Hindman, Bradford’s accolades and honors in the equestrian field include being awarded the Napoleon Cup by the Polish Ambassador to the United States in recognition of his achievement in equestrian events. A Graduate of the Virginia Military Institue class of 1917, Bradford served in the Army Cavalry in World Wars I and II. While stationed in Europe during World War I, Bradford attended and graduated from the elite French Cavalry school Ecole de la Cavarie located in Saumur. He retired from the military having achieved the rank of Major General and receiving several medals for his military service including the Bronze Star, Legion of Merit and the Army Commendation Medal with an Oak-Leaf Cluster. He passed away in Rome in 1965 and is burried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Coco Chanel, a titan of French fashion, developed a relationship to accessorizing and costume jewelry that reigned supreme in the early twentieth century. Costume jewelry has become synonymous with the brand because she used it in unconventional ways: she transformed entire looks through the layering and mixing of rare and common materials, and she challenged societal expectations about when and where jewelry should be worn. However, it should be noted that fellow competitors in the French luxury market, like Hermès and Louis Vuitton, were not entirely ignoring women’s accessories either. Hermès, at the time primarily a luxury manufacturer of leather harnesses and saddles for horseback riding, began an expansion of its women’s accessory line in the 1920s, beginning unsurprisingly with leather handbags. In fact, Hermès’ accessories began a visual exchange with one another in their design, with the Kelly leather bracelet debuting in the late 1930s, after actress Grace Kelly was spotted several times toting the Sac à dépêches, later renamed the Kelly bag. By the mid 1940s, Hermès was producing their now famous minimal, yet impeccably crafted, enamel bracelets in Austria. A design in direct opposition to Chanel’s preference for excess, the enamel bangle is truly a piece made in Hermès’ functional luxury ethos. In the early to mid-twentieth century, Louis Vuitton was preoccupied with solidifying its brand as the premier luxury manufacturer of steamer trunks, train cases, and travelling bags alike. It was not until the early twenty-first century that Louis Vuitton took to women’s jewelry, under the direction of Creative Director Marc Jacobs, in 2001. However, the house focused on integrating its travelling and voyager spirit into fine jewelry, opting for working with materials like diamonds and colored gemstones. Later, when Louis Vuitton ventured into costume jewelry, the designs similarly heralded the brand’s origins in luxury travel, basing designs off the iconic LV monogram leather pattern patented by Louis Vuitton in 1896. Costume jewelry from each house has featured in Couture Department sales of the past and present. As recently as March 19th, 2020 a bevy of Chanel costume jewelry went to auction and sold successfully in sale 740, Spring Fashion and Accessories, including lot 172 pictured here (Fig. 1). Additionally, the Louis Vuitton bracelet also made an appearance in lot 274 alongside a grouping of additional Vuitton costume pieces, each item exemplifying the voyager spirit of Louis’ classic monogram (Fig. 1). And the sleek, minimalist, and chic Hermès enamel bangle will appear in an upcoming sale alongside a variety of bangles, truly proving there is a costume piece for every buyer and every style (Fig. 1). Figure 1. Though the Chanel and LV bangle sold successfully in sale 740, keep an eye out for a variety of costume pieces, like a classic black and gold Hermes enamel bracelet
We all know Tiffany & Co – the iconic jewelry store, the little blue box, and of course Audrey Hepburn – but who was Louis Comfort Tiffany? Hindman Fine Jewelry & Timepieces cataloguer Hana Thomson dives a little deeper into this iconic and highly influential man and his impact on the jewelry world. Born February 18, 1848, Louis Comfort Tiffany grew up surrounded by jewelry and fine objects. His father, Charles Lewis Tiffany founded the eponymous Tiffany & Co. in New York in 1837. Louis Comfort Tiffany wanted to forge his own path and began studying art, and later turned to decorative work after seeing Arts & Crafts furniture at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1877. He was fascinated with how light interacted with colors and its effects in glass. He went on to found his own glass making company in 1885, constantly experimenting with new techniques and designs. Though he is best known for his works in glass, his oeuvre also included paintings, ceramics, mosaics, stained glass, bronze and metalwork, interior design, and eventually jewelry. Tiffany traveled to several places in Europe to exhibit his work, including the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle alongside his father’s Tiffany & Co. booth. This European exposure introduced Tiffany to the flowing and natural Art Nouveau style that was gaining popularity in Europe by the 1880s. Back in America, Tiffany created his own, uniquely American version of this new style, incorporating local plants and wildflowers which he studied in his own garden. All of his designs were handmade by artisans in his studio. In 1902, Charles Lewis Tiffany passed away and left Tiffany & Co. to his son. Louis Tiffany had already begun exhibiting his decorative objects at the store on Fifth Avenue, as well as at various world’s fairs with the company. As artistic director of Tiffany & Co., Louis Tiffany had access to some of the world’s best artisans and jewelers. He began designing jewelry under the Tiffany & Co. brand, which aligned with the rest of his design sensibility and utilized the effects of light in the form of enamel and colored gemstones. Great emphasis was made on the imperfect, handmade quality of Arts & Crafts style, as well as the curving lines and natural inspiration from Art Nouveau. Tiffany hired two women, Meta Overbeck and Julia Munson, to help design and oversee the jewelry department. They utilized precious and semi-precious gemstones with unique color combinations, often using local sources for the gemstones. Offered from the Estate of Linda Zoe Jenkins, Roseville, Minnesota, Lot 81, Tiffany & Co., Art Nouveau, Topaz, Emerald and Polychrome Enamel Necklace is an extraordinary example of ‘Tiffany Art Jewelry’, combining semi-precious golden topaz gemstones with precious emeralds. The intricately wrought wirework settings and finely rendered enamel leaves of this necklace make it a beautiful example of the art jewelry that Tiffany made during his time overseeing the American jewelry house. A necklace of this quality, condition and design exemplifies Tiffany’s unique interpretation of the turn of the century design movements and sensibility and make it a collector’s piece not often seen at auction.
For many, when we hear the name Louis Vuitton our minds immediately think of the brand’s iconic monogram covering a variety of accessories, from handbags, to belts, and even a luxury water bottle holder. Initially, when the logo was patented in 1896, it was emblematic of a passion for travel, about which Louis Vuitton himself was very dedicated. Louis Vuitton is the center of a voyaging legend of sorts; his biography places a thirteen year old Vuitton travelling on foot from his hometown Anchay to Paris, a feat that is said to have taken him overall two years to complete. Upon his arrival in Paris in 1837, Vuitton began working for Paris’ premier box maker Monsieur Maréchal, eventually leaving at the age of 33 to begin his own box-making business, earning a favorable reputation among the city’s elite. Figure 1: Lot 280 from sale 740 sold for $4,00 and features Louis Vuitton’s original damier print. By 1858, Vuitton had not only mastered his craft, but began innovating in his field, creating his famous flattop trunks. The design lent itself to stacking trunks on top of one another, unlike the round top trunks (for water runoff) available on the market at the time, and thus an unprecedented demand for Vuitton’s product began. Vuitton’s shellac-embedded canvas provided the same weather protection as the rounded tops of competing trunks on the market, but were ultimately more functional due to their flat tops. Moreover, these initial trunks introduced the now iconic Louis Vuitton checkerboard “damier” pattern to the luxury market. After Louis Vuitton’s death in 1892, his son Georges Vuitton pushed the company to become the most sought after luxury travel brand in the world, creating the beloved monogram canvas for the company’s products in 1896, and opening a storefront on the Champs-Elysees by 1913. Figure 2: Lot 281 from sale 740 sold for $5,750 and features Louis Vuitton’s iconic monogram logo. While Louis Vuitton products are continually popular among buyers on the luxury secondary market, the monogram branding is difficult to ignore and not desire; it is the brand’s original luxury travel merchandise that excites enormous interest. Louis Vuitton’s steamer trunks are hotly sought after due to their iconic status. While a typical steamer trunk could fetch maybe a few hundred on the secondary market, Vuitton’s originals are worth significantly more, with estimates reaching into the thousands. Clients often place them in their homes as coffee tables, storage, or simply as works of art in their own right. As recently as March 19, 2020 two Louis Vuitton steamer trunks, lots 280 and 281 in sale 740 Spring Fashion and Accessories, sold well over their high estimates at $4,000 and $5,750 respectively. With lot 280 featuring a damier print (Fig. 1) and 281 boasting Vuitton’s monogram logo (Fig. 2), it is easy to see both iterations of the shellac canvas still have a large audience, even if the trunk’s function has changed significantly in our modern day.
Walking sticks have been around for thousands of years. The earliest examples were used for the purpose of aiding someone on a long journey or in defending themselves from potential thieves along their journey. In the early 17th century, it became fashionable for men to carry them and rules of etiquette were meant to be followed if you were to carry one. In fact, by the early 18th Century, the city of London required special licensing in order to carry one. If you did not follow the rules, you could lose your privilege to carry. A Continental Diamond and Ruby-Inset Nephrite Handled Walking Stick At first glance, this stick is one of simple and elegant form, but upon closer inspection it reveals beautiful gems delicately inlaid into the knob-form nephrite jade handle. With diamonds and rubies, the maker paid careful attention to create the lovely floral decoration. Additionally, the white enameled band collar has been intricately engine-turned and further set with precious stones. The presence of nephrite jade, and the quality of the enamel work, suggest that this stick was likely manufactured in Russia during the late 19th Century. -$3000/5000 An Edwardian 12-Karat Gold Zoomorphic Walking Stick This impressive example of a zoomorphic walking stick shows a long-eared donkey with eyes inlaid with a red paste, closely resembling rubies. The makers, Charles Dimier and Charles Cook of London, paid close attention to detail, capturing the texture of the animal’s hair. This type of zoomorphic handle was commonly made by prominent jewelers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and they were overwhelmingly popular. Other zoomorphic figures included in this sale are an example of a dog, a fish and a frog. – $2000/3000 Four Decorative Walking Sticks This lovely group of canes shows the attention to detail given to the metal-worked handles of canes from the late 19th/early 20th Centuries. While beautiful from the outside, two of the examples in this group conceal an element oft desired by cane collectors throughout the world. Blades have been attached to the fish form example and the long tapered, silvered metal example. Estimate – $800-1200 A British Silvered Metal Mounted Brass ‘Royal Hussars’ Explorer’s Walking Stick The 10th Royal Hussars (aka Prince of Wales’ Own) was a British Army cavalry regiment that was formed in the early 18th Century (circa 1715). They aided the military in numerous wars including the Napoleonic War and the two World Wars. This walking stick bearing the insignia of this illustrious group also conceals a couple of important tools for any avid explorer. The top of the cane handle is a compass, which when removed from the top of the cane, reveals a concealed telescope tucked away in the upper section of the stick’s shaft. There are a number of similar “Explorer’s” sticks in this sale featuring similar tools and others concealing doctor’s tools, dental tools and more. Estimate – $600/800 An English Silver-Plate Mounted and Ebonized Masonic Orb System Walking Stick Masonic orbs are thought to have had their origins as a pocket watch fob. A number of other examples that have been converted to be the handle of a cane have come up at auction before. Each orb is made of six triangles that fold into one another. Each face of the triangles shows a different masonic symbol. When the triangles are fully folded out of the orb they present a cross. Some theories as to the origin of the orb is that it was made to illustrate the interior of the masonic temple, showing where members of status could be found. This lovely example has a beautifully engraved exterior showing intricate scrollwork. – $600/800 A Paris Liberation Cane This simple walking stick bears a small medallion on the top of its handle depicting a triumphant Eiffel Tower and inscribed LIBERATION / 1944 / WELCOME / PARIS 24 AOUT. Additionally, the handle pulls up and reveals a small, rolled American flag to be waved in the air in celebration of this great victory for the Allied powers at the end of World War II. Estimate – $100-200
“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” – Pablo Picasso Pablo Picasso was one of the most prolific printmakers of the 20th century. He was a master in copper plate etching and lithography, however a smaller portion of his oeuvre consists of nearly two hundred linocuts. In the late 1940s, at the height of his artistic career, living mostly in the South of France, Picasso was compelled to reinvent himself. He first turned his attention to the creation of ceramics at the Atelier Madoura in Vallauris which he promoted with linocut advertising posters. This led to another new passion: making linocuts in color. For assistance in this new process, he turned to master printer Hidalgo Arnera, a fellow Spanish expatriate living in the South of France. From 1958-1963 they collaborated together spending countless hours creating these linocuts. The process of printing a linocut, typically requires a cutting a separate block for each color printed. Picasso soon found this process too labor intensive and found a solution with Arnera in the “reduction” method. This method employed a single linoleum block, carved and printed, then recarved and printed multiple times in successive stages to add each different color of ink. Colors would be printed one on top of the other, slowly building colors onto the print starting with the lightest color and proceeding to the darkest. The advantage of the technique is that colors line up relatively easily at printing. The disadvantage is that the artist must be absolutely certain of his next move, before carving away more of the block and printing the next color, as this carving cannot be undone. Our Prints and Multiples auction will offer the first and third (final) states of Femme nue cueillant des Fleurs together with the tracing paper layer used to make edits to the linoleum block. As is the process with Picasso’s “reduction” method, the first state was printed with only one color. The artist then used glassine as tracing paper to trace the print and make line and color decisions as the work progressed and the block was recarved. This impression, likely the only impression of this single-color state in existence, still has the tracing paper attached leaving visible evidence of Picasso’s hand at work. Many impressions from the Arnera estate have entered museum collections since they provide a tangible glimpse at Picasso’s working process. The two linocuts presented here remained in Arnera’s estate until after his death in 2007 and are still in their original condition, having never been framed, clearly exhibiting the unique qualities of working proofs.
“I like creating useful things, things that serve a purpose.” Diego Giacometti’s humble nature as a designer and craftsman are fully encompassed in the design of La Table-Berceau, Première Version. The simplicity of form juxtaposed with the rich and deep texture fully embody the ethos of the designer. Raised in the Swiss countryside surrounded by an artistic family, Diego quickly adopted his natural surroundings as a primary source of inspiration. Consistently throughout his oeuvre, we find isolated elements of naturalistic inspiration consciously placed to draw our adoration to the material. While the use of animal iconography was most commonly used by the artist, La Table-Berceau, Première Version presents us with a single flower placed in the center, grounding us to the metal from the earth it came – connecting us back to the true original source material. “I like commissions – they’re fertile ground for the imagination, and always stimulate me.” Diego and his brother were represented over the course of their careers by an equally well-known gallery in New York which often served as de-facto home base for many European artists in New York City, before, during and after the Second World War. Pierre Matisse, the youngest son of Henri Matisse, soon realized his talent in in the arts through fostering artistic endeavors and championing the work of his peers and contemporaries. Pierre Matisse opened his gallery in 1931 after moving to New York in the twenties and quickly came to represent a host of the most famous and celebrated European artists of the twentieth century. Miro, Chagall, Dubuffet and both Alberto and Diego Giacometti, among many others, were introduced to the American market through his now iconic East 57th Street gallery. Pierre Matisse and Diego Giacometti worked closely for nearly four decades on numerous commissions both large and small. The present La Table-Berceau, Première Version being offered is a slight variation based off the custom example that Pierre Matisse personally commissioned Diego Giacometti to design for his gallery’s office. The present lot will include copies of the original written correspondence regarding the commission between Pierre Matisse, Diego Giacometti and the present owner. La Table-Berceau, Première Version will be featured in Hindman’s November 12 Modern Design auction.
“I feel there’s a spirit in Trees that’s very deep – the spirit of a Tree lives on, I can give it a second life” Nakashima’s lifelong commitment to the Tree as his muse has always served as the starting point for each and every piece. The spiritual relationship and avowed respect for his chosen material directly informed his design practice, in turn, allowing nature to dictate form. The now iconic Conoid Chair and Frenchman’s Cove II Table are considered hallmarks in the woodworker’s legacy – serving as the purest visual forms of this symbiotic relationship. Commissioned between 1977-1981 by Barney A. Ebsworth, the table and chairs were situated amongst one of the most important Post-War Art collections of the 20th Century. These pieces are a representation of the woodworker’s apex and were executed in a material sparingly used by Nakashima. This set of eight Conoid chairs in East Indian rosewood and hickory were quite possibly the last set to be produced in this exquisite wood species as stated in a letter from Nakashima to Ebsworth in 1981 just before the international trade embargo on the material. “I can make an object that that lives and can live forever possibly – if used properly. So that’s my objective and that’s my happiness, is to find this relationship with a Tree” Nakashima’s vision lives on in these exemplary examples of the woodworker’s production – A deep understanding of the material and a profound sensitivity of our natural world. Barney A. Ebsworth with the Nakashima Family A Set of Eight Conoid Dining Chairs and a Frenchman’s Cove II Table will be sold in the November 12 Modern Design auction. Visit the sale page and browse the catalog now to learn more.