East Dennis, Mass. – The Gloria and Joe Kurilecz netsuke collection, a Lancaster, Penn. collection and a Western Massachusetts collection are just some of the featured private collections in Eldred’s annual Asian Art Auction, scheduled for September 22-24, 2021, at the firm’s headquarters in East Dennis, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod.

Gloria and Jo Kurilecz, of Westchester County, New York, were avid collectors of Japanese art and were members of the International Netsuke Society. Highlights from their 75-lot collection include an 18th Century wolf-form netsuke by Tomotada, estimated at $1,500/2,500, and a 19th Century netsuke by Toun in the form of a fanciful landscape, estimated at $800/1,200.

The Lancaster collection includes several finely detailed Chinese giltwood carvings, estimated from $400/600 to $1,500/2,000. The diverse group also includes Chinese textiles, hibachis, an 18th Century Japanese six-panel screen depicting court scenes from the Story of Genji, estimated at $3,000/5,000, and a Chinese black stone weight/paper press topped with a fu lion, estimated at $1,000/2,000. 

The Western Massachusetts Collection includes twenty assorted netsuke, ranging in estimate from $1,000/1,200 to $2,500/3,000, highlighted by an 18th Century example in the form of a bather covering himself with a towel. Other notable private collections hail from Wisconsin, San Antonio, Texas, and the Boston area.

“I am so pleased to see so many private East Coast collections in this sale, each from longtime Eldred’s customers who have bought from us for the past 40 years,” said Annie Lajoie, head of Eldred’s Asian Art department. “I’m delighted to see many of their pieces come full circle and return to us.”

Other featured lots in the sale include “Setting Sun”, a watercolor and ink on paper by Chi-Kwan Chen (Chinese, 1921-2007), estimated at $8,000/10,000, a large bronze Chinese archaistic hu vase, estimated at $3,000/5,000, an 18th Century Chinese white jade carving of a reclining horse, estimated at $8,000/16,000, and a pair of Tang Dynasty pottery horses, estimated at $10,000/15,000.  

Nearly 300 lots of ceramics are included in the sale, highlighted by the Tang Dynasty horses. Other anticipated top lots include a Chinese “Diamond Blue” deer’s-head vase, estimated at $6,000/8,000, a pair of Famille Rose temple jars, estimated at $2,000/3,000, and a Famille Rose cricket cage decorated with erotic scenes, estimated at $2,000/3,000.

The sale also includes about 75 woodblock prints, notably several examples by Paul Jacoulet and Kawase Hasui, most falling in the $400/600 to $800/1,000 range, as well as a range of Chinese and Japanese textiles, paintings and bronzes, jade and hardstone carvings, lacquerware and furniture. 

The Asian Sale is a live auction with in-person, online, absentee and phone bidding available. A sale preview will be held Tuesday, September 23 and by appointment.  Interested bidders are advised to visit www.eldreds.com or call 508-385-3116 to confirm the exhibition schedule and bidding options.  

About Eldred’s

The Robert C. Eldred Co. is New England's oldest established antiques and fine arts auction house, now in its third generation of ownership within the Eldred family. In addition to its headquarters on Cape Cod’s historic Old King’s Highway in East Dennis, Mass., the firm also has an office at 5 Roosevelt Avenue in Mystic, Ct. Eldred’s conducts approximately 25 auctions per year encompassing Americana, paintings, Asian art, European decorative art, maritime antiques, sporting art and collectibles. Eldred’s, the nation’s leading marine art auction house, conducts approximately 25 auctions per year encompassing Americana, paintings, Asian art, European decorative art, sporting art and collectibles in addition to marine art. It was recently named one of the top worldwide auction houses by Art + Auction and holds auction records across a wide range of collecting areas.  

For more information please call (508) 385-3116 or email info@eldreds.com.