Thomas S. Buechner was a former director of the Brooklyn Museum and the founding director of the Corning Museum of Glass. At age 33, he was one of the youngest museum directors in the United States. Mr. Buechner established the glass museum as a scholarly institute whose exhibitions on ancient and contemporary glass traveled to museums around the country. He later established two professional journals, The Journal of Glass Studies and The New Glass Review. His books include “Norman Rockwell: Artist and Illustrator” and “How I Paint.” After retiring from Corning in 1987, he returned to painting full time, executing portraits, landscapes and still life’s. His portrait of Alice Tully, a granddaughter of the founder of Corning Glass, hangs in Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center.

The March 24th Fine Art and Antiques Auction will include 500+ lots of Americana, contemporary art glass, furniture, jewelry, lamps, art glass/pottery, Asian items, Oriental rugs, paintings, prints, silver, sculpture and decorative arts. The items are featured from various private estates and collections including the Rochester Historical Society, the former Campbell-Whittlesey House Museum, and The Strong. Rochester, NY.

Highlighting the sale will be several fine paintings: A William Bradford (American, 1823 – 1892) oil on canvas, 18” x 30”, in original condition depicting sailing vessels, is being sold for a private Buffalo, NY estate.   A fine pair of Thomas Buttersworth (British, 1768 - 1842) "English & French Man O' War Ships Engaged in Combat" oil on canvas, 16” x 24”, will also be sold for a private Buffalo, NY estate. The paintings were purchased from Peter Tillou Galleries, Buffalo, NY in 1963, and pictured in The Magazine Antiques, 1963.  A Charles Sprague Pearce (American, 1851 - 1914) "A Peasant Girl" oil on canvas, 36” x 24”, in all original condition, no in-paint or restoration, will be offered. It is in its original frame and deaccessioned from the Rochester Historical Society.  Also being sold are several large folios by John James Audubon. Included are: Hooping Crane, J. Whatman 1835 watermark,   White-headed Eagle, Arctic Yager, Light, Ring Tailed Bassaris, & A Barn Swallow, all with J. Whatman 1835 watermark, and being deaccessioned from the Rochester Historical Society.  A beautiful oil on canvas by Jules Joseph LeFebvre, "Diana, Chasseresse", 33” x 22”, will also be sold. “Diana” hung in Mr. Buechner's office in Corning, NY., and was purchased at The Schweitzer Gallery, NYC, in 1974.

            Other fine paintings and prints include Marc Chagall, Charles W. Eaton, Frederick J. Waugh, Carl Peters, Walter Sacks, Ogden Pleissner, Emile and Charles Gruppe, Eliz. O’Neil Verner, Henriette Ronner - Knip, Wm. S. Coleman, James Hamilton, A. Salles - Wagner, Wm. A. Walker, Susan C. M. Waters, H. Dunn Mears, Warran Sheppard, H. Herzog, sev. David Levine, M. S. Cassatt, Justo Ruiz Luna, and sev. Old Masters, etc.

            Several pieces of contemporary art glass are being offered from the Thomas Buechner Estate, including works by Dale Chihuly, Stanislav Libenský & Jaroslava Brychtova, Daniel Daily, Christian Schmidt, Erwin Eisch, Pavael Hiava, Dana Vachtova, etc.

Other modern works include a walnut side table by Wendell Castle signed. WC '64.  The table is in excellent condition; Ht. 19" W 23" D 15”. 

            A fine & rare Silver Spout Cup, made by John Coney (Boston, 1655 – 1722) from Martin Brimmer 1697-1760. Martin Brimmer 1742-1804 son. Married Harriet Wadsworth 1805-1833. Thence by descent. The cup is set on a circular reeded foot, with bulbous lower body and cylindrical neck, with s-scrolled spout. The cast handle has beaded rattail on outer edge, fitted with the stepped, domed cover & button finial. The mark of John Coney, Boston, is on the base, rim & lid. Inscribed A. Brimmer 1820 and initialed GSE. John Coney was considered the most important Bostonian silversmith of his day. His last apprentice was Appollos Rivoire, father of Paul Revere. Martin Brimmer (1793 – 1847) served in the MA House of Representatives, in the Boston Board of Alderman, and as the mayor of Boston. He was also the first president of the Boston Museum of Art. A similar example can be found in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Accession #199.687.

            Other fine pieces of silver include a pair of Digby Scott & Benjamin Smith covered sauce tureens. C. 1786-1793, w/lion & masked handles, gadrooned border, garland & putti, dolphin finials, & fruit. Other fine silver by Tiffany, Gorham, Wallace, etc. will be sold.

            A fine bronze fountain sculpture by Harriet Whitney Frishmuth (American, 1880 -1980) "Playdays" with deep brown patina, 22”, with in height,  with frog spouts, will be offered. Other sculptures by Claire Jeanne Roberte Colient, William Ordway Partridge, Rene Charles Masse, Antoine-Louis Barye, Pasquale Romanelli, Marcel Debut, will find new homes.

            Lamps, art glass and art pottery, including works by Tiffany, Loetz, Quezal, Handel, Picasso, Unique art glass & metal co., Steuben, Moorcroft, Majolica, Deldare, etc. will be sold to the highest bidder.

            Asian art, including an early Chinese bronze seated figure of Buddha, 14” tall,  with traces of old gilding and paint will be sold. The bronze was from a family friend of Mrs. Buechner.  Also being sold is a fine, early spinach jade censor w/coiled dragon finial, on a finely carved wood base, in excellent condition, a 19th century Chinese 8-panel screen with pierce carved hardwood & porcelain plaques depicting scenes of Chinese life with poetic verse. The screen is in original finish and excellent condition, being 7’ in height and 11’8” in width, and also is being sold for the Thomas Buechner estate. Other Asian items include carved ivory, snuff bottles, gilt Buddhas, jade, porcelain, etc.

            In Americana, a rare 17th/18th Century Double Bear effigy feast bowl will be featured. The bowl is figured maple with deep, rich, original patina, beautifully shaped and carved with thin sides and light weight. The bear’s heads are perfectly balanced in relationship to bowl, with sophisticated and fluid lines. Effigy Bowls were passed down through generations with the belief that the effigy would look out for the next generation. These bowls also serve as an image of hope during sacred feasts. It is extremely rare to find an effigy on both ends of a bowl. This effigy bowl is a first time offering.

            A rare & outstanding T. Harrington, Lyons, 5 gallon butter churn, with strong cobalt blue star-face decoration, fresh to the market, will hit the block.  Also a tin lithograph Old Forester Whiskey Sign: "Guarding a Good Thing in Arizona". C. 1900, along with another tin lithograph Green River Whiskey Sign: "She Was Bred in Old Kentucky" will be sold.

            Furniture will include Meeks, Boston marble top pier tables, Sheraton, Chippendale, Tobey furniture Co., Gustav Stickley, etc.

            Cottone’s fine art and antique auction will be held on the 24th of March at 11:00am. Preview will be the 23rd from 2-6pm. For more information regarding this sale contact Cottone’s at 585.243.3100, email at info@cottoneauctions.com or check our website, www.cottoneauctions.com