WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – An exceptional collection of Georg Jensen silver descended in the same family from the early 1900s, a circa 1760 Charleston, S.C. torchiere (torch lamp), a rare daguerreotype of 19th century author Washington Irving (one of two known), and a scarce 16th century Chinese cloisonné enamel Hu vase from the Ming Dynasty, will all be sold Feb. 13-15.

They are just a few of the estimated 2,000 quality, market-fresh lots in a wide range of collecting categories that will be sold at the 7th annual Palm Beach Auction planned by Louis J. Dianni, LLC, based in Sunrise, Fla. The Presidents Weekend auction will be held in the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center at 1001 Okeechobee Blvd. Start times all three days are 11 a.m. Eastern time.

The Saturday, Feb. 13 session will feature 18th, 19th and Mid-20th Century Modern furniture and accessories. Headlining the day’s offerings will be the Jensen silver collection, which has never before been seen at market. Examples will include an exceptionally early set with ivory handles, which according to oral family tradition, was made by Georg Jensen himself; and an extensive setting for twelve (255 troy ounces), along with several hollow ware pieces.

The first day will also feature the Charleston torchiere (a lamp with a tall stand of wood or metal, in this case wood). It comes with a bill of sale from 1969 and a 1970 letter from Mrs. S. Henry Edmunds, Director of the Historic Charleston Foundation, to Dr. Roland Kohen, the torchiere’s then-owner, and now coming from his estate, expressing regret that she lacked the funds to buy it. Also sold will be prints, pottery and porcelains, plus Mason’s Ironstone and Chinese Export.

Day 2 (Feb. 14) has been dubbed Mantiques Day, because it contains so much guy stuff (and it’s Valentine’s Day; are you listening, ladies?). Offered will be swords, knives, militaria, folk art, nautical pieces, armor and more. A centerpiece lot promises to be the rare daguerreotype of Washington Irving (1783-1859), author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle.

Also up for bid on Day 2 will be such exceptional pieces as a bronze death mask of Napoleon; 16th century Japanese armor; an outstanding collection of 15 tipstaffs (staffs tipped with metal, formerly carried as a badge of office, as by a constable or a bailiff, all collected in the 1970s and ‘80s); and swords dating from the 10th -19th centuries, including two river-find Viking swords.

Day 3 (Feb. 15) boasts over 200 estate paintings, ranging from Old Master works to Modernist and outsider works. Florida artists will also be represented, like the noted Highwayman Harold Newton (1934-1994), the urban black vernacular artist Purvis Young of Miami (1943-2010); and Delray Beach ultra-realist Herman Schreiber (1916-1995), who worked exclusively in pastels.

Also sold will be three paintings by the Russian-born New York Modernist David Burliuk (1882-1967); two marine renderings by the Danish-born American painter of ships Antonio Jacobsen (1850-1921); and works by American Impressionist Jane Peterson (1876-1965), Barbizon School painter Felix Ziem (Fr., 1821-1911); and French intimist painter Henri Le Sedaner (1862-1939).

Feb. 15 will also feature Russian and Asian items, most notably the 15-inch Chinese Hu vase from the Ming Dynasty in cloisionne, but also to include numerous jades from the Ming Dynasty on, and an exceptional 19th century carving of the empress and her attendants under a natural Bonsai tree growing out of a rock cliff overhang. Also sold will be fine estate jewelry and watches, to include a diamond surrounded, Patek Philippe wristwatch, a dazzling 6 ct. diamond necklace and a 2.25-carat diamond ring.

For those unable to attend the auction live, internet bidding will be provided by Invaluable.com and LiveAuctioneers.com. Phone and absentee (left) bids will also be accepted.

Previews will be held on Friday, Feb. 12, from 3-7 p.m., and on auction days, Feb. 13-15, from 9 a.m. until the gavel falls on the first lot at 11 a.m. Louis J. Dianni, LLC, has been in the business of selling antiques since 1973. The firm’s auctions are big events, held at the peak of the season, in lucrative and historic areas of the country. Dianni uses promotional booths at significant and relative collector shows. E-mails are sent to over 150,000 avid collectors and dealers worldwide.

Louis J. Dianni, LLC, is always accepting quality items for future auctions. To inquire about consigning an item, a collection or an entire estate, you may call them at (954) 895-8727 or you can send an e-mail to ljdmarine00@gmail.com. To learn more about Louis J. Dianni, LLC and the upcoming 7th annual Palm Beach Auction slated for Feb. 13th-15th, visit www.LouisJDianni.com.

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