ROCKVILLE, MD –  Weschler’s is pleased to offer a collection of fine art, including significant examples of African American art, American and European antique furniture, Russian objets de vertu, Modern designer furniture, Mid-Century decorative objects and more in their Capital Collections Estate Auction on March 2nd at 10am. The public is invited to preview these items during the exhibit, which opens on Saturday, February 24th at 9am.  

‘Les Girls’ by Demétre Chiparus, $300,000-$500,000, headlines the sale. The rare and dramatic chryselephantine cold painted bronze sculpture of five dancers was consigned by the Estate of Stella Boggs, a former Ziegfeld Follies dancer. This sculpture was the gift of a former suitor of Miss Boggs and has since descended through the family. ‘Les Girls’ was authenticated by Chiparus expert Alberto Shayo and is one of the most significant works by the artist to be brought to auction since 2012.  

African American Fine Art figures prominently in the sale and promises collectors the opportunity to own representative works by the likes of Washington Color School artist Sam Gilliam, Lois Mailou Jones and Richard Dempsey.  Noteworthy lots from this section include: Region Arc, a vibrant, colorful work by Gilliam and Homage to Oshogbo, a later work by Jones which reflects the influence of her extensive African tours in the '60s and '70s. Each of these works is expected to fetch upwards of $40,000-$60,000.

Highlights among the European works of art include: Whistler on the Thames, an intimate portrait of James McNeill Whistler, mentor of the artist Walter Greaves (British 1846-1930), in for $15,000-$25,000; Sigmund Joseph Menkes (Polish 1896-1986) Still Life with Flowers, Blue and White Vase and Stringed Instrument, a colorful, slightly abstract work, is offered for $10,000-$15,000; and the delightfully captivating, Anemones and Marguerites (Pot Flowers) by Marcel Dyf (French 1899-1985) for $3,000-$5,000.

Other striking still lifes come from the collection of Arthur J. Phelan, Jr., including: American artist Severin Roesen’s (1815-1872) Still Life of Flowers in a Glass Vase on a Marble Ledge for $20,000-$30,000, along with the lush Still Life of Flowers and Ferns in a Ceramic Jar on a Table by George Henry Hall (American 1825-1913), with an estimate of $10,000-$15,000. Notable American landscapes and historical paintings from the Phelan collection include: Eagle Point, Mississippi River, Dubuque, Iowa by John White Allen Scott (American 1815-1907) for $6,000-$8,000, William Ruthven Wheeler’s (American 1832-1894) Great Lakes Marine Disaster offered at $10,000-$15,000, the oil on canvas of World War II Convoy by Anton Otto Fischer (American 1882-1962) in for $2,000-$3,000, and Study for Treasury Department Mural by Clarence Holbrook Carter (American 1904-2000) with an estimate of $3,000-$5,000.

Modern designer furniture includes: a marvelous emerald green tufted upholstered Michel Ducaroy ‘Togo’ four-piece sectional sofa, manufactured by Ligne Roset, expected to fetch $800-$1,200, the popular Eero Saarinen ‘Womb’ chair and ottoman estimated to bring $500-$1,000, and a playful pair of Isamu Noguchi ‘Akari’ bamboo and paper floor lamps, model BB3/55DD, in for $800-$1,200.

Arts & Crafts collector standouts include: a Gustav Stickley oak settle model no. 222, Circa 1912-1917, $3,000-$5,000, a Dirk Van Erp hammered copper and mica ‘bean pot’ table lamp, Circa 1913-1915, $3,000-$5,000, an assortment of Roycroft hammered copper vases, candlesticks, bookends and table articles with estimates ranging from $500-$2,000, capped off by a classically beautiful Tiffany Studios ‘Woodbine’ translucent fractured leaded glass and bronze table lamp, Circa 1910, $15,000-$20,000.

Early American furniture is represented by a pair of Chippendale walnut side chairs, attributed to the Workshop of Benjamin Randolph, Philadelphia, Circa 1770-1780, retaining remnants of the maker’s label and estimated to bring $1,000-2,000, along with a Queen Anne Cherry Highboy, Connecticut, Circa 1740-1760, in for $4,000-$6,000.

There are several lots of Russian silver, including two Russian silver Podstakanniki, Moscow or St. Petersburg, Last Quarter 19th Century, estimated to bring $1,000-$1,500, and a Russian Silver Kovsh, possibly by P.F. Sazikov, Moscow, Late 18th-Early 19th Century, for $1,000-$1,500. A signed bronze sculpture by Russian Vasily Grachev (1831-1905) of Galloping Cherkessians is offered for $7,000-$9,000. 

The jewelry section sparkles with a stunning 18-karat yellow-gold, yellow sapphire and diamond ring by Cartier, $15,000-$20,000, and a platinum, diamond and ruby ‘flower’ cocktail ring, $2,000-$3,000. More traditional offerings include: a Victorian yellow-gold and topaz parure, Circa 1830, with a choker necklace, a removable pendant brooch, a pair of bracelets and a pair of clip-back earrings offered at $1,500-2,500; Two elegant platinum, 14-karat yellow-gold, amethyst and diamond brooches of a thistle and a turtle, by McTeigue & Co., $1,000-1,500, for the lot; and a princess length 18-karat yellow-gold, blue star sapphire, diamond and blue sapphire necklace for $3,000-$5,000. 

The public is welcome to view all lots during exhibit hours prior to the sale: Sat., Feb. 24 from 9am to noon; Sun., Feb. 25 from 11am to 2pm; Mon., Tues., Wed., Feb. 26-28 from 10am to 5pm; and Thurs., Mar. 1 from 10am to 2pm.

Catalogue for the Capital Collections Estate Auction Including African American Fine Art is available for purchase at the gallery and may be viewed online at www.weschlers.com.