Richmond Hill, ON – As the temperature rises, so have hammer prices at 888 Auctions. And this is in no small part bolstered by the rising hammer prices achieved by the fine art sold through 888 Auctions. This sale represents 405 fresh-to-market items offered to the highest bidder with an emphasis on 19th fine art.

As always, modern art continues to lead the way with Lot 38, a Jean Dufy (French, 1888-1964) Gouache on Paper finding considerable interest among bidders already. Discovered at an estate in Southern Ontario by a discerning collector, lot 38 features an attributed painting characterized by Dufy’s flair of combining impressionist, cubist and fauvist elements in his work. Featuring a boat prominently in the foreground against a blue, grey, and white background, this piece carries a high estimate of $18,000.

Other standout pieces from the Modern Art category at 888 Auctions can be found at the following lots below:

Lot 34: Jean-Michel Basquiat (American 1960-1988) Mixed Media (High Estimate: $5,500)

Lot 39: Rolf Harris (Australia b.1930) Oil on Board with Horses and Landscape Scene (High Estimate: $8,000)

Lot 53: Edouard Cortes (French, 1882-1969) Oil on Canvas Cityscape Scene (High Estimate: $8,000)

Lot 71: Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973) Oil on Board Landscape Scene (High Estimate: $30,000)

Lot 75: Lucian Freud (British, 1922-2011 Galerie Saint-Pierre (High Estimate: $12,000)

Lot 81: Clyfford Still (American, 1904-1980) Oil on Canvas Abstract Composition (High Estimate: $8,500)

Lot 94: Henri Duhem (French 1860-1941) Oil on Board 1911 (High Estimate: $8,500)

Lot 127: Amedeo Modigliani (Italian, 1884-1920) Mixed Media Portrait (High Estimate: $2,500)

Lot 131: Charles Schulz (American, 1922-2000) Mixed Media (High Estimate: $2,500

As 888 Auctions continues to broaden its reach into the fine arts, 19th Century have found interest among bidders from all over the world. Lot 56 headlines this category, a Pierre-Auguste Renoir (French, 1841-1919) Oil on Canvas Painting. Signed on the lower right corner and accompanied with a certificate of authenticity, this piece commands a high estimate of $20,000.

Four other pieces are emphasized and can be found at the following lots below:

Lot 51: Joseph de Groot (Dutch, 1828-1899) Oil on Canvas Landscape (High Estimate: $1,200)

Lot 55: Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (French, 1796-1875) Oil on Panel Landscape (High Estimate: $15,000)

Lot 91: Eugene Boudin (French, 1824-1898) Tempera on Paper Harborfront Scene (High Estimate: $15,000)

Diamonds and jadeite continue to be in hot demand among clients at 888 Auctions. Four quality jewelry pieces can be found at the following lots below:

Lot 232: Imperial Green Jadeite Bangle with Certificate (High Estimate: $60,000)

Lot 250: 14k Gold 1.0ct & 0.3ct Diamond Ring (High Estimate: $12,000)

Lot 253: 14k Gold 2.10ct Black Diamond & White Diamond ring (High Estimate: $2,000)

Lot 260: Chinese Moss in Snow Jadeite Guanyin 14K Gold (High Estimate: $4,000)

Although not carrying estimates as high as the fine art pieces at auction, three pieces exemplify the diversity offered at 888 Auctions. Lot 319 and Lot 320 represent genuine bayonets from the early 20th century. Lot 319 is a British No.4 MK II Bayonet with Scabbard whereas lot 320 is an Original German-made Eickhorn Solingen Dress Bayonet. They are expected to surpass their high estimates of $100 and $500 respectively.

Last but not least, lot 400 represents the growing interest in rare books and manuscripts at 888 Auctions. Featured near the end of the auction and possibly the most intriguing lot of the auction, lot 400 is a complete 20-page Chinese Coolie Shipping Manifest. What makes this shipping manifest quite different than other pieces on the market today is that this example is one of the largest and complete Chinese Ship Manifests in the world today. This piece of history records the transforming nature of slavery during the 19th century as imperial powers sought to abolish slavery under public and political pressure:

Therefore, as described in the catalog, “from 1847-1874 approximately 125,000 Chinese laborers were imported to Cuba. The inevitable abolition of African slavery created an entirely new and very profitable business, once again dominated by the British and the Portuguese. One can only imagine the survival rate during the "Middle Passage" from Macao to Cuba, some 9000 miles. To put that into perspective, the distance from the coast of West Africa to Cuba is roughly half that. (See Evelyn Hu-Dehart "Chinese Coolie Labor in Cuba in the 19th Century: Free labor of Neoslavery," writing in the journal Contributions to Black Studies, 1994.).”

Lot 400 carries a high estimate of $6,000.

For auction previews, visit the gallery floor at 888 Auctions. The public viewing period is as follows: Monday, April 9 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, April 10 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday, April 11 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and just before the auction on Thursday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

888 Auctions continues to accept consignments on a rolling basis. With auctions taking place every other Thursday at the auction house, there are plenty of opportunities to sell rare and fresh-to-market items at 888 Auctions. Valuations and authentications of priceless items are complimentary with no obligation to consign. The next scheduled auction takes place Thursday, April 26, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. (EDT).