On Monday, June 3rd at 5 pm, Clarke Auction will present what might be one of its best auctions to date. Normally a press release is written about one or two rare and important items and it is easy to highlight them. This time there is so much wonderful and rare stuff in each and every category that it is suggested that you view the catalog thoroughly at www.ClarkeNY.com as not everything can be mentioned.

 In our art section we have a freshly discovered large and important oil on canvas by German surrealist artist, Richard Oelze, $60,000 – 80,000. This magnificent painting is well supported by works from other artists including an oil still life by Bernard Buffet, $35,000 - $45,000, an ink and pastel of Nice by Raoul Dufy, $5,000-$7,000, an oil by Nicola Simbari, $2,000 – 3,000, and a beautiful oil on canvas by American artist, Elmer MacRae, of a young girl, $8,000 – 12,000.

 In the last year, Clarke Auction has started to feature prints more often and this sale is no exception with a rare Picasso etching and aquatint, Garcon et Dormeuse a la Chandelle, $15,000 – 20,000, two lithographs by Joan Miro and woodcuts by Georges Braque, Jean Arp and Kathe Kollwitz.

 In addition to 100 lots of art is some magnificent silver to be featured in this sale. From various local estates and fresh to market we have a set of four Russian enamel and plique à jour silver sherbet sets, two Fabergé sterling and glass centerpieces, Cartier silver and ruby glass bird decanters, as well as a rare and important collection of Shreve & Co. sterling. The 30 or so lots of sterling is well buoyed up with a good selection of gold and diamond jewelry with a Russian gold and stone cut diamond necklace to be the highlight at $6,000 – 9,000.

 This sale features several estate groupings. One collection from a physician collector’s estate in Old Westbury, Long Island, dominates this wonderful sale with some of the finest examples of French objects and furniture ever sold at Clarke.

 A few highlights are a Dore bronze surtout de table by preeminent Parisian artist Pierre-Philippe Thomire, 59” long, $15,000 – 25,000, a Linke quality 2 piece bronze mounted vitrine, $10,000 – 15,000, and a pair of possibly Thomire bronze urns, $4,000 – 6,000. Amongst a wide variety of bronze clocks, two of note are a very large one by C.H. Boye, $4,000 – 6,000, and an Empire ormolu mounted green marble pedestal clock ($6,000 – 9,000. This estate was loaded with magnificent and important objects furniture. You can see the Clarke team in action on site in Old Westbury at http://youtu.be/wn7eT2muHf0.

 As everyone knows, a sale at Clarke would not be without Midcentury Modern and Asian offerings. In the Midcentury Modern category we have a George Nakashima trestle table, $10,000 – 15,000, a pair of Lucite Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chairs from the 50’s, $2,000 – 3,000, and a large Hopci vessel by Claude Conover, $800 – 1,000 to mention a few. Also in this category, is a fine and rare item in the form of an L.C. Tiffany Lava vase measuring nearly 5” high, $3,000 – 5,000.

 Finishing off this sale at Clarke is, as always, the Asian offerings. We will be featuring a great framed Chinese porcelain plaque, $600 – 900. Asian collectors should watch for our 2 page ad in the Bee as we have a collection of Asian porcelains arriving next week in time to be included in this sale.

 We hope to see you all at Clarke Auction on Monday, June 3rd at 5 pm at 2372 Boston Post Road, Larchmont, NY 10538. Previews are Saturday and Sunday, June 1st and 2nd from noon to 6 pm and on Monday, day-of-sale, from noon until 5 pm sale start.