BLOOMFIELD, N.J. – Nye & Company Auctioneers will kick off a two-day, three-session online-only auction on Wednesday, May 25th, with a 50-lot sale titled Property from a Private Collection.  This highly curated sale features exceptional American, English and Continental furniture and fine and decorative art. Bidding starts promptly at 10 am Eastern time.

A Chic and Antique Estate Treasures Auction will begin immediately following, at around 11 am, and continue on into Day 2. Real time Internet bidding and absentee bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com, Bidsquare.com and the Nye & Company website: www.nyeandcompany.com. Telephone bidding is available on a limited basis.

The Private Collection sale is a terrific assemblage of early American and English furniture and 19th/20th century French furniture.  Highlights include an early Philadelphia tilt-top scalloped-top tea table that retains a rich, old surface. There are also two rare Gothic Revival hexagonal marble top center tables, one of which is attributed to Alexander Jackson Davis and was potentially made by Alexander Roux, the well-known New York City cabinetmaker. This table relates closely to the Belmead center table, which sold at auction for $235,000 in September 2000.

There are also two elaborately carved cornucopia armchairs attributed to John Henry Belter, the cabinetmaker who was an early pioneer of laminating wood for extreme effects in his designs.  For those who prefer more opulent furniture of the later 19th/early 20th century, there is an ormolu-mounted cylinder-front desk by the highly regarded cabinetmaker, Francois Linke.  There is also a signed Henry Dasson Parisian lacquered mahogany bonheur du jour.

The collection also features some superb fine art, ranging from two grand scale 17th/18th century Italian Old Master paintings depicting Abraham and the Three Angels and the Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael.  The wide-ranging collection moves through the decades and includes an early Joseph Whiting Stock portrait of Martha Otis Bullock, which was once part of the personal collection of the highly regarded Connecticut dealers Arthur and Marguerite Riordan and retains the distinction of being one of, if not the highest price, ever paid for a Stock portrait at auction.

The maritime artist William Bradford (1823-1892) is also represented with his portrait of the Whaleship, Daniel Wood passing the lighthouse at Dumpling Rock at the western entrance of the New Bedford harbor. Continuing along the theme of Massachusetts themed pictures there are a number of paintings of Rockport, Massachusetts by the celebrated artist Anthony Thieme. John Terelak is well represented with a work depicting a Nantucket street titled Nantucket Lilacs.

The Chic and Antique Estate Treasures auction is anchored by a large collection of Arts and Crafts / Mission style furniture by Stickley and Roycroft out of a private New Jersey collection.  Rich in diversity of forms, this group is primarily comprised of modern Stickley pieces such as inlaid dining room chairs, dining tables, sideboards, low tables, bookcases and beds. Of particular importance is the set of six Harvey Ellis style inlaid dining chairs and a Roycroft cellarette.

For those that prefer furniture from the 18th century, there are two exceptionally carved bedsteads with testers.  One has carved paw feet and can be attributed to Duncan Phyfe (or one of his contemporaries).  The second is believed to be from the cabinetmaking center of Salem, Massachusetts.  Both beds retain a rich, warm dark brown color and an old, dry surface.

The sale also includes two 18th century John Durand portraits on canvas of a young lady and a gentleman. Both capture the quintessential spirit of the young American gentry.  Another painting worth noting is by the American French Impressionist Edward-Alfred Cucuel.  His oil on canvas depicts two women in a pond boat.  The artist captures the sunlight in such a manner that highlights the two ladies in a verdant green landscape.

The sale also features a rather large collection of Pre-Columbian pottery from a private New York City collection.  The group contains everything from painted bowls, deep dishes and storage vessels to large painted earthenware figures. This group is broad in scope and is truly a rare survival of archaeological treasures.

Finally, there is a small but elegant selection of jewelry, which includes a stunning Art Deco platinum yellow and white diamond bracelet, an estate diamond and emerald ring and a platinum yellow gold circular starburst brooch.

The galleries are open for preview, and the public is encouraged to visit and to see the pieces in person. During the online preview, from May 11th thru May 25th, people can bid online or in absentia at www.nyeandcompany.com, www.liveauctioneers.com, www.bidsquare.com and www.invaluable.com. Anyone looking for additional images, condition reports or info about an object are invited to visit the Nye & Company website or email to info@nyeandcompany.com.   

John Nye had a long and fruitful career at Sotheby’s before he and his wife, Kathleen, acquired Dawson’s in 2003 and started Dawson & Nye. With the move to Bloomfield seven years later, they renamed the business to Nye & Company (Auctioneers, Appraisers, Antiques). The firm is nationwide, but the vast bulk of the business comes from trusts and estates in the tri-state area.

For more information about Nye & Company Auctioneers and the two-day, three-session online only auction on Wednesday, May 25th and Thursday, May 26th, visit www.nyeandcompany.com.

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