On Wednesday, February 22nd at 11am, Schwenke Auctioneers will offer 648 lots of estate material featuring the lifetime collection of Dr. & Mrs. Ion Petrea and including a large collection of Asian decorative art from several other estates and consignors. The auction includes a wonderful group of Russian and Romanian icons and related religious and ecclesiastical items, many interesting lots of Eastern European decorative arts, fine art and Romanian paintings, many lots of sterling silver, and a large group of estate carpets. The sale is being held at the firm’s auction hall at Middle Quarter Plaza in Woodbury. This is the firm’s first time for a Wednesday auction, according to Tom Schwenke, owner-auctioneer, who said “we are experimenting with week-day sales to further enhance our already vigorous online market. We have had over 6,000 online bidders in each of our last three gallery auctions, but we believe that by moving our sale from the normal Sunday date we will attract even more internet bidders.” Preview times are Friday, February 17th from 10am to 5pm; Sunday, February 19th from noon to 5pm; Monday, February 20th and Tuesday, February 21st from 10am to 5pm; and Wednesday, February 22nd from 9am to sale time

Several fine Asian lots are being offered, including a Tibetan thangka of Maitreya, pigments on fabric, measuring 28 1/4" high, 19" wide; a pair of Chinese embroidered panels, having a flower and vine motif with bats in shades of red and blue on a yellow ground, sized 49 1/2" long, 33 1/2" wide; a Southeast Asian bronze striding Buddha mounted on wood stand, 24 3/4" high, 7" wide; a pair of Chinese carved ivory court figures, 19th/20th century on later stands, 9 1/2" high, 2" wide, formerly in the collection of Dale Carnegie, purchased 1939; a Chinese Longquan celadon vase, with small scattered dark rough spots on body, possibly part of firing process, 10 1/4" high, 4 1/2" wide; a large Chinese blue and white porcelain dragon decorated vase, six character mark on base, measuring 15" high, 11 1/2" wide; a Chinese porcelain wucai dragon bowl together with a smaller bowl having bird and blossoms decoration, both with six character Guangxu marks, the largest 2 3/4" high, 6" diameter; a Chinese Yuhuchunping blue and white porcelain vase,  9 3/4" high, 5" wide; an Asian Kraakware charger with shaped rim, 13 1/2" diameter; a Chinese blue porcelain Kangxi brush pot, blue 6 character mark on base, 6 ½” high, 4 3/4" diameter; a Chinese porcelain Ming stemmed blue and white cup, 5 3/4" high, 5 5/8" diameter; and a Chinese Han or Han Style pottery ram figure, 6 1/4" high, 6" long.

Many lots of silver are on offer, with the lead item being a Tiffany & Co. cased sterling silver five piece tea and coffee service, monogrammed, in a floral repousse pattern together with a partial Tiffany & Co. flatware service, monogrammed, in the "Chrysanthemum" pattern. The tea service comprises a coffee pot, teapot, covered sugar, creamer, and waste bowl. Tea set weight is 90.92 OZT. The flatware comprises twelve dinner forks, twelve luncheon forks, twelve tablespoons, twelve teaspoons. Small edge nicks to spoon bowls and fork tines. Flatware weight is 135.45 OZT.  Total silver weight 226.37 OZT.  All contained within a Tiffany & Co. Oak presentation case with key, brass plaque reads: "C. Eugene Gunther from his Uncle John Seymour July 5, 1917".  Provenance is from Bernard Baruch, given to John Seymour, President of NY Stock Exchange upon his retirement. John Seymour gifted silver in 1917 to nephew C. Eugene Gunther, who willed silver to daughter Juanita Gunther. Juanita Gunther willed silver to her cousin Shirley Gunther Smith in 1977.

The Petrea collection comprises an amazing assemblage of Russian and Romanian icons and artworks, including Toscanini's ebonized and parcel gilt shaving mirror, with a Dutch baroque cushion molded frame with ebonized and gilt ripple moldings, enclosing a later mirror plate, measuring 23 1/2" high, 21 1/8" wide. Provenance: Ex collection: Arturo Toscanini, and purchased by the consignor from Wanda Toscanini Horowitz.

 Dozens of fine early icons are crossing the block, including a fine large Russian icon of the resurrection and great feasts, centering a scene of the resurrection within individual scenes of the twelve great feasts, tempera and gilt on panel, 17 1/2" high, 15 1/2" wide; a Russian icon of the nativity of St. John the Baptist, showing the birth to Elizabeth and attendants, and the washing of St. John the Baptist with Zachariah seated upper right. Tempera and gilt on panel, together with, but separated from its silver riza. The silver riza bearing marks for Moscow, dated 1877,  13 1/2" high, 11 1/2" wide; a Russian icon of St. Nicholas with selected saints, full length image of St. Nicholas, the guardian angel and selected saints below a tablet with scenes of the prophet Elija in the wilderness, tempera and gilt on panel, 17 1/2" high, 15" wide; a Russian icon of multiple saints and a guardian angel, showing a gathering of saints flanking a guardian angel and worshipping an icon of Our Lady of Tenderness, supported by angels and flanked by pairs of saints bearing scrolls. Tempera and gilt on panel, 11 3/4" high, 9" wide; a Russian icon of Mary Joy To All Who Sorrow, tempera and gilt on panel, 12" high, 10" wide; a quadripartite icon of the crucifixion, the central crucifixion scene with the Kazan Mother of God, St. Nicholas, St. George and the Archangel Michael, tempera and gilt on panel, pencil inscription verso "Dumitru, Sanda Riduga", 15" high, 11 1/2" wide; a large and impressive Greek icon of Saints Constantine and Helen, the full length figures of Saint Constantine the Great and Saint Helen with the cross of Christ below an ascended Christ, the frame with Saint Nicholas, Saint Paul and others in niches. Tempera and gilt on panel. Signed and inscribed lower left and right, bearing date 1886, 25" high, 19" wide; an icon of Saint Maria Kazanskya, pigments and silver leaf on panel, 15 1/2" high, 11 1/2" wide; an icon of St. Paraskevc in .950 silver riza, framed, sight size 7 1/2" high, 5 1/4" wide; and a German icon of St. George and the dragon, reverse painting on glass, framed, 12 3/4" high, 10” wide.

 The collection includes numerous paintings by Corneliu Petrescu (Romanian, 1925-2009), namely "Composition With Figures" mixed media on paper signed in pencil lower right, 16 1/2" high, 20" wide; Corneliu Petrescu (Romanian, 1925-2009), "Winter", "Summer" two mixed media works on paper. The smaller, monogrammed, dated lower right " '76", larger signed, dated in pencil lower right " '76", framed, the larger 14 1/2" high, 18 1/2" wide.

Other fine art lots include Michele Garinei (Italian, 1871-1960), "Madonna Addolorata Del Sassoferrato" (Virgin of Sorrows) oil on canvas, titled, signed, label verso "Leonardo Da Vinci Mona Lisa. Name Mondona painting was on loan Metropolitan", sight size 28 1/2" high, 23 1/4" wide; "Christ With Grapes" reverse painting on glass, pigments and gilt, framed, verso: "Michael Gresching La Maurinie (Albi) (Le Tarni?) 1981", sight size 12 3/8" high, 10 3/8" wide; Natalia Dumitrescu (Romanian, 1915-1997), "Creation Of The Universe" oil on paper, abstract composition signed and dated lower right "Dumitrescu '60", titled, signed and dated verso. sight size 10 1/2" high, 8" wide; Demetrius Mihailescu (Romanian, 1872-1922), street scene in Iasi, oil on canvas signed lower right, a peaceful street scene in Iasi, North Moldavia. sight size 26" high, 20 1/2" wide.

Among the European furniture lots being sold are a Spanish Colonial style carved wood dining table with wrought iron supports, 30 1/2" high, 84" wide, 37 3/4" wide; a set of six Spanish style carved walnut dining chairs with rush seats, 45" high, 16 1/2" wide, 15" deep; a Baroque style ebonized and parcel gilt canape having double arched back, scrolling foliate carved arms on eight foliate carved legs joined by carved stretchers ending in paw feet, 40" high, 78" wide, 28" deep; a Jacobean Style oak one drawer barley twist tap table, 27 1/2" high, 32" wide, 20" deep; Toscanini's four carved mahogany hall chairs, each with flaring fluted back on square tapering legs, 36 1/2" high, 17 1/2" wide, 16 1/2" deep. Provenance: from the estate of Arturo Toscanini, purchased 1978 by the consignor from Wanda Toscanini Horowitz; an English carved oak court cupboard, Jacobean Revival, having a canted profile with frieze drawer, single door recessed upper section above a pair of carved and paneled doors, 53" high, 57" wide, 17" deep; and an early English carved oak bible box, the lift top with chip carved sides, the front profusely carved with "S" scrolls and punch-work, 11" high, 31 1/2" wide, 14 3/4" deep.

The collection includes numerous early Caucasian carpets in many regional designs and weaves. Among the more interesting logs are a possibly Turkish Oushak room size carpet, turn of the century, in yellow and gold tones, approximately 15' long, 12' wide; a Persian Heriz room size carpet, 20th century, 8' 11" long, 10' 4" wide; a Caucasian area rug, 19th century,  5' 11" long, 4' wide; a Caucasian rug, Shirvan type, in estate condition, measuring 4' 6" long, 3' 10" wide; a Chelabird Kazak, 8' 4" long, 4' 6" wide; and a rare palace size Sarouk rug, in good estate condition, 25' 10" long, 12' 3" wide. 

The catalog for the sale is viewable at www.woodburyauction.com. Internet, absentee and phone bidding are available for this live gallery auction by registering directly with Schwenke Auctioneers. The sale will be broadcast live through Live Auctioneers, Invaluable and Bidsquare. For information please call Schwenke Auctioneers at 203-266-0323.