Gray's Auctioneers is delighted to announce its Fine Art, Furniture, and Decorations Auction will be taking place on April 13, 2022, at 10 am EDT. The dazzling catalog contains over 1000 delicate examples of transferware, a quirky collection of 18th and 19th-century toys, and an enviable array of Lalique crystal from a local collector in Cleveland.

April’s auction features an incredible 322 lots, with special mention to Lot No. 8, "The Last Shot" by British-American artist Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905). Forming part of the artist's "Western Series," the Last Shot perfectly represents Tait's obsession with the western expansion happening on the continent in the 1850’s. Mirroring the American public’s fevered fascination for blood curdling encounters with flora, fauna, and the native population, the series was enthusiastically received, cementing Tait's reputation as a master of oil on canvas. The "Last Shot" is one of only 22 pieces in his Western series and has an estimated sale price of $80,000 - $120,000.

Lot No. 19, "The Rug Merchant," by Giulio Rosati (1858-1917), is a captivating tableau of mid-19th century Orientalist art. Owned by the same family, it has passed through the generations for over 100 years. The Italian Rosati rebelled against family tradition to pursue his passion for painting, eventually becoming one of the most prolific Orientalist painters of the century. "The Rug Merchant" portrays the artist's perception of the exotic, Eastern, everyday scene. It has an estimated sale value of $20,000 - $40,000.

Exquisite ceramics and glassware make up a large number of lots this month. Transferware became the postcard of the time, depicting exotic scenes of worlds far, far away. Lots 181, 150, and 96 are charming examples of time gone by, in vivid shades of English green, blue, and pink, respectively. Bids for these collections will begin at $80.

The Lalique crystal collection is a cut above the rest, notable for the quantity, quality, and variety of available pieces. Luxury, taste, and a keen eye for detail are quintessential to this family-founded brand. Bids have already started on lots 62, 107, and 262, and a personal favorite is Lot No. 58, a set of 12 Femme Crystal Tumbler glasses adorned with the Lalique France signature on the bottom.

Last but not least toy makers in the 19th and early 20th Century were the masters of their crafts, and the auction at Gray’s features some of the most innovative, entertaining and weird we’ve come across. Lot 6 is the French hand crank bucking horse tricycle, lot 123 is a camel, an elephant and a lion but they are not cuddly, they are mechanical and still banks, and lot 116 is a simulation of the then newly opened, marvel of engineering, The Lincoln Tunnel, complete with mechanized cars coming and going to the unseen metropolis of New York.

A boutique fine art and antiques auction house with an international footprint, Gray's was founded by partners in business and life Deba Gray and Serena Harragin in 2006. Now in their 16th year, they remain as passionate as ever to serve the Cleveland community and beyond.

The Fine Art, Furniture, and Decorations Auction will take place on April 13, 2022, at 10 am EDT. In person viewings are available upon request, and interested parties have up to 24 hours before the auction to register their bids. The entire catalog is exhibited in the auction showrooms and is online at Graysauctioneers.com. For even more information, follow our Instagram. Want to chuckle while you keep up with the latest art news? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter where we inform, entertain, and inspire!