Approximately 900 quality lots of fine arts and antiques in an array of categories will be sold on Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March 23, at Cottone Auctions, in the firm’s spacious gallery located at 120 Court Street in Geneseo. Many items may be viewed online, at www.cottoneauctions.com. Internet bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.

            The auction will feature original oil paintings (many by noted, listed artists), bronzes, Asian objects (to include jade, ivory and an outstanding collection of over 250 snuff bottles, most of them from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, from the collection of William L Tait),  sterling silver items, estate jewelry pieces, period furniture, Native American objects and more.

            “It never ceases to amaze me the quality of merchandise that comes to us and that the market has a demand for,” said Matt Cottone of Cottone Auctions. “To be able to offer these exceptional pieces at auction is truly an honor. The fact that we amassed close to 1,000 lots I think speaks volumes as to the anticipated success of this sale.”

            The Friday, March 22 session (starting at 12 noon, EST) will be dedicated to Asian arts, sterling silver, fine jewelry and other items. Some of the sterling items were deaccessioned from the Strong Museum, to shore up that institution’s benefit fund. Included will be makers such as Tiffany, Gorham, Kirk, Dominick & Haff and others. Flatware and hollowware will be featured.

            The more than 100 pieces of fine jewelry items comes mostly from the estate of George and Angie Shaheen, collectors of fine antiques since the 1950s. George recently decided to sell the couple’s lifelong collection following Angie’s passing. Included will be a Tiffany sapphire ring and bracelet, a Tiffany dragon pin with pearl, Patek Philippe and Rolex watches and more.

            The Saturday, March 23 session (starting at 11 a.m.) will be highlighted by fine original artworks, Native American objects, decorative accessories, examples of Americana, and some wonderful period furniture pieces, such as a fine 1905 Gustav Stickley oak corner cupboard with original copper strap hardware and original finish, consigned by a family in upstate New York.

            “This corner cupboard has descended in the family of the original owners,” Mr. Cottone said. “The matching sideboard from the same family was appraised on the Antiques Roadshow in Charlotte in 2002. Though not in the original finish, and with polished hardware, it appraised at $75,000-$110,000. The corner cupboard, however, has the original finish and hardware patina.”

            Many beautiful oil paintings will be offered on Saturday. These will include Patriarchs of the Grove, a 40 inch by 50 inch oil on canvas by William Wendt (Calif./Ill., 1865-1946), one of the best-known landscape painters of the late 19th and early 20th century. A copy of the book William Wendt and His Work, with jacket art displaying this painting, will be included in the lot.

            Also sold will be a luminous and impressionist rendering of New York City, by the Norwegian-born New York painter Jonas Lie (1880-1940). The painting spent most of its life in the home of Emily Sibley Watson, founder of the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, N.Y. It is an evocative painting, influenced by the French master Claude Monet’s use of color and light.

            Another fine painting that will come up for bid is The Milners, an oil on board by Victor Gilbert (Fr., 1847-1933). The work is being sold for the Landmark Society of Western New York. Gilbert lived in France his entire life and, despite having had little formal training, did carve out a reputation as a genre painter, specializing in market scenes and portrait paintings.

            Original works by Charles and Emile Gruppe will also be offered. Charles (1880-1940), the father of Emile, was born in Canada and lived in Massachusetts, New York and Holland, earning a reputation as a fine (and largely self-taught) landscape and marine painter. Emile (Mass./N.Y., 1896-1978) became a renowned New England landscape and marine painter.

            Additional works will also be sold by such noted artists as Alson Clark (Ill./Calif., 1876-1949), a landscape painter strongly influenced by the French Impressionists; Carl Peters (N.Y., 1897-1980), an American Scene painter and regionalist; Emile Munier (N.Y./Fr., 1840-1895), known for his portrait, genre and landscape paintings; and Andrew Melrose (N.J./Calif., 1836-1901), a Scottish-born artist whose travels through Europe inspired his atmospheric landscapes.

            Several bronzes will also be sold. These will be led by a bronze group of a Bogatyr (a Russian warlord, or heroic Standard Bearer) by Evgeni Alexandrovich Lanceray (1848-1886), the talented Russian sculptor, painter and illustrator. The work stands 31 inches tall, with great attention to detail in the chair armor, the head-trappings of the horse and the stamped leather.

            An outstanding collection of Native American items (also from the estate of George and Angie Shaheen) will range from Iroquois to Northwest Coast. These will include rare, collectible Germantown weavings, carved totem poles, beaded items and more. Rounding out the Saturday session will be many wonderful decorative accessories, fine examples of Americana and more.

            Previews will be held on Friday, March 22, the first day of the auction, from 9.a.m. to noon, and on Saturday, March 23, from 9 a.m. until the first hammer comes down at 11 a.m. A 17 percent buyer’s premium will be added to the hammer price of each lot. There is a 2 percent discount for payments made by cash or pre-approved check. All purchases are subject to an 8 percent New York State sales tax, except for those with a valid New York State resale certificate.

            Cottone Auctions is always seeking quality consignments for future sales. The firm is especially interested in fine art, Oriental rugs, silver, Tiffany, Art glass, Art pottery, folk art, Native American, clocks and stoneware. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (585) 243-3100; or, you can send them an e-mail at info@cottoneauctions.com.

            To learn more about Cottone Auctions and the upcoming March 22-23 auction, please log on to www.cottoneauctions.com.