BLOOMFIELD, N.J. – An Estate Treasures Auction highlighted by a large and varied collection of silver and carpets from the collection of Myrna and Bernard Posner is slated for Wednesday, July 31st, by Nye & Company Auctioneers, online and in the Bloomfield gallery at 20 Beach Street. The sale will begin promptly at 10 am Eastern. Just under 700 lots will come up for bid.

Starting in the 1950's, Bernard and Myrna Posner had an avid interest in sterling silver and works of art. Their taste ranged from pieces that were American and British to ones that were Chinese, Australian and Southeast Asian. Their silver collection consisted of objects that crossed all time periods and varied from decorative objects to utilitarian pieces. Some of it was bought overseas.

“Their pride in their collection was evident whenever anyone visited their home,” said a close friend of the couple’s and a collector. “The pieces were there to be seen and enjoyed. When something new was added to the collection, it was like adding a member to their family. Bernie especially loved researching each new piece in order to determine the maker, date, country of origin and original use of the piece. The more unusual the item was, the more Bernie liked it.”

The sale also features a nice selection of fine and decorative arts, such as an early 20th century Marcus Charles Illions carved carousel horse and fine art from artists such as John Frederick Kensett, Raphael Soyer, Roy Lichtenstein and others.  The furniture is diverse, spanning several centuries of craftsmanship and will be sure to please designers, collectors and trade alike.  There is also a wonderful selection of garden statuary – the perfect complement to any summer garden.

The early 20th century Marcus Charles Illions & Sons (Coney Island, N.Y) carved carousel horse is one of the more intriguing lots in the auction. Crafted in 1915 and carrying a minimum bid of $1,500, the jeweled jumper has an overall height of 5 feet 11 inches and boasts a characteristic flowing mane, deep-set eyes, well-carved saddles, saddle flap and blanket and a jeweled bridle.

Star lots from the Posner collection will include a five-piece Danish parcel gilt silver tea and coffee service with the mark of David Andersen (Copenhagen) and a total weight of about 85 troy ounces (MB: $1,500); and a Qashqa’I pictorial Persian rug, hand-made around 1910, 7 feet 1 inch by 4 feet 3 inches and with an indigo field showing Rustam fighting a lion (MB: $1,500).

Original oil paintings will feature an oil on canvas by Raphael Soyer (American, 1899-1987), titled Reclining Woman, signed lower left and 17 ½ inches by 23 ½ inches (MB: $5,000); and a late 17th or early 18th century Italian School work done in the manner of Luca Giordano, titled Adoration of the Magi, inscribed “G. Pirrani” and 36 ½ inches by 26 ½ inches (MB: $2,000).

A rare and important Four Seasons quilt beautifully rendered around 1840 by Jane Ann Bidwell (Jersey City, N.J., 1799-1865) has a minimum bid of $2,000. The 6 foot 8 inch by 7 foot 4 inch quilt displays profuse applique and broderie perse decoration. Many of the techniques used in the assembly of this remarkable quilt relate strongly to some of the best quilts from the same period.

A carved marble sculpture of Pauline Bonaparte as Venus Victrix, from the 19th or 20th century after Antonio Canova (Italian, 1757-1822), on a custom-built painted wood stand, overall 41 ½ inches, has a minimum bid of $3,500. Also, a late 19th century French painted cast-iron figure of a woman with an urn, labeled “Val d’Osne” and 52 inches tall, carries a minimum bid of $400.

A late 18th century English George III brass inlaid satinwood console, measuring 33 inches tall by 5 feet wide by 21 inches deep, has a minimum bid of $1,400. Also, a late 18th century English George III mahogany tall case clock, the dial signed “Parker Liverpool”, standing approximately 8 feet 1 inch tall and 23 inches wide, has a minimum bid of $1,000.

Nye & Company Auctioneers recently launched its new updated website (nyeandcompany.com). It allows clients to bid directly on the site, simplifying and streamlining the process. The site also offers more access to the bidders, with online forms and pre-formatted inquiry forms. Of course, clients are still able to use the popular platforms LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. The full catalog can be viewed now, on the new website. Phone and absentee bids will be accepted.

Catalog online viewing and pre-bidding is already underway and will continue on up to auction day. Folks can still preview and bid on and during auction day. In-person previews will be held on weekdays, July 22-31, from 10-4 Eastern time, and on Sunday, July 28th, from noon to 4 pm.

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 July Estate Treasures Auction slated for Wednesday, July 31st, visit www.nyeandcompany.com. The full color catalog can be viewed at www.nyeandcompany.com, www.LiveAuctioneers.com and www.Invaluable.com.

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