My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.
On September 19, 2013, Heritage Auctions will hold a sale entitled The Unknown Renoir, which will include fascinating memorabilia and personal artifacts. The 143-lot sale will include letters to and from Renoir, personal items, drawings, documents, and original plasters, to name a few. I suspect that some of the estimates will be blown away by enthusiastic bidders.
Original Renoir plaster, Grande Vénus Victorieuse, Heritage lot #89115
Heritage expects the top lot of the sale to be #89115, an original plaster, which is not copyright protected. Entitled Grande Vénus Victorieuse (Large Victorious Venus), the pre-sale estimate is $900,000 – $1,000,000. Whoever buys this lot will legally be able to cast it in bronze. If it’s done right, it could be quite remunerative, and surely interesting. Several other copyright protected, original plasters will also be in the sale, at significantly lower estimates in the $30,000 – $40,000 price range. They cannot be legally reproduced without permission from the copyright holder.
Lot of 56 original Renoir copper plates, Heritage lot #89109
Another lot that will likely lead to a flood of new Renoir etchings is #89109, 56 original copper plates. New etchings from original plates fall into a gray area. If they’re represented accurately, they’re worth a lot less than with a Renoir signature. The temptation to have a forger sign them will be difficult to resist.
Handwritten letter from Claude Monet to Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Heritage lot #89081
Lot #89081 is a really cool handwritten letter from Claude Monet to Renoir, dated February 16, 1914, thanking Renoir for his condolence note on the death of Monet’s son, Jean Monet, at the age of 46 — pretty amazing letter. My guess is the pre-sale estimate of $7,000 – $9,000 is conservative.
For the complete catalog, click here. You’ll find many of the lots intriguing.
Don’t have any shows for several weeks, so I’m devoting more time to updating my site. I’ve already listed about 10 new Tiffany, Daum, and Gallé vases. Click here to take a look. Then look for my totally redesigned website, with many changes and improvements, coming sooner than later. Can’t wait to show you and get your reaction!
Wonderful Daum Nancy scenic blownout vase, in rare purple variation, just in
Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show. Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.