Expected to literally drive Fontaine’s Auction Gallery’s antiques and estates auction on Saturday, October 20, 2018 at 11 AM will be seven antique and vintage cars along with a select grouping of fine luxury goods ranging from Tiffany Studios lamps to silver and bronze decorative pieces. Auction previews the week of the sale are Friday 10 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday, 9 AM to 11 AM.

This auction will feature 400 lots of antiques and fine art, including Victorian, early American, Arts and Crafts and Mid-Century furniture and accessories, 19th and 20th Century lighting, antique and classic cars, gold and diamond jewelry, fine silver, 19th and 20th Century paintings, art glass and cameo glass, Asian and Russian items, bronze and marble statuary, porcelains, country store and advertising items, music boxes, clocks, plus related accessories.

In recent months, Fontaine’s has sold several Tiffany lamps in the five-figure price range.

“Tiffany lamps really resonate with our buyers and we are delighted to continue to be able to ferret out great examples from fine area estates for our auctions,” said John Fontaine, owner of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery. “From the intricate designs and harmoniously colored shades to the elegant and ornate bronze bases, the best examples of these lamps always attract robust bidding and interest. This auction has many lots across the board to interest collectors.”

The offering of Tiffany lamps will be centered by a Tiffany Studios leaded Dogwood floor lamp ($50-75,000) with a 22-inch diameter “Holden” shaped shade with eight rows of staggered brick pattern over an allover pattern of mottled white dogwood flowers. The shade is original and signed “Tiffany Studios, New York,”and the lamp is on a contemporary bronze “junior” base in the style of Tiffany Studios, 70 inches tall.

Another Tiffany lamp sure to light up the block is a Tiffany Studios Daffodil table lamp ($35-50,000) having a 20-inch diameter leaded conical shade with long green and blue leaves and golden yellow mottled glass daffodil flowers. Signed “Tiffany Studios, New York, 1497” with a gilt finish, the lamp is on a fine gold dore bronze “Old English” pattern Tiffany Studios table lamp base.

Racing across the block will be a total of seven cars. Gentleman drivers will get their engines revving with such models as a 1934 Mercedes Benz “Heritage Replica” convertible made in the 1990s on a fabricated steel chassis using Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro driveline components ($20-25,000); a 1936 Mercedes Benz 500K “Marlene” Cabriolet Convertible replica ($15-20,000) made with a Mustang/ Mustang II drive-line and a 1960s Extreme Custom Chevrolet Corvette ($15-25,000) made in 1968-70 on a theft/recovery 1966-7 Corvette chassis.

“This was a very special collection from a New Jersey man who had been constructing — and collecting — cars for decades.” Fontaine said. “We’ve already had a lot of buzz from the antiques and the classic car communities so we are excited to see how these cars set the pace for this sale.”

The auction’s offerings run across the board spanning continents and centuries with silver figuring prominently among the items on offer, especially Russian silver. A pair of Russian silver figural candelabra ($12-15,000) has domical relief decorated platforms with standing Bogatyr soldiers in full armor with swords at their hips, signed with hallmarks for the firm of Sazikov, 1867 Aleksandr Alekseevich Smirnov assayers mark. 

A six-piece Russian silver tea set with tray ($6-8,500) is signed with hallmarks for silversmith Anders Wilhelm Ljung (Liung), Aleksandr Ilyich Yashinkov assayers mark, St. Petersburg city mark and an 84-zol. silver purity mark. Also leading the silver category is a French 185-piece Pierre Queille oak cased flatware set ($7-9,000) notable for its heavy sterling silver piece and signed with 1st standard Minerva (.925) hallmark and makers mark for Pierre Queille, Paris.

The parade of Russian goods continues with an Emile Eisman-Semenowsky (Russian, 1857-1911) oil on mahogany panel portrait ($5-7,500) of two French women, one with a basket of flowers and the other with a bird perched on her finger; a 14K Russian Order of St. Stanislaus pendant ($4-6,000), an Albert Moritz Wolff (1854-1923) bronze grouping ($4-6,000) of a young Cossack woman watering horses with two horses standing beside a well, 16 inches tall, and a pair of Russian Tula Arms cased dueling pistols ($3-5,000).

Midcentury offerings include a large Edward Wormley leather “Party” sofa by Dunbar ($4-6,000) in tufted black leather with a continuous even armrest; signed with Dunbar tag on the bottom, 24 by 98 by 35 inches; an Eero Saarinen Womb chair and ottoman for Knoll International ($1-1,500) in cream-colored tweed fabric, 36 by 39 by 36 inches, and a pair of Le Corbusier Basculant cowhide sling armchairs having a chrome plated steel frame, 26 by 25 by 25-1/2 inches by Cassina ($1-1,500).

Rounding out the auction is a Jerome Secor clockwork banjo player automaton ($12-15,000) depicting an African-American man seated on a stool, holding a banjo and with original clothing, 10 inches tall; and a walnut Queen Anne three-hinge Wooton desk ($6-8,000) with two swing out banks, a spindled gallery top, carved and turned finials, carved crest panel and deep inset walnut panels; 74 by 42-1/2 by 31-1/2 inches.

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery is actively seeking quality items, to include furniture, lighting, clocks and watches, paintings, porcelains, bronze and marble statuary, Asian items, art glass and cameo glass, Russian objects, silver, musical, coin-op, advertising, toys, banks, gaming and carousel items for future sales. 

Consignments are currently being accepted for all the upcoming auctions. The firm will buy outright or accept on consignment fine antiques, collections or entire estates. Those interested in consigning can call John Fontaine at (413) 448-8922 and or by emailing @fontainesauction.com.

Fontaine’s Auction Gallery is the oldest operating auction gallery in Western Massachusetts and has been voted “Best Antique Auction Gallery” eight times by the public. For more information about the company and the upcoming auction schedule, visit www.fontainesauction.com. Updates are posted frequently.