Louisiana artists show strongly in May 4 auction

Works by Murrell Butler, Britney Penouilh and Franco Alessandrini will draw strong attention at Jasper52’s Fine Prints, Paintings, and Decorative Arts auction, which will be held on Wednesday, May 4 at 8 pm Eastern time. Other lots in the sale include a LeRoy Neiman serigraph of a Parisian outdoor cafe scene; a circa-1885 painting by Martin Coulaud of a girl tending geese; a photorealistic painting of a large, rusted steakhouse restaurant sign by Jim Thomson; a model of a clipper ship rendered in exceptionally high-quality silver by Japanese master silversmith Seki Takehiko; several depictions of nudes, both painted and sculpted, distinguished by Louis Braquet’s Nymph 2020; an original drawing by famed American modernist Joseph Stella; a well-observed pastel by Barbara Geldermann Hails, portraying horse harness racers; and a wealth of landscapes, ranging from a serene Lake Como scene by Deborah Newman, to a highly vertical oil on canvas on hardboard panel upon which John Hawkins liberally wielded his palette knife, to a panoramic sunset by Boris Garibyan, thick with impasto.

Britney Penouilh, ‘Providence Mountains,’ est. $4,500-$5,500

View the auction here.

Jasper52 tempts with designer jewelry, watches and fashion, May 8

NEW YORK – On Sunday, May 8, starting at 8 pm Eastern time, Jasper52 will present a sale of Designer Jewelry, Watches and Fashion – more than 300 lots of treasures from the most coveted and sought-after brands, houses and firms. Among the many prizes on offer are a Franck Mueller master calendar watch; an 18K white gold Chopard ring set with a blue topaz weighing 6.10 carats; a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust watch and also a ladies’ Rolex Datejust watch with a gold case and bracelet and a bezel set with sapphires and diamonds; a black leather Chanel handbag, its strap a gold chain intertwined with black leather; an 18K white gold Cartier solitaire ring; a large number of Hermes watches, including a ladies’ Hermes Cape Cod Nantucket watch in gold and a Hermes Kelly watch, which takes the form of a steel-cased padlock with a silver dial, attached to a natural ostrich leather bracelet; an 18K white gold Chanel ring from the Baroque collection, graced with a central amethyst attended by iolites and rhodolites; a Tiffany & Co. triple heart pendant gold necklace; two examples of Bulgari’s Tronchetto ring, one set with a pink-fuchsia tourmaline and the other set with a semi-cylindrical chrysoprase; a steel Cartier Tank Chronoreflex watch; a beige canvas Hermes Heeboo handbag; a Piaget heart ring in 18K white gold; a Chanel Premiere Chaine watch on an 18K gold bracelet; and a pair of silver-gray leather Hermes high-heeled sandals.

Ladies’ Rolex Datejust wristwatch, est. $21,000-$25,000

View the auction here.

Learn more about the auction on Auction Central News.

How to measure three-dimensional objects, including silver, ceramics, glass & sculpture like an expert

Accurately measuring irregularly shaped three-dimensional objects can be challenging. This guide will give you the tools to accurately measure your decorative art and sculpture. Before handling them, make sure your hands are clean and dry.

The standard format for reporting measurements of three-dimensional items is as follows: Height x Width x Depth or Diameter.

Circumference, the distance around a circular item (such as a bowl or lamp shade), may also be measured if it applies to your object.

To begin, imagine putting a clear box or cube over your object. Now, measure the box – height first, then width, then depth (front to back).

Height: The vertical measurement from the base of an object to the top, its tallest point. If your object is mounted on a base, plinth, stand or pedestal, measure the height of the object including the base, and then measure it again without the base.

Width: The horizontal measurement of an object at its widest point, farthest left and right of center. If an object has handles or other details that protrude from the body, measure just the body, and then measure the object again, including the handles.

Depth: In this context, depth is the distance from front to back, or the horizontal measurement of an object’s protrusion into space, perpendicular to the object’s width.

Diameter: This measurement only applies to circular items. This is the measurement of the width of the circle at its largest point. Imagine bisecting the circular area into two equal parts with your ruler. If you are measuring objects with circular components of variable sizes, such as a bowl or vase, take three measurements: the diameter of the bottom, the diameter of the widest point of the body, and the diameter of the rim.

Circumference: The distance around a circular object, such as a bowl, lamp shade or paper weight. Use a flexible measuring tool, such as a seamstress tape. Hold the tape at the largest point of the object and then encircle it with the tape. This measurement only applies to circular objects.

Basic Types of Measuring Tools:

  • Seamstress tape: Soft and flexible, good for measuring circumference, three-dimensional objects or curved objects.
  • Measuring tape: Rigid, can be hooked onto a frame or canvas, good for measuring straight items that are longer than one foot.
  • Ruler: Rigid, good for measuring straight items smaller than one foot, particularly small items that can be laid directly on the ruler.

How To Measure:
Measuring tools

Imagine the clear box over your object.

For items that are not circular, such as sculptures, measure the Height, Width and Depth of the object.

  1. Place the “Zero” end of your measuring tool at the end of your object.
  2. Make sure the end of your ruler is flush (in line) with your object.
  3. Adjust your ruler so that it is aligned with your object. The ruler should be straight and parallel to the object.
  4. Move to the opposite side of the object you are measuring and read the ruler.

For items that have circular components, such as bowls, vases or paperweights, measure the Height, Width, Diameter and Circumference of the object:

  1. Place the “Zero” end of your measuring tool at the end of your object.
  2. Make sure the end of your ruler is flush (in line) with your object.
  3. Adjust your ruler so that it is aligned with your object. The ruler should be straight and parallel to the object.
  4. Move to the opposite side of the object you are measuring and read the ruler.
  5. Use a flexible tool such as a seamstress tape to measure the circumference, the distance around the object.

Measuring height

Measuring width

Measuring circumference

Measuring height and width

Measuring Diameter and Circumference

Measuring diameter of opening

Toleware: both useful and beautiful

An early 19th-century tin toleware lighthouse coffee pot with a gooseneck spout realized $16,000 plus the buyer’s premium in April 2011. Image courtesy of Pook & Pook, Inc., and LiveAuctioneers

Toleware, a term for tinned objects that have been paint-decorated and lacquered, usually with charming folk motifs, originated in 17th-century Wales. Although early examples were utilitarian in nature, many were decorated to imitate exotic Asian lacquerware imports, especially those from Japan. Cups, pans, pails, coffee pots and other standard household items boasted fanciful chinoiserie-style designs against shiny black “japanned” (aka lacquered) grounds. 

This eight-piece Regency period parcel gilt toleware service sold for €1,800 (roughly $1,900) plus the buyer’s premium in June 2015. Image courtesy of Sheppard’s Irish Auction House and LiveAuctioneers

British “whitesmiths,” a term coined to mean tinsmiths, worked magic through the medium of toleware. With a thin tin coating and a deft creative hand, any humble household item could be transformed into a durable, decorative statement. As toleware became more fashionable, British whitesmiths created pieces that held higher regard in the home, such as wine coolers and molasses dispensers. 

A Victorian toleware molasses dispenser with front panels featuring a British coat of arms sold for £500 (about $653) plus the buyer’s premium in December 2020. Image courtesy of Lyon & Turnbull and LiveAuctioneers

With the advent of roller mills, which pressed smelted iron bars into thin sheets ready for tinning, production of basic flat household toleware pieces soared. Through the mid-18th-century, both toleware and pressed tinned sheets were exported to the Colonies. Edward and William Pattison, enterprising whitesmiths based outside of Hartford, Connecticut, created similar kitchen wares of their own. Their business flourished as they took a business-to-consumer approach, peddling their fanciful wares door to door. 

This circa-1840 New England toleware document box earned $240 plus the buyer’s premium in February 2019. Image courtesy of the New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association and LiveAuctioneers

After the Revolutionary War, family-run toleware workshops also arose in Maine, New York and Pennsylvania. Simple, useful items were always in demand, but some whitesmiths graced more ornate creations with cut, punched, pierced, gilt, beaded, flat or raised details. They enlisted their wives and daughters to add freehand painted floral images in a process commonly known as “flowering.” More complex images could be produced through the use of multiple stencils. Most of these American toleware designs feature red, orange and yellow bouquets against green or black grounds. Other American toleware motifs were inspired by images found on costly imported porcelains. 

A 19th-century Pennsylvania toleware child’s mug attained $600 plus the buyer’s premium in January 2022. Image courtesy of Conestoga Auction Company Division of Hess Auction Group and LiveAuctioneers

The Pennsylvania Dutch (an aberration of the term “Deutsch”), a distinct European cultural group of farmers and artisans also known as the Pennsylvania Germans, settled across the southern and eastern parts of the Keystone State in the 18th and 19th centuries. Their tan, rust red, green and pumpkin-yellow toleware designs, rendered in sweeping brush strokes or by “thumbing” (blending applied paints with finger or thumb), are reminiscent of European peasant designs. In addition to fruit and florals, Pennsylvania German tolewares often bore geometric shapes enhanced with stylized images of birds, farm animals, tulips or hearts-and-flowers against dark lacquered grounds.

A 19th-century Pennsylvania toleware child’s mug with a yellow ground achieved $2,500 plus the buyer’s premium in October 2021. Image courtesy of Conestoga Auction Company Division of Hess Auction Group and LiveAuctioneers

Although toleware fell out of fashion by the turn of the 20th century, these now-antique pieces have earned legions of fans. British, American and Pennsylvania Dutch tolewares are ardently collected, but so, too are French tolewares, famed for their superior lacquer, varied palettes, fine embellishment and elegant floral designs. 

A circa-1830 toleware box attained $300 plus the buyer’s premium in April 2021. Image courtesy of the New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association and LiveAuctioneers

Toleware pieces that reflect the 19th-century French fascination with mystery and illusion might be the most intriguing of all. Elaborate magic sets were made from toleware, and sleight-of-hand tricks with names such as Scotch Purse, Hammer and Ball, Die Through Hat and Bonus Genius, often employed colorful toleware coin-conjuring plates. Hand-painted toleware changing canisters helped magicians produce objects or make them disappear, while colorful card-changing ladles fitted with hinged, moveable tin leaves inside the bowl captured and held magicians’ chosen cards. 

Alexander Herrmann’s Cards and Card Bouquet magical apparatus with toleware vase, achieved $6,500 plus the buyer’s premium in October 2021. Image courtesy of Potter & Potter Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

The quirky toleware Cards and Card Bouquet magic apparatus, once linked to the famed French stage magician Alexander Herrmann and once part of the Circus Museum of Sarasota Collection, was no less bewitching. It featured an internal mechanism which, once a spectator’s secret card choices were returned to their deck, reveals them in all their glory.

A Hermes coffee table with a toleware tray top sold for $4,000 plus the buyer’s premium against an estimate of $400-$600 in August 2021. Image courtesy of Alex Cooper and LiveAuctioneers

Toleware may have been vanquished with the rise of plastic, but it hasn’t left the art scene completely. Hermes, the fashionable, centuries-old French company, produced a coffee table with a toleware tray top in Veuve Clicquot’s trademark yellow, emblazoned with the Champagne producer’s brand name. An example of the table hammered for $4,000, 10 times its low estimate, in August 2021. But it’s the antique tole pieces that dominate, reminding their owners of plucky cottage entrepreneurs who found a way to create objects that were both useful and beautiful.

How to measure prints and posters like an expert

Accurately measuring prints and posters can be challenging. This guide will give you the tools to accurately measure them. Before handling your prints and posters, make sure your hands are clean and dry, and use gloves if you have them.

The standard format for reporting measurements of a print or a poster is as follows: Height x Width. For a framed artwork, use this format: Height x Width x Depth.

Experts need three different measurements to assess your print or poster: Sheet, Image and Plate. If the work is in a frame, they also need to know the Sight and Frame measurements.

Sheet: Measure the entire sheet of paper. If your item is in a frame, you may not be able to take this measurement. See the red line in the illustration below.

Image: Measure the colored area. See the yellow line in the illustration below.

Plate: Plate marks are faint indentations surrounding the image, and are usually square or rectangular in shape. See the blue line in the illustration below.

Sight: This is the area of the artwork that is visible inside the mat or frame. See the orange line in the illustration below.

Frame: This is the overall size of the frame. See the purple line in the illustration below.

How to measure prints

How to measure prints

How to measure prints
BASIC TYPES OF MEASURING TOOLS:
Measuring tools

  • Seamstress tape: Soft and flexible, good for measuring circumference, three-dimensional objects or curved objects.
  • Measuring tape: Rigid, can be hooked onto a frame or canvas, good for measuring straight items that are longer than one foot.
  • Ruler: Rigid, good for measuring straight items smaller than one foot, particularly small items that can be laid directly on the ruler.

How to Measure:

  1. Place the “Zero” end of your ruler at one end of your print (the “Zero” end is usually on the left side of the ruler).
  2. Make sure the end of your ruler is flush (in line) with your print.
  3. Adjust your ruler so that it is aligned with your print.
  4. Move to the opposite side of the print you are measuring and read the ruler.

How to determine the condition of paintings on canvas, board or linen like an expert

This article will explain common condition issues found in paintings on canvas, board or linen. It will give you the tools to determine if common condition issues are present in the paintings that you own.

Keep in mind that if you discover condition issues, they will not necessarily hurt the sales value of your artwork. Some condition issues are inherent to the materials used to create the piece, and their presence can help confirm authenticity. Should an expert determine that restoration prior to a sale would increase the resale value of the piece, that same expert should be able to recommend a restorer who can perform the work.

It is best to remove a painting from the frame when looking for condition issues because the frame can conceal parts of the work. However, if you are not comfortable with the idea, do not remove the piece from the frame.

When handling the work, make sure your hands are clean and dry, or wear clean gloves. This step is vital because the oils from your fingertips can cause damage to the artwork.

Many condition issues can be detected with the naked eye, but you should also examine the painting using a light source. Note that certain issues may require a magnifying glass or a black light to detect.

Once you’ve set up the painting for examination, you should look for the following issues:

  • Tears or Rips
  • Paint Loss
  • Craquelure
  • Inpainting, Overpainting and Retouching
  • Water Damage
  • Varnish Discoloration
  • Fading or Overcleaning
  • Surface Dirt
  • Re-lining
  • Sagging or Looseness on Its Stretchers
  • Frame Damage

Tears or Rips
Examine the front of the work. Are there any tears or rips in the canvas? Look at the back of the painting. Are there are any patches? Canvas patches can indicate that a tear has been repaired.

Paint Loss
Look closely at the entire surface to see if there is any paint loss. If you have a magnifying glass, use it. Examine the surface in raking light, which is light that falls across the surface at an angle. Viewing the work in raking light can help you determine if there are cracks in the surface of the paint or areas of loss. Related issues include cleavage (separation between the paint and ground layers), flaking and lifting.

Craquelure
Craquelure is a very common condition issue. The term describes a network of fine fracture lines in a paint layer. It often resembles spider web­-like cracks, but it can manifest in several different ways. Craquelure may only be present in certain areas of the surface, and the size of the cracks can vary from a centimeter to a few inches. It often occurs naturally as a painting ages, but it can also be caused by an impact to the canvas, by rolling or folding the unstretched canvas, and by exposure to humidity or other environmental influences. Craquelure can lead to flaking and lifting and can indicate poor adhesion between the paint layer, varnish layer and support. To look for craquelure, examine the surface in raking light.

Inpainting, Overpainting and Retouching
Inpainting or retouching is the introduction of new paint into small areas of loss in order to restore continuity and conceal damage. Overpainting is an application of new paint that completely covers the old surface. The results of these conservation techniques are difficult to detect. Look for areas where the paint color is slightly different. Inconsistent brush strokes or areas where the paint is thicker can also be signs of restoration. Often, inpainting is used to conceal a tear in a canvas that has been patched on the reverse. Sometimes, areas that have been restored can be detected because condition issues present in other parts of the canvas are absent. If you have a black light or ultraviolet light available, take your painting to a dark room and examine the surface under the black light to see if any areas of the paint fluoresce differently. Older paint will look different from new paint under black light; new paint will usually look darker.

Water Damage
Examine the back of the work. Are there any discolored areas that might indicate the artwork came into contact with water or another liquid? Moisture exposure can cause the canvas and the wooden stretcher bars to expand and contract or warp, which can disturb the paint layer and cause lifting.

Varnish Discoloration
A final protective coating of varnish is often applied to a painting in order to protect and preserve the paint layer. Varnish can discolor, darken and deteriorate with age, affecting the overall appearance of a painting. Varnish often yellows with age and becomes brittle.

Fading or Overcleaning
Fading is a gradual loss of color or intensity. This can be caused by exposure to sunlight, or it can be inherent to the type of paint. Fading can also result from overcleaning.

Surface Dirt
If a painting is not kept under glass, a layer of surface dirt will naturally accumulate on the surface as time passes. This dirt often consists of dust, soot, smoke and natural particles found in the environment. To determine if your painting is dirty, closely examine the surface. Does it appear dark or soiled? Check the frame to see if a layer of dirt has accumulated on the top edge or along the lower interior lip. Then, put on clean white cotton gloves, or take the corner of a clean piece of paper towel, and press it gently on the surface of the painting near the edge. If the material is darkened when you lift if off, your painting may need to be cleaned. Do not attempt to clean the work yourself.
Example of surface dirt

Re­-lining
Re­-lining is the process of reinforcing the canvas by applying a second canvas or material lining to the back of the original and securing it with pressure and an adhesive, usually wax or glue. Until the 1970s, re-­lining was a common restoration technique used to fix tears, unstable paint and deteriorating canvases. Because the adhesive used in this process eventually can seep into the original work and cause adverse effects, re­-lining has become less common today. To determine if a canvas has been re-­lined, turn the painting over and look carefully at its edges. Does it look like another piece of canvas has been sandwiched to the back of the original canvas? There may be glue or wax residue along the edges. The back of a re-­lined canvas may also appear new.

Sagging or Looseness on Its Stretchers
The fibers in stretched canvas often lose their tautness over time, causing the material to sag on the wooden frame. When you gently shake the painting, does the canvas move? Does the canvas sag or bend? Examine the canvas in raking light. A restorer can easily tighten a canvas that has become loose on its frame.

Frame Damage
Is the frame stable? Are there chips? Has the gilding worn away or flaked off? Frames are decorative and also serve to protect the edges and surface of a painting from damage. Because frames can be replaced, experts generally do not consider the condition of most frames when valuing an artwork.

Past Repairs or Conservation
If your painting has been conserved or restored, do you have documentation of the treatment? This paperwork should accompany the painting so that future owners know what treatments it has received and when the services were completed.

Gold dollar coins add beauty and history to your investment portfolio

An 1855 Type 2 gold dollar with an NGC grade of MS-64 achieved $8,200 plus the buyer’s premium in January 2022. Image courtesy of Pacific Global Auction and LiveAuctioneers

Of the many coins created and released by the mints of the United States, only three official gold dollar coins have been issued – the fewest of any denomination. These coins lure collectors with their gold content and the traditional artistry of 19th-century American coin design. But, as with most collectibles, some specimens have greater investment value than others. 

Christopher Bechtler’s privately-minted gold dollar coins gained acceptance because they were known to be of honest weight. A circa-1840s example minted by his son Augustus earned $3,250 plus the buyer’s premium in November 2021. Image courtesy of Gold Standard Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

Before diving in, it’s worth mentioning that collectors are not strictly limited to U.S. government-minted examples. When Congress failed to authorize the creation of a gold dollar coin in the Coinage Act of 1792, at least one individual stepped up to meet the demand. Christopher Bechtler was a goldsmith and watchmaker originally from Baden, Germany who set up a private gold foundry in Rutherford County, North Carolina, about 75 miles west of Charlotte, North Carolina. He serviced the first gold rush in the country following the discovery of gold there in 1799. 

Bechtler, later joined by his sons, minted private gold coins in denominations of $1, $2.50 and $5, based on different carat weights. His coins were not considered legal tender within the United States and circulated only within the region. The Bechtler family closed the foundry in the 1850s, but their gold coins, in any denomination, are valued at auction for both their historical connection to the first gold rush in America and the purity of their gold.

A Christopher Bechtler one dollar Carolina coin, dating to between 1827 and 1842 and with an NGC grade of MS-63, realized $13,000 plus the buyer’s premium in June 2021. Image courtesy of Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles and LiveAuctioneers

By the late 1840s, gold was being discovered in sufficient quantities in North Carolina and California for Congress to reconsider allowing the creation of a gold dollar coin for general circulation. The coin would be a boon to small, rural communities where early banknotes had not yet integrated into the economy, but a potent objection remained: gold dollar coins are easily counterfeited.

Nonetheless, Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1849, which at long last authorized the US Mint to produce a gold dollar coin. Each was a bit smaller in diameter than the dime then in circulation, with only 1.67 grams of gold (31.1 grams to the troy ounce). The dollars were minted at 90% gold and 10% copper and were struck at five different US Mints from 1849 through 1889.

A Type 2 gold dollar coin struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1855 sold for $130 plus the buyer’s premium in July 2011. Though it was in weakened condition, the auction sum beat the coin’s melt value of $76. Image courtesy of Manor Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

The US Mint’s Chief Engraver, James B. Longacre, a copper plate engraver, was commissioned to design the new gold dollar coin in 1849. Ultimately, Longacre would design all three gold dollar coins, which would become known as the Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 versions. While each was similar in design, all have individual charms that captivate collectors.

Type 1

The obverse (the heads side) of the Type 1 features a female personification of Liberty in a left-facing profile, crowned by a small tiara and ringed by 13 six-pointed stars and a raised edge. The reverse (the tails side) features an olive wreath surrounding the numeral “1”, the word “dollar” and the date, with the Mint mark added just below the wreath. The legend “United States of America” surrounds three-quarters of the outer perimeter. Together, these details would comprise the basic design of all three types of gold dollar coin, except for some minor differences.

An 1853 Type 1 gold dollar coin picturing Liberty on the front bore no mint mark, meaning that it was struck at the Philadelphia Mint. It attained $250 plus the buyer’s premium in January 2012, a sum well above the $85 melt value of the gold. Image courtesy of William J. Jenack Auctioneers and LiveAuctioneers

The Type 1 was minted in 1849 at the mints in Philadelphia and Dahlonega, Georgia, until 1854; at Charlotte, North Carolina and New Orleans until 1853; and at San Francisco only in 1854.

Collectors consider the most valuable Type 1 to be the 1849-C issue of the Charlotte Mint. It featured what is known as the “open wreath” on the reverse, because the wreath did not close around the central core as later issues would. Just 125 open wreath gold dollar coins were minted at the Charlotte Mint before a closed wreath design replaced it. Only five specimens are known to exist, one of which sold for $690,000 in 2004.

According to CoinWeek.com, “ … there are no overly difficult coins [of this type] to acquire although many of the Charlotte and Dahlonega issues are rare to very rare in Uncirculated [condition]. Most … collectors seek a single high-grade Type One issue from Philadelphia.”

Type 2

The Type 2 design features a profile portrait of an unidentified Native American Princess instead of Liberty. She sports a fanciful feathered headdress that was described by one critic as “ … an elegant version of folk art.” The only difference appears on the reverse, where an agricultural wreath replaces the Type 1 olive branch, featuring intertwined cotton, corn, tobacco and wheat stalks meant to represent both North and South.

An 1855 Type 11 gold dollar coin with a PCGS grade of MS-64 attained $6,500 plus the buyer’s premium in July 2016. Image courtesy of Richard Opfer Auctioneering, Inc., and LiveAuctioneers

This design was minted at the Philadelphia Mint in 1854 and 1855, with the mints in Dahlonega, Charlotte and New Orleans producing them in 1855 and San Francisco contributing in 1856. With lower production numbers, CoinWeek.com recommends “ … the 1854 or 1855 Philadelphia issue [as] the best choice,” with all Type 2 coins in much higher grades difficult to find at auction.

Type 3

The only slight difference with the Type 3 gold dollar coin is the portrait of the Native American princess was larger than the one on the Type 2, taking up more of the obverse. Its reverse is identical.

The Type 3 is the longest-serving dollar gold coin design, minted from 1856 through 1889. The Philadelphia Mint produced coins through the entire period, while the Charlotte Mint issued only in the years 1857 and 1859; the Dahlonega Mint from 1856 through 1861; and the San Francisco Mint from 1857 through 1860 and also 1870.

Among the most sought-after gold dollar coins is the 1861-D minted at Dahlonega, Georgia in 1861. It was struck by the Confederate government with the gold bullion left behind when they seized the mint early in the Civil War. This example achieved $32,500 plus the buyer’s premium in July 2008. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

Collectors clamor for 1861 D gold dollar coin as it was issued exclusively by the Confederacy during the first year of the Civil War, after its troops captured the Dahlonega Mint. The Confederacy minted the gold dollar coin for its own use until the mint’s gold supply ran out. Otherwise, CoinWeek.com recommends “ … a Philadelphia issue made during the 1880s [as] a prime choice.”

This Type 3 gold dollar coin, struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1887, realized $450 plus the buyer’s premium in March 2022. Image courtesy of Alex Cooper and LiveAuctioneers

Collectors who have heard about gold Sacagawea dollars and other commemorative gold dollars might wonder where they fit in to the larger picture. A total of 39 Sacagawea dollars issued from the West Point Mint in 1999, but were never intended to circulate. They were sent to the International Space Station and displayed at coin shows and are now stored at the Fort Knox Gold Depository. Gold dollar coins issued between 1903 and 1922 are merely commemorative and never circulated as legal tender; they don’t even feature the Longacre design. Beware of vendors or collectors who suggest these dollar coins are scarce prizes.

An 1882 Type 3 proof gold dollar coin, graded PR66, achieved $12,000 plus the buyer’s premium in December 2018. Image courtesy of BK Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

The value of an individual gold dollar coin depends on many factors: its year of mintage, the mint of origin, the presence of production errors, the type of proof, its condition and the overall grade itself. A complete collection is satisfying and can earn a higher value at auction, but assembling it is the work of a lifetime.

Some money managers recommend antique gold dollar coins because they diversify a portfolio into gold while enhancing it with their historic value, giving them a higher value together than they might have separately. 

A Christopher Bechtler gold dollar coin, dating to 1831-1834 and PCGS certified, sold for $11,000 plus the buyer’s premium in July 2018. Image courtesy of Brunk Auctions and LiveAuctioneers

Whether you are an investor or a collector, always trade with a reputable dealer and educate yourself by consulting LiveAuctioneers, the American Numismatic Association and the American Numismatic Society to learn more about gold dollar coins. The best and rarest tell the story of a young nation that grew and transformed itself with the discovery of gold.

How to measure jewelry and watches like an expert

Accurately measuring irregularly-shaped jewelry and watches can be challenging. This guide will provide tips and best practices.

The standard format for reporting measurements of three-dimensional items is as follows: Height x Width x Depth, and, if needed, Diameter and Length.

Distinguishing between Width and Depth can be confusing. Sometimes it’s helpful to imagine placing a clear box or cube over your entire object. Now, imagine you are measuring the box – height first, then width, then depth (front to back).

For jewelry set with stones, always measure the width and depth of the setting, not just the overall object.  For watches, measure the width and length of the case and the length of the band.

 

How To Measure:

Imagine the “clear box” over your object.

Height: The vertical measurement from the base of an object to its tallest point.

Width: The horizontal measurement of the widest point of the front of an object, farthest left and right of center.

Depth: In the context of jewelry and watches, this is the distance from front to back, or the horizontal measurement of an object’s protrusion into space, perpendicular to the object’s width.

Diameter: This measurement only applies to circular items. Diameter is the measurement of the width of a round object at its largest point. Imagine bisecting the circular area into two equal parts with your ruler.

Length: Measure the length when the size of the item from end to end is important to determine how it will fit the wearer. This applies to items such as necklaces, watch bands and bracelets.

Interior Circumference: This captures the distance around the interior of a circular object, such as a bangle bracelet. Use a flexible measuring tool such as a seamstress tape and encircle the interior of the object. If you do not have a seamstress tape, use a piece of string and then measure the string. This measurement is important for determining how the object will fit the wearer.

 

Basic Types of Measuring Tools:
Measuring tools

  • Seamstress tape: Soft and flexible, good for measuring circumference, three-dimensional objects or curved objects.
  • Measuring tape: Rigid, can be hooked onto a frame or canvas, good for measuring straight items that are longer than one foot.
  • Ruler: Rigid, good for measuring straight items smaller than one foot, particularly small items that can be laid directly on the ruler.

For items that are not circular, measure the Height, Width, and Depth of the object. If applicable, measure the Length.

  1. Place the “Zero” end of your measuring tool at the end of your object.
  2. Make sure the end of your ruler is flush (in line) with your object.
  3. Adjust your ruler so that it is aligned with your object. The ruler should be straight and parallel to the object.
  4. Move to the opposite side of the object you are measuring and read the ruler.

For items that have circular components, such as bangle bracelets, measure the Height, Width, Diameter, and Interior Circumference of the object:

Measuring interior circumference

  1. Place the “Zero” end of your measuring tool at the end of your object.
  2. Make sure the end of your ruler is flush (in line) with your object.
  3. Adjust your ruler so that it is aligned with your object. The ruler should be straight and parallel to the object.
  4. Move to the opposite side of the object you are measuring and read the ruler.
  5. Use a flexible tool such as a seamstress tape to measure the interior and exterior circumference.

Louboutin pumps add glamour to Jasper52’s April 21 Luxury Fashion sale

A pair of beige Christian Louboutin Bianca pumps, a ladies’ Gucci G Bandeau fabric strap watch, and a patent leather Louis Vuitton Monogram vernis brea handbag will compete for top lot status at Jasper52’s Luxury Fashion auction, which will take place on Thursday, April 21 at 6 pm Eastern time.

Christian Louboutin beige Bianca pumps, est. $700-$800

View the auction here.

Learn more about the auction on Auction Central News.

New York auction displays the classic beauty of pearls, April 19

On Tuesday, April 19, starting at 2 pm Eastern time, Jasper52 will conduct a sale entirely devoted to pearl jewelry. Boasting 194 lots, Fine Pearl Jewelry delivers dozens of variations on the venerated gems of the sea, in color, shape, origin and jewelry design. Traditional white, round pearls are available in the form of a double-strand saltwater Akoya pearl necklace, but the auction lineup shows that pearls provide their own lustrous interpretation of the rainbow.

Among the other lots on offer are a necklace of large rainbow peacock Tahitian pearls; a bracelet of golden lavender-pink Edison cultured pearls; a long necklace strung with silvery Keshi freshwater pearls; an 18K gold pendant that unites South Sea and Tahitian pearls in a sunburst pattern; a silver ring, crowned by a round, metallic-green Tahitian pearl; a graduated string of chocolate-bronze Tahitian pearls, fashioned into an 18K gold necklace; a necklace of freshwater cultured pearls, displaying shades of apricot, lavender and pink and united by a silver heart-shaped clasp; and South Sea beauties in the form of a 14K gold pair of pearl drop earrings as well as a single-strand necklace featuring large pearls with an unmistakably golden glow.

14K gold South Sea pearl drop earrings, est. $1,000-$1,100

View the auction here.

Learn more about the auction on Auction Central News.