Christie's Online Magazine No.235

From: Christie's - Saturday Sep 19, 2020 10:49 am

Christie’s

Art stories to feed the mind and soul

‘People well up with tears when they’re near these instruments’ — Louis Armstrong’s trumpet

The Jayne Wrightsman Collection — an ‘American triumph’ of courtly French taste

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‘David Gilmour’s guitars were memorable’: how our New York auctioneer found her groove

The passion that made Laurence Graff synonymous with diamonds of rare pedigree

His bite could have crushed a car — meet STAN, one of the most complete T. rexes ever found

Why this is ‘the best example of Chinese carpet-making to be offered at auction in memory’

Editor’s picks

Portrait of Eileen Mayo, painted by Edith Lawrence in 1926, is a rare depiction for its day — of a female artist by another female artist. Both women were alumnae of the Grosvenor School and the Slade. Although they worked in a variety of mediums, they became best known for their printmaking

Estimate: £5,000-8,000
29 September, London

Kentucky Owl Dry State is a rare, limited-edition bourbon blend issued to commemorate a century since the start of Prohibition — which put the original Kentucky Owl Distillery and its founder, Charles Dedman, out of business. This blend was created by his great-great grandson, Dixon Dedman

Estimate: $1,900-2,600
until 1 October, Online

This pair of large compound cabinets and hat chests from the late Qing dynasty are made from zitan, a wood so precious that its use was regulated by the Imperial workshops. Zitan’s density makes it especially suitable for fine carving — the cabinets are covered with auspicious animals such as dragons, phoenixes and deer

Estimate: $400,000-600,000
25 September, New York

The Japanese lacquer artist and painter Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) had a deep commitment to the realistic portrayal of nature. Long-tailed Rooster exemplifies his innovative use of lacquer on paper. A similar painting by the artist is in the Minneapolis Institute of Art

Estimate: $15,000-25,000
22 September, New York

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A Selmer model 19 Balanced Action Medium Bore Trumpet, Henri Selmer, Paris, 1948. Brass with worn gold plating. Estimate: $60,000-80,000. Offered in The Exceptional Sale on 14 October 2020 at Christie’s in New York // Jayne Wrightsman in the iconic Balenciaga dress. Photo: © Cecil Beaton/Condé Nast/Getty Images // Tash Perrin. Photograph by Brendan Burden. Artwork: John Neville // An important and imperial temple carpet, probably Ningxia, late Ming dynasty, first half 17th century. Estimate: $800,000-1,200,000. Offered in The Exceptional Sale on 14 October at Christie’s in New York