Renowned auction house Christie’s has announced its annual sale of Important Americana, set to unfold over two exciting days at the prestigious Christie’s Rockefeller Center on January 18 and 19, 2024.
Important Americana is the cornerstone of Americana Week, which includes live sales of Fine Printed and Manuscript Americana on January 17 and 19th Century American & Western Art on the morning of January 18. Important Americana promises a diverse showcase encompassing American fine art, furniture, folk art, silver, Chinese Export Porcelain, and American ceramics.
Christie’s annual sale of Important Americana is poised to captivate collectors and art enthusiasts alike, offering a diverse array of treasures steeped in historical and artistic significance. At the forefront of this extraordinary event is a rare lifetime depiction of George Washington by the eminent portraitist Gilbert Stuart. This magisterial piece, hailing from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, stands as one of Stuart’s most significant renditions, capturing the essence of President Washington’s first sitting in 1795.
The sale’s lineup features other masterpieces from revered artists, including an intimate portrait of a mother and child by Joshua Johnson, the first known Black American professional portraitist.
The selection of around 100 lots includes pieces from four important single-owner collections: Colonial silver from the Wunsch family; small gold items like mourning jewelry (including another Myer Myers ring) from the Manney family; 40 lots from the Orange Blossom Collection, the subject of a highly successful sale this past spring including Tiffany, Whiting, and more; and the colonial tankard collection of the late Mr. and Mrs. Bowen Blair of Lake Forest, IL.
Master carver John Pollard’s skill and range shine through in two notable chairs, the Deshler side chair and the Dickinson side chair from the Wunsch Collection. Meanwhile, the Chinese Export Porcelain and American Ceramics segment, led by items from the Estate of Marvin Davidson, boasts a rare pair of dragon-carp tureens, a figure group from the famed Mottahedeh collection, an ‘erotic’ pedicure group, and armorial wares, including a plate from the Okeover service.
As the auction unfolds, each piece tells a story, weaving together the rich tapestry of American art and history.
