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PROPERTY FROM THE VERTICAL ART COLLECTION (LOTS 401-477)
The proceeds to benefit the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation and the University of California San Francisco Thoracic Oncology Lung Cancer Program.
The great public collections of the United States are by now well known throughout the world. The private collections are much less so --Alan Pryce-Jones, The Collector in America
While this observation from the 1960s may seem rather dated and quaint considering the current clamor of publicity in the art world, it remains true: some of the greatest private collections in this country are practically unknown. This is often a matter of choice on the collector's part. Indeed, the task of acquiring the finest works of art in a particular field nowadays is a journey fraught with drama and disappointment. Competition is fierce; prices are driven ever skyward; and maintaining one's privacy in the marketplace seems almost impossible. Thus it is all the more remarkable when a great private collection formed quietly over many years suddenly bursts onto the auction stage, as if from nowhere. The Vertical Art Collection of canes and walking sticks is such an example.
Canes have been treasured for centuries as objects of often startling beauty, elegance and ingenuity. Perhaps this is why they have largely remained hidden away in museums and private collections. Over time numerous books on canes have appeared, and fine examples have occasionally made appearances in the salerooms here and abroad.
However, it wasn't until the publication in 2008 of Vertical Art: The Enduring Beauty of Antique Canes and Walking Sticks, that this collecting field started to receive global recognition. With spectacular illustrations by Italian photographer Umberto Barone, this stunning, oversized book presented canes in an altogether new light. Here, for example, were Fabergé canes of semi-precious stones inlaid with diamonds within a dazzling panorama of other canes of diverse periods, styles and materials. As The New York Times reported, Mr. Barone's photos "show the knobs, enlarged to saucer size and arranged in eerie tableaus amid smoke tendrils, water sprays, sand dunes and rose petals." Suddenly, canes could be seen as almost shockingly beautiful.
The owner of this collection, who chooses to remain anonymous, has over the years taken a leading role in encouraging recognition for this field. Notably, this collector has supported the bi-annual international cane conferences that gather enthusiasts from around the world for scholarly presentations and camaraderie, the most recent taking place in Milan in 2010 and Chicago this past September. Throughout a long collecting odyssey the owner has remained an avid student of canes, enthralled by their history and romance, and has sought the finest and most unusual examples available.
This sale, and the one preceding it in London of Fabergé canes on November 26th, offers but a fraction of the vast Vertical Art Collection. New collectors and enthusiasts worldwide continue to emerge and take an interest in this overlooked field. Hence it may be concluded that this extraordinary collection, formed so quietly, will remain a secret no longer.
A CONTINENTAL ORMOLU-MOUNTED NEPHRITE CANE
LATE 19TH CENTURY
Details
A CONTINENTAL ORMOLU-MOUNTED NEPHRITE CANE
LATE 19TH CENTURY
The handle with a fully sculpted snail amongst naturalistically modeled lush vinery and flowers above a stained mahogany shaft
33 in. (83.8 cm.) high, the handle 5¾ in. (9.5 cm. high
LATE 19TH CENTURY
The handle with a fully sculpted snail amongst naturalistically modeled lush vinery and flowers above a stained mahogany shaft
33 in. (83.8 cm.) high, the handle 5¾ in. (9.5 cm. high
Literature
Vertical Art: The Enduring Beauty of Antique Canes and Walking Sticks, Milan, 2008, page 38.
Sale room notice
Please note for lots 401-477 that Christie's warranty does not extend to the cane's shaft.
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