Helm’s End-of-the-Year Holidaze catalog contains Native American artifacts such as Navajo weavings and Pueblo pottery, Pre-Columbian artifacts, and other pre-historic items such as arrowheads and other stone tools. This catalog also features several fine art offerings including oil paintings. Also included are Oceanic, African and Asian tribal artifacts. In addition, this auction also offers a great selection of Native American and Mexican jewelry from the 20th century. There are pieces for everyone in this sale to wrap up the 2018 auction calendar. The catalog comes through the live auction block on Saturday December 1st, 2018 at 9:15 Pacific Time.
Helm is offering an original oil on canvas from Johann Valters-Walter Karau (1869 – 1932) at Lot 101. Valued at well over $40000, this incredible treasure is described as follows:
“Johann Valters-Walter Kurau (1869-1932) Original Oil on Canvas c. 1900. Oil on canvas with gold-gilt frame, the frame measures 62 1/2″ x 61 1/2″ x 3″ (158cm x 156cm x 7cm). Image measures approx. 46 1/2″ x 46 1/2″ (118cm x 118cm). From an old, European collection. Born in Latvia to a Baltic German mother, Valters studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg alongside famous Latvian artists Rozentals and Purvitis. Inspired by Impressionism and Expressionism periods of the late 19th century, he developed his own style deeply rooted in Realism. Having obtained German citizenship through his mother, the artist moved to Dresden, Germany in 1906, and to Berlin ten years later. After living in Germany for some years, he adopted the name Walter Kurau. This landscape was painted before 1906 as Valters has signed his name in Cyrillic, as was the custom of Latvian artists. His most famous work painted in 1900, “Bathing Boys,” resides in the Latvian National Museum of Art in Riga. High-resolutions images are available upon request via email to admin@helmauction.com as well as private viewings by appointment only. Condition: Very good, some minor crazing to image and cracking to frame, see images.”
Valued at well over $50000 is a highly sought after Tang Dynasty Terra Cotta Painted Bactrian Camel Figure. There is a wonderful array of photos for viewing in the online catalog that are a must see. The auctioneer describes this offering in vibrant detail:
” Tang Dynasty Terra Cotta Painted Bactrian Camel Figure, 8th century item. Made of terra cotta and paint, this fine example of a ceramic, painted Bactrian Camel figure from the Tang dynasty, measures 21” in height, 18” in width and a body depth of 6”. The camel is very finely modeled, with its head raised in a powerful, stately pose, mouth ajar, with an ornately detailed saddle draped over center of the animal’s humps. The figure stands foursquare on a mahogany wood-fitted plinth measuring 8” x 6”. The body is covered with a glaze finish, fine patina and some coloration. The figure has been examined by professional appraisers and Sotheby’s. Provenance: Ex-President Nasser of Egypt – Gamal Abdul Nasser Hussein (1918-1970), 2nd President of Egypt. Nasser gifted the camel figure to Colonel Robert R. McCormick (1880-1955), a Chicago newspaper baron and owner of the Chicago Tribune. McCormick’s wife, Marilyn McCormick, gifted the figure to Dr. J.W. Bizzell, of Chicago, Illinois, a physician and former attaché to the U.S. Ambassador in Moscow, Russia, in the 1960s. Dr. Bizzell performed surgery on several world leaders at the time. Other items of Dr. Bizzell’s collection included an extensive and valuable collection of Russian icons, which were donated to the Timken Museum in San Diego, California, before his passing. Import works of the Dr. Bizzell collection also included works by Kharitonov, one which sold at Sotheby’s in April of 2008 for over $130,000 to the well-known, Russian Kolodzei family, detailed in an article by Forbes in April 2008. Other artists of the Dr. Bizzell collection included Nemeukin, Vereshchagin, Anatolievich and Viktorov, many being sold at auction through Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Leslie Hindman and other sources. Similar items sold at auction and collection records: Rago Auction, 12/4/2010, #129 Tang Dynasty Camel sold for $34,700.00, a Tang Dynasty Horse and Rider figure sold for $125,000.00 on 3/19/2013 at Sotheby’s in New York. In “Departures” magazine’s December 2016 issue, an article shows 2 antique Chinese sculptures of camels on custom plinths, belonging to David Monn, Author & New York’s Grandmaster Event Planner. Note: Please reference images regarding Colonel Robert. R. McCormick and President Nasser of Egypt, as well as images referencing the collection of Tang Horses detailed in November-December 2016 issue of Departures Magazine; a similar Tang camel which sold at Rago auction, and Tang Horse and Figure mentioned above. Condition: Very good, believed to have an old, professional repair but where is not known, see images”
Helm Auctions show their auctions live from El Cajon, California. The event will begin for live bidding around 9:15AM Pacific Time on Saturday December 1st, 2018. Absentee bidding is available now and bidders can join the live auction from any internet enabled device. Helm Auctions had dedicated exceptional attention to this auction and will be able to answer all questions about individual items. The entire catalog is available today with photos and detailed descriptions ready for browsing.