Nadeau’s Auction Gallery of Windsor, CT to Present Its Annual American & Chinese Spring Auction on Saturday, April 27, 2024

Nadeau’s Auction Gallery of Windsor, CT to Present Its Annual 

American & Chinese Spring Auction on Saturday, April 27, 2024

 

This sale features 630+ lots of exquisite jewelry and silver; Asian, fine and decorative arts; rugs and furnishings; and other fine antiques – many with ties to premier regional estates. 

 

Windsor, CT, April 11, 2023 – Nadeau’s Auction Gallery is excited to announce this early spring event starting at 10am. All lots are available for preview at www.nadeausauction.com now or live in the gallery on Thursday, April 25th from 12:00-6:30pm; Friday, April 26th from 12:00-5:00pm; and Saturday, April 27th from 9:00-10:00am. For bidders who wish to participate in the sale remotely, they may do so via phone, absentee bids, or online through Invaluable, Bidsquare, or Liveauctioneers. Contact Nadeau’s directly for more information. 

The projected top lot in this sale is #525, a rare Steinway rosewood inlaid Model D Centennial Concert Grand Piano with full provenance. It carries a presale estimate of $100,000-150,000. This handsome instrument measures 4’ 2” high, 5’ 1” wide, and 8’ 11” long and is only one four examples with this particular configuration extant. This unit retains its serial number 47889, dating it from c. 1881. It has 88 keys and set up in A440 tuning – the newly introduced tuning of its era. The piano features carved cabriole legs and is elaborately decorated with grape clusters, scroll-work and medallions, a pierced carved lyre shaped pedal post, a carved sheet music stand with figural winged maidens, and mounts and side panels intricately inlaid with grape leaves.

This remarkable piano design was named the Centennial by William E. Steinway in anticipation of competing at the first World’s Fair. It was held in 1876 in Philadelphia to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Independence of America. There, the model won “best concert grand piano; manufactured in a limited edition of approximately 424 over a 7 year period (1876-1883).” This example was previously owned by pharmaceutical pioneer Kenneth Alan Hill (1941-2020) of Fort Worth, TX. He treasured it as a focal point of his mansion, the historic Baldridge House. This homestead landmark most recently sold for $6.1 million in early 2023.

Other outstanding offerings in this event include:

• Lot #95, a platinum and diamond brooch with a large center diamond, is estimated at $2,500-4,500. This stunning pin measures 1-1/2″ across and resembles a stylized, five petaled flower. The one carat center stone is 6 mm in diameter and is complemented by 84 finely set smaller diamonds. The piece has a total weight of 15.4 grams. 

 

• Lot #279, a pair of Famille Rose leaf shaped dishes, is estimated at $250-450. Each measures 8″ long and date from the 19th century. One is decorated with four women; the other one features four men. Each has a gilt border background which includes bats, insects, fruit, and flowers. The undersides are glazed white and unmarked.  These dishes are from the David R. Scarborough Estate of Kennebunkport, ME.

 

• Lot #450, a pair of hardstone inlaid and Champleve enameled gilt metal double gourd vases, is estimated at $6,000-12,000. Each is 23″ tall and is decorated with raised, enameled flowers, leaves, and gourds on a gold gilt ground. Their bottom bases have a Greek key pattern, and their matching, removable covers are detailed with fully dimensional and finely rendered blue and green enameled leaves.

 

• Lot #552, John Marin’s  (American 1870-1953) St. Martin’s in the Field, Trafalgar Square, is estimated at $5,000-10,000. This 1909 watercolor has a 14″ x 10″ sight size and is framed and mounted. It is signed and dated “John Marin 09” on its lower right. The painting is illustrated with a side view of the famous London landmark designed by British architect James Gibbs (1682-1754) and completed in 1726. It retains its original Kennedy Galleries, Inc. and An American Place labels on the back. This work is from the collection of art collectors, art patrons, and philanthropists Lawrence and Barbara Fleischman.

 

According to Eddie Nadeau, President of Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, “Our auction house has transformed into a concert hall, thanks to Mr. Hill’s amazing – and amazingly rare – Steinway Grand Piano! It truly doubles as a work of art and is so impressive in real life. It is a privilege to help in finding its next home and place of honor. I look forward to seeing as many customers as possible at our facility for our late April sale. And yes, Gavin Nadeau – the country’s youngest auctioneer – has plenty of gavel time scheduled for this premier event.”

 

This sale includes premier merchandise from the following collections:

William J. Levy of NYC; Steven and Paula Schimmel of Woodstock, CT; Thomas F. Vanderbeck Revocable Trust of Haddam, CT; Dr. Hope Fitz; David R. Scarborough Estate of Kennebunkport, ME; The Whittemore Estate of Westerly, RI; Sheila Shevin of Rye, NY; Michael and Elizabeth Ponak of Pomfret Center, CT; Judith Kreuter of Milford, CT; Mrs. Donald R Gates of Ocean Grove, NJ; Dina Recanati of NYC, and others. 

 

About Nadeau’s Auction Gallery Inc.: 

Nadeau’s Auction Gallery is a full-service auction house providing a complete range of estate offerings, nonprofit deaccession management, and fine art and personal property appraisals. The company presents about a dozen premier sales annually, with a focus on art, furniture, accessories, and important antiques.  A third-generation family company, Nadeau’s enjoys a well-deserved reputation for outstanding merchandise, top-tier personalized service, and helping sellers realize the maximum value for their collections.  The auction company has been in business since 1985 – with the family starting in the furniture antique business in 1945 – and today is one of the largest and fastest growing auction houses in New England. Its state of the art auction facility is conveniently located right off Route 91 and easily accessible from all points in the mid-Atlantic and northeast. 

 

Nadeau’s Auction Gallery is located 25 Meadow Road, Windsor, CT 06095 and can be reached by telephone at 860-246-2444, fax at 860-524-8735, or email at info@nadeausauction.com.  For more information on this sale and Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, please see www.nadeausauction.com.