Mixed media construction by American artist Jimmy Ernst. This construction consists of a painted metal disc which Ernst painted, then scraped, and manipulated the pigment to show some bare metal below. The disc is float-mounted above a painted masonite square. It is signed and dated 1968. I purchased this item in 2016 from a Stanford…
Early 20th-century prestige stool with a female caryatid carved by a Luba or Hemba artist of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC, formerly Zaire, is a sub-Saharan country of Central Africa. Luba and Hemba peoples are known for their wood carvings, particularly prestige stools. The hierarchy of society for these cultures is signified…
Need a hand? How about this early 20th-century folk art carved wood hand? Purchased from a SF Bay area flea market vendor several years ago. The life-size hand has great patina, character, and detail. This may have been attached to a doll figure at some point. The hand measures 8.5 inches long.Price $350
Late 1800s – early 1900s naïve style Inuit walrus tusk with scrimshaw. The entire tusk is covered with scrimshawed images depicting native peoples hunting, whaling, kayaking, sailing, and dogsledding. Images include human figures, birds, walrus, whales, dogs, structures, and sailing vessels. There are human figures and birds perched on structures, and a steamer sailing ship…
Magnetic sculpture by Greek kinetic artist Panayiotis Vassilakis, known as Takis. The sculpture consists of a circular spun aluminum body with a mounted u-shaped steel magnet that attracts three steel sewing needles that float in the open inner space of the ring, suspended from monofilament line.The sculpture is signed and has an illegible dedication to…
Yellow, blue, black, and white painted dance drum used in the snake dance, (rain dance), ceremonies of the Hopi pueblo culture. The snake dance has gained notoriety in recent years due to the Hopi’s use of live snakes held in the mouths of some dancers. The dances are held in an effort to bring…
Large, decorated studio pottery vase by Bauhaus trained California artist Marguerite Wildenhain. Marguerite Wildenhain was highly influential in the pottery development in the United States. Her and her husband Franz brought the ideas of the German Bauhaus and shared these ideas and aesthetics with their many students. Their influences are still seen in studio pottery…
Beautiful hand-carved bust of a young male, possibly of African or Asian descent mounted on a plinth. The carving is signed ‘VL’ on the back of the stand. I estimate the age of this work to be from the 1940s. This is a very well executed portrait bust in fine condition. The work measures approximately…
18th or 19th century silver-clad altar cross. The base and framework are darkened oak or olive wood. The framework is then partially covered with hand-hammered silver. The four evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are depicted at the points of the cross is silver medallions. Matthew as the winged angel, Mark as the winged lion,…
Large abstract still life painting by American modernist artist F. Alston Swift circa 1940s.This work is an oil painting on an artist’s panel. I purchased this work many years ago from another San Francisco Bay Area art dealer who was closing his gallery storefront at the time. The work is an abstracted still life of…