Exceptional Antique Auction planned for May 21 by Fontaine's Auction Gallery in Pittsfield, Mass.

PITTSFIELD, MA, March 30, 2011 (Press-News.org) What is being appropriately billed as an Exceptional Antique Auction has been planned for Saturday, May 21, by Fontaine's Auction Gallery, in the firm's spacious showroom at 1485 West Housatonic Street in Pittsfield. Offered will be over 500 lots of antique furniture, vintage lighting, fine art, decorative accessories, clocks, estate jewelry, watches and more.

"We're calling it an exceptional auction because the merchandise truly is exceptional," said John Fontaine of Fontaine's Auction Gallery. "These lots have been culled from better estates and collections in Massachusetts and beyond, resulting in a tremendous opportunity for people looking to redecorate, purchase investment-grade antiques or add to their collections."

Folks unable to make it to the event may bid online through LiveAuctioneers.com (which they can access by logging on to the Fontaine's website, http://www.FontainesAuction.net). Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Previews will be held on Thursday, May 19, from 10-5; Friday, May 20, from 10-5; and Saturday, May 21, from 9 a.m. until the start of sale, at 11 a.m.

Period furniture pieces are certain to juice up the crowd, beginning with a 12-piece R.J. Horner figural carved dining set, the best such set Fontaine's has offered in its 40-year history. The set is complete and has the excellent original finish. Next is a Wooten extra grade three-hinge cabinet secretary (76 inches tall, 44 inches wide). The piece boasts a highly carved gallery with burled panels, ebonized trim and incising. Also sold will be a large figural umbrella stand depicting an almost lifesize carved dog seated beside a rustic carved tree stump (33 inches tall).

Several other pieces by the renowned craftsman R.J. Horner will be sold, to include a winged griffin oak corner china cabinet with a mirrored back and triple curved glass front; an oak three-door Atlas bookcase with large figural carvings of muscular men on the sides; and a figural carved mahogany two-part hall tree with an open carved cherub crest over a beveled mirror.

The name Tiffany will be chanted frequently throughout the day. Tiffany lamps will include a dichroic swirling lemon leaf table lamp with 18-inch geometric shade and heavily mottled background glass; a turtleback desk lamp with a fine bronze base and leafy platform; and a nice student lamp with a fine bronze base and beaded and coiled rope twist embellishment.

Other Tiffany pieces will include a great bronze inkwell with the fine figure of a crab, its claws reaching forward, pinching the coiled handles of the inkwell pot mounted with an oyster shell; a six-arm chandelier with 88 Tiffany iridescent glass prisms hanging from the bronze fixture; a cypriote glass vase, 7 inches tall, with a textured surface; and a favrile quilted green and opalescent bowl with 12-inch rim.

From the vintage clocks category comes two examples of note: an E. Howard #81 oak grandfather clock boasting a silvered chapter ring with black movement and Graham's dead-beat escapement; and a Gilbert #12 oak standing regulator with black open moon hands.

Wonderful vases will be served up in abundance, to include a Legras onion-form cameo vase, signed, 12 ½ inches tall, cut with deep green leaves and branches; a Moser hand-decorated smoke glass vase with a bulbous body, 8 ½ inches tall; a Galle cameo cut vase with a fiery red and orange pattern, 7 inches tall; a Webb enameled bulbous glass vase with butterfly and satin glass finish, 5 ¼ inches tall; and a Charles Schneider cameo glass vase with nice teardrop body. Also sold will be a Steuben calcite and jadeite 15 inch round centerpiece with beautiful glass platform.

Bronzes are surefire crowd-pleasers, and this sale's got several worth mentioning: a fine figural bronze of a hoop dancer by Georges Morin (Ger., 1874-1928); a monumental bronze of a Kabyle hunter returning from his hunt, by Arthur Waagen, executed circa 1883-1898; and a 58" bronze after Giovanni Bologna of a flying Mercury figure with his helmet, staff and winged feet.

Returning to furniture, the name John Henry Belter in synonymous with fine American furniture, and this auction has several Belter examples. These include a Henry Clay pattern sofa, rosewood triple arched back with scroll carvings on the crest rail; and a cornucopia laminated rosewood side chair boasting a pierce carved scrolling back and a good, clean original finish.

Need a table? This sale's got over a dozen to choose from, including a mahogany 60-inch round acanthus carved dining table with split pedestal base and four oversize legs; and an inlaid rosewood game table with octagonal rosewood top and checkerboard inlay. The table can be illuminated by an Anthony Hart 16-inch cherry blossom table lamp. The shade has an irregular bumpy form with clusters of flowers and berries. The lamp has a great matching light-up base.

Audiophiles will be intrigued by the Reginaphone Style 246 floor model disc player (including 50 discs), with mahogany case and two doors in front; and an oak Victor Model "V" phonograph, with an oak case and paneled horn, in excellent working condition. Again, for lighting purposes, a perfect complement would be an Andre Hunebelle art glass fish lamp with a deep amber glass shade with a nouveau border (13 inches by 9 inches).

Fontaine's Auction Gallery is still actively seeking quality consignments for the May 21 Exceptional Antique Auction and all future sales. The firm also buys antiques and entire estates outright. For more information, or to consign an item, estate or collection, you may call (413) 448-8922 and ask to speak with John Fontaine. Or, e-mail him at info@fontaineauction.com.

For more information about Fontaine's Gallery and the May 21 auction, please log on to http://www.FontainesAuction.net.