It sure is a heartwarming picture: a hardworking, young man living in the 1930s arrives to work early everyday for his job as a doorman in a swanky Manhattan residential building. Today is no different, but that nice old couple on the fourth floor is moving out and they have their movers carrying all of their belongings through the service stairwell. Only they can’t fit everything, that Charles Rohlfs music stand will have to stay. “How much did we pay for it?” asks the husband to the wife. She rolls her eyes and says, “Oh stop,” as she centers her focus on the doorman. “Here you are,” she says with a smile as they bid farewell. “We just can’t take it, it’s yours.” That’s the line of provenance, and the wishful dreams for many, on a terrific Rohlfs piece at Brunk. It joins a hot list of other can’t-miss lots coming soon to a block near all of us.

BRUNK AUCTIONS

Sale Date: January 27-28, 2017
Lot 61
Charles Rohlfs (American, 1853-1936) Oak Revolving Music Stand and Holder
Stamped mark for Charles Rohlfs, circa 1899-1902, stepped top, rotating pierced supports, each side with a pull-out sheet music support, cabinet section with pierced door at one side with shelved interior, other side with pull-out slide over four drawers, rotating on pedestal base with carved feet, 47” Height.
Estimate: $20/30,000

KAMINSKI AUCTION

Sale Date: January 29, 2017
Lot 9096
Sultana Souroujon (Bulgarian-Israeli, 1900-1962)
Portrait of a family, oil on canvas, signed lower right, 26″ Height.
Estimate: $20/30,000

BURCHARD GALLERIES

Sale Date: January 29, 2017
Lot 1190
George Inness (American, 1825-1894)
“Early Morning,” oil on canvas, mounted on board, 14” Height, signed lower right. Exhibited at the St Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts.
Estimate: $4/6,000

JAMES D. JULIA

Sale Date: February 9-10, 2017
Lot 1040
Paul Howard Manship (American, 1885-1966)
“Indian Hunter And His Dog,” bronze, inscribed on center top of base “1926 Paul Manship.” Inscribed on side of base “Alexis Rudier Fondeur Paris.” According to Janis Conner & Joel Rosenkranz, “Indian Hunter and His Dog” was one of the sculptor’s most popular and widely recognized sculptures.
Estimate: $400/600,000

MERRILL’S AUCTION GALLERY

Sale Date: January 29, 2017
Lot 56
Fourteenth Century Medieval Italian Baroque Antiphony (Songbook)
Illuminated vellum pages, some with gold leaf, approximately 110 pages, quarto size, bound with leather & wooden boards, 21” Height.
Estimate: $4/8,000

MORPHY AUCTIONS

Sale Date: January 28-29, 2017
Lot 306
5¢ Mills Floor Model Roulette Slot Machine
As a matter of opinion, most collectors feel the Caille Roulette is the greatest but the Mills Roulette is much rarer with only a few known surviving examples. This particular example all original with nickel plated ornate iron castings including its claw feet and a handsome quarter sawn oak cabinet. Black enameled cast iron frame housing the mechanism has highly stenciled detailing and the mechanism is spotless showing very little usage over the years. Great play action utilizing a nickle plated play field as opposed to Caille’s wooden play field. Includes two keys. Circa 1905.
Estimate: $150/300,000

SOTHEBY’S

Sale Date: January 27, 2017
Lot 584
Arthur Wardle (1864-1949)
“The First Bath – Wire Fox Terrier Puppies,” signed lower right, oil on canvas,19 ¾” Height.
Estimate: $40/60,000

GROGAN & COMPANY

Sale Date: February 5, 2017
Lot 257
American Federal Mahogany And Brass Lighthouse Clock
Circa 1800, with painted ship finial; 25” Height.
Estimate: $10/20,000

CHRISTIE’S

Sale Date: February 7-8, 2017
Lot 44
A Flemish Oak Console Table
Second quarter of the Eighteenth Century, commissioned for the De Baillet-Latour family. The apron carved with a coat-of-arms, with later rouge languedoc marble top. 30 ¾” Height.