The Traditional Collector

Leading the sale is a rare impression of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s (1864–1901) Moulin Rouge, La Goulue (1891), accompanied by a selection of important period Art Nouveau works, including Alphonse Mucha’s Woman with Letter.

A significant private collection of vibrant Chinese textiles forms another highlight of the sale, encompassing large-scale wall hangings from opera, as well as robes, garments, panels, and other richly decorated textiles. The Asian Arts selection is further distinguished by a set of four Chinese huanghuali wood yoke-back chairs and a finely carved spinach-jade brush pot from the estate of General John R. Hodge, presented to him during his tenure as Governor of the American Military Government in Korea from 1945 to 1948.

The sale also features a notable selection of rare musical automatons and mechanical instruments from a private Bay Area collector, including a Mills Novelty Co. Violano-Virtuoso music player, a Polyphon Musikwerke music box clock, and several additional music boxes. A group of Steinway pianos—including Model A and Model D instruments, as well as a Model M fitted with a PianoDisc PDS-128Plus player system further enriches the musical offerings.

Of particular interest is a substantial collection of Oceanic stone tools, including pounders, blades, lights, and game balls, documented by the Bishop Museum in a 1953 inventory and offering a fascinating glimpse into the material culture and craftsmanship of Polynesian culture.

The porcelain selection is highlighted by Sevres porcelain with provenance from the estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post, one of the most prolific and discerning connoisseur-collectors of the 20th century. It also features several distinguished dinner and tea services with an extensive Herend Rothschild Bird service, alongside an array of serving pieces and jardinieres, an elegant Kornilov porcelain dinner service, a Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted and KPM Arcadia service, offering a broad representation of European porcelain traditions.

Rounding out the sale is an impressive selection of silver, including a Gorham sterling silver waiter tray from the estate of Henry E. Huntington and Mary Alice Prentice Huntington and a large Buccellati sterling silver 'furry' figure of a stag.