Recent Discovery
A bronze relief model for Paul Manship’s Celestial Sphere headlines James D. Julia’s February auction
A bronze relief model for Paul Manship’s Celestial Sphere headlines James D. Julia’s February auction
February 7-9 James D. Julia Auctioneers 203 Skowhegan Road Fairfield, ME 04937 t: (207) 453-7125 www.jamesdjulia.com
Celestial Sphere, by Paul Manship, is one of the most recognized public sculptures in the world. The 12-foot piece, which was created to honor the founding father of the League of Nations, President Woodrow Wilson, was installed in 1939 at the Geneva, Switzerland, headquarters of what is now known as the United Nations. It features 85 separately modeled constellations, while a smaller 5-foot version with 66 constellations was produced for the Aero Memorial in Aviator Park in Philadelphia and a 20inch version dated 1934 is on display at Harvard University’s Fogg Museum. During James D. Julia’s February 7 to 9 Fine Art, Asian & Antiques Auction, a bronze relief model for the sculpture will cross the block for the very first time.the piece, depicting Sagittarius, is consigned from the Manship family and is estimated at $500,000 to $700,000. Signed by both the artist and the foundry in bronze on the verso, the work is accompanied by a July 3, 1956, note from Manship that describes the piece and its purpose.
“We are thrilled to offer this breathtaking Paul Manship bronze to our customers on behalf of the Manship family. Its design, full provenance and place in history truly put it in a profound league of its own,” says Bill Gage, head of the auction house’s fine art, asian and antiques department. “the importance and pride of the sculptures were not lost on Paul’s nephew Will, who retained and coveted his sculpture and handed it down through the family over time.we are honored that the family has decided to place the Sagittarius sculpture model into our trusted hands
for sale in our highly anticipated February 2018 auction.”
In all, the February sale will feature approximately 1,200 lots, around 300 of which are from the fine art segment. There also will be 800 antique lots and 100 Asian art items. “the fine art category has a nice selection of Rockport Gloucester school artists including W. Lester Stevens, Aldro T. Hibbard, Emile Gruppe and more,” says Gage.
Sporting art also will be a standout in the sale, with three works by
Ogden M. Pleissner coming to market. Included is the watercolor A Big
One Hooked, which depicts a trio of fishermen in a boat at the edge of a river.the work has a presale estimate of $125,000 to $175,000.A quail painting by Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait, titled Quail and Young, also is available with an estimate of $20,000 to $40,000.
Other sale highlights include Morris Graves’ War Maddened Bird Following St. Elmo’s Fire (est. $20/40,000); Hibbard’s Motif #1 (est. $7/9,000); Hayley
Lever’s Fishing Boats–sun Rise (est. $50/100,000); and Anthony Thieme’s Bright Light (est. $10/15,000).