Berkshires

Jules Rene Herve French, 1887-1981 Boat Racing Oil on canvas 8 ½ by 10 ½ in, w/ frame 15 ½ by 17 ¼ in Signed lower left J.R. Herve, an impressionist of our time, is the very type o...

This large square hand painted porcelain planter was made in France ca. 1880's or earlier. It features two hand painted "portraits" of horses heads alternating with 2 sides of hand p...

Missoni sundress, c.1970s-'80s, with spaghetti straps and interior elastic band that gathers the fabric in at the waist. Predominantly raspberry zigzag stripe knit. Light, packable a...

Antique East Lake style victorian black painted hand carved wall mirror with gold accented carved detail. Newly refinished condition. Har...

19th C. paint decorated blanket box or coffer. The front panel has a later added decoupage which has since been partially lost. This antique trunk, with its rectangular-shaped body, ...

A smaller scale rectangular Italian gilt wood wall mirror in the style of a Renaissance tabernacle is pedimented with turned classical columns as supports. The original gilding, the ...

Small 1960s crocodile handbag from Artbag on Madison Avenue, NY, features an envelope style top with snap closure and double handles that attach belo...

A rare wrought iron coffee table with a nested stone top by Gilbert Poillerat, circa 1940. The wrought iron base has beautifully over accentuated scrolling legs and a tapering that a...

Set of 4 Mid-Century Modern Woodard style wrought iron garden or porch dining chair set with small round glass top table. Dine in style and...

This is an important original drawing by Frederick Stewart Church. Created at the end of the nineteenth century and mounted in what is a period "and I am assuming" its original frame...

This vintage French style zinc top farm style dining, kitchen or garden table sits on an industrial style trestle base. The aged oak trestle base and the well oxidized top gives this...

The vintage hotel silver plate teaspoons are decorated with leaves and are marked "Oneida Ltd. Silversmiths." Spoons are sold individually, 26 ...

Black plush wool maxi coat features double-breasted styling and self sash. The coat buttons up to the pointed collar. Set-in sleeves with two buttons at each wrist and shoulder epaul...

Stunning Pauline Trigère 1970s ensemble in black wool crepe, the simple dress underneath an unusual reverse cape/shawl terminating in deep black fox trim at t...

Early Bill Blass spring suit in yellow windowpane plaid worsted wool, the jacket lining and sleeveless shell in complementary silk paisley. The short-sleev...

Another pair of Maud Frizon Sandals from the same estate, these of black leather overlapping cut-out circular uppers and a small block heel. Vintage 1980s-90s, in very good condition...

The wonderfully sturdy rustic French country Provincial style worktable or serving console table is constructed of slotted framing to hold a veined marble top having beveled edges wi...

A timeless Swedish Gustavian inspired farmhouse table made with square zinc table top and a white washed wood pedestal table base. The table m...

A highly stylish Art Deco inspired rattan sofa and club arm lounge chair. The set will make a statement on any porch or patio. Measures: Sofa: AH 23.38, SH 11 3/8 w/o cushion Chair: 31.5 H x 27 D x 23.5 W / ah 23.75 / sh 16.5 / sh 11.5 w/out cushion Rattan, wicker, bamboo, stick wicker sofa and...

A handsome and sophisticated mixed media on canvas by American artist John Rigsby. Found in a original state of preservation. His works are few and far between. The following biography was submitted by John David Rigsby, Jr., son of the artist. The author is Lisa Rigsby Peterson, daughter of the artist, and owner of the copyright of the biography. John David Rigsby was born on October 10, 1934, the seventh child of an Alabama Depression-era sharecropper's son. He and his family moved frequently, from one one-room structure to another, often with no running water, no plumbing, no heat but the stove. His father was killed in a car accident when Rigsby was just 9 years old. Life for the remaining eight family members proved tumultuous and difficult -- food wasn't plentiful, nor money. The family moved from place to place, following work -- Rigsby attended 30 different schools before graduating from high school. Despite living in poverty, Rigsby demonstrated academic and artistic aptitude at a young age. Two oil paintings on covers ripped off of old books that he painted when he was eight years old show the promise of an imaginative and gifted eye. Rigsby was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1953. As he later wrote, "When basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, was over, I was told to go out and find a job. Jasper Johns was painting visual aids for the 28th Regimental Headquarters. He suggested the Band Training Unit." Rigsby played the clarinet in that unit, and after 2 years of service, he enrolled at the University of Alabama on the G.I. Bill to study art. After just two years, he left school and followed his mentor (and one of the greatest and longest-lasting influences on his art), Japanese artist and U of A art instructor Tatsu Heima, to New York City. Heima introduced him to Isamu Noguchi and suggested that Rigsby work as Noguchi's assistant. Instead, Rigsby chose a job as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, since "the notion of seeing all of that art appealed more to me than the boring task of studio assistant." The opportunity was a rich one for Rigsby. He had a chance to study the masters, and cited Rembrandt with his simplicity and elegance as another of the most important influences on his work. In the years between 1957 and 1963, when Rigsby eventually earned his BFA in sculpture, the artist traveled back and forth between New York and Tuscaloosa, alternating study with forays into the fertile New York art scene. Rigsby exhibited some of his early sculpture work in 1958 at a small New York gallery, which was also exhibiting the work of Willem and Elaine de Kooning and Theodore Stamos. Shortly thereafter, searching for an educational venue closer to New York City, Rigsby visited New Haven, Connecticut, and spent an afternoon speaking with Josef Albers at Yale. Albers agreed to accept Rigsby into the Yale program on the condition that he take freshman drawing all over again. A brilliant opportunity, but, in Rigsby's words, "When it was time to register, I was hitchhiking back to Alabama, looking for food and shelter." Rigsby had his first one-man show at the University of Alabama in 1959. A visiting critic from New York, J.F. Goosen, reviewed the show and wrote "here is a talent which produces art because that is the thing for a gifted person to do. In his effortless ease of conception and execution, he has already achieved a goal that eludes many artists for a lifetime." Finally, in 1963, Rigsby received his degree in sculpture, dissolved a short-lived marriage, visited his family, packed up his car and headed permanently for New York. That year, his work was included in a group show at the Delgado Museum in New Orleans - which led to a one-man exhibit at the Delgado in 1964. During 1964, Rigsby took drawing classes at Columbia University, and worked at the General Post Office at night. He met his future wife, Linda Palmieri, and married. In 1965, his daughter Lisa was born, followed in 1966 by the birth of his son, John David Jr. In 1966, Rigsby had a successful one-man show at the Pietrantonio Gallery in New York. Shortly thereafter, he and the family moved to Tunis, Tunisia at the suggestion of a colleague, who urged him to "come paint by the light of Klee." Rigsby worked for the United States Information Agency as a teacher, and he spent the next year and a half painting over ninety paintings inspired by the smells, light, and Phoenician and Roman art surrounding him. He also executed a number of character and landscape drawings, capturing the Tunisian way of life. During his time in Tunisia, Rigsby's work was shown there in two major exhibits. Upon the family's return to the U.S. in 1968, Rigsby once again exhibited at the Pietrantonio Gallery. Later that year, Rigsby enrolled in Southern Connecticut State College's Urban Studies program, earning a master's degree in 1970. During his time at SCSU, Rigsby worked as the city of Bridgeport's Curator of Exhibits, driving a mobile art gallery from schools to neighborhood fairs and housing projects. After completing his degree, Rigsby had an exhibit at the Telfair Museum in Savannah, Georgia. This exhibit caught the attention of a member of the search committee looking to hire an artist for a newly-developed program in neighboring South Carolina. In 1970, Rigsby was selected as the first Artist-in-Residence in the state of South Carolina for the National Endowment for the Arts Artists in Schools program. His work with the newly-integrated students at Beaufort (SC) High School over the term of his residency precluded substantial work on his own art. He did, however, set up a studio in downtown Beaufort, and was able to create a modest number of paintings, which were included in exhibits at the Columbia Museum in South Carolina in 1971 and Yale University in 1973. At the end of his residency in 1974, Rigsby was named the National Visual Arts Coordinator of the Artists in Schools program for the NEA, a post he held for two years. In this position, Rigsby traveled the country, reviewing grant applications, meeting with state leaders in government, education and the arts to promote program concepts and explore local opportunities. The message he repeated over and over again echoed that of one of the other major influences on Rigsby as an artist - Ruth Asawa Lanier, whose words taught him that all of the work that the artist does is the artist's work, not simply the paintings he creates. In his capacity as National Coordinator, as well as many times in the future, Rigsby stressed that artists function in the same way as any other person in society, and deserved the same respect and place for their work as did all other professions. After two years traveling the country, Rigsby was ready for a change, saying "for the first time in my adult life, there was not a body of paintings to show for the years put into my work." In 1976, a summer retreat to the mountain community of Central City, Colorado, led to a permanent relocation. Eventually settling in the small town of Evergreen, Rigsby followed his own advice about artists becoming actively involved in their communities, and he established the Evergreen Visual Arts Center. The Center provided working space for artists, classes for adults and children, and, most importantly, a place for Rigsby to create his own work. Buoyed by the opportunity to concentrate once again on his art, and inspired by his new surroundings, Rigsby entered an extremely prolific period in his career. In 1977, he organized a traveling exhibition of his paintings, which showed at the Kimball Arts Center in Utah, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the Arvada Center in Colorado. 1978 brought more exhibits, notably in Aspen and Denver, as Rigsby's work continued. He took an extended trip to visit his mentor, Tatsu Heima, in Japan, where he climbed Mt. Fuji, followed by travels to Tehran, Delhi, and several European countries. He chronicled his impressions from his travels in a small collection of paintings upon his return to the U.S. - the beginning of a practice which would continue through the rest of his life. In 1979, Rigsby's marriage failed, and at the same time he lost the lease to his Evergreen studio to redevelopment plans. In response to the personal chaos around him, Rigsby began a series of what he called "hard-nosed process paintings," the watercolor paintings of dots which marked his work from this period. The paintings gained him an NEA Individual Artist grant in 1980, as well as a Yaddo fellowship in 1981. The polka dot paintings were followed by a series of cupcake-like images, again examining space and color. During the early 1980s, Rigsby lived in a suite of old dentists' offices in a rundown part of Denver, with a studio in an area that reminded him of the Bowery in New York. In 1984, Rigsby founded the Progreso Gallery in the building where he lived, using the space both to show his own work and also to mount shows of the work of many Colorado artists. The gallery also served as a focal point for Denver's local arts community, hosting weekly discussion groups and classes. In 1984, Rigsby traveled to the Baja Peninsula and then in 1985 to Yugoslavia. After each sojourn, Rigsby returned to create vibrant and explosive paintings based on his experiences, showing them at his Progreso gallery and another alternative gallery in Denver, the Edge Gallery. The economic recession of the mid-eighties hit the art market and Rigsby hard, however, and although he continued to create new works of art, major exhibitions were difficult to come by. In 1987, Rigsby decided to leave Denver and spent six months in Barcelona, Spain. It was an electrifying trip for him. Rigsby wrote of that time: "The streets alone are a visual feast, and the additions of museums from Saarinen, Picasso and Miro to 12th century icons produced artistic indigestion. My paintings are always about the way things look and feel. Barcelona was a time machine extending those sensory and emotional concerns back to the Middle Ages. I felt the need to reduce my work to essential elements of color, scale, drawing and format. The [resulting] color studies speak eloquently for themselves, and in doing so, redefine all of the work I've done in the past 35 years of painting." Rigsby completed over a hundred paintings while in Barcelona - color studies, street portraits of the characters he encountered on a daily basis, and a number of dark landscape paintings. He found time to run with the bulls in Pamplona, and began writing stories about his adventures that were later published. Upon his return to Denver in 1988, Rigsby continued to explore the alter egos of the color studies - he concentrated on a series of dark paintings, all prominently featuring back. He commented about these black paintings that he " decided it was time to explore the perception of the eye and physical space as defined by low -light conditions…I find these paintings elegant, joyous and light-filled, with no feeling of heaviness at all." In mid-1988, Rigsby moved permanently to Houston, Texas, where he would spend the last five years of his life. Once in Houston, Rigsby made a discovery that would serve as the inspiration and material for some of the last works of his career. In 1989, he discovered a salvage yard filled with scrap rubber, and he began working on black rubber sculptures, as well as paintings with rubber elements incorporated. He made strong connections in the Houston alternative arts scene, and became a regular contributor and art critic for a local weekly newspaper, The Public News. From 1989 through 1992, he exhibited his sculptures and paintings at Houston's Brent Gallery, Fountainhead Gallery, and Blaffer Gallery. He also produced an installation of his rubber sculptures on the roof of the Diverse Works Gallery in Houston. 1992 also marked Rigsby's return to Denver when he exhibited his sculptures at the Payton-Rule Gallery in Denver, leading to an Absolut Rigsby commission by Carillon Importers. The 1990s were a tremendous struggle for Rigsby, with financial crises compounded by physical trauma (he accidentally sawed off the top joint of the index finger of his left hand while working in his studio). Although his work was being shown, it wasn't selling, and the tremendous financial pressure he felt weighed heavily upon him. He spent an increasing proportion of his time going to flea markets and garage sales, rehabilitating and repairing the things he bought there, and then re-selling them simply to raise enough money to keep a roof over his head. He had little time to paint or sculpt, the things in life that had always, no matter what the circumstances, brought him joy. Rigsby's final works were a series of intricate paintings and drawings on used books that he purchased at the flea market. Most of these drawings, which he referred to as sculptural form drawings, were executed on page after page of science texts, music books, and a Korean bible and fill hundreds of pages. Additionally, Rigsby created an exquisite book he titled 28 de los Angeles, in which his twenty-eight simple and elegant drawings of angels resonated with the influence of Rembrandt he had so admired in his early days. In a sense, Rigsby's final works, art created on used books which were the only materials he could afford, brought his work and life full circle from his childhood days. Rigsby's life, though begun and ended in adversity, was nonetheless illuminated and enriched by the irresistible impulse he had to create art and beauty. John David Rigsby was killed in a one-car accident in Colorado in August, 1993. Biography from the Archives of askART Following is a review by Michael Paglia of the artist's July 2004 retrospective at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art. It was submitted by John Rigsby, Jr., son of the artist. There's a magnificent retrospective at Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art devoted to the work of the late John David Rigsby, who was a major powerhouse in Colorado's art scene. "Dots, Blobs and Angels" surveys more than forty years' worth of the remarkable artist's paintings and sculptures. The year 1993 was strange, and by that I mean terrible. Many of the city's galleries closed because of bad economic times, and then the artists started dying. In a matter of a few months, Denver lost three significant artists: Rigsby, experimental photographer Wes Kennedy...

Silkscreen in 10 colors 40 x 54 inches 2-Ply Museum Board Edition of 50 2014 Bob Gruen is one of the most well-known and respected photographers in rock and roll. From John Lennon t...

A Fine Pair of Louis XV Beechwood Fauteuils a la Reine Mid 18th Century Stamped Nicolas Blanchard, maitre in 1771 Each with a cartouche shaped upholstered backrest, the top rail car...

Add character and style to your garden patch with this reclaimed antique rectangular stone surround consisting of 6 individual pieces, 4 long and 2 short weathered stone pieces maki...

Carved limestone French limestone wall fountain with metal lion face.  

Set of 4 Salterini style iron mesh garden armchairs with mesh seat and mesh backs. Wonderful style and proportions for comfortable garden seating for dining and entertaining. Use the...

The six elegantly carved chairs are composed of five side and one arm, all newly painted in cream. The frames are secured by angled blocks at all corners. The padded pop-out seats ar...

Spatial Spiral Crawl ceramic sculpture by Michael Boroniec - ceramic, glaze Michael Boroniec’s “Spatial Spiral” series is an adventure in three dimensions and expands the concept of...

A 19th century industrial style mesh decorated wrought iron gate having beautifully weathered patina, substantial hinge and handle. Would make a wonderful gate for any garden or outd...

Like Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, Hattie Carnegie, and Pauline Trigere, Mary McFadden produced jewelry in the 20th Century to compliment her own couture-clothing designs. Unlike those fashion designers, McFadden handcrafted her sculptural jewelry, whereby her studio designs in brass since...

A wonderful addition to your winter wardrobe, this reversible vintage coat is both attractive and versatile. The fur side is composed of black sheared fur, very lustrous and soft to ...

Bastiaan Woudt Dutch, born 1987 “I like to look at lines, abstractions, structure, and texture. In a portrait, I can be extremely disturbed by color. It distracts me from the essen...

Designed by U.S.-based Oscar de la Renta (1932-2014) for his 1975 Resort collection, this deeply-draping two-layer empire-waist gown maxi dress is handpainted on white silk in a blue...

Judy Hornby Couture voided silk bias-cut evening dress with deep cowl neck neck and layered hem, both layers trimmed with pearls. Long sleeves with gathered shoulders and pointed wri...

These post-WWII Vendome hand-wired clip earrings each feature a spray of yellow-gold gilt-metal leaves with a stylized branch and five prong-set clear crystals among a cluster of fac...

Custom made to size, Mid-Century Modern Industrial style glass and polished iron coffee table. Can be made to customer specification. Similar design available in dining table or side...

American School American, 19th century Afternoon In the Garden Oil on canvas 8 ¼ by 18 in, w/ frame 13 ¼ by 23 ½ in

French marble-top on lyre style metal base side table or end table with wonderful patina.

This amazing service for 12 was made by Ceramic Art Company/ Lenox ca. 1890 and features sterling silver with a gold wash overlay in an iconic "Japonesque"...

The adjustable campaign style folding iron metal lounge chair is capable of several upright or flat position. The outdoor chair can also act as an armchair without the folding leg re...

This honey-colored pine armoire or linen press is in two sections -- upper and lower cabinet, four doors with recessed panels. The armoire was later made into an entertainment unit / cabinet. Upper cabinet features a swivel TV shelf...

Woodard inspired sofa and matching lounge chairs, handmade wrought-iron outdoor patio, garden or porch furniture featuring scrolling maple leaf design. A trademark for their durable design and construction. Simple and elegant. The set makes for comfortable and inviting seating ensemble. Garden seating, garden sofa, outdoor metal sofa...

During the Art Deco period, this Surrealist sculpture set of two one-of-a-kind female figurines was handmade in hammered steel wire with patina estimated as early as the 1920s. Each ribald three-dimensional self-standing torso study of a woman features either three spiral springs (suggesting pregnant belly with large breasts...

Vintage silver plated tea pot, 5 in x 7 in at widest point, some scratches and dents, marked Grace Line, an ocean liner, on one side of tea pot, underside marked 28088 e & co. In shield, Elkington Plate...

Mr. John was one of the preeminent American milliners during the mid twentieth century, closing up his elaborate New York salon sometime in the 1970s, although he continued to design...

Wonderful antique wicker three part set. Consisting of a armchair, two tiered side table, and a floor lamp. Part of a larger set acquired from an estate in Newport, Rhode Island. Ple...

Two grand and very impressive cast concrete neoclassical style pedestal dining table bases with finely detailed winged griffins. Will support a large stone, marble or glass table top. Can be used indoors or outdoors - sun porch...

Rare 19th century American Quilt perhaps a unique design. The obvious Navajo influence of the Red Cross symbolizing the Spider Woman is unquestionable. They're being 13 crosses also ...

Among the early standout sexy shoes designed by Stella McCarney for her eponymous British brand, these four-inch steel stilettos with maroon-ombre resin hee...

These antique early-20th-Century French poured carved and lampwork glass dangle earrings depict textured berries and leaves. On each earring, this fruit salad dangles on a single ring that drops from a round convex green "stem", which is attached to miniature brass clips...

In his classic minimalist long flared silhouette, Japanese Yohji Yamamoto skillfully tailored with bias-cut draping both this navy ribbon-trimmed notched-lapel single-breasted lined ...

A wonderfully charming and elegant small vintage Viners Alpha Silver Plated Gallery Serving Tray. Use it for an intimate 2 person occasion or center piec...

Francis Chapin American 1899-1965 Little River Oil on canvas 28 by 40 in. W/frame 38 by 50 in. Dubbed the Dean of Chicago Painters in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, Francis Chapin painte...

Kenneth Lane c.1990s long, single strand of pearls interspersed with 6 goldtone sputnik-like spheres in goldtone metal, spaced between invervals of 13 pearls at center and 8 pearls o...

David Murray British, 1849-1933 At the Edge of the Forest Oil on Board 12 by 18 in, w/ frame 17 by 23 in Signed lower left Inventory Number: 01457 Sir David Murray RA (29 January ...

A must for every wine lover. Used for wine tasting, with the wine glass stem placed over the indent and the cup in the water to rinse out for the ne...

The rustic almost square country style Asian elm wood coffee table has rounded legs and stretchers with solid pegged construction. The plank top is secured by breadboard ends. The ru...

Cropped jacket in navy blue wool studded throughout with pearls and featuring a short shawl collar and curved front. Set-in narrow sleeves. Navy crepe lining. Approximate size 6.

Glam up your dining experience with this antiqued gold "gilt" toned Baroque Hollywood Regency styled metal and glass dining table. Be it ...

Emory Ladanyi Hungarian, 1902-1986 Thunderous Mixed Media on Canvas Signed Lower Right Inscribed & titled on Verso 40 by 48 in. W/frame 42 by 50 in. Born November 8, 1902 in Kecskemet, Hungary, the child of Mihaly and Maria Ladanyi, Emory Ladanyi moved with his family to Eger, a town famous for its good wine. He studied at the High School of Science and Art. At fifteen, he discovered anatomy in a textbook and began to consider a career in medicine, and was accepted into the Medical School of The University of Budapest to become a medical student. He received his doctoral degree in 1927 and did his residency in dermatology in the largest hospital in Berlin, then one of the most prominent dematology centers of Europe. In Berlin, he was especially impressed by the works of Edvard Munch, forerunner of German Expressionism, who exerted a lasting influence on his work. Following medical residency in Vienna, he was also impressed by the works of Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, and Kokoschka. In 1928 he returned to Budapest to continue postgraduate studies, also advancing his art education. His many friends were among the avant-garde poets and writers of that time. In March 1929, he arrived in New York. June of that year, he passed the medical boards, and in September received his license to practice medice in the State of New York. Outside of the medical profession which enabled him the livelihood to continue to paint, he moved exclusively in avant-garde circles of New York City. He was a close friend of the composer Edgar Varese. Others of his circle were poet Kenneth Patchen...

Most likely made in Germany during the Art Deco period, this vintage unsigned long heavy 12-pendant gold-gilt chain-link bib necklace features ball charms of gold-ringed emerald-green matte Bakelite. Hanging 13-inches from the back of the neck, the long necklace is constructed with elegant double-ring links, while it fastens with a large toggle and decorative bar. Each end of the toggle bar resembles stacked balls, recalling the oval-cartouche stacked-cannonball signature of German jewelry chain-specialist Jakob Bengel, who founded his business in Idar-Oberstein in 1873. Due to WWII, the Bengel factory, which is now a museum, permanently closed. His pre-1940 unsigned designs were largely overlooked until his factory catalogues were rediscovered decades later, which enabled 21st-Century books to be published about one of the leading manufacturers of Art Deco costume jewelry. Bengel pieces without the cartouche can be distinguished by thin metal chain links combined with single or bi-color Bakelite pendants in repeating geometric shapes like balls, semi-circles, rectangles, bars, rings or ribbed texture. As Germany was the first country to license Bakelite for factory production since the 1910s, during the next 20 years its costume-jewelry designers began to feature locally-produced colorful Bakelite instead of glass or early semi-synthetic plastics. Between the world wars during poor economic conditions in Germany, its jewelry producers who were manufacturing for export were not motivated to stamp their country on such products. The design of this Bakelite-charm necklace seems inspired by one-of-a-kind chunkier-chain charm necklaces commissioned for couture clothing ensembles by international fashion leader Parisian Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. She only produced her trend-setting commissioned jewelry...