Competing sales in the East End -- plus another farther north -- might create some tough decisions for local bidders. But whatever the choice, auctions at Dargate, Concept Art Gallery and Constantine & Mayer are unanimous winners during the last weekend of October.
Concept Art Gallery
There's no secret to the process Sam Berkovitz employs for deciding when it's time for an auction at the Regent Square gallery he has owned for 30-some years.
"Whenever we have enough quality merchandise," he says, "we have an auction."
This past summer, a bumper crop of art, furniture, rugs and other desirables practically overwhelmed Berkovitz and his staff. He amassed such a collection that he decided to stage two auctions in consecutive months. After September's big success, he's back with an Oct. 27 sale that includes holdings from many of the same sources -- many with strong Pittsburgh accents.
As far as local luminaries, the lineup of Samuel Rosenberg, Aaronel deRoy Gruber and Charles Harris dazzle cross a multitude of genres from oil painting to photography. A significant artist in Pittsburgh and nationally, Rosenberg moved from portraits early in his career to abstract works later. While paintings from every stage are prized, collectors eagerly anticipate his realistic depictions of city life during the Depression, such as a Hill District scene.
As an instructor at Carnegie Tech, Rosenberg influenced many local artists, including Aaronel deRoy Gruber. Still creative after a long distinguished career as a painter and sculptor, she recently exhibited photography at various local venues. Her captures of the rusting husks of area steel mills lend a haunting beauty to the decaying ruins. She is well represented in this sale by paintings, sculpture and photography.
Teenie Harris provided Pittsburghers with an inside look at Hill District life in the 1940s and '50s. A longtime "shooter" for the Pittsburgh Courier, Harris distilled black life through his photos of everyday people, as well as celebrities such as Duke Ellington and Willie Mays.
Keep this in mind about any Concept auction: It would be easy to fill this space with information only about the Pittsburgh artists, but there are others, including Christo, Eames, Picasso, Rivera and Escher.
The bidding starts at 9 a.m. Oct . 27 at Concept Gallery, 1031 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. Details: 412-242-9200.
Dargate Auction Galleries
Let's get right to the headliner of Dargate's Oct. 26-28 sale -- a stunning Tiffany table lamp. The genuine article from the master's studios, the lamp features a glittering leaded glass shade with more than 1,000 pieces, including some that appear to change color when the lamp is on. Originally part of a Venetian desk decorated in a Byzantine mosaic and scrolling leaf design, the lamp is a rare find that brightened a Squirrel Home for many years, according to Dargate consignment manager David Arnold. For the sake of authenticity, collectors will gladly appreciate that the shade and base are marked "Tiffany Studios New York 515."
Another high note is a large collection of mechanical musical instruments. Among the several well-maintained disc players, the standout is a Wurlitzer model 125 military band organ. Think of it as a wind-up, one-man marching band in a box. Housed in an oak case, this player strikes more than a few right chords with a cymbal in center; sides with bass and snare drums; 13 flageolet pipes, 13 piccolo pipes and 13 brass trumpets; and 66 internal organ pipes and stops. Designed for skating rinks and carousel, the 125 comes with 38 paper music rolls.
Pittsburgh born, George Sotter discovered the natural beauty of the state's eastern regions while studying in 1902 at the Pennsylvania Academy of the fine arts. Although he returned home to work as a stained-glass maker and assistant professor of painting at Carnegie Tech, Sotter eventually moved for good to Bucks County in 1919. There he painted Impressionistic landscapes and created stained-glass masterpieces for churches and monasteries around the world. What bidders will find at Dargate is a Sotter seascape, which Arnold expects to sell for $10,000 to $15,000. He points out, however, that a Sotter landscape might well have fetched a hammer price in six figures. Still, " 'Gull Head, North Shore," an oil on board, is a fine example of the artist's style and talents.
Previews are schdeuled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 23 and 25, noon to 8 p.m. Oct. 24 prior to the Oct. 26-28 sale at Dargate, 214 N. Lexington Ave., Point Breeze. Details: 412-362-3558.
Constantine & Mayer
Spanning a period from the 1820s to the 1930s, the merchandise from a Leechburg estate brings an unusual sale to Constantine & Mayer on Oct. 27. The highlight is a rare American-made tallcase clock signed by Samuel Hofford of Berlin, Pa. Co-owner Jeff Constantine says such examples of Southwestern Pennsylvania craftsmanship are getting harder to find with each passing year.
Also on the block for bidders: a seven-piece set of mahogany sliding-door barrister bookcases with leaded glass, a rare American cut-glass ice bucket and two-piece punch bowl, early American to 20th century furniture, toys, ceramics and 20 U.S. gold coins.
Previews are noon to 5 pm Oct. 26 and 8 to 9 a.m. Oct. 27, before the 9 a.m. sale at Constantine & Mayer, 1306 Pittsburgh St., Cheswick. Details: 724-275-7190
J.S. Dill Auctions
Coming up Thursday at J.S. Dill in Zelienople, bidders will see who drives home a 1982 Cadillac Sedan DeVille that belonged to a woman from Harrisville, Pa. From that same estate, a 9-piece Chippendale-style dining room set should attract some strong attention. With more than a few oddities in the mix, the sale includes a 1947 Model B John Deere tractor and a railroad baggage cart. The following Tuesday, Oct. 23, Dill reopens for a special coin sale,
Previews are at 5 p.m.Thursday, followed by the 6 p.m. sale start; and 4 p.m. Oct. 23, followed by the 6 p.m. sale, at J.S. Dill, 2341 Evans City Road, Zelienople. Details: 724-453-0853 412-362-9001
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