Turner Auctions + Appraisals is very pleased to present The Violet Taaffe Estate on Saturday, August 8, 2020. Mrs. Taaffe, a long-time San Francisco resident, presided over a stately turn-of-the-century home that featured fine art, exquisite jewelry, and decorative items. This online auction offers over 270 lots, many with the provenance and pedigree of renowned artists and designers, mostly from Mrs. Taaffe, augmented by a small number of items from another Bay Area estate.
Among the art in this auction are works by Granville Redmond, Armin Hansen, Arthur Best, Herman Wendelborg Hansen and William Mortensen. Jewelry highlights include various diamond and platinum rings, necklaces and bracelets. Other fine and costume jewelry feature bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings and eternity rings, brooches, and pendants, with gold, sterling and blackened silver, diamonds, turquoise, coral, jade, tanzanite, amethyst, amber, opal, aquamarine, rubies and emeralds. Among the designers or fashion houses are pieces from Tiffany, Hermès, John Hardy, Jim Wagner, Max Chayat and Charles Garnier. There are also a number of costume jewelry groupings. Items for men include pocket watches, wedding rings and cufflinks. A selection of handbags, satchels, evening purses, and belts come from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Ferragamo and Céline. Among the clothing offerings are Giorgio Armani and designer dresses.
There are a number of intriguing decorative arts on offer, including a turtle coffee table base and ostrich egg candlesticks by Anthony Redmile, small sculptures by Sergio Bustament and Gucci, a pair of 18th-/19th century Chinese cloisonné censers, a 19th-century 'nine-dragon' child's robe, and a Tiffany Favrile glass vase. Other items in the sale include 19th-century French clocks, a Lalique bowl, Royal Doulton figurines, numerous pieces of sterling or hallmark silver serving ware and tableware, Izabel Lam flatware, and much more. Also from China, mostly from the 19th-century, are silver export teapots, blue-and-white teapots and jars, famille rose standing Immortals, and painted snuff boxes. From Japan are bronze sculptures and cloisonné cigarette boxes.
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