| | Only Copy of Magna Carta in the United States Treated at National Archives in Washington
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File photo of David Rubenstein, far right, who purchased the one of the only four remaining 1297 Magna Carta documents, looks over the document during an event at the National Archives in Washington. AP Photos/Susan Walsh.
By: Brett Zongker, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP).- A painstaking conservation effort to remove old patches and repair weak spots in a 714-year-old copy of the Magna Carta has revealed that the full text of that English declaration of human rights remains intact even though some words are faded and illegible to the eye, the National Archives said Tuesday. A $13.5 million gift from philanthropist David Rubenstein — owner of the handwritten document — is funding the conservation effort as well preparations for an upcoming exhibit. Thanks to the gift, the largest cash donation to the National Archives, the copy of the Magna Carta eventually will be shown as a forerunner to the freedoms imagined in the U.S. Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights. Plans call for exhibiting it along with documents showing the struggle for rights of African Americans, women, immigrants and others. The Magna Carta bears the seal of King Edward I and is dated 1297. It is one of 17 known handwritten copies ... More |
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Ex-Astronaut Edgar Mitchell Says Apollo 14 Moon Mission Camera was a NASA Gift
A 16mm camera that went to the moon with astronaut Edgar Mitchell on Apollo 14. AP Photo/U.S. Department of Justice.
By: Curt Anderson, AP Legal Affairs Writer
MIAMI (AP).- Former astronaut Edgar Mitchell says a camera he brought back from the 1971 Apollo 14 moon mission was given to him by NASA despite the space agency's lawsuit seeking its return, according to court papers filed by Mitchell's attorney. Mitchell lawyer Donald Jacobson wants the NASA case dismissed, contending that a four-year statute of limitations has long since run and that there are no records to disprove his contention that the camera was a gift. "Dr. Edgar Mitchell is an American hero," Jacobson wrote in the papers filed late Tuesday. "Dr. Mitchell knows he received the camera as a gift, and all the government can say is that it doesn't know one way or the other." NASA sued Mitchell earlier this month in federal court after the camera — technically known as a 16mm Data Acquisition Camera — surfaced as part of a proposed auction of space-related items. NASA contends the device remains the agency's property and is demanding its return. ... More | | World Record om artnet Auctions: Andy Warhol Flowers Painting Sold for Over US 1.3 Million
Andy Warhol, Flowers, 1978 (detail). Acrylic and silkscreen inks on canvas, 22 x 22 in. Est. US$1,100,000–1,500,000. Sold for US$1,322,500 Premium.
NEW YORK, NY.- On Wednesday, July 20, 2011, artnet Auctions achieved a world record for the sale of an Andy Warhol 1978 painting entitled Flowers, which sold for US$1,322,500 (Premium). The buyer was a private American collector. The painting, in brilliant tones of blue and green and measuring 22 x 22 inches, is one of only four Flowers paintings from this year recorded by The Andy Warhol Foundation archive, and this is a record price for a 1978 Flowers painting. The work has been in a private German collection for many years. Hans Neuendorf, chief executive officer of artnet, commented, “This sale confirms what we have maintained for a long time at artnet—that art buyers are willing to buy high-end artworks online.” artnet is the leading online resource for the international art market. artnet provides comprehensive information about the art market via the signature artnet Price Database, artnet Market Reports indices and charts, artnet Galleries of leading art ... More | | Stolen Painting Believed to Be a Modigliani Held Clue to Serbia War Crimes Arrest
Goran Hadzic, a wartime leader of the self-declared breakaway Serb republic of Krajina. AP Photo/Srdjan Ilic.
By: Adam Tanner and Aleksandar Vasovic
BELGRADE (REUTERS).- Desperate for cash after years on the run, Goran Hadzic tried to sell a stolen painting believed to be a Modigliani and supplied the vital clue for capturing the last major Yugoslav war crimes fugitive. Serbia's president announced the arrest of Hadzic, a Croatian Serb wartime leader indicted for crimes against humanity during the 1991-95 Croatian war, on Wednesday. In a later news conference, Serbia's chief war crimes prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic said the 52-year-old was arrested in a forest near the village of Krusedol after investigators followed the trail of a painting attributed to Amedeo Modigliani, the Italian 20th century figurative artist. "The breakthrough was information that he (Hadzic) wanted to sell a stolen Modigliani painting as he was running out of money," Vukcevic told a news conference. Earlier this year Serbian tabloids reported that the painting, allegedly titled "Portrait of a Man," had been discovered in the home of a friend of Hadzic ... More |
Claremont Rug Company Announces a "New" Trend Among Connoisseurs of Art-Level Antique Carpets
The wall hung and floor covering style of these antique Persian rugs provide an artistic balance to the space.
OAKLAND, CA.- Jan David Winitz, founder and president of Claremont Rug Company, said today he is increasingly being asked by clients to find 19th century, art-level Oriental rugs to hang on walls along-side paintings. Art level carpets from the “Second Golden Age of Persian Weaving” are increasingly rare, particularly as collectors have begun to realize the artistic merit and the unifying effects that they have on a home environment. “They are as yet virtually undiscovered as art,” he said. Winitz regularly places antique rugs in sizes suitable for hanging in prices ranging from $15,000 to $150,000. Said Winitz, “In 2009, less than 10 percent of the projects we took part in involved rugs for the walls. In 2010 it jumped to 35 percent. In 2011 to date, 60 percent of our projects have included hanging rugs as art on the walls, as well as ... More | | Life of Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in Britain Exhibition at the British Council
Dog space suit on a dummy in a catapult car. Courtesy of Zvezda, Moscow.
LONDON.- In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first manned space flight and the installation of the Yuri Gagarin statue on the Mall, the British Council presents Gagarin in Britain, an exhibition on the life of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and the early Soviet space programme. This exhibition is part of a wider programme of cultural and educational links between the UK and Russia organised by the British Council. It showcases items from the Vostok (“East”) manned space programme rarely seen in Britain: the first space suit – SK-1, including the padded inner lining, blue rubberised pressure-suit and outer orange layer; and an ejector seat of the model used by Gagarin when he parachuted out of Vostok 1 at an altitude of 7km. These exhibits are complemented by Soviet posters from the Moscow Museum of Cosmonautics; a film made by Roscosmos showing original footage of the ... More | | National Museum Wales' Historic Photography Goes Digital Thanks to Gift
Michael Tooby, Director of Learning, Programmes and Development (right) and Lowri Jenkins, Archivist (left), both at the Museum’s current photography archive at St Fagans: National History Museum.
CARDIFF.- A new project to curate and digitise historic photography from Wales ’ national collections has been made possible with the support of the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, which is marking its 50th Birthday this year. Natural Images - Amgueddfa Cymru’s new initiative, which begins in Autumn 2011, will involve transferring the finest examples from the Museum’s extraordinary collection of around 500,000 photographs and historic items, into an accessible digital format. Items from the Museum’s photography collection are currently spread across several disciplines from geology and botany to social and industrial history and more recently, art. Wales has a proud place in the history of photography John Dillwyn Llewelyn. One of the great strengths of ... More |
Kenneth Grange Making Britain Modern Opens at the Design Museum in London
Parking Meter, 1958. Designed by Kenneth Grange for Venner Ltd.
LONDON.- Kenneth Grange is Britain’s leading product designer, his prolific career spans over 50 years and he is responsible for designing some of the most iconic and familiar products and appliances that shape our daily lives. Kodak cameras, the silhouette for the Intercity 125 train, Kenwood food mixers, Parker pens, and the re-design of the London Taxi Cab are just some of his well-known designs. This exhibition is Kenneth Grange’s first UK retrospective and it will celebrate his work, his design journey and the role he has played in making Britain modern. During the 1960s and 70s Grange designed a considerable number of domestic products. The Kenwood Chef was a revelation in home baking and it became a standard aesthetic for food mixers. Razors for Wilkinson Sword, cigarette lighters for Ronson, Irons for Morphy Richards, Pens for Parker, each of his designs supported new materials and advances in techn ... More | | Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Announces New Deputy Director for Advancement
Linda Lipscomb is the new deputy director for advancement at VMFA.
RICHMOND, VA.- The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts announced today the appointment of Linda Lipscomb as the new deputy director for advancement beginning September 1, 2011. As the leader of the museum’s development team, Lipscomb will work toward raising unrestricted money, which supports museum operations, exhibitions and education funding, as well as endowments and special projects. VMFA Development also oversees the John Barton Payne and Heritage societies, which support art donors and planned giving, respectively. “The Virginia Museum is currently experiencing unprecedented growth and visitation as a result of the reopening last year and the blockbuster Picasso exhibition this spring,” Director Alex Nyerges said. “We are pleased to welcome such a valuable member to our team as we continue to strive to bring world-class exhibitions to the Commonwealth.” Continual fundraising ... More | | Sotheby's to Support Charity Jewels Auction in Mumbai: 'Emeralds for Elephants'
Sawansukha Jewellers Zambian emerald necklace. Photo: Sotheby's.
MUMBAI.- The World Land Trust and ethical coloured gemstones mining company, Gemfields, together with Jaguar Land Rover and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA India), have collaborated with ten of India’s top jewellery designers to create a unique ‘pop up’ collection of bespoke Zambian emerald jewellery. Following the success of ‘Emeralds for Elephants’ in London in the summer of 2010, the aim of this collection is to create awareness and raise crucial funds for the conservation initiatives of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) for the Asian Elephant in India. The headline piece of the collection is a Ganesha sculpture with a 638 carat Gemfields Zambian emerald created by renowned artist, Arzan Khambatta. The collection will be launched in July and will close with a Grand Auction at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai on 14 October 2011. As India’s farmlands and cities expand, the Asian Elephant is ... More |
Grand Openings Return of the Blogs Commissioned by the Museum of Modern Art in New York
Grand Openings, Office Poster, 2009. Image courtesy of the artists and Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo.
NEW YORK, NY.- The Museum of Modern Art has commissioned the New York –based artist collective Grand Openings to compose a multifaceted, live program of performances to take place in The Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Atrium and in other locations throughout the Museum from July 20 through August 1, 2011. Over the course of the 13-day exhibition, the group’s five core members— Ei Arakawa, Jutta Koether, Jay Sanders, Emily Sundblad, and Stefan Tcherepnin—will perform partly scripted and partly improvised actions, loose choreographies, musical scores, and acts of self-reflection, and will invite the collaboration of musicians, performance art scholars, sound artists, filmmakers, writers, and friends. The title of the program, refers to an additional documentary element of the work—a daily account of the actions in the form of handwritten texts, fabricated objects, and audio podcasts, which will be pre ... More | | Original Spider-Man #49 Cover Art, by John Romita Sr., Expected to Bring $100,000+ at Heritage Auctions
The original 1967 cover art for Amazing Spider-Man #49, by legendary comic book artist John Romita, Sr. Photo: Courtesy Heritage Auctions.
DALLAS, TX.- The original 1967 cover art for Amazing Spider-Man #49, by legendary comic book artist John Romita, Sr., featuring Spidey in a seemingly impossible bind between Kraven the Hunter and the Vulture, is expected to bring $100,000+ on Aug. 17-18 in Heritage Auctions' Signature(r) Vintage Comics & Comic Art Auction. This is the first time this indelible cover art has ever been offered for public sale. "This cover was only John Romita Sr.'s eleventh for the title and it's simply one of his very best," said Ed Jaster, Senior Vice President at Heritage Auctions. "It's not just a cool cover; it's a priceless piece of Silver Age Marvel lore and only the second Romita Sr. Spider-Man cover from this era we have offered to date. We're expecting some fireworks when this comes up." Iconic original comic art is not only represented in mainstream offerings like Spider-Man, but also in the form of classic Underground Comix ... More | | Important Decorative Arts Acquisitions Announced by Pittsburgh's Carnegie Museum of Art
Bakewell, Page and Bakewell, Water decanters, 1818-1819. Glass. Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh : Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 2011.8.A-.B
PITTSBURGH, PA.- Carnegie Museum of Art acquired major works for its collection of early American glass and contemporary craft and design. The museum acquired two remarkable cut and engraved glass water decanters commissioned as part of a large service by President James Monroe in 1818 and made by renowned Pittsburgh glass firm Bakewell, Page, and Bakewell. Existing objects from Monroe’s service have long eluded scholars and collectors; the last documentation of the objects occurred in 1833, when a dozen glass decanters were sold from the White House. Preserved in private hands for nearly two centuries, these two objects resurfaced in a rural auction in the Mid-Atlantic region in 2010 and are now on view in the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Galleries of decorative arts and design. The objects are significant not only for their presidential provenance but also their rarity as the earliest known fully cut and ... More |
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 Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1982 Brings $50,788 to Lead $2.7+ Million Heritage Wine AuctionBEVERLY HILLS, CA.- A case of Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1982, Pauillac, brought $50,788 to lead the day in the joint Heritage Auctions and Greg Martin Auctions $2.7+ million June 16 Signature® Wine Auction, held at the company’s Beverly Hills offices and simulcast live to Hong Kong. “Good results across the board,” said Frank Martell, Heritage’s Director of Fine and Rare Wine. “Collectors responded to this wonderful grouping of wines and with enthusiastic bids on both sides of the Pacific.” All told, more than 260 bidders vied for 768 total lots, translating into a 96% sell-through rate by total value. Following the top lot was a fine 11-bottle lot of Chateau Petrus 2000, Pomerol, which showed considerable spirit at a $46,555 final price realized, while a case of late release Musigny 1949, Leroy , realized $35,850. ... More Two New Exhibitions Open at the Institute of Contemporary Art in BostonBOSTON.- The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston (ICA) presents Eva Hesse Studiowork—a groundbreaking, internationally touring exhibition offering new interpretation of Eva Hesse’s historical position and influence on sculpture. The exhibition also highlights Hesse’s relevance for contemporary art today. On view at the ICA July 20 to Oct. 10, 2011, Studiowork brings together approximately fifty sculptures—many of which rarely travel—drawn from major public and private collections around the world. The ICA is the only east coast museum to present this landmark exhibition. The German-born, American artist Eva Hesse (1936–1970) played a central role in the radical transformation of sculptural practice in the 1960s. Throughout her career, she produced a large number of small, experimental works alongside her large-scale sculpture. Left in her studio at the time of her death, sold or given to fri ... More Jury: United States Government Rightfully Seized 1933 Gold CoinsPHILADELPHIA (AP).- The U.S. government rightfully seized a set of never-circulated 1933 gold coins from a Philadelphia woman who said she found the rare beauties in her late father's bank deposit box, a jury found Wednesday. The verdict capped an unusual civil case that combined history, coin collecting and whether the $20 "double eagles" ever legally left the U.S. Mint. A single one sold for a record $7.59 million in 2002. Prosecutors argued that the cherished coins never circulated when the country went off the gold standard — and were therefore stolen, with help from the woman's father, jeweler Israel Switt. "This is government property that was stolen ... 70 years ago," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero said after the verdict. "It doesn't belong to someone that has a hand in stealing it." The coins, designed by famed sculptor August Saint-Gaudens, are among the rarest in the world, and the most sought after by ... More Photographs of Sikkim by Alice Kandell are Now OnlineWASHINGTON, D.C.- Sikkim is high in the Himalaya Mountains of India, bordered by Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan. The setting is remarkable, with steep slopes, thatched cottages, Buddhist temples, cobbled paths and terraced fields. During many visits from 1965 to 1971, Alice S. Kandell photographed vivid scenes from daily life, documenting the culture of the tiny kingdom before it vanished. Three hundred of these extraordinary photographs, showing both people and landscapes, are now online at the Library of Congress. Photographer Kandell has dedicated the rights to the public to encourage worldwide access. Researchers who visit the Library can consult the entire collection of 15,000 color and black-and-white images, which Kandell donated to the Library in 2010. Sikkim was an independent kingdom in the Himalayas ruled by a hereditary line of kings (Chogyal) from the 17th century until it became ... MoreSmithsonian Names New Under Secretary for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial OfficerWASHINGTON, D.C.- Albert G. Horvath, senior vice president of finance and business and treasurer at Pennsylvania State University, has been named Under Secretary for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer of the Smithsonian, effective Sept. 26. Horvath succeeds Alison McNally who will advise the Smithsonian Secretary on Institution-wide financial projects. The CFO position at the Smithsonian had been a separate position, but, under the new organizational structure, the Under Secretary also will be serving as the CFO. As Under Secretary/CFO, Horvath will oversee many Smithsonian offices with more than 2,200 employees, including facilities and maintenance, human resources, security and financial operations. He will report directly to the Secretary, Wayne Clough. “We are pleased to welcome Al Horvath to the Smithsonian’s management team,” said Clough. “He is a skilled administrator, with a ... More NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman Announces New Research on the Value Added by Cultural IndustriesWASHINGTON.- Cultural industries are economic powerhouses and states have the data to prove it, according to a new analysis from the National Endowment for the Arts. Drawing on data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Arts and the GDP: Value Added by Selected Cultural Industries is a new NEA research note that examines the value added by three selected cultural industries: (1) performing arts, sports, and museums; (2) motion pictures and sound recording; and (3) publishing (including software). Combined, these three cultural industries contributed a total of $278.4 billion to the U.S. economy in 2009. The NEA research note also looks at dollars and jobs added to individual state economies by these cultural industries. Each year, the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates the value added by major industry groups, including performing arts, sports, and museums. “Value added” refers ... More artMRKT Hamptons, July 14-17, Debuts with Strong Sales and AttendanceBRIDGEHAMPTON, NY.- artMRKT Hamptons, a new modern and contemporary art fair, concluded its four-day debut on Sunday, July 17, drawing rave reviews from collectors and dealers alike for the high level of work on view, as well as the congenial atmosphere. The fair was especially notable for an outstanding selection of modern and contemporary paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, photography, and video from 35 galleries from across the U.S. The opening night preview party on Thursday, July 14, benefiting Southampton Hospital, drew a glittering crowd from the worlds of art, entertainment, business, sports, and government, with a number of significant sales made early on to kick off the successful weekend. "The show was a resounding success. Dealers and collectors across the board were delighted by the ... More |
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