Cottone Auctions

John F. Kensett (American, 1816–1872), a leading voice of American Luminism, was admired for his serene landscapes and coastal scenes where clarity, quietude, and measured light took precedence. Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, he began as a draftsman in his father’s engraving firm before pursuing painting independently. His first exhibition at the National Academy of Design in 1838 marked the start of a distinguished career. Travels through Europe with Asher B. Durand - and exposure to the atmospheric sensibilities of Thomas Cole and John Constable - further shaped his refined, meditative approach.
Working between New York and Connecticut, Kensett developed a devoted following for his tranquil views of Lake George, the New England shoreline, and Long Island Sound. From his Darien studio, he produced the works that would later form his celebrated “Last Summer’s Work.” Today, his paintings are held in major institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - affirming the lasting significance of his luminous vision.

Upcoming November 20th -
Lot 24: John F. Kensett (American, 1816–1872) Narragansett Coast
Oil on cavas, 14 x 24 in. Est. $60,000-$80,000

This atmospheric work by John Frederick Kensett — unsigned but deeply characteristic of his coastal vision — is likely referenced in the 1873 National Academy of Design memorial sale of the artist’s estate as lot 154. The piece also relates to the archival installation views from that same 1873 exhibition, underscoring its connection to early posthumous recognition and documentation. Literature: The Collection of Over Five Hundred Paintings and Studies by the Late John F. Kensett (1873).

René Lalique’s Quatre Libellules (“Four Dragonflies”) is among the most celebrated and technically accomplished jewels of the Art Nouveau period, embodying the era’s fascination with nature, transformation, and light. Created around 1903–1905, this masterpiece combines plique-à-jour and paillonné enamel with gold and aquamarines to evoke the shimmering translucency of dragonfly wings hovering above an opalescent pool. The dragonfly was one of Lalique’s most emblematic motifs—an emblem of metamorphosis and the fleeting beauty of life—and this design marks a pinnacle of his work before his transition to glass. Each known example of Quatre Libellules displays slight variations in enamel color and gem selection, testifying to Lalique’s hand in their creation and rendering every piece unique. Surviving examples are exceedingly rare—only a handful are documented in museum and private collections—and when they appear at auction, they command premium prices, reflecting both their aesthetic and historical importance. Today, Quatre Libellules stands as a touchstone of Lalique’s vision, uniting natural poetry with the technical brilliance that transformed jewelry into fine art.

Upcoming Nov. 20th

Lot #: 14 - Fine & Rate Rene Lalique, Four Dragonflies (Quatre Libellules) Pendant Necklace & Brooch

Pendant 2 7/8 x 2 3/4 in. Chain 22 in.

Provenance: A Rochester, New York estate.

Est. - $40,000-$60,000

Catalog Note: Rene Lalique rendering sketch for design of (Quatre Libellules) pendant necklace, India ink and gouache on BFK-Rives paper. (Archival photo - collection unknown).

Literature: Sigrid Barten, Rene Lalique, Schmuck und Objets d’Art, 1890-1910, Munchen, 1977, p. 343-344 (for another related examples of the dragonfly and aquamarine motif). Rene Lalique, Bijoux d’exception 1890-1912, exh. cat., Musee du Luxembourg, Paris, 2007, p. 247 (for a related example in the collection of the Musee des Beaux-Arts, Quimper, France).

Auction starts tomorrow at 12 (noon) est.

“Saint Mary Magdalene”

Oil on panel, c. 1515 | 27 × 21½ in.
This luminous portrait of the penitent Magdalene is certified as an authentic Benson by Dr. Max J. Friedländer. Its compositional lineage ties it to examples in Bruges’s Groeningemuseum and the Royal Collection at Hampton Court.

Provenance: From the collection of Dudley Cutbill (London) → David Koetser Gallery (New York & Zurich, 1946) → Private collection, Rochester, NY

On the block: September 25, 2025

🔗 cottoneauctions.com — Saint Mary Magdalene
A rare opportunity to own a masterwork from Benson — a name only recently fully appreciated in the scholarship of the Bruges school.

Miyao Eisuke (宮尾栄助) was a prominent Japanese artist and founder of the Miyao Company during the Meiji period (1868–1912). He specialized in finely crafted bronze sculptures, especially okimono, depicting samurai, sumo wrestlers, fishermen, and mythological figures.

Known for rich patinas, gilded details, and dynamic compositions, his works were produced by skilled artisans under his direction. The Miyao Company gained international acclaim, exhibiting at expositions in Japan, Philadelphia (1876), and Chicago (1893).

Today, Miyao Eisuke’s pieces remain highly collectible, celebrated for their artistry and historical significance.

Upcoming:

Japanese Meji Mixed Metal Sumo Wrestlers

Workshop of Miyao Eisuke (Japanese: 宮尾 栄助), Japan, Yokohama, Meiji period (1868-1912). Bronze; casting, engraving, gilding, patination; wood, lacquer (stand).
Ht. 14 in. Max 13 in. (on stand)

Sep 25, 2025

Estimate: $3,000-$5,000

The most influential collector was undoubtedly a remarkable woman named Marjorie Hemmendinger. An economist who had worked at the White House, the State Department and the World Bank, Hemmendinger switched careers in 1973, opening the Full Circle Gallery in Old Town, where she specialized in Japanese and contemporary furniture — including Isamu Noguchi’s iconic paper “Akari” lamps.

Hemmendinger (an original settler who passed away in 2020) put together a much-admired collection of Nakashima’s work in her own home on Marthas Road, and soon began featuring his pieces in her gallery, holding one-man shows for the still-little-known designer every year or so for the next fifteen years. She later would promote the work of his daughter Mira

Upcoming:

(b. 1942) Minguren II
New Hope, PA, 1991. American black walnut.
Signed / Full Circle / Nakashima, May, 1991.
15 x 46 x 32 in.

Provenance
Marjorie Hemmendinger, Full Circle Gallery, Hollin Hills / Alexandria, Virginia.
Collection of Joseph Dean and Darlene Barry, NYC / Washington, DC.