Bonham's & Butterfields

CALL FOR CONSIGNMENTS ANNOUNCED FOR CLASSIC CALIFORNIA AUCTION

Unique motorcycles and motorcars to be offered at annual Petersen Museum sale.

. 25 September 2009 - San Francisco - Each November the 216-year old international auction house Bonhams hosts its famous auction at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles - a veritable temple for all automotive enthusiasts - and the call for consignments is now being announced for this year's sale.

Past Bonhams sales at the Petersen Museum have included collections from such legendary figures as Steve McQueen, Von Dutch and Bruce Willis, and have achieved numerous world record prices.

Consignments for this year's auction already include the following, to name just a few:
*       The 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz formerly owned by Frank Sinatra
*       A 1956 Maserati T160 single motorcycle
*       Heuer mounted stopwatch set, used in the film Le Mans, starring Steve McQueen
*       From the zenith of American boardtrack racing, a 1914 Indian single racer
*       The original English-assembled 1898 MMC Werner - quite possibly the earliest production motorbike in Britain
*       1919 Indian Daytona twin with FLXI sidecar, formerly the property of Steve McQueen
*       A sublime 1960 BMW 60/2 motorcycle with Steib sidecar with every conceivable option

Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to announce the September 27, 2009
auction of The JZ Knight Collection. Amassed over a decade, the
Collection will feature eclectic and unique examples of period
furniture, decorative arts, carpets and paintings from the 17th through
20th centuries with a particular focus on European and American
elegance.

"The JZ Knight Collection symbolizes the heart and soul of a true
collector. Knight's passion for beauty and quality are represented
throughout the offering, in all facets of the auction," said Andrew
Jones, Los Angeles Director of European Furniture and Decorative Arts at

Bonhams & Butterfields.

JZ Knight is the president and founder of the School of Enlightenment; a

unique academy in Washington state. She is also the President and owner

of JZ ROSE, a home furnishings boutique featuring fine antiques and
collectables. In addition, she is founder of the JZ Knight Humanities
Foundation, which focuses on the empowerment of women, and world peace.
To date, the foundation has granted over $2-million in educational
scholarships for children.

Speaking about her collection, Knight said, "I have enjoyed a passion
for collecting the works of geniuses. I connect with the artist, the
craftsman, or painter. This Collection represents a lifelong passion of
mine. Each piece has its own story and exquisite history - I cherish
them all. After years of requests to part with my Collection, I have
agreed to share it with those who have a keen insight into the beauty
and genius of each piece."

Select highlights from The JZ Knight Collection will include an
impressive set of five Louis XV carved walnut fauteuils, stamped N.
Heurtaut, 18th century (est. $18,000-25,000); a magnificent painted
canvas eight panel floor screen (est. $8,000-12,000); a majestic George
III brass inlaid mahogany secretary, late 18th century (est.
$6,000-8,000) and a superb Chinese mother of pearl inlaid rosewood
center table, late 19th/early 20th century (est. $3,000-5,000) as well
as a strong selection of 20th Century works and European paintings.

A full press release is attached and below. Images are available upon
request.

Auction: September 27, 2009 at 10:00am, Los Angeles
Preview: September 25-26, 2009, Los Angeles

Nuts for Peanuts Iconic Charles Schulz Comic Strip Takes Top Honors at Bonhams &
Butterfields

Bonhams & Butterfields' Entertainment Memorabilia auction on June 14,
2009 in Los Angeles featured a wide variety of items related to
Hollywood, Rock 'n Roll and Animation Arts. Highlights included pieces
connected to screen goddess Marilyn Monroe, Property from the Estate of
beloved 'Golden Girl' Estelle Getty and costumes from the private
collection of Hollywood legend, Debbie Reynolds, as well as original
works from The Peter Golding Collection of Rock 'n Roll Art.

The highly competitive sale garnered international collector interest
with dynamic bidding both on the telephones and in the Sunset Boulevard
auction room. "It was a fun summer sale that showed the strength and
continuing interest in animation, Hollywood and music memorabilia. We
saw strong participation from around the globe," said Margaret Barrett,
Department Head, Entertainment Memorabilia at Bonhams & Butterfields.

The top lot from the sale was a Charles Schulz Peanuts comic strip daily
from 1983. The pen and ink illustration depicts Sally asking Charlie
Brown to help her with a report on Charles Dickens. When Charlie Brown
asks his sister what she wants to know about Dickens, Sally responds,
"Who did he play for?" Estimated to bring $10,000-15,000 the iconic
work sold for $17,080.

Highlights from the Estate of 'Golden Girl' Estelle Getty included the
handbag she carried on the hit NBC television series as she portrayed
'Sophia Petrilllo' (est. $1,000-1,200, sold for: $9,150), the Emmy she
won in 1987-1988 (est. $3,000-4,000, sold for: $7,320) and the Golden
Globe® Award she won in 1985 (est. $2,500-3,000) among many other
pieces.

Also in the sale was a selection of property related to pop icon Marilyn
Monroe. Featured items included a signed contract between Monroe and
actor John Carroll in
1947 (est. $3,000-3,500, sold for $3,660), a rare black and white
photograph of the star by Andre de Dienes, 1950, 1960s (est. $400-600,
sold for: $3,355) and a group of never-before-seen black and white
snapshots of Monroe in Korea, 1954 (est. $1,800-2,000, sold for:
$2,196), among others.

Headlining the Rock 'n Roll offerings were items from The Peter Golding
Collection. The featured works included select pieces, which span three
decades of music history, such as paintings, original artwork, drawings,
sketches, studies, and poster sets. Created by some of the most
influential figures in Rock 'n Roll art, the lots on offer relate to
famous bands, performers, and concert promotions while also
commemorating legendary events in music history. Star lots included
three works by noted artist Rick Griffin: Das Rheingold (est.
$7,500-10,000, sold for: $ $6,710), Grateful Dead - Reckoning (Skull and
Heart) (est. $3,000-4,000, sold for: $4,270) and Winged Eyeball (est.
$4,000-6,000, sold for: $3,965).

Additional highlights included a dress worn by Joan Crawford in the film
Straight Jacket from the private collection of Hollywood legend, Debbie
Reynolds (est. $1,500 - 2,000, sold for: $5,185), a Meg White drum set
used in The White Stripes video 'The Hardest Button to Button,' 2003
(est. $4,000 - 6,000, sold for: $4,880) and a celluloid from the Walt
Disney classic Fantastia (est. $4,000 - 6,000, sold for: $5,795).

International fine arts auctioneers, Bonhams & Butterfields, is pleased to announce the firm's participation in the May 28, 2009 'Stars For A Cause' charity auction. A uniquely creative campaign, the sale is set to showcase its collection of custom-made, hand-crafted jewelry and fashion accessories presented by a who's-who list of Hollywood celebrities and worn on the red carpet by the likes of Goldie Hawn and William Shatner, among others. Cunard Line returns as a sponsor of this year's campaign and is joined by Robyn Rhodes Jewelry, Auri Footwear and Moët & Chandon Champagne.

In addition to hosting gala preview events in New York, Los Angeles and London, Bonhams & Butterfields will open bidding on these one-of-a-kind items during a live auction in Los Angeles on May 28^th. According to Carolyn Mani, Director of Sunset Estate Auctions at Bonham & Butterfields, "We anticipate an international audience will express interest in the jewelry, footwear, handbags and Hollywood memorabilia. Bidding could be quite competitive for these one-of-kind items. Bonhams & Butterfields is honored to join this effort."

STARS FOR A CAUSE

Hollywood Celebrities Present Red Carpet Jewelry for Charity Auction on May 28^th at Bonhams & Butterfields

Transported by Cunard Line's flagship Queen Mary 2 aboard a six-day Transatlantic Crossing between New York and Southampton, England, the collection will preview in an exhibit at Bonhams in London on May 5^th during an event organized by The Prince's Trust, one of the benefiting charities. Then, it arrives back in New York for an exhibit at Bonhams on Madison Avenue on May 18^th before the tour and final preview culminate at the live auction with more than 100 lots at Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles on May 28^th.

"Cunard Line has long offered a most civilized mode of travel across the Atlantic for scores of celebrities, royalty and stars alike, and now their dazzling jewelry and fashion accessories will travel in-style. We take great pride in being the official liner transporting the Stars For A Cause collection to its unveiling in London," shared Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line.

"The red carpet at Hollywood's major awards events is recognized worldwide as the premiere locale to showcase high fashion," said George Braunstein, co-founder of the "STARS" non-profit organization. "We're giving this year's award season nominees and presenters the opportunity to show their creativity by designing their own jewelry to wear on the red carpet. Most importantly, the jewelry will later be offered at auction by Bonhams & Butterfields on May 28, 2009 to raise money for the celebrities' favorite charities," added Braunstein.

'Entertainment Tonight' is pleased to support such a unique and compelling project," said Linda Bell Blue, executive producer of 'Entertainment Tonight' and 'The Insider.' "There is nothing better than mixing Hollywood glamour with a charitable cause," she added.

This year's campaign was made possible by the generous contribution of acclaimed jewelry designer Robyn Rhodes, who worked with the celebrities and oversaw manufacturing of the one-of-kind pieces.

Rhodes jewelry is cherished by Hollywood's elite, including Jessica Alba, Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson and Eva Longoria. Incorporating precious and semi-precious stones, pearls, 14K gold-filled and sterling silver chains, Rhodes's creations have been featured in movies, on television and in national magazines.

Auri Footwear, the hip, Southern-California based design house of stylish men's footwear has also partnered with Stars For A Cause. The special celebrity-presented shoes will utilize a solid piece of machined billet aircraft aluminum that creates the main backbone of Auri Footwear's patented new design technology. It is then plated in sterling silver and the Auri logo is embedded with diamonds. This mechanical chassis is topped off by exquisite Italian leather uppers with sheep skin lined interiors and, as with all Auri Footwear, utilizes Outlast temperature regulating materials originally developed for NASA and used in space suites to create even more comfort. Participating celebrities will include: William Shatner, Ludacris and Jesse McCartney.

Star studded one-of-a-kind auction highlights from the May 28, 2009 sale at Bonhams & Butterfields will include: a collection of purses embellished with a celebrity "kiss" and autograph by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher and Reese Witherspoon; one 12-litre "Balthazar" and one 6-litre "Methuselah" bottle of Moët & Chandon Champagne signed in gold by Golden Globe Award® winners, nominees and presenters, including the cast of Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Colin Farrell, Susan Sarandon and Ricky Gervais and a selection of limited-edition posters celebrating the 66^th Annual Golden Globe Awards®, individually autographed by Hollywood's biggest and brightest stars, including Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie, Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Sigourney Weaver and Kate Winslet, generously donated by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, among others (estimates upon request).

-End-

Bonhams & Butterfields' April 5, 2009 auction of The Ed Hardy San Francisco Collection featured a wide array of period furniture and decorative arts from the 17th through 20th centuries. Amassed over the decades at Hardy's iconic Italian Palladian style headquarters in the avant-garde South of Market (SoMA) design district, the 700-lot sale offered eclectic and unique examples with a particular focus on the Italian aesthetic. The San Francisco auction brought more than $1.7-million and demonstrated strength in a number of collecting areas.

"The firm was pleased with the strong result across all categories from the 17th through 20th centuries. Mid-century Italian, Art Deco French or Chinese works of art, beautiful things will always attract people with a discerning eye. The auction was a testimony to what Ed Hardy and his firm bring to the world. He is truly a legend," said Jeffrey T. Smith, Vice President and Head of the Furniture and Decorative Arts Department at Bonhams & Butterfields.

The Illuminated Vision of Ed Hardy at Bonhams & Butterfields

Each item on offer in the spring auction was personally selected by Hardy and his firm to reflect an esoteric perspective and the time-honored tradition of superior craftsmanship. The Collection was assembled with an eye to distinctive character and an ear to the "intangible" voice of each object. Featured works included a discerning selection of rare and unique pieces of Italian 20^th Century design, antiquities, carpets, and books as well as diverse array of European furnishings and decorative pieces. The sale also included exotic examples of Japanese and Chinese objects from porcelain to wallpaper panels and screens, which originated from Hardy's vast experience with Eastern cultures.

"Bonhams & Butterfields was pleased with the strong result across all categories from the 17th through 20th centuries. Mid-century Italian, Art Deco French or Chinese works of art, beautiful things will always attract people with a discerning eye. The auction was a testimony to what Ed Hardy and his firm bring to the world. He is truly a legend," said Jeffrey T. Smith, Vice President and Head of the Furniture and Decorative Arts Department at Bonhams & Butterfields.

The marquee lot from the sale was a very fine set of five 18th century Chinese export painted wallpaper panels in frames, which sold for $25,620. Each standing 9-feet tall, the watercolor on paper panels boasted an exotic colorful study of birds and butterflies amid lush bamboo and vibrant tree peonies in rich tones of green, iron red, pink, white and soft yellow. "As the public begins to lean toward a mixture of varied styles in their homes, this trend harkens back to the fashion Ed Hardy has helped to make famous. Since 1976, he has inspired and illuminated the vision of designers and connoisseurs as well as providing encouragement to combine a variety of items from Asian works of art to 20^th Century objects. This technique reflects Hardy's personal intuitive artistic sensibilities and amazing 'collector's eye' in addition to his ability to master mix furniture and decorative arts to create a chic aesthetic," Smith notes.

Robust bidding was seen throughout the auction for competitively priced works curated by the international design institution of Ed Hardy San Francisco. Several pieces including an Italian Giuseppe Gimbelli burled ash, palisander and macassar ebony armoire (sold for: $20,740) and an Italian Murano champagne glass eight light chandelier (sold for: $19,520) exceeded pre-sale estimates and brought strong prices.

"Bonhams & Butterfields would like to thank the international design community for its outpouring of support. The breadth of encouragement and warmth for Ed Hardy and his contributions to the design and antique world was unprecedented," concluded Smith.

Additional highlights from the May 5, 2009 auction of The Ed Hardy San Francisco Collection included a very fine and monumental Italian Baroque aqua and ochre painted ten light chandelier, early 18^th century (sold for: $24,400); a dramatic Italian Baroque burl walnut serpentine commode (sold for: $23,180); a fine George II giltwood console table, second quarter 19^th century (sold for: $23,180) and a superb Italian Baroque giltwood console table with Sicilian jasper veneered top, early 18^th century (sold for: $23,180).

Auctions featuring works of European furnishings at Bonhams & Butterfields will continue on June 15, 2009 with the Fine European Furniture and Decorative Arts including the American Museums Sale in San Francisco.

Thank you for being a Friend
Property from the Estate of 'Golden Girl' Estelle Getty on Offer at
Bonhams & Butterfields in June

Bonhams & Butterfields' Entertainment Memorabilia auction on June 14,
2009 in Los Angeles will include property from the Estate of a beloved
television icon: Estelle Getty.

Estelle Scher-Gettleman, better known by her stage name Estelle Getty,
fell in love with theater at an early age. She had gained a knack for
one-liners in her late teens and began performing standup comedy in the
Catskill region of New York. Getty continued to pursue a career in
entertainment, struggling for 40 years before landing the role of a
lifetime in 1985 as the sarcastic octogenarian Sophia Petrillo on the
popular sitcom The Golden Girls (1985-1992).

Airing on NBC, The Golden Girls featured four female retirees sharing a
house in Miami, Florida; Beatrice Arthur (Dorothy Zbornak), Betty White
(Rose Nylund), Rue McClanahan (Blanche Devereaux) and Estelle Getty
(Sophia Petrillo) and soon after the series premiered, it was an
immediate hit.

Getty's character, Sophia Petrillo, the tiny, handbag carrying,
wise-cracking mother of Dorothy, was initially intended to be a
reoccurring role but proved so popular that it was rewritten as a main
character. Famous for her zingers, one liners and "picture it" stories,
the 'Sophia' character went on to star in two other Golden Girls
spin-offs: Empty Nest (1988) and The Golden Palace (1992).

Getty was a seven-time consecutive Emmy Award nominee for "Best
Supporting Actress" as Sophia, taking the trophy home once in 1988; two
years later, she won the
Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television
Series, also for her role of Sophia.

Other notable roles for the actress included Harvey Fierstein's mother
in the original Broadway production of Torch Song Trilogy and films such
as Stuart Little (1999), Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992), Mannequin
(1987), Mask (1985) and Tootsie (1982).

Highlights from the Estate of Estelle Getty will include her
above-mentioned Emmy and Golden Globe Awards, her trademark straw
handbag and over-sized eyeglasses used on every episode of The Golden
Girls, and a bathrobe stitched with "Sophia" on the front and "The
Golden Palace" on the back, worn by Getty on one of the spin-off
episodes (estimates upon request). Additional property from the Estate
will be included in the May 17th Sunset Estate Sale at Bonhams &
Butterfields in Los Angeles and the June 16th Fine Jewelry auction at
Bonhams New York.

Other highlights for this auction, including collectibles related to
Hollywood, Rock-n-Roll, and Animation will be announced in mid-May.
Images and estimates are available upon request. The illustrated
auction catalog will be online at www.bonhams.com/us in the weeks
preceding the sale and Los Angeles previews.

Preview: June 12-13, 2009, Los Angeles

Auction: June 14, 2009, 10:00am

Modern, Contemporary & Latin Art Auction, May 4 - press release and
images available
Preview: May 1May 3 (LA)
Generating much excitement is Takashi Murakami's acrylic on canvas and
wood painting titled Jellyfish Eyes. A classic example of the artist's
Superflat style, the work is characterized by flat planes of color and
use of graphic images which involve techniques used in Japanese
animation. Murakami's work comments on the otaku lifestyle and
subculture, as well as consumerism as he attempts to blur the boundaries
between high and low art. The circular painting is expected to bring
$150,000-200,000 on May 4th.

California Gold

New World Auction Records Highlight April Sale of California and American Paintings and Sculpture

The April 7, 2009 auction of California and American Paintings and Sculpture at Bonhams & Butterfields offered a wide array of important Western scenes, Plein Air, Society of Six, and land and cityscapes by noted California and American artists. The Los Angeles-based sale brought more than $4,178,000 and established four new world auction records for artists Bernard von Eichman, Carl Von Perbandt, Arthur Grover Rider and Granville Redmond.

"The market for California and American painting and sculpture continues to be strong. Solid prices and vibrant bidder participation were seen in a number of collecting areas. Interest in April sale reflected an ongoing constancy in the marketplace for fresh and unique works," said Scot Levitt, Vice President and Fine Arts Department Head.

The top painting of the 179-lot sale was an impressionist work titled Poppies and lupine by a lake with mountains in the distance by Granville Redmond that sold for a new world auction record $542,000. As the auction catalogue's cover lot, the work displays dashed brushstrokes and bright shades of blue and brilliant yellow. According to Levitt: "Drawing on the contours and colors of the rich California landscape, Redmond illuminates ideal places with pointillist dabs of flowers and washes of shadows. Poppies and lupine by a lake is a powerful example of his quintessential style."

Works by Guy Rose, Ernest Martin Hennings and Armin Hansen also performed well during the auction which was simulcast to the San Francisco gallery. Among the highlights was Fishermen salvaging a wreck by Hansen, which sold for $290,000; Carmel seascape (A blue sea, Carmel) by Rose and Riders in the foothills by Hennings, which both sold for $512,000.

As California's oldest and largest auctioneers, Bonhams & Butterfields has established a reputation as a preeminent source for California and American works of art at auction. Sales featuring works of California Art at the firm will continue on May 4, 2009 with Made in California. The May auction will feature a long list of talented modern and contemporary California artists. With estimates starting at $500, the artwork is accessible to a wide range of bidders. Highlights will include some of the most important names in California contemporary art: Ruth Asawa, Frank Lobdell, Paul Wonner, Robert Graham, Roland Petersen, Richard Diebenkorn, Wayne Thiebaud, John B

Bonhams & Butterfields is honored to announce the May 5, 2009 auction of The Ed Hardy San Francisco Collection. Amassed over the decades at the firm's iconic Italian Palazzo style headquarters, the Collection will feature eclectic and unique examples of period furniture and decorative arts from the 17th through 20th centuries.

For decades, the firm of Ed Hardy San Francisco has been synonymous with old world craftsmanship and artistry in harmony with modernist innovation and design. Included among the company's loyal clientele is a virtual who's who of the international design and private collecting communities. Since 1976, Ed Hardy San Francisco has inspired and illuminated the vision of both designers and connoisseurs, moving far beyond a local resource to become an international institution.

Sale highlights will include a magnificent pair of 19th century Venetian Tempietto tole, iron and glass standing lanterns on Botticino marble bases (est. $70,000-90,000); a superb Italian Baroque giltwood console with Sicilian jasper veneered top, early 18th century (est. $20,000-30,000); a majestic pair of Spanish Baroque painted heraldic eagles, early 18th century (est. $15,000-20,000); a magnificent set of three Spanish style patinated limestone urns and covers (est. $18,000-25,000); an impressive Piero Fornasetti lacquered aluminum and faux malachite table, second half 20th century (est. $12,000-18,000) and a Sabino frosted glass three-tier chandelier, circa 1930 (est. $15,000-20,000).

A full press release is below. Images are available upon request.

AUCTION DATE: May 5, 2009

PREVIEW DATES: May 1-4, 2009 at the headquarters of Ed Hardy San Francisco, 188 Henry Adams Street, San Francisco, California

----------------------

Illuminated Vision
The Ed Hardy San Francisco Collection
at Bonhams & Butterfields in May

Located in the avant-garde South of Market (SoMA) design district in San Francisco, California, the firm's gallery, also known fondly as "the villa", has been the center of numerous fashionable events and parties including: book signings, lectures, receptions and the annual themed holiday costume soiree. Most recently, figures such as Michael Smith and Stephen Salny have held book signings at the villa.

Ed Hardy's personal journey of exploration into the world of art, architecture and history began in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Colgate University, Hamilton, New York, majoring in European history and went on to serve in the United States Navy as a communications officer for three years in the Far East. Following Hardy's time with the armed forces, he attended the California College of Arts and Crafts, San Francisco, California, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Environmental Design. Hardy went on to head the Oriental Works of Art Department at an auction house in Los Angeles, California for several years before opening Ed Hardy San Francisco in 1976.

Each item on offer has been personally selected by Hardy and his firm to reflect an esoteric perspective and the time-honored tradition of superior craftsmanship. The 700-lot sale was assembled with an eye to distinctive character and an ear to the "intangible" voice of each object. Featured works include a discerning selection of rare and unique pieces of 20th Century design, antiquities, rugs, carpets, and books as well as diverse array of European furnishings and decorative pieces. The Collection will also include wonderful examples of Japanese and Chinese objects from porcelain to wallpaper panels and screens, which originated from Hardy's vast experience with Eastern cultures.

"The Ed Hardy San Francisco Collection represents over 30 years of a passionate and detailed search for excellence in design and decoration. The firm's distinct style combined with Hardy's personal intuitive artistic sensibilities is clearly reflected within the Collection. Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to offer both designers and private buyers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire an item from a legendary design institution," said Jeffrey T. Smith, Vice President and Head of the Furniture and Decorative Arts Department at Bonhams & Butterfields.

The marquee lot of the sale is a magnificent pair of 19th century Venetian Tempietto tole, iron and glass standing lanterns on Botticino marble bases (est. $70,000-90,000). Previously in the collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco bequested by Whitney Warren Jr., son of famous New York architect Whitney Warren, the lanterns boast an architecturally intricate temple form accentuated by clear, amber and cobalt glass lanterns.

According to Smith, "The Venetian standing lanterns are two of the most impressive examples of Tiempetto tole to be offered at public auction in recent years. Bonhams & Butterfields is delighted to present these items along with many rare and unique works from the Collection spanning the 17th through 20th centuries."

Additional sale highlights from the May 5, 2009 auction of The Ed Hardy San Francisco Collection will include a superb Italian Baroque giltwood console with Sicilian jasper veneered top, early 18th century (est. $20,000-30,000); a majestic pair of Spanish Baroque painted heraldic eagles, early 18th century (est. $15,000-20,000); a magnificent set of three Spanish style patinated limestone urns and covers (est. $18,000-25,000); an impressive Piero Fornasetti lacquered aluminum and faux malachite table, second half 20th century (est. $12,000-18,000) and a Sabino frosted glass three-tier chandelier, circa 1930 (est. $15,000-20,000).

The preview and auction will be held on-site at the headquarters of Ed Hardy San Francisco, 188 Henry Adams Street, San Francisco, California.

Preview dates: May 1-4, 2009, Fri 10:00am - 5:00pm, Sat 12:00pm - 5:00pm, Sun 12:00pm - 5:00pm, Mon 10:00am - 5:00pm

Sale Date: May 5, 2009, 10:00am, San Francisco

The illustrated auction catalog will be posted online for review at www.bonhams.com/edhardysf. For more information on the Bonhams & Butterfields Furniture and Decorative Arts Dept. and its sales, please visit: www.bonhams.com/usfurniture.

The Converging West
20th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts at Bonhams & Butterfields to Highlight California Design

Bonhams & Butterfields will hold its spring auction of 20th Century Decorative Arts on April 6, 2009. The 225 lot sale offers a diverse group of high quality and reasonably priced works spanning a century of design by well-known designers of the 20th Century. The auction will feature strong examples of Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Mid-Century Modern, works by Contemporary Studio artists and early California and Western design items.

Leading the Western offerings are works by Dirk Van Erp, Luckhaus Studio, Lloyd Wright and Tony Duquette. Among the highlights is a hammered copper and mica lamp, circa 1910 by Dirk van Erp (est. $15,000-20,000); a selection of early California architectural pottery and photographs, circa 1930 by Luckhaus Studio featuring architectural commissions by Richard Neutra and R.M. Schindler (estimates vary); an important collection of furniture designed for the 'Bird of Paradise' house, Palos Verdes, California by Lloyd Wright (estimates vary) and a painted canvas, wood and mixed media model of a galleon, circa 1950, by Tony Duquette (est. $1,000-1,500). Used by Mr. William P. Roth and his wife during lavish parties at the Filoli House, Woodside, California, the sailing ship model was filled with carnations and suspended from the ceiling.

According to Frank Maraschiello, Director, 20th Century Decorative Arts "The April sale explores the development of the design movement in the western United States and captures the pioneering spirit of the region at the beginning of the 20th century through the groundbreaking movements of the 1930s to studio works from the present day."

Auction highlights will also include exquisite pieces by modern and contemporary designers. Among the works offered is a bronze side table by Walter Lamb (est. $1,200-1,800); an executive walnut desk designed for Disney Studios, Burbank, California by K.E.M. Weber (est. $2,000-4,000); a stainless steel desk, circa 1970 by Stow & Davis (est. $3,000-5,000) and Third Voyage, a Swarovski and Asfour crystal sculpture by award winning designer Yves Béhar (est. $10,000-15,000).

The sale will also feature a group of studio, glass and ceramic works of art by renowned craftsmen Antonio Prieto, Glen Lukens, William Morris, Dale Chihuly, Stephen Rolf Powell and Danny Perkins. Notable highlights include Stone Vessel, 1985 by William Morris (est. $10,000-15,000); Low Bowl by Glen Lukens (est. $2,000-3,000) and Cobalt Blue and Copper Ruby four-piece Seaform with turquoise lip wraps, 1985 by Dale Chihuly (est. $15,000-20,000).

Auction: April 6, 2009 at 12:00pm

California Gold

Bonhams & Butterfields to Offer Historic Gold Collection in December

Bonhams & Butterfields is delighted to offer the distinguished William and Marian Ghidotti Foundation Gold Collection in its upcoming Natural History auction on December 7 & 8, 2008 in Los Angeles. Initially accumulated over a 50-year period by owners of the famous "Original Sixteen to One Mine," the collection's legacy harkens back to the historic California Gold Rush of the 19^th century. Additionally, it represents William Ghidotti's legendary philanthropic vision as a Californian.

A renowned collector, William Ghidotti's name is intimately linked to the history of Nevada County, California, where, among other philanthropic projects, he and his wife Marian Ghidotti devoted themselves to the improvement of education in the region. Mr. Ghidotti's acquisition of the acclaimed gold collection followed his discovery of an advertisement in the classified section of a San Francisco newspaper in June of 1965. The ad read: "To be sold. 25 beautiful irreplaceable quartz and gold specimens suitable for museum or private display." A simple announcement, but beneath the modest offer lay the heartbreaking story of the decline in the fortunes of one of California's most acclaimed gold mines, the "Original Sixteen to One Mine" of Alleghany. The mine was faced with such rapidly increasing operating costs in the mid-20^th century that the owners were forced to sacrifice their collection of choice showpiece nuggets.

Interestingly, the gold mining company sold the collection of natural gold specimens for 400% more than if the gold and crystal had been crushed and sold as bullion, illustrating the profitability in collecting gold specimens of historical importance and aesthetic appeal. Offered publicly for the first time since 1965, more than 20-lots of gold specimens, weighing a total of approximately 230 troy ounces, come to auction in Los Angeles.

Top lots within the collection include a specimen weighing more than 36 troy ounces described as magnificent, displaying distinct perfect cubes (est. $125/150,000).

Another lot maintains a mass of large outstanding gold crystals, weighing more than 35-ounces, estimated at $100/125,000. Considered a rare find is a gold slickenside specimen. Slickenslide refers to a specimen displaying a vein of gold growing through quartz, the offered example weighs more than 36-ounces, with multiple veins and blue quartz seen beneath the layers of gold (est. $60/70,000).

This extraordinary private collection not only represents William Ghidotti's deep and abiding passion for this distinctive precious metal, its sale will now become the means to continue the Ghidotti Foundation's funding of college scholarships, reflecting the original collector's philanthropic spirit.

In addition to the William and Marian Ghidotti Foundation Gold Collection, a selection of gold in quartz cabochons and mounted rings from the famed "Sixteen to One Mine" will also be featured, one examples is a gentleman's ring adorned with diamonds and gold in quartz, estimated to bring as much as $1,500.

According to Department Co- Director Thomas Lindgren, "This is the largest section of gold Bonhams & Butterfields has offered in its Natural History sales since the 1994 auction of specimens from the 'Sixteen to One Mine.' We are pleased to offer such a rare assortment to the public."

Other gold highlights offered in December will include approximately fifty lots of nuggets and specimens from around the globe, including examples found in Brazil, Australia, Alaska as well as several counties in California. Highlighting the selection is an Eagle's Nest Mine gold specimen in a shape similar to a seahorse and a crystallized gold specimen more than three-inches high which could bring as much as $30,000.

Property of a San Diego Collector will also be featured with estimates starting at $500. Marquee lots from the collection will include a selection of three crystallized Australian gold specimens and a crystallized gold in quartz and leaf gold specimen from Nevada County, as well as placer gold from the North Fork of the Yuba River, Sierra County.

As long-time pioneers in this collecting category, the Natural History Department at Bonhams & Butterfields, under the guidance of Thomas Lindgren and Claudia Florian G.J.G, has expanded the strict association with million-year old remnants of plant and animal life or extraordinary mineral specimens, to include rare and unique objects d'art, exquisite jewelry and wearable gemstones, as well as exceptional décor. Auction previews open to collectors on December 5^th and continue daily in Los Angeles from 10am-5pm until the start of the two-day auction.

-End-

Timed to coincide with the November U.S. premier and release of the new
James Bond - 007 film Quantum of Solace, the 22nd film in the Bond
franchise, Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to host "Bond Bound," a
charity exhibition showcasing an array of the legendary book covers for
select editions of the Bond books from different eras.

Based on the artwork of James Bond book covers, the charity exhibition
is collaboration between The Fleming Collection and Ian Fleming
Publications, working closely with Ian Fleming's worldwide publishing
partners. Previously unseen archive material will be featured including
fascinating personal letters and manuscripts from Ian Fleming. To
celebrate the esteemed author's 100th birthday celebration, the
exhibition will also be accompanied by a selection of iconic film
posters.

Although the book covers and posters will not be offered for public sale
or auction, `Room to Read,' a charity which builds schools and libraries
for girls in Third World countries, will be a beneficiary from sales of
related materials during the once-in-a-lifetime touring exhibition.

Have Pearls Lost Their Bling?
Are Pearls a Good Investment in Today's Market?

On Friday, October 3rd Bonhams & Butterfields will exhibit a 3-strand natural pearl necklace acquired in 1920 by Horace Dodge, founder of Dodge Motorcar Corp., for $825,000. The pearls, sold by Cartier, were reputedly once worn by Catherine the Great and will be offered with a pre-sale estimate of $500,000 to $700,000. Some financial reporters opine that pearls are not a good investment, some fashionistas claim pearls have lost their bling. Jewelry specialists at the world's third-largest auctioneers suggest opposing views. Natural pearls do hold their value and are more desirable today (as pollution and over-seeding of cultured pearls impact the international trade) and hot celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker, Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Keira Knightley and Katherine Heigl are routinely photographed adorned with strands of pearls

From the American Frontier to the Final Frontier @ Bonhams &
Butterfields

Material from David "Davy" Crockett and Landmark Aerospace Collection
and on View in LA

Collectible examples of classic novels, historic manuscripts and
Americana, as well as materials related to pop culture icons come to
auction at Bonhams & Butterfields on October 15, 2008, a special Media
Preview opens on Thursday, October 9 preceding the auction in Los
Angeles. Members of the press are invited to preview sale highlights
including: a series of important original papers including diagrams,
sketches and letters of Wernher von Braun, produced as source material
for the landmark series Man Will Conquer Space Soon! which ran in
Collier's Magazine (1952-54), paving the way for the establishment of
NASA (est. $15/25,000)...

Who: Bonhams & Butterfields, the international fine arts auctioneers

What: Preview of Fine Books & Manuscripts

Where: Bonhams & Butterfields, 7601 Sunset Blvd. (at Curson)

Additional Highlights: a letter from Founding Father George Washington,
written as General of the Continental Army, to George Clinton, the first
Governor of New York State, regarding his thoughts on private property,
developing markets and free trade (est. $12/18,000); a rare autograph
album containing signatures of former President Abraham Lincoln and Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant, along with numerous members of the Lincoln Cabinet and
the Senate and Congress (est. $7/9,000); a two-page letter of Texas hero
David "Davy" Crockett to statesman, lawyer, orator and advocate of
American nationalism Daniel Webster (est. $30/50,000) and property of
American chess master Bobby Fischer, among others.

According to Dr. Catherine Williamson, "Autograph material of David
Crockett is scarce. Letters penned by him are rarely found at auction,
particularly lengthy letters from one famous Tennessee statesman to
another. This is a rare must-see piece of American history."

-End-

Remarkable Historical Documents to be Offered at Bonhams' Books & Manuscripts Auction October 13^th

Important, rare and historical items of David Crockett,

former US Presidents Highlight Fall Sale

Bonhams brings historical manuscripts, first editions of noted literature, early printed works, maps and Americana to auction on October 13, 2008, the firm's inaugural Fine Books & Manuscripts auction connecting its Bonhams salesroom in New York City with the Sunset Boulevard saleroom of Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles.

Expected to attract bibliophiles, institutions and collectors alike, bidders are expected to vie for the printed treasures on offer - including historically important correspondence, documents from David Crockett, material signed by former US Presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, and property of American chess master Bobby Fischer, among others.

Highlighting the historical section of the Fall sale is a two-page letter of Texas hero David Crockett to statesman, lawyer, orator and advocate of American nationalism Daniel Webster regarding a pension for the Indian War hero Robert Henry Dyer who served as a Colonel of the Tennessee Mounted Gunman and fought the Creek Indians under the command of Andrew Jackson. Property of the noted Chicago, IL collector Frank Zygmunt, the document is expected to fetch $30,000 to $50,000 in October.

According to Book Specialist Adam Stackhouse, "Autograph material of David Crockett is scarce. Letters penned by him are rarely found at auction, particularly lengthy letters from one famous Tennessee statesman to another. This is a rare piece of American history."

Also on offer from the Collection of Mr. Zygmunt is a letter dated 1783 from Founding Father George Washington, written as General of the Continental Army, to George Clinton, the first Governor of New York State, regarding his thoughts on private property, developing markets and free trade (est. $12/18,000). A rare autograph album containing signatures of former President Abraham Lincoln and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant (found on the same page), along with numerous members of the Lincoln Cabinet and select members of the Senate and Congress will be offered (est. $7/9,000).

Around the globe, the Fine Books & Manuscript department holds as many as 20 sales each year, offering the collectors market a wide range of subject matter, ranging from illuminated manuscripts to early printed books, atlases to travel literature, natural history to sporting books, bibles to modern first editions, celebrity culture and desirable material related to other more unusual areas.

Also on the block in October and expected to interest collectors is a selection of mid-1920s signed letters from famed magician Harry Houdini (estimates range from $700 - $2,000) and a "Tournament Notebook" from Bobby Fischer, arguably the most famous of all chess players in the world. The text includes a detailed record of moves played and his insightful notes on competitors from 1959 to the early 1960s (est. $2,500/3,500).

Timed to coincide with the November U.S. premier and release of the new James Bond - 007 film Quantum of Solace, the 22^nd film in the Bond franchise, Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to host "'Bond Bound," a charity exhibition showcasing an array of the legendary book covers for select editions of the Bond books from different eras.

Based on the artwork of James Bond book covers, the charity exhibition is collaboration between The Fleming Collection and Ian Fleming Publications working closely with Ian Fleming's worldwide publishing partners. Previously unseen archive material will be featured including fascinating personal letters and manuscript material from Ian Fleming. The Exhibition's decorative value is enhanced by a selection of iconic film posters.

The charity, `Room to Read' which builds schools and libraries for girls in Third World countries will be a beneficiary of the Exhibition.

DETAILS -
WHAT: "'Bond Bound," a charity exhibition showcasing an array of the legendary book covers for select editions of the Bond books from different eras. The event is timed to coincide with the November premier and release of the new James Bond - 007 film, Quantum of Solace, the 22^nd film in the U.S.

WHEN: November 7-19, 2008

WHERE: Bonhams & Butterfields, 7601 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA; the exhibition is FREE and open to the public!

JAMES BOND EXHIBITION CELEBRATING THE CENTENARY OF IAN FLEMING'S BIRTH ON SHOW AT BONHAMS INTERNATIONALLY

Over the next year Bonhams, the international fine art auction house, will be partnering Ian Fleming Publications in a prestigious international exhibition that celebrates the birth of James Bond's creator, Ian Fleming.

The exhibition, entitled 'Bond Bound' will showcase an array of the legendary book covers for different editions of the Bond books from different eras. Bonham's will host the exhibition in a number of key locations, provide marketing and press support, and host a series of private view receptions in various locations. The exhibition will be staged in 11 different cities around the world during the coming year at venues provided by Bonham's or Flemings:

The exhibition opens in London this week shortly before the publication on May 28 of the latest James Bond book, `Devil May Care' specially commissioned from Sebastian Faulks, author of Birdsong.

The Exhibition in New York in October at the Bonhams Galleries will coincide with the worldwide launch in the UK of the new James Bond film 'QUANTUM OF SOLACE' and at Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles in November it will coincide with the USA film launch.

Based on the artwork of James Bond book covers, the exhibition is collaboration between The Fleming Collection and Ian Fleming Publications working closely with Ian Fleming's worldwide publishing partners. Previously unseen archive material will be featured including fascinating personal letters and manuscript material from Ian Fleming. The Exhibition's decorative value is enhanced by a selection of iconic film posters.

Ian Fleming's life was a fascinating backdrop for his stories about 007. Born in 1908, the grandson of the founder of Flemings, Ian was educated at Eton and after a brief period at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst he went abroad to further his education. In 1931 having failed to get an appointment in the Foreign Office he joined Reuters News Agency. During WWII he was personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence rising to the rank of Commander. This experience gave him first-hand knowledge of secret operations. After the war he became Foreign Manager for Kemsley Newspapers. He built his house Goldeneye in Jamaica and there at the age of 44 he wrote Casino Royale, the first of his novels featuring Commander James Bond. By the time of his death the James Bond books had sold 40 million copies.

The charity, `Room to Read' which builds schools and libraries for girls in Third World countries will be a beneficiary of the Exhibition. The charity is headed by John Wood who has links to Bill Clinton and other VIPs.

California & American Paintings & Sculpture

On the Auction Block at Bonhams & Butterfields

Western Themes and Works from the Society of Six

Highlight Summer Auction

The Summer 2008 sale of California and American Painting and Sculpture at Bonhams & Butterfields is being assembled for August 5, 2008, highlighted by a desirable Maynard Dixon mountain scene. As California's oldest and largest fine arts auctioneers, the house has established a reputation as a preeminent source for California and American works of art at auction.

A stunning western landscape on offer by early 20^th century artist Maynard Dixon is titled Mountains in Sunset Light (No. 368). Measuring 25x30-inches, the desolate scene is an example of Dixon's progression from figurative works to pure landscape - the subject matter for which he is best known and respected. Estimated to bring $300,000 to $400,000, the fresh-to-market painting is expected to garner interest from California and Western collectors alike. Summer Clouds, New Mexico (No. 409) (est. $180/220,000), a compelling desert landscape by Dixon, will also be featured during the summer auction. The work demonstrates the influence of the artist's journey to Taos, NM and displays a dynamic juxtaposition of clouds in relation to the earth on the open range.

The 300-lot, two-session sale will feature a wide variety of important California, Western, Society of Six, Hawaiian scenes and Plein Air works by established American artists including Dixon, Charles Marion Russell, Selden Connor Gile, Edgar Payne, Frank Tenney Johnson, John Marshall Gamble, William Wendt, Oscar Edmund Berninghaus and David Howard Hitchcock, among many others.

"Interest in California & American paintings and sculpture continues to be robust," said Scot Levitt, Vice President and Fine Arts Department Director. "The August sale is projected to be our strongest offering to date, boasting a large number of fresh, desirable works while featuring a strong section of Western paintings highlighted by Maynard Dixon and highly sought after works from the Society of Six.

The sale will feature a strong selection of works from the Society of Six, anchored by a brightly colored work titled Raccoon Straits, 1928 (est. $40/60,000), from the movement's leader Selden Connor Gile. The serene painting is a beautiful example of the colorist style, depicting a lone sailboat in a body of pure brilliant blue water set against a brightly colored cove composed of bold earth-toned hues.

Charles Marion Russell's Battle between Blackfeet and the Piegans, 1897, also highlights the upcoming sale. Russell's highly desirable watercolor depicts a dynamic confrontation between two Native American tribes. Typical of his work, the active composition is full of bright, fresh, lively colors accentuating each aspect of the tour de force masterpiece. The work is expected to bring $250,000 to $350,000.

"Discovering a work of this caliber in private hands is exciting, as high-end works by Russell are typically hard to come by. Bonhams & Butterfields is extremely pleased to offer this wonderful work in August," said Levitt.

Western themes, both traditional and modern, will be prominent throughout the summer auction. In addition to Russell's masterwork, the sale features: a large 40x40-inch classic work titled Packing in the Sierras by Edgar Payne (est. $200/300,000); In the Forest of Pueblo Cañon by Oscar Edmund Berninghaus (est. $40/60,000) and two works by Frank Tenney Johnson -- Cowboy on Horseback, 1917 (est. $150/250,000), and Indians on Horseback, 1929 (est. $40/60,000).

Following the firm's continuing success with Hawaiian paintings, Bonhams & Butterfields features a selection of works from the Pacific Islands in August. David Howard Hitchcock's Hanalei Valley, Kauai (est. $40/60,000) is featured in the grouping, signed and inscribed by the artist. The work is infused with the local colors, sensations and experiences native to the Hawaiian Islands.

"The artist spent a great deal of time traveling around Hawaii while documenting indigenous subject matter and tropical vistas native to the islands. Works rich in local color and highlighting regional subject matter such as Hanalei Valley, Kauai are perennially popular with collectors," said Levitt.

Also featured within the Hawaiian section of the auction is Waimea Canyon, Kauai by Lloyd Sexton, Jr. (est. $15/20,000) and works by John William Hilton, Ambrose McCarthy Patterson, Shirley Marie Russell, Millard Sheets and Emil Jean Kosa, Jr., among others.

Additional highlights on offer during the August 5^th sale include: a classic example of work from John Marshall Gamble, aptly titled California Wildflowers (est. $100/150,000); William Wendt's Converging Fields (est. $150/200,000) painted in the artist's characteristic Plein Air style; and two works by Armin Hansen -- First Feel of Leather and Running Mates, both estimated to fetch $80,000 to $120,000.

Simulcast between salesrooms in Los Angeles and San Francisco, the August sale's catalog will feature a series of what the department describes as "breath-taking views" -- landscapes and seascapes, portraiture and genre scenes.

Preview events are scheduled in San Francisco for July 25-27 and August 1-3 in Los Angeles.

More Skeletons in the Closet

Rock Collectibles from Vince Welnick, Rock Scully and Others Related to Iconic 1960s-era Band on the Auction Block at Bonhams & Butterfields in October

More than $1-million was paid in the spring of 2007 by Rock & Roll memorabilia collectors and Grateful Dead fans when international auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields offered and sold collectibles from a long-time Grateful Dead inner circle member and roadie, Ram Rod Shurtliff. In the Fall of 2008, the auctioneers will again open its San Francisco salesroom to Rock collectors and fans, booking October 5, 2008 as sale day for property from Rock Scully, Grateful Dead Manager for two decades, and property from the Estate of Vince Welnick, co-founding member of the Tubes and a keyboardist for the Grateful Dead. The October auction will also include additional property consigned by other Dead "family members" and close associates.

Over the years Vince Welnick (1951-2006) collected a multitude of cherished objects associated with The Tubes and The Grateful Dead, bands he was a member of, including: stage-played instruments, clothing, sunglasses, sound and stage equipment, backstage passes, and unique personal items -- much of which will be offered to fans and collectors in the October auction.

The property from the Estate of Vince Welnick is being offered by Lorie Welnick, his widow. Mrs. Welnick remarked that she looks forward to the auction, "so these items can go to good homes and make people just as happy as they made Vince."

"Rock collectors are increasingly becoming selective about the pieces they'll include in their collections -- provenance becoming ever-important," says Bonhams & Butterfields Entertainment Memorabilia Dept. Director Margaret Barrett. "The Welnick Collection contains many historically important pieces collected by this talented professional musician who not only counted rock icons such as Jerry Garcia among his best friends, but was a rock icon himself in many circles."

The Collection of Rock Scully, manager of the Grateful Dead from 1965-85, will also be offered during the October 5^th auction. Scully was a personal friend of Jerry Garcia and managed the band through the most historic period of their existence. According to fans, he was instrumental in making the band the huge success they were. Highlights from the Scully Collection will include: a gold record presented to Jerry Gracia for The Grateful Dead's 1974 album "Skeletons from the Closet" - gifted to Scully from Garcia; a 1970s-era flight case that the band referred to as the 'office on the stage' - which housed all of the band's important materials that might be required while performing on stage, such as guitar strings and picks; two individual 4-color separations used to create album art and other artwork for The Grateful Dead's 1980 album "Go to Heaven" and The Jerry Garcia Band's 1991 album "Run for the Roses;" as well, two tie-dye speaker covers used by the band on stage throughout the early '70s should attract fan interest, as will many other items related to the band's early days.

The auction and pre-sale previews are scheduled to coincide with three likely-to-be sold-out shows of the Grateful Dead tribute band, The Dark Star Orchestra, slated for October 2-4 at San Francisco's famous Fillmore Auditorium.

Rock & Roll collectibles have been under a spotlight at the West Coast's leading auctioneers - most recently, the original artwork for a Jefferson Airplane album [the 1967 release "After Bathing at Baxter's"] sold for $24,000, one of the June 2008 Entertainment Memorabilia sale's top lots. Bonhams' New York City salesrooms hosted the May 2008 auction of the Peter Golding Collection of original Rock art, featuring desirable material related to the world's top bands. The original artwork for the Grateful Dead's 'Without A Net' 1990 European tour was offered with a copy of the poster and a few snapshots of the band, bringing an astounding $114,000. In May of 2007, Bonhams & Butterfields was honored to present property from the late Lawrence 'Ram Rod' Shurtliff, long-time Road Manager and President of the Grateful Dead's corporation. Top lots of that $1.1-million sale included nearly $640,000 paid for desirable Jerry Garcia-played guitars and $16,800 paid for a flight case filled with Garcia's guitar picks, never-opened guitar strings and other unused accessories.

Property from the Estate of Vince Welnick, the Collection of Rock Scully and others is scheduled for auction on October 5, 2008 at Bonhams & Butterfields in San Francisco. The sale will be preceded by a free public preview of the collection (October 2-4). Additional sale highlights, images and estimates will be available in the coming weeks.

About Vince Welnick
Born on February 21, 1951, in Phoenix, AZ, Vince Welnick was still a teenager when he parlayed his musical talent as a keyboardist into his first band, the Beans. With the addition of Fee Waybill, Roger Steen and Prairie Prince, the Tubes were formed. Their rowdy rock style and punk new wave lyrics garnered the Tubes a contract with A&M Records and their first album, a self-titled LP in 1975, was followed a year later with "Young & Rich."

The band's stage antics and shock rock were not easily transferred to vinyl, thus their studio efforts fell somewhat flat -- with the exception of the late 1970's single White Punks on Dope which spiked on Billboard charts and secured mainstream attention and radio play. A&M ended an association with the band in the late 1970s and the Tubes began production on Xanadu, the roller-skating musical starring Olivia Newton-John in which they appeared as themselves. The group produced albums on the Capitol record label until 1986, when they disbanded.

In 1990, Welnick auditioned for the Grateful Dead keyboardist spot (left vacant by interim keyboardist Bruce Hornsby) and was hired by the band. His keyboard talents are included on Infrared Roses (1991), and he performed in a series of live 1994 Dead performances, Grayfolded: Transitive Axis. Welnick's skills can also be heard on Zero's 1994 live release Chance in a Million, as well as on various live releases of Grateful Dead material. By the end of his time with the band, he'd spent five years covering keyboard and vocal parts for the Dead.

After the Dead's disbandment and the Tubes' re-formation with a new keyboardist, Welnick founded the Missing Man Formation. Along with Steve Kimock, Prairie Prince, Bobby Vega, Bobby Strickland and various other musicians, the group recorded a self-titled effort in 1998. During this period, Welnick performed on tour in America with the Mickey Hart Band and Gent Treadly, as well as performing with "jam bands" such as Terrapin Flyer and Jack Straw.

Vince Welnick passed away on June 2, 2006 at the age of 55 after a decade of struggles, all the while creating music, beauty and light around him. His last message to fans was posted to his website on May 24, 2006, concluding with the words: "More than ever, the world needs love and the Grateful Dead! Love Vince."

California & American Paintings & Sculpture

On the Auction Block at Bonhams & Butterfields

Western Themes and Works from the Society of Six

Highlight Summer Auction

Preview events are scheduled in San Francisco for July 25-27 and August 1-3 in Los Angeles.

Master Craftsman Otto Heino and Moderator Gerard O'Brien Added to Panel
Discussion in September

California Craft Legends Otto Heino and Sam Maloof to share center stage
for the first time at Bonhams & Butterfields

Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to announce the participation of
Master Craftsman Otto Heino and moderator Gerard O'Brien of Reform
Gallery, Los Angeles to the September 18, 2008 panel discussion "Masters
and Apprentices in the Studio Craft Movement." The program will
highlight the West Coast studio craft movement and explore the
apprenticeship system employed in America, while featuring a rare
opportunity to interact with the living legends Otto Heino and Sam
Maloof.

Otto Heino is known for his natural, physical throwing style and his eye
for harmonious form. Both he and his late wife Vivika, worked as
collaborators for over 40 years helping to bring the California craft
movement to the world stage; all the while remaining true to their
personal vision. The pair has influenced generations of students who
studied under and apprenticed with them at prestigious institutions
including: Alfred University, Chouinard, Otis, and the University of
Southern California (USC), among others.

Heino is truly an American immigrant success story. One of twelve
children, his parents immigrated to the state of New Hampshire from
Finland. During World War II Otto served as a B-17 waist gunner,
deployed on more than 40 bombing missions and an extended enlistment.
During his time in Europe, he changed his surname from the original
Finish "Aho" to "Otto" in order to sound more German should his aircraft
suffer damage and need to land behind enemy lines. During this
five-year stint in England Heino worked in a Rolls-Royce factory and
often spent some of his leave time visiting the studio of famed English
ceramist Bernard Leach. This experience informed Heino's decision to
forge a life where he could make a living as an artisan following the
war.

In 1949, Heino returned to the US and used his GI Bill to study at The
League of New Hampshire Arts & Crafts. It was there that he met his
future wife and collaborator Vivika Place.

The Heino family moved to Southern California in the mid-1950s. Vivika
was teaching while Otto was designing nose cones for rockets, working
for the National Air and Space Administration (NASA). On the weekends,
they would work together in their studio.

They purchased the Ojai, CA home of famed artist Beatrice Wood in 1970.
It was in this home and studio, designed by Lloyd Wright, where the
couple lived and worked together until Vivika's passing.

In 1976, Heino had submitted a piece to the prestigious Sixth Biennial
International de Ceramique at Vallauris, France where he won the Gold
Medal prize, an upset that introduced him to the international stage.
Following Vivika's death in 1995, Otto went on to re-discover a high
fire, lustrous yellow glaze for stoneware, a technique which had been
lost to Asia for centuries. This glaze has made Heino one of the most
successful craftspeople in the world and, as he would happily tell
listeners, 'one of the richest.'

Highly sought after, works by Otto and Vivika Heino have been collected
and exhibited around the globe. International shows include: the
Picasso Museum in Vallauris, France; the De Young Museum, San Francisco;
Los Angeles County Art Museum (LACMA) and the Craft Folk Art Museum, Los
Angeles; the American Craft Museum, New York; the Smithsonian Institute,
Washington, DC and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Bonhams & Butterfields has for many years offered the works of Otto and
Vivika Heino for sale at auction. "The 20th Century Decorative Arts
Department is thrilled to include Otto Heino at this special September
event. He is a California craft legend. We are proud to bring together
Heino and Maloof for the first time to explore their work and
influence," said Frank Maraschiello, Director of the 20th Century
Decorative Arts Department at Bonhams & Butterfields.

The Fall panel discussion coincides with the exhibition of 20th Century
Decorative Arts to be offered at Bonhams & Butterfields on September
22nd. Featured auction highlights include a highly sought after Sam
Maloof walnut and ebony rocking chair (est. $30/50,000), a side table
(est. $8/12,000) and a Maloof coffee table (est. $12/18,000).

The Richard Neutra camel table (est. $7/10,000) made for the
Hafeley-Moore Twin Houses, Long Beach, CA, circa 1953, will also be
offered during the Fall sale. Designed for use in small spaces, this
model is so named because its folding legs resemble the legs of a camel.
The adjustable legs enable it to be repositioned, suitable as a dining
or coffee table.

Additional works on offer during the September 22nd auction include:
Frank Gehry's Experimental Edges 'Bubbles' chaise lounge (est.
$12/18,000); a highly sought after
composition and painted wood dining suite from Paul Lazslo's 'George'
house (est. $6/9,000); a Robert Crowder six-panel screen (est.
$10/15,000); a Paul Evans Cityscape brass patchwork and glass table and
six chairs (est. $5/8,000); a painted and cast aluminum coffee table by
Donald Drumm (est. $3/5,000); and property from the Museum of Art and
Design in New York.

Two works by designer Paul Tuttle, a 'Flexible X' aluminum, stainless
steel and wood console table (est. $2/3,000) and a 'Nonna' rocker (est.
$3/5,000) from the Estate of Phyllis B. Plous, curator, University of
Santa Barbara Art Museum, will also be featured in the September
auction.

"Masters and Apprentices in the Studio Craft Movement" is free and open
to the public. Reservations are required as space is limited and strong
interest among the Southern CA design community is anticipated. For
lecture inquiries, please contact Katie Nartonis at (323) 436-5445 or
katie.nartonis@bonhams.com.

Previews for the 20th Century Decorative Arts auction are scheduled in
conjunction with the September Sunset Estate auction's preview on
September 19-21 in Los Angeles. The illustrated catalogs for both sales
will be available online for review and purchase at www.bonhams.com/us
in the weeks preceding the auctions.

According to Michael Larsen, G.G., jewelry specialist in Bonhams & Butterfields' Los Angeles gallery, "The luxury jewelry market continues to be impressively strong particularly for unique and fashion-forward pieces including colored stones such as rubies, opals, pearls, emeralds, and sapphires of all varieties

top10

	B	C	D	G	H	J
1	Bonhams & Butterfields				Format for US Letter
2				Sale Report
3
4	JWL08062SF - 16162	Jewelry and Watches 24 June 2008		San Francisco and Los Angeles
5				Total	$1,044,774
6
7	Lot	Price	Estimate	Buyer		Source Division
8
9	535	$12,000	$7,000 - 9,000			Los Angeles
10		A pair of diamond oval-shaped hoop earrings
11	442	11,400	$4,000 - 6,000			New York
12		A ruby and diamond bracelet
13	266	$10,200	$4,500 - 5,500			San Francisco
14		A boulder opal, cultured pearl and and diamond necklace
15	255	$8,400	$3,000 - 5,000			Los Angeles
16		A South Sea cultured pearl, diamond and colored diamond ring
17	261	$8,400	$5,000 - 7,000			New York
18		A diamond and baroque South Sea cultured pearl wide bracelet
19	316	$8,400	$4,000 - 6,000			San Francisco
20		A yellow sapphire, pink sapphire and diamond ring
21	423	$8,400	$3,000 - 5,000			Los Angeles
22		An emerald and diamond ring, Tiffany & Co.
23	547	$7,200	$3,500 - 4,500			San Francisco
24		An unmounted diamond
25	318	$6,600	$2,000 - 3,000			Los Angeles
26		A cat's eye chrysoberyl and colored diamond gent's ring
27	395	$6,600	$3,000 - 5,000			San Francisco
28		A cabochon sapphire and diamond buckle style bracelet
29	According to Michael Larsen, G.G., jewelry specialist in Bonhams & Butterfields’ Los Angeles gallery, “The luxury jewelry market continues to be impressively strong particularly for unique and fashion-forward pieces including colored stones such as rubies, opals, pearls, emeralds, and sapphires of all varieties.”

A Star Studded Line Up on the Auction Block at Bonhams & Butterfields property related to Hollywood icons Marilyn Monroe, Rudo lph Valentino, Lucille Ball and Heath Ledger and music industry greats su ch as Jefferson Airplane and John Lennon

New collectors, seasoned bidders and movie fans alike filled the Bonhams & Butterfields salesroom in Los Angeles to vie for items from silver screen icons and rock & roll legends. The auction catalogue's cover girl, Ms. Carol Lynley who starred in "Under the Yum Yum Tree", 1963, "The Pleasure Seekers", 1964 and "Harlow", 1965 among many other films, was in attendance for the auction and was introduced to the assembled collectors by the auctioneer Margaret Sullivan. Ms. Lynley was greeted with a dynamic round of applause by the energetic saleroom and most attendees were genuinely happy to see the talented actress at the auction.

The highly competitive sale garnered international collector interest with dynamic bidding both on the telephones and in the Sunset Boulevard auction room. "It was a fun summer sale that showed the strength and continuing interest in Hollywood and music memorabilia. We saw strong participation from around the globe, including private collectors and public institutions," said Margaret Barrett, Department Head, Entertainment Memorabilia at Bonhams & Butterfiel

top10

	B	C	D	G	H
1	Bonhams & Butterfields				Format for US Letter
2				Sale Report
3
4	ENT08061LA - 16091	Entertainment Memorabilia including Animation Art 16 June 2008		7601 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles
5				Total	$327,060
6
7	Lot	Price	Estimate	Buyer
8
9	3190	$24,000	$20,000 - 25,000
10		A Jefferson Airplane original painting created by artist Ron Cobb for their album jacket "After Bathing at Baxter's," 1967
11	3099	$8,400	$2,500 - 2,700
12		A massive collection of vintage black and white photographs of nude models, 1940s-1950s
13	3187	$8,400	$7,000 - 7,500
14		A John Lennon and Neil Aspinall signed contract for "Yer Blues," 1968
15	3196	$7,800	$600 - 800
16		A massive collection of lobby cards, 1930s-1960s
17	3197	$7,200	$4,000 - 6,000
18		A massive and impressive archive of lobby cards and other paper ephemera related to films, 1930s-1990s
19	3001	$6,000	$600 - 800
20		A Marilyn Monroe pearl-gray wool sweater, 1950s
21	3324	$6,000	$5,500 - 6,000
22		Forbidden Planet
23	3380	$6,000	$5,000 - 7,000
24		A Walt Disney celluloid from Fantasia
25	3202	$5,640	$500 - 700
26		A large collection of half-sheets, 1940s-1960s
27	3443	$5,100	$4,000 - 6,000
28		A Walt Disney celluloid from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
29
30	New collectors, seasoned bidders and movie fans alike filled the Bonhams & Butterfields salesroom in Los Angeles to vie for items from silver screen icons and rock & roll legends. The auction catalogue’s cover girl, Ms. Carol Lynley who starred in "Under the Yum Yum Tree", 1963, "The Pleasure Seekers", 1964 and "Harlow", 1965 among many other films, was in attendance for the auction and was introduced to the assembled collectors by the auctioneer Margaret Sullivan. Ms. Lynley was greeted with a dynamic round of applause by the energetic saleroom and most attendees were genuinely happy to see the talented actress at the auction. The highly competitive sale garnered international collector interest with dynamic bidding both on the telephones and in the Sunset Boulevard auction room. “It was a fun summer sale that showed the strength and continuing interest in Hollywood and music memorabilia. We saw strong participation from around the globe, including private collectors and public institutions,” said Margaret Barrett, Department Head, Entertainment Memorabilia at Bonhams & Butterfields.

International fine arts auctioneers, Bonhams & Butterfields, is tuning up for its summer auction of vintage film collectibles and rock memorabilia in Los Angeles on June 16, 2008.

Sale highlights include:

* A Heath Ledger director's chair from Brokeback Mountain, 2005
A taller-than-average director's chair with black canvas back rest imprinted on the back with the star's name and the Brokeback Mountain film logo on the front, both in white lettering. Included with the lot is a 'certificate of authenticity' from Paramount Pictures and Focus Features indicating that Ledger used this chair during the Academy Award-winning film's production (est. $1,000/1,500).

* A Jefferson Airplane original painting of album art
On offer is the original artwork created by artist Ron Cobb, a former Walt Disney studio artist turned cartoonist/director/writer, for the band to use as the front and back images for their third album "After Bathing at Baxter's," 1967, (est. $20/25,000).

* A Rudolph Valentino belt buckle from The Estate of Rudolph Valentino
Originally sold in the 1926 'The Estate of Rudolph Valentino' auction, a belt buckle made of metal and ornately decorated with colorful enamel, semi-precious stones and turquoise could bring as much as $5,000. The item was possibly used by the actor in his last film The Son of the Sheik (1926), as noted in the original auction catalogue.

* A Lucille Ball-related collection of receipts from her personal/prof. life
Approximately 100 receipts from Lucille Ball's personal and professional life (est. $2,500/3,000) date from the height of her television career (early 1950s to the early 1960s). Nearly all of the receipts note her name (or her husband's, Desi Arnaz) and are from places she patronized, such as: Schwab's Pharmacy, Gordon's Satyr Book Shop, Robinson's, Bonwit Teller, Beverly Hills Laundry, and countless others...

* A Harry Houdini 'Cutting a Girl in Eight' stage illusion
'Used by the famed magician Harry Houdini during the 1920s, the stage illusion called 'Cutting a Girl in Eight could bring $4,000 to $6,000 at auction. This illusion was developed for Houdini and reworked to his specifications by magician Joseph Dunninger.

* A prop oil painting from the Laurel & Hardy film A Chump at Oxford, 1940.
Rendered on canvas and displayed in its original wooden frame is a portrait of the stern-looking Dean Williams [as portrayed by character actor Wilfred Lucas] wearing a gown and mortar cap. A concealed lever on the back opens the portrait's eyeholes allowing someone to look through them. The focal point in the 'dean's room' scene, Stan points to the painting and asks "Say Ollie, I wonder who that old buzzard is over there?" The two proceed to squirt "fizz water" on the portrait until the Dean steps in front of it, only to get water in the face. This same painting was also used in the 1948 United Artists release Who Killed Doc Robin? (est. $3/5,000).

Other highlights from the summer auction of Entertainment Memorabilia include: a two-tone sheer pink and peach-colored chiffon evening gown worn by Ginger Rogers in the 1949 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer classic The Barkleys of Broadway (est. $1,000/1,500) and a massive collection of over 1,800 vintage black & white photographs of nude female models from 1940s-1950s (est. $2,500/2,700).

A selection of Animation Arts celebrates the rich tradition of the art form, offered pieces related to Disney, Warner Bros. and Hanna Barbera films. A gouache on trimmed celluloid from 1940 depicts Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's Apprentice in the classic animated film Fantasia (est. $5/7,000). A gouache on celluloid depicting the main characters in The Jungle Book could bring $4,000 to $6,000 and a large Charles Schulz drawing of the loveable Peanuts character Lucy is expected to bring $7,000-$9,000.

A selection of classic film posters includes two inserts from the film noir classics The Blue Dahlia (est. $500/700) and This Gun for Hire (est. $400/600), both starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake.

Previews open to the public June 13-15, 2008 in Los Angeles.

The 'Flame Queen'

World-Famous Stone Highlights Collection of Opals in June

Natural History Auction at Bonhams & Butterfields

International fine arts auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields will offer in its June 22, 2008 sale of Natural History perhaps the most famous and recognizable opal in the world. Dubbed the "Flame Queen," the legendary stone highlights the core of an opal collection on offer this summer in the auctioneer's first simulcast Natural History sale in seven years - bidding from the San Francisco and Los Angeles salesrooms expected to be competitive.

Extraordinary not only for its large size (263.18-carats), but also for its unusual shape and color pattern, the "Flame Queen" is one of only a handful of large museum-quality opals known to man, even fewer have ever been offered at public auction. The "Flame Queen" is oval in shape with a flat central dome surrounded by a blue-green band - lending it the appearance of a fried egg.

Known to aficionados around the globe, The "Flame Queen" could bring as much as $250,000, sought after by collectors and connoisseurs alike. It is one of the most prominent examples of the eye-of-opal effect, which is created when an opal in-fills a cavity. A truly magnificent stone, the "Flame Queen" possesses the ability to change color when viewed from different angles.

According to Bonhams & Butterfields' consulting gemologist Claudia Florian, the "Flame Queen" opal was discovered in 1914 at the Bald Hill Workings in Lightning Ridge, Australia by three partners: Jack Phillips, Walter Bradley and Joe Hegarty. Speculating at Lighting Ridge was a risky venture and these miners had begun working the land after another miner had abandoned his plot to fight in WWI.

After completing a tunnel 30-feet down, traditionally "opal level," the dig appeared worthless to Hegarty. The clay revealed none of the telltale color that indicates the presence of gemstones. Hegarty and Bradley then attempted to redirect the digging vertically --a dangerous endeavor that could result in a collapse of the entire site.

Almost 35-feet below the surface, in a 2 ½-foot wide tunnel, Bradley, suffering from lack of ventilation and light, discovered an opal formation known informally as a "great nobby" otherwise described as an opal nodule-a ball that is clay-like in composition filled with opal producing material. He signaled his crew to hoist him up to examine the stone in daylight.

Bradley was the most skilled lapidary of the three partners and was therefore responsible to polish and cut the rough stone. His labors produced a brilliant red-domed raised center surrounded by a strong expanse of green-blue border. Exhausted and broke, the miners sold the stone in 1914 to a gem buyer for a reported £93. At Auction in 2008, the "Flame Queen" is estimated to bring $150,000-250,000 on June 22 at Bonhams & Butterfields. Its historic provenance should add some further appeal to an already aesthetic piece-it was on display in London at the coronation of King George VI in 1934.

Also on offer within the opal section of the June sale is a huge 1,397-carat free-form polished "light" opal found in 2001 in a relatively new opal field on a Lambina cattle station not far from the region of Mintabie in a remote part of South Australia. Opal from this renowned location is referred to usually as "Lambina opal"-- and this particular specimen is classed as "light opal" as it is better quality than the more common "white opal". This is a category between white and crystal opal in value. Stones of this size, with play-of-color on both sides and without fractures, are very rare. It is estimated to bring $20,000-30,000 at auction.

The Australian localities of Andamooka, White Cliffs and Koroit are also represented with examples of matrix opal (estimate $2/3,000), an opal "pineapple" (est. $40/50,000), and a pure black opal-filled Yowah nut (a type of nodule-estimated to bring $65/80,000). But perhaps the most astounding lot is an opalized pleiosaur jawbone fragment-truly gemmy in appearance with brilliant flashes of play-of-fire beneath its surface, this example from Coober Pedy, which is expected to fetch $25,000-30,000. Also from Coober Pedy are examples of opalized clams, both individuals suitable for mounting as jewelry, or an entire "plate" of opalized clams.

Rounding out the section of opals are selections of unmounted stones and jewelry from other localities such as Mexico, Brazil, and the far less frequent domestic examples stemming from Louisiana, Oregon and Nevada.

As long-time pioneers of Natural History sales, Bonhams & Butterfields, with the guidance of Thomas Lindgren and Claudia Florian G.J.G, has expanded the collecting area's strict association with million-year old remnants of plant and animal life or rough mineral specimens, to include rare and unique objects d'art, exquisite jewelry and wearable gemstones as well as exceptional décor. Auction previews open to the public June 13-15 in Los Angeles and continue in San Francisco June 20-22, daily from 10am-5pm until the start of the auction.

The José Iturbi Estate auction made beautiful music today at Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles. The sale boasted $1.76-million for fine art and furniture from the Beverly Hills Estate of conductor/composer José Iturbi and Marion Seabury, proceeds benefiting the José Iturbi Foundation.

"Bonhams & Butterfields was pleased to offer property from the Estate of José Iturbi and Marion Seabury to the public today. It was an attractive assemblage of art and furnishings that brought together three facets of Hollywood history -- featuring legendary entertainment greats, high society icons and masterworks of 20th century design, with items commissioned by the infamous Countess Dorothy di Frasso from the famed decorator and tastemaker to society Elsie de Wolfe, all owned and maintained by pianist, conductor, composer and actor José Iturbi," said Elizabeth Conlan, Specialist with Bonhams & Butterfields

top10

	A	B	C	D	G	H
1	$					Format for US Letter
2					Sale Report
3
4		FUR08061LA - 16529	Property from the Estate of Jose Iturbi and Marion Seabury, sold to benefit the Iturbi Foundation 02 June 2008		7601 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles
5					Total	$1,760,802
6
7		Lot	Price	Estimate	Buyer
8
9		222A	$276,000	$200,000 - 300,000
10			Georges Braque (French, 1882-1963) Nature Morte, 1929 13 x 18 1/8in (33 x 46cm)
11		190	$156,000	$150,000 - 200,000
12			Frederic Remington (American, 1861-1909) Bronco Buster height: 22 3/4in
13		179	$138,000	$30,000 - 50,000
14			Follower of Antonio Canal, known as il Canaletto (Italian, 1697-1768) A view of the Grand Canal, Venice with Santa Maria della Salute beyond 37 3/4 x 60 1/2in (95.8 x 153.6cm)
15		101	$87,000	$7,000 - 9,000
16			A South American Colonial shell and tortoiseshell mounted ebonized cabinet possibly Peruvian
17		186	$84,000	$35,000 - 55,000
18			Studio of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (Spanish, 1618-1682) The Madonna and child with the rosary 66 1/4 x 44in (168.2 x 111.7cm)
19		249	$69,000	$30,000 - 50,000
20			Léopold Survage (Russian, 1879-1968) La Ville 28 1/2 x 13 3/8in (72 x 34cm)
21		192	$57,000	$10,000 - 15,000
22			Alexander Phimister Proctor (American, 1862-1950) Prowling Panther, 1891-1892 height: 9 1/4in
23		250	$57,000	$30,000 - 50,000
24			Rufino Tamayo (Mexican, 1899-1991) Mujer 21 7/8 x 17in (55.5 x 43cm)
25		100	$45,000	$5,000 - 8,000
26			A South American Colonial shell and tortoiseshell mounted ebonized cabinet possibly Peruvian
27		231	$45,000	$30,000 - 50,000
28			Marie Laurencin (French, 1885-1956) Jeune Fille en Blue, c. 1917 23 x 18 1/8in (58.5 x 46cm)
29
30		“Bonhams & Butterfields was pleased to offer property from the Estate of José Iturbi and Marion Seabury to the public today. It was an attractive assemblage of art and furnishings that brought together three facets of Hollywood history -- featuring legendary entertainment greats, high society icons and masterworks of 20th century design, with items commissioned by the infamous Countess Dorothy di Frasso from the famed decorator and tastemaker to society Elsie de Wolfe, all owned and maintained by pianist, conductor, composer and actor José Iturbi,” said Elizabeth Conlan, Specialist with Bonhams & Butterfields.

José Iturbi Estate Auction

Makes Beautiful Music

on Sunset Blvd. Monday

Paintings and Elsie de Wolfe Commissioned Pieces

Highlight the Estate of José Iturbi Sale

at Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles

By the close of the June 2, 2008 auction in Los Angeles, Bonhams & Butterfields clients - private and institutional collectors and members of the trade - had spent more than $1.76-million for fine art and furniture from the Beverly Hills Estate of conductor/composer José Iturbi and Marion Seabury, proceeds benefiting the José Iturbi Foundation.

"Bonhams & Butterfields was pleased to offer property from the Estate of José Iturbi and Marion Seabury to the public today. It was an attractive assemblage of art and furnishings that brought together three facets of Hollywood history -- featuring legendary entertainment greats, high society icons and masterworks of 20^th century design, with items commissioned by the infamous Countess Dorothy di Frasso from the famed decorator and tastemaker to society Elsie de Wolfe, all owned and maintained by pianist, conductor, composer and actor José Iturbi," said Elizabeth Conlan, Specialist with Bonhams & Butterfields.

The marquee lot of the sale was a cubist masterwork by Georges Braque titled Nature Morte, 1929, which sold for $276,000. Although dark in coloring and tone, the composition is alive with contrasting shapes and counterpoint rhythms. "Braque is a major figure in the Cubist movement," said Scot Levitt, Vice President and Director of Fine Arts for Bonhams & Butterfields. "We saw competitive bidding for this high-caliber, fresh-to-market work. Nature Morte commanded energetic bidding and ultimately a competitive price."

Additional works of fine art from the Estate included Bronco Buster, a classic bronze sculpture by Frederic Remington (est. $150/200,000, sold for $156,000) and a desirable bronze sculpture titled Prowling Panther by Alexander Phimister Proctor (est. $10/15,000, sold for $57,000).

Works in oil included A view of the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy after il Canaletto (est. $30/50,000, sold for $138,000), The Madonna and child with the rosary from Studio of Spanish artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (est. $35/55,000, sold for $84,000), Russian artist Léopold Survage's La Ville (est. $35/55,000, sold for $84,000), and Rufino Tamayo's gouache and pencil on paper Mujer (est. $30/50,000) which sold for $57,000.

Highlights from the furniture and decorative arts section of the sale included a striking 18th century South American Colonial shell and tortoiseshell mounted ebonized cabinet. The ornate rectangular top sat above a conforming case, which was centered by an arched panel molded door depicting Saint Anthony of Padua holding the Christ child. Overall the handsome piece was inlaid with scrolling foliage and paterae within ebonized bandings. After several rounds of highly competitive bidding, the lot sold for $87,000, far surpassing the initial estimate of $7,000-9,000. The cabinet was sold ensuite with a similar example also featuring South American Colonial shell and tortoiseshell mounted ebonized cabinetry with four centered short drawers divided and flanked by elliptical columns which brought $45,000, well above its estimate of $5,000-$8,000.

Highlights from the Beverly Hills mansion also included a set of eight Art Deco cream leather upholstered ebonized wood armchairs customized by Elsie de Wolfe (est. $5/8,000, sold for $10,800), a unique mirrored backgammon table adroitly selected for this home by de Wolfe (est. $3/4,000, sold for $6,600), a pair of early 20^th century Chinoiserie pagoda form two light mirrored sconces (est. $2/3,000, sold for $16,800), a Sèvres style porcelain gilt bronze mounted covered urn (est. $4/6,000, sold for $22,800), a pair of fine Chinese gilt and polychrome lacquered wood two-door cabinets (est. $6/9,000, sold for $18,000) and a Portuguese Baroque style ivory mirror (est. $6/8,000, sold for $16,800). The de Wolfe suite of chairs from the dining room featured 14 Baroque style high-backed beechwood leather chairs and sold for $22,800, nearly tripling the estimate.

The proceeds from the auction will benefit the José Iturbi Foundation. The organization pays tribute to Iturbi's dream and lifelong ambition to make classical music accessible to all as part of our daily framework. Each year, the Foundation sponsors an international music competition in June, hosting 48 of the world's most gifted young classical pianists and singers, and offering the largest cash prizes of any competition to assist them in their career ambitions.

About José Iturbi

More than 60 years ago, José Iturbi first entered the Beverly Hills, CA mansion of the Countess Dorothy di Frasso. He was reportedly awestruck by the scene which epitomized Hollywood chic of the 1940s. Beguiled over the course of many visits, Iturbi dreamt of owning the mansion someday. His collector's instincts made its contents desirable as well -- the custom Art Deco vanilla leather box sofa where Cary Grant once sat (sold for $9,000), the Steinway baby grand piano where Iturbi played Chopin and the 'boogie-woogie' (sold for $16,800), the green painted enamel top Rococo Revival dining table where Charlie Chaplin once shared plans for his next film with the Countess, Iturbi and their mutual friends (sold for $3,300).

In 1947, Iturbi purchased the home complete with the Countess' furnishings, the fine art and even the silver place settings. Thus began a lifetime of collecting, enhanced by preservation of and admiration for his new home and its environment. Iturbi's mansion was his haven from a hectic career which at its peak included more than 250 concerts each year - performances scheduled to enable his appearances in seven feature films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, including: Two Girls and a Sailor (1944), Holiday in Mexico (1946), Anchors Aweigh (1945) and That Midnight Kiss (1949).

Until his death in 1980, José Iturbi lived with Marion Seabury in the Countess' former home, preserved as a time capsule of Hollywood's Golden Age.

Prints and Photographs

Bring More than $2.7-Million

at Bonhams & Butterfields in May

Offerings included photographs once owned by famous American motion picture critic, author and director Pare Lorentz

Prints and Photographs from estates, trusts, and private and institutional collections brought more than $2.7-million at Bonhams & Butterfields on May 20-21, 2008, during the two-day auction simulcast to salesrooms in both San Francisco and Los Angeles.

"Interest in the fine prints and fine photographs auctions was extremely strong with enthusiasm for Old Master works through to the contemporary, showing a robust market for this material," said Judith Eurich, Director of Prints and Photographs at Bonhams & Butterfields.

The Prints auction on May 20 opened, as it traditionally does, with Old Master works followed by 19^th century and Modern prints. Early on in the sale, an engraving after John James Audubon titled Fish Hawk or Osprey, Falco Haliaetus; Male (Pl. LXXXI), 1835, from the Havell edition of The Birds of America, sold for $60,000. A signed and numbered Marc Chagall lithograph titled Paris from My Window sold above estimate for $45,000, while Pablo Picasso's Histoire Naturelle brought $44,000.

The marquee lot of the sale was Untitled (Head 1), 1970, a striking brass multiple with incised signature by Roy Lichtenstein, which sold for $126,000, more than doubling its high estimate. A second work by the artist titled Two Paintings: Dagwood, brought $51,000 after several rounds of competitive bidding.

Additional highlights from the contemporary section of the sale included Frank Stella's Illustrations after El Lissitzky's Had Gadya, which brought $90,000 and The Star, from Myths by Andy Warhol, which sold for $57,000.

The Photographs sale commenced on May 21, with property from key contemporary artists and masters of the 20^th century. "Bidding was strong for important works by Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams, Margaret Bourke-White, Walker Evans and select contemporary artists represented in a highly sought after portfolio entitled New California Views, 1964-1979," said Eurich. "It was an energetic and highly competitive sale, with particular interest paid to high-caliber and fresh-to-market works."

The session was highlighted by an iconic collection of Resettlement and Farm Security Administrative Images by Dorothea Lange. The grouping of 53 photographs was once owned by Pare Lorentz, the American motion picture critic, author and director of The Plow that Broke the Plains, a documentary film produced by the Resettlement and Farm Security Administration of the US. Lange and John Steinbeck were among Lorentz's personal friends and strong supporters of his work. The collection sold well above its high estimate for $36,000.

Also on offer was a highly sought after expansive portfolio entitled New California Views, 1964-1979. Comprised of 20 signed and dated photographs from contemporary photographers such as John Divola, Richard Misrach, Stephen Shore, Henry Wessel, Jr. and Garry Winogrand, among others, the offered lot was one of an edition of 100 and sold for $16,800 during the May 21^st sale.

Additional lots of note from the Photographs auction included: a pair of iconic wilderness images captured by Ansel Adams titled Aspens, Northern New Mexico (sold for: $30,000) and Nevada Fall, Yosemite National Park (sold for: $27,000); Margaret Bourke-White's industrial Diamond-Toothed Rotor, Indiana Limestone Co. illustrated on the cover of the auction's catalogue (sold for: $19,200) and a late work from 1970 titled Penny Picture Display, Savannah by Walker Evans brought $18,000, well above the estimate of $5/7,000.

The next auction of Prints and Photographs will be held at Bonhams & Butterfields in November 2008. The auctions will feature an assortment of important works on paper, photographs, prints and multiples by old masters and contemporary artists including: Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Ruth Bernhard, Marc Chagall, Walker Evans, Jasper Johns, Robert Mapplethorpe, Pablo Picasso, Alfred Stieglitz, Toulouse-Lautrec, Garry Winogrand and Andy Warhol, among others.

By the close of the May 20, 2008 auction, offered to full salesrooms in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, Bonhams & Butterfields clients - collectors and connoisseurs alike - had spent more than $2.1-million for Fine Prints.

"Interest in the Fine Prints auction was extremely strong with enthusiasm for old master works through to the contemporary, showing a robust market for this material," said Judith Eurich, Director of Fine prints and Fine Photographs at Bonhams & Butterfields.

top10

	B	C	D	G	H
1	Bonhams & Butterfields				Format for US Letter
2				Sale Report
3
4	PRT08051SF - 16084	Fine Prints 20 May 2008		San Francisco and Los Angeles
5				Total	$2,155,980
6
7	Lot	Price	Estimate	Buyer
8
9	311	$126,000	$50,000 - 70,000
10		Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-1997); Untitled (Head 1);
11	374	$90,000	$70,000 - 90,000
12		Frank Stella (American, born 1936); Illustrations after El Lissitzky's Had Gadya;
13	20	$60,000	$60,000 - 80,000
14		After John James Audubon (American, 1785-1851); Fish Hawk or Osprey, Falco Haliaetus. Male (Pl. LXXXI);
15	388	$57,000	$30,000 - 40,000
16		Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987); The Star, from Myths;
17	315	$51,000	$25,000 - 35,000
18		Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-1997); Two Paintings: Dagwood, from "Paintings" Series;
19	51	$45,000	$35,000 - 45,000
20		Marc Chagall (Russian/French, 1887-1985); Paris from My Window;
21	389	$45,000	$30,000 - 50,000
22		Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987); Bald Eagle from Endangered Species;
23	138	$44,400	$30,000 - 40,000
24		Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973); George Louis Leclerc, Compte de Buffon, Histoire Naturelle (Textes de Buffon), Paris, Martin Fabriani;
25	277	$33,000	$10,000 - 15,000
26		Keith Haring (American, 1958-1990); Pop Shop Quad 1;
27	291	$33,000	$30,000 - 35,000
28		Friedensreich Hundertwasser (Austrian, 1928-2000); Midori No Namida;
29
30	By the close of the May 20, 2008 auction, offered to full salesrooms in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, Bonhams & Butterfields clients - collectors and connoisseurs alike - had spent more than $2.1-million for Fine Prints. "Interest in the Fine Prints auction was extremely strong with enthusiasm for old master works through to the contemporary, showing a robust market for this material,” said Judith Eurich, Director of Fine prints and Fine Photographs at Bonhams & Butterfields.

Marilyn Takes Center Stage

Intriguing Monroe Archive on Offer in June

at Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles

Never before seen items from the "Blonde Bombshell" on the Auction Block

Bonhams & Butterfields, international fine arts auctioneers, is pleased to feature in its June 16, 2008 sale of Entertainment Memorabilia in Los Angeles several items related to and owned by Marilyn Monroe, one of the most collectible of Hollywood's iconic celebrities.

Hollywood historians may be updating their Marilyn papers based on details within a group of car service receipts from the firm Marilyn Monroe used as her chauffeurs to both public appearances and private events in the summer of 1962 -- often including multiple stops, detailed by a driver as: "Home," "Studio" and various Hollywood hotspots.

Transporting the star on ten dates in May and June 1962, the Carey Cadillac Renting Co. of Calif., Inc.'s pink carbon copy receipts detail where the service drove Monroe, including the driver's note about where he took the star on what would ultimately be her last birthday, June 1^st.

Documenting Monroe's itinerary on her 36^th birthday, the driver wrote: "...601 Montana Dr.--> Dodger Stadium-> Chasen's--> Home--> La Scala-> Studio-> Home-> La Scala-> Home."

"Monroe did attend a well-publicized charity event at the ballpark," says Entertainment Memorabilia Dept. Director Margaret Barrett, "but it's interesting to see where she went afterwards as most biographies claim she went right home, spending her birthday alone."

Another receipt, dated months earlier, lists Monroe's criss-crossing of LA's Westside, from her apartment on Doheny Drive to the beach in Santa Monica, the return trip in the wee hours of a morning in February, 1962. The driver listed the stops as: "882 Doheny-> 625 Ocean Front Santa Monica-> 882 Doheny"

"From this detailed account we can see that Monroe went from her apartment to the Lawford/Kennedy beach house in Santa Monica," said Barrett. "She returns to her apartment at 3:00am the next morning. This grouping of receipts offers fans and admirers a glimpse into Marilyn, the woman and the icon that she'll forever be."

Other highlights in the Summer auction include several personal and beauty related items once belonging to Monroe, including a pair of classic design black fishnet stockings -- seams up the back with an interior stamp of the designer Triumph (est. $600-800); two sets of circa 1962 Erno Lazlo make-up products, one with hair conditioner in tubes still in their original boxes (each est. $500/600). According to Margaret Barrett, "Monroe almost exclusively used Erno Lazlo products towards the end of her life. She was very particular about her beauty regimens and skincare."

A John F. Kennedy-related program from the former President's legendary 1962 birthday celebration (where Monroe famously sang to him) will also be featured. From the May 19, 1962 event at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the pamphlet features a black & white photographic image of Kennedy on its cover and a detailed listing of all the participants (including Ella Fitzgerald, Peter Lawford and Miss Monroe) on the inside and back cover.

The current owner was an attendee that evening who has saved this program for the past 46 years. Just a few of these "JFK Birthday Celebration" programs have come up on the auction block before, this collectible expected to bring $300-$500.

Additional property on offer in June related to Monroe includes a rustic-style footstool likely custom-made for the star's last dwelling on Helena Drive in Brentwood, California, offered together with a photograph showing the interior of Monroe's house circa 1962, this stool evident in the background (est. $1,000/1,200). Also from her Brentwood home is a small pencil holder (est. $100/200) that can be seen in that photograph, as well as one of Monroe's wrought-iron ashtrays from the 1950s (est. $300/500). Cast in the form of a swan, the base of the ashtray is impressed "Japan." Monroe evidently purchased two or more of these [possibly while on her honeymoon with Joe DiMaggio in Japan], another example previously seen at auction.

Additional highlights from the Summer memorabilia auction include: an original 1967 Jefferson Airplane painting created by artist Ron Cobb for the band's "After Bathing at Baxter's" album jacket (est. $20/25,000); a Heath Ledger director's chair from Brokeback Mountain, 2005 (est. $1,000/1,500); as well, a massive collection of receipts from ground-breaking comedic star Lucille Ball (est. $2,500/3,000).

Animation art will also be part of the June auction, with artworks and cels related to Disney, Warner Bros. and Hanna Barbera films, including a 1940 gouache on a trimmed celluloid depicting Mickey Mouse as the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" on the mountain top conducting the forces of the universe, a favorite scene from the Walt Disney classic Fantasia (est. $5/7,000).

A celluloid from The Jungle Book, the later Walt Disney production from 1967, could bring as much as $6,000, while a large Charles Schulz drawing of the loveable Peanuts character Lucy is expected to bring $7,000-$9,000. Executed in grease pencil, Bonhams Specialist Dana Hawkes describes the lot as: "the quintessential drawing of Lucy." The signed drawing depicts Lucy standing behind her "Psychiatric Help The Doctor is Real In" booth.

A selection of vintage film posters includes two inserts from film noir classics starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake, The Blue Dahlia (est. $500/700) and This Gun for Hire (est. $400/600).

Los Angeles previews are scheduled for June 13-15 or by appointment.

Fine Art and European Furniture from the Estate of
José Iturbi On Offer at Bonhams & Butterfields
in Los Angeles on June 2nd

Summer auction highlights the lifestyles of 'old-Hollywood' royals:
Countess Dorothy di Frasso, designer Elsie de Wolfe and the renowned
musician, movie star and philanthropist José Iturbi

Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to offer property from the Estate of
José Iturbi and Marion Seabury, sold to benefit the José Iturbi
Foundation, on June 2, 2008 in Los Angeles. The magnificent Beverly
Hills estate brings together three fascinating histories -- each
providing a glimpse into the "Golden Era" of Hollywood and the grandeur
of its culture, including the infamous Countess Dorothy di Frasso, the
famed decorator and tastemaker to society Elsie de Wolfe, and the world
famous pianist, conductor, composer and actor José Iturbi.

More than 60 years ago, José Iturbi first entered the Beverly Hills, CA
mansion of the Countess Dorothy di Frasso. He was reportedly awestruck
by the scene which epitomized Hollywood chic of the 1940s. Inside he
was impressed by a pair of hand-painted Chinoiserie cabinets and
Georgian-style carved chairs, overstuffed couches, mirrored coffee
tables and a unique mirrored backgammon table adroitly selected for this
home by Elsie de Wolfe, the legendary designer who was pursued
ruthlessly by high society and Hollywood royalty to decorate their
castles.

Countess di Frasso entertained lavishly in her mansion. Her customary
guest lists included a "Who's Who" of the entertainment industry: Orson
Wells, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Barbara Hutton, Clark Gable, Carole
Lombard, Rita Hayworth, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, Gene Kelly, Jack
Benny, Charlie Chaplin, Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball and José Iturbi.
Iturbi would often visit and on select occasions perform for their
mutual Hollywood friends.

Beguiled over the course of his many visits, Iturbi dreamt of owning the
mansion someday. His collector's instincts made its contents desirable
as well -- the custom Art Deco vanilla leather box sofa where Cary Grant
once sat, the Steinway baby grand piano where Iturbi played Chopin and
the 'boogie-woogie,' the green painted enamel top Rococo Revival dining
table where Charlie Chaplin once shared plans for his next film with the
Countess, Iturbi and their mutual friends.

In 1947, Iturbi purchased the home complete with the Countess'
furnishings, the fine art and even the silver place settings. Thus
began a lifetime of collecting, enhanced by preservation of and
admiration for his new home and its environment. Iturbi's mansion was
his haven from a hectic career which at its peak included more than 250
concerts each year - performances scheduled to enable his appearances in
seven feature films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, including: Two Girls and a
Sailor (1944), Holiday in Mexico (1946), Anchors Aweigh (1945) and That
Midnight Kiss (1949).

Until his death in 1980, José Iturbi lived with Marion Seabury in the
Countess' former home, preserved as a time capsule of Hollywood's
Golden Age. Following his passing, Seabury worked tirelessly to
establish The José Iturbi Foundation. This not-for-profit organization
is dedicated to continuing Iturbi's legacy and bringing the public's
attention to today's finest emerging classical pianists and vocalists.

The property on offer from the Estate of José Iturbi and Marion Seabury
is international in scope. Highlights include a cubist masterwork by
Georges Braque titled Nature Morte, 1929, estimated to sell for $200,000
to $300,000. Additional works of fine art from the Estate include two
desirable bronze sculptures by Remington, each expected to garner bids
as high as $300,000, paintings by artists Tamayo and Fortuny, with works
on paper by Rodin.

Furniture from the Beverly Hills mansion includes a Portuguese ivory
mirror (est. $6/8,000) and a Verdue garden tapestry (est. $8/12,000)
along with other 18th and 19th century pieces of Italian and Spanish
furnishings. Among the highlights are the superb commissions of Elsie
de Wolfe, including a mirrored bedroom set designed for the Countess, a
circa 1936 Art Deco vanilla leather box sofa (est. $5/8,000), and a
mirrored backgammon table (est. $3/4,000). Several upright and grand
pianos (estimates range from $300/7,000) are to be offered, as well as
an antique music stand and Iturbi's Edwardian silver-mounted bone
conductor's baton (est. $150/250).

The proceeds from the June 2nd auction will benefit the José Iturbi
Foundation. The organization pays tribute to Iturbi's dream and
lifelong ambition to make classical music accessible to all as part of
our daily framework. Each year, the Foundation sponsors an
international music competition hosting 48 of the world's most gifted
young classical pianists and singers, and offering the largest cash
prizes of any competition to assist them in their career ambitions.

The Estate of José Iturbi and Marion Seabury will be offered at auction
on June 2, 2008. Public previews open -- Friday, May 30 and Saturday,
May 31 (10am-5pm, each day), continuing on Sunday, June 1 (from
Noon-5pm). The illustrated auction catalog will be available online at
www.bonhams.com/us in the weeks preceding the sale and previews.
-End-

Press Contact: Jannelle Grigsby (323) 436-5458, prla@bonhams.com

About the Iturbi Foundation

Created in 1985 by Donelle Dadigan and Marion Seabury, The José Iturbi
Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to
continuing the legacy of concert great José Iturbi, and to fulfilling
his desire to bring to the public's attention today's greatest emerging
classical pianists and vocalists. The foundation's goal is to globally
expand the passion for classical music through the dynamic competition
and compelling live performances. The competition distinguishes itself
by awarding the world's largest cash prizes ($50,000 each) for first
place winners in solo piano and voice. In 2007, the foundation's awards
totaled $268,000 in prize money for the winners of The José Iturbi
International Music Competition.

One of the greatest concert pianists of his time, José Iturbi was also a
noted composer, conductor and performer of international acclaim who
starred as himself in seven MGM musicals including "Anchors Away" (1945)
starring Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. He was the first classical
musician to receive a Gold Record, representing sales in excess of one
million units, and was the first classical musician to receive a star on
the world-famous Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame. Iturbi felt that
classical music should be a more recognizable part of everyone's
entertainment. It was his hope that through live concerts, motion
pictures, recordings, international competitions, and public forums, a
larger number of people would learn to love classical music and attend
live concert performances.

The Golden State's Hottest Artists Shine

at Bonhams & Butterfields on May 5^th

On May 5, 2008 Bonhams & Butterfields features original works by the state's leading artists in its biannual Made in California sale, simulcast to the San Francisco and Los Angeles salesrooms. With specialists serving its three US galleries -- in New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Modern & Contemporary Art Department has amassed an extraordinary collection for the summer auction. Works by cutting-edge artists such as Sharon Ellis, Jim Shaw, and Barry McGee are offered alongside mid-century masters including Karl Stanley Benjamin, Peter Voulkos, David Park and Roland Petersen.

The May 5^th auction highlights San Francisco's rich artistic heritage. The sale includes an important David Park painting from the Collection of Rex Mason. Mason was Park's student at the California School of Fine Arts (now San Francisco Art Institute) from 1945-49. Inspired by European modernists such as Picasso, Miro and Jean Arp, David Park abandoned classical realism in the 1940s and created a series of paintings that he referred to as masks. In these paintings, amoeboid shapes form interlocking profiles caught in the flattened space of modern art. In one lot, an untitled 1945 work, a woman's profile becomes spatially ambiguous as it shifts between light and dark and profile and frontal views (est. $30/50,000). The painting is being offered with a small drawing on CSFA letterhead presented by the artist to Rex Mason as a graduation gift.

According to Specialist-in-Charge Holly Sherratt, "After Clyfford Still's arrival at the California School of Fine Arts in 1946, San Francisco became a center for Abstract Expressionism. Thanks to Still and Park's influence, Claire Falkenstein, Gordon Onslow Ford, Peter Voulkos, Hassel Smith and other artists in this sale brought their own talents to bear on this American genre." A Gordon Onslow Ford 1968 painting titled Present in Company is expected to bring between $70,000-90,000, and Peter Voulkos' 1959 painting Passing Red is estimated at $60,000-80,000.

The Spring sale also includes a rare abstract drawing by David Park (est. $8/12,000). By 1949, Park had become dissatisfied with the dominance of abstract art and abandoned his entire cache of abstract paintings at Berkeley's City Dump. He then developed a new figurative style as he began using spontaneous free flowing lines to depict the human form. Local artists such as Elmer Bischoff, Paul Wonner and James Weeks embraced Park's vision, frequently joining him to draw from models. Soon, the Bay Area Figurative movement was born. By the mid-1950s these techniques were practiced by many artists represented in the May sale, including: Bruce McGaw, James Weeks, William Theophilus Brown, Nathan Oliveira and Manuel Neri.

Highlights from the Bay Area Figurative section include two sketches by David Park from the late 1950s (each est. $10/15,000), a Paul Wonner drawing titled Model, Mirror and Drawing Group at Don Bachardy's, 1963-1964 (est. $10/15,000), and three exciting paintings by Roland Petersen: a colorful portrait of a woman donning a hat at $10/15,000; a 1971 summer picnic scene with bold geometric composition at $50/70,000 and a 1963 Spring picnic scene with expressive brushstrokes and heavy impasto at $80/120,000.

Spring's Made in California auction also highlights the work of several generations of Los Angeles artists. In the late 1960s and early '70s Southern California's "finish fetish" artists were experimenting with industrial materials. Larry Bell, Craig Kaufman, Billy Al Bengston, Peter Alexander, DeWain Valentine, Eric Orr and other artists in the sale used plastic, glass, aluminum, or other unconventional materials to create geometric abstract work. The sale includes two oil and lead paintings by Eric Orr (est. $6/8,000 and $10/15,000), a cast polyester resin piece by DeWain Valentine (est. $3/5,000) and a dented aluminum work by Billy Al Bengston (est. $3/5,000).

Later generations of Los Angeles artists are also represented. The sale includes a selection of paintings, drawings and sculptures from the 1980s to the present. Sharon Ellis' enamel painting Sunken Garden, 1983, will be of particular interest to collectors. In this painting, Ellis places a highly detailed rendering of a meandering vine within an expansive imaginary solar system. "Ellis completes only three or four paintings a year," says Sherratt, "her artwork is rarely seen at auction."

The final section of the sale features a collection assembled by the Los Angeles arts community for a charitable cause - several artists and their galleries will offer property sold to benefit one of their own, Morgan Thomas. Thomas was an active presence in the Los Angeles art community in the 1970s. Today, she is in financial need due to injuries suffered in a car accident. Proceeds from the sale of 20 lots will assist with Ms. Thomas' recovery. Highlights from this section include two silkscreens by Jim Shaw (est. $3/5,000 each), a lithograph by John Baldessari (est. $2,500/3,500) and artwork by Jim Iserman, Morgan Fisher, Bruce Nauman, Peter Alexander and others.

The Los Angeles and San Francisco salesrooms will simulcast the sale on May 5^th. The Made in California sale follows the Modern and Contemporary Art sale beginning at 10am. Artwork from both sales previews in San Francisco on April 25-27 and in Los Angeles on May 2-4.

Spring Auction of Fine Furniture and Decorative Arts at Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles

Brings Nearly $2-Million

Sale highlights included property from the Estates of Emmy^® Award Winning Television Writer James Costigan and

Famed Hollywood Photographer Wallace Seawell

The April 28, 2008 sale of Fine Furniture and Decorative Arts at Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles featured property from the estates of Emmy^® Award winning television writer James Costigan and famed Hollywood photographer Wallace Seawell and offered a global array of works for all collecting tastes.

The auction, timed to coincide with the 13^th annual Los Angeles Antique Show, was of interest to collectors and antiques connoisseurs from around the world, many gathered at the firm's Sunset Boulevard galleries to vie for showcase pieces from the 16^th through 20^th centuries.

The spring auction began with several bouts of energetic bidding (both on the telephones and in the room) for an eclectic array of highly sought after works. A selection of tea caddies opened the English section of the sale - highlighted by an octagonal example from the early 19th century. A Regency ivory strung tortoiseshell work brought $8,400, exceeding expectations and surpassing its pre-sale estimate.

"The market for works boasting intricate detail and crafted of exceptional materials is strong. High quality works displaying master craftsmanship continue to fetch solid prices," said Andrew Jones, Director of the European Furniture and Decorative Arts Department in Los Angeles.

The top lot of the sale was an understated carved marble figure of a classical maiden. The striking draped torso is depicted in a standing position with bent knees, exposing an intricately detailed sandaled foot. The piece displays a wide array of texture within its classical composition. The marble figure stands four-feet seven-inches high and sold for $66,000, well above the pre-sale estimate.

Another highlight of the spring auction was a large 17^th century Italian Baroque monk's table. The imposing piece is comprised of a hinged oval top over square legs joined by a conforming stretcher. Estimated to bring as much as $20,000, the table of unusual form brought $38,400.

Featured in the French section of the sale was an exquisite and impressive Louis XV style gilt bronze mounted and paint decorated walnut vitrine after François Linke. Its down swept cornice center is topped by a conforming case fitted with glazed doors within cast bandings above painted panels of ladies and gentlemen enjoying leisurely pursuits. Raised on cabriole legs, the work sold for $37,200.

According to Jones, "The cabinet is a magnificent example of French craftsmanship. One can see the intricate detail and striking color in each of the painted panels. This piece well represents the rich tradition for which the French are known."

Highlights from the Estate of famed Hollywood photographer Wallace Seawell included a pair of Continental Neoclassical style rosewood sofas, circa 1900, which sold for $10,800 far above the $2,000-3,000 estimate, and a suite of Empire style gilt bronze mounted mahogany seat furniture which brought $10,200.

Bidding was strong for other desirable lots, as prices exceeded their estimates for a number of European furnishings and decorative arts as well as a Japanese parcel gilt carved wood panel which sold for $33,600. Two works from the Estate of Emmy^® Award winning television writer James Costigan included an Aubusson garden tapestry depicting huntsman and lovers in a wooded landscape (brought $9,600) and an unusual 18^th century Italian giltwood and polychrome decorated figure of angel with spread wings which reached $5,700 after highly competitive bidding. A Louis XVI style gilt bronze and porcelain mounted amboyna and mahogany cabinet surpassed its high estimate to fetch $22,800 and a Venetian polychrome decorated mirror from the second half 19th century sold for $20,400.

Sales of Fine Furniture and Decorative Arts are held six times annually by Bonhams & Butterfields, in San Francisco and in Los Angeles, with a fully illustrated catalog available for each. Additionally, through the SoMa and Sunset Estates sales in San Francisco and Los Angeles (respectively) the furniture and decorative arts department offers mid-range and collectible items each month.

European & American Prints and Fine Photographs at Auction at Bonhams & Butterfields in May

Spring Auction Features Ansel Adams' Photographs Gifted to San Francisco Insurance Mogul and Philanthropist Albert Bender

Bonhams & Butterfields, the West Coast's leading fine arts auctioneers, is pleased to announce that its May 20 and 21, 2008 sales of Fine Prints and Fine Photographs in San Francisco (simulcast to Los Angeles) will feature rare and fresh-to market works by Stella, Chagall, Picasso, Warhol, Adams, Kahlo, Mapplethorpe, Cartier-Bresson and British artist Bansky, among many others.

Following on the heels of a robust Fall 2007 auction -- which produced strong prices and a new world auction record for a later printing of a Diane Arbus work, the spring 2008 offering is expected to entice collectors and connoisseurs from around the globe.

"The market for works on paper continues to be strong, reflecting the expansion of the medium's collector base," said Judith Eurich, Director of Fine Prints and Photographs at Bonhams & Butterfields. "This May we are pleased to offer a wide array of works from noted international artists. Held over the course of two days, the sales of Fine Prints and Fine Photographs will include more than 600 lots during the simulcast auctions."

Important highlights from the May Fine Photographs sale include three works by Ansel Adams formerly within the collection of San Francisco insurance mogul, arts patron and philanthropist Albert Bender. Bender's patronage, encouragement and friendship in the late 1920s assisted Adams in making the full transition from musician to photographer. Bender went on to establish The Anne Bremer Memorial Library at The San Francisco Art Institute and is credited with the donation of multiple works of art to the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, to The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and to several other Bay Area institutions throughout his lifetime.

Gifted directly from Adams to Bender, Nevada Fall, Yosemite National Park, c. 1932 (est. $10/15,000), brilliantly displays the forces of nature with a stark composition of land and sky. Along with Nevada Fall, the sale will feature two other gelatin silver prints by the artist: Julian Martinez, San Ildephanso, New Mexico and Pueblo Laguna (both estimated to bring $6/9,000).

"Noted for his encapsulating dramatic settings and incredible landscapes, we're happy to offer Aspens, Northern New Mexico, 1958, by Adams, estimated at $30,000 to $50,000," said Eurich.

Also being offered in the Fine Photographs sale is a highly sought after expansive portfolio entitled New California Views, 1964-1979. The portfolio is comprised of 20 signed and dated photographs from contemporary photographers such as John Divola, Richard Misrach, Stephen Shore, Henry Wessel, Jr. and Garry Winogrand, among others. The collection is one of an edition of 100, the folio accompanied by a catalogue with text by Therese Hayman, former Director of Photographs at The Oakland Museum. It is estimated to bring $15,000 to $20,000 during the sale.

Additionally, Robert Mapplethorpe's 'Z' Portfolio, 1981, will be featured in the spring auction. Comprised of 13 signed and edition numbered gelatin silver prints, the portfolio is accompanied by an essay by Edmund White, all housed in a brown silk folding case (est. $20/30,000). According to Eurich, "Although surrounded by controversy, Robert Mapplethorpe was a master of large-scale, highly stylized images of flowers, black & white portraits and nudes - for which he is best known."

Also offered in the session will be Henri Matisse, Venice, France, 1944, by noted photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson (est. $6/8,000) and Frido Kahlo with Globe in Manuel Alvarez Bravo's Studio, a signed and annotated gelatin silver print from the 1930s by Manuel Alvarez Bravo (est. $6/8,000).

A rare album containing 100 photographic images of churches in Guadaljara, Toluca, Xochimilco and Ixtapalapa, Mexico is entitled Mexico & Chapultpec, 1904. Created by German artist Guillermo Kahlo, father of noted surrealist artist Frida Kahlo, the album is expected to bring $50,000-$70,000 at auction.

Highlights from the sale of European & American Prints include: Bansky's Flag, 2007, a striking silkscreen of a flag being raised on an abandoned auto's roof (est. $15/20,000); a colorful lithograph of a European street scene entitled Paris from My Window, 1969-70, by Marc Chagall (est. $35/40,000); Pablo Picasso's Histoire Naturelle (est. $30/40,000) comprising a complete set of 31 etchings, aquatints and drypoints of animals in-situ; The Star, a silkscreen printed in color and adorned with diamond dust from Andy Warhol's 1981 series from Myths (est. $25/35,000); a complete suite of early 1980's lithographs, linocuts and silkscreens by Frank Stella (est. $60/80,000) and a selection of hand-colored engravings with aquatint and etching after John James Audubon (estimates as high as $80,000 for the most rare).

Previews open to the public: May 9-11 in Los Angeles and May 17-19 in San Francisco.

Arts Community Angels -- in the City of Angels

Charitable Aspect to "Made in California" sale

at Bonhams & Butterfields May 5^th

Proceeds from the Sale of Select Works by LA Artists to Benefit Arts Community Figure Morgan Thomas

The closing section of the Spring "Made in California" auction at Bonhams & Butterfields on May 5^th will include a collection of 20 works of art to be sold to benefit Ms. Morgan Thomas, an active and vital presence in the Los Angeles art community in the 1970s. The featured artists have generously agreed to donate the proceeds from the sale of their artwork to benefit the gallerist at a time of her crucial need.

Modern and Contemporary California art takes center stage at the Sunset Blvd. gallery of Bonhams & Butterfields' during its biannual Made in California sale on May 5, 2008. The auction is to be simulcast to Los Angeles and San Francisco, featuring works by the Golden State's leading artists, including modernist paintings of the mid-20^th century and the genre-defying work of today. Multiple lots on offer have been consigned for this sale with the proceeds designated to support Morgan Thomas.

In the 1970s, Morgan Thomas directed and led innovative galleries in the Los Angeles area. Her efforts focused on presenting exhibitions of many artists associated with CalArts -- including John Baldessari and Jack Goldstein, among other groundbreaking artists of the times.

In 1977 Thomas, Connie Lewallen, and Claire Copley developed the non-profit organization Foundation for Art Resources (FAR). The foundation enabled the gallerists to work more flexibly with the artists they supported. During this time, FAR produced John Baldessari's film Six Colorful Inside Jobs and James Lee Byars' performance and book Open America, which took place in Los Angeles and New York. Still operating today, FAR is the longest extant arts cooperative operating in Los Angeles without an exhibition space.

According to Bonhams & Butterfields consulting specialist Cecelia Dan: "It is wonderful to see the Los Angeles arts community, including galleries and artists, among them: David Amico, Dan Graham, Gemini GEL, Peter Alexander, James Welling, Harmony Hammond, Jim Isermann, and Lita Albuquerque, donating their works to offer aid to an inspiring woman who assisted them at the beginning of their careers."

Today, Ms. Thomas is in financial need due to massive injuries suffered in a car accident. Several artists graciously decided to offer works from their personal collections to be sold to take up the cause of their former champion. The proceeds from the sale of their lots will assist with her recovery.

Highlights of these lots include Pat Steir's silkscreen Blue, 2004, (est. $5/7,000); two silkscreens by Jim Shaw from the artist's "Dream Drawing" series (est. $3/5,000 each); a lithograph entitled Noses & Ears, Etc.: Couple and Man with Gun, 2007, by John Baldessari (est. $2,500/3,500); David Amico's Split C White Diamond (C Series) (est. $4/6,000) and artwork by William Leavitt, Dan Graham, Al Ruppersberg, Peter Alexander, James Welling and Morgan Fisher.

The Made in California sale is highlighted by Roland Petersen's vibrant oil on canvas Spring Picnic (est. $80/120,000); Expanding Structure by Claire Falkenstein (est. $10/15,000); and a striking graphite on paper nude by David Park Study for Four Women, 1959 (est. $10/15,000).

With specialists in New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Modern and Contemporary Art Department has amassed an extraordinary collection for May's sale, showcasing the exceptional creativity of the state's leading modern and contemporary artists. Made in California will follow the international Modern and Contemporary auction that begins at 10am. Artwork from both sales will be on preview in San Francisco on April 25-27 and in Los Angeles on May 2-4.

Always in Fashion

The US Premier of the Golding Collection

of Rock n’ Roll Art at Bonhams & Butterfields in LA

Rock n’ roll and fashion collide at fine arts auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields, with the US premiere of The Peter Golding Collection of Rock n’ Roll art. The exclusive media preview opens in Los Angeles on Sunset Blvd. Thursday, April 17 and members of the press are invited to be the first to interview Golding and preview the iconic lots prior to the public! Legendary for his glamorous fashions and celebrity clientele, Golding played an intricate role in the 1960s and 1970s fashion movement, introducing bleach denim to the US in 1973 and creating the World’s First Stretch Jean in 1978 – revolutionizing Jeanswear around the globe. His collection of iconic psychedelic art, built during this time, spans three decades of Rock history and features work commissioned for famous bands, created by the most influential artists of the movement. Rick Griffin’s popular culture icon ‘The Flying Eyeball’ (est. $250/350,000) is one of the most perfectly executed and highly recognizable works of psychedelic art created during the Fillmore era; original artwork for the Grateful Dead’s 'Without A Net' Tour also by Rick Griffin (est. $125/175,000); the acrylic on canvas Terrapin Station for the Grateful Dead by Stanley Mouse & Alton Kelley (est. $100/150,000), Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Fillmore Auditorium NYC, ink on board by Michael English & Nigel Waymouth (est. $75/125,000) and airbrush painting for Pink Floyd by Alton Kelley (est. $25/35,000). Artwork for additional performers on view will include: Bob Dylan, Aerosmith, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, U2, Kiss, The Who, Alice Cooper, Ike and Tina Turner, Metallica and Guns & Roses.

Who: Bonhams & Butterfields, the premier West Coast auctioneers

What: Preview Rock n’ Roll Art highlights from Peter Golding’s collection, the fashion legend who revolutionized Jeanswear

The Peter Golding Collection

Iconic Collection of Original Rock ‘n Roll Art

For Sale at Bonhams New York

Collection’s US Tour Debuts in Los Angeles April 18^th

A comprehensive and incredible archive of original Rock ‘n Roll art will be offered at Bonhams in New York City on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, the international auctioneer’s first New York offering of Rock ‘n Roll memorabilia and one of the first sales to be held at Bonhams’ prestigious new salerooms in the IBM building on Madison Ave. The original Rock art tours the West Coast salesrooms of Bonhams & Butterfields beginning April 18-20 in Los Angeles.

The collection of iconic items features visual markers of three decades of Rock history through paintings, original artwork, drawings, sketches and studies, original printing plates and poster sets -- featuring famous bands and promotions for concerts and legendary events. The collection presents works by the most influential artists in Rock ‘n Roll Art.

The collection is owned by fashion designer and musician Peter Golding who, since acquiring a poster from a protest concert in Hyde Park, London in 1967, assembled his archive with great care and enthusiasm. Synonymous with Stretch Denim, Golding was part of the 1960’s fashion movement and created the first “Designer Jean” in 1970. His renowned ACE boutique in London’s Kings Road in the mid 1970s-80s was a favorite haunt for an international roster of celebrity clientele of stage, screen and Rock ‘n Roll.

Offered will be artworks commissioned for famous bands and performers such as: The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, The Doors,

-More-

Golding Collection @ Bonhams –2-

Jefferson Airplane, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, The Cult, The Sex Pistols, U2, Kiss, The Who, Alice Cooper, Quicksilver Messenger, Sly and the Family Stone, Ike and Tina Turner, Metallica and Guns and Roses.

These works include signed originals by leading artists such as: Rick Griffin, Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelly, Victor Moscoso, Gary Grimshaw, Randy Tuten, David Singer, Dennis Larkins, Wes Wilson, Michael English and Nigel Waymouth, among others.

“If further proof were needed as to the importance of this collection, one would consider the fact that Peter Golding’s `Inspirational Times’ collection was a major lender of items to the popular Tate Liverpool’s ‘Summer of Love Exhibition’ in 2005 which then went on to important museums in Germany and Austria in 2006, followed by a show at the Whitney in NYC just a year later,” said Jon Baddeley, Head of Bonhams’ International Collectibles Department.

Extensive work by the late Rick Griffin, revered as the Grand Master of this art form, is featured in the sale. As psychedelic rock of the late 1960s became more intense, inspired by artists and bands like Jimi Hendrix and The Grateful Dead, Griffin’s art for posters and album covers followed. Winged eyeballs and skulls, amongst other fantastic imagery, began to feature prominently in his work, as he also continued his cartoon and illustration commissions for Surfer and Zap Comics. Griffin said that he wanted his art to have the sort of heraldry found on family crests. It was for this reason that he continually employed bold and powerful central imagery. Griffin’s most famous painting, ‘The Flying Eyeball’ of his original poster BG105 for Bill Graham Productions, is one of the main highlights in the sale. Estimated to fetch $250,000-350,000, the BG105 painting measures more than six-feet high. ‘The Flying Eyeball’ poster originally commissioned for Graham’s Filmore East 1968 concerts featuring Jimi Hendrix, John Mayall and Albert King has been a recurring icon and is considered one of the most perfectly executed works of psychedelic art created during the Fillmore era. Griffin was a unique talent in commercial art, being both an excellent draftsman and an imaginative designer.

Artworks for The Grateful Dead, one of the biggest bands in US rock history, is well-represented throughout the sale. Rick Griffin and Stanley Mouse with Alton Kelley were key figures in producing these works. Mouse-Kelley’s combination of the Grateful Dead’s skull and roses is arguably one of the most famous single visual images linked with any rock group. Dennis Larkin’s extensive preparatory artwork for their stadium tours is also included and expected to especially appeal to knowledgeable “Deadheads.”

-More-

Golding Collection @ Bonhams –3-

Stanley ‘Mouse’ Miller was born in California, the son of a Disney Studio animator. His destiny was affected by World War II as his family moved to Detroit where his interest in surf and sand evolved into automobiles. He attended the Art School of the Society of Arts and Crafts and gradually became a legend with the airbrush and automobile-related art. However, setting his sights on San Francisco, Mouse moved back West where he began an illustrious career in rock-related design, including his legendry association with Alton Kelley.

British designers Michael English and Nigel Waymouth’s surreal illustrations were at the forefront of the UK design, with several desirable examples to be offered in May. Their pioneering techniques pushed the boundaries of printing to new heights creating a difference between the more sophisticated European printing techniques and the older plate method used by the American designers.

Selected auction highlights:

By Rick Griffin: Grateful Dead - A Quarter of Century, acrylic on canvas (est. $50/75,000)

By Rick Griffin: Grateful Dead - 'Without A Net' Tour, acrylic on canvas (est. $125/175,000)

By Stanley Mouse & Alton Kelley: Grateful Dead - Terrapin Station, acrylic on canvas

(est. $100/150,000)

By Stanley Mouse & Alton Kelley: Grateful Dead – Skull & Roses, FD-26 original printing plate-signed by the artists & framed by Kelley (est. $8/12,000)

By Rick Griffin: Dylan and the Dead, hand-colored Production Print for Dylan and The Dead album cover from the live album of the tour. Multi-framing by Alton Kelley (est. $3/5,000)

By Rick Griffin: `Dylan down in the Groove’ – Studies for Dylan album, pencil sketch on tracing paper (est. $4/6,000)

By Alton Kelley: Pink Floyd airbrush painting, gold art deco framing by Kelley (est. $25/35,000)

By Michael English & Nigel Waymouth (aka Hapshash and the Coloured Coat): Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Fillmore Auditorium NYC, original ink on board (est. $75/125,000)

US Preview Tour

Los Angeles Exhibition/Viewing

Friday 18^th April 10am-5pm

Saturday 19^th April 10am-5pm

Sunday 20^th April Noon – 5pm

San Francisco Exhibition/Viewing

Friday 25^th April 10am-5pm

Saturday 26^th April 10am-5pm

Sunday 27^th April Noon – 5pm

Monday 28^th April 10am-5pm

New York Exhibition/Viewing

Friday May 9 10am – 5pm

Saturday May 10 10am – 5pm

Sunday May 11 Noon – 5pm

Monday May 12 10am – 5pm

Tuesday May 13 10am – 5pm

Sale: Wednesday, May 14 at 1pm EST

-End-

Editors Notes

About Peter Golding

In 1970 Peter Golding created the first “Designer Jean” in the truest sense of the words. He then introduced bleach denim to the USA in 1973, which revolutionized American jeanswear. In 1978 Golding created the World’s First Stretch Jean.

In the 1970s, his famous ACE Boutique on London’s Kings Road became known as “The meeting Place of the Stars.” It became as legendary for its glamorous fashion as it did for its eclectic celebrity clientele - which included: The Rolling Stones, Queen, Marianne Faithful, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall and Jack Nicholson, amongst many. Peter is still an avid musician, very much dedicated to blues and jazz. He is a Fellow of The Chartered Society of Designers.

About Bonhams

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America and in August 2003, Goodmans, a leading Australian fine art and antiques auctioneer with salerooms in Sydney, joined the Bonhams Group of Companies. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further seven throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston in the USA; and Switzerland, France, Monaco, Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas.

Design of the Century
Iconic Masterworks of 20th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts Come to
Auction on April 7

Bonhams & Butterfields' spring 2008 auction of 20th Century Decorative
Arts, to be held in Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 7, 2007, features a
diverse group of master works spanning a century of design. Strong
examples of Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Mid-Century Modern and
works by Contemporary Studio artists come to the block.

One highlight of the spring 2008 sale is a pair of brick wall-inspired
John Dickinson console tables. Classically influenced, the 1970's works
are cast in white plaster and estimated to bring $10,000-$15,000.

"Bonhams has a distinguished history of offering works by interior
designer John Dickinson. In fall of 2005, we offered one of the largest
collections of pieces by the famed mid-century legend ever to come to
auction. The 16 offered lots were key pieces representing the
development of late century modernism. We are pleased to continue the
support of groundbreaking 1970s modernism," said Frank Maraschiello,
Director, 20th Century Decorative Arts.

Artist and Designer Jay Stanger's work challenges the boundaries between
fine art and craft. The result is a balance of shape, movement, color
and technique that challenge conventional designs and utilitarian needs.
He works in mixed media, blending metal and wood into a unique synthesis
of form, creating works such as an inlaid maple rug (est. $2/3,000) and
the 'City Planner' chair, 1988 (est. $1,000/1,500), on offer in April.

Andre Lavrat also challenges form, playing with shapes and imagery in
mixed metal. Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to feature two works by
the designer in April. The first, a large five-foot high silvered
metal, copper and brass figural center table depicts the fanciful
undersea fairytale of a mermaid with fish (est. $10/15,000). The
table's corresponding chairs are designed as open-mouthed fish
supporting padded seats and seatbacks, the pair could bring as much as
$5,000.

The Modern section of the spring auction will also feature a highly
sought-after walnut dining table (est. $7/10,000) from American
contemporary woodworker Arthur Espenet Carpenter. Carpenter, who passed
away in early 2006, was an influential 20th century furniture maker who
is best known for spare yet sensual forms in furniture that are
considered both graceful and utilitarian.

Also on offer is an oak four-part conference table made for Jackson Lake
Lodge, Wyoming (est. $2/3,000). Unusual in its construction, the table
is comprised of four interlocking components measuring six-feet
eight-inches in length and 40-inches in width (at its widest point).
According to Maraschiello, "This is the first table of its kind Bonhams
& Butterfields has offered at auction. We're expecting strong collector
interest in this unusual type of construction."

Also of interest to an international pool of collectors will be a pair
of Giulio Minoletti and Gio Ponti Settebello winged-back armchairs,
1952. Manufactured by Breda, the upholstered steel frame chairs with
built-in ash receivers were initially designed for a first-class luxury
train that ran from Rome to Milan. Minoletti and Ponti collaborated on
the interior design of the train cars, records indicating that only
three of these trains were built.

Highlighting the Art Deco section of the sale are three works by
designer Jules Leleu. On offer is a set of four gilt-bronze and glass
two-light sconces (est. $10/15,000), a handsome mother-of-pearl inlaid
parquetry sideboard (est. $8/12,000), and a matching mother-of-pearl
inlaid parquetry cabinet with mirrored and glazed front section (est.
$7/9,000).

The Art Nouveau section includes a graceful bronze figural lamp by
Agathon Léonard. Entitled Danceuse à l'écharpe (est. $10/15,000), the
work is one of a series of dancers designed by Léonard in the late
1890s. First exhibited as terracotta maquettes at the Société Nationale
des Beaux Arts in 1897, similar versions were later produced in both
porcelain (by Sèvres) and in bronze, cast by Susse-Frères. The figures
are thought to be modeled after the famous contemporary dancer Loïe
Fuller. The work stands 22-inches tall and is signed in the gown by the
artist and impressed with foundry mark Susse-Frères Editeurs Paris M.

Other highlights from the strong Art Nouveau section include a Gallé
fruitwood and marquetry two-tier tea table. Signed in marquetry, the
circa 1900 table is expected to bring $2,500-$3,500. The section also
features a large selection of European and American art glass by Gallé,
Daum and Tiffany. Additionally, a selection of Dirk Van Erp from the
Estate of well-respected Arts & Crafts collector Don Ritchie will also
be featured during the April sale (estimates range from $800-$5,000).

Works by Contemporary Studio Artists will include three highly
collectible designs by Beatrice Wood from the collection of photographer
Marlene Wallace. According to her biography, Wallace took her first
official photograph at the age of four, using a box camera to take a
picture of her sister. Today, she is a leading artist of photographic
portraiture and commercial art, having had portraits commissioned by an
impressive array of luminaries such as: former President Jimmy Carter,
poet Maya Angelou, athlete Kobe Bryant, news anchor Dan Rather, and
celebrities Leslie Caron, Dizzy Gillespie, Teri Hatcher, John Huston,
Anthony Quinn, Sissy Spacek and violinist Isaac Stern, among others.

As a teenager Wallace met Beatrice Wood in a modern dance class. The
photographer's collection consists of three marquee works. The first,
City of Night, is a vertical 3-dimensional piece (est. $8/12,000). The
second, Queen Elizabeth, is a vibrant charger depicting the English
Royal (est. $2,500/3,500) and the third is a 3-dimensional highly
figurative work (est. $3/5,000).

The April sale will also feature several works in glass by Contemporary
Studio Artists, including works from the Estate of Mae K. Wong. The
diverse selection will include a premier collection of glass
paperweights by leading artist Paul Stankard (estimates range from
$2,500-$5,000). Also included in the offering are works by Chris
Buzzini, Gordon Smith and Stankard's former assistant Jim Donofrio
(estimates range from $250-$1,800).

Included are ceramic works by James Richard (Rick) Dillingham, Peter
Shire and Peter Voulkos. Works by Edwin Scheier will include a footed
vase of impressive size. Made from glazed earthenware, the piece is
expected to bring $3,000-$5,000 on April 7. "Although we have seen
several works by Scheier at auction, this particular style vase has
never before been offered on the block," said Maraschiello.

Additional offerings include an unusual Art Deco wrought-iron, marble
and glass Seahorse aquarium, 1920s, for the Jewel Aquarium Company (est.
$5/7,000), a 1950s Frank Lloyd Wright upholstered walnut four-part
sectional couch with Taliesin design border for Heritage Henredon (est.
$4/6,000), a beautiful glass sculpture entitled Crystal Elegance, 2001,
by Jon Kuhn (est. $3/5,000) and a Venetian glass figural chess set,
circa 1962, made for Pauli & Co. (est. $7/9,000).

Los Angeles preview events are scheduled for April 4-7 in Bonhams &
Butterfields' Sunset Blvd. gallery.

The 20th Century Furniture and Decorative Arts Department at Bonhams &
Butterfields presents two auctions each year held in the firm's Los
Angeles salesrooms and two sales conducted from the Bonhams New York
salesroom. Virtually every major design movement of the 20th century is
well-represented in these sales with fine examples executed in the
mediums of ceramics, metalwork, glass and furniture regularly offered
and bringing strong prices.

The 'Flame Queen'

World-Famous Stone Highlights Collection of Opals in June

Natural History Auction at Bonhams & Butterfields

William Wendt's 'View to the Valley' to Highlight April Sale of California & American Paintings

at Bonhams & Butterfields

From the lavish brushwork of a Western landscape to the myriad of textures embodied by a metropolitan setting, the representation of the American experience, as captured on canvas, is awash in color, texture, beauty and light. On April 8, 2008, Bonhams & Butterfields - California's oldest and largest auction house-- will bring artworks embodying the American visual experience to auction with their highly anticipated spring sale of California & American paintings and sculpture.

Simulcast in both Los Angeles and San Francisco, the auction will highlight masterworks from notable and iconic artists such as William Wendt, Maurice Braun, William Herbert Dunton, Ernest Martin Hennings, E. Charlton Fortune, Granville Redmond, Edgar Payne, Joseph Raphael, Joseph Kleitsch, Percy Gray, Thomas Hill, David Howard Hitchcock and Phil Dike. Works with strong ties to the California landscape, it's cities, and the American experience will fill out the sale, along with a smattering of more decorative still-life paintings and portraiture.

Highlighting the April sale is William Wendt's monumental landscape View to the Valley (est. $200/300,000). The 36x60-inch lush green landscape flows over rolling hills connecting earth and sky while captivating the viewer.

"View to the Valley is one of the largest compositions by the artist to come to auction in recent years. Offering this rare work on April 8^th reinforces this firm's position as the preeminent source for California and American art at auction," said Scot Levitt, Director of California & American Painting and Sculpture at Bonhams & Butterfields.

Additional paintings by Wendt featured in the auction include California Landscape (est. $70/90,000), El Toro Road at Laguna Beach (est. $60/80,000) and A Trickle of Road (est. $50/70,000).

Also featured in the Spring auction are exceptional fresh-to-market works including Sunset in the Foothills by William Herbert Dunton (est. $150/200,000). Typical of Dunton's technique, the 16x20-inch oil on canvas work is a reduction of shape to vital geometric form, creating recurring patterns pleasing to the eye.

Anxious from the pressures associated with being a commercial illustrator, Dunton relocated to Taos, New Mexico in 1914. He became head of Taos Fish and Game Conservation Group after 1915. In 1920, the artist's health began to fail and he was relegated to "dry" hunt, producing landscape sketches in a variety of sizes in the mediums of paint and pencil. "Many of his later sketches, including the very abstract and ornamental Sunset in the Foothills are by far the most sought after of Dunton's works," said Levitt.

Following the strong market interest for works by female artist E. Charlton Fortune (much created during the August and December 2007 sales), Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to offer St. Ives Harbor (est. $150/200,000). Although the artist is possibly better known for her later work in the genres of portraiture and religious compositions, St. Ives Harbor is an earlier impressionistic style painting with emphasis on subtle color and light. The fresh-to-market work captures the natural beauty of the English coast and a working harbor.

In a letter written from St. Ives on November 20th, 1922, Fortune wrote: "... It is impossible to take large canvases out of doors here, as the light changes so rapidly, but I am doing some of the best stuff I have ever done now...when the tide is in, it's generally a sheet of melted silver...all silhouette against a silver background. The color of it all is too amazing for words. When we first came here, everyone spoke of the grayness of St. Ives. It is like a Claude Monet but never gray..."

"Collectors are currently seeking Fortune's rare early pieces, such as St. Ives Harbor for its use of color, light and Impressionistic qualities," said Levitt. "We were by no means surprised when a similar work entitled Late Afternoon, Monterey set a new world auction record for the artist here at Bonhams in December 2007, bringing $1,832,000. The work more than tripled the previous auction record we'd set at $480,000 only four months prior. Fortune's paintings are becoming highly sought after at public auction."

An additional highlight also depicting a European scene is Spring Rue (est. $125/175,000) by Joseph Raphael. Impressionist in style, the work is infused with light and a feeling of the open air. It features interesting brushwork and use of pastel tones, highlighting the overall movement across the canvas.

"Similar to Spring Morning which sold well in the December 2007 auction, Spring Rue possesses some of the same modernist overtones and themes," said Levitt. "We continue to see a strong demand for impressionist works."

Two works similar in impressionistic tone to be offered are Joseph Kleitsch's San Fernando Mission (est. $50/70,000) and Garden Reflection (est. $40/60,000) by Donna N. Schuster. Schuster's Garden Reflection depicts a woman in an intimate garden setting, seemingly enjoying a moment of relaxation and reverie. Kleitsch depicts his San Fernando Mission with a quiet and calmness, only showing a few small birds interacting in the scene before the large statue adjacent to the fountain. Both works showcase the artists' ability to use color, light, shadow, and depth of composition to convey the desired feelings.

David Howard Hitchcock's Waimanalo Beach on Windward Oahu, 1934, will also be featured in the spring auction. Signed and inscribed by the artist, the work is infused with the local colors, sensations and experiences native to the Hawaiian Islands. "The artist spent a great deal of time traveling around the area while documenting indigenous subject matter and tropical vistas native to the Hawaiian Islands. Works rich in local color and picturesque beach subject matter such as Waimanalo Beach on Windward Oahu are always very popular with collectors." said Levitt.

Additional highlights for the April sale include two works by Granville Redmond. A rare nighttime painting entitled Moonlight on the Marsh (est. $80/120,000) and an Antelope Valley landscape filled with wildflowers (est. $125/175,000) will be offered. Other works on offer include Edgar Payne's Home of the Golden Trout, Sierras (est. $70/90,000); and a rare oil painting entitled Seagulls and Beach Bathers (est. $40/60,000), by Phil Dikea principal figure of the California watercolor moveme

'Happy Birthday Mr. President'

Marilyn (and JFK) Take Center Stage Again

at Bonhams & Butterfields

Never before seen items from the "Blonde Bombshell" on Offer in June

Highlights in the Summer auction include a John F. Kennedy-related program from the former President's legendary 1962 birthday celebration where star Marilyn Monroe sang to him. From the now-famous event at Madison Square Garden in New York City on May 19, 1962, the pamphlet, features a black and white photographic image of Kennedy on the cover and a detailed listing of all the participants on the inside and back cover.

The star-studded roster of the evening's entertainment included Ella Fitzgerald, Peter Lawford and Miss Monroe, whose rendition of the 'Happy Birthday' song to the former President is now part of the collective American memory. The current owner was an attendee at that evening's festivities, having saved this program for the past 46 years. Though a few of these "JFK Birrthday Celebration" programs have come up on the auction block before, they are nonetheless collectible with this one expecting to bring $300-$500.

Property related to Marilyn Monroe includes a rustic-style footstool likely custom-made for the stars last dwelling on Fifth Helena Drive in Brentwood, California together with a photograph showing the interior of Monroe's house circa 1962 with this stool evident in the background (est. $1,000/1,200). Also from her same home is a small pencil holder (est. $100/200) that can be seen in the above mentioned photograph as well as one of her wrought-iron ashtray from the 1950s (est. $300/500). Cast in the form of a swan, the bottom is impressed " Japan." Monroe evidently purchased two or more of these [possibly on her honeymoon with Joe DiMaggio in Japan] because, according to Margaret Barrett, "this is the second ashtray of this design once belonging to Monroe to come to auction.")

Additional highlights from the Summer auction of memorabilia include an oversized oil painting depicting celebrated actress Norma Shearer as 'Marie Antoinette' (est. $800/1,200). Executed by a young artist, the work depicts the star as the Queen of France from the eponymously titled 1938 MGM film that also starred Tyrone Power and John Barrymore. Painted the same year as the film by an 18 year-old named Nancy Renee Thompson of Inglewood, California, her work garnered some mentions in the local press, such as: "the most beautiful work ever seen in Inglewood" and "the likeness almost moves and breathes with the radiant and buoyant personality of the beautiful young star..." Included with the lot is a selection of photocopied newspaper clippings related to the attention garnered by the painting. "The painting is an overall charming piece. Rendered in myriad of light pastel hues, it possesses a breathy "of the era" quality," said Barrett.

Animation art will also be part of the June auction, with pieces related to Disney, Warner Bros. and Hanna Barbera films as well as a Charles Shultz original pencil drawing of his beloved character, "Snoopy." (est $1,000-1,500) Rendered in 1969, , this sketch was drawn on the front side of an envelope with the artist's inscription below reading "for Steve / Charles M. / Schultz."

A selection of classic film posters including two inserts from the film noir classics The Blue Dahlia (est. $500/700) and This Gun for Hire (est. $400/600), both starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake, will also be featured.

Los Angeles preview events are scheduled for June 13-16 or by appointment.

Diamonds and unique stones highlighted of Fine Jewelry at Bonhams & Butterfields, international fine arts auctioneers, on March 10. Highly competitive bidding was seen, both on the telephones and in salerooms from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The firm's first jewelry sale of the 2008 auction season was comprised of more than 500-lots featuring exquisite diamonds, fine works in platinum, desirable period jewelry and signed works -- totaling nearly one-million dollars.

According to Michael Larsen, G.G., jewelry specialist in Bonhams & Butterfields' Los Angeles gallery, "As we had predicted, diamond, platinum and fine quality gemstones did exceptionally well. The market for these highly sought after works continues to be strong."


2				Sale Report
3
4	JWL08031SF - 15878	Jewelry 10 March 2008		San Francisco and Los Angeles
5				Total	$957,270
6
7	Lot	Price	Estimate	Buyer
8
9	454	$24,000	$2,500 - 3,500
10		A natural spinel and diamond ring
11	471	$22,800	$800 - 1,200
12		An Edwardian natural pearl and diamond ring
13	187	$11,400	$3,000 - 5,000
14		An antique diamond and blue stone brooch
15	181	$10,800	$4,000 - 6,000
16		A diamond ring
17	410	$9,000	$5,500 - 7,500
18		A diamond cluster ring
19	485	$9,000	$2,500 - 3,500
20		A precious topaz and diamond ring
21	354	$8,400	$3,500 - 4,500
22		A diamond ring
23	483	$8,400	$800 - 1,200
24		A pink topaz and diamond ring
25	322	$7,800	$4,500 - 6,500
26		A ruby, diamond and black onyx necklace
27	444	$7,800	$1,000 - 1,500
28		A set leaf motif necklace and matching pair of clip-earrings, Tiffany & Co.,
29
30	Diamonds and unique stones highlighted of Fine Jewelry at Bonhams & Butterfields, international fine arts auctioneers, on March 10. Highly competitive bidding was seen, both on the telephones and in salerooms from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The firm’s first jewelry sale of the 2008 auction season was comprised of more than 500-lots featuring exquisite diamonds, fine works in platinum, desirable period jewelry and signed works -- totaling nearly one-million dollars. According to Michael Larsen, G.G., jewelry specialist in Bonhams & Butterfields’ Los Angeles gallery, “As we had predicted, diamond, platinum and fine quality gemstones did exceptionally well. The market for these highly sought after works continues to be strong.”

Diamonds, Colored Gems and Unique Stones on Offer at Bonhams &
Butterfields

Jewelry from the estate of a Florida collector
to highlight March 10, 2008 sale

Bonhams & Butterfields, international fine arts auctioneers, bring
contemporary and period jewelry to auction on March 10, 2008. Simulcast
between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the firm's Spring offering
features more than 400-lots of diamond, platinum, famous-maker and
signed jewels. Works by Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Boucheron, Bulgari,
Rolex and Van Cleef & Arpels will be featured.

"The market for diamonds and signed pieces continues to be strong. We
are pleased to offer a selection of fresh-to-market works in a variety
of brilliant shapes and stunning colors by famous makers," said Michael
Larsen, G.G., Jewelry Specialist, Bonhams & Butterfields.

Highlighting the March sale are jewels from an impressive Florida
estate. "The collector was an astute connoisseur of premium colored
gemstones and distinctive jewels. The offering boasts a wide range of
pieces - from classic every-day jewelry to unusual stones," said Larsen.

Offerings from this Florida estate include fine gemstones such as an
unheated sapphire (est. $1,500/2,000), a natural spinel (est.
$2,500/3,500) and a pair of yellow sapphire, emerald, diamond and rose
quartz clip-earrings signed Boucheron with French assay marks (est.
$2/3,000). As well, numerous desirable diamond and gem set platinum
pieces should interest collectors. Also offered will be Art Deco period
timepieces and a selection of lapel, travel and wrist watches by
Audemars Freres, Jaeger LeCoultre for Van Cleef & Arpels and by Cartier.

Additional property featured in the March sale will include a stunning
diamond ring boasting a trio of centered diamonds flanked by two
additional stones mounted in platinum (est. $3,500/5,500), a 12.85-carat
diamond bracelet (est. $5,500/7,500) and a colored diamond and white
diamond bracelet decorated in an intricate fleur de lis pattern.

The illustrated auction catalog for the March 10, 2008 sale is currently
online at www.bonhams.com/us. Previews open in San Francisco on
February 29- March 2 and in Los Angeles on March 7-9, 2008.

Made in California

The Golden State's Hottest Artists

at Bonhams & Butterfields

Californians have long-considered West Coast as "hot" and this summer Bonhams & Butterfields is intent on supporting this perspective by presenting the Made in California sale on May 5^th, showcasing the exceptional creativity of the state's leading modern and contemporary artists.

After spending decades in the shadows of the New York and European art scenes, California is coming into the limelight. Artists such as John Baldessari, Ed Ruscha, Ron Davis and Larry Bell have made the West Coast a new center of the art world. Museums across California are showing off their local talent in surveys of contemporary California art. As well, a recent exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, "Los Angeles: 1955-1985, Naissance d'une Capitale Artistique," has given international recognition to the Golden State.

As the oldest and largest auction house of the West Coast, Bonhams & Butterfields has continually achieved exceptional prices for California art. The firm's California and American Paintings Department has had record-setting success selling works from the early 20^th century. "The influence of California on the art world goes beyond traditional landscape and western paintings," says Holly Sherratt, a specialist in Modern and Contemporary art. In 2006 Sherratt developed Made in California, an auction featuring the state's modern, surreal, abstract and conceptual artists.

With specialists in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Modern and Contemporary Art Department amassed an extraordinary collection for their inaugural sale last May. The sale set auction records for artists such as Joan Brown, Lee Mullican, Manuel Neri, Guy Dill and Wallace Berman. The second sale in November was equally successful, setting auction records for artists including Ruth Asawa, Maxwell Hendler, Claire Falkenstein, Joan Brown, Manuel Neri, and others.

"Sales like Made in California are necessary to establish a strong secondary market for our California artists," says Sherratt. "We know the artists, we know the galleries; why not leverage these relationships and develop a stronger market for California art?"

The May 5^th auction highlights San Francisco's rich artistic tradition. The auction includes work by groundbreaking Bay Area figurative artists such as David Park, Nathan Oliveira, Manuel Neri, James Weeks, and Roland Petersen. Working in the 1960s, these artists rejected the unwritten rule that art should be abstract in the legacy of Jackson Pollock. Roland Petersen experimented with color, light and shadow in a series of geometric picnic paintings. As a painter and professor at University of California at Davis (UC Davis) for many years, Petersen influenced many generations of Bay Area artists. The sale will feature several of his paintings from the 1960s and 1970s including Summer Picnic, 1971, and The Sunflower Eclipse, 1972. Each painting is estimated to bring $50,000-70,000.

The auction will also highlight the work of several generations of Los Angeles artists including Claire Falkenstein, Ron Davis, Peter Alexander, Billy Al Bengston, Ed Moses, Alexis Smith and Robert Graham. "California has a unique set of social and historical conditions that makes the state distinctive," says Sherratt, "These artists were inspired by the landscape, beach culture and political climate of Los Angeles."

The Los Angeles and San Francisco galleries will simulcast the sale on May 5th enabling bidding from the salesrooms in both cities. Made in California will follow the international Modern and Contemporary auction that begins at 10 am. Artwork from both sales will be on display in San Francisco on April 25-27 and in Los Angeles on May 2-4.

Titanic Disaster, Tragedy and Scandal

Most Expensive Modern Book on the Market

Honoring President's Day at Bonhams& Butterfields Massive Unpublished Reagan Archive on the Auction Block

Fine Books & Manuscripts sale features Ronald Reagan Archive of
unpublished correspondence, unseen photos and rare personal ephemera

Bonhams & Butterfields brings rare signed documents, first edition books
and historic collectibles to auction on Sunday, February 17, 2008 --
this sale of Fine Books and Manuscripts to be held in Los Angeles and
simulcast to San Francisco. Timed to coincide with the 41st California
International Antiquarian Book Fair in Los Angeles, the auction will
offer bibliophiles, institutions and collectors an opportunity to view
and vie for printed treasures and historical rarities.

One highlight of the auction's Presidential section is a tremendous
archive of correspondence, unpublished candid family photographs and
ephemera related to former US President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004). From
the personal collection Zelda Multz, president of the Ronald Reagan
International Fan Club, the offering spans five decades - from the
1940s-90s - following Reagan's career from actor to Screen Actors Guild
president to California Governor to President of the United States.

With letters affectionately signed "Ronald Reagan," "Ron" or "Dutch,"
the lot features over 100 signed handwritten missives and 35 signed
typed letters written from various places including Los Angeles,
Sacramento, and Washington, D.C. Each was written to Zelda Multz, the
correspondence filed in many cases with its original transmittal
envelopes, many with hand annotations. The lot includes: 380
unpublished vintage snapshots of Reagan and family members, more than
300 publicity stills of Reagan, as many as 40 autographed photos, signed
and inscribed Christmas cards from the Reagans, and 40-years of news
clippings, magazines, promotional material and political flyers.
Present also are 20 letters from Former First Lady Nancy Reagan, 28
letters from Nelle, Reagan's mother, and several letters from Reagan's
first wife, actress Jane Wyman. The archive is expected to bring
$100,000 - $150,000 on Feb. 17.

Zelda Multz first joined the Ronald Reagan Fan Club in 1944 and began
correspondence with the actor that continued for nearly 50 years.
Always a great communicator, Reagan writes candidly about his life, his
marriage, the adoption of his son Michael (which he wished the press
would not publicize), his divorce, and his work (including a
particularly humiliating conversation with Jack Warner, who told him he
wasn't a "draw"). By the 1950s and '60s, his letters dealt more with
his political awakening - discussing Communism in Hollywood, his gradual
conversion to the Republican party, and his political ambitions.

A passage from January 5, 1965, reads: "Last night we listened to the
State of the Union address and I had a cold feeling of fear. The
promises listened so good and of course they represent goals that had
been in all our dreams. It comes down to the method of achieving those
goals, and underneath all the rosy promise was the sound of more and
more government and less and less freedom."

Reagan kept Ms. Multz abreast of his plans to run for California
Governor, and once elected, answered her questions about the major
crises of his administration -- including the campus riots at University
of California at Berkeley. Once Reagan began his campaign for the
Presidency and was elected, the correspondence became less frequent, but
did resume its frequency with warmth in his early retirement years.

According to department Director Dr. Catherine Williamson, "Reagan and
his ephemera remain of great interest to fans of both his acting and
political careers. This archive gives us rare insight into the private
thoughts and personal feelings of the world leader who uttered the
immortal words 'Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!'."

A scarce fragment of curtain from Ford's Theatre is offered with a card
reading "grasped by President Lincoln when assassinated in box in Ford's
Theater of Washington / April 15, 1865." Is estimated at $2,000 to
$3,000 while an unusual photograph of Benjamin Harrison, 23rd President
of the United States, taken in the summer of 1887 could bring $400/600.
A carpet fragment taken from the Ladies waiting room at the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad depot after Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau
(est. $4/600) is to be offered, as well as a Presidential signed letter
from John Fitzgerald Kennedy to leading American socialist, pacifist,
and six-time presidential candidate Norman Thomas regarding Nuclear
testing, which could bring as much as $12,000..

Additional highlights from the 500-lot sale include: an exquisite first
edition of F Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece The Great Gatsby (est.
$120/140,000); one of the most important World War II aviation
manuscripts from World War II pilot Brigadier General Paul Tibbets,
Captain of the Enola Gay (est. $100/150,000), a rare copy of An Inquiry
into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith (est.
$60/80,000).

Timed to coincide with the 41st California International Antiquarian
Book Fair (ABAA), the sale's preview opens early at 9am on Friday,
February 15 and continues on Saturday with the sale beginning at 9am on
Sunday.

Remarkable WWII Document to be Offered at Bonhams & Butterfields on
February 17th

Manuscript records each flight of arguably the most famous of all US
pilots Brigadier General Paul Tibbets, Captain of the Enola Gay

Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to present its first Fine Books &
Manuscripts sale of 2008, the 500-lot auction to be simulcast in Los
Angeles and San Francisco on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008. Bibliophiles,
institutions and collectors alike are expected to vie for the printed
treasures on offer - including an historically important aviation
archive.

The spring auction features nearly 400 lots comprising historic
documents, property from former US Presidents, from modern and
contemporary literary legends as well as icons and culture celebrities.
Highlighting the historical section of the sale is a remarkable flight
activity report that documents each flight of arguably the most famous
of all World War II pilots, Brigadier General Paul Tibbets (est.
$100/150,000).

According to Dr. Catherine Williamson, Director of the Fine Books &
Manuscripts department at Bonhams & Butterfields, "We have no doubt that
this one of the most important World War II aviation manuscripts to come
on the market in recent years, a rare piece of American history."

Brigadier General Paul Tibbets has one of the most storied careers in
all of military history. Dropping out of medical school in 1937, he
enlisted as a flying cadet in the Army Air Corps and was soon
commissioned 2nd Lieutenant. Five years later, at the outbreak of World
War II, Tibbets was a Squadron Commander of the 340th Bomb Squadron,
97th Bombardment Group, deployed to England.

He flew 25 missions in B-17s, including the first American Flying
Fortress raid against occupied Europe. By November of that year he was
in Algeria leading the first bombardment missions in support of the
North African invasion.

The offered flight folio, more than 500 pages, includes his first
training flights in PT-3s and BT-9s in 1937 at Randolph Field in Texas,
to his first flights in the B-17 bomber, including the August 17, 1942
initial daylight raid by an American squadron over German-occupied
Europe (the bombing of Rouen). His October 1942 log lists an 11-hour
flight in a B-17, transporting General Mark Clark to Gibraltar for a
secret meeting with French commanders. A few weeks later, on November
5, 1942, Tibbets recorded details of his transport of General Eisenhower
to Africa for the beginning of Operation Torch.

In March 1943 he was returned to the states to fly as a test pilot for
Boeing's new bomber, the B-29. By the next year, he was the country's
most experienced pilot of that plane, and was selected to lead a "secret
air force," known officially as the 509th Composite Group. Tibbets
worked with the Manhattan Project scientists to supervise the
modifications necessary for a B-29 to deliver what's come to be the most
significant payload in history, an atomic bomb.

In May of 1945 the 509th Composite transferred to Tinian Island in the
Pacific, spending three months finalizing their training. It was during
the first week of August that Tibbets named his B-29 the Enola Gay,
after his mother. The plane, loaded with "Little Boy," an atomic bomb,
took off at 2:45 a.m. on August 6, 1945 for its historic mission to
Hiroshima.

Tibbetts' flight activity report continues after WWII, documenting his
involvement in high-level military operations of the day including
Operation Crossroads and the Bikini Atoll tests of 1946. His post-war
career included deployments in France, Savannah, GA, MacDill Air Force
Base in Tampa, FL, and in India. Tibbets retired from military service
at the rank of Brigadier General in 1966.

For the third consecutive year the auctioneer's Fine Books and
Manuscripts auction is timed to coincide with the California
International Antiquarian Book Fair (ABAA), the 41st annual event, held
this year in Los Angeles. For local Southern CA patrons and Book Fair
attendees, the customary Sunset Boulevard preview hours will be adjusted
-- opening a day earlier - on Thursday, February 15th, as well, opening
each an hour earlier - 9am-5pm on Friday and Saturday.

Also on the block in February and expected to interest collectors is a
first edition of F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece The Great Gatsby with
a very rare unrestored dust jacket (est. $120/140,000); a massive
archive of papers and photographs relating to Former President Ronald
Reagan (est. $100/150,000); a fine copy of An Inquiry into the Nature
and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith (est. $60/80,000) and
signed letter from John F. Kennedy to a leading American socialist,
pacifist and six-time presidential candidate, Norman Thomas, regarding
Nuclear testing (est. $8/12,000).

Titanic Wreckage and Ephemera Highlight
First 2008 Sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts at
Bonhams & Butterfields

Fragment from lifeboat that carried the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown
to be offered on February 17th

Within the Fine Books & Manuscripts auction at Bonhams & Butterfields on
Sunday, February 17, 2008 are five lots of ephemera related to the
infamous British luxury passenger liner RMS Titanic. Crowned jewel of
the White Star Liner at the time, the vessel sunk during its maiden
voyage in the early hours of April 15, 1912. Nearly 96-years later, the
Titanic disaster, mythology and items surrounding the tragic event have
continued to fascinate millions.

Among the offerings at Bonhams are wreckage and recovery items,
including: a piece of perhaps the most famous of all Titanic's lifeboats
-boat #6; an original Titanic silver print photograph-postcard; an
advertisement for Titanic's return voyage on April 20, 1912; several
period press clippings from the New York Herald, Pennsylvania Chronicle
and News and the Christian Herald Magazine; and sheet music
memorializing the disaster -- as well as two copies of a book on the
tragedy.

Lifeboat #6 is perhaps the most notable of all the Titanic lifeboats -
of which there were far too few. It was the first vessel lowered
overboard and it carried the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, who, according to
legend, forced her crewman to turn back and search for survivors. In
1986, #6 was offered for sale at an antiques exposition in Atlantic
City, New Jersey where it was identified as the last surviving lifeboat
from the historic disaster.

To be offered is a piece of molding removed from the top rear side of
Titanic lifeboat #6, the wood fragment measures nearly four-inches long.
The lot is accompanied by a copy of a ticket to the 1986 Atlantic City
antiques show, a framed inscribed card from survivor Edwina MacKenzie,
and a clipped newspaper photo of lifeboat #6. The lot is expected to
bring $3,000-5,000 on February 17th.

The next Titanic lot to be featured comprises a 2 ¾-inch steel bolt with
attached nut. Painted silver, it is accompanied by a period note
reading: Bolt from companionway picked up by Cable Str Minia from
wreckage of Str Titanic Lost Apl 15, 1912, 1635 perished. Also included
in the lot is a three-inch by 1 ½-inch diameter fragment of steel
telegraph cable with a partial tag (est. $5/7,000). Both items were
recovered by the crew of the Minia, who were laying cable in the
Atlantic when recruited to join the rescue/recovery mission. Many
surviving fragments from the Titanic were fished out of the water by the
Minia crew.

A fine and rare example of an original silver print picture-postcard of
Titanic will also be on the block (est. $300/500). Measuring 3 ½ by 5
½-inches, the image depicts the vessel at Belfast and had been printed
in Vienna, postmarked from Breda and mailed to St. Petersburg shortly
following the disaster. Five period postcards of Titanic, c. 1912, most
3 ½ by 5 ½ inches, will also be offered in a grouped lot (est.
$600/900). All were published post-disaster, two mailed with May 1912
postmarks.

Also featured within the Titanic ephemera will be an additional group
lot featuring a rare advertisement from the February 28, 1912 edition of
the New York Evening Post for Titanic's return voyage, slated for April
20, 1912; a special edition of the New York Herald dated April 21, 1912
headlined by "The foundering of the Titanic;" an April 15, 1912 edition
of the Allentown, Pennsylvania Chronicle and News, reporting the story
of the Titanic striking an iceberg and that the ship was "in danger of
sinking;" a copy of the Christian Herald Magazine with coverage of the
disaster; sheet music memorializing the disaster; and two copies of The
Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters (1912). This large group
lot is expected to fetch $400 to $600.

The auction will be simulcast between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The property will be exhibited in both cities, the auction timed to
coincide with the 41st California International Antiquarian Book Fair
(ABAA). For local patrons and Book Fair attendees, the sale's preview
hours will be adjusted -- opening a day earlier - on Thursday, February
14, and open for extended hours: 9am-5pm on Friday and Saturday.

Additional volumes on offer will include an extremely rare first
edition, first printing of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 20th century
masterpiece The Great Gatsby (est. $120,000/140,000); a massive archive
of papers and photographs relating to Former US President Ronald Reagan
(est. $100,000/150,000); one of the most important World War II aviation
manuscripts from US pilot Brigadier General Paul Tibbets, Captain of the
Enola Gay (est. $100,000/150,000), a rare copy of Wealth of Nations by
Adam Smith (est. $60,000/80,000) and a signed letter from John F.
Kennedy to a leading American socialist, pacifist, and six-time
presidential candidate Norman Thomas (est. $8,000/12,000).

Estate of Famed Hollywood Photographer to be Offered in April at Bonhams
& Butterfields in Los Angeles

Spring auction to feature furnishings and decorative arts
from the Estate of Wallace Seawell

Fine European furniture and decorative arts come to auction at Bonhams &
Butterfields in Los Angeles on April 28, 2008. The 500-lot sale will
offer an array of works for varied tastes and collecting levels,
showcasing pieces from the 16th through the 20th centuries, and
highlighted by property from the estate of famed Hollywood photographer
Wallace Seawell.

Known by friends and admirers as a well-mannered man and a 'dapper
dresser,' Seawell had a rapport with celebrities allowing him to capture
intimate expressions and poses not accessible to a lesser photographer.
His brilliant career spanned more than six decades, snapping portraits
of such Hollywood greats and international figures as: Bette Davis,
Audrey Hepburn, George Burns, Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, Johnny
Mathis, Diana Ross, Peggy Lee, former President Lyndon Johnson, the Duke
and Duchess of Windsor, the King and Queen of Siam, the "Queen of
Comedy" Lucille Ball, the "Queen of Nice "Doris Day, among countless
others.

Born in Atlanta in 1916, Seawell aspired to become a portrait painter.
In 1937 he was awarded a scholarship to the Ringling School of Art and
Design, a private college of professional visual arts and design located
in Sarasota, Florida. It was during this time that Seawell discovered
his passion for photography and transferred to the Rochester Institute
of Technology. Following his graduation (with honors in 1940), Seawell
went to work for Eastman Fashion Studio in New York City, becoming the
chief set designer and fashion photographer.

After World War II, Seawell moved to Los Angeles where he produced and
designed training films for the Army Signal Corps. Following this, he
joined the studio of celebrated West Coast photographer Paul Hesse.

Seawell then began taking photographs for movie studios and fan
magazines, shooting Hollywood and recording stars. His reputation for
being forthright and creating an atmosphere of comfort for his sitters
made him a preferred shooter for the stars. He earned international
acclaim shooting the portraits of former President Lyndon B. Johnson and
royals.

Highlights from the Estate of Wallace Seawell include: a handsome pair
of Continental Neoclassical-style carved giltwood console tables, circa
1900 (est. $5/8,000); an early 20th century Empire-style gilt bronze
mounted mahogany center table, with a malachite veneered top (est.
$3/5,000); a charming suite of Empire-style gilt bronze mounted mahogany
seat furniture in Egyptian Revival taste (est. $5/8,000); a pair of
enchanting Italian Baroque figural terms, 18th century and later (est.
$5/8,000); a pair of 18th century Italian Baroque Parcel Gilt and faux
blue marble Solomonic Columns on later stands (est. $3/5,000); and an
Empire-style gilt bronze mounted mahogany 20th century suite of seat
furniture, comprising armchairs, a pair of side chairs and a sofa (est.
$5/8,000).

Return