Dinesh Kumar
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What your child reads in the early stages of schooling is crucial. If you try to jog your memory and remember the books you read as a child, the first title that popped up is that of a book that ticked all the boxes. As simple as it might seem, writing a children's book isn't an everyday chore at the farm!
Author Michael D Eastwood, also known as Cowboy Mike, brings you the perfect book for your child. A Day in The Life of Cowboy Mike and Winston is a fun read that will certainly help your little ones learn a thing or two.
Let's hop into why that is. Howdy!
Illustrations
From the vivid greenery at the big farm to beautifully sketched characters, the book is masterfully illustrated to make your child want to pick up a pencil and try to give each page their own spin. Each farm animal is given a friendly and welcoming design. You'll see cows mooing, chickens clucking, and a few of Winston's fellow horses galloping about at the big farm.
Humor
Everyone wants a good laugh. Michael D Eastwood chooses a comical and lighthearted approach when writing. When Cowboy Mike is working at the farm with his miniature pony friend, Winston, he is also seen sharing some fun moments with him too. Each turn of the page will make your child wish they were living on the farm. That's how cheerful the writing is.
Friendship
What's more fun than good old friendship? Needless to say, as soon as you delve into the book, you know Winston and Cowboy Mike have a bond beyond the regular pet-owner relationship. Cowboy Mike truly cares for Winston and treats him with respect. Whether catering to Winston's growling stomach or tucking him to bed at night, the pet-owner bond is adorably portrayed. If anything, your child might ask you to get them their own Winston by the end of the book.
Being Productive is Fun!
Thinking of limiting yourself to a routine can get pretty boring. As Cowboy Mike and Winston get through the day, Michael D Eastwood shows just how fun being productive with your friend can be. This can also help you motivate your child to form healthy routines and habits by looking at their best friends, Cowboy Mike, and Winston, as they go through their day at the farm. From starting your day right with some yummy breakfast to having a 12 P.M. routine bath, your child will want to set a similar routine.
But perhaps the book is so fun because it teaches children the importance of nature and how beautiful life can be away from the city's hustle and bustle. Where most people are busy with their phones and disengaged with reality, Michael D Eastwood depicts just how wholesome it can be to be kind to animals.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab a copy of A Day In The Life of Cowboy Mike & Winston to help your child saddle on all the fun! www.michaeldeastwood.com or www.pony4precious.org
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Dinesh Kumar
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Melbourne, VIC, Australia, March 27, 2023 -- Soccer Mastermind, a leading online resource for soccer coaching and parenting, has released a new guide to help parents and players understand the importance of motivation in soccer. The guide provides insights into the various factors that impact soccer motivation and offers practical tips for enhancing motivation both on and off the field.
Soccer is a game that requires physical and mental preparation, and motivation plays a crucial role in both aspects. Without proper motivation, players can struggle to perform at their best, both individually and as a team. Soccer Mastermind's new guide provides parents and players with a better understanding of the importance of motivation and how it can be harnessed to improve performance.
The guide covers a range of topics related to soccer motivation, including the psychology of motivation, the different types of motivation, and the factors that influence motivation in soccer players. The guide also offers practical tips and strategies for boosting motivation, such as setting goals, maintaining focus, and cultivating a positive team environment.
According to Soccer Mastermind's founder, "Motivation is essential for success in soccer, both at the individual and team level. Our new guide is designed to help coaches and players understand the factors that impact motivation and provide practical strategies for enhancing motivation on the field. We believe this guide will be a valuable resource for anyone involved in soccer, from youth players to professional coaches."
The guide is available for free on the Soccer Mastermind website and is designed to be accessible to both parents and players. It is written in clear and concise language and includes practical examples and real-world scenarios to help readers apply the concepts to their own experiences.
Soccer Mastermind is a leading provider of online soccer coaching and education resources. The company offers a range of training programs, coaching certifications, and instructional videos to help coaches and players at all levels of the game. The company's mission is to promote excellence in soccer coaching and education and to help players reach their full potential.
Last but not least, if you’re passionate about soccer or a subject matter expert and would like to contribute your thoughts, experiences and insights, please make sure to reach out to us. If you would like us to write for you and contribute to your site, please make contact via social media.
For more information visit the website at http://www.soccermastermind.com
Dinesh Kumar
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Reno, NV, USA, March 25, 2023 -- Holabird Western Americana Collections will hold its first live sale since the world record-breaking second (and final) SS Central America shipwreck artifacts auction held March 4-5, online and live in Reno. Virtual catalogs for the SSCA sales are still available on the Holabird website (HolabirdAmericana.com) and include numerous research essays and articles.
“Out of the ocean and back on dry land, we’re pleased to present a phenomenal Big Bonanza Auction,” said Fred Holabird, president of Holabird Western Americana Collections. “This is a four-day sale – Thursday, March 30th, through Sunday, April 2nd. It has over 2,000 lots in many categories that include mining, philatelic, numismatic, railroad, Native Americana and more.”
The auction will be held online (via iCollector.com, LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com), as well as live in the Holabird gallery located at 3555 Airway Drive (Suite # 308) in Reno, Nev. Color catalogs are available by calling 1-844-492-2766, or 775-851-1859. Start times all four days are 8 am Pacific time. Telephone and absentee bids will be accepted.
Mr. Holabird said that since the auction features Part 1 of what he called “the best Comstock mining collection ever to hit the market,” the auction name was chosen to honor the “Big Bonanza” ore discovery in Virginia City, Nevada in 1873. Part 1 will focus on mining stock certificates, ore specimens, ephemera and publications. Each group contains spectacular items.
The ephemera group features pieces dating back to the very beginning of the Comstock mining rush. These include the following:
- An 1859 mining deed for the Ophir claim, signed by Judge Walsh and mentioning the original discoverers. Holabird is calling it the “Comstock Founding Fathers” mining deed (lot 4204) and it is worthy of an advanced private collection or institutional collection.
- An 1860 illustrated “Wash-Oh!” lettersheet (lot 4205) with a spectacular cartoon highlighting the dangers of mining stock speculation.
- An 1859 letter mentioning some of the first Ore Comstock assays.
The collection also features hundreds of Comstock checks with great rarities, revenue types and key autographs. Included in this group is the Chollar-Potosi RN check with a violet stamp (lot 4151), the rarest of all the Nevada revenue checks.
The ore collection includes high-grade gold and silver specimens from key Comstock mines, including the Crown Point, Chollar, California, Gould & Curry, Hale & Norcross and Ophir mines. Many are from the famous Gottschalk Ore Collection, with original labels.
The stock certificate section is phenomenal, with key autograph pieces and dozens of territorial items, including perhaps the earliest Comstock mining stock ever issued. Also featured are 1870s-1880s stocks from the key major mines, which are often rarer that territorial pieces.
In addition to the Comstock collection, the auction will be supplemented by rarities from the Gary Bracken collection; the Jim and Barbara Sherman Private Western Mining Museum collection; the Joe Elcano Nevada collection; and the Chunlin Zhu mineral collection.
The lifetime collection of Oklahoma lawyer Gary Bracken features a large philatelic component, including U.S. and foreign covers and lettersheets; rare stamps and express covers; and items from the famous 101 Ranch, including a beaded gun belt (lot 4017); Colorado bottles, stocks and ephemera, including a great Baby Doe Tabor archive (lot 1238); and Native American pottery.
A new round of rarities from the Jim and Barbara Sherman Private Western Mining Museum includes artifacts from Western forts in Arizona, New Mexico, Montana and Wyoming; rare 19th century ammunition; antique firearms, including a Confederate revolver and Winchester rifles; and Civil War memorabilia.
A new batch of railroad and steamer passes from a private collection, many featuring wonderful vignettes, are always a huge hit with collectors. A key piece is a Central Pacific pass signed by Collis P. Huntington (lot 1009), one of the “Big Four”.
The numismatics section will highlight a new group of scarce Nevada national banknotes (to include Elko, Ely and Reno); liberty war bonds; U.S. gold coins and coin collections; Nevada and California medals; and more.
The auction will also showcase a major new offering: rare printers’ plates from the American Bank Note Company, plus other engravers. These plates were used for currency as well as stocks and bonds, and have been lotted in both the Stock and Currency sections of the catalog. The collection has never come to market before and should generate excitement among collectors.
Native Americana should be a strong category. In addition to the Bracken collection, the section also includes arrowheads, beadwork and clothing, Sioux peace pipes, cradleboards and jewelry.
In addition to the Comstock collection, the mining and minerals category also includes California assay ephemera, mining documents from Colorado and Montana, mineral and fossil specimens from the Chunlin Zhu collection, and mining artifacts.
General Americana is a broad category, one that will feature a nice group of ephemera from Western states (in particular California, Colorado, Montana and Nevada, to include rare West Coast directories and Gold Rush checks and exchanges; plus sub-categories such as art, jewelry, gaming, political memorabilia and sports (including letters from baseball legend Connie Mack).
Anyone owning a collection that might fit into a Holabird Western Americana Collections auction is encouraged to get in touch. The firm travels throughout the U.S., to see and pick up collections. The company has agents all over America and will travel to inspect most collections.
To learn more about Holabird Western Americana Collections and the four-day Big Bonanza Auction, March 30th-April 2nd, online and live in the Reno gallery, visit www.holabirdamericana.com. Updates are posted often.
Dinesh Kumar
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A 1951 Ford Custom Convertible and White Rose Gasoline Signs Lead Miller & Miller's March 11 Auction
New Hamburg, ON, Canada, March 24, 2023 -- A pair of Canadian White Rose Gasoline service station signs from the 1940s sold for a combined $63,130, and a red 1951 Ford Custom convertible car sped off for $17,700 in an online-only Petroliana & Advertising auction held on March 11th by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., based in New Hamburg. Prices quoted are in Canadian dollars.
“It was a well-rounded sale full of quality, fresh-to-the-market, investment-grade material,” said Ethan Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. “Buyers jumped on many high-grade and seldom seen signs. With many rare pieces hitting the market after years tucked away in private collections, this was an exciting opportunity for collectors.”
Mr. Miller added, “We continue to see strong results in the petroliana and advertising categories. It’s all on fire. Nearly half of the top fifty lots exceeded their high-end estimates. The upward trend continues. Condition has always been the great divider. Many of the top lots sold to buyers that were investing in condition. Some of the numbers were staggering.”
The top lot of the auction was a round White Rose Gasoline double-sided porcelain sign, six feet in diameter and marked “P&M Orillia” lower edge. It blasted through its $10,000-$13,000 estimate to finish at $44,250. The other White Rose sign – a three-piece single-sided porcelain banner sign – the more difficult-to-find scaled up version of the set, with the round center sign 48 inches in diameter (typically 36 inches) and each of the banners 119 ½ inches long, hit $18,880.
The 1951 Ford Custom convertible, professionally repainted in Carnival Red, retained its original 239 cubic inch flathead V8 engine with two-barrel carburetor and a three-speed manual transmission. The car had just 82,870 original miles and was a mostly original low-mileage survivor with a straight-fitting body. It was built in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and spent years in Edmonton, in a salt-free environment. Remarkably, it fell short of its $20,000-$25,000 estimate.
Just over 300 lots came up for bid in an auction that grossed $419,225 and featured categories that included automobiles, petroliana (gas station collectibles), breweriana (beer collectibles), soda advertising, bicycles and advertising signs. A total of 433 registered bidders combined for 6,726 bids. Online bidding was via LiveAuctioneers.com and MillerandMillerAuctions.com.
Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices include an 18 percent buyer’s premium.
The two runners-up to the top three finishers posted identical selling prices of $12,980. One was a Canadian 1950s North Star Gasoline double-sided porcelain service station sign, 71 ¼ inches in diameter, that bested its $7,000-$9,000 estimate. The other was a Canadian 1930s Red Indian Gasoline single-sided porcelain service station sign, 60 inches in diameter, marked “The W. F. Vilas Co. Ltd., Cowansville, P.Q.” lower center edge. It was also estimated at $7,000-$9,000.
The Ford brand was well represented in the auction and managed to muscle its way into the list of top lots. A few of the better performers are as follows:
- A Canadian 1940s single-sided porcelain Ford Monarch dealer sign with bullnose ends, 45 ¼ inches by 74 inches. It would have originally been displayed with a second sign, identical to this one, attached back-to-back, creating a double-sided sign ($10,030).
- A Canadian Ford “winged pyramid” double-sided porcelain sign from the 1920s, retaining the original hanging loops and short lengths of chain, 12 inches by 30 inches. The sign went way over its $3,500-$5,000 estimate to change hands for $8,850.
- An American 1940s Ford Dealer single-sided porcelain sign made for neon by the Frohling Sign Co. (Nanuet, N.Y.), measuring 29 ½ inches by 60 ½ inches ($5,605).
A 1930s French Canadian single-sided porcelain sign for Molson’s Beer, a “hotel sign” with script in French that translates to “Here we serve Molson’s Beer”, rare, with great color and gloss, 23 ¼ inches by 48 ¼ inches, rang up $8,850. Also, an American Coca-Cola double-sided porcelain drug store sign, marked “Tenn Enamel Mfg. Nashville” and “Made in U.S.A. 1933” lower left, impressive at 48 inches by 63 inches, went to a determined bidder for $7,080.
A Canadian 1930s McColl-Frontenac single-sided porcelain grease gun holder sign, marked “The W. F. Vilas Co. Limited, Cowansville, P.Q.” lower edge, 64 inches by 40 ¼ inches, rang up $5,015; while an American Dodge Trucks / DeSoto single-sided porcelain neon sign from the 1940s, originally outfitted with neon and stout at 44 ¼ inches by 72 inches, garnered $5,900.
One of the sleepers of the sale was an Indian 1940s-era Eveready Flashlights, Batteries & Bulbs single-sided porcelain sign in excellent condition, showing a detailed image of a small man in a pillbox hat carrying a flashlight across a line of batteries, 19 ¼ images by 30 inches and boasting exceptional color and gloss. Only expected to bring $1,200-$1,500, it ended up rising to $5,605.
An NOS (new old stock) 1971 Schwinn Sting-Ray three-speed muscle bike, made in America in 1971 with applied decals and rubber components, painted campus green, including factory sales literature, left the room for $7,670. The bicycle came from a closed down Schwinn dealership in the U.S. and was originally found in the factory-sealed box with the original order slip attached.
An American Winchester Repeating Arms Co. 1897 calendar on lithographed paper, with artwork signed by the famed illustration artist A.B. Frost titled A Chance Shot and An Interrupted Dinner, 27 inches by 14 ½ inches, hit the mark for $5,310. Winchester began issuing an advertising calendar each year beginning in 1887 and still does so to this day.
Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd. will hold a Canadiana & Decorative Arts auction on Saturday, March 25th, followed the very next day by a Historic Lamps & Lighting auction. Then, on Saturday, May 13th, the firm will offer the Jean-Marc & Danielle Belzile Collection, live, at 20000 Route Transcanadienne, Baie-d’Urfe, in Quebec, HX9 0B3. The spring season will end with two sales in June: Petroliana & Advertising (June 10th) and Luxury Watches (Date TBD).
To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and their calendar of upcoming events, visit www.millerandmillerauctions.com.
About Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.:
Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is Canada’s trusted seller of high-value collections and is always accepting quality consignments. The firm specializes in watches and jewelry, art, antiques and high-value collectibles. Its mission is to provide collectors with a trusted place to buy and sell. To consign a single piece, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (519) 573-3710; or, you can e-mail them at info@millerandmillerauctions.com. To learn more, please visit www.millerandmillerauctions.com.
Dinesh Kumar
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Kansas City, MO, March 23, 2023 -- For more than two decades, Angela Harris has had a mission: provide dry cleaners with options that are better for the environment. That path featured 10 years helping dry cleaners turn towards reusable packaging as an executive for The Green Garmento. In what seems a “natural transition” in more ways than one, that journey has led to a role as the new business development executive for GreenEarth® Cleaning--the world’s largest brand of environmentally friendly dry cleaning, offering the industry’s only non-toxic cleaning alternative.
In her role as business development director, Harris will spearhead the effort to convert dry cleaners and other institutions with internal laundry service—e.g. hospitality, commercial real estate, etc.—over to GreenEarth® Cleaning’s non-toxic fluid and cleaning system.
“Having interacted with Angela at trade shows and industry events, sharing flights back to KC and knowing her as a client at her previous position, we always felt that she was aligned with all that GreenEarth® stands for,” said Tim Maxwell, president of GreenEarth® Cleaning. “We are over the moon about adding Angela to our team and leading the effort to continue the growth of GreenEarth® worldwide.”
Harris’ career began in medical sales in California before transitioning to the dry cleaning world in 1999 with Steamer Cleaners, an upscale Sherman Oaks garment care provider. The native Kansan returned in 2013 to work for Green Garmento where she remained until taking the opportunity with GreenEarth®.
“Family was one of the primary reasons I returned to the Kansas City area 10 years ago. And if I’m being honest, the feeling of family at GreenEarth® is one of the things that drew me in, first as a client and now as a member of the team,” said Harris. “I cannot wait to really get started and bring GreenEarth® to even more cleaners throughout the world.”
A graduate of the University of Kansas, Harris was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority and has remained active with the organization as a board member of the TAU Building Association. She’s also been an enthusiastic volunteer for the Wayside Waifs animal shelter.
GreenEarth® is the world’s largest brand of environmentally friendly dry cleaning, offering the industry’s only non-toxic cleaning alternative. Garments cleaned in the GreenEarth® Cleaning system do not have that traditional dry cleaning smell and feel softer to the touch. Not only does GreenEarth® make the clothes look and feel better, it extends the life of them as well.
GreenEarth® Cleaning was formed almost 25 years ago by founders General Electric, Procter & Gamble and three dry cleaners, Jim Barry, Ron Benjamin, and Jim Douglas, who sought to improve the industry by providing a safe and non-toxic alternative to perc, the predominant solvent in use at the time. Since 1999, GreenEarth® Cleaning has provided an environmentally non-toxic technology to thousands of dry cleaners around the globe who in turn have cleaned some 600 million pounds of clothes during that time.
“Our sustainable technology enables GreenEarth® cleaners to use less energy and less chemicals, saving them money and being better for the environment. Since the pure fluid we use is silicon-based and not the chlorine-based chemicals traditionally used in dry cleaning, the cleaning process is proven to be environmentally non-toxic, allowing GreenEarth® affiliates to reduce or even eliminate hazardous waste fees,” said Maxwell. “That’s why the technology has been widely embraced by not only dry cleaners, but by the real estate, financial, insurance, garment manufacturing, and retail sectors as well.
For more information on GreenEarth® Cleaning, visit https://www.greenearthcleaning.com
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Chicago, IL, Boston, MA and Hanover, MA, March 23, 2023 -- Brookline Transportation, Inc. (BTI), a Mayflower Van Lines agent specializing in commercial, lab, medical, science and residential moves, recently completed the second phase of the relocation of the laboratory of Nobel Prize winner Dr. Jack Szostak from the Richard Simches Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital to the Searle Chemistry Lab at the University of Chicago. The move took place February 23 to February 28.
The initial move took place at the end of September 2022. A redundant lab was kept at Mass General as a contingency plan. Once the lab at the University of Chicago was set up completely, Phase two was scheduled.
“The redundant lab strategy safeguards labs against things beyond the mover’s control. Heaven forbid if there was some malfunction or accident in a move and all specimens were lost,” said George Rohlfing, owner of LabMovers.com and the family-owned and operated Brookline Transportation, Inc (BTI). “The second phase to move Dr. Szostak’s remaining specimens and equipment is smaller but also involves many of the challenges of the first phase.”
Some of those challenges included providing customized crating for the lab’s Typhoon imager and assisting in packing the machine. The move also required a permit from the University of Chicago so BTI could have access to the quad near the Searle Chemistry Lab.
“Accessing the lab through the quad meant transferring items from our 18-wheeler to a smaller truck,” added Rohlfing.
On February 28, BTI’s team unloaded the truck for the Nobel Prize winner. Mission accomplished.
“For both moves, George really listened to my concerns and put those into action. He consolidated items going to the same part of the lab on pallets. Those pallets were then delivered to where they would go in the lab. So, when it came time to unpack it wasn’t a treasure hunt. Everything was right where it was supposed to be,” said Fanny Ng, Szostak Lab Manager.
Dr. Szostak was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, along with Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol W. Greider, for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres. His achievement helped scientists to map the location of genes in mammals and to develop techniques for manipulating genes. His research findings in this area are also instrumental to the Human Genome Project.
In addition to lab moves, BTI offers a wide range of relocations services for its Government, Medical, Lab & Scientific and commercial customers. For complete information on BTI’s relocation services, please visit https://www.usamover.com/ or https://labmovers.com or call 800-766-7724.
About Brookline Transportation, Inc. (BTI):
Since its founding in 1943, BTI has coordinated and executed thousands of commercial and residential moves throughout the greater Boston area to Cape Cod. As a Mayflower Agent, BTI has the capability to conduct international and cross-country relocations.
BTI’s services include: Professional Packing; Special Crating; Storage, Loading & Unloading Services, Workplace Services, and Decommissioning Services. For more information on Brookline Transportation services, visit https://www.usamover.com/specialized-moving/lab-science-moving/or call (781) 561-1033/ 1-800-766-7724.
Dinesh Kumar
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Rare Antique Maps, An Einstein Signed Letter and A Carousel Giraffe Top Neue Auctions' March 11 Sale
Beachwood, OH, USA, March 22, 2023 -- Talk about an eclectic sale. The top five lots in Neue Auctions’ Estate Fine Art and Antiques auction held online March 11th were a pair of rare old antique maps that combined for a staggering $147,600; a typed letter signed by Albert Einstein ($10,455); a carved and painted carousel giraffe ($9,840); and a stoneware vessel made by Claude Conover ($7,380).
The 342-lot auction was filled with fine art, antiques, Mid-Century Modern, Modern Art, sterling, bronzes, decorative arts, printwork, maps, fine furniture, carpets and more, from prominent estates and collections. Internet bidding was provided by LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. All prices quoted are inclusive of the 23 percent buyer’s premium.
By far the top lot of the auction was a map of the Persian and Red Seas, after Claudius Ptolemy, Geographica, circa 1482 or later, 12 ½ inches by 22 inches. The engraved woodcut with original color was after Ptolemy's Cosmographia, showing Sinus Persicus (Persian Gulf) and Sinus Arabicus (Red Sea), a map of the Arabian Peninsula. The map blasted through its modest pre-sale estimate of $3,000-$6,000 to gavel for $110,700.
The other map was a 17th century Dutch Baroque map, Pascaarte van alle de Zecusten van Europa, published by Anthonie Jacobsz (Amsterdam), as seen in the lower cartouche. The map, in a 35 ½ inch by 42 ½ inch frame under old rolled glass, was rare and obscure, made on animal skin vellum. It sailed past the $4,000-$8,000 estimate, bringing $36,900.
The two-page typed letter signed by Einstein was dated 1950 on the physicist’s stamped letterhead (Princeton, N.J.), written in German and addressed to the well-known medalist and portraitist Prof. Artur Immanuel Lowental of Vienna. It regarded Mr. Lowental’s not being paid for a commissioned bust/medal of Einstein, who was sympathetic in the letter.
The sale’s expected top lot was the unusual but rare and visually striking carved and painted carousel giraffe, crafted circa 1910 by Gustav and William Dentzel. The restored giraffe, 64 ½ inches tall, featured inset glass eyes and was saddle carved with eagle’s heads and green and red painted saddle details. It sold near its high estimate of $10,000.
The stoneware vessel by Claude Conover (American, 1907-1994), titled Siyab, was ovoid form with a cylindrical neck, 19 inches tall by 15 inches wide and decorated all over in a pattern of small stylized rectangles. It was signed and titled to the base by Mr. Conover, who worked as a commercial designer for over thirty years before turning full-time to ceramics.
An oil on canvas painting by Pittsburgh native artist Joseph Ryan Woodwell (1843-1911), titled Magnolia, Massachusetts, Coastline with Two Figures, artist signed lower left and housed in a 38 inch by 47 inch frame, finished at $4,182. Woodwell was a member of the Scalp Level School, named for the area of Pennsylvania where they all gathered to paint.
Other top achievers of the fine art category included an oil on canvas by Antoine Bouvard (French, 1913-1972), titled Venice, Doge’s Palace from the Canal, signed and in a 30 inch by 41 inch frame ($2,952); and an oil on canvas by Jean Salabet (Spanish/French, 1913-1995), titled Paris Street, signed and 10 inches by 13 inches, less frame ($2,460).
In the Asian category, a Chinese antique six-fold screen with scenes of figures at various pursuits in a village, probably made for the Western Export market in the 20th century, 6 feet 11 inches by 8 feet (unfolded) fetched $2,583; and an 18th century Chinese Export porcelain tureen on a stand, rectangular form with canted sides, the domed cover having a scroll finial top, nicely decorated with figures in a pavilion and a garden. It brought $984.
A late 18th or early 19th century English Leeds Pottery creamware chestnut basket, 9 inches tall, having a footed bowl form base with applied entwined handles and applied bellflower swags, changed hands for $3,567, besting its pre-sale estimate of $500-$800.
Other wonderful decorative accessories featured a Sevres Chateau des Tuileries Art Nouveau vase of baluster form, decorated with a standing maiden with a halo of gilded flowers, on a bronze base, 28 ½ inches tall ($2,706); and a 19th century stamped Tiffany sterling tazza (circa 1873-1891), wide shallow bowl form with applied handles on a pedestal and domed foot and chased with repousse floral blossoms and leaves ($2,091).
The furniture category was led by a group of 12 Art Nouveau mahogany dining chairs, circa 1900 and later, comprising six chairs by Louis Majorelle (French 1859-1926) in the Epis de Ble (Wheat sheaf) motif, together with six hand-made copies, each with a narrow upholstered back carved with a sheaf of wheat pattern at the top of the side rails ($5,160).
Additional top-performing pieces of furniture included a pair of Afra and Tobia Scarpa Soriana ottomans, manufactured by Cassina for Atelier International in the 1970s, having upholstered leather forms with tufted tops ($4,059); and a Louis XIV (or Regence style) gilt bronze mounted bureauplat, modern, having a rectangular top with a tooled inset leather writing surface centered by a frieze drawer, on squared tapering legs ($2,460).
Two artists who did quite well in the face of very modest estimates were Pablita Velarde (Santa Clara, 1918-2006) and Rafael Ferrer (Puerto Rico/U.S. born, 1933). Velarde’s gouache on paper paintings titled Ceremonial Procession and Buffalo Dancer, both signed and framed, sold for $2,952 and $2,460, respectively; while four crayon on brown paper bag mask drawings by Ferrer from 1973, all artist initialed, combined for $10,701.
Next up for Neue Auctions is an online-only Civil War-Americana auction planned for Friday, April 14th. It will be a timed auction on LiveAuctioneers.com. Bidding will open when the catalog is posted online the weekend of April 1st. For more information, please visit www.NeueAuctions.com.
About Neue Auctions:
Cynthia Maciejewksi and Bridget McWilliams can be reached by phone at 216-245-6707; or, you can email them at cynthia@neueauctions.com or bridget@neueauctions.com. For more information, please visit www.NeueAuctions.com.
Dinesh Kumar
posted a blog.
Singapore, Mar 16, 2023 -- BIJOUX Ultra Lounge presents its NFT-centric vision for the future of the food and beverage (F&B) industry this March 24th, 2023 at the Sofitel Sentosa, Singapore. Unlike most NFT club memberships that offer only clubbing benefits, BIJOUX takes the concept a notch up and offers the chance of experiencing ultra lounge ownership. The trendsetting club will also be accepting payment in both fiat and cryptocurrency.
Based in Manila, the Philippines, BIJOUX Ultra Lounge is an elite nightclub and fashion show establishment that has partnered with Asia’s most successful female DJ Nicole Chen. The globetrotting DJ has performed on decks all around the world including the prestigious Ultra Japan and Ultra Korea dance festivals.
Web3 technologies such as blockchain have been a major influence in the finance sector, with the global cryptocurrencies market cap currently at over US$1 Trillion as of this writing. 2021 was of course the year of the NFT, where artists made history with their NFT art sales such as Beeple with his montage ‘Everydays: The First 5000’ that sold for US$69 million at Christie’s auction house or Pak whose art piece ‘The Merge’ collected US$91.8 Million on Nifty Gateway, bought by 28,983 collectors who purchased 300,000 plus pieces units of the project. According to Statista, global NFT revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of 22.82% resulting in a projected total amount of US$8.068 Billion by 2027 and the number of NFT users is expected to reach 64.45 million. NFTs or non-fungible tokens are, for the uninitiated, one-of-a-kind digital tokens on a blockchain that can convey ownership of digital assets such as images, videos, music or, as is the case with BIJOUX, a world first use-case of an ultra lounge club ownership.
The BIJOUX NFTs also grant holders a number of club benefits such as VIP access, food, drink and club booking discounts, free guest entry, private event invitations, bottle storage and other third-party airdrops. With two price tiers at US$100 and US$2,500 per NFT, these digital certificates are designed to give both ‘Loungers’ and ‘Spenders’ the true VIP experience of decentralized club ownership in the sunny Philippines, a country where over 30 percent of all adults own NFTs. Created with the latest dynamic NFT technology, the BIJOUX NFTs have the capability to monitor the ultra lounge in real-time.
BIJOUX Ultra Lounge NFT Collection Launch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usYV6lJ3F7E
BIJOUX’s innovative F&B solution includes the component of ownership through the limited NFT collection which will be explained in greater detail at the Sofitel Sentosa event. Indeed, the BIJOUX Ultra Lounge NFTs present an interesting opportunity to explore how Web3 technology can influence club culture within a decentralized stakeholder economy.
The team behind the unique innovative club concepts have a wealth of experience in the Web3, NFT, startup, fashion and F&B sectors and will be presenting their vision on March 24th at So Spa, Sofitel Sentosa Singapore, where special offers will be available for each NFT purchased at the event. Thereafter, DJ Nicole will give the audience a taste of a BIJOUX party, performing her dynamic set. There will also be performances by two other DJs – DJ Amy and DJ Hiroshi.
More information on the March 24th event can be found here at this Eventbrite link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bijoux-the-future-of-fb-with-nft-tickets-580023414647
Dinesh Kumar
posted a blog.
Macon, GA, USA, March 16, 2023 -- Newly formed Opportunities 2 Auction House, based in Macon, will introduce itself to the collecting community with an online auction of original, unrestored vintage movie posters on Saturday, April 15th, starting at 10 am Eastern time. Over 140 lots will come up for bid from a single consignor. The catalog is live now and open for bidding, on LiveAuctioneers.com.
“These posters were purchased in the ‘90s from the estate of a theater proprietor,” said Karen Braswell, the owner of Opportunities 2 Auction House. “They’ve been stored ever since and have never been traded or sold. It’s like opening a time capsule. Many were never used for display and were still in the envelope, as originally shipped to the theater.”
The posters span four decades, from the 1960s to the 1990s. They include all genres, from action/adventure to musicals to horror, so there is something for just about anyone who’s ever been a fan of the movies or is a collector of movie posters. The collection includes inserts, door panels, one- and three-sheet posters and a Rolling Stones theater display.
Highlights will include style A and B one-sheet posters for Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi epic 2001: A Space Odyssey (MGM, 1968). The style B example is 27 inches by 41 inches and features artwork by Robert McCall. A one-sheet poster of the same size (standard for a one-sheet) for JAWS (Universal, 1975), directed by Steven Spielberg, with Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss, is visually arresting, with the iconic shark graphic.
James Bond fans will be treated to multiple offerings, including one-sheet and three-sheet versions of the poster for Thunderball (United Artists, 1965). The one-sheet, 27 inches by 41 inches, is the preferred version, as it features the back of the jet on 007 Bond’s back, extending above a green border. The three-sheet version is 41 inches by 84 inches. Both feature artwork by Robert McGinnis and Frank McCarthy. Also up for bid is a one-sheet poster for You Only Live Twice (United Artists, 1967), Style C, artwork by Mr. McGinnis.
A half-sheet poster for King Kong vs. Godzilla (Universal, 1963), depicting the two monsters engaged in battle, measures 22 inches by 28 inches. The movie was filmed in Japan and features an all-Japanese cast. Speaking of apes, a one-sheet poster for Go Ape! (20th Century Fox, 1974), from that year’s Planet of the Apes Film Festival, promoted the 1974 reissue of all five of the Planet of the Apes films, which enjoyed a huge audience.
A one-sheet poster for The Italian Job (Paramount, 1969), the classic caper film starring Michael Caine and a cult favorite, boasts fabulous graphics, making it one of the most highly sought after movie posters of the 1960s. Also offered will be two one-sheet posters for House of Dark Shadows (MGM, 1970), the film adaptation of the popular TV show of the era, with Jonathan Frid as vampire Barnabas Collins in the daytime horror soap opera.
Elvis fans rejoice! The King will appear multiple times in the auction, including a three-sheet poster (41 inches by 79 inches) for the film Spinout (MGM, 1966), co-starring Shelley Fabares of The Donna Reed Show fame, in two panels as originally produced; and a 14 inch by 36 inch insert for Viva Las Vegas (MGM, 1964), co-starring Ann-Margret, with color as vibrant as the movie itself, which paired two the biggest stars of the time.
Both Beatles movies that featured the Fab Four in live acting roles will be in the sale, including a three-sheet poster for HELP! (United Artists, 1965), in near-mint condition with vibrant colors, two panels as originally printed; and a one-sheet poster for A Hard Day’s Night (United Artists, 1964), the group’s black-and-white debut film (the poster is in color), directed by Richard Lester, co-starring Wilfred Brambell as Paul’s grandfather.
In addition to Jaws, the horror genre will include a three-sheet poster for Frankenstein Conquers the World, starring Nick Adams, and a one-sheet poster for Destroy All Monsters, with Andrew Hughes, artwork for both by Reynold Brown. Both films were distributed in 1969 by American International and featured American and Japanese actors.
A three-sheet poster for Doctor Zhivago (MGM, 1965), a film with a star-studded cast that included Omar Sharif, Geraldine Chaplin, Julie Christie, Rod Steiger and Sir Alec Guinness, is in two panels, as originally printed, and is overall 41 inches by 81 inches.
A three-sheet, one-panel poster for Once Upon a Time in the West (Paramount, 1969) is in near-mint condition. The movie was one of the greatest Westerns ever filmed and also had a star-studded cast, one that included Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson and Jason Robards.
Here’s a link to the auction online: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/279669_movie-posters-auction/
To learn more, visit http://www.opportunities2.com.
About Opportunities 2 Auction House:
Opportunities 2 Auction House is interested in quality consignments for future sales, in a wide range of categories not limited to movie posters. To inquire about consigning a single item, an estate or an entire collection, you may call (478) 461-4931; or, you can send an email to kdbraswell01@yahoo.com. The company website is http://www.opportunities2.com.
Dinesh Kumar
posted a blog.
Middleborough, MA, March 15, 2023 -- When Suncrafted Cannabis, a Holistic Health Group company, opened its doors for retail sales last fall, it promised to be a different kind of cannabis operation, with a focus on sustainable practices in cannabis production. At its grand opening on April 20—AKA 420—Suncrafted will show off its commitment to sustainability and innovative therapeutic cannabis products, as well as being a positive force in the local business community and the greater Massachusetts cannabis industry.
A ribbon-cutting with local officials and members of the business community and the general public will headline the April 20 grand opening. Food trucks will provide refreshments with live music for entertainment. Suncrafted Cannabis representatives will also be available to share information on its products and educate visitors on the benefits of cannabis beyond recreational use.
“420 is synonymous with smoking marijuana,” said Suncrafted Cannabis President Tim McNamara, referring to the now famous group of five students at San Rafael High School in Marin County, California who in 1971 began meeting at 4:20 p.m. to smoke marijuana. “Consumption is strictly prohibited at the facility and at our grand opening, but we will have a number of notable activities.”
Those other activities include the selection of a winner of an EforAll Pitch Contest—the E stands for Entrepreneurship for All.
“EforAll is a great organization that helps budding entrepreneurs get their start. I’ve volunteered as a mentor for EforAll on the Cape for years,” said McNamara. “This particular Pitch Contest is for entrepreneurs interested in starting an “ancillary” cannabis-related business, with a focus on Fall River and New Bedford, both areas of disproportionate impact under State cannabis regulations. Winners are entitled to grant money, as well as general exposure and other business opportunities.
Aside from being a business, Suncrafted Cannabis looks to educate consumers on the medicinal benefits of cannabis.
“We take a more holistic look at cannabis and what it can do for your overall health and wellness, including the conditions it addresses,” said McNamara. “To that end, our products use only holistic formulations, and our dispensary hosts a “Medical Monday,” when a registered nurse who specializes in medical marijuana visits with patients to explain cannabis dosage, and how it is used by patients for health issues.”
Continuing the opening festivities, Friday April 21, Suncrafted will also kick off its “Farm Fresh Fridays,” inviting patients and customers, as well as other local farms, to purchase clones for their own gardens. Then, on Saturday the 22nd, Suncrafted will hold a job fair. Suncrafted Cannabis current employs 30, as well as seasonal help. Visitors to the grand opening can also fill out job applications if interested.
Beyond its influence on the local business community, the company is an outspoken leader for sustainable practices in cannabis production from seed to sale. Preparing to cultivate outdoors for its fourth season in 2023, this year represents its fourth year of advising the Cannabis Control Commission, along with others in the Sungrown Cannabis Alliance, on how to make this low environmental impact form of production into a commercially viable option. The group’s efforts have included advocating for the use of organic pest control methods used by hemp growers, which became a reality earlier this year. Suncrafted and other Massachusetts growers are now focused on reforming testing criteria to account for these changes.
Suncrafted’s other sustainable activities include growing inside the company’s brand new state-of-the-art facility. Stock “mother” plants, and slower growth “vegetative” plants are efficiently nurtured in vertical grow systems under energy efficient LED lights, but all high intensity “flower” growth occurs in the company’s hybrid greenhouses. Depending on season, cannabis cultivation under greenhouses can reduce energy consumption by 40-60 percent versus “indoor” grow methods.
Additionally, the facility also hosts a “solventless” live rosin lab, which harnesses only ice and water to “wash” the plant of its most valuable compounds. Though the company has operated for just four months, Suncrafted’s rosin took first- and third-place wins at the New England Cannabis Convention, competing against operators open for more than a decade.
Suncrafted has also sourced some of the most biodegradable packaging solutions in the industry for all its in-house products from flower to pre-rolls and live rosin. Production waste streams are also problematic in the regulated cannabis market, so Suncrafted has foregone non-biodegradable grow media like rockwool in favor of soil, and even washes and reuses its grow pots.
“Many cannabis stores got into the business purely to capture market share, utilizing old methods and older buildings,” said McNamara. “We took a different and more long-term approach with a very calculated effort to appeal to the environmentally conscious consumer.”
To attend the grand opening, guests must be 21 years of age or older. The public is welcome. To RSVP, contact Suncrafted Cannabis at 1-833-SUNCRAFT or email. Suncrafted Cannabis is open Sun-Wed from 9am to 6pm, Thurs-Sat. from 9am to 9pm.
About Suncrafted Cannabis:
Holistic Health Group, Inc. d/b/a Suncrafted Cannabis is a vertically integrated cannabis production and sales company housed all under one roof at 477 Wareham Street in Middleborough, MA. All investment, ownership and management is held by Massachusetts residents and the company serves both medical and adult use markets. The organization is focused on sustainable production with a medical focus using environmentally friendly techniques for contaminant free cannabis products. Patients and soon consumers can view and pre-order the company’s products at http://suncraftedma.com.