US auction house Charlton Hall's upcoming two-day sale on 1 and 2 April celebrates the finer things in life, with a selection of over 760 lots of fine art, antiques, decorative arts, jewellery, watches, cars, furniture, glassware and much more. Now that it is officially spring, it's time to clean out the old and enhance your home with new treasures. Here are the highlights of the auction.
Perfect for spring drives with the top down, the premier lot of the collection is this vintage 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250SE Convertible. The W111 model Convertible is one of the most desired Mercedes-Benz motor cars and represents a supreme achievement of Mercedes-Benz design and engineering. The W111 type series was introduced as a four-door saloon in 1959 and this was followed two years later by the exceptionally stylish two-door Coupe version. This was first shown to the public on 24 February 1961, on the occasion of the opening of the Daimler-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. In the decade from 1961 to 1971, a total of 7,013 convertibles were built. this particular example is one of the rarest versions, as only 954 units were ever built of the 250SE convertible equipped with the automatic DB gearbox. This convertible has been subject to extensive restoration and features excellent leather and interior wood panels.
Nicknamed the 'Le Poète Parisien de la Peinture' ('The Parisian Poet of Painting'), Edouard Leon Cortes was famed for his Parisian cityscapes. Here is Theatre du Vaudeville, an oil on canvas showing a street scene in front of the vaudeville theatre on a grey and rainy evening in Paris.
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, the German-Swiss artist of the same era as Cortes, was a leading Expressionist and pioneer of modern art. His studio was a gathering place for artists and models, out of which many paintings and drawings of the nude were produced, as here. This Sitting Nude was made in charcoal and pencil and is signed by the artist.
This Rolex Model 18038 Day-Date Gold and Diamond Wristwatch is from circa 1983, with a black dial, 18k gold case and round and baguette diamond hour markers. The 18038 is often considered one of the best value Rolexes on the market as it melds traditional Rolex style with modern sophistication. The bracelet of the model is informally called 'The President' as it was first presented to Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s and then Marilyn Monroe famously gifted an engraved Rolex Day-Date to JFK in 1962 for his birthday.
As spring is traditionally wedding season, those considering proposing won't want to miss this stunning Cartier platinum and diamond solitaire engagement ring. It boasts a 1.03ct round brilliant-cut diamond, colour D, clarity VS2, mounted in a platinum prong setting.
This rare George III inlaid mahogany chest on chest is from the late 18th century. It features a carved and inlaid crown and inlaid frieze set above two short and four long drawers. The lower part of the chest has three long drawers and ogee-bracket feet.
For a millennium, the Barovier name has been synonymous with innovative and exquisite Murano glass. Here is an Ercole Barovier art glass vase (Murano, Italy, 1889-1974) with a crimped top and cinched waist, decorated with the controlled bubble motif and signed Barovier & Toso. Barovier & Toso (est. 1936) continues the legacy of the family's centuries of extraordinary glassmaking by retaining traditional techniques, as well as incorporating contemporary styles and forms.
