Fans of MacKenzie-Childs – the manufacturer of ceramics and retailer of hand-painted imported furniture and home décor, founded in 1983 by Victoria and Richard MacKenzie-Childs – will have an opportunity to add to their collections in an auction slated for Wednesday, November 16th, by Auction Life, starting promptly at 2 pm Eastern time.
The 513-lot auction is loaded with gorgeous art glass, crystal, fine art, handbags, jewelry, porcelain, sculptures and more, but also features an entire estate of perhaps the biggest MacKenzie-Childs fan ever. That person procured all of the Courtly Check checkerboard, polka dots, stripes, and faux marbling patterned pieces that were available at the time.
Artist Anna Davis, a fellow MacKenzie-Childs devotee, was commissioned to transform the collector’s home to express their affinity for the Courtly Check and other patterns that M-C was famous for. “This is a rare opportunity to acquire retired MacKenzie-Childs pieces and one-of-a-kind pieces inspired by MacKenzie-Childs that are very hard to find,” said Tarek Eljabaly, the manager of Auction Life and an auctioneer.
One item expected to do particularly well is the MacKenzie-Childs “Poppy Keepsake” coffee table, from the 2014 Poppy collection (est. $3,000-$6,000). The piece is hand-decorated with a plethora of patterns and the table top has rectangular glass to center with faux marble trim around the top, red and black trim sides which transition into Courtly Check corners leading to legs that feature alternating patterns synonymous with M.C.
A MacKenzie-Childs lidded bin with a “Greenhouse” rose pattern resin wicker woven into an iron frame boasts beautifully colored sections and should realize $500-$1,500. The towel, laundry or other indoor/outdoor container features rose bud and leaves mounted to the front (and back), above a brass M-C tag and the finial/handle to lid.
A cute MacKenzie-Childs porcelain bunny rabbit table base featuring five white bunny rabbits surrounding a central pedestal and base, decorated in a combination of patterns (“Courtly Check” checkers, “Taylor” flowers/stripes/lines, and “Rose Cottage” criss-cross lines/roses/stripes), with M-C hallmarks and impressions, should finish at $1,000-$3,000.
A pair of MacKenzie-Childs “Greenhouse” wicker chairs, hand-woven in a colorful outdoor Polyurethane wicker material and designed to withstand harsh outdoor elements, has an estimate of $1,500-$3,000. The dinner/dining/bar/bub stool/cabana indoor-outdoor chairs have the “Greenhouse” rose pattern resin wicker nicely woven into an iron frame.
Two MacKenzie-Childs style floral benches made by Anna Davis (American/Armenian, b. 1948), will be offered as separate lots (each est. $300-$600). The funky benches complement (and were commissioned to accompany) the M-C Poppy Keepsake Table, also in the auction. The benches combine faux marbling, Courtly Check style checkers, floral designs and more, decorating both the seat planks and backrest chevron cutouts.
MacKenzie-Childs, Ltd. is based in Aurora, N.Y. It is well-known for its annual Barn Sale, which in 2017 drew more than 26,000 shoppers to the company’s 65-acre property, making the event one of the premier draws for tourists in Cayuga County, N.Y. Held over four days, the sale draws shoppers from around the globe.
Other items in the auction will include a Chinese blanc de chine (white glazed porcelain) statue of Quan Yin (the goddess of compassion, also known as Guanyin, Kuan Yin), shown sitting atop a lotus blossom among thorny stems, water waves and seashells. The cartouche with calligraphy hallmark of the 16-inch-tall statue reads “Dehua” and “He Chaozong” (est. $1,000-$10,000).
A bronze sculpture on a black marble plinth by Isaac Kahn (Lithuania, b. 1950), titled Maternity, depicting a nude woman and child, signed “I. Kahn”, numbered (“3/4”) and designated “A.P” (for artist proof), is expected to change hands for $2,000-$4,000. The statue overall is 20 inches tall (18 inches for the bronze statue and two inches for the plinth) and weighs around 60 pounds.
Another bronze sculpture on a black marble plinth by Isaac Kahn, titled Eurythmics, also depicting a female nude figure, has an identical pre-sale estimate to Maternity ($2,000-$4,000).
The auction will be held online, with limited live seating available in the West Palm Beach area gallery (RSVP required). An exhibition period and gallery previews will be by appointment only (call 561-757-1551, or send an email to auctionlifeflorida@gmail.com). Online bidding is via LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. Phone and absentee bids accepted.
To learn more about Auction Life and the November 16th auction featuring MacKenzie-Childs items please visit www.AuctionLifeFlorida.com. (AB 3566)
About Auction Life:
Auction Life’s consulting specialists have over 50 years of combined experience in the fields of estate jewelry, fine art, sterling silver, diamonds and antiques. Tarek Jabaly has been involved in the South Florida auction industry for over ten years, as an auctioneer, estate buyer, manager, auction coordinator and consignor liaison. He is also a licensed Florida real estate sales associate. Auction Life, Inc. is currently seeking quality consignments for future auctions. To inquire about selling an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (561) 757-1551; or you can email them at auctionlifeflorida@gmail.com. To learn more about Auction Life, please visit www.AuctionLifeFlorida.com.
