Collection of Miniatures on the Block at Leslie Hindman
Chicago, Illinois — Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, one of the nation’s leading auction houses, is pleased to announce a single-owner auction of property from the Estate of Adell Venus. The collection encompasses a diverse selection of miniatures, dolls and accessories, ranging from antiques to modern day miniaturists’ works. Spanning five decades, Adell’s passion for collecting led to the accumulation of tens of thousands of items and is undoubtedly one of the largest and most profound collections of its kind.
Adell Venus (nee Lifschutz) was born in 1932 in Chicago, Illinois and was the only child of her Russian immigrant parents. Adell attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, which is known today as having one of the finest collections of Thorne miniature rooms. Skilled in watercolor, pastels and charcoal, her artistic eye is evident in the collection. It embodies her spectacular taste and knowledge of the quality and value of miniatures.
Although she was very private regarding her own collection, she was often sought by others to provide her expertise in the 1:12 scale. In addition to her role as a loving wife, mother and grandmother, Adell dedicated herself to this collection. We are honored to have had the opportunity to work with Adell’s family and friends, and to present her phenomenal collection to the public for the first time. The auction consists of over 750 lots. Some of the categories and artisans include furniture and decorative arts by Harry Cooke, Denis E. W. Hillman, Ernie Levy and William R. Robertson; Crystalina by Jim Irish; rugs by Sharon Garmize; porcelain by Ron Benson and Le Chateau Interiors; guns by Cliff Feltrope; instruments by W. Foster Tracy; jewelry by Lori Ann Potts; plants by Hiroyuki and Kyoko Kimura; dolls, dollhouses and dioramas; Asian works of art; paintings by Marjorie Adams, Johannes Landman and Paul Saltarelli; books by Barbara J. Raheb; silver and gold objects by Acquisto and Eugene Kupjack, just to name a few. Additionally, included are items by Erhard & Söhne, cameo glass by Daum and Devez, Austrian cold painted bronzes, seals and other antiques.
The online catalogue is available now at lesliehindman.com. Public preview for the sale will be held Wednesday-Thursday, July 10-11, 10:00a.m.-5:00p.m.; Friday, July 12, 10:00a.m.-8:00p.m.; Saturday, July 13, 10:00a.m.-3:00p.m.; and Sunday-Tuesday, July 14-16, 10:00a.m.-5:00p.m. For more information about the auction, preview days or to schedule an appointment for a complimentary auction appraisal, please contact Leslie Hindman Auctioneers at 312-280-1212.
