PERSONALIZED PICKS FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST
By Rhonda Reinhart
Finding the perfect presents for the special people in your life can be a challenging task. So we’ve done the footwork for you.
FOR THE JEWELRY ENTHUSIAST
What better way to show your love than with heart-themed jewels? These tanzanite and diamond earrings (estimate: $4,000-$6,000), featuring heart-shaped tanzanites weighing a total of approximately 24 carats, are ideal for holiday gift-giving. But because tanzanite is a December birthstone, as well as the gem for a 24th anniversary, you could potentially kill three birds with one (pun intended) stone.
Auction: Friday Night Jewels Auction, Dec. 10
FOR THE BIBLIOPHILE
This month marks the 20th anniversary of the release of the first Harry Potter movie. And this is the tome that started it all. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J.K. Rowling’s debut novel, hit shelves in 1997, and a magical wizarding world was born. This hardcover first edition is a rare find as only 500 copies in this binding were produced.
Auction: Rare Books Signature® Auction, Dec. 9-10
FOR THE HISTORY BUFF
If you have a Wild West fan on your list, it would be a crime to miss out on this piece of outlaw paraphernalia. Once owned by the infamous Jesse James, this well-used gun cartridge belt is believed to be one of only two James had when he was shot and killed by Robert Ford in 1882.
Auction: Arms & Armor, Civil War & Militaria Signature® Auction, Dec. 12
FOR THE ANIMATION ADDICT
A Charlie Brown Christmas has been a holiday staple since 1965, when the special first appeared on television screens across America. One of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz’s favorite pastimes was ice skating, and that’s the theme of this hand-painted limited-edition cel based on artwork used to create the opening to the classic TV special. Titled “The Great Skate,” the hard-to-find cel features a dozen Peanuts characters and is signed by director Bill Melendez.
Auction: The Art of Anime and Everything Cool II Animation Art Signature® Auction, Dec. 10-13
FOR THE SPORTS NUT
You’ll have a knockout on your hands if you snag this painting of Muhammad Ali for the boxing fan in your life. The circa 1990 oil-on-board by noted sports artist Wayne Prokopiak, which carries an estimate of $4,000+, is autographed by The Greatest himself and is accompanied by an original photo of Ali with the painting in front of him, preparing to sign it.
Auction: Sports Showcase Auction, Dec. 18
FOR THE ASIAN ART ADMIRER
Born in China in 1893, Wang Jiyuan settled in the United States in the early 1940s. Influenced by both cultures, the artist became well known for his work in both Chinese and Western media, including watercolor and oil painting. This small painting of a pink chrysanthemum – Chrysanthemum, 1970 (estimate: $5,000-$7,000) – was created near the end of the artist’s life and is a wonderful example of his watercolor work.
Auction: Asian Art Showcase Auction, Dec. 14
FOR THE OENOPHILE
’Tis the season for popping the bubbly. So surprise your favorite host or hostess with this case of 2002 Salon “Le Mesnil” Champagne (estimate: $7,500-$9,500). In 2015, wine critic Allen Meadows described the vintage as having notes of citrus, particularly lemon rind, along with yeast, green apple, floral and iodine elements. “The refined and intense middle-weight flavors are shaped by an ultra-fine mousse that contributes to the sense of subtlety and finesse,” he wrote, “all wrapped in a fantastically long and deep finish.”
Auction: Wine Signature® Auction, Dec. 10
RHONDA REINHART is editor of Intelligent Collector.