Litchfield County Auctions April Auction now Online

Litchfield County Auctions in Litchfield Connecticut has just announced that their April Auction is online now.  There will be two sessions, on April 20 and 21 and the bidding will be live and online. A Live Gallery Exhibition (NO Tag Sale) has been planned for Friday, April 15 through Tuesday, April 19, 10am-5pm each day.  Also, the public is invited to attend their Annual Preview & Cocktail Party, Friday evening, April 15, from 6-8pm (RSVP.)  For additional information visit their website.

On April 20, items that will be auctioned off include: 20thCentury Furniture, Design and Tiffany Lighting; plus American Paintings, Fine Art & Sculpture.  There will be live as well as Online Bidding starting at 10:00 am.  

 Tiffany Bronze & Leaded Glass 'Poppy' Lamp.  Starting Bid: $12,500

Items of special interest includes: 8 Tiffany Studios Bronze Lamps with Favrile and Leaded Glass shades, plus important pieces of early Rene Lalique glass, Rookwood pottery, and much more. Furniture highlights include: Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts and Art Deco, including Stickley; Mid Century Modern furniture by Eames, Knoll, Saarinen, Widdicomb, Dunbar and Mario Bellini, Niels Otto Moller, Milo Baughman, Foster-McDavid, Edmund Spence, Maitland Smith, Maison Jansen, Living Divani, Angelo Donghia as well as Danish Modern and more.  

 Otto Dix, 1891-1969, Young Woman Head & Shoulders, 1932, Silver Point on a prepared ground.   Starting bid: $3,500

There will also be hundreds of American Paintings and other fine art in addition to sculptures. This sale features works by Jasper Francis Cropsey, William Merritt Chase, John Singer Sargent, JG Brown, Otto Dix, Elizabeth O'Neill Verner, Walter Elmer Schofield, Lynn Chadwick, Jules Lefebvre, Carlos Merida, James Carroll Beckwith, Walter Launt Palmer, Arthur Meltzer, Salvatore Dali, and many others.

14K Yellow Gold, Diamond and Emerald Pendant.  Starting Bid $750

The auction taking place on April 21 features: Jewelry, Watches, Pens & Handbags; plus Silver, Gold, Medals & Coins. There will be live as well as Online Bidding starting at 10:00 am.  Some of the jewelry highlights includes: Rainbow Palette Sapphire Necklace & Bracelet; Pear Shaped Emerald & Diamond Dangle Earrings; 9ct Cushion Sapphire & Diamond Ring; 11ct Pear Shaped Ruby & Diamond Pendant; a Cross Pendant in 18K Gold with 15 carats of Emeralds;  a Belle Epoche Diamond Ring; Kieselstein Cord Ear Clips; a David Yurman Bracelet and more!  There will also be Watches by Cartier, Rolex, Longines, Tiffany, Jules Jurgenson, Hamilton, Omega, Movado, Brinsmaids & Audemars Piguet and Handbags & Purses by Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, Gucci, and Chanel.

Puiforcat .950 Silvergilt Centerpiece, E. 20th C.  Starting Bid: $2,000

In addition to jewelry, there will be a fine selection of silver, gold, medals and coins. Some of the coins being offered are: Lincoln Cents, Liberty Dollars, Gold Coins, Barber Dimes, Banknotes; Medals in Silver & Bronze, French, European & others.

For more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

Catch the BIG ONE at the Riverton Fishing Derby on the Farmington River

April 9, the official opening of the fishing season in the Nutmeg State is the day when fly-fishing aficionados from near and far flock to the Annual Riverton Fishing Derby in the Riverton section of Barkhamsted, located in the beautiful Litchfield Hills.  

The day starts before daybreak with a hearty breakfast beginning at 4 a.m. at the Riverton Fire Department on 3 Riverton Rd. in the center of town.  Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be available at the Riverton General Store located in the center of town in a mid.-19th century building that is the hub of activity for this village. Green mountain coffee, made to order sandwiches, homemade soups, chili, salad and pastries are just some of the things offered here. For more information on Riverton General Store  www.rivertongeneralstore.com.

This exciting Litchfield Hills event takes place on April 9 th on the West branch of the Farmington River, a Nationally designated “Wild and Scenic” river that is known to host an abundance of rainbow, brown and brook trout.  As a matter of fact, on Friday afternoon before this event, over 100 fish are purchased and released into the Farmington River adding even more incentive to catch the “big one.” The contest, complete with prizes, begins at 6 a.m. and lasts for about four hours, ending at 10 a.m. and it’s all-free; and there is no registration or fee required.

The public is always welcome to attend this event and to cheer on their favorite fisherman.  Last year some 500 enthusiasts participated in the derby. An even bigger crowd is expected this year.  Prizes include items donated by local merchants as well as by Orvis and Cabela’s.  The coveted grand prize is a village chair of Riverton donated by the Hitchcock Chair Company.  The Hitchcock Chair Company Store is located in Riverton and stocks an excellent selection of this classic hand stenciled furniture.  For information about the Hitchcock Chair Company visit www.hitchcockchair.com.

A bit further upriver a section of the flowing waters especially stocked for the occasion, is set aside for the "Kid' Derby".  Any tot under 16 who is able to hold a fishing pole, can join in the fun.  Special prizes are awarded to kids.

To find out more about the Fishing Derby and other events in Riverton, visit http://rivertonct.com.

The easiest way of getting a fishing license is to visit the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s online sportsmen licensing at https://ct.outdoorcentral.net/InternetSales.  Fishing licenses are also available from town clerks and this website has a complete listing of town clerks and businesses that sell fishing licenses.  The website also has a weekly fishing report that runs from opening day through the end of November.  The report is a summary of fresh and saltwater fishing activity in the state as reported by tackle stores around the state.

For more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

New Art Exhibition Kicks of 50 Year Anniversary @ Lockwood Mathews Mansion

In collaboration with Silvermine School of Art, Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum kicks-off its 50^th Anniversary with a new exhibition by artist and professor of photography Bruce Dunbar. The exhibition titled, Endangered & Re-envisioned: Iconic Landmarks and Interiors will open to the public on April 7, 2016, 12-4 p.m. at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, 295 West Avenue, Norwalk, CT.

Curated by artist and designer Gail Ingis-Claus, Endangered & Re-envisioned will run through July 6, 2016, with a fundraising reception on April 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; tickets for the reception are $10 for non-members and $5 for members. All proceeds will benefit the Museum’s cultural and educational programs.

 This exhibition will feature some of Mr. Dunbar’s analog and digital work focusing on several Connecticut structures built between 1870-1940, both private residences and public spaces, seeking to place them in their contemporary context of adaptive reuse. “I am seeking to unite the past history of the landmark with the present context in which it exists,” said Dunbar, “including both images of interiors and exteriors, in order to draw attention to the rich history of each landmark, it's various past import and current status as landmark."

This exhibition will feature some of Mr. Dunbar’s analog and digital work focusing on several Connecticut structures built between 1870-1940, both private residences and public spaces, seeking to place them in their contemporary context of adaptive reuse. “I am seeking to unite the past history of the landmark with the present context in which it exists,” said Dunbar, “including both images of interiors and exteriors, in order to draw attention to the rich history of each landmark, it's various past import and current status as landmark."

Born in Stratford, CT, Mr. Dunbar received his BA from Boston University and his MA from New York University. His photographs and mixed media have been exhibited in numerous group and solo shows in Connecticut and New York City. Currently, he teaches black and white and digital photography courses at Silvermine School of Art in New Canaan, CT, as well as several workshops exploring different aspects on the art of photography.

Click! Snap! Like! From April 7, 2016 through May 1^st, visitors are invited to participate in a photo contest sharing their talent and favorite photo of the Mansion on the Museum’s Facebook wall. All photos must be of the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum’s exterior and submitted no later than May 1^st. The winner will be announced on May 3^rd. Prizes will be awarded on May 18.

The exhibit will be on view as part of LMMM’s tours, Wed.-Sun. at noon, 1, 2, and 3 p.m. General Admission: $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $6 for children and young adults, ages 8-18.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, a National Historic Landmark since 1971, reopens to the public on Wed. April 6, 2016. For more information on schedules and programs please visit: www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, e-mail info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, or call 203-838-9799.

For additional area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com