Estimate: $200 - $400
Price Realized: $128 Includes buyer's premium
Comprising a group of six cloisonné vases of various sizes and one lidded cloisonné jar
cloisonné
height (tallest): 12 inches
The Estate of Nancy Sue Madden
each in overall good condition, one with area of loss to enamel, some other general gentle wear
If you are interested in bidding, please contact us to request more photos, or make an appointment for in-person inspection. To ensure prompt assistance, we recommend reaching out at least 24 hours before the auction by calling 212-353-2277 or emailing us at admin@capsuleauctions.com.
Condition reports are based on visual inspection by the Capsule team under typical office lighting. Unless otherwise noted, items are not examined under UV light in advance of sale. We do not guarantee the content of written or verbal condition reports. Remember, all lots are previously owned and all sales are final. The absence of a condition report does not imply that there are no condition issues with the lot.
Art has not been examined out of the frame unless otherwise stated. Frames, lampshades, or items described as “supplementary” are not considered integral to the value of the lot and are excluded from condition assessments. This includes any mat, mounting, glazing, hanging apparatus, case, box, or stand. Timepiece movements, lighting elements and items with mechanical or electrical components have not been thoroughly tested and are not covered under warranty by Capsule.
The Estate of Nancy Madden offers a vivid glimpse into the life of a passionate and discerning art collector. Influenced by her parents, John and Eleanor Madden — both avid collectors — Madden built on their foundation, curating a collection blending the modern and the classical. She inherited a number of watercolors and oils, with an emphasis on Italian and French painters, along with Asian art acquired during her parents’ travels in the 1970s and her father’s military service in World War II.
As she purchased art for herself, Madden focused on paintings, prints, pottery and glassworks, often drawn to bright colors and recurring subjects, such as harbor scenes, sailboats, women, nature and fruit. Madden’s former husband, Jonathan Alk, was also a respected Green Bay antique dealer. In the seventies and eighties they together selected treasures from auctions, estate sales and their various travels to enhance his independent business.
Madden’s collection today includes works from galleries across the Midwest—Traverse City, Chicago, Door County—as well as Montreal, Quebec, Hawaii and beyond. Both she and her parents took pleasure in discovering unknown artists and investing in works that reflected their respective evolving tastes. While her inherited collection was anchored in European and Asian works, Madden expanded on this, embracing contemporary emerging artists alongside more well-established names. Combining the traditional and the unconventional, the Nancy Madden Estate reveals a bold approach to assembling and shaping an eclectic collection.
