Lot 275
Group of Books on China and Chinese Art
Dimensions

14 1/2 x 10 3/4 inches

Estimate: $300 - $500

Price Realized: $625
Includes buyer's premium

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About this Lot
Description

large quantity of books related to China including Art, Ceramics, Porcelain, Bronzes, Lacquer, Furniture, History, exhibition and auction catalogs

Provenance

From the Private Collection of Joseph Rondina

Condition

a few with moisture damage and stuck pages, most with rubbing and shelf wear, some with losses to dust jackets or covers, some rips to pages, some with ink or pencil writing, some pages with fading, toning and foxing

A selection from

Joseph Rondina

Image for Collection Joseph Rondina

Joseph Rondina was born into a first-generation Florentine American family in Auburn, upstate New York. He attended Auburn schools, graduated from Manlius Military Academy, and served in World War II with the U.S. Army Occupation Forces stationed

in Berlin. 


Returning to the U.S. at the end of the war with a renewed appreciation of art and history, as well as a continental approach to decorating, he graduated from the Whitman School of Design in New York City. He opened Joseph Rondina Antiques in 1957 on East 62 Street at Madison Avenue, taking over the existing premises of Williams-Michelsen. With his instinctive eye for elegance and refinement, it was not long before his establishment was the go-to destination for European aristocracy, scions of industry, notables of the social register and café society from the U.S. and abroad.


His interests focused primarily on European 18th century decorative arts and furniture, over time developing to include Chinese, Korean, Indian, Siamese, Cambodian, Persian and Japanese, bringing a more esoteric and exotic style to the market. With his sensitivity to changes in taste, he captured the mood of the period and knew exactly what was appropriate for the time. It would bring him enormous pleasure to see his collection enjoyed by the next set of owners. The selection of furniture and objects in this catalogue tell a story of an intensely private individual and give an insight into an extraordinary life well-lived.


Don McNair 

(excerpt from The Private Collection of Joseph Rondina catalogue)