Description:
James Libero Prestini (American, 1908-1993)
Construction No. 232 N, c. 1970
Stamped and numbered "PRESTINI" and "232" beneath the base element, titled in a letter from Triangle Gallery, San Francisco (see below).
Nickel-plated solid aluminum or steel, 18 x 18 x 18 in. (45.7 x 45.7 x 45.7 cm).
Condition: Dust, finger marks, and dirt to surfaces.
Provenance: From Triangle Gallery, San Francisco, May of 1972, to a private Massachusetts collection.
Exhibitions: Triangle Gallery, San Francisco, December 14, 1970-January 23, 1971.
N.B. James Prestini was a master craftsman, sculptor, and teacher. His early works in the 1930s and 1940s focused on turned wooden bowls. He studied sculpture in Italy from 1953 to 1956 and subsequently worked in California creating sculpture in steel, aluminum, and bronze. He also taught design at the Illinois Institute of Technology and U.C. Berkeley School of Architecture.
The lot includes a photocopy of a letter from Jack Van Hiele, director of the Triangle Gallery, that provided the title of the piece and recommended cleaning the sculpture with Tarnishield and a cotton cloth. There is also a photocopy of the front page of a publication or announcement from Triangle Gallery, illustrating this piece.
Estimate $5,000-8,000
It appears, although we cannot fully confirm, that any marks on the surface could be removed by proper polishing. There is no evident damage to the surfaces.
The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging. Condition requests can be obtained via email (lot inquiry button) or by telephone to the appropriate gallery location (Boston/617.350.5400 or Marlborough/508.970.3000). Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Skinner Inc. shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.
Keywords
Jack Van Hiele, B. James Prestini, James Libero Prestini, ItalyRobin S.R. Starr
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American & European Works of Art
The American & European Works of Art department brings years of experience, connoisseurship, and knowledge of art history to bear in every fine art appraisal, evaluation, and auction.