Boston developer Diarmaid McGregor, principal of N6 Properties, recently announced the start of work at 375 Cummins Highway on a 49-unit apartment building in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston. The project represents the first ground-up venture McGregor and company have undertaken since forming N6 Properties in 2023.

The nearly 50,000 square-foot 375 Cummins Highway will host 49 modern residential units with parking for up to 44 vehicles.

“While N6 Properties is a newer company, this project represents the evolution of the model I’ve been following the past 20 years. We find underutilized lots near public transportation and amenities and put in play our vision for modern city living.” said McGregor. “We’re excited to have selected Richard Schmidt Architects and Delphi Construction to bring this project to life. Their experience has been paramount in this challenging market to keep the project on budget.”

A major project component is a focus on sustainability and resiliency. The building is designed with an all-electric, high-efficiency, heating, and cooling system, and a lighting system that is over 50 percent more efficient than similar neighboring buildings. Electric vehicle charging stations are planned for in the naturally ventilated parking garage.

“The building infrastructure is designed to accommodate photovoltaic solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity. The landscaping concept focuses on maintaining the existing urban forest. New plantings will be drought tolerant, native species vegetation.” said Rick Schmidt, AIA, Principal of Rick Schmidt, Architects.

With the help of FinanceBoston N6 Properties secured a loan with North Shore Bank to build the project.

“The project is a prime example of eliciting a property’s highest and best use” said Brian Rooney, principal at FinanceBoston. “It’s vacant land in a great location, and through a collaborative process with the community and City, will now be transformed into something that benefits the neighborhood.”

“Matt LaFlamme and the rest of the team at North Shore were very easy to work with and seemed genuinely excited about this project in this particular neighborhood,” said MacGregor.

The anticipated completion date is January 2026.

The units at 375 Cummins Highway quintessential city spaces will showcase stunning kitchens, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, designer tile baths, spacious living areas, with private balconies, and an array of natural light in the units. The building will also include a large lobby and lounge area, with a coffee bar, in addition to a generous gym space and bicycle storage.

Said Corey Heaslip, vice president of Delphi Construction, “I am thrilled that Delphi is able to be a part of this project and with how our preconstruction team was able to partner with N6 Properties team throughout the budgeting process as the details and scope were refined. That is a key ingredient to a project’s success.”

Other comparable N6 Properties projects include: Wellington at 1301 at 1301 Blue Hill Avenue in Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood, completed in 2023, and an ongoing build at 34 Oak Park in Hyde Park (completion date set for 2025).

For complete information about N6 Properties and past, present and future projects, visit N6Properties.co.

About N6 Properties:
N6 Properties specializes in urban, middle-market development projects. N6 Properties is an independent company that employs teams of local contractors, design and construction professionals who share our core values and commitment to impeccable design and craftsmanship. Those values apply to how we manage our properties, with regular landscaping and interior/exterior maintenance to sustain the original pristine appearance of each building. For more information, visit N6Properties.co or call 617-581-3424.

Bloomfield, NJ, USA, July 16, 2024 -- Nye & Company Auctioneers’ two-day Chic and Antique auction slated for Wednesday and Thursday, July 31st and August 1st, starting at 10 am Eastern time both days, is so big it’s being sold over two months. The online-only auction will feature around 825 lots in a wide variety of fine and decorative arts from the 17th century all the way up to the modern day.

The sale is packed with collections and estates primarily from the tri-state area. One of the top highlights is a pair of Keith Haring subway drawings, titled Dogs Eating Man. The diptych drawings from circa 1980-1984 are illustrated in the 1984 edition of Art in Transit, Keith Haring’s tome of subway drawings, with photographs by Tseng Kwong Chi. Estimated at $80,000-$120,000, these works of pop/street art are a rare survival of Haring’s subway drawings.

Continuing with the theme of contemporary and modern art, Nye and Company will be selling property from the estate of Theodore (Ted) A. Bonin who, along with Carolyn Alexander, formed the Alexander and Bonin Gallery in New York City. The firm was known for working with rigorous, genre-defying artists, many now deceased and underappreciated while still alive.

In an interview with ARTnews, Elisabeth Sussman, curator of the Whitney’s Thek retrospective, said, “Bonin was exceptional as a scholarly and exacting advocate for every artist that he, as a dealer, represented, including among others, Paul Thek and Sylvia Mangold. He will be missed.”

Highlights from the collection include an acrylic on cast plaster bust titled Michael by John Ahearn (est. $3,000-$5,000); an untitled work on wax paper by Palestinian artist Mona Hatoum (est. $800-$1,200); a great contemporary piece by Roman Ondak titled Pocket Money of My Son (est. $3,000-$5,000); and works by Javier Pinon, Marco Neti, Rita McBride and Stefan Kurten.

For those who prefer more traditional art, there is a terrific single-owner selection of Folk Art coming from a New England collection. The sinuous lines and simplistic nature of some of the pieces actually bridge the gap into modernism. These are the type of objects that would be an excellent focal piece in a more modern or contemporary setting.

Highlights include a terrific life-size articulated wood figure illustrated in American Vernacular, New Discoveries in folk, self-taught and outsider sculpture by Roger Rico and Frank Maresca (est. $3,000-$5,000). There is also an exceptional whirligig solider once in the collection of Isabel and Harvey Kahn, a dynamic piece of moving sculpture estimated conservatively at $1,500-$2,500 and a splendid group of 19th century painted game boards and portrait miniatures.

Traditional furniture will feature a small but choice group of property from a private collection that features a rare Gothic lancet arched back side chair attributed to the Philadelphia cabinet maker Crawford Riddell. Estimated at $2,000-$4,000, the chair should sell within range or more.

From the same collector is a rare labeled butler’s desk from another Philadelphia cabinet maker, Charles White, and a sideboard with a stenciled label by (Michel) M. Bouvier, as illustrated in Philadelphia Empire Furniture, by Allison, Johnathan A., Christopher, Peter and John W. Boor.

The auction also includes a wide range of traditional fine art. There is work by one of the Philadelphia Ten artists, Nancy Maybin Ferguson, of a New England street scene, possibly Provincetown, from a private Park Avenue collection (est. $3,000-$5,000). There are two works attributed Jean Baptiste-Camille Corot (both est. $20,000-$40,000). One is a forest scene and the other depicts a view near Rotterdam. Both are masterfully painted and emblematic of his work.

The sale also includes an abstract fruit still life by Michael Goldberg that should sell in the range of $8,000-$12,000. Another terrific painting is by Wilfred Gabriel DeGlehn, titled The English Hospital at Arc en Barrios. This work is conservatively estimated to finish at $6,000-$9,000.

Finally, the sale features a nice selection of luxury brand objects that are perfect for those looking to make strong fashion and accessories statements. Hermes is prominently featured with a choice of either a 25cm or 30cm leather Birkin bag. If you prefer the Kelly model, there is a Pochette Clemence leather clutch.

Rolex is also another standout brand included in the auction. There is an 18K gold Presidential Oyster Perpetual watch (est. $10,000-$15,000), but if you prefer something sportier, included is an Explorer II polar watch, which is a model that can often be seen on the wrist of Prince Harry.

Real time Internet bidding and absentee bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com, Bidsquare.com, BidSpirit.com and the Nye & Company website: www.nyeandcompany.com. Telephone bidding will also be available on a limited basis.

We encourage you to come by our gallery or view the sale online. People can bid in absentia and online. An online preview is being held from July 15th thru August 1st at the abovenamed sites.

For more information about Nye & Company Auctioneers and the Chic and Antique online-only auction on Wednesday and Thursday, July 31st – August 1st visit www.nyeandcompany.com. The full color catalog will be available to viewed shortly at www.nyeandcompany.com, www.liveauctioneers.com, www.bidspirit.com, www.bidsquare.com and www.invaluable.com.

About Nye & Company Auctioneers:
Anyone looking for additional images, condition reports or info about an object is invited to visit the Nye & Company website or email to info@nyeandcompany.com. For those who would like to inspect the items in person, Nye & Company will hold a public exhibition from July 22nd -26th from 10am-4pm each day and then again from July 29th-30th from 10-4 (all times are Eastern). For more information about Nye & Company Auctioneers, visit www.nyeandcompany.com.

The first in a series of online-only auctions dedicated to the lady head vase collection of Maddy Gordon is slated for Monday, July 22nd, starting at 6 pm Eastern time, by Strawser Auction Group. Bidding will be handled exclusively through HiBid.com. This first sale will feature 214 lots of lady head vases. Bidding will start at just $1 for each vase up for bid.

To view the catalog, click this link: https://strawserauctions.hibid.com/catalog/557916/july-22-2024-online-head-vase-auction

Ms. Gordon’s collection, in its entirety, comprises more than 3,000 head vases. It will require up to seven auctions and several years to liquidate all of it. The makers include names such as Lefton, Inarco, Relpo, Napco and many others. All are wonderful representations of the figural vases in the form of a head (or bust) of a woman that have captivated collectors for decades.

Ms. Gordon isn’t just a collector. She’s written books and articles on the subject, and was the founder of the Head Hunters Newsletter and organizer of the annual Head Vase Conventions in Kissimmee, Florida for many years. She became a huge fan of America’s first head vase creator, Betty Lou Nichols, and authored the book, Head Vases, Etc., The Artistry of Betty Lou Nichols.

An article in Kovels Antique Trader stated that lady head vases “exude glamour with their perfectly coiffed hairdos, big lush eyelashes and ruby lips, elegant fashions, and sometimes adorned with pearls or other jewelry, a stylish hat or gloves - or sometimes all three accessories.”

Maddy Gordon, a New Yorker all her life, was the daughter of serious antique collectors and, through her training as a medical and psychiatric social worker, was well-equipped to recognize and appreciate the nuances of facial expressions. Not surprisingly, then, she became interested in lady head vases when they first began appearing at shows, shops and flea markets years ago.

While some people limit their collections to beautiful ladies, Maddy has been attracted to the whole universe, one that includes babies, animals, clowns, Madonnas, children, nurses, brides, and characters like Uncle Sam. Some are not vases at all but ashtrays, lipstick holders, head lamps and more. It’s estimated over 10,000 different varieties of head vases have been made.

Celebrity head vases have even crept into the mix over the years. Ones created in the likeness of Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Grace Kelly, Carmen Miranda and others have found their way into collections. These can include males, too, like Elvis Presley, but those are less common. A 1964 Jackie Kennedy head vase by Inarco sold for just under $1,000.

And now, a bit of history: lady head vases first appeared in Europe in the 19th century, with the earliest American examples not arriving on the scene until the 1930s. Lady head vases were often made in Japan after World War II, by companies like Enesco, Inarco, Lefton, Napco, Reubens and Relpo. American makers included Betty Lou Nichols, Royal Copley, Ceramic Arts Studio, Shawnee Pottery and Henry Holt. These could be purchased cheaply in packs of 6 or 12.

Florist companies produced the head vases as a marketing gimmick to sell small bouquets, which is why so many ended up in American homes in the 1950s and ‘60s. Retailers like Woolworth’s also sold them. By the 1970s thousands of different kinds of head vases were made, which led to a glut in the market, a decrease in demand, the end of the craze and a discontinuation of product.

Fast forward to the new millennium, where a fresh crop of appreciative collectors rediscovered lady head vases for the diminutive treasures that they are. Most range in size from 2-14 inches, although most are seven inches or less. Some collectors have put them to work, filling them with flowers or other artful arrangements, using them to hold beauty supplies, or even to hold pens.

While all the lady head vases in Maddy Gordon’s collection are authentic and true to the period, collectors need to know there are reproductions in the market that are sold mainly in gift shops throughout the county. Most recent pieces are easy to distinguish from their older counterparts, but buyers are still encouraged to purchase from reputable antique dealers and trusted collectors.

As mentioned, Betty Lou Nichols is credited with sparking the lady head vase craze in the U.S., and pieces by her are highly sought after today by collectors. She began making her creations in the 1940s with clay and a rolling pin, on her parents’ kitchen table. She opened her first ceramics studio in 1945. She was the only maker to add handmade details, such as ruffles, lace and bows.

Betty Lou Nichols head vases are distinctive and tend to represent women in the Gay ‘90s style, with big hats and big curls, perfect cheekbones and skin. The trademark Betty Lou look includes eyelashes lowered “in perpetual coquetry.” There are no Betty Lou Nichols lady head vases in the Part 1 sale of the Maddy Gordon collection, but there may be some offered in future auctions.

There is a wide variety of styles of head vases in the world: plain women, tribal women, and women in their Sunday best. Many have realistic facial features, with eyes open or closed, with chic accessories like pearl necklaces with matching dangling earrings or other jewelry and stylish hats. Some have a perfectly manicured hand that frames a side of their face or a gloved hand.

There is also a variety of hairdos, including curls, updos, long hair, bouffants, and short, sassy styles, sometimes adorned with ceramic flowers or ribbons. Necklines also vary. Head vases can be collected by makers, specific sizes, or themes, such as brunettes, those wearing hats, or those with hands. Vases with teenage faces, from the 1960s, are not as common as the adult versions.

As for pricing, lady head vases can be found for between $10 to $1,000 and even more, depending on rarity. It’s easy to start collecting head vases, since many can be found at antique shops or online in the $10 to $50 range. Ruby Lane has a variety ranging from $17 to $2,600. You could also get lucky and find one for far less at a yard sale, flea market, or thrift store.

Many collectors are willing to pay $50 or more for a head vase they don’t have yet, even if it’s not rare or a celebrity. Head vases, like all collectibles, fluctuate in value. It’s always a good idea to buy head vases that are in good shape, with little or no crazing, chips, or breaks, since the condition adds to the value. And also, as usual, when it comes to collectibles, buy what you like.

Makers like Napco, Enesco, Nichols and other manufacturers included a maker’s mark on the bottoms of their pieces. Other companies included a paper label or foil sticker that, over time, wore away. Not every head vase is marked, but that doesn’t necessarily make it less valuable or collectible. Sellers, as a general rule, include a photo of the mark on the bottom of the piece.

Some information for the writing of this story first appeared in an article in Kovels Antique Trader, titled Lady Head Vases: Ten Things You Didn’t Know. To read the article, click this link: https://www.antiquetrader.com/collectibles/lady-head-vases-10-things-you-didnt-know.

To learn more about Strawser Auction Group and the first in a series of online-only auctions dedicated to the lady head vase collection of Maddy Gordon, slated for Monday, July 22nd, visit www.strawserauctions.com. Updates are posted often. You can reach Strawser Auction Group by phone at 260-854-2859 or 260-336-2204; or via email, at michael@strawserauctions.com.

About Strawser Auction Group:
Michael Strawser operates Strawser Auction Group, the most experienced and trusted auction house for majolica. Strawser Auction Group has handled many of the greatest majolica collections and sold items to the biggest collectors in the world. Mr. Strawser was the founder of the Majolica International Society and served as its very first president at the organization’s inception. To learn more about Strawser Auction Group, visit www.strawserauctions.com. You can reach them by phone at 260-854-2859 or 260-336-2204; or via email, at michael@strawserauctions.com

Middletown, RI, July 10, 2024 -- Not resting on his laurels, Dr. Michael Gottfried at Aquidneck Chiropractic, located at 1272 West Main Street, Building 2, Middletown, RI, is collaborating with Spherehead Pillow to help patients with sleep challenges.

Dr. Gottfried, a problem sleeper himself, noted, “Over the 43 years that I have been a Chiropractic Physician, I have tried more than 20 cervical pillows to see if they were worth my recommendation. I can honestly say that the Spherehead Pillow is the first and only one that I recommend. My own experience is that I have better sleep quality and less morning stiffness or discomfort. Nothing works for everyone, but if you try this pillow for at least a week I am confident that you won't be disappointed.”

Additional chiropractic practices, physical therapy offices and sleep study locations will also be introducing the Spherehead Pillow to patients.

Nothing about the Spherehead Pillow is business as usual. It doesn’t look like a standard rectangular pillow.

Because it is not a standard rectangular pillow.

Founder and visionary Alizah Josette, a Warwick, RI resident and paralegal, struggled to find an adequate pillow that would allow unrestricted movement but prevent harmful twists and strains of the head and neck muscles. Through her persistence, dedication and numerous prototypes, she unlocked the secret to a soothing night's sleep - a pillow that cradles and supports the head and neck, promotes alignment of the spine, and allows flexibility of sleeping positions.

Round and scooped out, the patented Spherehead Pillow offers a unique physical shape and physical benefits.  Within a week, most users adapt and blossom.

The 100% Charmeuse pillowcase, which comes with the pillow, is beneficial for all hair types.  While the pillowcase is machine washable and durable, the smooth material bolsters healthy hair and helps prevent breakage.

Spherehead’s innovative design offers restorative sleep every night by providing gentle support of the head and neck and promoting proper spine alignment.  Spherehead's unique design embraces sleeping habits and benefits the body. The Spherehead memory foam pillow cradles the head and mirrors the natural curve of the cervical spine. Back sleepers enjoy unrestricted movement, while Spherehead prevents damaging twists and turns of the head and neck allowing muscles to relax and unwind.  

The Spherehead pillow does not interfere with any sleep apparatus, such as an eye mask or a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. Side sleepers appreciate the gentle contour of the Spherehead pillow that rests along the curve of the cheek, ensuring the face is unobstructed.

The Spherehead Pillow retails for $59.99. It is available at the Spherehead Pillow website at https://sphereheadpillow.com/shop-now/ or via Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZP9497S; or the offices of Aquidneck Chiropractic.

The company is also partnering with chiropractors and other healthcare professionals to make the pillow readily available.

For more information, visit http://www.SphereheadPillow.com

Atlanta, GA, USA, July 9, 2024 -- A rare circa 1976 Philip & Kelvin LaVerne bronze and pewter chinoiserie ‘Chan Li’ cabinet sold for $81,250; a 2002 Neiman Marcus Edition Ford Thunderbird convertible roadster roared off for $18,150; and an oil on canvas equestrian painting by James McLaughlin Way finished at $15,730 at Ahlers & Ogletree’s Modern & Contemporary Art + Design auction held on June 26th.

The auction, online and in Ahlers & Ogletree’s Atlanta gallery located at 1788 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard, contained 337 lots of Modernism and Outsider art, including original paintings, important furniture and decorative arts. By the time it was all over, the sale had grossed a total of $547,903.

Highlights included a large collection of works by Philip & Kelvin Laverne, a pottery jug by Pablo Picasso, a color lithograph by Salvador Dali, original artworks by Steve Penley and Todd Murphy, a Hollywood Regency dining table, a pair of chairs by George Nakashima, tapestries by Jon Eric Riis, a Paradise Persian by acclaimed glass blower Dale Chihuly, and a ‘Trellis’ sofa by John Saladino.

The Philip LaVerne (American, 1907-1987) and Kelvin LaVerne (American, b. 1937) bronze and pewter chinoiserie ‘Chan Li’ cabinet from around 1976, boasted figural decoration and four doors, rising on meandering legs. The piece – depicted in Philip & Kelvin LaVerne: Sculpture III, a copy of which accompanied the lot, along with a 1976 bill of sale – sailed past the $50,000 high estimate.

The black 2002 Neiman Marcus Edition Ford Thunderbird limited-edition luxury convertible roadster commemorated the iconic Ford Thunderbird, which was revived after a hiatus and released as part of Neiman Marcus's prestigious "Christmas Book" as an exclusive model of 200. The car showed just 39,125 miles on the odometer. It was expected to do well and sold within estimate.

The oil on canvas painting by James McLaughlin Way (Ga., 1968-2014), titled Black Horse #2, was signed upper left and showed the artist’s stamp to verso. The equestrian work was impressive at 60 ¼ inches by 72 ¼ inches, overall, in the frame. It easily bested its $4,000-$6,000 pre-sale estimate.

Following are additional highlights from the auction. Internet bidding was facilitated by A&O’s own bidding platform (Bid.AandOAuctions.com), LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. About 50 people attended the auction in person at the gallery; 91 phone bidders and 32 absentee bidders also submitted bids. All prices quoted in this report are inclusive of a 21-25 percent buyer’s premium.

In addition to the auction’s top lot, there were other pieces by Philip LaVerne (American, 1907-1987) and Kelvin LaVerne (American, b. 1937) that made the list of top achievers. They included:

- A set of three figural bronze and pewter plaques, circa 1976, titled Girls in Ecstacy (sic), Realizations and Women in Dispare (sic). These were signed in mold, with three having Philip LaVerne Collection labels and to with Tennessee Fine Arts Center labels ($8,470).

- A bronze and pewter chinoiserie ‘Spring Festival’ low console table from the second half of the 20th century, an impressive 56 inches wide, having figural decoration and rising on square legs, signed in mold and retaining a Philip LaVerne Galleries Ltd. label to the underside ($13,310).

- A bronze and pewter chinoiserie ‘Chan Boucher’ cocktail table, circa 1965, having a shaped top, figural decoration, and rising on French ribbon legs, signed in mold to the top and retaining a Philip Laverne Galleries, Ltd. label to the underside. The high estimate was $6,000 ($10,890).

A Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973) for Madoura ‘Hibou’ (or owl) faience pitcher from 1954 (A.R. 253), 9 ¾ inches tall and decorated in medium blue on a white ground, the underside marked and inscribed ‘Edition Picasso’, and showing a Madoura stamp, changed hands within estimate for $7,865.

A circa 1976 color lithograph on Japon paper by Salvador Dali (Spanish, 1904-1989), titled Manhattan Skyline (Tarot Series), signed lower right and numbered (“22/100”) to the lower left, nicely housed in a frame measuring 39 inches by 30 inches, more than doubled its high estimate by reaching $6,655.

A pair of circa 1960s black walnut ‘Grass-Seated Chairs’ by George Nakashima (American, 1905-1990), having a round back over spindle supports, resting on a woven grass seat and raised on turned legs, apparently unmarked, measuring 26 ¾ inches tall by 23 ¼ inches wide, gaveled for $7,260.

One of the true sleepers of the sale was a black acrylic on paper stylized depiction of a Coca-Cola Bottle by Steve Lyall Penley (American, b. 1964), signed lower left and measuring 45 ¾ inches by 28 ¾ inches (paper, less the frame). It soared past the $1,200 estimate to finish at $7,260. Another work by Penley, an untitled Floral Bouquet Still Life acrylic on canvas, signed and unframed, made $1,936.

The furniture category featured a circa 1975 Hollywood Regency dining table having a beveled circular glass top on a triparte brass swan base, 30 ½ inches tall and 60 inches in diameter ($2,722); and a John Saladino (American, 1969) ‘Trellis’ sofa having Brentano ‘Embrace’ upholstery, lattice on the back and sides, and a loose back, side and accent pillows, apparently unmarked ($1,694).

Returning to artwork, an acrylic and mixed media on stacked wood boards by Chris Hobe (Ga., 20th century), titled Last One (2019), cipher, titled and dated to verso and unframed, commanded $3,328.

Next up for Ahlers & Ogletree is an online-only Historical Documents, Books & Americana auction slated for Wednesday, July 17th, starting at 10 am; followed by an online-only Asian Works of Art auction planned for the next day, Thursday, July 18th, starting at 9 am. Both start times are Eastern.

To learn more about Ahlers & Ogletree and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auction events, please visit www.aandoauctions.com. You can also follow Ahlers & Ogletree via social media on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.