This article was provided by Alex Cooper.
Baltimore-based Auctioneer Alex Cooper will host two auctions from the private collection of the Estate of Barbara P. Katz. The auctions are headlined by a one-day specialty auction of Katz’s jewelry and luxury accessories taking place on Thursday, May 5th at 12:00 noon, EST. The second auction will be held on Saturday, May 14th, beginning at 10:00 am, EST, and features collections of Katz’s fine art, folk art, furniture, a Steinway& Sons grand piano, decorative accessories, as well as the auction of other art, fine rugs, period, mid-century modern, quality reproduction and period furniture, and decorative arts.
Barbara P. Katz, a Baltimore philanthropist whose interests ranged from culture to education, was the first woman to serve as president of what was then the Maryland Historical Society, now the Maryland Center for History and Culture. She was also involved in The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. She was a member of Har Sinai Congregation and later of Temple Oheb Shalom, which merged with Har Sinai in 2019. She was also president fo the Jewish Museum of Maryland, a role she held from 1989-1991.
Mrs. Katz, a lifetime collector, adorned her Pikesville home with a carefully curated collection of jewelry, boxes, quilts, fine art and decorative art, all with a vast accompanying library explaining their origins and history.
In a 2020 interview with Jmore, she said: “These collections make me feel good. Every find is a find.”
Director of Fine Jewelry at Alex Cooper Auctioneers, Selden Morgan, remarks, “It has been an absolute pleasure working with the Katz Family. Barbara had an amazing eye for color and design. Each piece of jewelry is more exquisite than the one before.”
Of the fine art collection, Kathleen Hamill, Director of Modern and Contemporary Art at Alex Cooper Auctioneers states, “The art is so interesting, eclectic and varied. I am especially excited about the selections we have painted by Katz herself.”
The auctions will take place at Alex Cooper Auctioneers, located at 908 York Road in Towson, Maryland. The Katz Collections, as well as all other available items, can be previewed at the Gallery, or online at antiques.alexcooper.com. Bidding is available online through Alex Cooper’s platform bid.alexcooper.com, along with the auction platforms LiveAuctioneers and Invaluable, as well as by phone and absentee bids.
100% of the proceeds of this auction will go to support the ongoing humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
Morris S. Schaprio, Barbara P. Katz’s maternal grandfather, immigrated from Kyiv, Ukraine to Ellis Island, N.Y. in 1903.
“Our family is deeply grateful for your generosity during these troubled times,” the family said.
ABOUT ALEX COOPER (alexcooper.com):
Alex Cooper, headquartered in Towson, Md., is one of the largest auctioneers in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Founded in 1924 by Alex Cooper, the company has more than 50 employees and specializes in the sale of arts and antiques, jewelry, silver, furniture and decorative arts, as well as the sale of residential, commercial and industrial real estate. The showroom also features a “Gallery of Rugs” offering one of the region’s most expansive rug collections.
At Krieger Schechter Day School, joining in the later elementary or middle school isn’t a setback -- it’s a launch pad.
Steve Hofstetter, who will perform at Soundstage next week, recently made headlines for his social media post ridiculing some fans' warnings about Charm City's safety.
Israeli-Americans Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin talked about the pain of losing their 23-year-old son, who was kidnapped and later murdered in the Oct. 7th tragedy.
Rabbi David Wolpe looks at the recent interest in Hollywood productions about King David and why the story is resonating now.