Press Release

Stamford, CT, USA, August 26, 2025 -- A large and bright floral still life painting with impeccable provenance by the renowned French/Vietnamese artist Le Pho (1907-2001); and items from music industry Tommy Mottola, including a collection of his antique trophies, are just part of what bidders will find in ACES Gallery’s upcoming Fall Estates Auction scheduled for Sunday, September 14th.

The auction will begin promptly at 11am Eastern Time. Bidding will be available online, with telephone and absentee bidding also available. There will be no live, in-person bidding however. Internet bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Drouot.com.

In addition to the Le Pho painting and Mottola items, the auction will also feature an extensive collection of jewelry, silver and gold, as well as coins and flatware services – over 700 lots total.

“Our team has spent the better part of the spring and summer amassing this wonderful collection and we’re excited to bring it all up for auction,” said Alex Fonarow, appraiser, auctioneer and owner of ACES Gallery. “The items have been carefully sourced from over fifty local estates and private collections.

The Le Pho painting was purchased from Wally Findlay Galleries around the late 1970s by an important real estate developer for his waterfront mansion home in Darien, Conn. It is among several items in the auction from the estate of Lillian R. Giegerich of Darien. The work has been authenticated and is in Le Pho’s upcoming catalogue raisonné. It should bring $80,000-$120,000.

Over 80 items in the auction are from Tommy Mottola, the noted American businessman, record executive, TV and theater producer, film producer and entrepreneur. His impressive collection of antique trophies includes the enormous Horseman Futurity Cup horse trophy from 1908 (Wright, Kay & Co., 140 ozt.), impressive at 18 inches in height. The trophy should fetch $3,000-$5,000.

Other items from Mr. Mottola include a pair of zebra upholstered club chairs (estimate: $1,500-$2,500); and a Florence Knoll Studio executive’s desk (estimate: $1,000-$2,000). Mottola was chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment for nearly 15 years. He ‘s married to Thalia, the popular Mexican-born singer-songwriter-actress often referred to as the Queen of Latin Pop.

Jewelry will be offered in abundance. Over 200 lots of jewelry (plus art and décor) were pulled from an important Purchase, New York estate; over 70 lots (including Cartier and Art Deco jewelry) were descended through an important Stamford family; and other jewelry comes from a Rowayton couple, descended through the family of Woodrow Jewelers, formerly in Pelham, N.Y.

A few noteworthy jewelry items are as follows:

- A circa 1920-1930 Cartier Art Deco carved bone, diamond and platinum handkerchief pendant (estimate: $1,000-$2,000)

- An Art Deco Burmese sapphire, diamond and platinum clip brooch (estimate: $3,000-$5,000)

- An antique circa 1900-1920 Art Deco diamond and natural pearl necklace, probably J.E. Caldwell, Philadelphia (estimate: $7,000-$9,000)

- An enhancer pendant with a central 62-carat oval cabochon emerald set within a border of prong set and pave set melee diamonds (estimate: $3,000-$5,000)

- A convertible ring/pendant, center-set with a large marquis cognac diamond mounted with a halo of round diamonds surrounded by baguette diamonds (estimate: $8,000-$12,000)

ACES Gallery is always seeking quality merchandise for future sales. To inquire about consigning a single piece, an estate or a collection, please call (475) 500-7118; or, send an email to gallery@ACES.net. To learn more about ACES Gallery and the Fall Estates Auction set for Sunday, Sept. 14th at 11 am Eastern Time, please visit www.aces.net. Updates are posted often.

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