Michaan’s Winter Fine Sale will be held on December 11th starting at 10 a.m. The fine sale is featuring an amazing collection. This is the collection of Frances and Ronald Dutro, of San Francisco.

   Ronald Dutro was born in Oakland and began his lifelong opera career as a teenager with the San Francisco Opera. Frances Thanash was born in Fresno, and was a highly regarded singer in her right. After Ronald Dutro won the American Opera Auditions in 1959, he made his European debut at La Scala, Milan, Italy. The Dutros ended up staying in Europe for twenty-five years, where Ron sang baritone roles. The last fifteen years of their Continental sojourn, the Dutros lived in Berlin, Germany. There, they entertained a large variety of singers, including David Bowie.  The Dutros returned to San Francisco in the 1980s, where they re-installed their notable Salon room, filled with Meissen and other Continental Porcelains, Art Nouveau and later cameo glass, and their large collection of artworks by German Artist Richard Muller. Ron Dutro died in 2006, Frances died in 2020.

   Beyond this amazing collection Michaan’s is offering a brilliant 5.82 cts. Emerald-cut diamond, platinum ring and designer jewelry from the likes of Harry Winston and John Hardy.  Squeak Carnwath is headlining the Fine Art session.  The Fine Asian art session is highlighting a pair of cloisonne Buddhist Thrones with dragon and phoenix motifs.  There are also two Tiffany Studios lamps, one with a Damascene shade and the other with geometric shade.  

   Michaan’s Fine Coin Auction will be held on December 11th starting at 1 p.m. The coin auctions offers over two hundred unique and valuable coins. Most of the consigned from one estate. The Estate of George Stadelmann. George Stadelmann was born in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1938.

   He grew up with a brother and two sisters and was one of the first of his family to go to college to study electrical engineering. He initially found work in the United Kingdom before moving to California in the late 1960s. He first lived in Redwood City, then with his long-time partner Renée in San Francisco, and finally in Stockton. However, he spent a lot of time at his weekend home in the Sierra Nevada near Yosemite Valley. Here he found what he cherished most: the great outdoors for hiking. He was very interested in scientific topics, history, and numismatics, so he began to assemble a collection of coins. He passed away in 2023 shortly before his 85th birthday.

Michaan's Gallery Auction will be held on Friday, December 12th starting at 10 a.m.  This auction has a special collection of Santa Cruz Boardwalk arcade games that have been deaccessesioned.   With over 50 lots to choose from collectors and private buyer can certainly find their childhood dream game.   Some of the highlights are: