Bodnar’s Auction Presents the High-End Showcase: Jay Strongwater, Fine Horology & Pop Art Masters

Bodnar’s Auction presents a fresh-to-market single-owner collection featuring over 200 cataloged lots of fine jewelry, landmark watchmaking, original fine art, and decorative showpieces. Assembled over decades, this private estate collection brings extraordinary depth across luxury categories, from rare 18K Swiss timepieces to iconic American decorative designs.

Catalog Highlights & Featured Lots

Decorative Arts & Luxury Home

Lot 36 – Jay Strongwater Mortimer Peacock Figurine – Signed: 

• Category: Designer Jeweled Collectibles
• Description:Darjeeling Collection “Flora” Statement Piece: Features vibrant blue, green, pink, and cream enamel work accented by mixed cut, cabochon, and rhinestone stones. Complete with original box, outer sleeve, tag, paperwork, limited edition certificate, and signature certificate.

Lot 48 – Jay Strongwater Enameled and Jeweled Table – Signed: 

• Category: Luxury Designer Furnishings
• Description:Features green enameled stalk legs wrapped in bronze-tone vines, open leaves, and enameled insects (dragonflies, frogs, lizards, butterflies) encrusted with brightly colored rhinestones. Includes the glass top, original tag, and signature certificate. Signed in gold metallic ink (Jay Strongwater 2007).

Swiss Horology & Fine Timepieces

Lot 79 – Vintage Patek Philippe Calatrava 18K Wristwatch:

• Category: Vintage Swiss Dress Watches
• Description: Circa Early 1950s, 18K yellow gold 31mm case (.750) with rare long, tapered lugs and faceted shoulders. Powered by a Caliber 12/120 manual-wind movement. Features a classic silvered dial with baton markers and dauphine hands, finished on a black leather strap.

Lot 80 – Vintage Vacheron & Constantin 18K Gold Wristwatch: 

• Category: Vintage Swiss Dress Watches
• Description: Circa Early 1950s, 18K yellow gold case (.750) featuring elegant teardrop lugs and a rare guilloché/ honeycomb silvered dial. Powered by a 17-jewel Caliber P454/5B manual-wind movement. Finished on a brown leather strap.

Lot 107 – Antique Tiffany & Co Patek Philippe 18K Pocket Watch: 

• Category: Antique Pocket Watches

• Description: Fully appraised fine jewelry offering exceptional clarity, rich gold mounting, and provenance ready for immediate wear or collection integration.

Original Fine Art & Decorative Masterworks

Lot 137 – Original Peter Max Abstract Oil on Canvas: 

• Category: Modern & Contemporary Fine Art
• Description: Original oil on canvas. depicts a colorful geometric abstract portrait of a man. Signed upper right. On the back has “George” and an image of a man same as the front. Has a second personalized drawing on the back matting. “To George, from Peter Max, 2009”.

Lot 192 – Waterford Millenium Collection Vase: 

• Category: Fine Crystal & Art Glass
• Description: Waterford Millenium collection oversized tall vase. Comes with the original box.

Featured Artist & Designer Profiles

Jay Strongwater

Known for bringing a haute couture sensibility to the home, Jay Strongwater launched his career designing exquisite jewelry for fashion houses like Oscar de la Renta and Saks Fifth Avenue before channeling that craftsmanship into decorative objects. Every piece begins as a hand-cast pewter sculpture before being plated in precious metals, hand-enameled with vibrant colors, and meticulously set with shimmering Swarovski crystals. 

Blending old-world artisan techniques with a touch of theatrical luxury, Strongwater’s imaginative figurines and statement home accents have become highly coveted centerpieces for collectors worldwide.

Patek Philippe

Founded in Geneva in 1839 by Antoni Patek and Adrien Philippe, Patek Philippe stands as the absolute pinnacle of Swiss horology and the city’s last independent, family-owned watchmaker. Known for inventing the keyless stem-winding system and pioneering grand complications like the perpetual calendar, the brand has long set the gold standard for watchmaking prestige. 

From earning the royal patronage of Queen Victoria in the 19th century to capturing the loyalty of history’s most discerning collectors, it remains a defining benchmark of luxury. Whether it’s a timeless Calatrava or an ultra-rare vintage masterpiece, wearing a Patek Philippe is the ultimate expression of horological history.

Oscar Friedman

With little being known about their personal biography Oscar Friedman is an elusive designer in the jewelry world. Despite this they are renowned for crafting fine, high-end gemstone jewelry and luxury statement pieces and are an established name in fine jewelry design. 

Recognized for exquisite craftsmanship utilizing premium precious metals and brilliant-cut colored gemstones—such as fine sapphires and diamonds—Oscar Friedman pieces are celebrated for their classic elegance, sophisticated settings, and enduring appeal among collectors of fine jewelry.

Peter Max

A defining figure of 1960s Pop Art and Neo-Expressionism, Peter Max revolutionized modern visual culture with his bold, cosmic color palettes and fluid brushwork. Rising to international fame as a cultural icon whose psychedelic posters defined an era, Max evolved into a master painter celebrated for his expressive acrylics and recurring patriotic motifs—most notably his lifelong, sweeping series celebrating the Statue of Liberty. 

From serving as the official artist for multiple Super Bowls, the Grammy Awards, the World Cup, and the Olympic Games to permanent museum and white house installations, Max’s original mixed-media works, limited-edition serigraphs, and hand-painted acrylic canvases remain bedrock holdings for collectors of 20th-century American art.

Jane Seymour

While celebrated as an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress—starring in iconic roles from the James Bond classic Live and Let Die and the cult-romance Somewhere in Time to the beloved television series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and, most recently, her series Harry Wild—Jane Seymour has grown into a remarkably accomplished contemporary fine artist. She began her artistic journey more than two decades ago, starting out as a deeply personal creative outlet. 

Seymour’s art which consists of vibrant oil paintings, delicate watercolors, and expressive bronze sculptures have won her critical acclaim. Her work has been exhibited in prestigious institutions, including the Butler Institute of American Art and the Guggenheim Museum.

Event & Bidding Logistics

• Auction Date: Tuesday, September 3rd | Live Broadcast Bidding Begins Promptly at 11:00 AM EST
• In-Person Preview: Tuesday prior to the sale (11:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST) by appointment only at our Monmouth Junction, NJ facility. Call 1-866-349-7378 to reserve a 30-minute private viewing slot.
• Bidding & Shipping: Participate via our live broadcast online platform with real-time auctioneer commentary. In-house shipping is available for small items, alongside local UPS packing options and scheduled Monmouth Junction pickup window days.