From The Estate of John Adair

John Adair Jnr. (1924 – 2025)

By the time he was 32-years-old, the Kansas-born John Adair Jr. had earned a degree in economics, spent a Christmas in Katmandu, “…rambled around Europe in a Volkswagen almost all summer…”, found himself stranded in Istanbul, was rescued by a tour group and trundled to Athens, spent two years hitchhiking the Silk Road region of northern India, taught English to Japanese businessmen, and, in 1978, opened an antique shop in Tokyo. Over the next half-century, he would become a widely respected authority on the arts of old Japan while assembling a remarkable collection of cross-cultural objects numbering in the thousands.

Still actively collecting until just before his passing in February of 2025, Mr. Adair left behind a trove of art and antiques that, it’s quite safe to say, is like no other.

As of March 2026, boxes and shipping containers are still being unpacked. What has surfaced so far includes hundreds of fine artist-signed Hanakago (Japanese bamboo flower baskets for tea ceremony) – most in their original wood boxes; hundreds of outstanding Kajibanten (Japanese decorated fireman’s jackets); hundreds of Japanese woodblocks including rare printed maps and very rare depictions of Commodore Perry’s Black Ships arriving at Edo Bay in 1853; hundreds of Japanese cultural and decorative objects; hundreds of pieces of Japanese, American and English furniture; hundreds of fine antique Caucasian rugs; hundreds of examples of Post-war Modern graphics by Peter Max, Alexander Calder and others; mid-20th century abstract paintings – and more – all to be dispersed over the next few months. Given the size and scope of this project, Pence Auction and Estate Sales of Kansas City will lead a collaboration with Soulis Fine Art Auctions to present multiple offerings from the John Adair Estate throughout 2026.

This April 25 and 26 auctions will draw from all categories of John Adair’s massive trove, while offering the added feature of fine antique gold, platinum and sterling silver jewelry from a private local estate. This lifelong collection offers examples of Victorian, Art Deco, Art Moderne and Contemporary jewelry styles with diamonds, precious gems, carved shell and pearls.

Preview images will be posted below until the complete catalogs are posted in early April. Please check back in early April for links to the detailed catalog listings for each of the three sessions. There are no reserves and sales tax will not apply to these single-owner sessions.

Read an essay on Collecting Oriental Rugs by our catalog specialist Jonathan Wadsworth Here.