Now this is a bright idea.

When a recent reconfiguring of office space at Duquesne Light’s headquarters forced the electric utility to reduce its art collection, company officials choose to put 70 paintings, sculptures, photographs and other works created by regional artists on the block at Concept Art Gallery’s May 9 auction.

Unlike many businesses — both local and national –Duquesne Light won’t contribute the “take” to the corporate coffers. As part of a long-running legacy of philanthropy, the power company instead will donate 100 percent of the sales to the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh. That decision is lighting up the smiles of a lot of people.

First, Concept Gallery owner Sam Berkovitz is beaming, because Duquesne Light’s generosity brings to the sale some high-wattage area artists, including Robert Qualters, Virgil Cantini, Cynthia Cooley and Mark Perrott.

Barry Kukovich, Duquesne Light’s manager of customer relations, says the auction raises the bar for other local businesses.

“This can be an exciting model for other companies to follow,” he says. “They might not have artwork to auction. But what we’re doing will push them to come up with creative ways to give to the community.”

No one is more pleased than Pat Siger, the Y’s senior vice president and chief development officer.

“Isn’t this fantastic?” she says. “We’ve had the loveliest relationship with Duquesne Light over the years. But this tops everything.”

Much of the art is in what can be called the “affordable” range, with estimates from $100 to $1,500.

Following the “benefit” portion of the auction’s first 70 lots, a large selection of mid-century contemporary furniture comes center stage. Notable names include George Nelson, Eero Saarinen, Frank Lloyd Wright and Charles Eames, whose contribution is the “Billy Wilder Chaise Lounge.” The sleek black leather and aluminum classic was designed specially for the director of “Some Like It Hot.”

According to Berkovitz, Wilder liked to take catnaps on the set, resting on his back with his arms folded across his chest. He requested the narrow profile item so that when his arms dropped off his chest they would dangle over the side of the chaise and wake him.

The final third of the event serves up a large portion of art from the likes of Roy Lichtenstein, Joel Meyerowitz, Marc Chagall and a large work from Andy Warhol depicting dancer Martha Graham, titled “The Kick.” The Warhol carries a pre-sale estimate of $15,000-$25,000.

Previews are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 6, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 7 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 8. The May 9 sale starts at 9 a.m. at Concept Art Gallery, 1031 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square.

Details: 412-242-9200.

Dargate Auction Galleries

There’s no such thing as a “small” sale at Dargate. However, the Point Breeze Auction house does have a large amount of “smalls” that should fetch some big hammer prices during the three-day event, Friday through Sunday.

Art glass, both vintage and contemporary, features pieces from Loetz, Dominick Labino and Pittsburgh Glass Center co-founder Kathleen Mulcahy, to name a few. Costume jewelry and the real deal add more than a bit of luster to the sale, while Asian art and antiquities lend an exotic appeal.

Highlights among the artwork include 11 photographs by Rosalie Gwathmey, who discovered her love of photography in Pittsburgh while her husband was teaching at the old Carnegie Tech. A unflinching chronicler of the many hardships and few hard-won joys of Southern African American life in the 1930s-50s, Gwathmey suddenly abandoned her craft after selling her prints to a local library and then burning all her negatives. To the day she died in the early part of this century, she never took another photo.

To celebrate the Pittsburgh Pirates’ first World Series victory a century ago against the much-despised Ty Cobb and the Detroit Tigers, the Westmoreland Country Club presented a Reed and Barton sterling-silver trophy to team owner Barney Dreyfuss. Standing just 10 1/4 inches high, the cup weights a solid 31.9 troy ounces.

Previews are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday. The sales start at 10 a.m. Friday-Sunday at Dargate Auction Galleries, 214 N. Lexington St., Point Breeze.

Details: 412-362-3558.

Constantine & Pletcher

With warmer weather settling in, Constantine & Pletcher kicks off its summer schedule of Monday-only sales.

Starting this month’s schedule is a non-catalog sale on Monday. Expect to find plenty of antiques and collectibles for $100 or less, with a few items expected to bring in higher prices. Then on May 11, the auction house rolls out the red carpet for a big catalog sale with a heavy dose of furniture, covering every category from Chinese to American. One of the pieces is a teakwood and ivory screen that’s a bit of repeat business for co-owner Jeff Constantine, who first sold the item 20 years ago. Rounding out the sale are collections of silver, glassware and toys and dolls.

The preview is from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday, with the sale immediately afterwards. For May 11, the preview starts at noon followed by the auction at 5 p.m. All previews and sales are at Constantine & Pletcher, 1306 Pittsburgh St., Cheswick.

Details: 724-275-7190.

J.S. Dill Auctions

This Thursday, J. S. Dill brings the estate of a local dentist up for bid, with an emphasis on art glass. Along with the usual smaller pieces, the collection includes a standing floor vase and several canes and walking sticks, many with colored striped patterns.

On May 7, a North Hills estate, which co-owner Jack Dill describes as a “packed house,” showcases country items, crocks, a Remington shotgun and so much more that the load sunk the company’s truck in the mud up to the axles.

Previews for both sales start at 5 p.m., with bidding at 6 p.m. — all at 2341 Evans City Road, Zelienople.

Details: 724-453-0853.

Three Rivers Auction Co.

This months starts at Three Rivers with a seasonally appropriate sale on Sunday. The country-themed sale sports an unusually large number of nice stoneware crocks, toys and dolls, furniture, china and porcelain, artwork and more. Previews are from noon to 7 p.m. Thursday and doors open at 11 a.m. for the noon Sunday sale. All activities take place at West Beau and Washington streets, Washington, Pa.

Details: 724-222-8020.

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