Philip Chasen Antiques » Art

You have to visit the Musée D’Orsay when in Paris

Philip Chasen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:30:10 +0000

The Musée D'Orsay, situated on the left bank of the Seine, near the Eiffel Tower

The view on entering the museum

We just returned from a brief business trip to Paris and luckily had time to visit our favorite museum in the world (at least as of today). The Musée D’Orsay is located in what used to be a railway station, the Gare D’Orsay. The beautiful Beaux-Arts building was transformed over a nine year period from 1977 to 1986, after being saved from the wrecking ball by receiving landmark status. The result is a spectacular museum, both from the perspective of its architecture and its collections.

Hand-carved Art Nouveau library by François-Rupert Carabin

The Art Nouveau collection includes furniture, glass and ceramics, with some truly incredible objects. One of my favorites is a wonderful hand-carved wood library by the great French sculptor, François-Rupert Carabin.

Woman with Umbrella, one of the many Claude Monet paintings in the museum

The museum has a vast collection of French Impressionist paintings by Monet, Manet, Renoir, Pissarro, Degas and others. If you love Impressionism, as I do, you have to visit just to see the art. And don’t miss the breathtaking paintings by James Tissot — wow!

An amazing Tiffany Studios window of a Toulouse Lautrec painting

Convinced yet to visit Paris and the Musée D’Orsay? It’s closed on Mondays, otherwise open every day, including late on Thursday. Spend several hours and have a really great time!
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The first show of our Florida show circuit starts this Friday, January 20th, with the Palm Beach Winter Antiques Show, at the Embassy Suites (formerly Crowne Plaza), 1601 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach. Make your plans to visit us at this show or one of our other Florida shows. They’re filled with the best dealers and a fabulous array of merchandise that you won’t find anywhere else. The big bonus is the weather. The temperature has been in the 70s every day.

A really gorgeous scenic blue Gallé vase, just in

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. I regularly add Tiffany vases, lamps and desk accessories, as well as French cameo glass by Galle and Daum Nancy and Louis Icart etchings. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Original artwork by Louis Comfort Tiffany on display at the Nassau County Museum of Art

Philip Chasen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:45:50 +0000

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday. There will not be a Thursday post this week because we’ll be in Whippany, New Jersey setting up the Birchwood Manor Antiques Show. (Hope you can visit us this coming weekend, Saturday, January 7 – Sunday, January 8. Which reminds me to wish all of you a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year!

Part of the Tiffany exhibition at the Nassau County Museum of Art

The current exhibition at the Nassau County Museum of Art is entitled The Paintings of Louis Comfort Tiffany: Works from a Long Island Collection. To the best of my knowledge, no other museum has ever displayed such a comprehensive collection. The exhibition will end on March 18, 2012, so there’s still plenty of time to visit. Make your plans to see this superb collection before it’s too late!

Louis Comfort Tiffany oil on canvas painting of a North African scene

Starting in his twenties, Tiffany traveled extensively in the Middle East and Europe. His paintings illuminate his travels and serve as a wonderful record.

Oil on canvas painting Pushing Off the Boat at Sea Bright

Tiffany painted Pushing Off the Boat at Sea Bright on his visit to Sea Bright, NJ in 1887.

A rare tropical scenic Tiffany Studios window, on display at the exhibition

In addition to the 125 paintings and watercolors, the exhibition contains a few fine examples of windows and lamps from Tiffany Studios. Photos do not do justice to the exhibition, so run, don’t walk, to the Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn, Long Island, New York! Here’s the link to the Museum’s website, Tiffany exhibition.

One of the many new superb Daum Nancy vases I will be exhibiting at my upcoming shows

The NYC Pier Antiques Show opens this Saturday, November 19, 2011

Philip Chasen — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:15:07 +0000

Recently I’ve had less time to write about the interesting things happening in the antiques world, because I haven’t had a show in a few weeks. When there’s no one in my booth at a show, I keep busy by writing blog posts. My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.

Print this coupon for a $5 discount or free for students on Sunday

The NYC Pier Antiques Show opens this Saturday, November 19, 2011, at 10 AM and continues until Sunday, November 20, 2011, at 6 PM. It’s a short show, and intense as a result. The crowds are usually deep and the action fast. If people don’t make their purchase decisions quickly, they risk losing to someone else, and often do. The selection of items for sale is so eclectic, there’s something for everyone. Besides high end glass and lamps (me), there’s everything else — silver, jewelry, Asian, ceramics, art, clothing (yes, they have Fashion Alley), famous autographs (15 dealers) and more miscellaneous than you can imagine. Many people come with their decorators because the selections are so varied and interesting that they need professional help. My booth is near the entrance, so I see all of the many packages and purchases as they leave the show.

Magnificent Tiffany Studios green Linenfold counterbalance floor lamp, just in

I’m bringing some truly fine items that I’ve recently purchased, in addition to the usual strong assortment of Tiffany Studios lamps and glass and French cameo glass. I just bought a very nice, large Andre Gisson oil painting that hung in a home for many years. It was purchased by the grandfather of the present owner.

Andre Gisson oil painting, 24" x 36", fresh to the market

This is a show that is worth traveling to from any distance. I’ve said it before, but people travel from Europe and Japan, as well as from all over the US. It’s the excuse you’ve been waiting for to come to New York City. If you want to see a great antique show and enjoy New York City at the same time, this is the weekend. The weather has been great in New York recently and should continue until the weekend. Broadway has great shows running. Museums and galleries have superb exhibitions going on right now. The restaurant choices in the city are mind boggling. So what are you waiting for? Make your plans right now. Stop into my booth and let me know you came to New York because you read my blog.

Fine R. Lalique Monnaie du Pape vase with sepia staining

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. I regularly add Tiffany vases, lamps and desk accessories, as well as French cameo glass by Galle and Daum Nancy and Louis Icart etchings. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

What recession? There’s no recession in the art and antiques market.

Philip Chasen — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 06:45:15 +0000

Recently I’ve had more time to write about the interesting things happening in the antiques world. When there’s no one in my booth at a show, I keep busy by writing blog posts. So for the next few weeks, I will publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.

This Gustav Klimt painting sold at Sotheby's New York for $40,402,500 on November 2, 2011

If you just listen to the news, you would think that the sky has fallen. The housing market is bad in many parts of the country, with many homeowners underwater. Unemployment is currently 9%. The Occupy Wall Street movement has spread. The financial troubles in Greece, Italy and the rest of Europe make stock market investors shiver.

But I’m looking out of my window and see that not only has the sky not fallen, but the sun is shining. There appear to be some good anecdotal economic signals. Sales of luxury cars are improving. Reservations are difficult to get at top restaurants. The antiques business is solid, with new auction records being set for art and antiques. Sotheby’s New York Impressionist & Modern Art sale realized a strong $199,804,500 just a few days ago.

Marc Chagall painting La Mariée sold for $1,022,500 at Christie's New York on November 2, 2011

Here’s my take on what’s going on– no deep analysis, just my observations. There appears to be a dichotomy between the haves and the have-nots — between two dimensions that exist together, but do not interact. On the one side are all the people in the news who are in trouble. They’re worried about the next mortgage payment, not about purchasing antiques. On the other side is a quiet group, not in the news, of successful entrepreneurs, business people and professionals. They aren’t suffering, rather they’re prospering. They have disposable income and are the ones who are actively involved in supporting the art and antiques markets — and they’re not just Americans. Chinese buyers are paying extraordinary prices to repatriate their treasures and are dabbling in other areas. Russian buyers are still active, but less so than a few years ago. Brazilian buyers are starting to flex their economic muscles.

Tiffany Studios Wisteria lamp sold at Christie's New York for $578,500 on June 16, 2011

The Tiffany Studios glass and lamp market is solid. So is the French cameo glass market. That’s not to say that all areas are doing well. For instance, in markets that I have personal knowledge, art glass shades, Steuben glass, Rookwood pottery, Louis Icart etchings and some others are soft. In the early 1990s, the severe recession in the antiques market caused prices to drop precipitously. In some cases, prices dropped over 50% from their peaks (but recovered smartly in the second half of the decade). Nowadays, prices are increasing in many areas. Some collectors are investing, hoping that fine antiques will be a good addition to a diversified portfolio. I’m frequently asked about investing in antiques, but since I’m not good at predicting, I try to restrict my advice to factual information about quality, rarity and condition.

The Pier Antiques Show will be held on the weekend of November 19-20. Sometimes it helps me gauge the health of the market. December is also a big month for auctions. Every major (and minor) auction house holds a 20th Century sale. Those results should be telling. For me, the best predictor of the year to come are the results of the big Miami Beach Convention Center Antiques Show in early February. Buyers fly in from all over the world, so it’s possible to take the pulse of the international market. Here’s hoping good business will continue.

A fine Martin Bros. grotesque vase from 1903

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. I’ll be photographing all my new Gallé and Daum purchases and listing them on my website. Recently I listed quite a few Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps and a very rare Louis Icart etching, Mardi Gras. There are also several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Dynamite prices at Heritage Illustration Art auction, October 22, 2011

Philip Chasen — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:00:10 +0000

Superb 1946 Howard Chandler Christy painting, 60½ inches x 72 inches, Heritage lot #78158

Heritage Auctions held the New York portion of their Illustration Art auction on October 22, 2011. Included in the sale was a wonderful painting of nudes by Howard Chandler Christy. It sold as lot #78158 and realized the impressive price of $179,250, against a pre-sale estimate of $60,000 – $80,000. The painting is in the same genre as the famous Christy murals on the walls of the venerable New York restaurant, Cafe des Artistes. The restaurant went out of business in 2009, but has recently reopened as The Leopard at des Artistes. The restaurant has undergone extensive renovation, as well as cleaning and restoration of all of the murals, which are now fresh and bright.

1956 Gil Elvgren painting, Fire Belle (Always Ready), Heritage lot #78204

Works by Gil Elvgren continued strong, with lot #78204 selling as the top lot of the sale. It carried a pre-sale estimate of $50,000 – $75,000 and sold for more than triple the low estimate, realizing $191,200, including buyer’s premium. In total, Heritage offered ten works by Elvgren, with prices starting at $5,078.75 for a non-illustrator-looking nude. Six of the ten sold for more than $50,000.

Alberto Vargas, Heritage lot #78399

Other important artists doing well at the sale included Alberto Vargas, lot #78399, $95,600; Jessie Willcox Smith, lot #78383, $71,700; Earl Moran, lot #78312, $53,775 and J.C. Leyendecker, lot #78280, $41,825. The sale totaled $3.725+ million.

For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link. Heritage Illustration Art results.

A fine Martin Bros. grotesque vase from 1903

Like original Picasso art? Just take it (and get arrested).

Philip Chasen — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:25:31 +0000

The show season is starting again, with our first show in Redondo Beach, CA, July 29-31, 2011. Since I will have less time to write about the interesting things happening in the antiques world, I will be posting new blog entries once or twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. If you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so look for a new one the following Monday.

Mark Lugo, photo courtesy AP

Mark Lugo of Hoboken, NJ, has very good taste. He likes fine wine and good art. The problem was that he didn’t have the money to pay for it, so he just took what he liked. Lugo was arrested in San Francisco on July 6, 2011, a day after allegedly stealing a 1965 Picasso drawing, “Tete de Femme” from the Weinstein Gallery on Union St. in San Francisco. His modus operandi was to calmly remove art from the wall of a gallery or hotel, walk out, and then take a taxi. In the San Francisco theft, he was caught on video in a taxi, at his hotel and at a nearby restaurant.

Mark Lugo with the suspected stolen Picasso. Photo courtesy of AP.

Using tapes from previous robberies, the police were able to obtain a search warrant for his apartment in Hoboken, NJ, where 11 other stolen artworks were recovered. The most valuable of the stolen works ($350,000) was a 1917 Fernand Léger India ink composition on linen, “Composition aux Elements Mécaniques (Composition of Mechanical Elements). It was on loan to the Carlyle Hotel in NYC, where it was hanging on the wall in the lobby. Lugo supposedly removed the work from the wall and calmly walked out of the hotel on the morning of Jun 29, 2011. All of Lugo’s suspected thefts occurred within a relatively short period of about four weeks.

Picasso "Tete de Femme". Photo courtesy of Weinstein Gallery.

To top it off, Lugo, who had been a sommelier at fine New York restaurants, like BLT Fish, was also suspected of stealing three bottles of very expensive wine, Château Pétrus Pomerol, from Gary’s Wines in Wayne, N.J. At $2,000 a bottle, that’s really fine wine. In no surprise, the wine has not been recovered. Now that’s funny.

The New York Times reported on July 15, 2011, that his attorney, Douglas I. Horngrad, said “I think there is some psychiatric episode going on. Everything we’ve heard that Mark has taken, he’s apparently taken in a short period of time, with no indication of any such activity before then. So this sounds like the act of someone in the middle of a compulsive episode.”

On Friday, July 15, 2011, in a San Francisco court, Lugo pleaded not guilty to stealing the Picasso from the Weinstein Gallery. Judge Samuel Feng denied his request to reduce his bail from $5 million to $2 million, citing that the defendant “posed a threat to public safety and local business owners”. He will remain incarcerated until his next court appearance, scheduled for August 23, 2011.

Rare Louis Icart etching Miss America

Check out my new acquisitions. I just listed a very rare Louis Icart etching, entitled “Miss America”, plus a gorgeous Daum Nancy pink floral vase; a rare Tiffany Studios desk lamp in the Spanish pattern; several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Soon I’ll be listing a wonderful Tiffany Studios 7-light lily lamp with beautiful shades and a fine patina. Also coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

$500,000 Norman Rockwell painting discovered on The Antiques Roadshow

Philip Chasen — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 07:00:14 +0000

Lots of interesting things have been happening in the antiques world recently. Since I have a bit more time to write about them during the spring, I will be posting new blog entries twice a week, instead of once — Mondays and Thursdays for the next few weeks.

Norman Rockwell The Little Model. Photo by Jeff Dunn for WGBH.

The Antiques Roadshow travels from city to city during the summer months, taping shows for broadcast during the year. At a stop in Eugene, Oregon, an as-yet-unnamed gentleman brought in a painting by Norman Rockwell that had descended in his family. The 1919 original oil on canvas, entitled The Little Model, had been used to illustrate the cover of Collier’s magazine. Norman Rockwell gave it to the present owner’s great-grandmother over 90 years ago.

Collier's Magazine cover, March, 1919. Courtesy BestNormanRockwell.com

The appraiser, Nan Chisholm, of Nan Chisholm Fine Art in New York City, appraised it for $500,000. This was a very rough estimate, as original Rockwell paintings have sold in a wide range of prices at auction, from the low five figures to over one million dollars. In the fifteen year history of the show, the appraisal tied the second-place record for the most valuable item. Only a collection of Chinese jade items that were appraised last year had a higher appraisal — close to one million dollars. The show will air sometime between January and June of 2012. An exact date has not been specified yet.

A very rare Tiffany Studios desk lamp in the Spanish pattern.

Check out my new acquisitions. This week I listed a very rare Tiffany Studios desk lamp in the Spanish pattern, as well as several fine Daum vases, a Daum lamp, several Galle vases and several Tiffany Favrile vases. Soon I’ll be listing a wonderful Tiffany Studios 7-light lily lamp with beautiful shades and a fine patina. Also coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Actor Steve Martin scammed by art forgers

Philip Chasen — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 07:00:21 +0000

Steve Martin

In July, 2004, Steve Martin purchased a purportedly 1915 painting, Landscape with Horses, by the German painter Heinrich Campendonk, to add to his extensive collection of modern art, which includes works by Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper, and Roy Lichtenstein. He purchased the painting in Paris at the Cazeau-Béraudière Gallery for €700,000. He then consigned the painting to auction at Christie’s London, where it sold two years later for €500,000, a loss of €200,000.

The fake Heinrich Campendonk painting Landscape with Horses

The scam was uncovered only last year, when Wolfgang Beltracchi, was arrested together with three accomplices – his wife, his sister-in-law and another accused forger named Otto Schulte-Kellinghaus. They were accused of creating and selling at least 35 forgeries of famous artists, including Fernand Léger and Max Ernst, starting in the early 1990s. Beltracchi painted the forgeries and then the gang concocted elaborate stories and labels that traced the paintings back through various owners, including his wife’s grandfather, Werner Jägers. Apparently Beltracchi is quite a talented guy, as his paintings fooled many experts, both private and at prestigious auction galleries like Christie’s. So here’s my question. Why would such a talented artist paint forgeries? Yes, yes, I know. I’m not naive, but what a waste! He couda been a contenda! Now he’ll wind up in a German pokey. But he will have plenty of time to paint and maybe now he’ll sign his own name. With his new notoriety, perhaps you’ll want to own a Beltracchi one day. It’s got a nice ring to it.

Mr. Martin has stated to the New York Times that he doesn’t know if he has any legal liability, but that the Cazeau-Béraudière Gallery has accepted responsibility. French law is quite strict about the sale of forgeries, so it’s quite unlikely that Mr. Martin will have any personal liability.

In my one personal dealing with Mr. Martin, he was quite the gentleman. After having my gallery deliver three Handel lamps to his apartment on Central Park West in Manhattan in 1989, he called to say that he and his wife couldn’t make up their minds, so they were going to pass on the lamps. When I personally went to his apartment to collect the lamps, he had left a bottle of champagne and a signed note of apology. (I wish I could find the note, but somehow it got lost in the shuffle. Oh well!)

Check out my new acquisitions. This week I listed several fine Daum vases, a Daum lamp and several Galle vases. Soon I’ll be listing a wonderful Tiffany Studios 7-light lily lamp with beautiful shades and a fine patina. Also coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Demi Moore’s payday at Sotheby’s 19th Century European Art sale is good, but not quite what she had hoped

Philip Chasen — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 22:20:04 +0000

Today, November 4, 2010, Sotheby’s held their 19th Century European Art sale with decent results that included one sensational one. Two of the lots belonged to the actress Demi Moore. She had purchased them at a Christie’s auction in 1995 and consigned them for sale at this Sotheby’s auction.

Frère et Soeur by William Bougeureau, Sotheby's lot #23

The first was a lovely painting of a sister and brother by William Bouguereau, for which Moore had paid $178,500. It sold below the estimate of $1,000,000-1,500,000, but totaled $1,082,500, after including the buyer’s premium. The buyer’s premium belongs to the auction house, so Moore will likely receive a figure in the $850,000-$900,000 range, after seller’s fees are deducted. Not a bad payday after 15 years, but below the hoped for price within or above the estimate.

Mère et Ses Enfants by Alfred Stevens, Sotheby's lot #24

Her second painting, by Alfred Stevens, did not fare as well. Moore paid $200,500 in 1995. The painting sold for $182,500, including buyer’s premium, so Moore is likely to receive a figure in the $135,000-$150,000 price range, after seller’s fees are deducted. Taken together, her investment of $379,000 in 1995 will return approximately $1,017,500. Most people would be very satisfied with that kind of return.

The Finding of Moses by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Sotheby's lot #56

Anything can happen at auction, good or bad, but the good results generally make the news. A huge, 53¾” by 84″ painting by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, estimated to sell for $3-5,000,000, brought the astounding price of $35,922,500, including buyer’s premium. A result like that is the same as winning the lottery — it doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, it makes for one happy winner.

For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link, Sotheby’s 19th Century European Art sale.

If you like my blog, please let your friends know by sending them a link. Then check out my new Daum, Gallé and R. Lalique acquisitions. I’ve listed them all on my website. I’ve listed another ten items in the last few days, including art pottery. Here’s the link chasenantiques.com

Mixed, but improved results at Heritage Illustration Art Auction, Oct 14, 2010

Philip Chasen — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:00:57 +0000

Gil Elvgren painting, Riding High, from 1958, Heritage lot #78043

Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas, Texas, held their first auction in New York City on Oct 14, 2010. The Illustration Art sale did well with art from the top artists, decently with art from the second-tier artists, and poorly with art from the third-tier artists. The auction was the second highest-grossing sale ever for the Illustration Art category, totaling over $3.75 million.

Top lot of the sale was #78043, a Gil Elvgren painting of a witch on a broom. Estimated to sell for $30,000 – $40,000, it soared to $167,300, including buyer’s premium. Prices for Elvgren’s seven offerings in this sale were all over the map, from $4,481.25 for a pencil on paper sketch of Miss Sylvania to $38,837.50 for a painting of Miss Sylvania to $167,300 for the top lot of the sale, above.

Garth Montgomery Williams, Charlotte's Web book cover from 1952. Heritage lot #78301

Original art from the 1952 children’s book, Charlotte’s Web, did extraordinarily well. The cover illustration, done in graphite and ink on paper, was the second highest lot of the sale, selling for $155,350, against a pre-sale estimate of $20,000 – $30,000. Individual illustrations from the book also did well, with prices from as low as $717, all the way up to $95,600, with an average price of about $10,000.

Several other artists commanded more than $60,000, including J.C. Leyendecker, Thornton Utz, Jesse Wilcox Smith, Howard Pyle and Norman Rockwell.

Packard Motor Car Company advertisement, Heritage lot #78422

As in the past, there were plenty of bargains to be had. Including the next day’s Internet only session in Dallas, over 180 lots sold for less than $1,000. A beautiful large 30″ x 46″ oil on canvas painting of a Packard automobile sold for only $896.25. If that’s not a bargain, I don’t know what is.

For the complete results, you will have to register (free) with Heritage. You can view all of the paintings without results if you don’t register. Here is the link. Heritage Illustration Art auction, August 17-18, 2010.

If you like my blog, please let your friends know by sending them a link. Then check out my new Daum, Gallé and R. Lalique acquisitions. I’ve listed them all on my website. I’ve listed another ten items in the last couple of days, including art pottery. Here’s the link chasenantiques.com