The Martin Brothers were well represented in his collection. There were vases, tobacco humidors, face jugs and a spoon warmer, that ranged from the early “normal” items to the very desirable and collectible “grotesque” items. The standard early ceramics don’t usually command much interest because collectors have zeroed in on the grotesque, but that didn’t stop a determined crowd and phone bidders. A large stoneware vase with realistic lily flowers carried a low pre-sale estimate of $4-600 and sold for $4,444, including the buyer’s premium.

A wonderful Martin Brothers spoon warmer, Skinner lot #100

Other early standard vases also did well, but the real fireworks started when the grotesque items came up for sale. The first important item was lot #100, a large spoon warmer in the form of a fish. It soared to an incredible $53,325, against a pre-sale estimate of $3-5,000.

A fine Martin Brother bird, Skinner lot #151

That set the stage for the other important Martin Brothers items, two tobacco humidors in the form of birds. Martin Brothers birds are the best known and most sought after of all Martin items and these two did not disappoint. The first was lot #151, a brooding bird, 10½” tall. Collectors pay the most for the best personality and this bird was good. The pre-sale estimate was $12-18,000. It brought an astounding $82,950, including buyer’s premium.

Martin Brothers bird, Skinner lot #152

The next lot was larger and in my opinion, more interesting, but the buying public disagreed. It still sold very well, but not quite as well as #151. The final price was $59,250, against a pre-sale estimate of $12-18,000.

The fireworks continued with very strong results for vases, face jugs, and an unusual Eskimo jug. Only the most determined of collectors went home with any of the Martin Brothers items — it was quite a showing.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail.com or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

Tiffany Elaborate Peony table lamp, Skinner lot #305

Richard didn’t collect too many Tiffany lamps, but the ones he did were special. The most important lamp of his collection was a 22″ elaborate Peony. It was estimated at $300-500,000, one of the more aggressive estimates in the sale. The lamp sold within the estimate, for $435,000, including the buyer’s premium. The photos in the catalog and on their website do not do the lamp justice, as it was more colorful and beautiful in person.

A Tiffany 20\

A 20″ Dragonfly lamp on a mock Turtleback base was estimated for $25-35,000 and quadrupled the high estimate for a final price of $148,125, including the buyer’s premium. Lot #291 was a rare Daffodil Jonquil table lamp. It sold to a dealer for $112,575, against a pre-sale estimate of $30-50,000. A Tiffany 10-light lily did not fare quite as well, as it was sold with one reproduction shade and one cracked shade. It was estimated for $7-9,000 and sold for $22,515.

A rare Tiffany Favrile orange vase, Skinner lot #583

A small, but rare and interesting Tiffany Favrile vase, deep orange with a zipper decoration, was estimated for a silly low price of $4-600. It sold for $10,665, in the range one would expect for a vase of this quality.

It was a good day for Tiffany Studios items at auction, but that was to be expected. The items were high quality, fresh-to-the-market, estimated low, and sold into a market where superior Tiffany items have been strong for quite some time.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail.com or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

Richard Wright

Richard Wright died on March 1, 2009 at age 62. He was best known as the expert doll appraiser for the Antiques Roadshow. He was also the owner of Wright Antiques & Dolls, in Birchrunville, Pennsylvania. I used to see him regularly when we both exhibited at the Atlantique City show. Skinner Inc. was the lucky auction house to sell his collection. They divided it into two parts, with the dolls being sold first on October 10, 2009 and the rest of his eclectic collection on October 24, 2009, with spectacular results. I’ll only cover the second session, which was so diverse and so exciting that I’ll divide my coverage into three parts.

Skinner’s knows how to market a sale. They let the public know that everything was there to sell by putting estimates that were so low, that everyone thought they were in the game. There is nothing better for a stellar auction than high quality, fresh-to-the-market items at low or no reserves. Stuart Whitehurst was the supervisor in charge. He and his staff did a great job and the results show it.

Bruno Zach, 'The Riding Crop', Skinner's lot #85

A large Bruno Zach bronze entitled “The Riding Crop”, 33½” tall, was estimated for $12-15,000. It sold for $94,800, including buyer’s premium.

Gallé side table, Skinner lot #306

Richard had a few pieces of Art Nouveau furniture in his collection and the auction results for them were fantastic. A Gallé two-drawer side table with mother-of-pearl butterfly inlays was estimated at $6-8,000. It brought an astounding $136,275, including buyer’s premium. A Gallé marquetry hall tree for coats and umbrellas, was estimated for $3-4,000 and sold for $31,995, including the buyer’s premium.

The results for Tiffany glass and lamps, Martin Brothers ceramics and Zsolnay pottery were equally tremendous. Tomorrow I’ll cover the Tiffany and the next day the Martin Brothers and Zsolnay.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail.com or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

A rare and fantastic Martin Brothers stoneware creature

If you’re not familiar with the Martin Brothers of London & Southall, you should be. They produced the zaniest, most whimsical stoneware that one could imagine. What’s amazing is that they did it over 100 years ago. Many Martin Brothers objects look like they could have been made yesterday.

A Martin Brothers spoon warmer

It’s hard to be neutral about Martin Bros. ceramics — either you love it or you hate it. In case you couldn’t figure it out (of course you could), I fall into the “I LOVE IT!” category. I look at a wonderful piece and smile. I love all the categories of items I sell, but Martin Brothers has to be my favorite. There are quite a few important collectors who agree and have put their money where their mouths are — I’m talking about very serious and valuable collections.

A rare and wonderful Martin Brothers double bird of two lovers.

Early Martin Bros. ceramics from the 1870s and 1880s was for lack of a better word “ordinary”. They produced vases with simple and realistic flowers or geometric decorations. At some point in the 1890s, they started to produce “grotesque” objects with sea creatures or monsters, or wildly imaginative birds. The more grotesque, the better. Today, the most famous and highly sought after pieces are the bird tobacco jars, with removable heads. Each bird is an individual, with no two identical, as they were not made in molds. The more personality, the better the bird.

Save up your pennies, because Martin Bros. does not come cheap. A decent bird tobacco jar starts at $15,000 and goes up quickly from there, depending on the personality, glaze, size and condition.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com