The results of the NYC Big Flea Market, September 26-27, 2015

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Philip Chasen

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.

The opening crowd on Saturday morning

11:30 AM Saturday It’s slow as I start to write this blog. There was a modest crowd at the 9 AM opening, but not nearly enough people to fill the pier. There haven’t been too many questions as of now and one small sale. Hopefully things will pick up.

1:15 PM Saturday in front of my booth

1:15 PM Saturday There are many more people walking around, but few questions and slight interest. No additional sales. I’m really bored and restless.

4:45 PM Saturday Attendance and interest picked up the last couple of hours. Made a couple of decent sales, but overall the show isn’t going well. Unfortunately the show is open until 7 PM today. I’m going to need a stiff drink when I get home. 🙂

9:00 AM Sunday Yesterday ended with a whimper, not a bang. After the two sales, the rest of the day was dead. Couple that with the extra long hours of the show and you can imagine it was insufferable. Hoping today will be a better day, but I’m not optimistic based on yesterday’s response.

12:00 PM Sunday There were very few people walking around this morning and almost no questions. Doesn’t look like it’s going to be a good day.

A view down my aisle at 2:10 PM on Sunday

5:00 PM Sunday The show is over. We gave away many business cards — a sure sign the show wasn’t going well. There were a couple of reasonably serious inquiries, but no sales. We didn’t even make our expenses. Ugh! Unfortunately, it’s unlikely we’ll return.

Our next show will be at the Winnetka Community House in Winnetka, IL, November 6-8, 2015. We used to exhibit at shows in the greater Chicago area 4-6 times yearly. Most of them have disappeared, so we now only exhibit in Chicago twice a year, once in the fall in Winnetka and once in the spring in Glencoe at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Too bad, because we like Chicago and have lots of friends and clients. We’re really looking forward to seeing you at the show, so please put the dates in your calendar.

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. I will update it as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

Setting up at the NYC Big Flea Market, September 24, 2015

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Philip Chasen

I’ve got the whole crew setting up our booth

Yesterday was the first day of setup for the NYC Big Flea Market at Pier 94. The first day went smoothly except for getting to the Pier. Unfortunately we got stuck in traffic due to the Pope’s visit, so we were delayed starting. After that, everything went well. We should have the booth looking great for the Saturday morning start.

Another view of the setup in progress

Last year we met quite a few new people at the show. Even though the venue is the same as the November Pier Antiques Show, the promoters use different advertising and publicity, attracting different people. Hopefully the same will happen this year and we’ll make sales to new clients (but all old clients are welcomed and encouraged). The show opens at 9 AM on Saturday and closes at 5 PM on Sunday. The Pope will be gone by Saturday, so traffic should be back to normal. Hope to see you there!

We’ll have this great Daum Nancy Winter lamp at the show

Tune in Monday for the results.

The NYC Big Flea Market opens this weekend, September 26-27, 2015

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Philip Chasen

The NYC Big Flea Market will open to the public this coming Saturday, September 26th, at 9 AM and close on Sunday, September 27th, at 5 PM. The show is an offshoot of the DC Big Flea Market by promoter D’Amore Promotions. It will be held at Pier 94, 54th St. and the Hudson River, on Manhattan’s West Side. This is the same facility where the customary Pier Antiques Show takes place twice a year in November and March.

Last year on Saturday afternoon in front of my booth

Last year was the first time for the show and it worked out well for us. Attendance was good, interestingly with mostly different people than the usual Pier Antique shows, probably due to the different advertising and promotion. That’s a good thing. I don’t want to see the same people in the same facility in September and again in November. Last year we made some nice sales and had a profitable show.

We’ll have this fabulous B&S Orchids vase at the show

We’re bringing a really great selection of American and French glass and lamps by Tiffany Studios, Daum Nancy and Gallé, to name just a few. It will be worth your time and effort to visit this new and different show. Many of the dealers don’t ordinarily exhibit in New York, so the displays will be totally different.

Thursday’s blog will be delayed until Friday, so I can post from the show floor and next Monday’s blog will have the results!

In the more sad news category, I learned of the death of Don Williams, veteran antique show dealer, who passed away on September 16, 2015. I tried to find an image of Don, but he was old school, so he’s not on the Internet. He was a gentleman and will be missed.

The trend at auctions is still strong

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Philip Chasen

If you read Monday’s blog, you know that I was almost shut out trying to buy some items at auction this past weekend. I’m happy to report that the trend is continuing. Got outbid at a couple of auctions this week by a mile, so the markets are good.

Important padded and wheel-carved Schneider vase, Auctionata lot #58

Yesterday I tried to buy an important 9¼” Schneider vase with a padded and wheel-carved medallion at Auctionata in Germany. I left what I thought was a good bid, but it was to no avail. The bidding started at €1,500 and ended at €7,785 ($8,790) — a good price for a collector, but not for a dealer.

Martin Brothers mini spoon warmer, Wright Marshall lot #1231

Wright Marshall, Ltd., U.K., held an auction on September 15-16 which included several minor Martin Brothers objects. Included in the group was a small Martin Bros. spoon warmer, slightly over 3″ tall. Estimated to sell for £300 – £400, it realized an impressive £6,200 ($9,615).

No luck this week, but I’ll keep plugging away.

nyc-big-flea-9-2015 Our next show will be The Big Flea Market at Pier 94 in New York City, September 26-27. Last year was the first time for this show and it was good. The attendees were completely different than the established Pier Antique Show that takes place in November and March each year, making it a totally different experience.

I’m happy because I didn’t buy much at auction this past weekend

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Philip Chasen

I bid at five auctions this past weekend hoping to buy a few items at reasonable prices. I’m happy to report that prices were strong, so I bought almost nothing. Happy, because if prices are strong, the market is good, and I love a good market.

Martin Brothers musicians, Leland Little lot #373

One lot was #373 at Leland Little’s Fall Catalogue Auction in Hillsborough, NC, on Saturday, September 12, 2015. Three Martin Brothers stoneware musicians (two in perfect condition, one restored) were estimated to sell for $2,000 – $4,000, but sold well beyond my budget, for $8,850, including buyer’s premium. For the complete results of the sale, click here.

Joseph Frances Kernan, Rago lot #2715

The day before, I got a bigger surprise at Rago’s Great Estates auction, Friday, September 11, 2015. I noticed a couple of interesting American Illustration paintings in the manner of Norman Rockwell. Both were by Joseph Francis Kernan, an artist I didn’t know very well, but whose work I admired. Lot #2714 carried a pre-sale estimate of $1,500 – $2,000 and sold for $11,875 after serious competitive bidding from two phone bidders. The same two bid the next lot, #2715, to $17,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $3,000 – $5,000. I was hoping to buy them at or below the low estimates. Goes to show you what I know.

Newcomb College scenic vase, Brunk lot #313

Brunk Auctions may or may not have sold a lovely, large (10¾”) Newcomb College vase for $9,600, including buyer’s premium. I say may or may not because I really don’t know. The pre-sale estimate was $4,000 – $8,000. Auction houses never permit reserves higher than the low estimates, so once the bidding reaches the low estimate, an item is supposed to be sold. The hammer price reached $8,000, so it certainly appeared to have sold, but it’s listed on liveauctioneers as “Lot passed. No bid history.” I assume there’s a good explanation, but as of the publication of this blog post, I don’t know it. I wrote directly to Andrew Brunk, the owner of Brunk Auctions, and he responded that he didn’t know of the problem. It was his understanding that the vase sold at auction for $9,600.

In the meantime, I’ll keep plugging away and get my fair share. Luckily I also have private sources for my goodies, so I hope to be outbid at every auction.

Warhol’s Famous Jews Stolen from L.A. Movie Studio and Replaced with Fakes

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Philip Chasen

On vacation this week, so I didn’t have the time to write an original post, but I did find the Warhol theft interesting. Click here to read the article from artnet.com.

No two French cameo vases are identical

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Pair of Gallé Magnolia floral vases

Take a careful look at the photo above. The pair of vases were made at the same time at the Gallé factory, but they’re not identical. If you look carefully, you can see small differences, like the detail within the central flower. The glass artists started with a prototype that was the standard to copy, most likely a stencil, but were given latitude to make minor changes, as they saw fit. Scrutinize the photo above and you’ll find other minor differences.

Pair of Le Verre Francais Orchidées vases

The two vases above, by Le Verre Français, were also made at the same time and display small differences. The easiest to see is the difference in height, but there are also differences in the decoration. The easiest ones to spot are the tips of the petals at the very top.

Cutting the pattern into the waxy resist used to cover the vase was all done by hand. Each time the artist repeated the design, he/she made slight changes to the decoration, so they were never identical.

Lalique vases can be identical because they were cast in molds. French cameo vases were not molded, except for blownout vases. Even those vases were not identical because the designs were carved by hand after being mold-blown. Small differences occurred during the process, making each one unique.

Handel and Tiffany lamps sell at Julia’s Summer Fine Art, Asian, & Antiques Auction, August 27, 2015

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Philip Chasen

James D. Julia, Inc. held a 4-day Summer Fine Art, Asian, & Antiques Auction, August 25-28, 2015. I’m only reporting on the lots that interest me, but you can view the entire sale by clicking the link in the fifth paragraph below. For this auction it was lot #3061, a Handel lamp, and #3327, a Tiffany Favrile lamp.

Handel 18″ diameter scenic table lamp, Julia lot #3061

Lot #3061 was a rare and really beautiful 18″ diameter scenic table lamp with a rocky stream and tree trunk base. It sold for $10,665, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $3,000 – $5,000. At one time, this was a $25,000 lamp, but since I’m not sure of today’s price, I dropped out as the underbidder. Reverse-painted lamps are difficult to photograph, but I know from experience that it’s much more beautiful in person.

Wheel-carved Tiffany Favrile lamp, Julia lot #3327

Lot #3327 was an interesting Tiffany Favrile table lamp, with two unusual features. First the base was matching glass (Favrile shades usually have bronze bases). Secondly the decoration on the shade was completely wheel-carved (engraved) by hand when the shade was cold. Favrile lamps are more commonly decorated by the gaffer when molten, frequently with wave decoration. It did have a couple of flaws — some original folds on the underside and an unsoldered arm on the fitter (which is easy to fix). Estimated to sell for $4,000 – $6,000, it realized $8,887.50, including buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click here. You will have to sign in (free) to see the results.

Philip Chasen Antiques

The blog for chasenantiques.com

Monthly Archives: September 2015