Martin Brothers Wise Owl tobacco jar, Woolley & Wallis lot #78
Woolley & Wallis held an Arts & Crafts auction on June 19, 2019. Included in the sale was a nice collection of Martin Brothers ceramics, including several birds.
The top lot of the group was #78, a Wise Owl bird tobacco jar, 11½” tall, with restoration. Estimated to sell for £15,000 – £20,000, it realized £24,700 ($31,064), including buyer’s premium — a pretty handsome price for a restored item.
Martin Brothers spoon warmer, Woolley & Wallis lot #82
The only Martinware spoon warmer in the sale sold within its pre-sale estimate of £12,000 – £18,000, realizing £20,800 ($26,159), including buyer’s premium.
Martin Brothers grotesque bird vase, Woolley & Wallis lot #56
Of the many Martinware vases offered for sale in the auction, lot #56 sold for the highest price. It was a 9½” vase, with goofy birds that collectors admire. It sold for its high estimate of £8,000, without buyer’s premium, or £10,400 ($13,080) with buyer’s premium.
For the complete results of the sale, click here.
No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.
Bonhams New York held a Modern Decorative Art + Design sale on June 7, 2019. Included in the sale were two Tiffany Studios lamps, the topic of today’s post.
Tiffany Studios Swirling Leaf floor lamp, Bonhams lot #12
Lot #12 was a huge Tiffany Studios Swirling Leaf floor lamp. It was moderately rare, but not terribly appealing nor important. This was one of those cases where the base probably had more value than the shade. Regardless, it sold near its high estimate of $90,000, realizing $106,325, including buyer’s premium — the fourth highest price paid at the sale. My guess is that someone had a more important shade and wanted the base for it, but that’s totally conjecture on my part.
Tiffany Studios Spider table lamp, Bonhams lot #6
Lot #6 was a 15″ diameter Spider table lamp on a complementary Mushroom base — a fairly desirable model. I had interest in the lamp until I found out that it had been completely repatinated. Regardless, it sold for approximately double its high estimate of $30,000, realizing $68,825 including buyer’s premium. My guess is that the bidders were unknowledgeable novices. Discriminating collectors just wouldn’t have bid.
Tiffany & Co. water pitcher, Bonhams lot #9
The fifth highest price in the sale went to a gorgeous, Art Nouveau, mixed-metal, sterling silver, Tiffany & Co. water pitcher from 1880. It easily exceeded its estimate of $40,000 – $60,000, realizing $93,825 including buyer’s premium.
For the complete results of the sale, click here.
No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.
Morphy Auctions, Denver, PA, held a two-day Fine & Decorative Arts auction June 18-19, 2019. Included in the sale was an important collection of Tiffany Favrile glass from a New Hampshire estate. It was high quality and fresh-to-the-market, so the results were superb. The estimate for the entire glass collection was $250,000 – $361,000. It soared past its estimates to realize $729,000. Kudos to Mike Fredericks, head of the Decorative Arts department, for landing the collection and putting together a superior sale.
Tiffany Favrile paperweight vase, Morphy lot #1251
The top lot of the selection of Tiffany Favrile glass was #1251, an 11″, colorful, paperweight vase with internal swirls. It flew past its pre-sale estimate of $6,000 – $8,000, realizing $42,000, including buyer’s premium. The sale included several paperweight vases, all of which easily exceeded their high estimates.
Tiffany floriform vase, Morphy lot #1267
Tiffany floriform vases haven’t been selling well for the last few years, but lot #1267 sold very well as it was special — 13¼” tall, with hand-carved white flower petals and green leaves and stems. It was the third best seller of the Tiffany Favrile glass collection. It realized $36,000, six times its pre-sale high estimate of $6,000.
Tiffany Favrile gooseneck vase, Morphy lot #1304
Lot #1304 was a gorgeous, deep blue, Tiffany Favrile, gooseneck vase with raised beehive decoration on the bulb of the vase and aqua blue pulled decoration on the neck of the vase. It sold for $21,600, many times its pre-sale high estimate of $3,000. A colleague of mine bought it for his private collection.
For the complete results of the sale, click here.
No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.
Clars Auction Gallery, Oakland, CA, held a 3-day Furniture, Fine Art, Jewelry and Timepieces, Asian Art auction, June 15-17, 2019. Included in the sale was a very fine leaded lamp by Morgan & Sons, Brooklyn, NY, 18″ diameter x 24″ tall. It sold for $19,680, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $10,000 – $15,000. I was interested in the lamp, but not willing to pay the price, so I declined to bid. The lamp also needed some attention as one of the flowers had come loose from the lamp and will have to be re-leaded.
A close-up of a hand-painted, bent glass rose panel from a Morgan & Sons lamp. Photo courtesy of James D. Julia, Inc.
Morgan & Sons used techniques in their leaded lamps that differed from their competitors like Tiffany Studios. First they bent the glass, which took a lot of time, effort and skill. Then they hand-painted the flowers on the individual tiles of glass and fired them in a kiln, making the decorations permanent. Ultimately the shade was leaded together in the manner of Tiffany, but only after 1903, when Tiffany’s patent on the technique expired. Then they coupled the shade with a complementary organic base, creating a unique and magnificent lamp.
Other similar examples of Morgan lamps were sold over the years at James D. Julia Auctions, ranging from $6,792 – $23,000. Click here for Julia’s results.
No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.
I tried to buy a small, beautiful Daum Nancy cup and saucer in the Rain pattern at a French auction on June 6, 2019, but it was not meant to be. Personally I’ve never seen the Rain pattern on a cup and saucer, so it was quite rare (and probably part of a larger set when new). It had strong color and contrast, with a lot of pink in the background. It sold for €7,296 ($8,225), including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of €700 – €1,200. That was a fine price for a collector, but not a dealer.
No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.
