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Cottone Auctions, Geneseo, NY, held a Fine Art & Antiques auction on March 28, 2020. Included in the sale were a substantial number of lamps by Tiffany Studios and the Handel Lamp Co., as well as some nice art glass. The better lamps had solid results. Following are some of them.

The top three highest prices of the sale were all realized by Tiffany Studios lamps. Lot #156, a 24″ diameter helmet Rose table lamp achieved the highest price, but only slightly above its low estimate of $75,000, realizing $91,450, including buyer’s premium. Personally it wasn’t a favorite of mine as I didn’t much care for the shape of the shade.

The next two lots, #s 157 and 158 achieved the same results, each realizing $70,800, including buyer’s premium. Lot #157 was an attractive 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp with an estimate of $40,000 – $60,000, while #158 was an 18-light Lily table lamp with an estimate of $30,000 – $50,000.

A rare and desirable Handel acid-etched and iridized Peacock table lamp on an equally rare Peacock base sold well above its estimate of $10,000 – $15,000, realizing $26,550, including buyer’s premium. While that’s a pretty good result, it probably would have sold for 50% – 100% more at the peak of the market, a decade or more ago.

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

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Treadway Gallery, Cincinnati, OH, sold the June and Larry Greenwald Collection at auction, March 22, 2020. Included in the sale were several fine Tiffany lamps and vases, the first significant test of strength after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I’ve been friends with the Greenwald parents (June and Larry) and children (Robin and Ron) for many years as we exhibited at the same shows many times. After the parents both passed away, the children decided to sell their parents’ entire collection at auction. Don Treadway was the lucky auctioneer to get the collection. The results were quite good, especially considering the sale was held in the middle of a pandemic.

As expected, the top lot of the sale was #121, a magnificent Tiffany Studios 22″ diameter Peony table lamp, with exceptional color and a rare bamboo base. It sold for $276,000, including buyer’s premium, slightly below the high estimate of $250,000, not including buyer’s premium.

The second highest lot of the sale was #49, a Tiffany Studios miniature (pony) Wisteria lamp. It sold within its estimate of $100,000 – $150,000, realizing $144,000, including buyer’s premium.

The top Tiffany Favrile glass lot of the sale was #1, a fine Nasturtium paperweight vase. Tiffany produced some of these vases intentionally with holes in the bottom. I assume this was to prevent people from filling them with water and damaging the interiors of the vases. Tiffany solved this problem by including a glass liner for water. Most of them were lost over the years, but this example retained its original liner. The vase sold just below its high estimate of $15,000, realizing $16,800, including buyer’s premium.

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

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There have been many developments this week regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19), so here are a few from my prospective.

The Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show has been postponed until the fall. I was in contact with Rosemary Krieger, the promoter of the show, advising her that we will not be exhibiting this year. I also advised her not to run the show until the following year. She decided to go ahead with the show, but was forced to cancel because the venue, the Chicago Merchandise Mart, canceled all spring shows. Only time will tell if the spread of the virus will have abated enough to have a fall show, but I’m not optimistic. The only real solution will be a vaccine.

In other news, a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll has revealed that 68 percent of Democrats are worried that someone in their family could catch the virus, while just 40 percent of Republicans and 45 percent of independents share that concern. That’s an astonishing fact to me. How can something as scientific and factual as a virus become politicized? Facts used to be facts. Doesn’t seem that way anymore. I love my new tee shirt that says Science doesn’t care what you believe!

On the light side, click on this link to see how some Italians are dealing with the quarantine. (Scroll down to the videos and turn up the volume!)

I imagine that people will be at their computers a lot more than usual especially as older folks heed the advice to socially distance themselves. That sounds like an opportunity for me to list more items on my website and do some business. I will soon be unpacking lots of new items and listing them for sale on my site. Please take a look and let me know what interests you!

In the meantime, stay well!!

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It’s amazing how fast the world has changed in a few months. There was no way I could have predicted a pandemic. It was totally off my radar screen. I made lots of plans, but now it seems I have to change them all.

The coronavirus is bad and getting worse. There are a few hundred confirmed cases in the United States, but that means there are thousands more because many people have not been tested. Young people may have the virus with slight or no symptoms and unknowingly spread it to others. Older people are the most vulnerable.

The situation is bad in many parts of the world. All of northern Italy is on lockdown. In Iran, some top leaders have already died of the virus, including a close aide to Khamenei, the Supreme Leader. I think there is no way to stop the spread of the virus in the United States. The Surgeon General said we’ve gone beyond containment to the next phase, mitigation. We have to hope that scientists will find effective treatments for now and hope that a vaccine comes sooner than later.

So what will happen to organized events, like antique shows? Many important events have already been canceled, like SXSW in Austin, TX. There’s talk of no spectators at the Summer Olympics in Japan. It’s up to the show promoters to decide, but I suggest they err on the side of caution. Even if the events are held, it’s likely there will be far fewer exhibitors and attendees.

Got my fingers crossed that the problem can be resolved quickly. I wish you all well.