I will do my best to publish a new post every Monday.
Christie’s New York held a Tiffany sale on December 10, 2021 that grossed $4,193,250, with only 40 lots for sale. Results were strong, with most items selling at or above (some well above) their high estimates. Only one lot, #220, a Tiffany figural window, failed to sell. Following is a review of some of the more interesting results.
Tiffany Studios Apple Blossom table lamp, Christie’s lot #223
As expected, the top lot of the sale went to #223, a very rare Apple Blossom table lamp in the form of a Wisteria lamp. Only six examples are known to exist, of which three are in museums. The lamp realized $625,000, including buyer’s premium, against an estimate of $400,000 – $600,000.
Tiffany Studios Favrile lamp with Arch base, Christie’s lot #232
Lot #232 was a very rare and unusual Favrile glass lamp with 7 shades, on an Arch base. It almost doubled its low estimate of $150,000, realizing $300,000, including buyer’s premium.
Tiffany Studios 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp, Christie’s lot #227
I really wanted to buy lot #227, a 20″ diameter Dragonfly lamp with gorgeous dichroic, mottled glass in the background. It sold for $93,750, including buyer’s premium, against an estimate of $50,000 – $70,000. Unfortunately for me, I was the underbidder (as I was on a number of lots).
I managed not to buy anything because of the strong prices. I take consolation in the fact that the market is strong.
Let me know what interests you, even if you don’t see it on my website. I’ve got lots of items that I haven’t listed yet and I know how to locate what you desire.
I listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. 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.
I will do my best to publish a new post every Monday.
Christie’s New York held a Design sale on December 9, 2021. Included in the sale was an outstanding group of French glass, consisting of 24 lots of important artistic vases and lamps by Gallé, Daum and others. Only two of the lots did not sell, with the others selling mostly at or above their high estimates.
Following is a review of some of the standout sales.
Daum and Majorelle Nénuphar table lamp, Christie’s lot #107
The top lot of the French glass section of the sale was #107, an Art Nouveau bronze and glass Nénuphar (Water Lily) lamp by Daum (the glass) and Majorelle (the bronze), circa 1900. It sold for many times its high estimate of $30,000, realizing $200,000, including buyer’s premium.
Gallé Wisteria table lamp, Christie’s lot #89
The second highest lot of the French glass section of the sale went to #89, a huge, impressive, 30½” tall, blue and yellow Gallé Wisteria table lamp. It sold within its estimate of $100,000 – $150,000, realizing $162,500, including buyer’s premium.
Gallé Rose of France vase, Christie’s lot #96
I loved lot #96, an important, artistic Gallé Rose of France vase, with molten applied flowers, branches and leaves. I tried to buy it, but it went way into retail territory. It sold for $118,750, including buyer’s premium, against an estimate of $25,000 – $35,000.
The collection of French glass was exceptional, so I suggest you click here for the complete results of the sale. The sale grossed $13,969,125, so you’ll probably be interested in the other lots in the sale, a few of which exceeded $1,000,000.
Let me know what interests you, even if you don’t see it on my website. I’ve got lots of items that I haven’t listed yet and I know how to locate what you desire.
I listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. 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.
I will do my best to publish a new post every Monday.
Sotheby’s New York held a Dreaming in Glass: Masterworks by Tiffany Studios sale on December 8, 2021. The 33 lots sold for a total of $5,386,397, with 100% sold. Following is a review of a few of the more interesting results.
As expected the top lot of the sale was lot #313, a gorgeous 26″ diameter Oriental Poppy floor lamp. It sold within its estimate of $600,000 – $800,000, realizing $746,000,including buyer’s premium. Lot #316, a Wisteria lamp, was a close second, realizing $685,500, including buyer’s premium.
Tiffany Favrile Tel el-Amarna vase, Sotheby’s lot #303
There were more valuable Tiffany Favrile vases in the sale than lot #303, a red Tel el-Amarna vase, but that was my choice. It was a stunning example, both rare and beautiful. I wanted to buy it, but couldn’t see my way to pay the price of $25,200, including buyer’s premium, against an estimate of $12,000 – $18,000.
Tiffany Studios 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp, Sotheby’s lot #333
I also wanted to buy lot #333, a beautiful 20″ Dragonfly with great mottling and jeweled red eyes. It came on a very desirable gold doré Twisted Vine base. I was willing to pay about $80,000, all in, but it sold for $100,800, including buyer’s premium, against an estimate of $60,000 – $80,000. That was a retail price, which I wouldn’t pay.
Let me know what interests you, even if you don’t see it on my website. I’ve got lots of items that I haven’t listed yet and I know how to locate what you desire.
I listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. 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.
I will do my best to publish a new post every Monday.
Leland Little Auctions, Hillsborough, NC, held a Signature Winter auction on December 4, 2021. Included in the sale were several lamps; the topic of this blog.
Tiffany Studios 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp, Little lot #207
I tried to buy lot #207, a Tiffany Studios 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp. Unfortunately I was the underbidder. It realized $44,400, including buyer’s premium. It had some problems: Shade: 2.5 inch solder repair to fitter rim edge; the same area with four cracked glass panels; a few other scattered tight hairline cracks to glass panels; one of the upper green cabochons with chips; the lamp base with a dent to the underside edge of the base (only visible from underneath). Additionally the sockets were pull-chain and should have been turn-key. So the lamp needed about $3,000 to fully restore it.
I recently sold almost the identical lamp for a bit more and my lamp had no problems. So it made no sense to pay a total of approximately $47,500, then do a lot of work, then try to make a small profit.
20″ diameter Peony leaded shade
The next lot, #208, is where the problems started. It was described on their website as follows:
Tiffany Studios “Peony” Stained Glass Shade Circa 1910, wavy textured and pulled glass panes in light green, yellow and rich reds, marked to interior base rim “Tiffany Studios / New York / 1475”.
7.75 x 18.25 in. diameter; fitter rim 4.25 in.
Amongst the firm’s most consistently popular lamp models, the Peony remained in continuous production from its debut around 1900 until the late 1920s.
Good as found condition; no cracks found; rich reddish brown patina to bronze solder; brown residue to interior and exterior of glass.
$20,000 – 40,000
The problem is that it wasn’t by Tiffany Studios, but rather a modern reproduction. Take a look at a closeup of the ripple glass. Note that the waves are random, whereas Tiffany ripple glass has much more orderly ripples. Also note that the shade is described as having brown residue to interior and exterior of glass. That trick was done by immersing the shade in tea and letting it dry. Then look at the signature tag, which was bogus.
I’m fairly sure that Leland Little Auction is a reputable auction house, but without Tiffany experts. Had they hired an outside expert (me, perhaps), the lot would have been listed as Tiffany-style, modern, with an estimate of $2,000 – $3,000. Knowledgeable people didn’t bid, as evidenced by the final price of $30,000, including buyer’s premium. If it were authentic, it would have sold for double or triple that. So that means a novice bought it and is going to be really unhappy when he/she finds out.
Handel-type lamp, Little lot #210
The next lot, #209, had a similar problem. It was sold as Handel, Stained Glass Table Lamp. But it wasn’t; well at least the shade wasn’t (the base was authentic.) In all probability, the shade was a modern reproduction. It’s possible that it was by Unique, a New York lamp maker of the period, but probably not. They used similarly-shaped flowers and background glass, but their shades always had zigzag irregular lower rims. Additionally, the cap on this example was for reverse-painted lamps only. Handel used special openwork caps for their leaded shades.
Again I think knowledgeable buyers did not bid. It sold for only $2,160, including buyer’s premium. It would have sold for well above that price if it had been authentic, as evidenced by some recent sales at other auction houses.
Let me know what interests you, even if you don’t see it on my website. I’ve got lots of items that I haven’t listed yet and I know how to locate what you desire.
I listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. 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.
