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.
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers held their 20th Century Decorative Arts auction last Thursday, October 23, 2013, with some impressive results, especially for French cameo glass. Much of the French glass was consigned from the Adrienne Krumhorn Trust of Highland Park, Illinois. It was high quality, fresh-to-the-market, and estimated low — red meat for the lions. Even condition problems, which normally are kisses of death, did not deter buyers.
The tone was set from the beginning, with lot #1, a 12½” Gallé ewer, with a cracked handle. It soared past its pre-sale estimate of $1,000-2,000 to sell for $8,125, including buyer’s premium of 25%.
Most of the French cameo glass lots at least doubled their high estimates, with many selling for much more. Lot #8 was a Gallé rhododendron blownout vase with a pre-sale estimate of $8,000-12,000. It wasn’t the best example, with only fair color. Regardless of my opinion, the lot doubled its high estimate to sell for $25,000.
The most important French cameo lot of the sale was #28A, a Daum lamp with applied and wheel-carved dragonflies. It had several problems — weak color, a missing dragonfly tail, reproduction hardware, and finally a shortened base. Never mind the problems, don’t get in the way of a moving freight train. This auction was hot and there was no stopping it. The lamp realized $47,500, approximately five times the high estimate of $9,000.I haven’t raised my prices on French cameo glass, but if other auction houses start having similar results, I will. Let me know what interests you, before that happens. For the complete results of this exciting sale, click here.
Next month we’ll be working from home base, exhibiting at the NYC Pier Show, November 23-24, 2013. The show is under new management, U.S. Antique Shows, which usually portends improvements. It will be our last show of the year, followed by the important Florida shows in January and February.
Click here to view my new website and look around. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.