I just bought (and sold) the rarest and most beautiful Daum Nancy vase

Posted on April 6, 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 front

A friend of mine turned me onto a very rare Daum vase — a model I’ve never seen before and had no idea existed. After seeing hundreds of thousands of Daum vases over the course of 40+ years, it was pretty exciting. There are rarities that are ugly, so who cares, but this one was gorgeous. Wow! Only one problem — a 3″ crack. Ordinarily I run in the other direction when I hear that, but this vase was so beautiful and so rare, I presented the photos to a good client. He decided he needed it for his collection because of its scarcity and its beauty and I agreed.

daum-scenic-with-person-2 The shape is classical — a 5″ pillow vase. The decoration is not — bright spring colors and a woman picking flowers on a country path. Fabulous!! Technically there’s another detail that thrills me, but would bore most collectors. The trees go from being raised (by acid-etching) above the flower line to being recessed below it. I don’t have the vase in front of me, so I can’t tell if it was accomplished by acid-etching or wheel-carving. Sorry, but it’s a very cool detail that I’ve never seen before – that’s two extreme rarities in one vase.

The back

This is a win-win situation. The seller is happy to make the sale. I’m happy to make the purchase and the sale. My friend is happy with her commission. And finally the buyer is happy to add an incredible vase to his collection. I can hear the birds singing.

Next week we’re off to Chicago for the Garden, Antique & Design Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, IL, (a north suburb of Chicago), April 17-19, 2015. We’re down to only two shows in the greater Chicago area, so don’t wait for the Merchandise Mart or the Navy Pier. They don’t exist anymore. Come and visit us in Glencoe or you’ll be out of luck until we return to Winnetka in the fall.

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. 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.

The NYC Pier Antique Show opens this Saturday, March 28, 2014

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Philip Chasen

The NYC Pier Antique Show will open to the public this coming Saturday, March 28, at 10 AM, and close the next day, Sunday, March 29, at 6 PM. It’s a popular bi-annual event attended by eager collectors, dealers and decorators, some from as far away as Japan.

We only have two shows left this spring, then a big break before our summer shows. After the NYC Pier show we’ll travel to Chicago for the Garden, Antique & Design Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, IL, April 17-19.

We’ll have this high-quality Daum Winter scenic vase at the show

We’re bringing an extensive group of American and French glass and lamps. The selection will be large, with outstanding examples by Tiffany, Daum and Gallé.

Thursday’s blog will be delayed to Friday, so I can write from the floor of the NYC Pier Antique Show. Next Monday’s blog will have the results of the show.

Good results at Sotheby’s New York 20th Century Design sale, March 4, 2015

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Sotheby’s New York held its 20th Century Design sale on March 4, 2015, with good results. Sales totaled $2,621,379 for the 218 lots offered. Of those, 168 lots sold, for an average of $15,603. 50 lots failed to reach reserve and did not sell. Considering the selection was weaker than the main sales in June and December, the results were impressive.

Tiffany Studios 7-light lily lamp with decorated shades, Sotheby’s lot #11

Lot #11 was one of the better Tiffany lamps — a 7-light lily with decorated shades. Most lily lamps have gold shades, so it was nice to find an example with unusual shades. The lamp was in nice condition, except for one mismatched gold decorated shade (visible in the rear). Regardless, it sold for $40,625, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $12,000 — $18,000.

Steuben red decorated vase, Sotheby’s lot #18

Several lots of Steuben glass crossed the block, with #18, a fine red decorated vase, selling well. It brought $11,250, against an estimate of $7,000 — $9,000.

Rare Daum Dragonfly lamp, Sotheby’s lot #46

I didn’t like lot #46, a rare Daum Dragonfly lamp, so I didn’t bid. The shade didn’t match the base well and I had a suspicion the base was shortened. I also had doubts about the authenticity and originality of the hardware — it just didn’t look right to me. However, the bidders didn’t ask my opinion first, and pushed the lamp to $43,750, against a pre-sale estimate of $20,000 — $30,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

Now we’ll slow down until our next show, the NYC Pier Antique Show, March 28-29, 2015. In the meantime, I can see a nice vacation in our near future. 🙂

French glass sells well at Doyle New York’s Belle Epoque sale, February 18, 2015

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Doyle New York held its Belle Epoque sale on February 18, 2015. Included in the sale were two interesting collections of French glass — Schneider glass from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and Gallé glass from the estate of Erica Lemle Amsterdam. Both groups of glass sold well.

A Schneider applied floral vase, Doyle lot #302

Top lot of the museum’s Schneider glass collection was #302, an important applied floral vase. Estimated very conservatively at $1,000 – $1,500, it soared to $5,938, including buyer’s premium.

Gallé Crystallerie decanter, Doyle lot #333

An early Gallé Crystallerie decanter depicting a Renaissance Queen was the best performing lot of the Erica Lemle Amsterdam estate collection. It realized $12,500, five times its pre-sale high estimate of $2,500.

For the complete results of the sale, click here. Then choose Belle Epoque from the drop-down list and click “View”.

Now we’ll slow down until our next show, the NYC Pier Antique Show, March 28-29, 2015. In the meantime, I can see a nice vacation in our near future. 🙂

The results of the Original Miami Beach Antique Show, January 30 – February 3, 2015

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Philip Chasen

The opening day crowd was huge with almost 1000 people on line

Yesterday, February 3, 2015, the Original Miami Beach Antique Show finished its 5-day run. The crowds were smaller than usual, but included many serious buyers. (At least that’s the way I perceived it.) Most dealers I spoke to did well, but there were some disappointments.

There were lots of sold stickers at Best of France

Following are comments from dealers I know personally. It is not a representative cross-section of the dealers at the show. Jack Papadinis, Jack Pap Antiques, West Simsbury, CT, a dealer in 20th Century lighting & decorative accessories, commented “Overall it was a quieter pre-show and show, compared to last year. I sold more expensive items pre-show to other dealers. The crowd was somewhat lackluster, however several customers made the show profitable.” Butler & Butler, Sarasota, FL, 19th Century general dealers, were quite enthusiastic. “It was one of our best Miami Beach shows. We restocked our stand several times.” Ron Greenwald, Greenwald Antiques, Cleveland, OH, general dealers, was equally ebullient. “Strong. The energy was great. Saw old and new customers. We sold up to the last minute.” Xavier Eury, Nancy, France, French cameo glass dealer, was pleased. “My show was pretty good. Most of my clients were South American.” Dean Lowry, Dean Lowry Antiques, Gulfport, FL, lamp dealer, told me “It was a good show. Traffic was down, but we picked up several new clients. Business was down from last year, but we were still satisfied.” Jack Ophir, Ophir Antiques, Englewood, NJ, 20th Century decorative arts dealer, remarked “We had a very nice show. We sold good Art Nouveau lamps and objects, including a Loie Fuller lamp by Raoul Larche and an important vase by Camille Fauré.” Bill Holland, hollandarts.com, West Chester, PA, dealing in the works of Louis Icart and Louis Tiffany, commented “Quality items sold. Low-end items not as much. I did about the same as last year. I was happy with the show.” Rick Kaplan, Rick & Robert Kaplan Antiques, Palm Springs, CA, general dealers, seemed pleased. “We did well — pretty much the same as last year, which was good.” And lastly Larry Zinzi, Lawrence J. Zinzi Antiques, Bronx, NY, general dealer specializing in the works of Louis Tiffany, was disappointed. “It was fair. Europeans didn’t show because the euro was weak. The Tiffany market is still good. I sold four lamps, but business was down from last year.”

We sold this lovely Gallé table lamp at the show

Personally I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven. After a fabulous show at the Miami National (Airport) Show last week, we did very well at this show — much better than last year. Business to the general public was better than last week, but sales to my private clients was down. French cameo glass continued on fiyah! (that’s fire for those who need translation). I cannot think of another show, ever, where more cameo glass was sold, not just by me, but by all the dealers.

Next year the show returns to its usual starting day of Thursday and that’s a good thing. The show will move to the Washington Ave. side of the building, halls A & B, while renovations are underway to the west side of the building. I suggest to you dealers who missed the Miami Airport Show the week before that you reconsider for next year. There were a lot of smiling faces at the end of that one.

This week we’ll be in Naples, Florida for the Naples Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. It will be our first time there and we’re expecting good things (especially after the good business in Miami). We visited last year and were pleased with what we saw, so we decided to give it a shot this year. If we do well, we’ll be back next year. If not, we’ll vacation, as we’ve done in the past.

The results of the Miami National Antique Show, January 24-26, 2015

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Philip Chasen

The blog schedule will be modified for a while because the Miami shows are starting and ending on unusual days. The next post will be this Friday from the floor of the Miami Beach Convention Center. That will be followed by a results post on Wednesday, February 4th.

The Miami National Antique show ended its three-day run yesterday, January 26th. It’s smaller and leaner, but still a fine show. I’ve exhibited at shows all around the country and this one puts many of them to shame.

Ouch! That smarts.

Unfortunately setup on Friday didn’t go smoothly for one dealer. The bracket on the top shelf gave way, causing all of the French glass to slide off and smash to the ground, as well as take out a Gallé lamp on the way down. It was major, uninsured, six-figure damage that the dealer took with a fair degree of equanimity. I felt really bad for him. If it had been me, I would have been a basket case.

Saturday afternoon in front of my booth

Attendance on Saturday was quite good, in part because it was both the opening day of the show and the weekend. There was plenty of interest and questions, but no sales.

We sold this Tiffany Linenfold floor lamp at the show

Attendance on Sunday was much lighter, but business was much better, which proves it’s the quality of the buyers that counts, not the quantity.

I sold this important Argy-Rousseau pâte-de-verre vase at the show

Monday was a joke. Almost no attendance and, of course, no sales to the public (but some sales to dealers on the show floor). It would have been nice to have a day off. Many shows have switched to two days, Saturday and Sunday, and that’s what I suggest for this show. Everyone will be happier, including show management. I did manage to buy out the French glass collection of one of the dealers on the floor of the show. He raised some capital and I got some nice glass.

In asking around I got the following comments from a few dealers. Dave Crockett of Artifacts Antiques, Palm City, FL, a general dealer, commented “Did well. Wished it had been a larger crowd.” Joey Schwartz of Steve’s Antiques, Tiburon, CA, a dealer in 19th Century decorative arts, told me “Good. We did better than last year. We’ll definitely be back.” Robin and Ron Greenwald of Greenwald Antiques, Cleveland, OH, general dealers, were also enthusiastic. “We had a good show, in fact, we were thrilled. We are looking forward to many years of this show.” The general consensus of the dealers was overwhelmingly positive.

Personally this was the best show of my life. Let me repeat. Best show. Ever. I wish it were due to the huge crowds and their voracious appetites, but alas, it wasn’t. I did make two sales to the public — one important and one moderate. Most of my sales were to private clients who I emailed photos of items I found at the show. They were most enthusiastic and I was most grateful. Thank you. You know who you are. French glass, in particular, was on fire.

This Friday, January 30th, the eagerly anticipated Original Miami Beach Antique Show will open to the public. After all these years, it’s still a big deal. Dealers and attendees from all over the world flock there to do business. I imagine the total value of the merchandise on display to be at least $1 billion. At a 10% sell-through rate, that’s $100 million in sales — not a bad piece of change.

What’s new at Chasen Antiques? Part III

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Philip Chasen

This outstanding 18″ tall Gallé is fresh from a Florida collection

I’ve always been an active buyer and seller of French cameo glass. Recently I bought a collection in Florida, as well as many items in various locations. I’ve now got four Gallé lamps for sale. Usually I don’t even have one.

Galle Fuchsia vase, just in

Gallé blownout vases are highly collectible and desirable. The Fuchsia example above is one of four different, beautiful blownout models I have for sale.

Gorgeous Burgun & Schverer Bleeding hearts vase

Do you have any idea how much work went into the making of a single Burgun & Schverer internally decorated vase? I’ll tell you. First the gaffer (glass blower) blew the undecorated vase. When cold (24-48 hours later), the vase went to a decorator who hand-painted the flowers, branches and leaves with glass enamel paint. Then into the kiln to melt and fuse the design to the vase. At that point, the decoration was on the outside of the vase. It then went back to the gaffer to be reheated and covered with a layer of clear glass. The technique is called paperweight (because the decoration becomes internal). It was difficult, as well as time and labor-intensive. Many of the vases cracked during cooling. If it survived, 24-48 hours later, the cold vase was sent to a decorator who covered the vase with a waxy resist, hand-carved the leaf, branch and top rim icicles and then sent it for a hydrofluoric acid bath to etch the design. After washing and drying, the vase was heated to melt off the remainder of the waxy resist. Then off to an engraver who hand-carved the details in the flowers and leaves and the martelé flourishes in the background. Not finished yet. Then back to another decorator who hand-painted the gilded details in the veins of the flowers and the top rim. At this point the gold was black, so off to the kiln for still another firing. After cooling, (24-48 hours), out came a piece of art, with internal flowers, incredible workmanship, and shiny gold details, ready for sale. How long would you guess that took, by how many artisans? My best guess is two weeks of work and up to ten very talented glass artisans. I hope next time you look at an internally decorated B&S vase, you’ll have a different appreciation. The example pictured above was recently purchased. It’s gorgeous, with outstanding work and a rare, beautiful rose-red background.

Striking Daum Nancy Marine pillow vase

Lastly I’d like to mention that I’ve been able to acquire several outstanding Daum vases, including the marine scenic example pictured above. Please take the time to look over the various offerings I’ve listed on my website. I tried to picture most of the examples I have for sale, but they’re not all there. Time doesn’t permit me to picture everything. Either you can ask me for something specific or best of all, come to see me at one of my shows in Florida. You won’t be disappointed!

I can’t believe it. By the middle of next week, we’ll be in Miami setting up the Miami National Antiques Show (the Airport show) and by Saturday we’ll be open to the public for business. If you plan on going to the big Miami Beach show the following week, you should consider coming a few days early to visit this one. You’ll get first crack at some of the following week’s merchandise (and out of the cold!).

Mixed results at Julia’s Important Lamp & Glass auction, November 12-13, 2014

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Philip Chasen

James D. Julia, Inc. held their Important Lamp & Glass auction on November 12-13, 2014, with total sales exceeding $1.5 million. Some categories showed significant strength, including Loetz glass, art glass shades and French glass.

Fine silver overlay Loetz vase, Julia’s lot #2005

The sale started strongly with Loetz glass. This section of the sale was led by lot #2005, a beautifully decorated, silver overlay, vase. It sold near its high estimate of $12,000, realizing $13,035, including buyer’s premium. More than a few vases sold over $5,000 and over or near their high estimates.

Rare Quezal decorated shade, Julia’s lot #2334

From a very hot market in art glass shades 7-10 years ago, the market went into its Rip Van Winkle period, asleep for many years. Now it appears that Mr. Winkle may have awoken. Lot #2334 was a beautiful, rare, Quezal shade with green and gold pulled decoration. Estimated to sell for $600 – $900, it soared to $5,628.75, including buyer’s premium — almost 10 times it’s low estimate. This shade may have been the highlight of the art glass shade section of the sale, but it was only the tip of the iceberg. Many shades sold well above their high estimates.

Daum Nancy Rain lamp, Julia’s lot #3269

French glass sold well, led by lot #3269, a Daum Nancy Rain scenic lamp. It sold near its high estimate of $30,000, realizing $36,735. More than a few items sold near or above their high estimates.

The Tiffany glass and lamps section of the sale was not ebullient, but I think it was mainly due to aggressive estimates and reserves, many of which ventured into the retail price area. Everyone wants to feel like they’re in the game, so low estimates and reserves always generate the most activity, excitement, and high prices. But that requires a gamble on the part of the consignor and unfortunately, not many consignors are gamblers. It’s the bane of the auction business — trying to get fresh, high-quality items, at reasonable estimates and reserves.

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

I’ll be spending the next month and a half looking for treasures to bring to Florida for our southern circuit. The Florida shows begin with the Miami National Antiques Show on January 24, 2015.

Setting up at the Kansas City Antiques Expo, November 12, 2014

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Philip Chasen

We’re just getting started

Yesterday was the first day of setup for the Kansas City Antiques Expo. We’ve got an enormous 40′ booth, so setup was easy. We didn’t have to step over each other or the merchandise.

The show is small, but with good dealers. The problem is that attendees won’t be pleased by the size of the show, which could precipitate a vicious cycle. I hope not, but tune in Monday for the results.

We’ll have this fantastic Daum vase at the show

We’ve got some fine new items, just since last week’s show in Winnetka, including a wonderful early Moorcroft MacIntyre pitcher, a great Daum Nancy vase with applied flowers, a 1904 Van Briggle vase, an Amphora portrait vase and a rare pair of Quezal dark green decorated shades. (By the way, did you hear about the art glass shades that sold at Julia’s yesterday? Wow! Some amazing prices were realized. It looks like the art glass shade market may be experiencing a revival after a few years in the doldrums. I’ll be reviewing Julia’s auction at a later date.) So if you’re in the greater Kansas City area, please come and see us at the show. Remember it’s open this Friday and Saturday only. NO SUNDAY!

Next week we’ll be in New York City for our final show of 2014, at Pier 94, for the usual November show. Remember to check my website for the latest items and keep reading my blog.

Click here to view our 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.

French Cameo and Tiffany Favrile Glass shine at Grogan’s The June Auction, June 8, 2014

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Philip Chasen

Grogan and Company held their sale entitled The June Auction on June 8, 2014. Included in the sale were several art glass lots by Daum Nancy, Emile Gallé, and Tiffany Studios. The exceptional results are detailed below.

Tiffany red decorated vase, Grogan lot #496

The better art glass started with lot #496, a red decorated Tiffany Favrile vase. Red is the cat’s meow when it comes to Tiffany and the result did not disappoint. The vase sold for $18,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $2,000 – $3,000.

Daum Nancy Violets bowl, Grogan lot #557

The Tiffany vase was followed by lot #557, a huge, 16″ long, Daum Nancy Violets bowl. It more than doubled its high estimate of $4,000, realizing $10,200, including buyer’s premium.

Gallé padded and wheel-carved vase, Grogan lot #615

Lot #615 was a sophisticated Gallé vase with an applied cabochon, wheel-carved, with internal foil, and a second, tear-like, application. The decoration was undersea with wheel-carved scallop shells. To my eye, the workmanship was outstanding, but the artistry a failure. Luckily for the consignor, the buyer did not ask my opinion. It sold for $15,600, against a pre-sale estimate of $5,000 – $10,000.

Gallé wheel-carved flacon, Grogan lot #620

Lot #620 was a gem — an important Gallé perfume bottle, in the original leather case, with a mixed-metal top, made for the Paris Exposition of 1889. This was really a museum-quality object. Estimated to sell for $5,000 – $10,000, it went out the door at $19,200.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

This fabulous Gallé plum blownout vase just arrived

It’s spring, so there are no shows, but we’re still very much in business. 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.

Philip Chasen Antiques

The blog for chasenantiques.com

Category Archives: French cameo glass