The results of the Original Miami Beach Antiques Show, February 2-6, 2012

Posted on February 7, 2012 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. This coming Monday’s blog will be about some amazing results at Doyle’s Belle Epoque auction.

Monday afternoon in my aisle

The Original Miami Beach Antiques Show opened on Thursday, February 2nd, and ended yesterday, February 6th. After speaking to many dealers, I can report the results as good to excellent. One dealer I didn’t know visited my booth unsolicited. He told me he reads my blog regularly and wanted me to know that his results were already excellent and it was only Friday.

A dealer in furniture and bronze told me he finally hit his “magic” number. It was pretty easy to figure out the magic number was $1 million. Now that’s an eye-popping show. I’ve heard of other dealers selling $500,000 to $750,000, but never $1 million. Kudos for a great show!

My booth

Attendance at the opening on Thursday was very good. A dealer told me he thought there 1000 people waiting at the front door at noon (perhaps an exaggeration). First day sales are usually best, because that’s when the most motivated buyers come. Personally the first day was best. Attendance, interest and sales seem to drop on a daily basis, as the least motivated buyers come into the show at the end. Overall, my show was very good — I’ve had some better and many worse. Interest was best in Pairpoint puffy lamps, French cameo glass and Icart etchings (a result I couldn’t have predicted).

Back to the other dealers. Most were very satisfied with their results. A few said excellent, most said good, and very few said fair to poor.

Another view of my booth

The show ended on Monday, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why. There are almost no buyers on Monday, and the few that were there could easily have made up their minds on Sunday. To make things worse, the show ended at 6 PM on Monday, instead of 5 PM, or better yet, 4 PM. Management made announcements not to pack early, but there was no one there, so why not? 75% of the dealers were packing early. Eliminate Monday from the show and everyone will be happier. The results will be the same — same attendance, same sales. The only difference is that everyone will be spared an unnecessary day at the show.

There’s only one more show for us in Florida and that’s the important Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show. It runs from February 18 to February 21 and has some of the best dealers in the world exhibiting.

We’re off this week and it couldn’t come at a better time. We’re still in business, so don’t be bashful. Call or write!

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Is this Daum creamer fantastic or what? Just in.

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. I regularly add Tiffany vases, lamps and desk accessories, as well as French cameo glass by Galle and Daum Nancy and Louis Icart etchings. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

The results of the Birchwood Manor Antiques Show, January 7-8, 2012

Posted on January 9, 2012 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. There will not be a Thursday post this week because I’ll be traveling to Europe on a quick buying trip. I hope to return with a few choice items, which I’ll display at my upcoming Florida shows.

Saturday afternoon at the show

The Birchwood Manor Antiques Show was held in Whippany, NJ, this past weekend, January 7-8, 2012. The show was shortened from a three-day show to a two-day show, based on my suggestion last year to the show promoter, Allison Kohler. Two-day shows have worked great for Stella’s Pier Show in Manhattan, so why not for Birchwood Manor in New Jersey? Here’s the way I see it. When a show is only two days long, more people attend per day. That makes for more energy — like critical mass in a nuclear reaction. Another big plus is that the time commitment for dealers (and the promoter and the rest of the staff) is one day shorter, and that’s a big deal. Everyone wins — the public gets to see the same show; the promoter sells the same number of tickets to the public; the dealers sell the same (or more) with one fewer day. How can you beat that?

Sunday afternoon in my booth

So now that you know the theory, how did it work in practice? Very well, thank you. Attendance was fairly good both days, although a little slower on Sunday, perhaps because of the Giants playoff game. (Go Giants!) Because the show was more crowded, there was more interest, more questions, and thank goodness, more business.

A fine Tiffany Studios fleur-de-lys double candlestick, sold at the show

I spoke to quite a few dealers. Most said they had good shows or at least passable. One dealer said she had a better show than she did in Miami Beach last year (wow!) — and that’s with only 14 total hours of selling. I’d say that was a successful show. The show is smaller than it used to be, so I think some of the dealers who dropped out should reconsider and exhibit again. Personally my show went well, with the most interest in French glass, Tiffany lamps and bronze, Fulper pottery and French bronze.

We’re looking forward to our Florida show circuit, which starts with the Palm Beach Winter Antiques Show at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in West Palm Beach on January 20th. You’ve got to admit that antique dealers are not stupid — all of the action moves to Florida in the middle of the winter. By the time we get back to New York, the winter will almost be over. In the meantime, I suggest you make your plans to visit some of the Florida shows. They’re filled with the best dealers and a fabulous array of merchandise that you won’t find anyplace else.

Fabulous A. Walter pate-de-verre vase with lizard

Louis Comfort Tiffany and Demetre Chiparus lead Bonham’s 20th Century Decorative Arts sale, December 14, 2011

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Bonham’s New York held its 20th Century Decorative Arts sale on December 14, 2011. The sale went well, with choice items and reasonably estimated items doing best. Lots with overly strong estimates and/or reserves either did not do well or failed to sell.

Demetre Chiparus Art Deco bronze and ivory figure, Clara, Bonham's lot #3168

Top lot of the sale was #3168, an Art Deco bronze and ivory statue by Demetre Chiparus, entitled “Clara”, sold together with a champlevé enamel pedestal. Aggressively estimated at $100,000 – $200,000, it sold for $98,500, including buyer’s premium, below the low estimate. That meant that the reserve was set lower than the low estimate. By New York State law, the reserve cannot be set higher than the low estimate. Other Art Deco bronze and ivory figures by Ferdinand Preiss were more conservatively estimated and sold well, most at or above the high estimates.

Tiffany Studios Dragonfly table lamp, Bonham's lot #3066

The Tiffany Studios section of the sale was led by a fine 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp. Although the base was simple and the cap not original, the shade had very good color and mottling, and was in excellent condition. With a conservative pre-sale estimate of $35,000 -$45,000, it sold for double the low estimate, realizing $86,500, including buyer’s premium

Other good results were a Tiffany Studios 20″ diameter Daffodil table lamp, lot #3073, $50,000; a gorgeous Tiffany Favrile blue decorated vase, lot #3029, $10,625; and a Gallé two-handled vase with leaves and a grasshopper, lot #3080, $11,875. For the complete results, click on the following link Bonham’s results.

Very rare R. Lalique red vase, Ronces

I’d like to show you some of the new items I recently acquired

Posted on December 19, 2011 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. This Thursday’s blog will be a review of the results of one of December’s 20th Century Decorative Arts auctions. (There have been many.)

Rare Le Verre Francais vases - Poissons and Palmiers Bleus

December is always a very busy month for antiques, mostly for buying, and not as much for selling. People get busy with their Christmas shopping and that doesn’t usually include a valuable antique. But sometimes it does, so I’m always ready to provide emergency service. If you still need a fine antique gift, I can work very quickly and so can UPS or FedEx.

Two of three Tiffany Favrile red vases available for sale

I’ve been buying out of control, and that’s good. Business is usually best in winter, especially at the Florida shows, so I’m loaded for bear. I was lucky enough to be able to buy some incredible items by Tiffany Studios, Daum Nancy, Emile Gallé, R. Lalique, Le Verre Francais and others. I’ll illustrate a few of them in this blog. Please check my site for new items, because I’ll be adding them as fast as I can. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Fantastic Tiffany Studios Art Nouveau smoker stand with original enameling

Among the many Tiffany Studios items I bought are vases — red, red decorated, Cypriote, millifiori, etc. For lamps, I purchased a 20″ Arrowroot, a 10-light lily and a 7-light lily. For miscellaneous, I have a Tiffany Studios pottery vase, lots of desk items, and an incredible Art Nouveau smoker stand with original enameling, unlike any I’ve owned before.

One of the best Daum Nancy vases I've acquired in years

The French cameo glass market, especially Daum Nancy, has been solid for years, and shows no signs of slowing. I recently acquired some fabulous items, including a very rare and beautiful farm scene, two rain scenes and an unbelievable collection of about 25 miniature vases.

You can see everything I have for sale if you visit me at one of my winter shows. The first will be at Birchwood Manor in Whippany, NJ, the weekend of January 7-8, 2012. Then a week’s break and off to Florida for the start of our Florida circuit, first in Palm Beach (Jan. 20-22), then two in Miami (Jan. 27-29 and Feb. 2-6), and then back to W. Palm Beach (Feb. 18-21). If you can’t visit me at one of my shows, I’m always available by email, philchasen@aol.com, or phone, 516-922-2090. We can ship to anywhere from anywhere.

Very rare R. Lalique red vase, Ronces

Julia’s Important Lamp & Glass Auction grossed $1.5 million, December 1-2, 2011

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Every major and not so major auction house holds a 20th Century decorative arts sale in November or December. I’ll cover many of them this month. Today’s post will be about the results at Julia’s. 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.

James D. Julia, Inc. held its semi-annual Important Lamp & Glass Auction on December 1 and 2, 2011, in Fairfield, Maine. The sale totaled $1.5 million, at the high range of expectations for the head of the department, Dudley Browne. As has been the case of recent, some categories performed better than expected and others faltered. There’s no clear pattern, so it’s difficult to extrapolate forward. Victorian glass, which had not done well recently, did well at this auction. Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre did poorly after doing well in the last sale.

Cut glass decanters, Julia lot #2136

A pair of cut glass decanters, one of which was pale amber, sold for $22,425, against a pre-sale estimate of $200 – $400, over 100 times the low estimate. Apparently the amber one was quite rare. Nice home run for the consignor.

Eugene Michel French cameo glass vase, Julia's lot #3204

The cover lot, a spectacular wheel-carved Eugene Michel French cameo glass vase, took off. Estimated properly at $10,000 – $15,000, it quadrupled its low estimate to sell for $47,150, including buyer’s premium. Michel vases can command high prices when the workmanship is super, and this one was super.

Daum Nancy vase with roses, insects and cabochons, Julia lot #3215

At this sale, Daum did marginally better than Galle. The top lot of the Daum glass was a 25″ tube vase, decorated with roses, insects and applied cabochons. It sold for $13,800, including buyer’s premium, slightly below its low estimate. Much of the French glass in the sale was fresh, from a private Long Island consignor.

Tiffany Studios watercolor sketch, Julia's lot #3300

Tiffany Studios watercolor sketches of stained glass windows did extremely sell, selling for 6 to 15 times their estimates. The highest price was paid for lot #3300, a watercolor sketch of a Tiffany window. It brought $18,400, against a pre-sale estimate of $2,000 – $3,000.

Tiffany lamps that were in the sale with aggressive estimates and reserves failed to sell, whereas most of the lamps with conservative estimates sold.

For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link. You will have to sign in (free) to see the prices. Julia’s Important Lamp & Glass Auction results.

A killer 6½" Daum Nancy vase, just acquired

Excellent results at Heritage Art Glass Signature Auction, November 19, 2011

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Every major and not so major auction house holds a 20th Century decorative arts sale in November or December. Today’s post will be about the results at Heritage. I hope to be able to publish Thursday about Julia’s results. 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.

Tiffany Studios 16" Daffodil table lamp, Heritage lot #62001

Heritage held its Art Glass Signature Auction on November 19, 2011 with excellent results. Top lot of the sale was a Tiffany 16″ Daffodil table lamp, lot #62001, received as a wedding gift in 1917 by the present owner. (How old does that make the present owner?) It realized a price of $56,762.50, close to the high estimate of $30,000 – $50,000.

Tiffany Favrile paperweight vase, Heritage lot #62024

Second highest was a rare, fine Tiffany Favrile paperweight vase, 9″ tall. It was part of a consignment of fresh-to-the-market items that had been in storage since the 1940s. You can’t get fresher than that, nor better quality. Estimated very low at $3,000 – $4,000, it soared to $50,787.50. That wasn’t a huge surprise, considering the rarity and quality.

Daum Nancy Orchides vase, Heritage lot #62136

From the same 1940s consignment was a very fine artistic Daum Nancy vase, Orchides. Artistic vases are one-of-a-kind, usually found in museum collections. The vase brought the highest price for French cameo glass, selling for $34,655, against a pre-sale estimate of $8,000 – $12,000. However, personally I thought the vase would do even better. My best guess is that the strange shape deterred some buyers (including me).

Many other items did well in the sale, which grossed $1.84 million. For the complete results, click on the following link. Heritage Art Glass results. You will have to sign in (free) to see the results.

Rare and wonderful Tiffany red Favrile vase, just in

Look around my website. There are listings for sale, sold listings with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. I regularly add Tiffany vases, lamps and desk accessories, as well as French cameo glass by Galle and Daum Nancy and Louis Icart etchings. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Antiques make wonderful Christmas gifts

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Philip Chasen

If you’re having trouble deciding on a Christmas present for your loved one, may I suggest an antique? Antiques are unique, unlike electronics or similar. Antiques have the possibility of appreciating in value, unlike electronics. Historically, antiques were frequently given as gifts. I’ve purchased many an Icart etching from someone who inherited it from their grandparents, who received it as a wedding gift in the 1920s or 1930s.

Think antiques are too expensive for Christmas gifts? Many items I have for sale are below $1000, with some below $500. Here are a few examples.

Tiffany Studios Pine Needle pen tray, priced at $450

Original Tiffany Studios desk set items, dating from 1900 – 1915, start at $350. Many items are priced below $1000, with the majority priced between $1000 and $2000. Rarer items will exceed $2000. Two presidents have used Tiffany Studios desk sets in the White House (Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush). I have many desk set items listed now on my website and will be adding items frequently. If you’re looking for something, but don’t see it, please email me. philchasen@aol.com. I have many items not listed yet. Here’s the link directly to my website. Tiffany Studios desk set items for sale.

Louis Icart original etching, Love's Awakening, $950, unframed, on special sale for Christmas

Original etchings by Louis Icart make superb gifts. Prices start at $950 for unframed etchings. Custom framing is available for any etching. There’s still time. Framing takes 7-10 days, with shipping as soon as overnight, if you’re desperate. Most etchings are priced between $1000 and $2000, with rarer examples from $2000 – $15000. Here’s the link. Original Louis Icart etchings for sale.

Galle scenic banjo vase, circa 1900, reduced to $1450 for Christmas

The average price for French cameo glass by Galle and Daum is slightly higher, with most prices in the $1000 – $5000 range, but some as high as $25000. Many Galle vases are available for $500 or less, but I don’t usually offer any of them for sale, as the quality is lower than I require. If an item isn’t good enough, it does not pass through my filter. That means you only have to like what you see. I’ve done all the vetting for you. You don’t ever have to worry about quality or authenticity. Here’s the link. French cameo glass for sale.

There are many other options available including Tiffany Favrile glass, American art pottery, French ceramics and much more. Remember two things. First, please check my website often, as I will add items frequently. Second, if you don’t see it, please email me and ask. philchasen@aol.com

Fine R. Lalique Monnaie du Pape vase with sepia staining

The results of the NYC Pier Antiques Show, November 19-20, 2011

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Philip Chasen

It was a little chilly at 9:30 AM on Saturday morning, so most of the line was indoors.

The NYC Pier Antiques Show was held this past weekend, November 19-20, 2011. Most of the dealers I spoke to were either pleased or at least satisfied with their results. Didn’t hear any complaints, nor did I hear any raves. Sounds like pretty good results to me, especially after some of the non-stellar reports I heard from dealers at other recent shows.

A very rare A. Walter pate-de-verre miniature tumbler, sold at the show

Personally, my show was good. Interest and sales were greatest in Daum Nancy glass and Tiffany Studios glass and objects. 99% of my sales were from objects in the showcases. If only I had known, I would have left all the rest home. But that’s the nature of shows — at one show vases are selling, at another lamps, and at another art. It’s a good thing I learned the importance of diversification years ago.

Sunday afternoon in my booth

Attendance was good on Saturday, with a fairly constant flow of traffic. Sunday traffic was lighter, with very few people arriving early. They never do at any show anywhere on a Sunday. Opening one hour later on Sunday would be kind to the dealers and staff and have no material impact on the sale of tickets or merchandise. (Are you listening, Jeanne and Irene? I know you’re reading this.) Sunday’s weather in NYC was outstanding — sunny and 63°, and may be part of the reason attendance was lighter than usual.

This was my last show of 2011. Looking ahead, we will exhibit at the Birchwood Manor Antiques Show in Whippany, NJ, on the weekend of January 7th and 8th, 2012. From there, we travel to Florida for a series of shows starting in West Palm Beach at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. It will be a high quality boutique show, run by Rosemary Krieger, the promoter of Dolphin Promotions. She recently purchased the show from the previous promoters. It will be my first time at the show and hopefully an auspicious beginning to the Florida circuit.

In the meantime, I am very much in business. I will update my website as often as I can with new purchases. Antiques make great Christmas gifts, so I will purposely list many items that are reasonably priced and ready for immediate shipping, so you can receive your gifts in time for the holidays. Call or write to me if you wish to purchase, sell, or trade any items.

Fine R. Lalique Monnaie du Pape vase with sepia staining

In the meantime, check the listings on my website. I regularly add Tiffany vases, lamps and desk accessories, as well as French cameo glass by Galle and Daum Nancy and Louis Icart etchings. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

What recession? There’s no recession in the art and antiques market.

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Recently I’ve had more time to write about the interesting things happening in the antiques world. When there’s no one in my booth at a show, I keep busy by writing blog posts. So for the next few weeks, I will 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.

This Gustav Klimt painting sold at Sotheby's New York for $40,402,500 on November 2, 2011

If you just listen to the news, you would think that the sky has fallen. The housing market is bad in many parts of the country, with many homeowners underwater. Unemployment is currently 9%. The Occupy Wall Street movement has spread. The financial troubles in Greece, Italy and the rest of Europe make stock market investors shiver.

But I’m looking out of my window and see that not only has the sky not fallen, but the sun is shining. There appear to be some good anecdotal economic signals. Sales of luxury cars are improving. Reservations are difficult to get at top restaurants. The antiques business is solid, with new auction records being set for art and antiques. Sotheby’s New York Impressionist & Modern Art sale realized a strong $199,804,500 just a few days ago.

Marc Chagall painting La Mariée sold for $1,022,500 at Christie's New York on November 2, 2011

Here’s my take on what’s going on– no deep analysis, just my observations. There appears to be a dichotomy between the haves and the have-nots — between two dimensions that exist together, but do not interact. On the one side are all the people in the news who are in trouble. They’re worried about the next mortgage payment, not about purchasing antiques. On the other side is a quiet group, not in the news, of successful entrepreneurs, business people and professionals. They aren’t suffering, rather they’re prospering. They have disposable income and are the ones who are actively involved in supporting the art and antiques markets — and they’re not just Americans. Chinese buyers are paying extraordinary prices to repatriate their treasures and are dabbling in other areas. Russian buyers are still active, but less so than a few years ago. Brazilian buyers are starting to flex their economic muscles.

Tiffany Studios Wisteria lamp sold at Christie's New York for $578,500 on June 16, 2011

The Tiffany Studios glass and lamp market is solid. So is the French cameo glass market. That’s not to say that all areas are doing well. For instance, in markets that I have personal knowledge, art glass shades, Steuben glass, Rookwood pottery, Louis Icart etchings and some others are soft. In the early 1990s, the severe recession in the antiques market caused prices to drop precipitously. In some cases, prices dropped over 50% from their peaks (but recovered smartly in the second half of the decade). Nowadays, prices are increasing in many areas. Some collectors are investing, hoping that fine antiques will be a good addition to a diversified portfolio. I’m frequently asked about investing in antiques, but since I’m not good at predicting, I try to restrict my advice to factual information about quality, rarity and condition.

The Pier Antiques Show will be held on the weekend of November 19-20. Sometimes it helps me gauge the health of the market. December is also a big month for auctions. Every major (and minor) auction house holds a 20th Century sale. Those results should be telling. For me, the best predictor of the year to come are the results of the big Miami Beach Convention Center Antiques Show in early February. Buyers fly in from all over the world, so it’s possible to take the pulse of the international market. Here’s hoping good business will continue.

A fine Martin Bros. grotesque vase from 1903

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. I’ll be photographing all my new Gallé and Daum purchases and listing them on my website. Recently I listed quite a few Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps and a very rare Louis Icart etching, Mardi Gras. There are also several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

French cameo glass reproductions are still a problem

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Philip Chasen

French cameo glass reproductions have been around since the 1980s, when the Romanians started making them. In my continuing effort to help people avoid making purchasing mistakes, I try to educate the public. If you haven’t read my lessons on French cameo glass, I suggest you start by clicking the following link. Free French cameo glass lessons. Then read my several blog posts about reproductions. (Use the search bar on the right.) Then come and visit me at one of my shows. I’ll be happy to answer your questions in person.

If you are trying to determine the authenticity of a vase, first compare it to the photos below. If yours is very similar, you probably have a reproduction. Then compare it to the many photos of authentic vases on my website that I have for sale or have sold. If you still can’t tell or want to be 100% sure, my fee for appraisals is $125 for the first item and $75 for each additional item. All I need is one or two emailed photos and your credit card information. (Please don’t send credit card information in an email.)

Vase with spurious Daum Nancy signature

Apparently all the free help I provide is insufficient, as half of the items I appraise turn out to be reproductions. Most of them are instantly identifiable to the trained eye, but that takes years of work. So to help more people, here are photos of some of the reproductions I’ve appraised in the last few years.

Galle reproduction #1

Galle reproduction #2

Galle reproduction #3

Galle reproduction #4

Galle reproduction #5

Galle reproduction #6

This Galle vase is authentic. Can you tell the difference? It has superb color.

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. I’ll be photographing all my new Gallé and Daum purchases and listing them on my website. Recently I listed quite a few Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps and some very rare Louis Icart etchings including Melody Hour and Mardi Gras. There are also several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Philip Chasen Antiques

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Category Archives: French cameo glass