Category Archives: Knowledge is power

What a find at auction! A fantastic Tiffany Favrile vase.

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This is something that doesn’t happen every day. An auction gallery thinks so little of a vase that it’s not advertised, combined with a Baccarat vase to raise the value of the lot, sold near the end of the auction, estimated at $1/150, and sold for $28,200. Now for the whole story.

Clarke auction lot #358, photo from their website

Clarke auction lot #358, photo from their website

Clarke Auction of Larchmont, NY, held an auction on September 15, 2009. Buried at the end of the auction was lot #358 of a total of 435 lots. The lot was listed as ‘Baccarat Vase along with an Arts & Crafts Vase. From a Purchase home. Dimensions: 12″ and 9 1/2″‘

The “Arts & Crafts Vase” was not Arts & Crafts, but rather Art Nouveau, and more importantly a fantastic, stupendous, incredible Tiffany Studios Favrile, wheel-carved cameo vase. The vase was not signed, only numbered, so the auctioneer had a slight excuse for not knowing the true origin. However, the QUALITY was so fantastic that the auctioneer was negligent in not advertising the vase. Had he included a photo of the vase in his advertising, the cognoscenti would have recognized it, with a better result for both the consignor and the auction house.

We have a situation where the auctioneer is proud of his achievement, as evidenced in an article entitled “Kitchen Discovery – Tiffany Bowl Brings $28,200 at Clarke’s”, printed in the October 16, 2009 edition of Antiques and The Arts Weekly (known as The Newtown Bee), on page 14. The auctioneer should be embarrassed. He did a disservice to his consignor, selling a $100,000 Tiffany vase for $28,200. Congratulations to the bidders at the auction who recognized the vase and bid accordingly. Big sigh! I wish I had known and been one of them!

Tiffany Studios cameo vase

Tiffany Studios cameo vase

Just look at the quality of this vase. The flowers have been padded with molten glass in the making. After the vase cooled, it was extensively wheel-carved over the entirety of the vase to achieve the fantastic details. Folks, it doesn’t get any better than this. It’s a Tiffany masterpiece.

Knowledge is power. Sir Francis Bacon, Religious Meditations, Of Heresies, 1597.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail.com or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

How to clean antique glass including Tiffany Studios Favrile and French Cameo Glass

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Having sold many thousands of antique glass vases over the years, I’ve learned a lot about how to clean them from trial and error and a few mistakes. It also doesn’t hurt to have a Master’s Degree in Chemistry.

Most people are quite timid about using chemicals on glass. They’re afraid they’ll ruin the vase by removing the decoration or somehow damaging it. There are very few times this would actually be accurate. Cold painted decoration on a vase could be ruined by the use of some chemicals but Tiffany Favrile vases or French cameo vases by Daum, Galle, and others have no cold painting, so all of the steps I describe below are appropriate. If you suspect that your vase has cold painting on it, test a small area with one of the cleaners below, using a Q-tip. If the color of the paint comes off, use only the mildest cleaners.

Eco-House citrous thinner

Eco-House citrous thinner

The first step is to remove any substances that will dissolve in organic solvents such as mineral spirits or acetone (nail polish remover). There are some commercial products available that are also good, such as Goo Gone, available at stores like Office Depot, or online. Another product I like is citrous thinner, made from orange peels. It smells a lot better than the other solvents and is quite effective. Click here if you’d like to order it.

Start by looking for anything sticky with your eyes and your fingers. Take a rag or paper towel and use just a little solvent. Rub the affected area until the dirt or stickiness is gone. Mineral spirits is a gentler solvent than acetone, so try it first. Mineral spirits is especially good for removing the gum from labels. Use acetone second, if you need a stronger solvent. These various solvents will also remove crayon, sap, or any similar substance.

Easy-Off Fume Free

Easy-Off Fume Free

Next we’re ready for aqueous cleaning. I suggest you do this in a sink. Most of the cleaners will make the vase slippery, so be very careful not to lose control and break your vase. The gentlest cleaners are dishwashing liquid or Windex. I like to use an old toothbrush. Scrub the vase with the first cleaner and see if the dirt comes off. If it’s stubborn, you can proceed to the next level of cleaning power with commercial products like Scrubbing Bubbles or Dow Bathroom Cleaner. Repeat the process. Spray the vase, let it sit for a few minutes and clean with a toothbrush or other similar brush. If that’s not strong enough, you can go to the highest level of cleaning power — Easy-Off. There are two types of Easy-Off available. The blue can, labeled “Fume Free” is the one I recommend. (It’s not really fume free, but not too bad.) It’s powerful and should remove any leftover dirt. Finally rinse your vase thoroughly in plain water and dry completely with an old towel. If it’s safe, let it dry upside down. It’s a good idea to use gloves to protect your hands, an apron to protect your clothing and glasses to protect your eyes. Easy-Off in the yellow can is lye (sodium hydroxide). It’s very powerful. It will eat through your clothes and skin as well as severely damage your eyes. Immediately flush with plain water if you have an accident. You’ll know you’ve gotten it on your skin as it feels very slimy.

To clean the inside of a vase, you’ll need various brushes to reach hard-to-get-to areas. Just use one of the sprays above, let sit, and brush away. Justman Brush Company sells hundreds of different brushes.

A vase whose glass has been etched on the interior

A vase whose glass has been etched on the interior

Vases that have been used with water over the years can present bigger problems. The first problem is the inside of the vase may be scratched. The second and more serious problem goes under the general category of “sick” glass and may include etching of the glass interior or depositing of lime or other minerals, which usually shows as a white deposit. Cleaners will not effectively fix these problems. The only real way to treat problems of this sort is to go to an expert who can “tumble” the vase to resurface the interior. It’s basically the same as sandpapering the entire interior — great for a transparent vase, but not as good for a vase that has a finish on the interior, like an iridescent vase. Use this link for Paul Nulton, who does this kind of work.

Sometimes with a minimum amount of work, the results can be quite gratifying. Many vases were kept in homes where the owners smoked or the air was smoky from fireplaces or stoves. This shows as a dingy brown overall covering. Cleaning this off can sometimes reveal unexpected bright and beautiful colors.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

Knowledge is power, part V

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Bob Ogorek

Bob Ogorek

Bob Ogorek of Plantation Galleries in Davison, Michigan, was a friend of mine. Bob died in 1999 and I miss him. He called me in early 1999 to tell me about a Tiffany chandelier that he had learned about in upstate New York. Since I was a lot closer than him, he asked if I could go look at it. I took a drive with my wife and met the couple selling the fixture in an upstate town. A blownout fixture of this type could easily damage, so I asked the owners to check the glass carefully in the sunlight to make sure it wasn’t cracked. They assured me that the condition was fine. I was concerned the whole time driving up because I figured the day would be wasted if the seller’s were wrong.

An original Tiffany Studios photograph from Tiffany at Auction, showing an almost identical fixture but without a long rod

An original Tiffany Studios photograph from the bookTiffany at Auction, showing an almost identical fixture but without a long rod

We met in the parking lot of a supermarket to inspect the lamp. I held it up to the sunlight and inspected it with a fine-tooth comb. Everything was in order and I was delighted. I had never seen a chandelier like this in person, only in books. It was beautiful and very unusual, with a hinged turtleback tile door on the bottom to change the light bulb. I bought it for approximately $20,000. My arrangement with Bob was that we would buy it together and own it 50/50. It was a very difficult item to pack because the bronze rod to the ceiling could not be detached from the glass and it was 32½” long, overall. The sellers packed the blownout glass end carefully in a box and let the bronze rod stick straight up from the box, which was no problem as they had a van. I only had a station wagon, so I carefully put the chandelier on its side and drove home.

I called Peggy Gilges of Christie’s New York to consign the lamp for auction and met her on a sunny day at their warehouse in Long Island City. I removed the fixture from my station wagon and showed it to Peggy. She was very impressed and was oohing and ahing (is that how you spell ahing?). I held it up to the sunlight to show her the beautiful color when lit and suddenly saw a crack in the glass! I was horrified! How could that happen? I was so careful with handling and transporting it. I immediately took it back and went home crushed. $20,000 down the drain. How was I going to tell Bob?

I called him when I got back to explain that it had probably cracked from the pressure of the rod on the glass when it was riding on its side. Needless to say, he was more than a little disappointed. He asked me if I had insurance. “Yes”, I said. “Can’t you make a claim?” I didn’t know if I could, so I called my agent and asked him. He thought that I was probably covered under the accidental damage section of my policy. So I filed a claim and my insurance company agreed that yes, this was a legitimate claim. “How much are you claiming?” “$60,000.” “But why, you only paid $20,000?” “Because what I paid is irrelevant. I’m the expert and I say it’s worth $60,000.” The claims adjuster at my insurance company didn’t want to hear that, so he hired independent appraisers who said it wasn’t worth $60,000, but more like $25-30,000. So I was at an impasse with my insurance company when my broker intervened. He asked me if I would accept my cost back, with no deductible, and the damaged fixture. Sounded fair to me, so he talked to the adjuster, who also agreed. They paid me back my $20,000 cost and allowed me to keep the fixture. I was now the co-owner of a damaged fixture, but with a new cost of zero.

I then turned to Sotheby’s in New York City. I brought the fixture to them and met with Barbara Deisroth and Greg Kuharik in their offices. I showed them the fixture and they oohed and ahed (that can’t be how you spell ahed, maybe aahed?). “But Barbara, there’s a big crack here.” “Well, Phil, it doesn’t look too bad to me and it’s mostly hidden by the bronze cage. I think my clients will still want to buy it.” So I consigned the fixture to them for their 20th Century Decorative Works of Art sale to be held on June 10, 1999, with an estimate of $20-30,000.

Sotheby's New York, lot 370, June 10, 1999

Sotheby's New York, lot 370, June 10, 1999

The Sotheby's catalog description for lot 370, with my hand-written final price

The Sotheby's catalog description for lot 370, with my hand-written final price

The auction day was fast approaching and I couldn’t wait. My reserve price was $20,000, which meant that if the bidding stopped before $20,000, Sotheby’s would return the item to me as unsold. The bidding started slowly, $12,000, $14,000, $16,000, $18,000, $20,000. Whew! Now at least it was sold. But the bidding kept going — $22,000, $24,000, $26,000, all the way to $50,000, which is $57,500, with the buyer’s premium included. How exciting! This was as good as going to the racetrack and seeing your horse win. Not only did I do well at the auction but I was totally vindicated! I had told my insurance company that the fixture was worth $60,000 in perfect condition and here it had just sold for $57,500 in damaged condition. Since our cost was zero, Bob and I split approximately $45,000 after paying Sotheby’s fees. I was one happy camper!

Knowledge is power. Sir Francis Bacon, Religious Meditations, Of Heresies, 1597.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

My Icart etching doesn’t look good. What can I do about it?

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Most Icart etchings that are in original frames with original mats have problems, such as foxing, light darkening, glue or acidity, amongst others. Read yesterday’s blog for a more complete explanation.

Icart "Lady of the Camelias", with original frame and mat

Icart "Lady of the Camelias", with original frame and mat

Some people like them that way. They show their age (usually 70-90 years old). They’re probably authentic (it’s difficult to fake the brittleness and other signs of age). They have character, with nicks in the frame and faded mats. The problem is they’re getting worse, year after year. The degradation continues with constant exposure to high acid levels, bright light and humidity. Remember the value is in the etching itself, a sheet of paper. It’s the cake, while the mat and frame are the frosting. Good restorers are capable of reversing most of the damage that’s accrued in almost a century.

The process starts by removing the etching from the frame. That’s pretty simple. There is usually a paper backing that can be torn off. (It can’t be reused so it doesn’t matter if you tear it off.) Below that is the backboard. That’s usually held in with many nails around the perimeter on older frames. Later frames may have framing points. Either one can be removed with a flat screwdriver and a needle nose pliers.

Framing points

Framing points

Then the backboard is removed to get to the etching underneath. Depending on the technique of the original framer (and they had many different styles), the etching may be a loose sheet that’s taped on the top or the edges (that would be the best). Usually the etching is found within a glue sandwich — glued to the board in the back and the mat in the front. Every variation is possible — the etching may be glued only to the mat in front, or only to the board in the back or only glued around the edges or best of all, no glue at all.

The restorer then puts the etching in a full bath and begins the process of separating the paper from anything it’s glued to and then to removing the glue itself. Sometimes the glue softens and the job of removal is facilitated, but on occasion the glue is tenacious and removal becomes a very labor intensive and time-consuming process. It’s very easy to damage a soaking wet etching, so this job should be left to a professional.

Once the sheet has been freed, a chemical process is started that in most cases can reverse most of the effects of aging. (Sounds wonderful to me. I’d like to get dipped myself and see if I can reverse the effects of aging.) If it’s done properly, the foxing can be eliminated and the light darkening and acid burns can be reversed.  The etching is then thoroughly washed, which eliminates most of the acid. A buffering solution can be added to slow down future acid buildup and finally the etching is dried in a press. Most of the hand-painted details like lipstick are lost in the restoration process and have to be reapplied by hand.

Now the etching is a loose sheet that looks almost as good as the day it was made. It’s ready to be framed properly by modern standards. That means that non-acidic materials are used in the framing and mounting. Rag mats are made of cotton and are pH neutral (A pH of 7 is neutral). Anything that comes in contact with the etching either is acid-free or separated by an acid-free barrier. With proper conservation and framing, your etching will look great and last for many more years.

Contact me if you have an etching that needs conservation.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

My Icart etching doesn’t look good. What is the problem?

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Icart was most popular in the 1920s and ’30s. At the time, it was fashionable to give a gift for a wedding or special occasion, rather than money. What better gift than an Icart etching? They were beautiful, signed by the artist, limited edition, and reasonably priced, most in the range of $15-30. The sellers of the art, mainly art galleries and department stores, were not interested in the art as investment, so they were expedient in framing.

Icart "Silk Robe" in original frame. The mat is glued to the etching and the etching is glued to a board.

Icart "Silk Robe" in original frame. The mat is glued to the etching and the etching is glued to a board.

What was done that was expedient? The worst offense was to use glue. Loose sheets of paper do not usually lay flat when framed, especially in humid areas. So the problem was solved by gluing the paper to a board, usually with horse glue. Most times the etching was also framed with a mat in front that was frequently glued to the etching.

The second problem is acidity. Paper is naturally acidic due to the acid in pulp, mainly tannic acid. Over time cellulose fibers in the paper break down and add to the acidity. The framer’s offense was to use acidic mats and back boards in framing the etchings. These materials were in constant contact with the etching, allowing acid to leach onto the paper. All of these acid sources contribute to the problem. The acidity causes the paper to weaken and degrade, making it brittle and yellow and eventually destroying it.

After the mat has been removed, the moderate light darkening of the image is evident

After the mat has been removed, the moderate light darkening of the image is evident

The third problem is called light darkening. This is the process by which an etching darkens when struck by sunlight, getting worse year after year. Sometimes the darkening is so severe that it’s difficult to make out the image, but that’s rare. Usually there is slight to moderate darkening.

An Icart etching with foxing in the margins

An Icart etching with foxing in the margins

The last problem is called foxing. This is usually (but not always) caused by fungal or mold growth on the paper, aided by high humidity. It shows up as brown spots.

Can anything be done about these problems? Tune in tomorrow for “My Icart etching doesn’t look good. What can I do about it?”

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

The importance of flowers in French Cameo Glass, especially Daum Nancy

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Unusual shaped Daum Nancy bowl with violets

Rare and unusual shaped Daum Nancy bowl with violets

When I first started collecting and selling French cameo glass over 30 years ago, there were red flowers and blue flowers and yellow flowers. Then one day a Japanese client asked me the name of the flower on the vase I was offering. What a strange question! Nobody had ever asked me that question before. Now suddenly I had to become a botanist and know my flowers. Well it’s a good thing I did because the market has changed dramatically since then.

Fine Daum Nancy ewer with poppies

Fine Daum Nancy ewer with poppies

Japanese buyers changed the nature of the French cameo glass market. They were very particular about which flowers they wanted and which they didn’t. Violets were their favorite, with roses and poppies tied for second. Then in 1990, Japanese buyers suddenly dropped out of the market because of a crash in the value of their real estate. As a result, one might think that Japanese buyers have little impact on today’s market, but their influence remains strong. The flowers favored by Japanese buyers earlier are the ones that are still favored today. As an example, Daum vases with violets can sometimes command double the prices of similar vases with different flowers.

Vases by Daum Nancy with wheel-carved tobacco flowers

Daum Nancy vase with wheel-carved tobacco flowers

Vases by Daum Nancy with tobacco flowers are more sophisticated than other similar vases because the flowers on these vases are almost always wheel-carved. The problem is that the flowers are not enameled, so the color is too similar to the background. Most buyers don’t find them as attractive as some other flowers. This is one of those instances where even though the technique and quality are excellent, the vases are difficult to sell.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

Knowledge is power, part IV

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Gallé polar bear vase

The Gallé polar bear vase from this post

In the early 2000s, I received an email from a lady who had found my website through the Internet.  She told me that she had purchased a vase, signed Galle, and that she would like to have it authenticated.  I told her that my fee for appraisals or authentications was $100.  She agreed and drove all the way from North Carolina to New York to show me the vase in person, which ordinarily would not have been a wise thing to do, but I did tell her that I thought the vase was probably authentic.

The better version of a Gallé polar bear vase

The more desirable version of a Gallé polar bear vase

She told me that she had gone into a shop and spotted the vase on a high shelf.  The owner of the shop said he had purchased an estate and the vase was part of it.  Apparently he didn’t think it was authentic because he priced it at $500.  The lady purchased it because she thought it was pretty and at $500, it was worth it, even if it weren’t authentic.

Upon seeing it in person, I confirmed that the vase was indeed authentic.  It was a rare Galle polar bear vase.  Galle polar bear vases come in two different shapes (or models).   This one was the less desirable of the two, but I for one do not look a gift horse in the mouth.  The owner wanted me to sell it for her on consignment and take a commission upon its sale.  With this arrangement, there was no charge for the appraisal. It took me a while, but I sold it for $30,000.   She was thrilled and I was as pleased as punch with my commission.  This kind of find used to happen more regularly than it does nowadays, but it still does happen.

Knowledge is power.  Sir Francis Bacon, Religious Meditations, Of Heresies, 1597.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

The road to knowledge is filled with potholes, part I

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Marc Bell asked “How did you avoid the pitfalls in the antique lighting business?”  Well, Marc,  I didn’t. I hit my share of potholes along the learning road.

(Do you have an antiques questions?  I’ll try to answer them in future posts.  philchasen@gmail.com)

A Tiffany 3-light lily lamp with Quezal shades, similar to my first purchase

A Tiffany 3-light lily lamp with Quezal shades, similar to my first purchase

I remember the first time I bought a signed lamp.  The year was probably 1973.  We were at an auction and the auctioneer was explaining that the next item for sale was a Tiffany 3-light lily lamp with Quezal shades.  We were the successful bidders and paid $600 for it.  My wife and I were really nervous about this huge purchase.  I told my mother and she told me I was nuts.  Thanks, Mom.  She just couldn’t conceive of a lamp costing that much money.

Now I had my first antique lamp and I was eager to try and sell it.  I took good photos and advertised the lamp in Hobbies magazine.  Hobbies was an important monthly publication for both collectors and dealers.  (All of you old-timers should remember the good old days when it was possible to sell items by advertising in magazines.  For you younger collectors, there really was an antiques world prior to the Internet.)

I waited for over a month until the magazine was published.  I got a few calls and one was long-distance from a collector in Iowa.  (How many of you remember when everyone would stop whatever they were doing because someone was calling LONG DISTANCE?  It was exciting!)  He told me the lamp was a marriage – the lamp base was from one company and the shades from another.  Apparently a marriage in a lamp was a bad thing.  I didn’t know that!  I had assumed that the word Quezal was a Tiffany word, like Favrile.  Pssssssssss.  The air just zoomed out of my bubble!  But it didn’t end badly.  This caller was willing to buy the lamp as is.  I learned a big lesson that didn’t cost me a penny, in fact I earned a small profit.  I was lucky because most lessons in the antiques business are much more costly.

And that, folks, was the ignominious beginning to my education as a lamp dealer.

Tomorrow you can read lesson #2, which took place a few years later.  It’s much juicier than this one, guaranteed!

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

Beware of Tiffany Studios fakes, especially on eBay

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Tiffany fake #1

Tiffany fake #1

Tiffany fake #3

Tiffany fake #3

Tiffany fake #2

Tiffany fake #2

Thanks to Hank Hancock for the idea for this blog and the photos.

The problem with fake Tiffany Favrile glass items is not widespread, but you certainly want to avoid becoming one of the people who gets stuck with one. The following examples have all been for sale on eBay recently. It’s hard to say whether the sellers are nefarious and know they are selling reproductions or just ignorant, but my experience tells me a fair percentage of them know the truth.

Tiffany fake #4

Tiffany fake #4

Tiffany fake #6

Tiffany fake #6

Tiffany fake #5

Tiffany fake #5

So how can you tell? Sorry, but there’s no easy answer. Familiarity with the shapes, colors and decorations of authentic Tiffany Favrile glass is the best way to tell. To the trained eye, these items stick out like sore thumbs. It’s not necessary to look at fake signatures if you already know the item is fake just by looking at it. But there’s the rub. It takes quite a bit of time and effort to train one’s eye.

So what do you do? You have to buy from reputable dealers, collectors and auction houses that will absolutely guarantee the authenticity of the items they sell. Anyone can make a mistake, but only an honest person will make good on correcting a mistake, should one occur. This advice may be self-serving, but nonetheless, it’s absolutely true. Remember the old adage “If you don’t know your art, know your dealer”.

Fake Tiffany counterclockwise signature

Fake Tiffany counterclockwise signature

Also look at Tiffany signatures. 99% of the time, an authentic signature is counter-clockwise. Many fake signatures are clockwise. The forger for this vase knew to make it counterclockwise, but it’s still an awful fake. After looking at enough signatures, it gets increasingly easy to recognize a genuine one.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

Knowledge is power, part III

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The first time I exhibited at the Southfield Antiques Show in Southfield, Michigan was in 2002.  Set-up was going as usual, with all of the dealers walking around the show and shopping in each other’s booths.  I went into a booth in the first aisle and saw a vase that looked familiar.  I inquired about the price.  The owner volunteered that it was not Loetz and quoted me a price of $400.  I don’t know where he got his information nor was I sure why he thought it important to mention to me that it wasn’t Loetz.  I knew what it was and it was a very special Loetz vase, called a black bottom vase.  I bought it.

I called Dudley Browne, the head of the Lamp and Glass Division at James D. Julia, Inc., in Fairfield, ME, and told him of my purchase.  He was happy for me and said he would put it on the cover of the catalog for his next auction.  It sold for $12,650, including the buyer’s premium.

James D. Julia November, 2002 catalog cover. (The vase is the one on the right, above the blue Tiffany compote.)

James D. Julia November, 2002 catalog cover. (The vase is the one on the right, above the blue Tiffany compote.)

Knowledge is power.  Sir Francis Bacon, Religious Meditations, Of Heresies, 1597.

Pleeeeaaase write to me with suggestions and/or questions.  If they’re interesting, I’ll write a blog entry.  If you like my blog, please recommend it to others.

Please let me know what you would like to buy, sell  or trade.  philchasen@gmail.com