Big Tiffany & Co. surprise at Leslie Hindman’s Marketplace auction, August 19, 2015

Posted on August 27, 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.

Tiffany & Co. enameled bowl, Hindman lot # 390

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers held a Marketplace auction on August 19 & 20, 2015. Included in the sale was a small, 3 3/8″ diameter, Tiffany & Co. enameled bowl, lot # 390, with a pre-sale estimate of $150 to $250.

Prior to the auction, I received the following email from Mike Intihar, Hindman’s Decorative Arts specialist. “Philip, I hope your summer is treating you well and I would imagine you are busy packing for the Baltimore show. I am writing because of a lot in our Marketplace Auction next week which I am not sure you would be interested in. It is a Tiffany & Co. enameled bowl, image attached. It came in with a small estate out of Evanston, Il., got overlooked and placed with a very low estimate of $150/250. I have not been able to find any good comparables for it but it is of a very good quality. As it is a Tiffany & Co. bowl, not Tiffany Studios or a piece of jewelry, I have been trying to figure out who would be interested in it. Let me know what you think, a link to our website page is below. Mike”.

tiffany&co-enam-bowl-2
I’m a Tiffany Studios expert, not a Tiffany & Co. expert, but I know quality when I see it, so I decided to bid up to $2,000. That’s a nice piece of change for a tiny bowl that I know very little about. Proves there’s still plenty to learn. The bowl sold for $52,500, including buyer’s premium. Goes to show you what I know. Obviously Mike didn’t have to worry. All it takes is two bidders to make an auction.

For the complete results of the sale, click here. To view just the listing for the Tiffany bowl, click on the first image above.

tiffany&co-enam-bowl-3

nyc-big-flea-9-2015 Our next show will be The Big Flea Market at Pier 94 in New York City, September 26-27. Last year was the first time for this show and it was good. The attendees were completely different than the established Pier Antique Show that takes place in November and March each year, making it a totally different experience.

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. I will update it as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. 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 Denver World Wide Antique Show opens this Friday, July 24, 2015

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Philip Chasen

The Denver World Wide Antique Show will be held in the Expo Building of the Denver Merchandise Mart

The Denver World Wide Antique Show opens to the public this Friday, July 24, 2015, at 10 AM, and continues until Sunday, at 4 PM. The show is held three times per year, but we only exhibit in Denver in the summer.

Sunday afternoon at our booth last year

The show is medium-size — just right for the Denver market. The quality is better than you might expect for a local show. Don’t expect a flea market with a lot of junk. If you’re anywhere in greater Denver area, you should visit, as you won’t be disappointed. My display will be top-notch and many others will be too.

Tiffany Studios 22-inch Nasturtium table lamp

We’ll have a large selection of Tiffany Studios lamps, including a 22″ Nasturtium. We’ll also have a fine selection of Pairpoint puffy lamps, including an Apple Tree. Our French glass collection will be second to none and will include extensive examples of Daum Nancy’s and Gallé’s works. Tiffany Favrile glass will be well-represented, as well as fine examples of glass and pottery by Loetz, Quezal, Rookwood, Newcomb and Amphora, and others too numerous to mention.

We’ll have this rare Daum Nancy blackbird vase at the show

Thursday’s blog will be from the floor of the show and Monday’s blog will have the results.

What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Business has been good, so I’ve been buying up a storm (and selling quite a bit too). Most of my energy has been in French glass, but I’ve bought some wonderful items in other categories, including Tiffany glass and lamps, Loetz glass, Amphora pottery and much more. This entire last last week has been an exercise in continuous cleaning, labeling, and packing for our show next week in Denver. If there’s any chance you can make it, please try. Our display will be second to none. Here are a few examples of this exciting new merchandise.

Tiffany Studios 22-inch diameter Nasturtium table lamp

How about a superb and huge Tiffany Studios 22″ diameter Nasturtium table lamp on an adjustable Cat’s Paw base? I haven’t had a Tiffany lamp this large and this fine in quite a while. It’s priced right, so it’s not going to last long.

Daum 17¼-inch blownout scenic vase

Daum produced only a few different models of blownout vases, with the 11″ forest scenic the most common (and the most beautiful). What they made very few of is the large, 17¼” tall version. (This is only the second time I’ve owned this vase.) Besides rarity, it’s more impressive, with extensive wheel-carving between the trees and to the foot. It’s a stunning vase.

Daum inkwell with 4 applied insects

I love this Daum Nancy inkwell from the 1920s, which includes techniques developed earlier in the century. The 1920s characteristics are the bright colors and the foil inclusions. The technique is called paperweight, where the outer layer is clear glass. The foil and the colored glass are internal. The earlier influences are the applied and wheel-carved insects, four in all, each a different color. When molten, clear glass was applied over colored foil, giving each insect a different color — blue, purple, red or yellow. When the glass was cold, a craftsman engraver carved all of the details for each insect, including the legs into the body of the inkwell, making them very realistic and very cool.

These are only a small sample of the new items. Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around.

Keep checking my site, as I will be updating it often. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. 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.

What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Important Daum Nancy Impressionist vase

We haven’t exhibited at any shows since the Chicago Botanic Garden in mid-April, so I’ve directed a lot of my energy to buying for the summer shows, the Denver World Wide Antique Show, July 24-26, 2015, and the Baltimore Summer Antiques Fair, August 20-23, 2015. We were successful both in France and in the US, so here are a few of the newest and most interesting purchases. I’ll be spending time this week and next adding as many new items to my website as possible. Keep checking back.

Fine, rare Tiffany Favrile red vase

I bought a pair of rare and very desirable 7″ Tiffany red vases. I’ve known where they were for the last couple of years, but the dealer who owned them couldn’t sell them, because he insisted on selling them as a pair. The Tiffany numbers are very close to each other, indicating they were probably made on the same day. I have no problem selling them individually or as a pair. It’s not like a pair of candlesticks that were meant to stay together. On any given day, Tiffany produced a run of consecutively numbered vases that were meant to be sold individually. These red vases are no different.

Fantastic Austrian bronze novelty lamp

I just bought this incredible Austrian bronze novelty lamp, 11½” tall. It was probably designed by Bergman, because this is the quality he created. The condition is superb, with original colored glass windows. Haven’t had anything this wonderful in Austrian bronze in quite some time.

Fine Daum Nancy Peacock Feather vase

Daum Peacock Feather vases are deceptively sophisticated. Most of the work on the vase is standard acid-etching, but not the centers of the feathers. The light blue and dark blue glass was applied when the glass was molten, then pressed into the vase on the marver. The process is called padding, which makes for special vases. I get one or two Peacock Feather vases yearly and they sell very quickly. This example is almost 12″ tall. (The vase is not in yet, so please excuse the quality of the photo. I’ll post a better one after the vase has arrived).

There’s lots more coming in in the next couple of weeks, including two important Daum Nancy Blackbird vases, two large Tiffany Favrile Jack-in-the-Pulpit vases, two Gallé Magnolia vases and lots more. Keep checking my site, as I will be updating it daily.

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. 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.

Good results for Tiffany Studios lamps at Christie’s Design sale, June 10, 2015

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Christie’s New York held their Design sale yesterday, June 10, 2015, with total sales of $7,687,750 for the 213 lots offered. Included in the sale were several Tiffany Studios lamps that sold well as a group.

Tiffany Studios 22″ diameter Peony floor lamp, Christie’s lot #14

The top lot of the Tiffany lamps was #14, a 22″ diameter Peony floor lamp that sold for $161,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $80,000 – $120,000.

Tiffany Studios 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp, Christie’s lot #11

Flying well past its pre-sale estimate of $60,000 – $80,000 was an unusual 20″ Dragonfly table lamp, Christie’s lot #11. It had nicely colored dragonflies against a pastel sky-blue, mottled background, with non-jeweled eyes, two amber geometric bands near the rim and amber jewels in the background. The shade rested on a twisted vine base, all with an original gold doré finish. I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not, but I was going to buy it if the price were low. Alas, that wasn’t the case. It realized $125,000.

All prices include the buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

No shows until July, when we’ll be in Denver for the Denver World Wide Antique Show, at the Denver Mart, EXPO Building, 451 East 58th Avenue, July 24-26, 2015. We’re still in business, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. Keep checking my website for the latest offerings, which I’ll be posting in the next week.

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.

Good results at Sotheby’s The Warshawsky Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design sale, May 19, 2015

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Philip Chasen

On May 19, 2015, Sotheby’s New York sold a one-owner collection, The Warshawsky Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design, which included 90 lots of outstanding Tiffany Studios objects. Only 2 of the 90 lots failed to sell. Sales totaled $7,951,125 for the 138 lots offered.

Tiffany Studios Oriental Poppy floor lamp, Sotheby’s lot #36

The top lot of the sale was #36, a beautiful Oriental Poppy floor lamp. It topped $1 million, with a final sale price of $1,066,000, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $400,000 – $600,000.

This rare Tiffany Studios Peacock frame, Sotheby’s lot #2, sold for $40,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $5,000 – $7,000

The sale started strongly, with frames and lamp screens selling for ridiculously high prices. Then reality set in and the sale lost a little steam, with some lots selling at or below their low estimates.

Tiffany Studios Grapevine frame, Sotheby’s lot #85

A bizarre result was the sale of a medium-sized Tiffany Grapevine frame, lot #85, a common frame that I ordinarily sell for $2,500 – $3,500. It sold for the extraordinary price of $22,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $1,200 – $1,800. Whaaattt??? Some people have more cents than sense. Where are those clients when I need them?

Tiffany Studios advertising sign, Sotheby’s lot #87

One of the more amusing results came with the sale of an original Tiffany Studios bronze advertising plaque. It brought an incredible $20,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $800 – $1,200.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

We’re now in Lyon, seeking treasures, then back to Paris for a few days before returning home.

No shows until July, when we’ll be in Denver for the Denver World Wide Antique Show, at the Denver Mart, EXPO Building, 451 East 58th Avenue, July 24-26, 2015. I’ll always be in touch, even while we’re in Europe, so please don’t hesitate to email or call.

A Thomas Webb & Sons English cameo covered jar led the way at Hindman’s 20th Century Decorative Arts sale, May 1, 2015

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers held a 20th Century Decorative Arts sale on May 1, 2015. The offerings weren’t strong, but mixed in were some special items. As expected, they did well.

Superb Thomas Webb & Sons cameo jar, Hindman’s lot #25

Leading the way was a huge, 11½” tall, English cameo covered jar by Thomas Webb & Sons, with elaborate and exquisite carving. Mike Intihar, Hindman’s Senior Specialist, expected it to sell at or slightly above the high estimate of $50,000, but it performed much better. High quality items that are fresh to the market are a good bet to do well and this jar did not disappoint. It had not been for sale to the public since it was sold by Leo Kaplan Ltd. in New York in 1986. The public liked what it saw and bid it to $158,500, including buyer’s premium — a stupendous result almost three times what it was expected to fetch.

Tiffany Studios Empire Jewel table lamp, Hindman lot #144

A rare, but unattractive (to my eyes), Tiffany Studios Empire Jewel table lamp sold for the low estimate of $40,000, ($50,000 with buyer’s premium). It was very elaborate, with opalescent jewels and hundreds of tiny pieces of glass. Technically it was marvelous, but drab in person, especially the puce/gray/purple background. On the other hand it was authentic, large (22″ diameter), rare, yada yada yada. Attractive it wasn’t. Had the bidders asked me, I would have told them to save their money, but they never did. Whaaat??? (Said aloud, with emphasis.)

Fake Daum vase, Hindman lot #15

Surprisingly a couple of reproduction Daum vases, lots 14 and 15, slipped into the sale. The public knew better so neither vase sold.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

We’re off to Paris this week, so the chances of a Thursday post are 50/50. We’re sure to come up with some goodies, so keep an eye on my site for the latest additions. No shows until July, when we’ll be in Denver for the Denver World Wide Antique Show, at the Denver Mart, EXPO Building, 451 East 58th Avenue, July 24-26, 2015. I’ll always be in touch, so please don’t hesitate to email or call.

An unexpected result at Leland Little’s Fine & Decorative Arts auction, March 14, 2015

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Philip Chasen

OK, I lied. I said no posts this week because we’re on vacation, but I did have time to write this quick one.

Tiffany Studios charger, Little lot #590

Leland Little held a Fine & Decorative Arts auction on March 14, 2015. Included in the sale was lot #590, a 12″ diameter Tiffany Studios bronze charger with enameled decoration. It sold for a whopping $13,310, against a pre-sale estimate of $200 – $400.

So what gives? How could a plain-looking charger bring so much money? Easy. First, it was fresh to the market since the 1960s, when it was purchased from Lillian Nassau. Nice, but not key. The key was the signature, “L.C. Tiffany, 196 A-Coll.” Items marked “A-Coll.” were in Louis Comfort Tiffany’s personal collection — oooh, now I understand!

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

We’re vacationing this week. We’ll be back in time for our next show, next week at the NYC Pier Antique Show, March 28-29, 2015.

Fontaine knocks it out of the park at his 2/28/2015 auction

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Fontaine's Auction Gallery, Pittsfield, MA

The nature of live auctions has changed with the advent of the Internet. It used to be that most auctions were attended by many people. For some it was the Saturday night entertainment. Today, most auctions are lightly attended, but not neglected. The action comes from the Internet and the telephones. It’s now possible to bid live from anywhere on the planet, at almost any auction, with an Internet connection. And that’s exactly what happened at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery on Saturday, February 28, 2015. There weren’t many people in attendance, but items sold well even with light in-house bidding. The phones and the Internet took up all the slack. What was different for us is that we were in attendance. We rarely attend live auctions anymore. I forgot what torture it is to sit through a six-hour auction in a fairly uncomfortable chair. We decided to attend this auction because Fontaine put together a great sale, with lots of fresh, important merchandise. It’s always best to inspect items in person, as many appear better (or worse) than the photos.

Tiffany Moorish chandelier, Fontaine lot #163

It seemed that almost everything went above high estimate — some way above high estimate. Take lot #163, a Tiffany Moorish chandelier, estimated to sell for $20,000 – $30,000. It realized $133,100, including buyer’s premium — over four times the high estimate. It was a rare, beautiful chandelier with turtleback tiles and Favrile glass balls, matching the design of original Tiffany Studios’ chandeliers from the Belasco Theater in New York City.

Beautiful red Tiffany Favrile mini vase, Fontaine lot #178

I tried to buy a stunning Tiffany red decorated mini vase, Fontaine lot #178, but was unsuccessful. It realized $9,982.50, against a pre-sale estimate of $6,000 – $8,000 — too much for a dealer, but fair for a collector.

Great set of Steuben #202 shades, Fontaine lot #205

Top lot of the art glass shades was #205, a rare Steuben set (Roberts #202). Estimated to sell for $1,000 – $2,000, it realized $5,989.50.

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. 🙂

The remains of Louis C. Tiffany’s home — Laurelton Hall

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Monday’s post should be up by noon.

This mansion sits right on the site of Laurelton Hall

I feel lucky to live only a few miles from Laurelton Hall, the home of Louis C. Tiffany. I wonder how many of the residents of the many mansions that now cover the 600 acres of the former grounds of Laurelton Hall know about its history. My gut feeling is that most of them don’t have a clue. The mansion above is one of a couple that sits right on the location of Laurelton Hall. In the backyard, one original wall remains. I’m curious if the owner is permitted to knock it down, or does it have historical status? What a joy it must be to live right on the same ground that Tiffany lived and breathed. It’s my opinion that if Laurelton Hall had never burned down, and were preserved, it would be one of the most visited sites in the entire USA. I dream about it.

Sagamore Hill

Did you know that Sagamore Hill, the summer residence of President Theodore Roosevelt, is just down the road? Tiffany and Roosevelt were neighbors. Sagamore Hill has been beautifully preserved and is a must-see if you come to Long Island. Here’s another hint. Teddy Roosevelt is buried just down the road and almost nobody goes. It’s right next to the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center, 134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay, NY. My guess is that most people who visit Sagamore Hill never visit his grave, simply because they don’t know it’s there.

Historical photo of the minaret at Laurelton Hall (courtesy of http://www.oldlongisland.com/)

Historical photo of the minaret at Laurelton Hall (courtesy of www.oldlongisland.com)

The snowy view today from the beach

You can see the blue glass at the top of the minaret

If you travel to the beach at Laurel Hollow, next to the parking lot of the Village Hall, you can see the Laurelton Hall minaret, originally the smokestack for the power house. At the top, you can see the original blue glass. It’s in the backyard of the mansion pictured above in the first photo. (BTW, thanks to Chris Delloiacono for showing it to me. I’ve lived in the area for 25 years and never knew it existed.)

The view of the Laurelton Hall caretaker’s house from Tiffany Road

Driving down Tiffany Road, you can see the caretaker’s house, near the original entrance to the estate. I might be spreading rumors here, but to the best of my knowledge, the house was occupied for many years by Bruce Randall. He was Mr. Universe in 1959 (way before Arnold Schwarzenegger). He’s the same Bruce Randall who not only wrote the forward to the famous book on Tiffany lamps, The Lamps of Tiffany, by Egon Neustadt, but the entire book. Supposedly, Dr. Neustadt was just the collector who put together his famous collection, while Bruce did all the writing. In another aside, you can view the Neustadt collection of Tiffany lamps in two places, the New York Historical Society in NYC and the Queens Museum in Flushing Meadow Park (the site of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs).

If you’re planning a trip to New York, consider adding a side trip to the Oyster Bay, Laurel Hollow, Cove Neck area of Long Island. You’ll be rewarded.

There won’t be a Thursday post this week, but tune in next Monday for What’s New at Chasen Antiques, part III, with an emphasis on French glass.

I’ll be spending the next couple of weeks looking for still more treasures to bring to Florida for our southern circuit. Wish me luck!

Philip Chasen Antiques

The blog for chasenantiques.com

Category Archives: Tiffany

Big Tiffany & Co. surprise at Leslie Hindman’s Marketplace auction, August 19, 2015

The Denver World Wide Antique Show opens this Friday, July 24, 2015

What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

Good results for Tiffany Studios lamps at Christie’s Design sale, June 10, 2015

Good results at Sotheby’s The Warshawsky Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design sale, May 19, 2015

A Thomas Webb & Sons English cameo covered jar led the way at Hindman’s 20th Century Decorative Arts sale, May 1, 2015

An unexpected result at Leland Little’s Fine & Decorative Arts auction, March 14, 2015

Fontaine knocks it out of the park at his 2/28/2015 auction

The remains of Louis C. Tiffany’s home — Laurelton Hall