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Woolley & Wallis, Salisbury, England, held a British Pottery sale on November 27, 2019. Included in the sale was a nice selection of Martinware from two major collections. Following are some of the results.

The top lot of the Martinware selection was #6, an attractive, 10½” tall, bird tobacco jar. It sold below its pre-sale low estimate of £30,000, realizing £36,400 ($47,056), including buyer’s premium. I suggest that the estimate of £30,000 – £50,000 was a bit too aggressive.

The second highest lot of the Martinware grouping was #5, a rare 9¼” tall Birdman tobacco jar. It sold within its pre-sale estimate of £25,000 – £30,000, realizing £33,800 ($43,695), including buyer’s premium.

Lot # 4 was a very fine, 8″ tall, aquatic covered jar. It exceeded its high estimate of £10,000, realizing £15,600 ($20,167), including buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

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No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.

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Bonham’s Los Angeles held a Modern Design | Art sale on October 27, 2019. Included in the sale were many lots that I know little about and a few where I have expertise. Following are a few of the results.

The top lot of the sale was #200, a 1985 bronze armchair by Sido and Francois Thevenin entitled Crypto 10 Armchair. It flew past its pre-sale estimate of $20,000 – $30,000, realizing $80,075, including buyer’s premium. I couldn’t even begin to explain the significance of this result.

Onto my area of expertise. Lot #42 was a 20¼” Daum Nancy vase with colorful thistle decoration, extensively wheel-carved with martelé texture. It sold near its low estimate of $10,000, realizing $12,575, including buyer’s premium. Even though the quality was very good, I wasn’t interested in the vase, as monumental vases are difficult to pack, transport, display and sell.

Lot #40 was a nice Loetz Austria vase with applied and pulled tendrils, 9¼” tall. It sold for $4,075, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $2,000 – $3,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

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No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.

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On November 22, 2019 Rago Auctions held a small 43-item sale of exceptional items entitled Masterworks of American Craft. Following are a few results.

I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know much about modern crafts, including the top lot of the sale, #26, a 1959, 40½” tall, Peter Voulkos glazed stoneware sculpture entitled Snake River. It soared past its pre-sale estimate of $50,000 – $70,000, realizing $250,000, including buyer’s premium. It could have sold for $250 and I wouldn’t have known the difference. Another example of knowledge is power.

I do know about Tiffany Studios items, so I wasn’t surprised by the strong result for lot #1, a 6″ long crab and lobster box. All Tiffany Studios enamel on copper items are rarities and this box was no exception. It easily swam past its pre-sale estimate of $30,000 – $50,000, realizing $87,500, including buyer’s premium.

Tiffany Studios occasionally worked with the Grueby Faience Pottery to make lovely Arts & Crafts lamps. The example pictured above, lot #6, combines a Tiffany 16″ diameter Acorn shade with an important Kendrick-designed Grueby base. It sold for its low estimate of $30,000 ($40,000 including buyer’s premium).

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

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No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.

No new post this week as we’re on vacation. Look for a new post next Monday.

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Following is a contemporaneous account of the show.

Thursday, 9:30 PM. Thank goodness the preview party is over. They’re so awful. The dealers are wallpaper for a crowd that has no interest in buying anything. The attendees are there for the food, drink and a good time. We almost never sell anything at a preview party and this time was no different. On the flip side, the food was quite tasty and the drinks were good, so it wasn’t as torturous as usual.

Friday, 4:30 PM. It’s been an interesting day thus far. Attendance has been fairly light, but some of our good clients showed up. We had quite a few serious inquiries but only a couple of sales to this point. It’s a good start. We’re expecting good clients to show before the show closes today.

Friday, 7:00 PM. Opening day is over and we’re pleased. Our good clients showed up toward the end of the day and bought a few items, including a Tiffany Studios double student Linenfold table lamp.

Saturday, 12:30 PM. The day is off to a slow start after opening at 10 AM. There was almost no one through the door for the first hour. One of our good clients showed up, but no sales yet. We’re expecting our best clients later in the day.

Saturday, 5:00 PM. The show is closed today and we’re still optimistic. We made a couple of small sales, but our best clients decided to stay overnight and see us tomorrow. Got my fingers crossed it will go well.

Sunday, 1:30 PM. Our good clients came back to the show and made major purchases, including a Tiffany Peony Border floor lamp. Needless to say, we’re quite pleased. And we have another couple who has been back to the booth several times interested in Tiffany lamps. Hope something happens there.

Sunday, 4:00 PM. Whew! The show is over and it was a big success. The worst part was the high pressure waiting for clients to make up their minds. Our couple from the early afternoon decided to go home and think about a purchase. That usually, but not always, means no. Our established clients were the white knights, with no new blood this time. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining, just explaining. We had a fabulous show and look forward to next year.

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No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.

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The Antiques + Modernism Winnetka show, at the Winnetka Community Center, opens this weekend, November 8th at 10 AM and continues until Sunday at 4 PM. We’ve been buying up a storm, so here’s a preview.

We’re bringing a very strong selection of glass and lamps to the show. The American section includes some important Tiffany Favrile vases, as well as a great selection of Tiffany Studios lamps.

I’ve had good luck recently buying about 25 great Tiffany Studios desk pieces, mainly Grapevine, Pine Needle and Ninth Century. I’ll have them all at the show. (BTW, Tiffany desk set items make great Christmas presents. If you don’t see what you want, ask me, because I don’t have the time to list all the items I have for sale.)

The French selection of cameo and pâte-de-verre glass is among the best we’ve had in years. We’re bringing everything we bought on our recent European buying trip. We’ll have a vast selection of Daum and Gallé, as well as some pate-de-verre by Walter and Argy-Rousseau. I don’t have the time to photograph and list all the items, so you’ll just have to make it your business to visit us in person at the show. You’ll thank me!

The show ends on Sunday, so look for my blog next Monday with the results. Got my fingers crossed it will go well. I’m cautiously optimistic.

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No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.

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We’ll be traveling to Chicago next week to exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Winnetka show at the Winnetka Community Center, November 8-10. It’s one of two shows we have left in the greater Chicago area. The only other one is the Chicago Antiques, Art & Design Show at the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago in May.

We’ve been buying like crazy for this show and the upcoming Original Miami Beach Antique Show. That includes some amazing Tiffany Studios glass and lamps that we bought domestically and Daum, Gallé and Walter glass that we bought in Europe. We’ll bring it all to our Winnetka show.

Last year’s show was excellent, even though many of our regular clients didn’t attend. New clients made up the shortfall. Couldn’t have asked for better. This year we’ve heard from our regular clients, most of whom told me they’re coming to the show. Got my fingers crossed. Tune in on Monday, November, 11th, for the results.

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No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.

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Rago Auctions, Lambertville, NJ, held an Early 20th C. Design auction on September 21, 2019. The eclectic mix included American and European art pottery, glass and lamps.

The top lot of the sale, #280, was a Martin Brothers creature tobacco jar from 1888. It realized $27,500, including buyer’s premium — below the pre-sale estimate of $25,000 – $30,000.

Newcomb College high glaze vases are early and rarer than standard matte glaze vases. A large, stylized, floral example of calla lilies from 1904, lot #100, sold below its pre-sale estimate of $15,000 – $20,000, realizing $21,500, including buyer’s premium. It was the third highest price of the sale.

The highest price of any Tiffany Studios object in the sale was achieved by lot #333, a leaded Nautilus lamp. It sold within its pre-sale estimate of $6,000 – $9,000, realizing $10,000, including buyer’s premium.

I really wanted to buy lot #310, a wonderful, monumental (16¾” tall) Gallé Alpine scenic vase, but I never bid on it because of a condition problem. Notice that one side of the canoe-shaped mouth is visibly lower than the other. That’s because it was damaged and cut down at some point in its history. Even though the quality was superior, I let it go. It sold for only $5,625, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $4,000 – $6,000. In my opinion it was worth $15,000+ in perfect condition.

For the complete results of the sale, click here. You will have to log in for the prices (free).

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No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.

Sorry, no new post this week. We’re still on a European buying trip. Back this week. I’ll have a new post next Monday.

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We’re in Europe on a very successful buying trip as I write today’s post. But we’re on the go, so this post will let the photos do the talking. They’re only some of the items we bought. If you see something you like, please let me know.

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No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.

Monday’s post is delayed as we’re on a European buying trip. I hope to have it up by 3 PM EDT.

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Cottone Auctions, Geneseo, NY, held a Fine Art & Antiques Auction on September 28, 2019. Included in the sale was a nice selection of Tiffany Studios lamps. The results were decent, but not exceptional. Following are the top three results.

Tied for the top Tiffany lamp of the sale was lot #57, a 17″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp with very attractive orange and red ripple glass. It sold for $64,900, including buyer’s premium – toward the lower end of the pre-sale estimate of $50,000 – $80,000.

Next up for sale was lot #58, a rare Tiffany 17″ diameter Geranium table lamp, with an equally rare reticulated urn base. Estimated to sell for $60,000 – $80,000, it sold just below its low estimate, realizing $64,900, including buyer’s premium – identical to the price of the previous lot, the Geranium lamp.

The third best result of the Tiffany lamps was lot #60, a very attractive 20″ diameter Poppy table lamp. It sold slightly above its low estimate of $45,000, realizing $46,000 ($54,280, including buyer’s premium). I really liked this lamp and bid accordingly. I was the underbidder at $45,000. I just couldn’t justify bidding any higher because it wouldn’t leave me with enough room for a decent profit.

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

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No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.

Sorry, no new post this week. I’m on a treasure hunt with my son. Really.

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Fontaine’s Auction, Pittsfield, MA, held an Antiques & Fine Art Auction, September 14, 2019. Included in the sale was a collection of Tiffany Favrile glass from a 90+-year-old woman from the suburbs of New York City. The results were strong because the selection was fresh-to-the-market, high-quality, and sold without reserve, attracting the interest of major collectors and dealers.

The top lot of the Tiffany Favrile collection was #3, a rare inkwell with gold Favrile applications and an iridescent Favrile insert. Estimated to sell for $3,000 – $5,000, it realized $21,780, including buyer’s premium. I was hoping to buy it, but soon realized that I didn’t have a chance when I looked around the audience and saw a major California collector sitting in the back. He wound up buying quite a few items.

Fontaine also sold a selection of Tiffany Studios lamps. There was no doubt that lot #100 would be the star of the sale. It was a very rare Fish lamp, estimated to sell for $80,000 – $100,000. I don’t find this design to be very attractive, so I wouldn’t have bid regardless of the price. But guess what? I wasn’t consulted. (Can you believe that??) It doubled its low estimate, realizing $217,800, including buyer’s premium.

Also in the sale was a rare Picasso, limited-edition, ceramic Taureau pitcher which sold within its pre-sale estimate of $30,000 – $50,000, realizing $54,450, including buyer’s premium. The surprise was that this pitcher was found in a clean-out of a Brooklyn, NY apartment. The consignors had no idea there was anything valuable. With their luck, it’s time for them to take some of the proceeds and buy a few lottery tickets.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

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No shows until October 20, 2022, when we’ll exhibit at the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Two weeks later we’ll exhibit at the Antiques + Modernism Show in Winnetka, IL, starting on November 4, 2022.