Some good results at Bonham’s New York 20th Century Decorative Arts sale, December 17, 2015

Posted on December 31, 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.

It’s December 31, 2015. Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year, filled with Peace!

Bonham’s New York held their 20th Century Decorative Arts sale on December 17, 2015, immediately following their The Artistry of Tiffany sale. I will only concern myself with the beginning of the sale, which included works by Tiffany Studios, the Martin Brothers and Daum Nancy.

Tiffany Studios Floral Bouquet chandelier, Bonham’s lot #1008

The first nine lots of the sale were offerings by Tiffany Studios. Of this group, the top lot was a 28¼” diameter Floral Bouquet chandelier. It doubled its high estimate of $120,000, realizing an impressive $293,000, including buyer’s premium. There are more buyers for table lamps than chandeliers, which made the result even more notable. It easily exceeded the high of $137,000 for all of the Tiffany Studios items in the previous The Artistry of Tiffany sale.

Martin Brothers aquatic vase, Bonham’s lot #1010

Lot #1010 was a large, incredible Martin Brothers stoneware aquatic vase from 1892, with 3-dimensional carving and barnacles. I was drooling over this vase, especially with an unbelievably low estimate of $2,000 – $3,000. I knew I had a chance, but only if the major collectors weren’t interested. I was willing to pay way over the high estimate, but unfortunately I wasn’t the buyer. At $20,000, I was the underbidder. Oh well. At least I made the buyer pay, but I really wanted this lot. Martin Brothers collectors have deep pockets, so I think I would have been outbid no matter what.

Daum Nancy Impressionist vase, Bonham’s lot #1011

The three Daum Nancy lots did very well, with the best results for lot #1011, an Impressionist vase with yellow trees on a purple mottled background. It easily exceeded its high estimate of $15,000, realizing $27,500, including buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

I’ve been quite busy buying and selling recently, partly because I’ve listed many new items on my website. I really need to buy more, so if you have something great, please offer it to me for sale. I am paying the highest prices of any dealer. My decisions are quick and my payments just as quick. Just snap a photo and email me a jpeg.

I will continue to list more as often as possible. Please click here to take a look.

We’re still very much in business between shows, especially since there are fewer shows nowadays. 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.

Fair results for Bonham’s New York The Artistry of Tiffany sale, December 17, 2015

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Bonham’s New York held their The Artistry of Tiffany sale on December 17, 2015, with total sales of $820,000 for the very small 25-lot auction. 8 lots did not sell, which worked out to an average of $48,235 for each of the 17 sold lots, well below the results of both Christie’s and Sotheby’s.

Tiffany Studios 16″ diameter Snowball table lamp, Bonham’s lot #8

Tiffany Studios 18″ diameter Peony table lamp, Bonham’s lot #15

Two Tiffany Studios’ lamps tied for best results at $137,000 each, including buyer’s premium — lot 8, a 16″ diameter Snowball, and lot 15, an 18″ diameter Peony.

Tiffany Favrile Aquamarine vase, Bonham’s lot #18

The top glass lot was #18, a Tiffany Aquamarine vase, made to depict aquatic subject matter. Aquamarine vases are heavy, with thick glass containing embedded glass objects, like a glass paperweight. Lot #18 contained embedded water lilies and was a nice size at 10″ tall. It sold within its pre-sale estimate of $60,000 – $80,000, realizing $81,250, including buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

I will continue to list more as often as possible. Please click here to take a look.

Superb results at Phillip’s Wondrous Beasts, Feathered Fantasies: R.W. Martin & Brothers sale, December 15, 2015

Posted on December 24, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

Phillips New York held their Wondrous Beasts, Feathered Fantasies: R.W. Martin & Brothers sale on December 15, 2015, with total sales of $1,592,250 for the very small 23-lot auction. The sale was 100% sold, with a very strong average of $69,228 per lot.

Martin Brothers Disraeli bird, Phillips lot #7

Martin Brothers stoneware has been strong now for years and this auction was affirmation of the trend. Top lot of the sale was #7, a large bird (14¼”), signed and dated 1889, fashioned after the 19th Century English politician, Benjamin Disraeli. Estimated to sell for $100,000 – $150,000, it sold for $233,000, including buyer’s premium — to my knowledge, the world record for any Martin Brothers object at auction.

Martin Brothers armadillo, Phillips lot #13

Second best result was lot #13, a grotesque, smiling armadillo, 11¼” long, signed and dated 1894. It sold for approximately double its high estimate of $70,000, realizing $143,000, including buyer’s premium.

Martin Brothers triple bird, Phillips lot #23

In my opinion, lot #23, a rare triple bird, signed and dated 1908, sold for under the money. Although it sold near its high estimate of $70,000, realizing $75,000, including buyer’s premium, I thought it should have sold for at least $100,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

I will continue to list more as often as possible. Please click here to take a look.

Fair results for the Tiffany portion of Christie’s Design sale, December 18, 2015

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Christie’s New York held their Design sale on December 18, 2015 with total sales of $5,169,125 for the 152-lot auction. The first 36 lots of the sale were Tiffany Studios items. 10 of those failed to sell, which worked out to a total of $1,378,500 for the Tiffany, for an average of $53,019 for the 26 sold lots, considerably below the results of Sotheby’s Tiffany sale two days earlier.

Tiffany Studios 22″ Peony table lamp, Christie’s lot #318

Top lot of the Tiffany portion of the sale was #318, a Tiffany Studios 22″ diameter Peony table lamp, with a rare Favrile glass ball base. It sold below its pre-sale estimate of $180,000 – $240,000, realizing $173,000, including buyer’s premium.

Tiffany Favrile blue Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase, Christie’s lot #311

Oops on my prediction that the Christie’s blue Favrile Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase would bring less money than the example at Sotheby’s. Christie’s Jack, lot #311, sold for an incredible $161,000, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $80,000 – $120,000. That was $42,250 more than the $118,750 spent on the Sotheby’s example. I thought the color on the Sotheby’s example was much better than Christie’s, but Christie’s example was bigger by 2″, 21¼” versus 19¼”. That worked out to $21,125 per extra inch. Whew!

Rare Tiffany Studios inkwell, Christie’s lot #317

Tiffany Studios turtleback inkwell, Nadeau’s Auction, October, 30, 2010

Lot #317 was a rare Tiffany Studios Turtleback triple inkwell. It also sold below its estimate of $30,000 – $50,000, realizing $25,000, including buyer’s premium. This is only the second time I’ve seen this inkwell come up for sale at auction. A far better example sold at Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, Windsor, Connecticut, on October, 30, 2010, for $37,500. It had three distinct colors, red, blue and green and a much better patina. It’s my understanding that the dealer who bought it subsequently sold it for $75,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

I will continue to list more as often as possible. Please click here to take a look.

Smokin’ results at Sotheby’s Tiffany Dreaming in Glass sale, December 16, 2015

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Philip Chasen

I don’t know what they were smoking at Sotheby’s Tiffany Dreaming in Glass sale yesterday, December 16, 2015, but bidders were in a fine mood. Sales totaled $7,679,250 for the small 59-lot auction. 8 lots failed to sell, but that worked out to a very impressive average of $150,573 for the other 51 sold lots.

Tiffany Dragonfly table lamp, Sotheby’s lot #211

Top lot of the sale was #211, a Tiffany Studios 22″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp, descended in the family of Andrew Carnegie. Provenance doesn’t get better, which showed in the results. It flew past the estimate of $250,000 — $350,000 to realize a truly remarkable $2,110,000, including buyer’s premium. Wow!

Tiffany Studios Pebble lamp, Sotheby’s lot #244

The second highest lot was another lamp, a relatively small, but rare, Tiffany Studios Pebble design, made with real pebbles. It wasn’t my cup of tea, so I wouldn’t have even bid the low estimate. But the bidders didn’t ask me first. They were hot to trot and shelled out 760,000 bananas, against a pre-sale estimate of $200,000 — $300,000.

Tiffany Favrile blue Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase, Sotheby’s lot #223

The top Tiffany Favrile glass lot of the sale was #223, a gorgeous blue Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase. I wonder if this is the vase that I bought together with another dealer about 35 years ago. It looked really familiar. It sold for $118,750, well above the pre-sale estimate of $50,000 — $80,000. Christie’s is going to sell another blue Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase this Friday, but I don’t think it’s as pretty. It should sell for less than this one.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

I will continue to list more as often as possible. Please click here to take a look.

Some French cameo glass treasures I’ve owned (and sold) in 2015

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Philip Chasen

2015 has been my best year ever in business. It was a very good year. (Think Frank Sinatra singing.) Thanks to all my loyal clients who have supported me. Following are a few of the highlights of the many French cameo glass treasures I bought and sold this past year, in no particular order.

Gallé blownout Rhododendron table lamp

I’ve never owned a Gallé Rhododendron table lamp before this year. It’s big, gorgeous and very rare.

Daum Nancy Weeping Willow vase

I just love this vase. It’s very rare, but more importantly it’s killer. The decoration is the best and the shape is rare and fabulous.

Monumental Argy-Rousseau pâte-de-verre vase Libation

Most Argy-Rousseau pâte-de-verre vases are small to medium-sized. At 12¼” Libation is huge, stunning and rare.

Monumental Daum Nancy Swans vase

How about a 16½” Daum Nancy vase with three swans? About as rare and beautiful as Daum gets.

I really need to buy more, so if you have something great, please offer it to me for sale. I am paying the highest prices of any dealer. My decisions are quick and my payments just as quick. Just snap a photo and email me a jpeg.

I’ve been quite busy buying and selling recently, partly because I’ve listed many new items on my website. I will continue to list more as often as possible. Please click here to take a look.

Some interesting results at Skinner’s 20th Century Design auction, December 5, 2015

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Skinner Boston held their 20th Century Design auction this past Saturday, December 5, 2015. The sale wasn’t one of their best, with a weak selection of offerings, but there were still some interesting results. A fair number of items did not sell, while too many others sold for less than $1,000.

Rookwood plaque, Skinner lot #250

One of the best results was lot # 250, a large Rookwood scenic vellum plaque, 10″ x 14″ + frame. The good result was especially interesting as the market for Rookwood has been soft for years. The subject was a nighttime seascape, painted by Sturgis Lawrence in 1902. The pre-sale estimate was low at $1,500 – $2,500, but the result was still a surprise — $14,760, including buyer’s premium.

Dedham pottery vase, Skinner lot #276

18 lots of Dedham pottery were offered. The vases did well, while the plates floundered. The best of the group was lot #76, a 9″ Art Nouveau vase decorated with a nude. It sold well beyond its high estimate of $2,500, realizing $10,455, including buyer’s premium.

Tiffany Studios 22″ Daffodil table lamp, Skinner lot #318

The best Tiffany Studios lamp in the sale, lot #318, a 22″ diameter Daffodil, did not sell, probably because the estimate was too aggressive at $100,000 – $150,000. $60,000 – $90,000 would have been more appropriate and probably would have resulted in a sale. Auction houses continually struggle with consignors to lower their estimates and reserves, but often the consignors win the battle, but lose the war, when their items don’t sell.

For the complete results of the sale click here.

I’ve been quite busy buying and selling recently, partly because I’ve listed many new items on my website. I will continue to list more daily. Please click here to take a look.

This is why you buy from me

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Daum poppy vase with handles

I was offered a lovely Daum vase by a serious French dealer, with whom I’ve done a lot of business over the years. The decoration of poppies was particularly pretty and desirable, especially with the applied handles and gilding. I agreed to buy the vase. The dealer shipped it to me without prior payment, as we have a longstanding relationship.

A closeup of the regilded foot

It looked good in the original photo from the dealer, who I trusted not to send me a vase with problems. Boy, was I disappointed. The first thing I noticed when I opened the box was the strange gilding on the foot. It had been poorly redone with metal leaf. It stuck out to me like a sore thumb. Then came the handles — even worse. The two handles did not match each other in texture at all, nor did they match the body of the vase. They both looked like they had been spray-painted by a restorer of little ability. Do you think you would have known if you had purchased this vase? I doubt it. I venture to guess that most people would not have had a problem with it.

A side-by-side comparison of the two handles

I felt like he tried to slip one past me, but that wasn’t going to happen. It’s going back to France and I’ll be out $73.25 return postage. The good part is you’re not going to buy it. I act like a filter, filtering out fake, repaired, ugly, unimportant, and common items. If I’m offering it for sale, it’s passed my inspection. And that’s why you buy from me.

I’ve been quite busy buying and selling recently, partly because I’ve listed many new items on my website. I will continue to list more daily. Please click here to take a look.

Louis Icart oil paintings sell well at Heritage’s Art Nouveau & Art Deco auction, November 23, 2015

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Heritage Auctions held their Art Nouveau & Art Deco auction on November 23, 2015, with total sales of $1,244,618. Included in the sale were three original oil paintings by Louis Icart. As many of you probably know, the market in Louis Icart etchings has been soft for quite a few years. What you may not know is that the market for his oil paintings has fared better. The prices are nowhere near the peak of the late 1980s, when the Japanese were spending heavily on Icart, but otherwise the market has been relatively firm. Although Icart was a prolific artist, there are far fewer oil paintings in existence than etchings.

Louis Icart oil painting of his wife, Fanny Volmers, Heritage lot #60121

Top lot of the three was #60121, a Red Period oil of his wife Fanny, signed and dated 1919. It sold for $16,250, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $12,000 — $18,000.

Louis Icart oil painting, Heritage lot #60133

Second best of the three was a beautiful 1930s painting of two beautiful women with borzois, 19″ x 23½”. It sold above its high estimate of $9,000, realizing $12,500, including buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, including the top four lots by Tiffany Studios, click here. You will have to sign in (free) to see the prices realized.

I’ve been quite busy buying and selling recently, partly because I’ve listed many new items on my website. I will continue to list more daily. Please click here to take a look.

French cameo glass sells well at Sotheby’s Paris Design sale, November 24, 2015

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Sotheby’s Paris held their Design sale on November 24, 2015, with total sales of €3,870,400 ($4,100,304). Bidders were determined to continue life as usual, and not allow the terrorists to win, after the recent horrendous terrorist attacks.

Gallé Rose de France vase, Sotheby’s lot #16

Of particular interest to me were five lots of superb Gallé items and one Daum vase. They all sold, most above their high estimates. Top lot of this group was #16, an important, artistic vase by Gallé, entitled Rose de France. It sold for €141,000 ($149,375), including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of €70,000 — €90,000.

Fine Gallé marquetry vase, Sotheby’s lot #13

Second best of this small group was lot #13, a fine Gallé marquetry vase on an original bronze base. It soared past its pre-sale estimate of €15,000 — €25,000 to realize €81,000 ($85,811).

Gallé Mosque chandelier, Sotheby’s lot #11

The most unusual of the six items was a huge, 22″ tall, Gallé chandelier Grand Lampe De Mosquée (Large Mosque lamp). Though this wasn’t for everybody, it found at least two bidders who were willing to push the final sale price beyond the high estimate, to €43,750 ($46,348), against a presale estimate of €25,000 — €30,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

I’ve been quite busy buying and selling recently, partly because I’ve listed many new items on my website. I will continue to list more daily. Please click here to take a look.

Philip Chasen Antiques

The blog for chasenantiques.com

Some good results at Bonham’s New York 20th Century Decorative Arts sale, December 17, 2015

Fair results for Bonham’s New York The Artistry of Tiffany sale, December 17, 2015

Superb results at Phillip’s Wondrous Beasts, Feathered Fantasies: R.W. Martin & Brothers sale, December 15, 2015

Fair results for the Tiffany portion of Christie’s Design sale, December 18, 2015

Smokin’ results at Sotheby’s Tiffany Dreaming in Glass sale, December 16, 2015

Some French cameo glass treasures I’ve owned (and sold) in 2015

Some interesting results at Skinner’s 20th Century Design auction, December 5, 2015

This is why you buy from me

Louis Icart oil paintings sell well at Heritage’s Art Nouveau & Art Deco auction, November 23, 2015

French cameo glass sells well at Sotheby’s Paris Design sale, November 24, 2015