Solid results at Rago’s 20th Century Design Auction, June 8, 2013

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Philip Chasen

June is 20th Century month, with every major and some minor auction houses holding a sale. David Rago was first with a 20th Century Design Auction on June 8, 2013.

Martin Bros. bird tobacco jar, Rago lot #156

Lot #156 was not one of the surprises. It was one of several lots of Martinware, that included two tobacco jars. It sold slightly below its pre-sale estimate of $40,000 – $50,000, realizing $43,750, including buyer’s premium. Personally I didn’t find the bird attractive, so the result didn’t surprise me. A rarer dog tobacco jar, lot #155, that was estimated to sell for $15,000 – $20,000, sold for $18,750, right at the low estimate.

Frederick Rhead decorated bowl, Rago lot #105

Lot #105, a Frederick Rhead 7¾” diam. bowl, was a pleasant surprise, in keeping with the recent stellar prices for Rhead’s works. It was the top lot of the sale, selling for $55,000, approximately triple its low estimate of $15,000.

Handel 15″ diam. Arts & Crafts table lamp, Rago lot #69

One of the biggest surprises for me was lot #69, a 15″ diameter Handel lamp, with a very simple repeating geometric pattern. Earlier in my career, when I was selling many Handel lamps, I would not have even purchased this lamp, at any price, because it would have been impossible to sell. How things have changed! Now it’s a very desirable Arts & Crafts model that sold for $12,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $7,500 – $9,500. Go figure!

I asked David for some comments about his sale. Here is his reply.

The Saturday session was 89% sold through the day. the first part consisted of 300 lots with an aggregate low of $800,000 and the hammer was $900,000 (plus the bp). The second part had an aggregate low estimate of $150k and it hammered at $245k. total for the day was a hammer of $1,145,000, about $200k over the combined low estimates. The sale felt more than 89% sold because most of the buy ins were insignificant lots, many with reserves under $1k. there was considerable action across the board with 100 phone bidders, 200 internet bidders, a substantial amount of absentee bids, and a full room.

What I found interesting about the sale was that there were few things that really took off (more about that in a minute). Mostly, it was good to very good material performing at or above where we expected it to be, consistently across the board. Furniture, which was the soft spot in our last sale, saw competitive bidding and was almost all sold.

A few pottery lots did exceptionally well. a Redlands cabinet vase with frogs hammered at 12k. a Rhead bowl for University City with a landscape hammered at $44k against a low estimate of 15k. an Ohr vase from a southern estate with a $20 – $30k estimate hammered at $38,000. And the Tiffany lantern attracted wide interest before settling at $22,000.

But again, while the sale lacked some of the six-figure drama of sales past it was something of an auctioneer’s dream in how a great deal of competitive bidding created a fast pace and strong results. The sale sold at nearly 100 lots per hour, above the 80-85 lots we normally see. When this has happened in the past it was usually the result of numerous passed lots (which take very little time). this was the first auction in recent memory to move briskly AND have so much bidding.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

No shows until July 19-21, when we’ll be in Denver. A fellow dealer convinced me to try the show again. She said the show has new promoters, who filled the hall with buyers the last time. So we’ll give it one more shot. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to call or write if you would like to buy, sell or trade.

Just got this incredible 8½” Daum swan vase

Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Wonderful A. Walter pate-de-verre vase with lizard, just in

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.

Some exceptional results at Christie’s South Kensington Lalique auction, May 22, 2013

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Christie’s South Kensington held a Lalique auction on May 22, 2013, with some rare items selling for very strong prices. Total sales for the 185-lot auction were a very respectable £799,812 ($1,244,307).

Rare R. Lalique car mascot, Comète, Christie’s lot #99

Top lot of the sale was #99, a very rare car mascot entitled Comète (Comet), No. 1123. It sold for approximately double its low estimate of £35,000, realizing £79,875 ($120,851), including buyer’s premium.

Rare red R. Lalique vase, Hirondelles, Christie’s lot #185

Christie’s expected the final lot of the sale to take top honors, but it took second place. Lot #185 was a very rare red Hirondelles (Swallows) vase. It exceeded its high estimate of £50,000 to sell for £73,875 ($111,773).

Rare green cased R. Lalique vase, Gros Scarabées, Christie’s lot #181

Third place went to lot #181, a rare green cased vase entitled Gros Scarabées (Large Scarabs). It easily exceeded its pre-sale estimate of £25,000 – £35,000, to sell for £49,875($75,461). The same model, in a rarer red color, selling as lot #180, sold for less money, £33,750($51,064), because of a condition problem (grinding of the rim exterior).

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

Just got this incredible 8½” Daum swan vase

Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Wonderful A. Walter pate-de-verre vase with lizard, just in

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.

Some results from Doyle New York’s Belle Epoque auction, June 5, 2013

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Doyle New York held its Belle Epoque auction yesterday, June 5, 2013. There weren’t many exciting lots, so the results were unremarkable.

Tiffany Studios 12-light lily table lamp, Doyle lot #512

Top lot in the art glass and lamps section of the sale went to #512, a Tiffany Studios 12-light lily lamp, which sold for $25,000, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $12,000-18,000. The price was strong, considering that four of the shades were reproduction and one of the shades was broken and glued. In addition, the switch was replaced, several of the sockets were replaced, several arms were loose and the lamp needed rewiring. It was not in “ready for primetime” shape. My guess is it sold to a dealer who has the wherewithal to put it back into tiptop shape. The patina was excellent, so it will be a primo lamp when it’s ready.

Monumental Galle dragonfly vase, Doyle lot #539.

Top lot of the French cameo glass section of the sale went to #539, a huge, 23¼”, Galle dragonfly vase. It sold within the estimate to reach $10,000, including buyer’s premium. Personally I didn’t bid aggressively because the size was too large for me, even though the subject matter was very good. I find it difficult to sell very large vases, as there are fewer collectors who have the room to display them.

Daum Nancy winter scenic table lamp, Doyle lot #544

Lot #544 was interesting. It was a very desirable Daum Nancy winter scenic table lamp. Ordinarily I would have been all over it, but there was significant damage to the lower rim of the shade (which you can see in the photo, on the right). I didn’t bid at all because of the problems. That didn’t stop other buyers who bid the lamp to $8,125, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $5,000 – $7,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here and then click the gray “view” below.

No shows until late July, when we will be in Denver. A fellow dealer convinced me to try the show again. She said the new promoters are good and filled the hall with buyers the last time, so we’ll give it one more shot. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to call or write if you would like to buy, sell or trade.

Killer Daum Fall scenic vase, just in

Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Gorgeous Galle fuchsia blownout vase, just in

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.

U.S. Antique Shows buys three New York City antique shows from Stella Show Management

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Philip Chasen

The Pier show on a recent opening day

Irene Stella of Stella Show Management conceived of the idea of holding an antique show on New York City’s Hudson River, in a passenger ship terminal. The first few shows were so successful that management expanded the show to include two additional adjacent piers, and changed the name to the Triple Pier Antique Show. The demand from dealers to exhibit at the show was so great, that management further expanded the show to two consecutive weeks, twice a year. That went on for quite a while, until it was ultimately scaled back to one weekend, twice a year. Construction to some of the piers forced the show to be moved to the much larger Pier 94, just north of the original three piers, where it’s been successfully held for the last several years.

The line to get in was huge before a recent opening of the Original Miami Beach Antique Show

Fast forward to May 20, 2013, with simultaneous announcements from both Stella Show Management and U.S. Antique Shows, of the sale of three Stella New York antiques shows to U.S. Antique Shows, the promoter of the highly successful Original Miami Beach Antique Show. It marks the end of one era and the beginning of another in New York City antique shows.

A view of a section of the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show

I’ve got mixed emotions. I’ve enjoyed working with the Stellas over the years, but also look forward to the changes new management will undoubtedly make. New blood is usually good for a show, e.g. the purchase of the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show by the Palm Beach Show Group. They bought a good show and made it into one of the best shows in the country. Promotion of the show became job #1, which included a significant increase in the advertising budget. That was the start of a virtuous cycle where new buyers attended and new dealers were attracted. I wish U.S. Antique Shows, and its Director of Business Development, Andrea Canady, the same success with their new New York shows.

We’re back from our vacation/business trip, so that means two things. First, we have some great new French glass, which I’ve started to list on my website. The rest will be up within the next few days, so please check often. Second, I should have enough time to publish my blog twice a week, so check Mondays and Thursdays. We have no shows until late July, but please don’t hesitate to call or write. We’re always interested in buying, selling or trading.

Killer Daum Fall scenic vase, just in

Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Gorgeous Galle fuchsia blownout vase, just in

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.

Wow! If you love Gustav Klimt, you must visit the Belvedere Palace & Museum in Vienna, Austria

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Philip Chasen

That’s me and my lovely wife, Lia, blocking the view of the Belvedere Palace

One of the magnificent rooms of the Belvedere

If you like great museums, Vienna is the place for you. We visited a few, but were really blown away by the Upper Belvedere, one of two summer palaces of General Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736). The palace itself is a gorgeous Baroque building, designed by the architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt (1668-1745), and built between 1712 and 1715. Today it’s a wonderful museum, with a great collection of paintings.

Gustav Klimt painting, The Kiss

Foremost is the museum’s wonderful collection of 22 Gustav Klimt works, including the truly fabulous painting, The Kiss. It’s really impressive in person and much larger than I imagined, almost 6′ square. According to the museum’s curator, Dr. Alfred Weidinger, the Belvedere purchased The Kiss for 25,000 crowns on the first day it was exhibited in 1908. That is today’s equivalent of approximately $250,000. Also according to Dr. Weidinger, no painting had been sold prior in Austria for more than 500 crowns. Klimt was certainly no starving artist.

Gustav Klimt painting, Portrait of Adele Block-Bauer

In 2006, Ronald Lauder (of Estee Lauder fame and fortune), paid $135 million for a 1907 Klimt portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, that was previously on display in the same room as The Kiss, at the Belvedere. Lauder purchased the painting from Mrs. Bloch-Bauer’s niece, Maria Altmann, who successfully sued the Austrian government to recover five Klimt paintings stolen by the Nazis from her aunt and uncle during WWII. The price Lauder paid suggests that The Kiss is one of the most valuable works of art on the planet. We’ll never know for sure as the Belvedere will never sell it.

That’s a Renoir on the right and a Monet next to it

Other great artists are well-represented in the museum’s collection, including Claude Monet, Egon Schiele, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Oskar Kokoschka, to name a few. The museum is not too large and not too small, just like Goldilocks porridge, but the collection reveals the Midas touch.

One wall with three Klimt floral paintings

No shows until late July, but we’re still very much in business. Please don’t hesitate to call or write. We’re always interested in buying, selling or trading.

Rare Argy-Rousseau elephant paperweight, just in

Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

A rare blue Tiffany Favrile salt, just in

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.

There’s some great Loetz glass at the Glasmuseum in Passau, Germany

Posted on May 20, 2013 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. We’ll be on vacation for most of May, so I may not be able to post anything until early June, but I’ll try.

A view of Passau, Germany, from our boat on the Danube

Guess what? I was able to write today’s blog from a riverboat on the Danube River in Austria. It’s a little late, but better late than never. We spent a lovely morning in Passau, Germany, where we visited a very nice glass museum, called simply Glasmuseum Passau. Georg Höltl assembled the collection, starting in 1959, when he bought his first piece. The collection contains a tremendous number of items, mainly from Bohemia and Silesia, from 1650 to 1950.

The entrance to the Glasmuseum Passau

The tour started on the fourth floor, and then proceeded floor by floor to the first floor. We didn’t know it, but the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) glass was at the end of the tour, on the first floor. The best Jugendstil glass is by Loetz, of which there were many outstanding examples on display.

A selection of rare Loetz black bottom vases

Loetz black bottom vases are rare and very desirable. There were quite a few examples in different shapes on display. The examples pictured above are a small part.

Some very rare decorated Loetz vases

The vases pictured above are wonderful, especially the front ones on the left and right. People would pay a lot of money at auction if vases of this quality were to come to the auction block.

All of the vases in this cabinet are examples of Titania glass

Loetz Titania vases have metallic designs under a layer of clear glass, which makes them paperweight vases. They’re very attractive, desirable and collectible. The cabinet pictured above was full of Titania vases and only part of the full selection of them.

More great decorated Loetz, especially the vase in the front, on the left

No shows until late July, but we’re still very much in business. Please don’t hesitate to call or write. We’re always interested in buying, selling or trading.

Rare Argy-Rousseau elephant paperweight, just in

Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

A rare blue Tiffany Favrile salt, just in

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.

A look at a few special Tiffany Studios items

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Tiffany Studios was in business for many years and manufactured thousands upon thousands of items, ranging from common to unique. As a dealer, I get to see many of the same items over and over again, so it’s a kick when I come across something new and exciting. Here are a few that come to mind.

Very rare Tiffany Studios turtleback inkwell

A very rare Tiffany Studios turtleback inkwell was sold at Nadeau’s Auction in Windsor, Connecticut on October 30, 2010 for $37,500, including buyer’s premium. I bid strongly for it, but was outbid by another dealer. I found out later which dealer, when I saw the inkwell for sale in another booth at the Original Miami Beach Antiques Show. My understanding was that it sold quickly at the show for approximately $75,000. That doesn’t surprise me, because it was AMAZING, with different colored turtleback tile lids on each of the three inkwells, and a fabulous patina. I hope the present owner is enjoying it.

Fabulous 10″ blue Tiffany Favrile intaglio-carved shade

Blue Tiffany Favrile shades are much rarer than green or gold ones. The example pictured above was the single best example I have ever owned. It had really great blue color and was covered with a plethora of beautifully carved insects — killer!

Superb Tiffany Studios scarab stamp box

I would loved to have owned the stamp box pictured above, but unfortunately I never did. It’s a real rarity, with Favrile glass scarabs on the lid and mosaic tiles all around. What a beauty!

Tiffany Pond Lily desk set, the rarest of them all

The Pond Lily pattern, with dragonflies, is the rarest of all Tiffany Studios desk sets. It almost never comes up for sale, so when it does, fireworks go off. The set pictured above was sold at Brunk Auctions on November 4, 2006, for over $200K, including the buyer’s premium. Wow!

No shows until late July, but we’re still very much in business. Please don’t hesitate to call or write. We’re always interested in buying, selling or trading.

Rare Argy-Rousseau elephant paperweight, just in

Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

A rare blue Tiffany Favrile salt, just in

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.

J.C. Leyendecker leads Heritage’s Illustration Art Auction, April 11-12, 2013

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Heritage Auction held an Illustration Art Auction on April 11-12, 2013, with some exceptional results. 859 lots were offered, with sales totaling $2,852,875.

J.C. Leyendecker painting Honeymoon, July 17, 1926, Heritage lot #78299

Top lot of the auction was one of the two cover lots, #78299, Honeymoon, a Saturday Evening Post cover from July 17, 1926. It easily exceeded its high estimate of $120,000, to sell for $194,500, including buyer’s premium.

Patrick Nagel painting, Her Seductive Look, Heritage lot #78153

I understand why the Leyendecker was the top lot of the sale, but I don’t understand why a fairly modern, and not so special (in my opinion) painting by Patrick Nagel, should sell for $158,500. Entitled Her Seductive Look, the pre-sale estimate was $20,000 – $30,000. Personally I wouldn’t have paid $5,000, but my opinion didn’t matter. What mattered was that two wealthy, determined bidders butted heads and bid the price into the stratosphere. Congratulations to the lucky consignor.

Gil Elvgren painting A Near Miss (Right on Target), Heritage lot #78081

Gil Elvgren paintings were well-represented in the sale, so it was no surprise that the third highest lot was his. Lot #78081 was entitled A Near Miss (Right On Target). The final price of $104,500 easily exceeded the high estimate of $75,000. Other Elvgren paintings did well too, with lot #78080, Let’s Go Around Together, selling for $101,500.

For the complete results of the sale, click here. You will have to sign in to see the prices.

No shows until late July, but we’re still very much in business. Please don’t hesitate to call or write. We’re always interested in buying, selling or trading.

Fine Argy-Rousseau pate-de-verre moth paperweight, for sale at the show

Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Wonderful Tiffany Favrile blue decorated mini vase, for sale at the show

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 etchings by Louis Icart. Here’s the link. Philip Chasen Antiques.

Art Deco bronze and ivory figures lead the way at Hindman’s 20th Century Decorative Arts sale, May 1, 2013

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, of Chicago, held a 20th Century Decorative Arts sale yesterday, May 1, 2013, with some excellent results. 507 lots crossed the block, with the pottery section of the sale scheduled for today, May 2, 2013.

F. Preiss Art Deco bronze & ivory grouping, The Bathers, Hindman lot #333

Leading the way were Art Deco bronze & ivory figures by the likes of Preiss, Chiparus and Colinet. Two lots tied for top honors — #333, a Preiss group entitled The Bathers and #337, a Colinet figure entitled Ankara Dancer, both selling for $50,000, including buyer’s premium. Even though the prices were the same, the Preiss had a much better result, selling for almost 10 times its high estimate, while the Colinet sold below its low estimate. The market in Art Deco bronze & ivory figures has been strong for decades and has legs (no pun intended).

A fine intaglio-carved, blue Tiffany Favrile vase, Hindman lot #130

Top lot of the Tiffany Studios glass section of the sale went to #130, a fine-quality blue Favrile wheel-carved vase. It easily exceeded its pre-sale estimate of $2,000-4,000, to realize $11,875, including buyer’s premium — a handsome price for a 9″ vase.

Rare R. Lalique green cased Perruches vase, Hindman lot #301

There weren’t many R. Lalique lots in the sale, but a couple were special. Lot #301 was a rare, green cased Perruches vase. Estimated to sell for $10,000-15,000, it realized $27,500, including buyer’s premium. An even more rare object, an opalescent Tresor de la Mer perfume, sold for more money, $57,500, but below its low estimate.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

No shows until late July, but we’re still very much in business. Please don’t hesitate to call or write. We’re always interested in buying, selling or trading.

Fine Argy-Rousseau pate-de-verre moth paperweight, for sale at the show

Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Wonderful Tiffany Favrile blue decorated mini vase, for sale at the show

The almost complete results for The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair, April 26-29, 2013

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Philip Chasen

We received many compliments

It’s Sunday afternoon as I write this blog. The show continues today until 6 PM, and then finishes tomorrow, Monday, at 3 PM. Monday is usually a complete washout, so I don’t see any reason to delay my post until Tuesday. If anything significant happens on Monday, you’ll hear about it on Thursday.

The show started last Thursday with a very well attended preview party. Amazingly, business was good at the party, but only to my existing clients. If there were no party, they would have made the same purchases the next day. Attendance was fairly light on Friday, as the party stole much of the thunder of opening day. It continued only at a moderate pace for the entire show.

Important Daum farm scenic vase, sold at the show

Personally, my show went well, but not as I would have guessed. My best client, who I had hoped would be a substantial buyer, bought nothing. Luckily, other clients stepped up to the plate, so we’re pleased with our results. As expected, most of the action was in French glass and Tiffany lamps and glass.

In asking around to a handful of dealers, I heard the following comments. An Art Nouveau dealer, new to the show, was very pleased with his results and is looking forward to next year’s show, while a Tiffany dealer, not new to the show, reported disappointing results. A majolica dealer said she had a good show. Among general dealers, one was very happy and another unhappy. A dealer in general merchandise and jewelry said he brought less this year, but sold more jewelry. An art dealer told he made only two sales and broke even. A silver dealer was pleased that his results were much better than last year, and finally a furniture/Americana dealer was very unhappy with his results. Overall I heard more good reports than bad.

Gorgeous Gallé fuchsia blownout vase, sold at the show

Many of the dealers at the show are up in arms about the proposed Navy Pier show by the Palm Beach Show Group. PBSG intends to hold a show the same weekend as the April, 2014, Merchandise Mart show. Not sure why PBSG wants to do that, as there isn’t enough buying power in Chicago to support two major antique shows at the same time. We’ll see what shakes out.

No shows until late July, but we’re still very much in business. Please don’t hesitate to call or write. We’re always interested in buying, selling or trading.

Fine Argy-Rousseau pate-de-verre moth paperweight, for sale at the show

Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Wonderful Tiffany Favrile blue decorated mini vase, for sale at the show