The NYC Pier Antiques Show opens to the public this Saturday, March 15, 2013

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Philip Chasen

The fantastic NYC Pier Antiques Show opens to the public this coming Saturday, March 16th, at 10 AM and continues until Sunday, March 17th, at 6 PM. This is an exciting show, with an incredibly diverse group of dealers. There will be $25 items, as well as $100,000 items, from vintage clothing, jewelry, collectibles, silver, Asian, and of course, the best French and American art glass and lamps.

The line was long before the start of a previous Pier show

The show is only two days long, so it’s more action-packed than most longer shows. People have to make up their minds quickly or risk losing the items they were considering. I’m always surprised (and pleased) with the distance attendees travel to visit the show. Japanese buyers attend regularly, as well as Europeans, Canadians, and of course, Americans from many states. Not many shows are worth the trip from almost anywhere, but this one is. My booth is near the entrance, so you can’t miss me. Please stop in and introduce yourself.

I’ll have this great Gallé blownout vase for sale at the show, one of several

I’m bringing an incredible selection of fresh merchandise, including wonderful French cameo glass, Tiffany glass and lamps and much more. You will enjoy the show, so make your plans, even if they’re last minute. Come early and stay late, because the Big Apple is a great playground!

Tune in Monday for the results of the show!

This wonderful Tiffany Favrile red Tel-El-Amarna vase will be for sale at the show

Click this link to view some of the new objects I recently purchased. I recently listed over 25 new items. French glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Fine Galle Plum blownout 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.

This superb Galle fuchsia blownout vase has great color and just arrived

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.

Martin Brothers and Teco ceramics led the Rago 20th/21st Century Design Auction March 2, 2013

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Philip Chasen

David Rago held a very successful 20th/21st Century Design Auction on March 2, 2013. The sale grossed $5.25 million, exceeding the high estimate, with a sell-through rate of 85%. 308 phone bidders competed with the live audience and 1500 Internet bidders. Absentee bids totaled over $3 million.

David had the following to say about his sale. “The sale was interesting not because of the total dollar amount or the sell through rate (we’ve had higher numbers in both cases), but for the strength of the middle market. We had only 4 lots over $50k hammer for the entire weekend. What was most pleasing was how well the $2,500 – $5,000 lots performed. Lots always sold at that level, of course, but not with such consistency and so much competition. At first I thought it was for maybe just Arts and Crafts or some of the Modern but, as the sale progressed, it was clear that it was going to happen through the day. This means that the normal collector base was joined by designers, decorators, and dealers looking for material.”

Monumental Teco vase, Rago lot #21

The 20th Century section of the sale was led by a rare, monumental (22½”), Teco vase with iris flowers. Estimated to sell for $35,000 – $45,000, it blew past the estimate to sell for an astounding $212,500.

Fine Martin Brothers bird, Rago lot #150

The results for the sale of seven Martin Brothers birds confirmed the strength of the market, which has been hot for decades. The group was led by lot #150, a large bird with a bald head, at one time in the famous Harriman & Judd collection. It more than doubled its low estimate of $35,000, to sell for $93,750, including buyer’s premium. The average selling price for the seven birds was an impressive $44,643.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

Remember the fantastic NYC Pier Antiques Show opens to the public this coming Saturday, March 16th, at 10 AM. Make sure you attend this exciting show.

Fine Galle Plum blownout 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.

This superb Galle fuchsia blownout vase has great color and just arrived

Solid results for Tiffany Studios items at Sotheby’s 20th Century Design sale, March 6, 2013

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Sotheby’s held a 20th Century Design sale on March 6, 2013, with very good results for Tiffany Studios lamps, glass and desk sets. The sale totaled over $3.6 million, led by a strange Ron Arad experimental “Rietveld Chair” from 1996, which sold for $194,500. Since I don’t know understand why, I’ll stick to a subject I do know about, namely Tiffany Studios.

Fine Tiffany Studios Dragonfly table lamp, Sotheby’s lot #28

Top lot of the Tiffany Studios section of the sale went to #28, a fine 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp, with red jeweled eyes and beautiful wings, in excellent condition. Estimated to sell for $50,000 – $70,000, it realized $98,500, including buyer’s premium. I had a lovely spot in my home for the lamp, but it wasn’t meant to be.

Original set of four Tiffany Studios door knobs, Sotheby’s lot #1

It’s not every day one gets to bid on a rare and unusual item, like a set of four original Tiffany Studios door knobs. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve ever seen them for sale. The bidders agreed, sending the final price to $8,125, against a pre-sale estimate of $1,000 – $1,500. That’s over $2,000 per knob. Not bad.

Daum Nancy Dragon vase, Sotheby’s lot #101

There were very few French cameo glass lots in the sale, and they all did very well. Lot #101 was a rare, large (12″) vase with a stylized dragon, in the German manner. Crossing the block with an estimate of $6,000 – $8,000, it soared to $28,125. It wasn’t for me, as it appeared that the dragon had been repainted at a later date.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

Fine Galle Plum blownout 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.

This superb Galle fuchsia blownout vase has great color and just arrived yesterday

Galle used mold-blowing to produce some great vases

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Philip Chasen

It’s time for a change of pace from the usual posts about shows and auctions. Today’s post is informational on the topic of mold-blowing of French cameo glass. Blowing out the flower or animal makes the decoration three-dimensional and therefore more realistic. The technique raises the level of sophistication, making blownout vases much more desirable and valuable than those that are not mold-blown.

Mold-blown vases are sometimes called blownout vases or soufflé vases, all interchangeable terms. Gallé produced most of the known examples, while Daum produced a few. It’s possible other companies used the technique, but I’m not aware of any examples. My guess is that Gallé produced about 40-50 different models.

Two variations of Gallé’s clematis blownout vase

The shape doesn’t change with different examples of the same model, but the colors can be quite variable. For instance, the clematis blownout vase may have blue flowers or red flowers (or other colors). After the vase was formed in a mold, it was covered with different layers of colored glass, at the discretion of the glassblower. Then when it was cold, hydroflouric acid was used to etch the final design.

Galle white and brown Elephant mold-blown vases

Elephant blownout vases are rare and valuable. They come in two different models — the brown elephant with trees and the white elephant without.

Very rare Gallé mold-blown chandelier with fruit decoration

The rarest example I’ve ever seen wasn’t even a vase, but a chandelier with fruit decoration. I once saw one with a blownout squirrel, but I can’t remember if this was the same one. Probably not, as that one would have had acorns or something similar. It would be nice to find one of them today.

If you collect French Cameo Glass, consider adding blownout vases to your collection. Well-chosen examples will benefit every collection. I’ve got a couple for sale at the moment, with three great examples arriving this week. Check with me for specifics.

Fine, rare Galle Water Lily blownout vase, for sale on my website

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.

Fabulous, rare, Tiffany Favrile lamp with intaglio-carved insect

One result a stunner, at McInnis auction of John F. Kennedy memorabilia, February 17, 2013

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Philip Chasen

John McInnis Auctioneers held an auction of John F. Kennedy memorabilia on February 17, 2013, with some great results and one stunner. The collection was from the estate of David F. Powers, a friend, aide and advisor to the president.

JFK’s personal leather bomber jacket, McInnis lot #327

JFK’s personal leather bomber jacket, with the Presidential seal, sold for an incredible $655,550, against a pre-sale estimate of $20,000 – $40,000. The bidding opened at $40,000, then flew past an Internet bid of $300,000 to finally end at $570,000 (excluding the buyer’s premium).

Because of the extreme interest in all of the items, the auction plodded along, lasting 18 hours, 31 minutes, finally ending at 5:31 AM, the next day. That’s approximately 1½ minutes for each of the 723 lots — too many lots for a one-day auction. It should have been a two-day auction, but that’s water under the bridge.

David Powers itinerary, page 1, McInnis lot #483

Lot #483 was an important, historical, 4-page, typewritten itinerary of the two days leading up to the assassination of President Kennedy. It flew past the pre-sale estimate of $2,500 – $5,000, to realize $76,050, including buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link. McInnis JFK memorabilia results.

Incredible Tiffany Favrile Cypriote vase, for sale at the show

Click this link to view some of the new objects I recently purchased and listed. Tiffany glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Fabulous, rare, Tiffany Favrile lamp with intaglio-carved insect

Christie’s South Kensington Interiors sale breathes new life into works by Louis Icart, February 19, 2013

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Christie’s South Kensington held an Interiors sale on February 19, 2013, with good results for works by Louis Icart. The auction house sold a diverse group of 33 items, including original works on canvas and paper, as well as etchings.

Louis Icart oil painting of Fanny, Christie’s lot #465

Top lot of the group was #465, an original 1919 oil painting on canvas of Icart’s wife, Fanny. Even though the canvas was unstretched and in fairly poor condition, it tripled its pre-sale estimate of £3,000 – £5,000, to sell for £15,000 ($23,205) — an impressive result.

This Icart drawing was one of two in Christie’s lot #479

Original, one-of-a-kind, works by Icart, including quick charcoal sketches, did very well at the sale. Three separate lots, that each included 2-3 drawings, all sold for the identical price of £6,875 ($10,636), for a range of $3,500 – $4,000 each. In each case, the result was many times the pre-sale estimate of £700 – £900.

Icart Femme Voilée, Christie’s lot #473

One of the most interesting lots of the sale was a signed, 17″ x 12″, pastel, charcoal and pencil drawing on paper, entitled Femme Voilée (Veiled Woman). The model is Icart’s wife, Fanny. To the best of my knowledge, this image was never made into an etching or a painting. Selling as lot #473, it realized £2,375 ($3,674), against a pre-sale estimate of £500 – £700.

Icart oil painting of the Flatiron Building in New York, Christie’s lot #464

Another fascinating lot was #464, a Red Period, oil on canvas from 1923, depicting the famous Flatiron Building in New York. This would have been a great lot for any New Yorker who collected Icart. The canvas was unstretched and in only fair condition, but it still did OK, selling within the estimate of £3,000 – £5,000, realizing a final price of £3,250 ($5,028). It’s likely the painting would have fared much better if it had a pretty woman in the foreground.

For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link. Christie’s Interiors results.

Incredible Tiffany Favrile Cypriote vase, for sale at the show

Click this link to view some of the new objects I recently purchased and listed. Tiffany glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Fabulous, rare, Tiffany Favrile lamp with intaglio-carved insect

The results of the Palm Springs Modernism show, February 16-18, 2013

Posted on February 19, 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. There won’t be a Thursday blog this week, as the Palm Beach Modernism show ended on Monday.

Some of the crowd in front of my booth at the preview party

This week’s blog will be a contemporaneous, day by day, accounting of the show. It’s Friday night, 7:15 PM, as I write the first chapter. The preview party is going on now. There’s a nice crowd milling about, having a good time, conversing, eating, drinking. There have been a few questions, but no sales. The odds I’ll sell anything tonight are slim to none. The crowd is younger than at most antique shows. It’s wonderful, but often young people don’t have the means to buy what they like.

The booth looked great

Saturday, 10:05 AM. The show is just opening to the public. I have to eat my hat. I made a major sale during the preview party. Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while. I still hate preview parties, but I wouldn’t mind having a few key sales change my mind.

Saturday, 2:30 PM. Lots of people, lots of questions, little action. Made one sale, but not much else is happening. Hope some of the “be-backs” come back.

It was fairly busy on Saturday afternoon

Saturday, 5:10 PM. Overall, it’s been a disappointing day. First of all there was only one sale. Second of all, I had a handshake agreement to purchase a Tiffany Studios lamp base from a person who came to the show. He slunk out of the show without a word, never completing the sale. No honor.

Sunday, 12:00 PM. As of this moment, attendance is much lighter. Nothing is going on. How many games of Spider Solitaire can I play? Hope it gets better later in the day.

Fabulous, large Galle Lake Como vase, for sale at the show

Sunday, 2:30 PM. Attendance picked up some. Made one small sale to a gentleman visiting from Indiana. Some people showed genuine interest and were very complimentary, but unfortunately I can’t take that to the bank.

Sunday, 4:15 PM. The show closes today at 5 PM. One small sale for the whole day. Doesn’t look like we’ll return to California for any shows. It’s too risky to exhibit in California when the expenses to cross the country are high and going up. Too bad. I wanted this show to work for us. The show is lovely and the town is pleasant, but that doesn’t compensate for insufficient business. Maybe something dramatic will happen tomorrow, but it’s highly unlikely.

Monday, 11:15 AM. Attendance is very light, as to be expected on a Monday morning. Wish the show had closed yesterday, like most antique shows. It will be nothing short of a miracle if we sell something of significance today. Very much looking forward to going home after a month on the road.

Attendance was fairly light at 1:40 PM on Monday

Monday, 2 PM. Attendance has been light most of the day, with an occasional surge. There have been a few questions, but no business. Unfortunately, it’s what I expected.

Monday, 4 PM. The show is over. We didn’t sell anything today. The show wasn’t a disaster, as one of the three sales we made for the entire show was a good one. The results would have been fine if the show were local. So, goodbye California. We’ll come to visit, but not to exhibit at antique shows.

I will be posting videos on YouTube of my lecture on French Cameo Glass to the Metropolitan Glass Club. I need some time to edit the videos. When they’re ready, I’ll put the link on my website and here in my blog.

Incredible Tiffany Favrile Cypriote vase, for sale at the show

Click this link to view some of the new objects I recently purchased and listed. Tiffany glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Fabulous, rare, Tiffany Favrile lamp with intaglio-carved insect

The Palm Springs Modernism Show opens to the public this Saturday, February 16, 2013

Posted on February 14, 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. This Monday’s blog will be postponed until Tuesday, as the Palm Beach Modernism show ends on Monday.

The Palm Springs Modernism Show will run from February 16-18, 2013

The Palm Springs Modernism Show opens to the public this Saturday, February 16, 2013, at 10 AM and continues until Monday at 4 PM. Don’t understand why the show ends on a Monday, but it is what it is. I prefer a show to end on a Sunday, but I don’t have much say in the matter.

The Palm Springs Convention Center is a beautiful building

We decided to exhibit in Palm Springs, CA, this year. We had a choice of three shows that run the same week — one in Palm Beach, FL, one in Asheville, NC, and the one we chose, in Palm Springs, CA. We exhibited previously in Palm Beach and Asheville, both with mixed results. So we gambled that a show in Palm Springs might be the right choice. Don’t have a clue if it will go well or not, so tune in on Tuesday for the results. If the results are fair to moderate, we won’t be back, as the expenses to cross the country are considerable. If the show goes really well, we’ll be back. If you’re from Southern California, you can directly affect our decision. Please visit the show and consider a purchase. I’d much prefer to write a glowing review, than not.

This Tiffany Dragonfly lamp is sold, but I’ll have three others at the show

I’m bringing a fantastic selection of Tiffany lamps and glass, French cameo glass by Gallé and Daum, and a great selection of original Louis Icart etchings. My large selection of original Tiffany Studios lamps includes three Dragonfly lamps.

Incredible Tiffany Favrile Cypriote vase, for sale at the show

Click this link to view some of the new objects I recently purchased and listed. Tiffany glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Fabulous, rare, Tiffany Favrile lamp with intaglio-carved insect

Doyle’s Belle Epoque auction exceeds $2 million, February 6, 2013

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Doyle New York held a Belle Epoque sale on February 6, 2013, with generally excellent results. Total sales of $2,036,819 surpassed the pre-sale high estimate of $1,870,750, with 84% sold by lot and 93% sold by value.

Rembrandt Bugatti Petit Elephant au Repos, Doyle lot #450

Top lot of the sale was a Rembrandt Bugatti bronze cire perdue sculpture entitled Petit Elephant au Repos. It soared past its pre-sale estimate of $40,000 – $60,000, to sell for $218,500, including buyer’s premium. The bronze was fresh to the market, having descended in the Vanderbilt family. The result surely benefitted from its illustrious provenance.

Roycroft copper-mounted bedroom suite, Doyle lot #133

A Roycroft Arts and Crafts copper-mounted oak bedroom suite, from the estate of C.W. and Marjorie Merriweather Post, sold for $68,500, approximately double the high estimate of $30,000. The suite was an important commission by Elbert Hubbard for C.W. Post, whom he knew personally.

Newcomb College vase, Doyle lot #483

A huge (11¾”), early (1902), high-glaze Newcomb College vase shot past its pre-sale estimate of $5,000 – $7,000, to achieve $37,500, including buyer’s premium. It was consigned from The Spanierman Gallery, LLC Collection of American Art.

For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link. Doyle Belle Epoque results.

The Palm Springs Modernism Show will run from February 16-18, 2013

The Palm Springs Modernism Show opens to the public this Saturday, February 16th, at 10 AM and ends on Monday at 4 PM. It will be our first time at the show. We haven’t had good luck in California in recent years, so we’re hoping the show will be good. If it isn’t, we’ll give up the entire state. That would be a shame, but we can’t afford to exhibit at shows where the buyers don’t show up. If you’d like us to continue to exhibit in the state of California, please visit the show and consider making a purchase.

Incredible Tiffany Favrile Cypriote vase, for sale at the show

Click this link to view some of the new objects I recently purchased and listed. Tiffany glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Fabulous, rare, Tiffany Favrile lamp with intaglio-carved insect

The results of the Original Miami Beach Antique Show, January 31 – February 4, 2013

Posted on February 5, 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. There will not be a Thursday post this week, as we’re on vacation. Please visit again on Monday.

Attendance was good on Friday afternoon

The Original Miami Beach Antique Show ended on February 4, 2013, after a fairly successful run of five days. In asking around, most dealers replied “OK”, when asked “How was your show?”. One dealer from the West Coast told me “great”, but he was the only one. The consensus of the dealers I spoke to was good, but not exceptional. The overall impression I got was the results were acceptable, but nothing to write home about.

Fabulous Daum Nancy wheel-carved poppy jar, sold at the show

Personally, business was significantly better than the last couple of years. French glass was at the forefront of sales, with Tiffany glass just behind. Lamps were soft at the entire show. There were enough Tiffany lamps to choke an elephant — just too many for the number of buyers. Anyone who came to the show looking for an authentic Tiffany Studios lamp had a bewildering selection to choose from.

Attendance was good on Saturday, but sales weren’t

Attendance was good most days, with the best sales happening on opening day, as expected. After all, the most motivated buyers come the first day. Business on the second day was good too, but then tailed off as the stragglers wandered in over the weekend. Monday was hit or miss for most dealers (and a hit for me).

Next year will be interesting, because the promoters of the Original Miami Beach Antiques Show purchased the Miami National Antiques Show (The Airport Show). Next year they will be promoting both shows, back to back. We’ll exhibit at the Airport Show one more time. If the new promoters can get more buyers through the door, we’ll do it again. If not, unfortunately we’ll be finished with the show.

The Palm Springs Modernism Show will run from February 16-18, 2013

Now we get to rest for a week and then on to California to exhibit at the Palm Springs Modernism Show for the first time. We haven’t had good luck in California in recent years, so we’re hoping the show will be good. If it isn’t, we’ll give up the entire state. That would be a shame, but we can’t afford to exhibit at shows where the buyers don’t show up. May I suggest that you come visit us? The dates for the show are February 16-18, at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Love this French terra cotta figure by Bouraine

Click this link to view some of the new objects I recently purchased and listed. Tiffany glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

You can buy this incredible 12″ Schneider padded and wheel-carved Medallion vase at the show