What’s new at Chasen Antiques? Part II

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.


Happy New Year! I wish everyone a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year, filled with stories of kindness and peace.

If you follow my blog, you know that the first of five shows in a row will start in Miami on January 24th. I’m bringing lots of fresh items, many from private estates, but I have no problem selling anything prior. I’m a mercenary, so if you see something you like, please let me know and it’s yours, for the right price! 🙂 Call 516-922-2090, or send an email by clicking here, if you’re looking for something specific. (Remember to answer the simple anti-spam question at the bottom of the form or your email will not be sent.)

Beautifully painted, signed, KPM plaque

Beautifully painted, signed, KPM plaque

I’ve been buying some lovely KPM plaques. The example above is of a Gypsy child, beautifully painted. It’s fairly large, 11″ x 8½”, unframed, and in excellent original condition. People I’ve spoken to are split 60 girl/40 boy. If you absolutely know, please contact me, because I don’t have the answer. Most KPM plaques are copies of famous paintings in museums, so the answer is surely out there.

Rare Dard Hunter-designed Roycroft vase

Rare Dard Hunter-designed Roycroft vase

How about a Roycroft rarity? Dard Hunter-designed, mixed metal, hand-chased, 8″ tall, signed Roycroft. Not what you’d expect to find at Chasen Antiques, except for the quality.

Superb Amphora Allegory Portrait vase

Superb Amphora Allegory Portrait vase

Amphora portrait vases is an area where I’ve gotten lucky. I have several fine examples including the beauty pictured above, fresh out of an important collection.

Monday’s post will be a fascinating look at what remains of Louis C. Tiffany’s home, Laurelton Hall. You won’t want to miss it. In the meantime, please check my website. I think you’ll like what you see.


miami-national-show-1-2015I’ll be spending the next three weeks looking for still more treasures to bring to Florida for our southern circuit. Wish me luck!

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.

The results of Doyle New York’s Belle Epoque 19th & 20th Century Decorative Arts sale, June 4, 2014

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. Doyle New York held its Belle Epoque 19th & 20th Century Decorative Arts sale on June 4, 2014 with unremarkable results.  Every auction house is dependent on what it gets offered to sell.  This time around, Doyle was unable to obtain any exceptional merchandise, which showed in the results.

Allan Clark The Temptress of the King, Doyle lot #85

Allan Clark The Temptress of the King, Doyle lot #85

Only one item exceeded $15,000 — lot #85, a polychromed and gilded wood sculpture entitled The Temptress of the King, which sold for $21,250, against a pre-sale estimate of $3,000 – $5,000. Personally I wouldn’t have bought it for any price, but luckily for the consignor, my opinion does not count.

Gorgeous Handel Bird lamp, Doyle lot #350

Gorgeous Handel Bird lamp, Doyle lot #350

Only a handful of items exceeded $10,000, with many selling for under $2,000.  I was able to scoop up one of the bargains of the sale, a gorgeous Handel reverse-painted Bird lamp on a black background.  It sold for $8,125, against a pre-sale estimate of $5,000 – $7,000.

Fine Amphora portrait vase, Doyle lot #430

Fine Amphora portrait vase, Doyle lot #430

The inside cover lot, #430, was a beautiful 14½” Amphora portrait vase, decorated by Reissner, Stellmacher & Kessel.  It sold for the low estimate of $6,000 ($7,500 with buyer’s premium).  I suspect the big chip on the foot rim was responsible for the relatively low price. For the complete results of the sale, click here.

This fantastic Gallé plum blownout vase is due to arrive in the next day or two

This fantastic Gallé plum blownout vase is due to arrive in the next day or two

It’s spring, so there are no shows, but we’re still very much in business. Click here to view my new website and look around. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.

Consignors hit the jackpot with two Jasper Cropsey paintings at Clarke Auction Gallery, May 15, 2011

Jasper Cropsey, Prospect Point, Niagara Falls in Winter, Clarke lot #234

Clarke Auction Gallery of Larchmont, NY, held an auction on May 15, 2011, that likely changed the lives of some of its consignors. Two paintings by New York artist Jasper Cropsey were sold for a total of $822,000. Not bad for two ignored paintings from the wall of the basement rec room.

This is the kind of story that shows like Antiques Roadshow thrive on – forgotten items that could easily have been thrown in the garbage but instead turn out to be treasures. Here’s the story in a nutshell – mother dies, children clean up, children go to appraisal clinic, paintings go to auction, children hit the jackpot. The details are what make the story interesting.

The two paintings were removed from the mother’s basement wall, where they had hung since the 1920s. Likely, the mother received them as a gift or payment for seamstress work from one of her wealthy Manhattan clients. One of the cleanup helpers offered to purchase the paintings for $125, which was refused. The paintings were then brought to an appraisal clinic set up by the Larchmont Historical Society at Clarke Auction Gallery. Their appraiser didn’t think much of them, deeming them of little value. The auctioneer, Ronan Clarke, intervened, thinking they could be good. He took them to Newington Cropsey Foundation, where one of the paintings, “Prospect Point, Niagara Falls in Winter”, was authenticated with help from a pencil sketch for the painting found at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The second painting, “Autumn in America”, was a known Cropsey work that had been missing since the 1860s.

“Prospect Point, Niagara Falls in Winter” was the first painting to come to the auction block with the following description.

Lot#: 234
Description: CROPSEY, Francis Jasper. O/C “Prospect Point,
Niagara Falls in Winter.” N.D., after 1856. Signed lower left. As featured in the April 6, 2011 New York Times. Authenticated by the Newington-Cropsey Foundation and to be included in the Cropsey catalog raisonnĂ©. 1856 preliminary sketch (see photo) courtesy of the Boston Museum of Fine Art archives. As found in a West Hartford, Connecticut home. Dimensions: 15″ high x 24″ wide.
Estimate: 40,000.00 – 60,000.00

Bidding started at $50,000 and rapidly soared to the final price of $540,500, including buyer’s premium. Although all of the phone lines had bidders, all of the action took place on the floor, with a New Jersey dealer competing against a Connecticut private collector. The collector won.

Jasper Cropsey, Autumn in America, Clarke lot #235

The next lot was “Autumn in America”, described as follows.

Lot#: 235
Description: CROPSEY, Francis Jasper. O/C “Autumn in America”
c. 1860. Signed lower right. From the series of “The Four Seasons.” As featured in the April 6, 2011 New York Times. Authenticated by the Newington-Cropsey Foundation and to be included in the Cropsey catalog raisonnĂ©. As found in a West Hartford, Connecticut home. Dimensions: 15″ high x 24″ wide.
Estimate: 40,000.00 – 60,000.00

It also opened at $50,000 and had the same active floor bidders. The final price of $282,000, including buyer’s premium, far exceeded its pre-sale estimate, but not with the same fireworks as the first painting — still a very strong result. This time the NJ dealer was the winner.

Kudos to the auctioneer for spotting, authenticating and selling the paintings.

Check out my new acquisitions. First is a vivid Daum fall scenic vase. Soon I’ll be listing a wonderful Tiffany Studios 7-light lily lamp with beautiful shades and a fine patina. Also coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com