Tag Archives: Authentic Daum

Christie’s London Design sale grossed £2,869,062 ($3,750,432), October 17, 2018

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I am now publishing once a week, on Monday.

Christie’s London held a Design sale on October 17, 2018, with gross sales of £2,869,062 ($3,750,432). Included in the 212-lot sale was a Tiffany lamp and a few fine French cameo lamps, vases and sculpture. Following is a review of some of those items.

Tiffany Spider lamp, Christie’s lot #131

The sole Tiffany lamp in the sale, lot #131, was a good, but not exceptional, example of a 15″ diameter Spider table lamp, in gold doré. It sold for £27,500 ($35,948), including buyer’s premium, within its estimate of £15,000 – £25,000.

Daum Nancy Mimosa vase, Christie’s lot #284

An exceptional Daum Nancy 17½” Mimosa vase, lot #284, also sold within its estimate of £25,000 – £30,000, realizing £30,000, ($39,216), including buyer’s premium.

Leo Laporte-Blairsy bronze sculpture La Voie Lactée, Christie’s lot #273

A wonderful bronze sculpture by Leo Laporte-Blairsy entitled La Voie Lactée (The Milky Way), with glass by Daum Nancy, sold for its high estimate of £43,750 ($57,190).

Christie’s doesn’t allow a static link for its results, so you’ll have to do a little searching. Start with this link Christie’s results and then search for the London Design sale of 17 Oct 2018.

We will exhibit at Antiques + Modernism Winnetka (IL), next week, November 1-4, 2018. We hope you can visit. It will be worth the effort.

I recently listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. 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.

Add this new type of Daum Nancy reproduction to your list

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For the foreseeable future, I will publish once a week on Monday.

In my duties as the paid glass and lamps expert for several major auction houses, I’m regularly asked to review items for potential sale at auction. This past week I reviewed an interesting vase.

Most reproduction vases are low enough quality that it takes me a millisecond to identify them. The example above took a few seconds, as the quality of some reproduction vases is improving.

Let’s take a closer look, as there are no instant giveaways that an untrained eye would notice. The most obvious is the top rim, which rarely has a ring of colored glass and seldom is ground flat (but there are plenty of exceptions to that rule).

This vase is authentic

Next let’s move to the martelé wheel-carving in the background. It’s very uneven and carved too deeply into the background color. Pictured above is an example of martelé carving on authentic Daum vase. It’s more even and more subtle.

Notice the center of the flower is acid-etched and appears hollow. Daum didn’t do that.

The signature is bad, but that would be very tough for an amateur to tell. In this example, notice the A in Daum is modern (and different from the A in Nancy) and the M has a curved trough at the end. They’re just wrong.

Lastly is the color scheme, which is close, but off. That observation would take a trained eye.

I’m curious whether reproductions of this type are coming from Romania. Most of the Gallé and Daum reproduction glass is Romanian. Let me know if you know.

If you still can’t tell if your vase is authentic, I am available for authentications/appraisals. My fee is $125 for the first item and $75 for each additional.

The Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show is now only three weeks away, at the end of this month, August 30 – September 2, 2018. Unfortunately the Baltimore show promoter has moved the show one week later than usual, to the Labor Day weekend. The show used to be held over the Labor Day weekend, but that was many years ago. The show is wonderful, so we’ll continue to exhibit there regardless of the change of dates.

We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I recently listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. 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.

What was so special about a Daum vase I recently sold?

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For the foreseeable future, I will publish once a week on Monday.

Daum vase with applied flower

I recently sold a small Daum vase that looked innocuous, but was actually special. Let’s take a look under the hood.

First we have to look at the single flower, whose center was molten applied with blue internal coloration during the making of the vase. After cooling, an artist hand-engraved (wheel-carved) a bumpy texture (martelé) onto the flower center and details into all of the leaves. To complete the vase, the artist carved a martelé texture into the background and the foot rim.

Daum vases with wheel-carving often had hand-engraved signatures, as was the case with this vase. It’s fancy, textbook-perfect, and found on the underside.

The vase wasn’t very flashy or colorful, but it was sophisticated because of the number of difficult techniques employed in its manufacture. That and the high-quality workmanship made it special.

The Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show is now only six weeks away, at the end of the summer, August 30 – September 2, 2018. We were forced to give up shows like Denver. Unfortunately the Baltimore show promoter has moved the show one week later than usual, to the Labor Day weekend. The show used to be held over the Labor Day weekend, but that was many years ago. The show is wonderful, so we’ll continue to exhibit there regardless of the change of dates.

We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I recently listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. 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.

Mixed results at Morphy Auctions first Lamps, Glass & Jewelry auction, June 20-21, 2018

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For the foreseeable future, I will publish once a week on Monday.

James D. Julia, Inc., now a division of Morphy Auctions, held a Lamps, Glass & Jewelry auction on June 20-21, 2018 with approximate total sales of $2.8 million. The first day focused on silver and jewelry, with some strong results. The second day was dedicated to glass and lamps, with mixed strong and soft results. Today’s post will only focus on the lamps and glass.

Monumental Gallé Clematis table lamp, Morphy lot #752

The top lot of the entire sale was #752, a magnificent, enormous Emile Gallé Clematis table lamp. It was an example of the largest Gallé lamp known to exist, 31″ tall x 20½” diameter. To make sure the lot sold, the consignor lowered the reserve to half the low estimate of $120,000, or $60,000. I bid $60,000 to open the lot, but then dropped out. The bidding continued long after I was out. The lamp sold for $184,500, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $120,000 – $150,000. It wasn’t too surprising considering another Gallé lamp of the same size and shape, but with Wisteria decoration, sold at Christie’s New York in June of 2017 for $331,500. The consignor at Morphy’s sale was very nervous prior to the sale and ebullient after the sale.

Tiffany Turtleback lantern

The top lot of the Tiffany lamps was a Turtleback lantern, not a table lamp. It sold as lot #802 for $67,650, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $25,000 – $35,000.

Thomas Webb & Sons Alligator perfume bottle, Morphy lot #909

The most unexpected result of the sale was for lot #909, a rare glass alligator perfume bottle in its original box. Bidding started online at $400 and continued for 77 bids until it was finally sold in the auction room for the astonishing price of $67,200, against a pre-sale estimate of $800 – $1,500. Apparently it was a very rare bottle by Thomas Webb & Sons, pictured in some obscure literature, but never seen in person. The sale was winding down after selling over 900 lots when the excitement started. It sold just a few lots short of the end of the sale at lot #926. Nobody in the room was expecting that kind of action so late in the sale. Morphy’s didn’t know what they had, so they just catalogued it as a rare alligator bottle, with no known attribution. At least two bidders knew what it was and that’s all it took for a fantastic result.

For the complete results of both days of the sale, click here.

No shows until the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show at the end of the summer, August 30 – September 2, 2018, as we were forced to give up shows like Denver. Unfortunately the Baltimore show promoter has moved the show one week later than usual, to the Labor Day weekend. The show used to be held over the Labor Day weekend, but that was many years ago. The show is wonderful, so we’ll continue to exhibit there regardless of the change of dates.

We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I recently listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. 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.

I sold a few French cameo glass treasures in 2017

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For the foreseeable future I will publish once a week on Mondays.

As most of you know, I’ve specialized for decades in the finest French cameo glass. I am continually buying and selling. Here are a few of the best items I sold in 2017.

Magnificent Gallé tulip vase

Gallé glass doesn’t get much better than this incredible 14″ wheel-carved Tulip vase. It’s not an understatement to call it killer.

Daum Poppy vase


Daum vases with padded and wheel-carved flowers are very sophisticated and usually beautiful, as evidenced by this gorgeous vase with three differently colored poppies. The white layer below each flower creates more opacity and contrast for a beautiful effect.

Argy-Rousseau Lion vase

I sold many Argy-Rousseau pâte-de-verre vases and lamps in 2017. This Lion example is one of the most beautiful. I’ve sold this model before, but never with such striking color.

I’m always looking to buy quality French cameo glass, so call or email me with your items for sale. If you have what I’m looking for, I’m paying the highest prices. My decisions are quick and my payments just as quick. Just snap a photo and email it to me. And don’t forget to email me with your wants. I may have what you want or know where to find it.

Our next show is not until May 18-20, 2018, when we’ll exhibit at the 2nd edition of the resurrected Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show at the Chicago Merchandise Mart. It’s a wonderful venue for a show that deserved to be restored from purgatory.

We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I recently listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. 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 Rago’s Early 20th Century Design sale, January 20, 2018

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Please note that I am permanently changing Thursday’s post day to Friday.

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Fridays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Friday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.

Rago Auctions, Lambertville, NJ, held an Early 20th Century Design sale on January 20, 2018, with mixed results. A few items did very well, but many brought less than stellar prices. Personally I was the beneficiary, so I was able to buy a number of items for resale.

Tiffany Dragonfly tray, Rago lot #806

One item I knew would do very well was a large, 14¾” diameter, Tiffany Studios’ enamel on copper tray with dragonfly decoration. It doubled its high estimate of $15,000, realizing $37,500, including buyer’s premium.

Tiffany mosaic inkwell, Rago lot #802

Another Tiffany Studios’ rarity, a mosaic inkwell with original chamois, also did well. Estimated to sell for $7,000 – $10,000, it realized $26,250, including buyer’s premium.

Gallé monumental, red floral vase, Rago lot #797

Lot #797, a monumental Gallé red poppy vase, led the group of 19 French cameo vases and lamps. It sold near its high estimate of $10,000, realizing $11,250, including buyer’s premium. Although this would seem to be a good result, the estimate was very low, so it’s not as good as it seems. My opinion is that the vase should have a retail price of $20,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

Our next show is not until May 18-20, 2018, when we’ll exhibit at the 2nd edition of the resurrected Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show at the Chicago Merchandise Mart. It’s a wonderful venue for a show that deserved to be restored from purgatory.

We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I recently listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. 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.

Strong results for Tiffany Studios’ items at Julia’s Rare Lamps, Glass & Fine Jewelry auction, December 1, 2017

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Monday’s post will be up by noon.

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. Now that the weather is colder, I have gone back to publishing twice weekly, as often as possible.

Sorry for the temporary outage on my website and blog yesterday, January 17, 2018. There were some technical problems that were resolved, so everything should be up and running just fine now.

James D. Julia, Inc., held a Rare Lamps, Glass & Fine Jewelry sale on December 1, 2017, with total sales over $2,500,000. The results were relatively strong for the entire sale, but especially strong for Tiffany Studios’ glass and lamps. 16 of the 17 highest priced lots were Tiffany Studios’ lamps — impressive, considering there were 739 lots in the sale.

Rare Tiffany Butterfly table lamp, Julia’s lot #1473

The top lots of the sale, #s 1428, 1473, and 1516, were all Tiffany Studios’ lamps that each sold for the identical price of $84,700, including buyer’s premium.

Tiffany Treasure Chest inkwell, Julia’s lot #1453

A rare and very desirable Tiffany Treasure Chest inkwell, lot #1453, sold for approximately twice its high estimate of $7,000, realizing $17,545, including buyer’s premium.

Rare Gallé Butterfly vase, Julia’s lot #1115

The top lot of the French cameo glass portion of the sale was #1115, a rare wheel-carved Gallé Butterfly vase. It was an interesting vase, technically very sophisticated, but not as eye-appealing as it could have been with muted colors and no decoration between the butterflies. It sold just below its low estimate of $18,000, realizing $19,360, including buyer’s premium.

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

The Miami shows are only two weeks away, with the first on February 2, 2018, when we’ll exhibit at the Miami Airport show. I’ve been beating the bushes finding new treasures and have come up with some beauties. I just listed over 18 new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look.

I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so 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.

Art & Antiques Magazine published a very interesting article on Daum Nancy glass

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My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. Now that the weather is colder, I have gone back to publishing twice weekly, as often as possible.

Fine Daum Nancy Mushroom vase

Sheila Gibson Stoodley approached me for an article she was writing for the November, 2017, issue of Art & Antiques Magazine. I was glad to help with discussions and photographs. Click here to read it. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Then if you’re inspired, click Chasen Antiques’ Daum vases to view some of the Daum Nancy selection I have for sale.

Thursday’s post will be about the very strong sale of Tiffany Studios lamps and objects at Sotheby’s New York. You won’t want to miss it.

No more shows until February 2, 2018, when we’ll exhibit at the Miami Airport show. I’ve been beating the bushes finding new treasures and have come up with some beauties. I just listed over 18 new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look.

I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so 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.

Unfortunately I missed Doyle Auction’s Doyle + Design sale, November 21, 2017

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We’re back from vacation, so I’ll begin posting new blogs twice weekly, starting Monday, Christmas Day. It will be a good one on an important and unexpected merger in the auction business. You won’t want to miss it.

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. Now that the weather is colder, I have gone back to publishing twice weekly, as often as possible.

November 21, 2017 was a busy day for auctions, with four auction houses holding simultaneous sales, including Leslie Hindman, Bonham’s LA, Heritage and Doyle New York. I had catalogs from all of them, but I was (and still am) so busy I didn’t realize it until the sales were over. I did manage to buy some nice items at two of the sales, but I should have paid more attention to the sale at Doyle’s. It was a disaster for them, but a gold mine for buyers.

Daum Nancy floral vase, Doyle lot #169

Lot 168 was a beautiful 11″ Daum Nancy vase, estimated to sell for $2,000 – $4,000 — a fair, but low estimate. The vase actually sold for $1,250, including buyer’s premium. It’s a vase that I could have easily sold in the $6,000 – $8,000 price range. Ouch! That hurts.

Handel floor lamp with Tiffany 10″ Favrile shade, Doyle lot #174

Lot #174 was more of a dealer lot. By that I mean it was a marriage of a 10″ Tiffany Favrile shade and a Handel base that a lamp dealer could make into two proper lamps. Namely you would need a suitable Tiffany Studios base for the shade and a 10″ Handel or Steuben shade for the base. It sold for the low estimate of $3,000 ($3,750 including buyer’s premium). It wasn’t the greatest of lamps, but it was well worth the money, especially to a dealer.

French marquetry game table, Doyle lot #170

One more example was lot # 170, a beautiful French hand-carved and marquetry game table. It sold for only $1,875, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-auction estimate of $3,000 – $5,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

No more shows until February 2, 2018, when we’ll exhibit at the Miami Airport show. That gives us time to beat the bushes to find new treasures and take some time to smell the figurative roses. November is usually a good month for business. Then business dies in December because most people are looking for less expensive Christmas gifts than we offer. Occasionally we make a Christmas sale, but that’s the exception, not the rule. Cold weather and the New Year bring a new wave of enthusiasm.

I will update my site as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so 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.

Leslie Hindman sold the Estate of Robert Smith in its Modern Design sale, 11/14/17

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My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. Now that the weather is colder, I have gone back to publishing twice weekly, as often as possible.

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, Chicago, IL, held their Modern Design sale on 11/14/17. Included in the sale was the Estate of Robert Smith, which consisted mostly of French cameo glass. Don Williams was Robert’s main source for glass, until Don passed away a few years ago. Then Robert turned to me to continue collecting. He passed away last year from a rare form of bone cancer.

Daum Nancy Alpine vase, Hindman lot #467

I was anxious to buy back some of the glass that I’d sold to him, especially lot #467, a beautiful and rare Daum Nancy Alpine scenic vase, but it eluded me. It sold for $12,500, against an estimate of $4,000 – $6,000. I was the underbidder. The buyer who bought it paid a fair price, but it was just beyond what a dealer can pay and still make a fair return on his investment.

B&S vase, Hindman lot #468

Robert’s collection included more than a few fine examples of internally decorated Burgun & Schverer (B&S) vases. I was successful in purchasing a couple of them. The top result of the group went to lot #468, probably because collectors appreciated the rare shape. It sold for $8,125, against an estimate of $4,000 – $6,000.

B&S Orchids vase, Hindman lot #472

Lot #472 was beautiful and sold for a song, because of a major flaw on the backside, original to the making. It sold for $2,750 against an estimate of $2,000 – $4,000. I wasn’t going to buy it at any price, but the collector who did, bought an impressive vase at a very low price.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

No more shows until February 2, 2018, when we’ll exhibit at the Miami Airport show. That gives us time to beat the bushes to find new treasures and take some time to smell the figurative roses. November is usually a good month for business. Then business dies in December because most people are looking for less expensive Christmas gifts than we offer. Occasionally we make a Christmas sale, but that’s the exception, not the rule. Cold weather and the New Year bring a new wave of enthusiasm.

I will update my site as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so 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.