James D. Julia Inc. sells its Advertising, Toy & Doll Division to Morphy Auctions

Posted on June 29, 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.

Jim Julia

James D. Julia, Inc. and Morphy Auctions simultaneously announced the sale of the Advertising, Toy & Doll Division from James D. Julia, Inc. to Morphy Auctions. Morphy has been growing his successful toy business, while Julia has been growing his successful firearms division.

I called Jim Julia to get more information than was available from the press announcements. He told me that at one time, Julia’s was king of the hill in the advertising, toy and doll world. Even at that time, profits were difficult to come by. Subsequently, the division didn’t turn a profit every year. Conversely, Julia’s firearms division was generating strong profits, with guns blazing. 🙂 “Adding two days per year to gun division sales will make profit equal to several years of toy division’s profits.” Morphy’s offer to buy the toy division was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Dan Morphy

Morphy’s, headquartered in Denver (Lancaster County), Pennsylvania, will immediately acquire all of Julia’s division’s operations and absorb them into its own existing Toy, Doll and Antique Advertising departments. “Morphy’s is excited to welcome Julia’s past consignors and clients to our company,” said Dan Morphy.

Looks like a “win-win”.

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. There’s lots more coming in in the next couple of weeks, including two important Daum Nancy Blackbird vases, two large Tiffany Favrile Jack-in-the-Pulpit vases, two Gallé Magnolia vases and lots more. Keep checking my site, as I will be updating it next week (vacation this week). 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.

U.S. Antique Shows announces free admission to the November 2015 NYC Pier Antique Show

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Sunday afternoon outside my booth at the Pier Antique Show this past March

U.S. Antique Shows, the promoters of the NYC Pier Antique Show and the all-important Original Miami Beach Antique Show announced free admission to the NYC Pier Antique Show this November 14-15. It’s an interesting experiment. Attendance will surely increase, but not necessarily with the right people. Here’s the way I see it. On the one hand, there’s a possibility that someone who attends the show will make a purchase, even if they hadn’t intended to in the first place. That’s the good part. On the other hand most of the additional attendees will be there to have a good time or get a free appraisal. It’s better than a museum. You can touch the items and ask questions of real experts. Excuse me if I sound a little cynical, but I didn’t pay good money to exhibit at the show and spend my time giving free appraisals to non-clients. Antique shows are a business. Dealers need the limited time to make sales to bona fide clients. If the dealers don’t sell enough to cover their time and expense, they won’t be back.

The aisles were jammed at the Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antiques Show.

The Palm Beach Show Group essentially does the same thing, but with a twist. They charge admission to their shows, but they give away so many complimentary tickets that most people don’t pay. Attendance is usually quite strong in Palm Beach and some of the additional attendees turn into buyers. I’m hopeful the experiment at the Pier will be a success. I applaud U.S. Antique Shows for at least trying a ballsy move to revitalize the show.

Attendance was good at the Pier Show at the opening last March

U.S. Antique Shows is also involved with a project called Antique Young Guns USA, a special program to encourage young professionals to enter the antique marketplace. Goodness knows we need more young people involved.

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. There’s lots more coming in in the next couple of weeks, including two important Daum Nancy Blackbird vases, two large Tiffany Favrile Jack-in-the-Pulpit vases, two Gallé Magnolia vases and lots more. Keep checking my site, as I will be updating it daily. 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.

What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Important Daum Nancy Impressionist vase

We haven’t exhibited at any shows since the Chicago Botanic Garden in mid-April, so I’ve directed a lot of my energy to buying for the summer shows, the Denver World Wide Antique Show, July 24-26, 2015, and the Baltimore Summer Antiques Fair, August 20-23, 2015. We were successful both in France and in the US, so here are a few of the newest and most interesting purchases. I’ll be spending time this week and next adding as many new items to my website as possible. Keep checking back.

Fine, rare Tiffany Favrile red vase

I bought a pair of rare and very desirable 7″ Tiffany red vases. I’ve known where they were for the last couple of years, but the dealer who owned them couldn’t sell them, because he insisted on selling them as a pair. The Tiffany numbers are very close to each other, indicating they were probably made on the same day. I have no problem selling them individually or as a pair. It’s not like a pair of candlesticks that were meant to stay together. On any given day, Tiffany produced a run of consecutively numbered vases that were meant to be sold individually. These red vases are no different.

Fantastic Austrian bronze novelty lamp

I just bought this incredible Austrian bronze novelty lamp, 11½” tall. It was probably designed by Bergman, because this is the quality he created. The condition is superb, with original colored glass windows. Haven’t had anything this wonderful in Austrian bronze in quite some time.

Fine Daum Nancy Peacock Feather vase

Daum Peacock Feather vases are deceptively sophisticated. Most of the work on the vase is standard acid-etching, but not the centers of the feathers. The light blue and dark blue glass was applied when the glass was molten, then pressed into the vase on the marver. The process is called padding, which makes for special vases. I get one or two Peacock Feather vases yearly and they sell very quickly. This example is almost 12″ tall. (The vase is not in yet, so please excuse the quality of the photo. I’ll post a better one after the vase has arrived).

There’s lots more coming in in the next couple of weeks, including two important Daum Nancy Blackbird vases, two large Tiffany Favrile Jack-in-the-Pulpit vases, two Gallé Magnolia vases and lots more. Keep checking my site, as I will be updating it daily.

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. 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.

French cameo and Loetz glass sell well at Bonhams New York 20th Century Decorative Arts sale, June 11, 2015

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Bonhams New York held a 20th Century Decorative Arts sale on June 11, 2015. Included were a few nice examples of French cameo and Loetz glass. As a group, they performed very well.

Fine Daum Nancy Cyclamen vase, Bonhams lot #27

Lot #27 was a lovely 12″ Daum Nancy vase with cyclamen flowers and gilding. It almost doubled its high estimate of $5,000 to realize $11,875.

Fantastic Loetz vase, Bonhams lot #29

A really great Loetz vase was sold as lot #29. It brought $43,750 — almost double its high estimate of $18,000. The vase was big, fabulous and rare, so there was no question it was going to do well.

Reproduction “Galle” lamp, Bonham’s lot #23

Unfortunately, Bonham’s also sold lot #23 as an authentic Gallé lamp. In my opinion, there was no question the lamp was a reproduction. I told the expert in charge, who decided to disregard my counsel. The lamp did not sell.

All prices include the buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

No shows until July, when we’ll be in Denver for the Denver World Wide Antique Show, at the Denver Mart, EXPO Building, 451 East 58th Avenue, July 24-26, 2015. We’re still in business, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. Keep checking my website for the latest offerings, which I’ll be posting in the next week.

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.

Good results for Tiffany Studios lamps at Christie’s Design sale, June 10, 2015

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Christie’s New York held their Design sale yesterday, June 10, 2015, with total sales of $7,687,750 for the 213 lots offered. Included in the sale were several Tiffany Studios lamps that sold well as a group.

Tiffany Studios 22″ diameter Peony floor lamp, Christie’s lot #14

The top lot of the Tiffany lamps was #14, a 22″ diameter Peony floor lamp that sold for $161,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $80,000 – $120,000.

Tiffany Studios 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp, Christie’s lot #11

Flying well past its pre-sale estimate of $60,000 – $80,000 was an unusual 20″ Dragonfly table lamp, Christie’s lot #11. It had nicely colored dragonflies against a pastel sky-blue, mottled background, with non-jeweled eyes, two amber geometric bands near the rim and amber jewels in the background. The shade rested on a twisted vine base, all with an original gold doré finish. I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not, but I was going to buy it if the price were low. Alas, that wasn’t the case. It realized $125,000.

All prices include the buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

The market in French glass is excellent. Thank you for asking.

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Philip Chasen

We sold this important Argy-Rousseau pâte-de-verre vase in Miami

I’ve been dealing in French cameo glass for over 40 years, so I have a pretty good handle on what’s going on. My conclusion is that the market is alive and well. The anecdotal evidence is all around. Let’s start with the first big show of the year, the Original Miami Beach Antiques Show. Here’s a quote from my blog of February 4, 2015. “French cameo glass continued on fiyah! (that’s fire for those who need translation). I cannot think of another show, ever, where more cameo glass was sold, not just by me, but by all the dealers.”

This important Gallé marquetry vase, Sur Socle Grand Iris, sold at Sotheby’s in Paris for $476,325

Auction after auction has resulted in strong sales for good examples of French glass. Just last week a fine Gallé artistic vase sold for almost half a million dollars at Sotheby’s in Paris.

I sold this killer Daum Nancy farm scenic vase recently

Personally, business has been wonderful. In fact, it hasn’t been this good since the late 1980s, when Japanese buyers dominated the market. Markets go up and they go down, so it’s refreshing to see the resilience of the French glass market.

No shows until July, when we’ll be in Denver for the Denver World Wide Antique Show, at the Denver Mart, EXPO Building, 451 East 58th Avenue, July 24-26, 2015. I’ll always be in touch, even while we’re in Europe, so please don’t hesitate to email or call.

Artistic Gallé vase sells for $476,325 at Sotheby’s Paris, May 21, 2015

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Sotheby’s Paris held their Design 20e Siècle (20th Century Design) sale on May 21, 2015, with some dramatic results. Sales totaled €7,093,775 ($7,776,768) for the 163 lots offered, with a sell-through rate of 90%.

Important Gallé marquetry vase,Sur Socle Grand Iris, Sotheby’s lot #8

Original Gallé invoice

The sale started with a private French collection of important Gallé vases. Lot #8, an outstanding 12½” marquetry vase entitled Sur Socle Grand Iris (Large Iris on Stand) led the group. It sold for €435,000 ($476,325), against a pre-sale estimate of €200,000 — €300,000. It came with an original 1904 invoice mentioning the vase. How cool is that!

Gallé undersea vase, Sotheby’s lot #5

Coming in second in the Gallé group was another important vase, lot #5, 5″ tall, with molded and applied undersea decoration. It easily exceeded its high estimate of €30,000 to reach €60,000 ($65,700).

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

An eventful day in Nancy, France, May 28, 2015

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Philip Chasen

France’s TGV

Last Thursday, I traveled from Paris to Nancy, a journey of 3 hours, 40 minutes by car, but only 1 hour, 30 minutes by high-speed TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse). What a shame we don’t have such a rail system in the US. It’s really fabulous. But I digress.

The grave of Emile Gallé, his wife, and his son

I went to see a friend/colleague who I hoped would have some nice French glass to sell to me. After a lovely lunch in town, he took me on a short, but fascinating tour. The first stop was on a peculiar street, with a nondescript cement wall along one entire side of the block. I assumed we were entering his housing development through the single door in the wall, but was instead astonished to find we were in a cemetery. At least until he took me to the first grave. My jaw almost dropped. I was standing in front of the grave of Emile Gallé, his wife, and his son. I knew Gallé died in 1904 but didn’t realize he was only 58. It was the simplest of graves, neglected and fairly rundown. I was honored to be standing there, but saddened. I asked my friend to buy some small ivy plants to fill in the voids. I’ll encourage him until it’s done.

The family grave of Louis Majorelle

That wasn’t the end of this cemetery. Many famous French artists, decorators, and sculptors were buried there, including the Daum Brothers and family, and Louis Majorelle and family — a cemetery with the rock stars of French decorative arts. You would never know from the outside.

Incredible Daum rose bowl with Dandelion decoration

Then back to business. In two stops, I was able to buy 12 vases. Not a bad day’s work. A couple of hours later and I was back in Paris where my honey awaited me.

We were supposed to arrive home yesterday, after a month in France (and Spain), but our flight was canceled. We’re probably en route as you read this. It was lovely to travel and just as lovely to go home. We had a great trip, both personally and businesswise. We bought some amazing glass, which I’ve just started to list. More in the next few days.

Good results at Sotheby’s The Warshawsky Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design sale, May 19, 2015

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Philip Chasen

On May 19, 2015, Sotheby’s New York sold a one-owner collection, The Warshawsky Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design, which included 90 lots of outstanding Tiffany Studios objects. Only 2 of the 90 lots failed to sell. Sales totaled $7,951,125 for the 138 lots offered.

Tiffany Studios Oriental Poppy floor lamp, Sotheby’s lot #36

The top lot of the sale was #36, a beautiful Oriental Poppy floor lamp. It topped $1 million, with a final sale price of $1,066,000, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $400,000 – $600,000.

This rare Tiffany Studios Peacock frame, Sotheby’s lot #2, sold for $40,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $5,000 – $7,000

The sale started strongly, with frames and lamp screens selling for ridiculously high prices. Then reality set in and the sale lost a little steam, with some lots selling at or below their low estimates.

Tiffany Studios Grapevine frame, Sotheby’s lot #85

A bizarre result was the sale of a medium-sized Tiffany Grapevine frame, lot #85, a common frame that I ordinarily sell for $2,500 – $3,500. It sold for the extraordinary price of $22,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $1,200 – $1,800. Whaaattt??? Some people have more cents than sense. Where are those clients when I need them?

Tiffany Studios advertising sign, Sotheby’s lot #87

One of the more amusing results came with the sale of an original Tiffany Studios bronze advertising plaque. It brought an incredible $20,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $800 – $1,200.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

We’re now in Lyon, seeking treasures, then back to Paris for a few days before returning home.

Louis Icart oil paintings sell well at DuMouchelle’s, May 17, 2015

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Icart oil painting Devant Le Feu, Dumouchelle lot #2051

The market for Louis Icart etchings has been weak for years, but that weakness did not extend to the sale of three Louis Icart oil paintings in DuMouchelle’s three-day general auction, May 15-17, 2015. The first of the three paintings, lot #2051, entitled Devant Le Feu (In Front of the Fire), came to the auction block with a fair estimate of $7,000 – $10,000. It almost doubled its low estimate, selling for $14,400, including buyer’s premium.

Icart oil painting Satyre, Satyr, DuMouchelle lot #2052

The next lot was the second Icart oil painting, entitled Satyre, Satyr (sp?), with a strong estimate of $15,000 – $20,000 (but it was the largest at 32″ x 25½”). It sold at the low estimate, yielding $18,000, including buyer’s premium.

Icart oil painting, untitled, DuMouchelle lot #2053

The best result came from the third Icart oil painting, of ballerinas (the best in my opinion). It doubled its low estimate of $7,000, to sell for $16,800, including buyer’s premium.

DuMouchelle’s is one of the few auction galleries that doesn’t post the results of previous sales, so there will be no link to the results of the sale.

In the meantime, we’re still in Paris looking for more treasures. I will do my best to find some time to post some of these purchases on my website, but so far it’s been difficult.

Philip Chasen Antiques

The blog for chasenantiques.com

Tag Archives: chasenantiques.com

James D. Julia Inc. sells its Advertising, Toy & Doll Division to Morphy Auctions

U.S. Antique Shows announces free admission to the November 2015 NYC Pier Antique Show

What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

French cameo and Loetz glass sell well at Bonhams New York 20th Century Decorative Arts sale, June 11, 2015

Good results for Tiffany Studios lamps at Christie’s Design sale, June 10, 2015

The market in French glass is excellent. Thank you for asking.

Artistic Gallé vase sells for $476,325 at Sotheby’s Paris, May 21, 2015

An eventful day in Nancy, France, May 28, 2015

Good results at Sotheby’s The Warshawsky Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design sale, May 19, 2015

Louis Icart oil paintings sell well at DuMouchelle’s, May 17, 2015