The results of the Original Miami Beach Antique Show, January 30 – February 3, 2015

Posted on February 4, 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.

The opening day crowd was huge with almost 1000 people on line

Yesterday, February 3, 2015, the Original Miami Beach Antique Show finished its 5-day run. The crowds were smaller than usual, but included many serious buyers. (At least that’s the way I perceived it.) Most dealers I spoke to did well, but there were some disappointments.

There were lots of sold stickers at Best of France

Following are comments from dealers I know personally. It is not a representative cross-section of the dealers at the show. Jack Papadinis, Jack Pap Antiques, West Simsbury, CT, a dealer in 20th Century lighting & decorative accessories, commented “Overall it was a quieter pre-show and show, compared to last year. I sold more expensive items pre-show to other dealers. The crowd was somewhat lackluster, however several customers made the show profitable.” Butler & Butler, Sarasota, FL, 19th Century general dealers, were quite enthusiastic. “It was one of our best Miami Beach shows. We restocked our stand several times.” Ron Greenwald, Greenwald Antiques, Cleveland, OH, general dealers, was equally ebullient. “Strong. The energy was great. Saw old and new customers. We sold up to the last minute.” Xavier Eury, Nancy, France, French cameo glass dealer, was pleased. “My show was pretty good. Most of my clients were South American.” Dean Lowry, Dean Lowry Antiques, Gulfport, FL, lamp dealer, told me “It was a good show. Traffic was down, but we picked up several new clients. Business was down from last year, but we were still satisfied.” Jack Ophir, Ophir Antiques, Englewood, NJ, 20th Century decorative arts dealer, remarked “We had a very nice show. We sold good Art Nouveau lamps and objects, including a Loie Fuller lamp by Raoul Larche and an important vase by Camille Fauré.” Bill Holland, hollandarts.com, West Chester, PA, dealing in the works of Louis Icart and Louis Tiffany, commented “Quality items sold. Low-end items not as much. I did about the same as last year. I was happy with the show.” Rick Kaplan, Rick & Robert Kaplan Antiques, Palm Springs, CA, general dealers, seemed pleased. “We did well — pretty much the same as last year, which was good.” And lastly Larry Zinzi, Lawrence J. Zinzi Antiques, Bronx, NY, general dealer specializing in the works of Louis Tiffany, was disappointed. “It was fair. Europeans didn’t show because the euro was weak. The Tiffany market is still good. I sold four lamps, but business was down from last year.”

We sold this lovely Gallé table lamp at the show

Personally I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven. After a fabulous show at the Miami National (Airport) Show last week, we did very well at this show — much better than last year. Business to the general public was better than last week, but sales to my private clients was down. 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.

Next year the show returns to its usual starting day of Thursday and that’s a good thing. The show will move to the Washington Ave. side of the building, halls A & B, while renovations are underway to the west side of the building. I suggest to you dealers who missed the Miami Airport Show the week before that you reconsider for next year. There were a lot of smiling faces at the end of that one.

This week we’ll be in Naples, Florida for the Naples Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. It will be our first time there and we’re expecting good things (especially after the good business in Miami). We visited last year and were pleased with what we saw, so we decided to give it a shot this year. If we do well, we’ll be back next year. If not, we’ll vacation, as we’ve done in the past.

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.

What’s new at Chasen Antiques? Part III

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Philip Chasen

This outstanding 18″ tall Gallé is fresh from a Florida collection

I’ve always been an active buyer and seller of French cameo glass. Recently I bought a collection in Florida, as well as many items in various locations. I’ve now got four Gallé lamps for sale. Usually I don’t even have one.

Galle Fuchsia vase, just in

Gallé blownout vases are highly collectible and desirable. The Fuchsia example above is one of four different, beautiful blownout models I have for sale.

Gorgeous Burgun & Schverer Bleeding hearts vase

Do you have any idea how much work went into the making of a single Burgun & Schverer internally decorated vase? I’ll tell you. First the gaffer (glass blower) blew the undecorated vase. When cold (24-48 hours later), the vase went to a decorator who hand-painted the flowers, branches and leaves with glass enamel paint. Then into the kiln to melt and fuse the design to the vase. At that point, the decoration was on the outside of the vase. It then went back to the gaffer to be reheated and covered with a layer of clear glass. The technique is called paperweight (because the decoration becomes internal). It was difficult, as well as time and labor-intensive. Many of the vases cracked during cooling. If it survived, 24-48 hours later, the cold vase was sent to a decorator who covered the vase with a waxy resist, hand-carved the leaf, branch and top rim icicles and then sent it for a hydrofluoric acid bath to etch the design. After washing and drying, the vase was heated to melt off the remainder of the waxy resist. Then off to an engraver who hand-carved the details in the flowers and leaves and the martelé flourishes in the background. Not finished yet. Then back to another decorator who hand-painted the gilded details in the veins of the flowers and the top rim. At this point the gold was black, so off to the kiln for still another firing. After cooling, (24-48 hours), out came a piece of art, with internal flowers, incredible workmanship, and shiny gold details, ready for sale. How long would you guess that took, by how many artisans? My best guess is two weeks of work and up to ten very talented glass artisans. I hope next time you look at an internally decorated B&S vase, you’ll have a different appreciation. The example pictured above was recently purchased. It’s gorgeous, with outstanding work and a rare, beautiful rose-red background.

Striking Daum Nancy Marine pillow vase

Lastly I’d like to mention that I’ve been able to acquire several outstanding Daum vases, including the marine scenic example pictured above. Please take the time to look over the various offerings I’ve listed on my website. I tried to picture most of the examples I have for sale, but they’re not all there. Time doesn’t permit me to picture everything. Either you can ask me for something specific or best of all, come to see me at one of my shows in Florida. You won’t be disappointed!

I can’t believe it. By the middle of next week, we’ll be in Miami setting up the Miami National Antiques Show (the Airport show) and by Saturday we’ll be open to the public for business. If you plan on going to the big Miami Beach show the following week, you should consider coming a few days early to visit this one. You’ll get first crack at some of the following week’s merchandise (and out of the cold!).

What’s new at Chasen Antiques?

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Philip Chasen

Our five-show-Southern-circuit is around the corner, with the first starting in Miami on January 24th. This is the time of year when I scour the earth to find treasures. I’ve been a busy boy. There’s always luck involved and this year it’s been good. A large proportion of my new items are from private estates. Following is a sampling. I suggest you check out my website where I’ve listed some of them, but there are many I haven’t yet listed. 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.) Thursday’s post will be part II of What’s New at Chasen Antiques.

Rare Tiffany Favrile yellow vase

Tiffany Favrile glass is one area where I’ve purchased some very fine items, including a rare yellow vase, pictured above, a black millifiori vase, a turquoise decorated mini vase, a hearts & vines vase, a red-orange vase and several other outstanding examples.

Fine, rare Tiffany Favrile Artichoke pottery vase

I don’t get many Tiffany Favrile pottery vases because they’re even rarer than Tiffany Favrile glass. I just bought a wonderful, big (11″), artichoke example with a great glaze.

Natzler Tiger Eye Reduction Glaze vase

Another item I rarely get is Natzler pottery. If you don’t know, it’s mid-century and the best quality. This example has a great Tiger Eye Reduction glaze, with the original stickers, including the original price. A very cool item!

I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg. Look for more this Thursday. In the meantime, please check my website. I think you’ll like what you see.

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

The NYC Pier Antique Show opens this Saturday, November 22, 2014

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Philip Chasen

The NYC Pier Antique Show will open to the public this coming Saturday, November 22, at 10 AM, and close the next day, Sunday, November 23, at 6 PM. This is the second year that U.S. Antique Shows will manage it, having bought the show from Stella Show Management. It promises to be a good one, with 25 additional dealers.

We’ll have this beautiful Tiffany 18″ Tyler Scroll table lamp at the show

This will be our last show of the year, so we hope to make it a good one by bringing some fantastic new items. One is a Tiffany Studios 18″ Tyler Scroll table lamp. It’s one of 25, mostly Tiffany Studios, lamps we’ll have on display at the show.

Museum-quality Daum Nancy vase with applied cabochon-center daisies

Our French glass selection will be large, with some outstanding examples of Daum and Gallé glass.

After the Pier show, we’ll be buying treasures for our important Florida shows in January and February. I’m already flying out of town today to buy an outstanding French glass collection.

Tune in Monday for the results of the NYC Pier Antique Show!

Setting up at the Kansas City Antiques Expo, November 12, 2014

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Philip Chasen

We’re just getting started

Yesterday was the first day of setup for the Kansas City Antiques Expo. We’ve got an enormous 40′ booth, so setup was easy. We didn’t have to step over each other or the merchandise.

The show is small, but with good dealers. The problem is that attendees won’t be pleased by the size of the show, which could precipitate a vicious cycle. I hope not, but tune in Monday for the results.

We’ll have this fantastic Daum vase at the show

We’ve got some fine new items, just since last week’s show in Winnetka, including a wonderful early Moorcroft MacIntyre pitcher, a great Daum Nancy vase with applied flowers, a 1904 Van Briggle vase, an Amphora portrait vase and a rare pair of Quezal dark green decorated shades. (By the way, did you hear about the art glass shades that sold at Julia’s yesterday? Wow! Some amazing prices were realized. It looks like the art glass shade market may be experiencing a revival after a few years in the doldrums. I’ll be reviewing Julia’s auction at a later date.) So if you’re in the greater Kansas City area, please come and see us at the show. Remember it’s open this Friday and Saturday only. NO SUNDAY!

Next week we’ll be in New York City for our final show of 2014, at Pier 94, for the usual November show. Remember to check my website for the latest items and keep reading my blog.

Click here to view our 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.

Some good results at Freeman’s English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts sale, October 7, 2014

Posted on October 16, 2014 by Philip Chasen

Freeman’s of Philadelphia, PA held its English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts sale on October 7, 2014. Included in the sale was a section entitled 20th Century Design including Fine Daum, Gallé & Loetz Glass, fresh from estates, with very conservative estimates and reserves. That’s always a combination that bodes well.

Daum Bird & Frog vase, Freeman's lot #430

Daum Blackbird & Frog vase, Freeman’s lot #430

Top lot of this group was a Daum Blackbird & Frog vase. It flew past its pre-sale estimate of $2,000 – $4,000 to realize $16,250 (buyer’s premium included). While that may seem like a good result, the identical vase sold at Bonham’s New York in December, 2012 for $43,750 (against a pre-sale estimate of $15,000 – $20,000). What explains the difference? In my opinion, two people got carried away at Bonham’s in 2012. $43,750 for this vase just sounds over the top.

Rare Loetz Black Bottom vase, Freeman’s lot #460

Lot # 460 was a small (4″ tall), but rare, Loetz Black Bottom vase, estimated to sell for $1,500 – $2,500. I tried to buy it, but couldn’t when the price went into retail territory. The final result was $8,960 (buyer’s premium included).

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

No shows until November, when we have four in a row. We’ll start in New Jersey at the Morristown Armory, then travel to Chicago for the Antiques + Modernism Winnetka show, followed by the Kansas City Antiques Expo, ending up back at the Pier in NYC for the usual November show. Remember to check my website for the latest items and keep reading my blog. We’ll spend a lot of time finding some great new items for our November circuit.

Prices were nuts at Woody Auction’s The late Dr. Ernest Rieger Collection sale, March 20, 2014

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Philip Chasen

Woody Auction held a sale, The late Dr. Ernest Rieger Collection, on March 20, 2014, with superb results. Bidding throughout the sale was fiercely competitive, with multiple bidders vying for the “fresh meat”. Dr. Rieger had put together a varied and high quality collection and it was put up at auction with no reserves, or estimates, on any item. They were going to sell for whatever the market would bear, and the great results bore out that modus operandi. I tried to buy many items, but was outbid on most everything. But I’m not complaining, as it means the market is healthy.

Fantastic Tiffany Favrile vase, Woody’s lot #383

The best prices were achieved by the high quality offerings of Tiffany Favrile glass, French cameo glass and English cameo glass. Top lot of the sale went to Tiffany, with lot #383, a magnificent, very rare, paperweight vase with several wheel-carved insects. It sold for $60,000.

Rare Daum Nancy Rain table lamp, Woody’s lot #161

The top French cameo glass lot of the sale was a rare Daum Nancy Rain scenic table lamp, 13½” tall. It soared to $38,000.

Superb Webb cameo vase, Woody’s lot #150

A beautifully carved English cameo vase by Webb was the top lot of the English glass offerings. It went out the door at $35,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

This internally decorated Burgun & Schverer mini vase is a recent purchase

Remember, the NYC Pier Antique Show will be held this coming weekend, March 29-30, 2014. It’s always fun and exciting, so make your plans to come to the Big Apple. We’ll have our new purchases from our European buying trip for sale at the show.

We’ll have this wonderful Amphora portrait vase at the show

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

Some excellent results at James D. Julia’s Extraordinary Lamp & Glass auction, November 20-21, 2013

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Philip Chasen

James D. Julia Inc. held their Extraordinary Lamp & Glass auction over two days, November 20-21, 2013. The sale totaled $2.1 million, with some assorted areas of strength, including Loetz glass and Tiffany Studios lamps.

Tiffany Studios 20 inch Dragonfly lamp, Julia’s lot #2350

The top lot of the sale was #2350, a Tiffany Studios 20″ diameter Dragonfly lamp, with an unusual green ripple glass background. It sold near the high estimate, realizing $118,500.

Monumental Daum Nancy blackbird vase, Julia lot #2084

An important, monumental Daum Nancy blackbird vase was re-offered after failing to sell at the last auction. The estimate was lowered by $10,000, so it sold this time. Selling as lot #2084, it realized $30,800 — below the new low estimate, but above the reserve. If the original estimate had been lower, it would have sold the first time, probably at a higher price. Most of the objects in the auction that didn’t sell had too high an estimate and too high a reserve.

Rare Loetz Phanomen vase, Julia lot #1212

Most of the Loetz glass in the sale was from a private Connecticut collection. It was fresh-to-the-market and estimated reasonably, with commensurate results. Lot #1212 was the top seller of the group. It was a rare Phanomen vase, estimated to sell for $7,000 – $10,000. The final price of $11,257.50 was closer to the high estimate than the low estimate.

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

We’ll be busy buying for the next couple of months in anticipation of the important Florida shows, starting with the Miami National Antiques Show on January 24, 2014. We’ll end our winter schedule with the wonderful Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference, February 21 – 23, 2014. We last exhibited there a few years ago and couldn’t do it again because of scheduling conflicts. This year there were no conflicts, so we’re happy to return. It will immediately follow the important Palm Beach Antiques Show.

Fine Tiffany Favrile vase with applied handles, just in

Some good results for French Cameo Glass at Brunk Auctions, November 16, 2013

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Brunk Auctions held a diverse sale November 15-16, 2013. Many of the Art Nouveau items were from the estate of Dr. Laurence and Dorothy Grossman, of Nashville, Tennessee. Included in that group was a nice selection of French cameo glass.

Rare Daum vase with applications, Brunk lot #692

Lot #692 was a rare Daum vase with martelé-carved, applied cabachons. This was a lovely, rare piece, with a butterfly and gilding, that ordinarily I would have aggressively gone after, but did not because of the significant wear to the gilding. This is a perfect example of how I act as a filter. If it’s good enough for me to buy, it’s good enough for you to buy, and vice versa. It wasn’t good enough for my inventory — close, but no cigar. Regardless, it sold for $6,600, including buyer’s premium — well above its estimate of $2,000 – $3,000.

Gallé clematis blownout vase, Brunk lot #678

A nice Gallé blownout vase with clematis flowers was offered as lot #678, with an estimate of $2,000 – $3,000. Even though the color was only decent, it still sold for almost triple its high estimate, realizing $9,120.

Tiffany Favrile padded and wheel-carved vase, Brunk lot #672

Brunk put a very low estimate of $1,000 – $2,000 on lot #672, a Tiffany Favrile padded and wheel-carved vase with pretty variegated pink flowers. The price flew past its estimate to sell for $8,400, even with a small chip to the interior of the rim.

For the complete catalog, click here. As of today, the results haven’t been posted, but they should be by the end of the week.

The NYC Pier Show will be held this coming weekend, November 23-24, 2013. The show is under new management, U.S. Antique Shows, which usually portends improvements. It will be our last show of the year, followed by the important Florida shows in January and February. We’re bringing some incredible new items, so don’t miss this show!

Fantastic Tiffany Favrile blue decorated vase, just in

French cameo glass was on fire at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers 20th Century Decorative Arts auction, Thursday, October 23, 2013

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers held their 20th Century Decorative Arts auction last Thursday, October 23, 2013, with some impressive results, especially for French cameo glass. Much of the French glass was consigned from the Adrienne Krumhorn Trust of Highland Park, Illinois. It was high quality, fresh-to-the-market, and estimated low — red meat for the lions. Even condition problems, which normally are kisses of death, did not deter buyers.

Gallé Crystallerie ewer, Hindman lot #1

The tone was set from the beginning, with lot #1, a 12½” Gallé ewer, with a cracked handle. It soared past its pre-sale estimate of $1,000-2,000 to sell for $8,125, including buyer’s premium of 25%.

Gallé rhododendron blownout vase, Hindman lot #8

Most of the French cameo glass lots at least doubled their high estimates, with many selling for much more. Lot #8 was a Gallé rhododendron blownout vase with a pre-sale estimate of $8,000-12,000. It wasn’t the best example, with only fair color. Regardless of my opinion, the lot doubled its high estimate to sell for $25,000.

Daum Dragonfly table lamp, Hindman lot #28A

The most important French cameo lot of the sale was #28A, a Daum lamp with applied and wheel-carved dragonflies. It had several problems — weak color, a missing dragonfly tail, reproduction hardware, and finally a shortened base. Never mind the problems, don’t get in the way of a moving freight train. This auction was hot and there was no stopping it. The lamp realized $47,500, approximately five times the high estimate of $9,000.

I haven’t raised my prices on French cameo glass, but if other auction houses start having similar results, I will. Let me know what interests you, before that happens. For the complete results of this exciting sale, click here.

Next month we’ll be working from home base, exhibiting at the NYC Pier Show, November 23-24, 2013. The show is under new management, U.S. Antique Shows, which usually portends improvements. It will be our last show of the year, followed by the important Florida shows in January and February.