Tag Archives: French cameo glass

The results of the Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show, October 12-14, 2012

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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.

Sunday afternoon in front of my booth

The Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques show began this past Friday, October 12, 2012, and ended on Sunday, October 14, 2012. The show was small, with fewer than 50 dealers and the attendance was light. Regardless, most of the dealers I spoke to had good shows. Even though there weren’t many attendees, the ones that did come were serious.

It was really pouring at the show on Sunday afternoon

Sunday’s attendance was best, with a captive audience, as the rain was heavy in the middle of the day. There was even a local 45-minute tornado warning from 2:15 PM to 3:00 PM. My guess is that some people were discouraged from coming because of the severe weather.

One of the fine Daum Nancy vases sold at the show

On a personal note, my show was very good. Even though I only made a few sales, some were substantial. Almost all the sales were of French or English glass and very surprisingly, to new clients. I look forward to doing the show again, but I fear for the its continued existence. Each time the show gets smaller and fewer people attend. Unless the trend can be reversed, the show will fail and that will be a shame. I’ve got my fingers crossed that something will be done to keep the show alive.

Just purchased this fabulous Tiffany Studios 20″ Dragonfly table lamp

The Winnetka Antiques + Modernism Show starts this Friday, October 19, at 11 AM, and continues until Sunday, October 21, at 5 PM. We’re bringing all of our new purchases, which include some great Galle and Daum glass, as well as a fabulous Tiffany Studios Dragonfly lamp and a Tiffany Favrile red decorated vase. Please visit the show and see them in person.

Click this link to view some of the new objects. I listed about 25 new items in the last two weeks. French glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

I just purchased this rare, special Tiffany Studios red decorated Favrile vase

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.

Burgun & Schverer French cameo glass can be extraordinary

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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 finest Burgun & Schverer vase I’ve ever owned

Burgun, Schverer & Cie (B&S) started business in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France, along the German border, in 1711. Germany annexed the area after defeating the French in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, but it was returned to France in 1919 after Germany’s defeat in WWI. So technically B&S glass made in the 1890s is German, but that’s only a technicality. Everyone regards it as some of the best Art Nouveau French cameo glass ever made.

A stunning pink floral internally decorated B&S vase

The best examples were internally decorated, accomplished through a complicated, difficult process. The process started with hand-blowing the glass to form the vase. After cooling, the floral decoration was hand-painted on the outside surface with glass enamel paint. Swirls were sometimes added. The vase was then reheated and covered with a layer of clear glass. This important step left the decoration inside the layers, hence the term internally decorated. After cooling, the vase was acid-etched to form the icicle border rim and the outlines of the flowers. Then it was time for hand-engraving, a technique called wheel or intaglio-carving, which increased the realism of the flowers. Splashes of martelé texture were also wheel-carved into the background. Finally, the gilded details were hand-painted. These included the veining in the leaves and stems and the gilded rim. The final step was to fire the vase to convert the painted gilding into shiny gold.

Closeup photo of internal flowers with wheel-carved details on the surface layer

Many laborious steps were necessary to finish an internally decorated vase. My best guess is that it took two weeks to produce a single vase from start to finish.

An example of a wheel-carved B&S vase without internal decoration

B&S isn’t as well known as Gallé and Daum, but they should be. I assume the scarcity of their work is largely responsible for that. Most good vases are priced in the $5,000 – $25,000 price range, when available, which isn’t very often.

No shows in September, but we’ll be back for the Arlington Park Racetrack Show in October. In the meantime, we’ll travel and find great new items. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

I just purchased this fabulous A. Walter Art Deco pate-de-verre working clock

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 Louis Icart etchings. I will be adding more items this week. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

The Four Seasons of Daum Nancy glass

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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.

Not much news to report about shows or auctions this week, so it seems like a good time to teach. OK, students, listen up. This week’s lesson is about Daum Nancy scenic glass in the Four Seasons. There will be a quiz tomorrow, so pay attention!

Superb Daum Fall scenic tumbler, for sale on my site

Daum produced many scenic vases, some of which were distinctly seasonal. Let’s start with Fall, as it was the most colorful. All of the seasons were first acid-etched, then hand-painted with glass enamel paint, and then fired. As a result, the colors were permanent and didn’t fade with time. Within the sub-group of Fall vases, there were color variations — some were more red, or yellow, or vivid. Daum Fall vases command the highest prices of the Four Seasons, but Winter and Spring are not far behind. Summer brings up the rear.

A particularly strong example of a Daum Winter scenic vase

Winter is the most common season, as it was very popular when it was new. That increased the supply, which should have lowered the prices, but didn’t, since Winter is still very desirable. The demand balances the equation. Color and detail vary considerably in Daum Winter vases, so those with the strongest color and the best detail are the most valuable.

A gorgeous example of a Daum Spring scenic vase

I’ve had very few Daum Spring vases over the years as it’s the rarest of the seasons. They are always very pretty, with colorful flowers in the trees.

Front and back photos of a particularly nice Daum Summer night light

Summer seems to be the least desirable of the seasons. I assume that’s because most collectors find them too green and too boring. I can tell you from personal experience, I’ve had great difficulty selling Daum Summer vases, so I avoid them. I’m not trying to discourage anyone from buying one, I’m just telling you the facts from the perspective of a long-time dealer in French cameo glass.

No shows in September, but we’ll be back for the Arlington Park Racetrack Show in October. In the meantime, we’ll travel and find great new items. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

I just purchased this fabulous A. Walter Art Deco pate-de-verre working clock

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 Louis Icart etchings. I will be adding more items this week. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

The results of the Baltimore Summer Antiques Fair, August 23-26, 2012

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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.

It was pretty busy in my booth on Saturday afternoon

It’s 4:40 PM on Sunday afternoon as I write this, with about an hour to go until the 2012 edition of the Baltimore Summer Antiques Fair is over. We had a very fine and interesting show. We made many sales, almost all of them from the showcases. No art sold at all. Most of the sales were American and French art glass, as well as Tiffany Pine Needle and Grapevine items. We sold more items than last year, but the gross was down because no individual item was extremely valuable.

A beautiful Gallé dragonfly box, sold at the show

Attendance was solid throughout the show. You might think that the Friday of any four-day show would be slow, but it wasn’t. There were quite a few people in attendance. For us, business was almost the same each day, except for Sunday, when it was a bit slower. We were rarely bored, as there were many questions and fairly frequent sales, especially to new clients. It was very satisfying to get what we had hoped for.

The center aisle of the show had a moderate number of people on Saturday afternoon

In asking around, the results were mixed. I heard more than a few dealers complain that they had done poorly, while some said their shows were good and a few said they were satisfied. One dealer told me he had his best Baltimore show ever. I’m sure the majority of dealers were satisfied enough to renew their contracts for next year.

No shows in September, but we’ll be back for the Arlington Park Racetrack Show in October. In the meantime, we’ll travel and find great new items. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

I just purchased this fabulous A. Walter Art Deco pate-de-verre working clock

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 Louis Icart etchings. Just recently, I added about 15 new items. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

The Chicago Summer Antiques Show begins this Friday, August 17, 2012

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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.

A view of the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center looking northeast, also showing Gibson’s Steakhouse

The summer antique show schedule is half over, with the stronger half about to come. The Chicago Summer Antiques Show will begin this Friday, August 17th, at noon, and continue until Sunday, August 19th, at 5 PM. It’s a show I look forward to for a few reasons. First is to see all of my many clients and friends in the greater Chicago area. Next is the convenience of a show in the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, very close to the airport. The convention center allows vehicles to drive into their booths, making setup and breakdown easier than many shows. The hotel is across the street and comfortable, with very good restaurants in walking distance. And last, but not least, is that business is usually very good in Chicago.

I will have a very fine selection of Martin Brothers stoneware at the shows

The show has gotten smaller over the years, but has managed to maintain a nice level of quality, with good exhibitors. Many of these same exhibitors will continue on to the big Baltimore show the following weekend, so this is a very good opportunity to get first crack at their offerings. Many antique shows are struggling, so it’s important to attend your favorite ones and consider making a purchase. The success and survival of your local antique show depends on your participation. That doesn’t mean your friend or neighbor, it means you! (AND your friend or neighbor) :>)

A fabulous, rare Schneider Art Deco vase with padded and wheel-carved poppies — one of several very fine examples

Personally, I will be bringing a very strong assortment of American and French glass and lamps. I’ve been very successful in making great purchases in the off-season of May to mid-July. Rarities in Daum, Gallé, Le Verre Francais, Schneider and Tiffany will be part of my display, as well as a strong selection of original Louis Icart etchings. I guarantee you’ll like what you see.

A view of a small part of the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show

Immediately following the Chicago show will be the important Baltimore Summer Antiques Show. It will start on Thursday, August 23rd, at noon and continue for four days until Sunday, August 26th, at 6 PM. This show is one of the best of the year, second only to the Original Miami Beach Antiques Show at the Miami Beach Convention Center in January. It’s big, with some of the world’s best exhibitors, and worth a trip from anywhere. Buyers fly in from Europe, Japan, South America, Canada, and all over the United States. The selection of hotels and restaurants is diverse and first-class. If you’ve never visited this show, I strongly recommend it. You’ll thank me.

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 Louis Icart etchings. Just recently, I added about 15 new items. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

What’s new at chasenantiques.com?

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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.

Traditionally, May and June are very quiet months in the antiques business, at least for show exhibitors — there are no shows of any consequence. People get spring fever, so they’re more concerned with making their summer travel plans or planting their gardens than they are with antiques. It’s the perfect time for a little R&R and to replenish our inventory. We look high and low to find good items — we travel, we buy from private homes, we make careful purchases at auction and usually wind up with some great new items for our summer shows. This year is no exception. Here are a few examples.

Very desirable Gallé blownout vase with purple grapes

Gallé blownout vases are rarer and more desirable than conventional cameo glass. They’re usually difficult to find, especially with good color. I’ve been lucky, so now I can offer for sale several superior examples, including fuchsia, grapes, and water lilies.

Killer Daum Nancy farm scenic vase

The market in top quality Daum Nancy vases, especially with acid-etching and enameling, has been hot for many years. It doesn’t come better than rain or farm scenics. I’ve got a gorgeous rain tumbler and a killer farm scenic vase.

Rare and beautiful Schneider vase with applied and wheel-carved poppies

The market in better Schneider and Le Verre Français glass is picking up, after having been very slow for a few years. And rightfully so, because it’s wonderful glass. I’ve got some of the top examples, including two killer Schneider vases with padded and wheel-carved decoration.

You won’t recognize our booth, we’ve got so many new items, so please take the time to visit us at our two Los Angeles area shows. This may be the last time we exhibit at these shows. It’s very expensive to travel cross-country, so if we can’t sell enough to make it worth our time and expense, we won’t be back. If you want to continue to see antique shows in the greater Los Angeles area, you’ve got to support them. That means visit your favorite dealers and BUY something. Compliments, though much appreciated, do not pay the bills. We’ve stopped exhibiting in several cities where the locals didn’t support the shows, and Los Angeles could be next. Please visit the Redondo Beach and Pasadena shows and support your favorite dealers.

The dates of the Redondo Beach, CA antique show are July 27-29. In the meantime, we’re still very much in business. Don’t hesitate to call or write, and let us know what you’d like to buy, sell, or trade.

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Come visit us in Redondo Beach, July 27-29

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 Louis Icart etchings. Just recently, I added about 10 new items. I’ve listed those and more will be coming this week. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

James D. Julia’s Important Lamp & Glass sale grosses $1.1 million, June 20-21, 2012

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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.

James D. Julia, Inc. held their Important Lamp & Glass sale on June 20-21, 2012. The results weren’t stellar, but not terrible either. A fair number of items did not reach reserve, but those items that did sell added up to the respectable figure of approximately $1.1 million.

Rare Tiffany Favrile black decorated vase, Julia's lot #2366

The top Tiffany Favrile glass lot of the sale was #2366, a 12″ black vase with busy blue decoration around the shoulder. Estimated to sell for $10,000 – $15,000, it more than doubled its low estimate to sell for $25,300, including buyer’s premium.

Rare Daum Nancy Prairie vase, Julia's lot #2141

French glass did OK at the sale, with a rare Daum Nancy Prairie vase, pictured on the cover of the catalog, leading the way. Sold as lot #2141, it sold within the estimate of $10,000 – $15,000 to reach $14,950. Prairie vases are rare, beautiful and desirable. This example was fresh from a private home.

Fancy 29½" Moser vase, Julia's lot #1458

Moser glass has been selling well at auction for about a year. This sale was no exception, with strong prices, mostly above the high estimates. Lot #1458 brought the most money, though within the estimate of $20,000 – $30,000. Even with a professional restoration to the foot, it realized a price of $26,450.

For the complete results of the sale, you’ll have to sign in to the site. Click on the following link. Julia’s Important Lamp & Glass results.

Our next show won’t be until July 27-29, in Redondo Beach, CA, but we’re still very much in business. Don’t hesitate to call or write, and let me know what you’d like to buy, sell, or trade.

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Very fine, internally decorated Burgun & Schverer vase, just in

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 Louis Icart etchings. Just this past week, I added about 10 new items. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Some interesting results at Humler & Nolan’s Rookwood XXII●Keramics 2012●Art Glass 2012 sale, June 2-3, 2012

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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.

Humler & Nolan held their Rookwood XXII●Keramics 2012●Art Glass 2012 sale on June 2-3, 2012. There were some diverse results in the the art glass section of the auction (which is the only part I will cover). Following are the two highlights.

Tiffany Studios mosaic scarab stamp box, Humler & Nolan lot #550A

Lot #550A was a very rare Tiffany Studios mosaic tile stamp box with jeweled scarabs on the lid. Estimated to sell for $8,000 – $10,000, it soared to $34,220 (including buyer’s premium), as it should have. What a great box! I don’t have enough adjectives to describe how fantastic this box was. I’m not sure I would have been the successful buyer, but I might have been if I hadn’t been on vacation. I would have given the successful buyer a run for his money.

Wonderful Gallé lilac vase, Humler & Nolan lot #587

Now for a Gallé vase that gets me ill. Not because there was anything wrong with it. Just the opposite. It was wonderful and sold for such a bargain that I’m speechless. Lot #587 was a gorgeous, huge (19″), colorful Gallé vase with vivid red lilacs on a yellow background. It was estimated to sell for $6,000 – $8,000 and sold for only $5,900 (including buyer’s premium). This was easily a $15,000 vase, so my vacation cost me thousands more in lost profits. Every once in a while, something wonderful falls through the cracks and this was one of those times.

For the complete results of the entire sale, click on the following link. Humler & Nolan results.

Our next show won’t be until July, but we’re still very much in business. This coming week I’m going to list some new French glass purchases that are breathtaking, so make sure you check my website daily. Don’t hesitate to call or write, and let me know what you’d like to buy, sell, or trade.

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A rare, fantastic Daum Nancy vase with penguin decoration

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 Louis Icart etchings. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

The results of The Chicago Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair, April 27-30, 2012

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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 Merchandise Mart show didn’t end until Monday, so this week’s blog was postponed until Tuesday so I could report final results. Consequently, there will be no Thursday post this week.

Tiffany 20-inch diameter Lily Pad table lamp, sold at the show

This was an interesting show. There were substantial differences between my expectations and the results. A few weeks ago at the NYC Pier Show there were lots of new people and real action that I thought would carry over to the Chicago Mart show. But it didn’t. New York seems to have recovered from the recession sooner than Chicago. There were fewer people attending than some past years and many dealers saw less business. Here are a few results.

Our booth

Personally, my show was superb — the best show I’ve had at the Mart. Sales were best in Tiffany lamps and glass, Daum Nancy French cameo glass, Icart etchings and illustrator paintings. American art pottery was slow, as well as some of the other usual suspects, like art glass shades. Most of my business came from my very loyal clients (thank you, thank you, thank you). I was gratified to see some interest and sales coming from new blood.

Lia's got a few minutes to knit during a slow period at the show

In asking around, I heard results from “poor” to “great”. What I did notice is that many of the dealers who did well are good business people. They know what to buy and how to sell. The merchandise doesn’t jump off the shelves into the client’s hands — it has to be sold. That doesn’t mean being unscrupulous, it just means convincing a client that they would be better off buying than not.

It's time to start packing up and go home

OK. Here’s some of the scuttlebutt. One silver dealer did very poorly — not sure if they even opened their books. Another silver dealer did fairly — they made their expenses and a little bit more. A major diversified dealer told me he covered his expenses (very high because of a huge booth) and earned a little because of a big jewelry sale. Another diversified dealer did very well — they have great items and know how to sell. A dealer in Russian items only did OK. A dealer in furniture and bronzes was contemplating not returning until he made a major sale on Monday. I’m happy to say he’s returning. I did hear of a few dealers who did poorly and will not be returning. A first time diverse dealer at the show who sells a lot of jewelry was one of the people who told me his results were “great”. You know he’s coming back.

Our next show won’t be until July, but we’ll still be very much in business (except for a two week well-deserved vacation). Don’t hesitate to call or write, and let me know what you’d like to buy, sell, or trade.

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A wonderful Martin Brothers stoneware face jug

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 Louis Icart etchings. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

The results of the Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show, April 13-15, 2012

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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.

It was time to set up the show on Wednesday and Thursday

The Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show was held in Arlington Heights, IL, from April 13-15, 2012. Unfortunately, the show has gotten smaller and smaller over the years and has been in a vicious cycle. There were fewer dealers, so there were fewer people. Some dealers didn’t do well and won’t come back, and round and round it goes. It’s possible to reverse a vicious cycle, but it takes extraordinary effort and money. A show promoter has to commit to a show and pour money into promotion to attract new dealers and new attendees. It’s been done before. The problem is that the show promoter, Shawn Hastings, has been very ill for quite some time, so he wasn’t able to do what needed to be done. Hopefully, he’ll do something now and reverse the trend.

Saturday afternoon at my booth

Personally, my show went well. Thanks to a very loyal customer base in the greater Chicago area, the right clients showed up and made purchases. (You know who you are, so I’d like to send each of you a personal thank you.) There was interest in a variety of areas, including French cameo glass by Daum and Galle, Tiffany desk items, and American Art Pottery. Icarts, paintings, and lamps were slow at this show, but unpredictability is why I made a conscious decision many years ago to diversify. Everything that didn’t sell at this show may sell at the next.

Another aisle on Saturday afternoon

In asking around, a few dealers did okay and a few were complaining. I didn’t hear anyone rave about his/her show. Attendance was fairly light all weekend, with mostly tire-kickers coming on Sunday.

Our next show will be at the Merchandise Mart, in downtown Chicago, Friday-Sunday, April 27-30. It’s Chicago’s best show, and one of the best shows in the entire country. There will be great exhibitors, many of whom exhibit at very few shows a year. It’s worth a trip from anywhere.
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A wonderful Martin Brothers stoneware face jug

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 Louis Icart etchings. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com