The NYC Pier Antiques Show opens this Saturday, November 19, 2011

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Recently I’ve had less time to write about the interesting things happening in the antiques world, because I haven’t had a show in a few weeks. When there’s no one in my booth at a show, I keep busy by writing blog posts. 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.

Print this coupon for a $5 discount or free for students on Sunday

The NYC Pier Antiques Show opens this Saturday, November 19, 2011, at 10 AM and continues until Sunday, November 20, 2011, at 6 PM. It’s a short show, and intense as a result. The crowds are usually deep and the action fast. If people don’t make their purchase decisions quickly, they risk losing to someone else, and often do. The selection of items for sale is so eclectic, there’s something for everyone. Besides high end glass and lamps (me), there’s everything else — silver, jewelry, Asian, ceramics, art, clothing (yes, they have Fashion Alley), famous autographs (15 dealers) and more miscellaneous than you can imagine. Many people come with their decorators because the selections are so varied and interesting that they need professional help. My booth is near the entrance, so I see all of the many packages and purchases as they leave the show.

Magnificent Tiffany Studios green Linenfold counterbalance floor lamp, just in

I’m bringing some truly fine items that I’ve recently purchased, in addition to the usual strong assortment of Tiffany Studios lamps and glass and French cameo glass. I just bought a very nice, large Andre Gisson oil painting that hung in a home for many years. It was purchased by the grandfather of the present owner.

Andre Gisson oil painting, 24" x 36", fresh to the market

This is a show that is worth traveling to from any distance. I’ve said it before, but people travel from Europe and Japan, as well as from all over the US. It’s the excuse you’ve been waiting for to come to New York City. If you want to see a great antique show and enjoy New York City at the same time, this is the weekend. The weather has been great in New York recently and should continue until the weekend. Broadway has great shows running. Museums and galleries have superb exhibitions going on right now. The restaurant choices in the city are mind boggling. So what are you waiting for? Make your plans right now. Stop into my booth and let me know you came to New York because you read my blog.

Fine R. Lalique Monnaie du Pape vase with sepia staining

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. 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

What recession? There’s no recession in the art and antiques market.

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Recently I’ve had more time to write about the interesting things happening in the antiques world. When there’s no one in my booth at a show, I keep busy by writing blog posts. So for the next few weeks, I will 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.

This Gustav Klimt painting sold at Sotheby's New York for $40,402,500 on November 2, 2011

If you just listen to the news, you would think that the sky has fallen. The housing market is bad in many parts of the country, with many homeowners underwater. Unemployment is currently 9%. The Occupy Wall Street movement has spread. The financial troubles in Greece, Italy and the rest of Europe make stock market investors shiver.

But I’m looking out of my window and see that not only has the sky not fallen, but the sun is shining. There appear to be some good anecdotal economic signals. Sales of luxury cars are improving. Reservations are difficult to get at top restaurants. The antiques business is solid, with new auction records being set for art and antiques. Sotheby’s New York Impressionist & Modern Art sale realized a strong $199,804,500 just a few days ago.

Marc Chagall painting La Mariée sold for $1,022,500 at Christie's New York on November 2, 2011

Here’s my take on what’s going on– no deep analysis, just my observations. There appears to be a dichotomy between the haves and the have-nots — between two dimensions that exist together, but do not interact. On the one side are all the people in the news who are in trouble. They’re worried about the next mortgage payment, not about purchasing antiques. On the other side is a quiet group, not in the news, of successful entrepreneurs, business people and professionals. They aren’t suffering, rather they’re prospering. They have disposable income and are the ones who are actively involved in supporting the art and antiques markets — and they’re not just Americans. Chinese buyers are paying extraordinary prices to repatriate their treasures and are dabbling in other areas. Russian buyers are still active, but less so than a few years ago. Brazilian buyers are starting to flex their economic muscles.

Tiffany Studios Wisteria lamp sold at Christie's New York for $578,500 on June 16, 2011

The Tiffany Studios glass and lamp market is solid. So is the French cameo glass market. That’s not to say that all areas are doing well. For instance, in markets that I have personal knowledge, art glass shades, Steuben glass, Rookwood pottery, Louis Icart etchings and some others are soft. In the early 1990s, the severe recession in the antiques market caused prices to drop precipitously. In some cases, prices dropped over 50% from their peaks (but recovered smartly in the second half of the decade). Nowadays, prices are increasing in many areas. Some collectors are investing, hoping that fine antiques will be a good addition to a diversified portfolio. I’m frequently asked about investing in antiques, but since I’m not good at predicting, I try to restrict my advice to factual information about quality, rarity and condition.

The Pier Antiques Show will be held on the weekend of November 19-20. Sometimes it helps me gauge the health of the market. December is also a big month for auctions. Every major (and minor) auction house holds a 20th Century sale. Those results should be telling. For me, the best predictor of the year to come are the results of the big Miami Beach Convention Center Antiques Show in early February. Buyers fly in from all over the world, so it’s possible to take the pulse of the international market. Here’s hoping good business will continue.

A fine Martin Bros. grotesque vase from 1903

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. I’ll be photographing all my new Gallé and Daum purchases and listing them on my website. Recently I listed quite a few Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps and a very rare Louis Icart etching, Mardi Gras. There are also several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

French cameo glass reproductions are still a problem

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Philip Chasen

French cameo glass reproductions have been around since the 1980s, when the Romanians started making them. In my continuing effort to help people avoid making purchasing mistakes, I try to educate the public. If you haven’t read my lessons on French cameo glass, I suggest you start by clicking the following link. Free French cameo glass lessons. Then read my several blog posts about reproductions. (Use the search bar on the right.) Then come and visit me at one of my shows. I’ll be happy to answer your questions in person.

If you are trying to determine the authenticity of a vase, first compare it to the photos below. If yours is very similar, you probably have a reproduction. Then compare it to the many photos of authentic vases on my website that I have for sale or have sold. If you still can’t tell or want to be 100% sure, my fee for appraisals is $125 for the first item and $75 for each additional item. All I need is one or two emailed photos and your credit card information. (Please don’t send credit card information in an email.)

Vase with spurious Daum Nancy signature

Apparently all the free help I provide is insufficient, as half of the items I appraise turn out to be reproductions. Most of them are instantly identifiable to the trained eye, but that takes years of work. So to help more people, here are photos of some of the reproductions I’ve appraised in the last few years.

Galle reproduction #1

Galle reproduction #2

Galle reproduction #3

Galle reproduction #4

Galle reproduction #5

Galle reproduction #6

This Galle vase is authentic. Can you tell the difference? It has superb color.

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. I’ll be photographing all my new Gallé and Daum purchases and listing them on my website. Recently I listed quite a few Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps and some very rare Louis Icart etchings including Melody Hour and Mardi Gras. There are also several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Setting up at the Winnetka Antiques + Modernism Show, October 19-20, 2011

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Bill and Tony are busy setting up

The Winnetka Antiques + Modernism Show opens tonight at 6:30 PM with a preview party. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am about that! (Make what you will of that comment.) There will be complimentary drinks and food, so at least that’s a consolation prize. If I sell anything, it will be a miracle, but miracles do happen occasionally.

One of the fine displays at the show

The show is beautiful and unusual. The building itself has many rooms, levels and twists and turns. Each room has dealers, so it’s a bit like walking in a maze, with delicious surprises at each turn. The quality exhibitors have art, furniture, Asian, ceramics, glass, Russian and everything you would expect at a good show. It’s worth a trip from almost any distance.

A magnificent Daum Nancy Fall scenic table lamp

Personally I’ve brought some amazing French glass that I purchased on a recent buying trip. I also have some fresh Tiffany lamps. Tiffany lamps have been strong recently, so I’ve been actively buying more.

I’ll post the results of the show on Monday.

A very fine display of Asian antiques

The hours of the show are Friday noon–8:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00–6:00 p.m., and Sunday 11:00–5:00 p.m. There’s plenty of time to make your way here. Come in, introduce yourself, and let’s do some business.

This Galle vase has superb color.

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. I’ll be photographing all my new Gallé and Daum purchases and listing them on my website. Recently I listed quite a few Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps and some very rare Louis Icart etchings including Melody Hour and Mardi Gras. There are also several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

The results of the Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show, October 14-16, 2011

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Original Louis Icart etching, New Friends, sold at the show

The Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show opened on Friday, October 14th. Attendance was fairly slow, especially late in the day. Sales were practically nonexistent, except for one small one. Thank you, Marc.

Have I told you what torture it is to sit for 8 hours and not sell anything and not talk to many people? The days fly by when it’s busy and drag on when it’s slow.

A superb Daum swan tumbler, sold at the show

Saturday was a better day with sales and interest mostly in French cameo glass. Later in the day, it slowed down to a crawl. At least the show closed at 6 PM. Most people have better things to do than go to an antique show on Saturday evenings.

Attendance was better on Sunday, especially in the afternoon. Interest and sales were diverse. Overall, the show was fair. I didn’t lose money, but didn’t earn much either.

Galle vase, windowpane technique, with superb color

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. I’ll be photographing all my new Gallé and Daum purchases and listing them on my website. Recently I listed quite a few Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps and some very rare Louis Icart etchings including Melody Hour and Mardi Gras. There are also several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

The Arlington Racetrack Antiques Show opens this Friday, October 14, 2011

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Philip Chasen

I have less time to write about the interesting things happening in the antiques world since the fall shows started, so I am posting new blog entries once or twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. 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.

Rare Galle box with 2 dragonflies

The Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show opens this Friday, October 14th at 11:00 AM and runs until 5:00 PM on Sunday, October 16th. The show is not as big as it once was, but that’s the case for most shows nowadays. The quality is still very good and worth a trip from anywhere in the Greater Chicago area.

Tiffany 14 inch diameter Dragonfly table lamp with great color

We went on a successful buying trip to France in early September, so we have some very fine French cameo glass by Daum and Gallé that is fresh to the market. Additionally, we were able to purchase a small collection of Tiffany lamps, so we’ll have some new ones that you haven’t seen before. Sales of Tiffany lamps have been strong in the last few weeks, so I’m glad to be able to offer some fresh ones.

The promoter of the show, Shawn Hastings, has been quite ill for a month now. His wife and staff will be running the show. Let’s all pray for a speedy and full recovery for him.

Very fine color on this beautiful and rare Galle blue floral vase

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. I’ll be photographing all my new Gallé and Daum purchases and listing them on my website. Recently I listed quite a few Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps and some very rare Louis Icart etchings including Melody Hour and Mardi Gras. There are also several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Excellent results for French cameo glass at Brunk Auctions, September 24-25, 2011

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Outstanding Galle polar bear vase, Brunk lot #734

Brunk Auctions of Asheville, NC, held a decorative arts auction on September 24-25, 2011. Included in the sale were a couple of outstanding French cameo vases. Lot 734 was a huge Galle polar bear vase, 14¼”, with exceptional color. It carried a pre-sale estimate of $20,000-30,000. It sold for almost twice the low estimate, realizing $45,600, including buyer’s premium.

Outstanding Daum crocus vase, Brunk lot #737

Also in the sale was a superior Daum crocus vase. The sophisticated techniques used in the making are called padding and carving. First the flowers were padded, meaning they were applied from molten colored glass rods. When the vase cooled, the flowers were hand-carved, also called wheel-carving. On one side of the vase, there is a deep orange flower and on the other, a deep purple flower — both with better color than the usual example. Selling as lot 737, it brought $15,600, against a conservative pre-sale estimate of $6,000-10,000.

To search the results of the sale, click on the following link. Search Brunk. Choose the September 24-25, 2011 dates and a keyword.

The best Daum scenic blownout vase

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update often. I’ll be photographing all my new Gallé and Daum purchases and listing them on my website. Recently I listed quite a few Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps and some very rare Louis Icart etchings including Melody Hour and Mardi Gras. There are also several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

The AVENUE Antiques at the Armory show opens this Thursday, September 22, 2011 and runs until Sunday

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Philip Chasen

The AVENUE show will be open September 22-25, 2011

The AVENUE Antiques at the Armory show is one of New York City’s finest antique shows. This will be my first time there. I visited the show last spring and it looked great. Check back on Monday and I’ll let you know how I did. In the meantime, I’ve got my fingers crossed.

A killer Daum fall scenic boudoir table lamp

If you follow my blog, you know that we’ve been working hard to bring you the finest selection of antiques we’ve ever brought to a show. Some of the new items that we’ve just acquired are a great selection of Tiffany lamps, including a Dragonfly, a Tulip, a Pansy and a 10-light lily.

A rare and very fine Daum swan tumbler

In French glass, we’ll be bringing the best Daum boudoir lamp ever; a Daum scenic blownout vase; a gorgeous Gallé blue floral vase and several wonderful miniature Daum vases, including a rare rain scenic.

A Gallé floral vase with extraordinary color

The show opens on Wednesday evening, with a preview party (always my favorite, UGH!). The one at the LA Antiques Show was good, so maybe I shouldn’t be such a skeptic. There will be plenty of competition at the show, so hopefully there will be enough motivated buyers to go around. Wish me luck!

The best Daum scenic blownout vase

Check my website daily this week. I’ll be photographing all my new Gallé and Daum purchases and listing them on my website. Recently I listed quite a few Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps and some very rare Louis Icart etchings including Melody Hour and Mardi Gras. There are also several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

On a buying trip in France, September 1-9, 2011, part II

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Philip Chasen

The fall season begins soon with the AVENUE show at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City on Thursday, September 22nd. Since I have less time to write about the interesting things happening in the antiques world, I am posting new blog entries once or twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. 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.

TGV. Photo courtesy of Reuters

I’m writing this blog post again from the TGV (Train à Grand Vitesse), but this time we’re traveling north at 150 mph. By the time you read this, we’ll already be back in New York.

A very fine Daum vase. More to be posted shortly on my website

We’ve just about finished our trip, with all the good and the bad that goes with it. The good part is that we were successful buying. What we didn’t expect was for so many things to go wrong. This has been our toughest trip to France. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

One of the many unusual items at the fair -- an 8 foot artist's easel

We gave ourselves plenty of time on Sunday for it to be a relaxing travel day. We took a taxi from our hotel to Gare de Lyon. There were few available luggage carts to carry our trunk and suitcases, so we allowed an unofficial porter to use his luggage cart to help us first to a restaurant and then to the train. When I tipped him, he informed us that we should give him double. I refused, and that was the start of a bad day.

An automaton that looks like it could have come from the 1964 World's Fair

Three-quarters of the way to Montpellier, the TGV broke down. What were the odds? We had to back up to a station and transfer our baggage to another car, where the train decoupled from the broken car. We continued on our way after a 2½ hour delay. When we arrived in Montpellier, we were let out on the second floor platform, where it became an adventure to find the bathroom as the signs were no help. (It was 2 levels down and a u-turn onto one of the platforms). 50¢. What if I didn’t have any cash?

Absolutely the best Daum lamp I've ever owned

Finding the location of the car rental agency was the next adventure. It was approximately ¼ mile away, with insufficient signage along the route. This time there were no luggage carts of any kind, so we had to carry the trunk and carry-ons, as well as roll our suitcases. Can I impress upon you how difficult that was? When we got to the car rental building at 7:45PM, all of the rental agencies were closed, including Hertz and Avis. Only ours, SIXT, was open for 15 more minutes. Whew!! We arranged for our car, which was at the farthest end (of course) of a large parking lot. I got in and could not start the car for 5 minutes, until I figured out the trick (depress the clutch, step on the brake, press the key case in its slot). Then I couldn’t get the car to move because the parking brake was locked. Grr!! I had to walk back to the agency from the end of the parking lot, where luckily I caught the agent just as he was leaving. He had to walk back with me (to the end of the parking lot) to show me how to release the brake (it was a button on the center console).

I have no idea what we would have done if SIXT had been closed. We would have missed our room and missed the fair — a complete disaster. Thank goodness a few things went as planned.

A great early bicycle

OK, now we were off to our B&B on the outskirts of the city. I programmed my portable GPS as best I could, but it took us down a dead-end road and told us to go straight. We could not find the B&B. Lia suggested we try the built-in GPS in the Audi, in French. It’s not an intuitive device, but we were finally able to program it. The first GPS had taken us several miles away from the correct destination. The Audi GPS got us close, but could not locate the exact place, so we drove around aimlessly, looking for a human. At 9:30 PM on Sunday night, in the small town of Lavérune, there are no people on the streets. I mean none. Finally we found a person getting into a car. He knew the location of the B&B and finally we arrived.

I was concerned that no one would be there on our arrival because we were hours late, but Helène greeted us and let us into our room. The lock on the sliding glass door to the outside did not lock, so it was jury-rigged with a pin. The curtains were too small, so they could not be closed for privacy. I won’t bore you with the details of the other things wrong in the room.

I'm busy looking for a treasure

Now we had to find a restaurant open late on Sunday. We drove around and found an Italian restaurant, but there was no entrance in the front, only the side. We drove round and round trying to find the side entrance, but could not. If you couldn’t find the secret entrance, you couldn’t eat there and we couldn’t. Finally we found an American-style country music restaurant, where we were greeted by a life-size plastic John Wayne. This restaurant would have been a good joke in the USA, but I wasn’t sure if the French were laughing. The food was pretty bad, but we were beggars and beggars don’t choose.

Finally back to the B&B for a few hours sleep and the end of a bad day. We had exceeded our limits. We got up at 4 AM to get to the fair on time and hopefully the start of a better day.

A few days later we had a horrific time catching the TGV northbound. I just can’t get into the details. They’re too fresh and painful as I write this. There were innumerable additional problems on the trip, mainly with driving on poorly marked streets and medieval narrow streets. Oh, did I mention the speeding ticket on the way to the TGV station? My kids claim I’m the slowest driver they know, but I got two speeding tickets in France – one by a road camera and one by the gendarmerie.

Hopefully my stories will give you a greater appreciation of the work that goes into setting up a top quality booth at my shows. Believe me, the merchandise does not fall into our laps.

Fantastic Burgun & Schverer internally decorated vase

On a buying trip in France, September 1-9, 2011

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Philip Chasen

The Baltimore Summer Antiques Fair ended the summer show season. The fall season will begin with the AVENUE show at the Park Avenue Armory on Thursday, September 22nd. Since I have less time to write about the interesting things happening in the antiques world, I am posting new blog entries once or twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. 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 high speed TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse)

I’m writing this blog post from the TGV, a high-speed train, traveling south from Paris at 150 mph. We’re in France on a buying trip that has been somewhat successful thus far.

A Daum fall scenic vase, similar to the lamp I just purchased

Last minute tickets from New York to Paris were extremely expensive. Many flights from JFK were canceled because of Hurricane Irene, so passengers had to be rebooked, leaving very few seats available. We had to first fly to Helsinki, Finland, to get an expensive, but not ridiculous fare. The flight was full, so some people were upgraded to business class. Miraculously we were two of them. What a difference that made. Among other amenities, the seats reclined flat for sleeping.

Marché Dauphine on Rue des Rosiers

Saturday, we visited the flea markets, where you can get lucky or not. We were lucky. Considering that many of the shops were closed (I guess because some of the dealers were at the fairs in the south and others weren’t back from vacation), we were able to buy some truly outstanding objects, including an extremely rare and beautiful Daum acid-etched and enameled fall scenic lamp. I’ve had quite a few fall scenic vases over the years, but this is the first lamp. I don’t have a photo at this time, but I’ll post one on my website or blog as soon as I’m able.

A Daum swan miniature vase with the same decoration as the larger tumbler I just purchased

We were also able to purchase a super Daum tumbler with swan decoration, a Daum rain miniature pillow vase, a fabulous Daum scenic blownout vase (haven’t had one in many years), a beautiful Daum footed vase with bright yellow flowers, a rare Galle box with two dragonflies on the lid, a gorgeous triangular Galle vase with blue flowers on yellow (windowpane technique), an R. Lalique Monnaie du Pape vase and finally an R. Lalique half-moon shaped clock with birds and rare enameled glass ATO face. I’ll try to post photos on my website, but failing that, they will all be for sale at the upcoming AVENUE show starting September 22.

Now we’re off to the fairs, which are a bigger crapshoot. We could wind up buying some fabulous items or nothing. Plus there’s lots of competition. I’ll let you know the results in my next blog post. The whole trip is really a crapshoot. The expenses are high and the chances of success are variable. Not to mention, pounding the pavement for days on end. There’s lots of hard work involved. The objects don’t magically appear in my booth at the shows. But at least the hard work is in France. Not a bad place to spend time working, especially with my honey!