The results of the NYC Big Flea Antiques Market, January 19-21, 2017

Posted on January 23, 2017 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.

A few of the Gallé and Daum vases in our booth

It’s 12:30 PM on Saturday as I begin to write this blog. The show will end today at 7 PM, having opened at 9 AM today and yesterday. There were almost no people for the first hour, so the show should have opened at 10 AM. Closing today at 7 PM will be a burden. There will be no people here the last hour or two. The show promoters should shorten the hours to make it easier on the dealers. The public will have enough hours to do their shopping.

We sold this beautiful Gallé Chrysanthemum vase at the show

As of now, we’ve had very few sales, but those few sales coupled with a good purchase pre-show added up to a modest success. If we sell more today, it will be a success, period.

More Gallé and Daum in our booth

UPDATE: Saturday, 7 PM. The show is over and unfortunately it ended with a bust. No sales at all on what should have been the busiest and best day. Attendance was a little bit better today, but overall attendance ranged from very light to light. A few of my good clients showed up today, but no one made a purchase. It was a long, boring show that ended with very few sales and a small profit. Beats the pants off a loss, but still quite disappointing.

Now we’re headed to Miami for important shows, beginning with the Airport Show on February 3rd. This year may be the turning point for the show becoming the more important of the two Miami shows. If you missed us in New York City, don’t miss us in Miami.

The Original Miami Antique Show follows the Miami Airport Show, moving from Miami Beach to a new venue. If you can’t make both shows, make sure you visit this one.

I’ve been listing on my website many of the new items I’ve recently purchased and I’ll be listing more in the near future. Please check my site as often as you can.

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. I will update it as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

The NYC Big Flea Antiques Market opens this Thursday, January 19, 2017

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Philip Chasen

This week we’ll be exhibiting at our first show of the new year, the NYC Big Flea Antiques Market at the Manhattan Center, Historic Hammerstein Ballroom, 34th St. and 8th Ave. in New York City. The show opens on Thursday at 1 PM and runs until Saturday at 7 PM. The facility is closed on Sunday, which explains the unusual show days. This is our only show in New York City, so please come and visit. The weather forecast for this coming week predicts 50s, so that should make for easy traveling.

We’ll have this fabulous B&S internally decorated vase at the show

We will be there with all of our new and exciting purchases including a sensational selection of French and American glass and lamps. You won’t want to miss us.

Don’t be fooled by the name NYC Big Flea Market. There will be plenty of fine merchandise at the show. It’s the perfect week to visit as there will be more exciting antiques events in New York City at the same time, as it’s Americana Week. Click here for a link to some of the shows, lectures, museums, etc.

Following the show, we’ll be heading to the all-important Miami shows, beginning with the Airport Show on February 3rd. This year may be the turning point for the show becoming the more important of the two Miami shows. If you can’t see us in New York City, don’t miss us in Miami.

I’ve been listing on my website many of the new items I’ve recently purchased and I’ll be listing more in the near future. Please check my site as often as you can.

Sotheby’s Paris held their Emile Gallé sale on November 22, 2016

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Philip Chasen

Sotheby’s Paris held their Emile Gallé sale on November 22, 2016, with total sales of €1,458,063 ($1,545,547) for the 51 lots offered, of which 9 lots failed to sell. Since the overall quality of the offerings was high, the average was a strong $36,798 for each of the 42 sold lots.

Gallé Coupe La Nature, Sotheby’s lot #128

A huge 17½” diameter, marquetry bowl entitled Coupe La Nature was the top lot of the sale. It sold close to its low estimate of €200,000, realizing €247,500 ($262,350), including buyer’s premium.

Gallé vase Parlant La Giroflée De Muraille, Sotheby’s lot #135

The second highest lot of the sale, #135, also brought just below its low estimate of €200,000, realizing €235,500 ($249,630), including buyer’s premium. The vase was technically very sophisticated, with internal decoration and an inscribed poem, but not very pretty. I believe both items would have done better had they been offered with less aggressive estimates.

Gallé vase, Les Ephémères, Sotheby’s lot #125

I loved lot #125, a gorgeous vase with wheel-carved and internally decorated butterflies, but it sold beyond my budget, realizing €60,000 ($63,600), including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of €30,000 — €50,000. If I had my way, this vase would have sold for more and others would have for less, but once again I wasn’t consulted. What is wrong with those people?

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

I just listed this killer Daum Prairie pitcher for sale on my website

I’ve been listing on my website many of the new items I’ve recently purchased and I’ll be listing more in the near future. Please check my site as often as you can.

Our next show will be the NYC Big Flea, the weekend of January 21, at the Lexington Avenue Armory. After that we’ll be in Miami for the Miami Antiques + Art + Design Show, February 3 – 5, 2017. This is the airport show, which will be new and improved, with many additional exhibitors. The changes are happening because the Original Miami Beach Antiques Show will no longer be in Miami Beach, instead changing its name to The Original Miami Antique Show and moving to a new location in southwest Miami. It will all make for an interesting winter season.

French glass sold well at Sotheby’s Important Design sale, December 14, 2016

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Philip Chasen

Sotheby’s New York held their Important Design sale on December 14, 2016, with total sales of $8,993,250 for the 168 lots offered. 40 lots failed to sell, for a strong average of $70,260 for each sold lot. Included in the sale were 17 lots of important French glass, from a Midwest collection, by Emile Gallé, Daum Nancy, Burgun & Schverer and Argy-Rousseau. Also included were one Tiffany Studios lamp, two Loetz vases and an assortment of very high-end jewelry, furniture and assorted items.

Gallé Crystallerie Sauterelle et Chrysanthèmes vase, Sotheby’s lot #239

Two French glass vases tied for the highest price at the sale, $75,000, including buyer’s premium. Lot #239 was an early Gallé Crystallerie vase from the 1880-1885 period, entitled Sauterelle et Chrysanthèmes (Grasshopper and Chrysanthemums). The techniques were wheel-carving and gilding for the grasshopper and enameling for the flowers and leaves. Its final price of $75,000 was triple its low estimate of $20,000.

Gallé marquetry vase, Sotheby’s lot #245

Lot #245 was a gorgeous Emile Gallé marquetry Crocus vase with a wonderful applied foot. It realized the same price as the early Gallé vase above, but only doubled its low estimate of $30,000.

4 of the 17 lots of French glass failed to sell, for an impressive average of $30,866 for each of the 13 sold lots.

Tiffany Studios Fishscale lamp, Sotheby’s lot #215

The only Tiffany Studios lamp in the sale, lot #215, was a Fishscale design on a Grueby pottery base. This rare lamp probably sold to an Arts & Crafts buyer. It realized $150,000, including buyer’s premium, equal to the low estimate of $120,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

I just bought this killer Martin Brother 11½-inch bird.

I’ve been listing on my website many of the new items I’ve recently purchased and I’ll be listing more in the near future, including a couple of fabulous Martin Brothers birds and a great face jug. Please check my site as often as you can.

No more shows in 2016. Our next show will be the NYC Big Flea, the weekend of January 21, at the Lexington Avenue Armory. After that we’ll be in Miami for the Miami Antiques + Art + Design Show, February 3 – 5, 2017. This is the airport show, which will be new and improved, with many additional exhibitors. The changes are happening because the Original Miami Beach Antiques Show will no longer be in Miami Beach, instead changing its name to The Original Miami Antique Show and moving to a new location in southwest Miami. It will all make for an interesting winter season.

Exceptional results for two Emile Gallé lamps at Rago’s Mid-Mod sale, October 15, 2016

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Philip Chasen

I meant to write about this sale earlier, but life got in the way. So here goes. Rago Auctions held their Mid-Mod sale on October 15, 2016. Included in the sale was a small collection of Gallé lamps and vases. The two lamps sold very well, while the rest of the Gallé basically flopped.

Gallé floor lamp, Rago lot #532

Lot #532 was a Gallé floor lamp with allium floral decoration. Other than the rarity, I thought the glass was unexceptional, with only one technique (acid-etching) and uninspiring brown and green colors. On the other hand, the metalwork was fine and floor lamps are really rare. The bidders did not consult me and pushed the final price to $310,000, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $150,000 – $200,000. The air gets kinda thin at that altitude.

Gallé Allium table lamp, Rago lot #533

The next lot, #533, appeared to be a companion table lamp, which in my opinion was finer and more graceful than the floor lamp. It didn’t do as well, realizing $43,750, including buyer’s premium, against an estimate of $40,000 – $60,000.

Most of the other Gallé offered for sale did not sell, with a few exceptions. It was a mixed day for French glass at Rago’s.

I just bought this killer Martin Brother 11½-inch bird.

Tiffany Studios lamps lead the way in James D. Julia’s record $3.1 million Important Lamps, Glass & Fine Jewelry auction, November 18, 2016

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Philip Chasen

James D. Julia, Inc. held its Important Lamps, Glass & Fine Jewelry auction on November 18, 2016, with gross sales of $3.1 million, a record for the lamp & glass division. Much of the merchandise offered was fresh to the market from important collections in the Midwest, Florida and elsewhere.

Tiffany Studios 22″ diam. Drop Head Dragonfly table lamp, Julia lot #1259

Top lot of the sale and a record for any item ever sold by Julia’s lamp & glass division was #1259, a Tiffany Studios 22″ Drop Head Dragonfly table lamp. It more than tripled its low estimate of $120,000, realizing $515,475, including buyer’s premium.

Lot 1216, a Tiffany Studios 22-inch Peony table lamp on a rare mosaic base sold for $394,605

All of the top three Tiffany lamps were consigned from the same Florida collection and all of them were offered with very low estimates and reserves. This was the guidance given to the consignor by the division head, Mike Fredericks, and it certainly was good advice. Each of the three lamps vastly exceeded their estimates and each broke the previous record for any lot sold by the division. As I’ve stated many times before, there is nothing like high quality, fresh merchandise at low estimates. It’s raw meat for the hungry lions.

Gallé marquetry vase, Julia lot #1058

The French glass section of the sale included many fresh, high quality items, which overall did very well. Top lot of this section of the sale was #1058, a fine 17″ Gallé marquetry vase. It sold a little below its low estimate of $50,000, realizing $52,732.50, including buyer’s premium. In my opinion, it would have done better had it been consigned at a less aggressive estimate of $30,000 – $50,000.

Tiffany & Co. mixed metal chocolate pot, Julia lot #1409

The sale included some nice silver, including Tiffany & Co. mixed metal objects. They were met with enthusiasm, with lot #1409, a mixed metal chocolate pot more than tripling its low estimate of $10,000, realizing $40,290, including buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click here, but not immediately. The results are expected to be posted sometime on Monday or Tuesday. You will have to sign in (free) in order to see the prices.

I’ve been listing on my website many of the new items I’ve recently purchased and I’ll be listing more in the near future. Please check my site as often as you can.

No more shows in 2016. Our next show will probably be the NYC Big Flea, the weekend of January 21, at the Lexington Avenue Armory. If not, we’ll be in Miami for the Miami Antiques + Art + Design Show, February 3 – 5, 2017. This is the airport show, which will be new and improved, with many additional exhibitors. It’s all happening because the Miami Beach Antiques Show will not be at the beach, instead moving to a new location in southwest Miami. It will all make for an interesting winter season.

What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Philip Chasen

Tiffany Favrile 7″ diameter shade

It’s been a while since I’ve listed new items on my website, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy. Just the opposite. Between buying and selling and traveling for business and pleasure, I’ve been too busy to update my listings. But that’s beginning to change. I’ve already started to list some of the great items of French and American glass I recently bought. The Tiffany Favrile glass all comes from the same important private collection that I’ve been buying from for the last few years. Following are just a few examples. Please check my website now and every day, as I continue to add new items. If you’re impatient, please email me, philchasen@gmail.com, and I’ll be glad to discuss it with you.

Gorgeous red Tiffany Favrile Tel el Amarna vase

I bought several fine Tiffany Favrile vases from a NYC collection and a 7″ diameter Favrile glass shade and a 4-branch candelabrum from a Washington, DC collection. There are some really great examples here.

Daum pillow vase with Swan>/i> decoration

Daum pillow vase with Swan decoration

Just this past weekend I bought several very fine Daum Nancy vases, including a very rare Swan vase, a gorgeous scenic vase and a covered perfume. I’ll be listing them all as soon as possible, but right this minute only a few have been listed. I’ll be listing more this week. Please check my site as often as you can.

A. Walter pate-de-verre tray with beetle

New Orleans Auction sold French cameo glass at its October 15-16, 2016 sale

Posted on October 20, 2016 by Philip Chasen

New Orleans Auction Galleries held an almost 1000-lot sale, October 15-16, 2016. Included in the sale were quite a few lots of French cameo glass, mostly low quality. I was interested in two of the lots, but unfortunately I missed the sale.

Gallé scenic vase, New Orleans lot #149

Lot #149 was a large, 14″, Gallé scenic vase with very good color and a rare shape. It was estimated to sell for $1,500 – $2,500 and realized $3,500, including buyer’s premium. That was a fair price, so I probably would have been the buyer.

Argy-Rousseau? moth paperweight, New Orleans lot #928

Lot #928 was possibly an Argy-Rousseau pâte-de-verre moth paperweight. It sold for very little money, $812.50, including buyer’s premium. The problem with this lot is that it may or may not have been authentic, as this particular paperweight has been reproduced. From the photo it was very difficult to ascertain its authenticity. My guess was 60/40 that it was a reproduction. In person I would have had no problem. So if I had bought it and determined it to be fake, returning it would have been a hassle. In retrospect, it was probably a good thing I didn’t buy it.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

Our next show in Winnetka, Illinois, is just around the corner, November 4-6, 2016. This is our only fall show in the greater Chicago area (and probably our last show of the year). We always look forward to exhibiting there, especially to see all our friends and clients. Put it in your calendar. It’s a lovely show!

French cameo glass shapes matter

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Philip Chasen

Most of the time a French cameo glass vase is more valuable when the subject matter is more desirable. For instance a Daum rain vase is considerably more valuable than a floral vase if the two are the same size and shape. But what if the same subject matter appears on different shapes? It can make a difference, sometimes a big difference.

Both Daum vases have wild orchids and spider web decoration

Let’s take a look at the same subject matter on different shapes. I think it’s obvious that the above left shape is ordinary, while the shape on the right is special and rare. I would estimate the vase on the right would be worth at least triple.

daum-swan-comparison How about these two? Any shape with a swan is good, as the decoration is rare and very desirable. But let’s just compare the shapes. The covered egg shape is very rare and beautiful, but not everyone loves it. I would say the egg would be more valuable, depending on the size of each.

Fine Galle vase with red fuchsia on a flattened triangular shape

Gallé wasn’t as adventurous with shapes as Daum. Most Gallé shapes are fairly ordinary, but some are very pleasant. I personally like the flattened triangle pictured above.

This Gallé Rio de Janeiro banjo vase was sold at Julia Auction

More than a few collectors like Gallé’s banjo shape so much, they have amassed collections with over 75 different examples. The Rio de Janeiro banjo vase is the one of the rarest.

Cute glass “food”

I hope to put together videos of the glassblowing demonstration we saw in Murano, Italy, for uploading to youtube soon. You’ll want to see it if the process of glassblowing interests you.

Our next show will be in Winnetka, Illinois, November 4-6, 2016. This is our only fall show in the greater Chicago area (and probably our last show of the year). We always look forward to exhibiting there, especially to see all our friends and clients. Put it in your calendar. It’s a lovely show!

Christie’s South Kensington sold some French cameo glass at their Interiors sale, September 14, 2016

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Philip Chasen

Christie’s South Kensington held their Interiors sale yesterday, September 14, 2016, with total sales of £764,688 ($1,009,329). Included in the sale were about twenty French cameo vases. I probably would have bought a few of them, but unfortunately I missed the sale.

Daum Nancy Rain scenic vase, Christie’s lot #201

Lot #201 was a nice Daum Nancy 8½” Rain scenic vase. It exceeded its pre-sale estimate of £3,000 – £5,000, realizing £6,875 ($9,151).

Daum Nancy Thistle vase, Christie’s lot #139

The top lot of the Daum Nancy selection of glass was #139, a huge 19¾” vase, with nice coloration and very fine martelé work in the background. I’ve had similar vases in the past, which were superior to this example, in my opinion. I didn’t like the carving on the foot as it looked too haphazard, like the carver was trying to eliminate flaws in the making. It was all original, but not to my taste. Regardless, it exceeded its high estimate of £6,000, realizing £7,500, ($9,982).

Gallé wheel-carved and intercalaire vase, Christie’s lot #138

Top lot of the Gallé glass was #138, a Hazelnut vase with internal decoration, called intercalaire. Brown is not usually a desirable color, but the high-quality workmanship, including wheel-carving, was attractive to bidders. It sold over its high estimate of £6,000, realizing £8,750 ($11,646). I didn’t like it, so I wasn’t going to bid, no matter what the price.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

Our next show will be in Winnetka, Illinois, November 4-6, 2016. This is our only fall show in the greater Chicago area. We always look forward to exhibiting there, especially to see all our friends and clients. Put it in your calendar. It’s a lovely show!

Philip Chasen Antiques

The blog for chasenantiques.com

Tag Archives: Galle

The results of the NYC Big Flea Antiques Market, January 19-21, 2017

The NYC Big Flea Antiques Market opens this Thursday, January 19, 2017

Sotheby’s Paris held their Emile Gallé sale on November 22, 2016

French glass sold well at Sotheby’s Important Design sale, December 14, 2016

Exceptional results for two Emile Gallé lamps at Rago’s Mid-Mod sale, October 15, 2016

Tiffany Studios lamps lead the way in James D. Julia’s record $3.1 million Important Lamps, Glass & Fine Jewelry auction, November 18, 2016

What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

New Orleans Auction sold French cameo glass at its October 15-16, 2016 sale

French cameo glass shapes matter

Christie’s South Kensington sold some French cameo glass at their Interiors sale, September 14, 2016