Coyle’s Auction gets good results for Grueby and R. Lalique glass, June 10, 2012

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.

Coyle’s Auction Gallery of Bellingham, MA, held their summer auction on June 10, 2012. Many of the items were estate fresh, including a fine Grueby two color vase and an R. Lalique bowl and plate. They both did quite well.

Grueby two-color vase, sold at Coyle's Auction

The Grueby vase was two-color, with yellow flowers and leaves on a standard Grueby green ground, repeating three times around the vase. The vase was in “as found” condition, which meant that it was filthy, but in otherwise perfect condition. That’s when you know an item is really estate fresh. It sold for $10,250 + buyer’s premium, for a total of $11,787.50 — impressive!

R. Lalique opalescent bowl and plate with mermaids, sold at Coyle's Auction

An opalescent R. Lalique bowl and plate with mermaids were sold together as one lot. Continuing the strength for good or better R. Lalique at auctions everywhere, the lot sold for $3,565, including the buyer’s premium.

We’ll be exhibiting at the Redondo Beach, CA antique show July 27-29. Please come and visit us and show support by considering purchasing something. This will be our last time exhibiting in the greater LA area if we don’t sell enough to make it worth our while.

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

Results of the Denver Antiques Show, July 16-18, 2010

My booth at the Denver Antiques Show, 2:20 PM, Sunday afternoon

My booth at the Denver Antiques Show, 2:20 PM, Sunday afternoon

2:20 PM Sunday. Although attendance has been decent throughout the show, sales have been poor (read non-existent) since Friday afternoon. So based on the results to this minute, we will not be returning to exhibit in Denver. Should something dramatic happen in the last few hours of the show, I will be pleased to change my mind. It’s too bad that the locals don’t buy enough to support the show. Denver is a nice city and Colorado is a beautiful state, but business is business.

5:00 PM, Sunday. The show just closed and sales for the day were $30. Two out of the three shows in Denver were not good, so we have decided not to return to Denver.

I spoke to several dealers and each and every one told me the show didn’t go well. That’s how shows fail. A vicious cycle begins when the dealers can’t sell enough to warrant returning. The show gets smaller, the public is disappointed, and round and round it goes until the show fails. Cleveland used to be a wonderful city to exhibit many years ago, especially at the Cleveland Coliseum, halfway between Cleveland and Akron. Now all of the shows there have failed and there is no decent antique show in the area.

Now we’re on to the Redondo Beach Antiques Show, just south of Los Angeles, this coming weekend, July 23-25, 2010. That show has been shrinking every year, but business is usually decent. I’ve met some of my best clients there, so I hope it doesn’t fail. Apparently that isn’t the case for the other dealers, as many have dropped out. The antiques show business has become tough, with only the best shows surviving in major cities like Miami, New York, Chicago and Baltimore.

Tiffany Studios 12-light lily floor lamp

Tiffany Studios 12-light lily floor lamp

I’m bringing some amazing items to the Redondo Beach show, including a Tiffany 12-light lily floor lamp. Tiffany lily lamps are not rare, but lily floor lamps are. It’s only the second one that I’ve had for sale in the last 35 years. I’ve got another six Tiffany floor lamps, as well as a superb collection of table lamps that I’ve recently acquired. In addition, I’m bringing a wonderful selection of Tiffany, Galle and Daum Nancy glass, and American art pottery, including some great examples of Grueby, Newcomb College, Marblehead, and George Ohr.

Please come and visit me at the Redondo Beach Antiques Show and introduce yourself.

I recently added over 10 Galle vases to my website, 7 Tiffany lamps, 1 Grueby vase, 1 Newcomb vase, Daum Nancy glass and a fabulous Burgun & Schverer internally decorated vase. This coming week, I’ll be adding many new items. Please take a look. Click on this link chasenantiques.com.

Please send me your comments or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer you in a future blog.

Good results at Christie’s Important 20th Century Decorative Art & Design sale in New York, June 17, 2010

June is 20th Century Decorative Arts Month, or so I’ve named it. Every June (and December), it seems every major (and minor) auction house has a 20th Century Decorative Arts sale. The June sales usually don’t have as powerful a selection as the December sales, but it’s still quite good. The June sale at Sotheby’s was strong, as I reported in my last blog entry. The overall results of the Christie’s sale the following day were good, with total sales of $5,853,100, but the Tiffany lamp sales were weaker, except for the best examples. Sotheby’s selection of Tiffany lamps was more select than Christie’s and the results showed. This time around, collectors were looking for superior examples and those excelled. Bargains were to be had for some of the less expensive lamps. For the most part, under $50,000 lamps suffered, while the over $100,000 lamps did well.

Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann commode, circa 1925, Christie's lot #97, June 17, 2010

Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann commode, circa 1925, Christie's lot #97, June 17, 2010

The top lot of Christie’s sale was #97, an Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann burl walnut and ivory commode, circa 1925. Estimated to sell for $150,000-200,000, it quadrupled the low estimate to sell for $614,500, including buyer’s premium.

Tiffany Studios Grape chandelier, Christie's lot #45, June 17, 2010

Tiffany Studios Grape chandelier, Christie's lot #45, June 17, 2010

A beautiful Tiffany Studios Grape chandelier, lot #45, was the second highest lot of the sale. It more than doubled the low estimate, selling for $398,500, against an estimate of $150,000-200,000. It continued the trend of strong results for the best examples.

Tiffany Studios 16 inch diameter Linenfold table lamp, Christie's lot #29, June 17, 2010

Tiffany Studios 16 inch diameter Linenfold table lamp, Christie's lot #29, June 17, 2010

At the other end of the spectrum, there were bargains to be had. Lot #29 was a 16″ diameter Tiffany Studios Linenfold table lamp. It was estimated very conservatively at $8-12,000 and sold for $9,375, including buyer’s premium, slightly below the low estimate. At retail, the lamp is estimated to sell for $15-20,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link. Christie’s 20th Century results.

I just added over 10 Galle vases to my website, 7 Tiffany lamps, 1 Grueby vase, 1 Newcomb vase, Daum Nancy glass and a fabulous Burgun & Schverer internally decorated vase. I’m spending a lot of time this spring adding new items. Please take a look. Click on this link chasenantiques.com.

Please send me your comments or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer you in a future blog.

A day in the life of an antiques dealer

Fine 8½ inch Grueby vase

Fine 8½ inch Grueby vase

I exhibit at shows around the country and one question that is often asked of me is “How do you get these things?” Well, here’s one day in my life that will partially answer the question.

Yesterday, Saturday, was planned in advance. There were three auctions around the country where I was going to bid. That’s usually a simple matter of arranging with the auction houses to leave bids (called absentee bids) or bidding on the telephone. I don’t usually like to leave absentee bids because a dishonest auctioneer can run the bid, which means he will execute the maximum bid, rather than bidding competitively with the audience. An honest auctioneer won’t do this, but even after many years in the business, it’s difficult to ascertain the truly honest ones. I will leave absentee bids at auction houses that have proven their honesty to me.

So far, so good, until a fly got into the ointment. One of the auctioneers changed some of the usual rules. He decided not to permit any phone or absentee bids whatsoever. From a business point of view, that doesn’t seem to make any sense. There are bidders who don’t have the ability or the desire to travel big distances to bid on an item. This auctioneer was closing the door on all bidders around the United States and the world, who were not within traveling distance. That makes even less sense in today’s Internet world, as bidders from remote locations have the ability to find an item and bid on it. Auctions are supposed to be competitive events where the highest bidder gets the item. To be fair, there is something positive to be said for this rule change. Those people who are willing to travel to personally attend such an auction are qualified and determined. After making the trip, they’re not going home empty-handed. They’re going to bid strongly, including on items they didn’t intend to until they showed up in person.

OK, back to Saturday’s plan. My wife and I were willing to drive 4½ hours to upstate New York to attend an auction with six Icart etchings, a Gallé faience vase and a Rookwood iris glaze vase with fish. The logic was that I’m a strong bidder and there was a decent likelihood that I could go home with most or all of these items at good prices. So we left Long Island at 10:45 AM and started driving upstate. At about 11:30 AM, I got a call from auction house #1 and successfully bid on a fine Grueby vase (see photo above), but was forced to pay more than I had originally planned. But the vase is such a nice example that I’m happy to get it.

We arrived at the auction house in upstate New York at about 3:30 PM and viewed the items. They were as represented, so now we had to amuse ourselves until the auction started at 5 PM. Unfortunately there was nothing in the area to do, so we aimlessly drove around until the auction began. In the meantime, auction house #1 called again for me to bid on a very nice Gallé vase. The estimate was $1/1500. I was prepared to bid $1800 plus the buyer’s premium, for a total of about $2100. The bidding began at $500 and I bid $550 and then, amazingly, the bidding stopped. I bought the vase for $550 + buyer’s premium, for a total of $649. ?#%@#&?? I never look a gift horse in the mouth and this was a nice gift.

Louis Icart original etching <i>Bubbles</i>

Louis Icart original etching Bubbles

Back to the live auction. First came the Gallé faience vase, a large early example that ordinarily I would have no interest in. This vase was for collectors of Gallé esoterica, and I don’t know many such collectors, so I wasn’t going to bid much. I was outbid and relieved. Then came the Rookwood vase. Rookwood sales have been few and far between recently, so again I wasn’t going to bid a lot. I was outbid again. Then at 6 PM, the auctioneer began selling the Icart etchings. First up was the best one, Bubbles. I had hoped to buy it in the $1,500-2,000 range. I bid $3,000 and was outbid by a young couple in the back, who paid $3,100 + buyer’s premium, for a total of $3,472. Disappointment! Pals, another good one came up next. Again outbid by the same couple. Drats! The third one was Silk Robe, another good one. Same result. Triple drats! This evening is not going quite as planned. I started thinking I was going home with nothing when Orchids came to the auction block. This time I was the successful bidder. Yay! Mockery and Don Juan were next and I was able to buy both. The trip wasn’t a total waste.

Daum Nancy covered salt, similar to the one sold at a Florida auction

Daum Nancy covered salt, similar to the one sold at a Florida auction

We were able to leave fairly early at about 6:45 PM and started driving home, though at times through torrential rain. At 8 PM, auction house #3, in Florida, called me to bid on a Daum Nancy covered salt. It was the only good item in a small auction. It wasn’t well advertised and I only found out about it because the auctioneer sent me an email asking for an authentication. So I knew I could sneak up on this item and get it for a bargain. Wrong!! Again outbid, as the salt sold for $1,232.

Home at 10:45 PM, 12 hours after we left. Expenditures — 12 hours time x 2 people, gas, tolls, wear and tear. Bounty — 1 Grueby vase, 1 Gallé vase, 3 Icart etchings. It looks so easy when people visit us at shows and see all the merchandise nicely set up. Multiply this story by the hundreds of items that we display and you have a partial answer to the original question, “How do you get these things?”

Today I’ll be adding to my website several new Galle vases that I’ve recently acquired. I added a few the other day and today more. Please take a look. Click on this link chasenantiques.com.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog.

Setting up at the Grove Park Inn Antiques Show

For several years, I’ve heard lots of good things about the Grove Park Inn Antiques Show, though I’ve never had the opportunity to visit nor exhibit there. I decided this was the year to try, and so far it’s looking like a very good decision. The show hasn’t even opened yet, but it’s very pleasant so far, with a good vibe.

That's me in front of one of the giant fireplaces

That’s me in front of one of the giant fireplaces

First is the Grove Park Inn itself. It’s a wonderful 1913 masterpiece of a hotel. Just being in the lobby with the gigantic boulder fireplaces surrounded by people warming themselves in rocking chairs is great fun. Add to that a glass of delicious Ravenswood Zinfandel Lodi 2007 and you’ve got a wonderful relaxing time. And of course, enjoying it with my honey makes it perfect.

The show promoter, Bruce Johnson, is very friendly. He made us feel welcome, as well as most of the other dealers, many of whom I already know. Setup went very well, except that North Carolina is having a cold wave. It was colder here than in New York. For most of the day, the roll up door was open and we had to set up in freezing conditions. What a relief when they finally closed the door and the room warmed up.

Some of the wonderful Arts & Crafts furniture at the show

Some of the wonderful Arts & Crafts furniture at the show

It’s a beautiful show with very high quality Arts & Crafts furniture, ceramics, and linens. The show is mixed, with the antiques dealers in the main ballroom and the quality reproduction dealers in the hallways. There are many lectures for attendees, so the whole weekend is a complete Arts & Crafts experience. From everything I can see, it’s Arts & Crafts heaven.

My booth, almost set up at Grove Park Inn

My booth, almost set up at Grove Park Inn

I’m not a perfect fit for this show, as many of my items are Art Nouveau, but I have enough Arts & Crafts items to satisfy many collectors. I’ve brought many Tiffany lamps and they’re perfect for Arts & Crafts homes. I also have a nice collection of Arts & Crafts ceramics, including Rookwood, Newcomb College, Grueby, Arequipa, Marblehead, and others.

Right now, I’ve got a good feeling that the show will go well. Read my post on Monday and I’ll let you know.

I’m taking a lot of time to add new items to my website. I’ve already listed new items under Gallé glass (including a blownout vase), Daum Nancy glass and Tiffany Studios glass. Soon I’ll be adding many Tiffany Studios desk pieces. Please take a look, as every day I’m adding more. Click on this link chasenantiques.com.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.