A few lamp results from Pook & Pook’s International & Americana auction, April 29, 2017

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.


Pook & Pook, Inc., Downingtown, PA, held their International & Americana auction yesterday, April 29, 2017. Included in the sale was a fine Handel reverse-painted scenic floor lamp and several very good Tiffany and Handel lamp bases.

Handel scenic floor lamp, Pook & Pook lot #428

The Handel scenic floor lamp was sold as lot #428. Most Handel floor lamps have simple shades, making scenic shades of this quality moderately rare. I thought the lamp was fairly estimated at $3,000 – $4,000, but it did not sell, failing to reach its reserve.

Tiffany Studios decorated junior floor base, Pook & Pook lot #430

Lot #430, a Tiffany Studios decorated junior floor base, was the best lamp base for sale at the auction. With six sockets and an excellent original patina, it carried a fair estimate of $15,000 – $20,000. Decorated junior floor lamp bases are more valuable that undecorated ones as they are better suited for 20″ – 22″ diameter floral shades. Undecorated floor bases have smooth surfaces with no ribbing or onion decoration and are good for geometric shades. The base sold under the low estimate, realizing $15,860, including buyer’s premium — a really good price for the buyer.

Also included in the sale were one more Tiffany Studios floor base, lot #429, and several very good Handel bases, lots #431-433. Two sold within their estimates, but one Handel harp floor lamp failed to reach its reserve.

Click here to view all the items in the sale. As of Tuesday morning, May 2, the prices realized have not yet been posted.


I’m really looking forward to our next show, the revived Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show at the Chicago Merchandise Mart. I was quite sad when it folded a few years ago as it was always one of my favorite shows. The new edition will have a new promoter, Dolphin Promotions, headed by Rosemary Krieger. There hasn’t been an antique show in downtown Chicago for several years, so I’m hoping this one will be met with a lot of enthusiasm. The show runs from May 18-21, 2017.

I recently listed over 15 new items on my website 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.

What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

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.

From time to time I like to post an update on what’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques. First I’ve hired my daughter, Lauren, to develop my online presence. We now have a Facebook page (please like it), an Instagram page (please follow us), and a presence on eBay. We’re working on starting a 1st Dibs account and other platforms. Hopefully that will lead to additional online sales, as more shows seem to be failing. Now we only exhibit at a handful of shows, when we used to exhibit at over 20 per year.

The new merchandise is mostly fine French cameo glass, especially Daum Nancy, but also includes reverse-painted lamps by Handel and Pairpoint and KPM plaques.

Rare Daum Nancy Bleeding Hearts lamp

Rare Daum Nancy Bleeding Hearts lamp

First up is the killer of all killers, a stupendous 13½” tall Daum Nancy acid-etched and enameled Bleeding Hearts boudoir table lamp. In over 40 years, I haven’t seen or owned a Daum Nancy lamp with this subject matter. The gorgeous color and detail make it one of the most special items I’ve had for sale in quite some time. Common Daum lamps are acid-etched only and are usually plain Jane.

Killer Daum Nancy French Alps scenic vase

Killer Daum Nancy French Alps scenic vase

Recently I’ve had the good fortune of being able to purchase several fine Daum Nancy scenic vases. The finest of the group is a truly outstanding 9½” tall vase depicting a village and river in the French Alps. I don’t like to be repetitive, but in this case I must. It’s killer!

Rare Handel 18" Bird lamp

Rare Handel 18″ Bird lamp

A beautiful and rare 18″ diameter Handel table lamps with exotic birds on a black background is one of the new lamps just in. It’s special and priced right.

I listed several new items last week and I’ll be listing many more this coming week, so please check my site often.


Click on this image to buy tickets

Click on this image to buy tickets

Our next show is approaching quickly. We’ll be in Glencoe, IL, for the Garden, Antique & Design Show, at the Chicago Botanic Garden, starting April 15th. It’s a beautiful show with both antiques and gardening, that you’ll absolutely enjoy. We only have two remaining shows in the greater Chicago area, so come and say hi!

If you’re selling, please let me know. If you have what I’m looking for, I’m paying the highest prices. My decisions are quick and my payments just as quick. Just snap a photo and email it to me.

I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. I will continue to list more as often as possible. Please click here to take a look.There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

Handel and Tiffany lamps sell at Julia’s Summer Fine Art, Asian, & Antiques Auction, August 27, 2015

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 a 4-day Summer Fine Art, Asian, & Antiques Auction, August 25-28, 2015. I’m only reporting on the lots that interest me, but you can view the entire sale by clicking the link in the fifth paragraph below. For this auction it was lot #3061, a Handel lamp, and #3327, a Tiffany Favrile lamp.

Handel 18" diameter scenic table lamp, Julia lot #3061

Handel 18″ diameter scenic table lamp, Julia lot #3061

Lot #3061 was a rare and really beautiful 18″ diameter scenic table lamp with a rocky stream and tree trunk base. It sold for $10,665, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $3,000 – $5,000. At one time, this was a $25,000 lamp, but since I’m not sure of today’s price, I dropped out as the underbidder. Reverse-painted lamps are difficult to photograph, but I know from experience that it’s much more beautiful in person.

Wheel-carved Tiffany Favrile lamp, Julia lot #3327

Wheel-carved Tiffany Favrile lamp, Julia lot #3327

Lot #3327 was an interesting Tiffany Favrile table lamp, with two unusual features. First the base was matching glass (Favrile shades usually have bronze bases). Secondly the decoration on the shade was completely wheel-carved (engraved) by hand when the shade was cold. Favrile lamps are more commonly decorated by the gaffer when molten, frequently with wave decoration. It did have a couple of flaws — some original folds on the underside and an unsoldered arm on the fitter (which is easy to fix). Estimated to sell for $4,000 – $6,000, it realized $8,887.50, including buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click here. You will have to sign in (free) to see the results.


nyc-big-flea-9-2015Our next show will be The Big Flea Market at Pier 94 in New York City, September 26-27. Last year was the first time for this show and it was good. The attendees were completely different than the established Pier Antique Show that takes place in November and March each year, making it a totally different experience.

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.

Solid results at Rago’s 20th Century Design Auction, June 8, 2013

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.

June is 20th Century month, with every major and some minor auction houses holding a sale. David Rago was first with a 20th Century Design Auction on June 8, 2013.

Martin Bros. bird tobacco jar, Rago lot #156

Martin Bros. bird tobacco jar, Rago lot #156

Lot #156 was not one of the surprises. It was one of several lots of Martinware, that included two tobacco jars. It sold slightly below its pre-sale estimate of $40,000 – $50,000, realizing $43,750, including buyer’s premium. Personally I didn’t find the bird attractive, so the result didn’t surprise me. A rarer dog tobacco jar, lot #155, that was estimated to sell for $15,000 – $20,000, sold for $18,750, right at the low estimate.

Frederick Rhead decorated bowl, Rago lot #105

Frederick Rhead decorated bowl, Rago lot #105

Lot #105, a Frederick Rhead 7¾” diam. bowl, was a pleasant surprise, in keeping with the recent stellar prices for Rhead’s works. It was the top lot of the sale, selling for $55,000, approximately triple its low estimate of $15,000.

Handel 15" diam. Arts & Crafts table lamp, Rago lot #69

Handel 15″ diam. Arts & Crafts table lamp, Rago lot #69

One of the biggest surprises for me was lot #69, a 15″ diameter Handel lamp, with a very simple repeating geometric pattern. Earlier in my career, when I was selling many Handel lamps, I would not have even purchased this lamp, at any price, because it would have been impossible to sell. How things have changed! Now it’s a very desirable Arts & Crafts model that sold for $12,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $7,500 – $9,500. Go figure!

I asked David for some comments about his sale. Here is his reply.

The Saturday session was 89% sold through the day. the first part consisted of 300 lots with an aggregate low of $800,000 and the hammer was $900,000 (plus the bp). The second part had an aggregate low estimate of $150k and it hammered at $245k. total for the day was a hammer of $1,145,000, about $200k over the combined low estimates. The sale felt more than 89% sold because most of the buy ins were insignificant lots, many with reserves under $1k. there was considerable action across the board with 100 phone bidders, 200 internet bidders, a substantial amount of absentee bids, and a full room.

What I found interesting about the sale was that there were few things that really took off (more about that in a minute). Mostly, it was good to very good material performing at or above where we expected it to be, consistently across the board. Furniture, which was the soft spot in our last sale, saw competitive bidding and was almost all sold.

A few pottery lots did exceptionally well. a Redlands cabinet vase with frogs hammered at 12k. a Rhead bowl for University City with a landscape hammered at $44k against a low estimate of 15k. an Ohr vase from a southern estate with a $20 – $30k estimate hammered at $38,000. And the Tiffany lantern attracted wide interest before settling at $22,000.

But again, while the sale lacked some of the six-figure drama of sales past it was something of an auctioneer’s dream in how a great deal of competitive bidding created a fast pace and strong results. The sale sold at nearly 100 lots per hour, above the 80-85 lots we normally see. When this has happened in the past it was usually the result of numerous passed lots (which take very little time). this was the first auction in recent memory to move briskly AND have so much bidding.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

No shows until July 19-21, when we’ll be in Denver. A fellow dealer convinced me to try the show again. She said the show has new promoters, who filled the hall with buyers the last time. So we’ll give it one more shot. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to call or write if you would like to buy, sell or trade.

Just got this incredible 8½

Just got this incredible 8½” Daum swan vase

Click here to view French cameo glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

Wonderful A. Walter pate-de-verre vase with lizard, just in

Wonderful A. Walter pate-de-verre vase with lizard, just in

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.

Doyle New York’s 2/24/10 Belle Epoque auction was a success

Doyle New York holds a Belle Epoque auction twice yearly. It’s a diverse sale of objects from 19th Century Victorian to Art Nouveau, Art Deco and some modern. The winter sale was held on February 24, 2010 with generally excellent results. I asked the expert in charge, Malcolm MacNeil for his impressions of the the sale. Here is his reply.

Tiffany Studios Venetian table lamp, Doyle lot #335

Tiffany Studios Venetian table lamp, Doyle lot #335

“I was extremely pleased with the results of yesterday’s Belle Époque auction. It is a popular sale and always widely anticipated with lots of local, national and international interest. With respect to the art glass, there were approximately 59 lots. As one would expect, items having the greatest dealer and collector interest because of rarity, quality, good condition and desirability had the greatest interest and competitive bidding and generated good results. Of the 20 art glass lots that had an auction pre-sale estimate of $2,000 or higher only one lot failed to sell. It was a green geometric leaded glass shade attributed to Tiffany Studios and estimated at $3,000-5000. It had a high reserve and although it was felt that the glass was indeed by Kokomo (one of Tiffany’s suppliers), alas, it was not by the firm of Tiffany Studios. Returning to the 20 lots having an auction pre-sale low estimate of $2,000 or higher, 9 lots sold below the low estimate and 9 lots sold above the low estimate. Two of the highlights were a Tiffany Studios bronze and leaded favrile glass desk lamp in the Venetian pattern, estimated at $40,000-50,000, which sold for $65,000, plus buyer’s premium, and a Tiffany Studios leaded glass and bronze hanging shade estimated at $70,000-90,000, which sold for $110,000, plus buyer’s premium. Other items in the sale had spectacular results, including furniture, silver and porcelain. Good quality is selling well and great quality is selling very well.”

Handel Connecticut River scenic table lamp, Doyle lot #304

Handel Connecticut River scenic table lamp, Doyle lot #304

Other items which performed well were a Handel obverse and reverse-painted scenic table lamp, estimated for $3-5,000 that sold for $10,625, including buyer’s premium, several good Quezal shades that descended in the family of Edward Conlan, the secretary of the Quezal Art Glass and Decorating Co., and a green Tiffany Studios millifiori decorated vase, estimated at $2,500-3,500, that sold for $9,375, including buyer’s premium. Here is the link for the results for the entire sale. Doyle Belle Epoque results.

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 pottery by Newcomb College, Marblehead and Rookwood. 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.

Lamp sales were good at Julia’s lamp & glass auction, November 20, 2009

James D. Julia, Inc. held their semi-annual lamp & glass auction this past week, November 19 & 20. Both Jim Julia and their lamp & glass expert, Dudley Browne, were pleased with the results. The sale exceeded their expectations of $1.3 million, grossing $1.5 million. Leadership in the sale changed from previous categories of the last sale in Spring, 2009. This time the English cameo glass, Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre, Quezal and Steuben glass were weaker, while Tiffany Studios, French cameo glass and non-Tiffany leaded lamps were stronger.

Today, I’ll review the lamp results and tomorrow the glass results.

Tiffany Studios 17 in. diam. Dragonfly table lamp, Julia's lot #2079, November 20, 2009

Tiffany Studios 17 in. diam. Dragonfly table lamp, Julia's lot #2079, November 20, 2009

A beautiful 17″ diameter Dragonfly lamp with considerable damage sold to a dealer on the telephone for $40,250. If the lamp had less damage and a better base, it would have sold for a much higher price. Another 17″ Dragonfly in the sale, lot 2144, attracted little interest and failed to sell because of the aggressive estimate of $80-100,000. In general, lamps that were too aggressively estimated did not sell, including a 20″ diam. Tiffany Studios Arrowroot table lamp, lot 2125, estimated at $50-60,000.

Unique wisteria table lamp, Julia's lot #2353, November 20, 2009

Unique wisteria table lamp, Julia's lot #2353, November 20, 2009

The sale included a large grouping of high-quality, non-Tiffany Studios, leaded lamps by makers such as Duffner & Kimberly, Handel, Unique, and Morgan. A unique Unique :>) wisteria lamp had an aggressive pre-sale estimate of $15-20,000, and still exceeded the high estimate, realizing a price of $25,875, including buyer’s premium — a surprisingly strong result.

Morgan pansy lamp, Julia's lot #2373, November 20, 2009

Morgan pansy lamp, Julia's lot #2373, November 20, 2009

A pansy leaded lamp with hand-painted and fired flowers by the New York company of J. Morgan & Sons was estimated at $16-20,000. It easily exceeded the high estimate, selling for $26,450, including buyer’s premium.

I will be adding many new and exciting items to my website in the next few days and weeks, many of them at very attractive prices. Please check my website often for the latest. chasenantiques.com.

I’d love to hear from you with 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.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail.com or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

How I got started in the antiques business

Joe Mollica wrote to me with the following question.  How did you get started in the business?

The route I took to becoming an antiques dealer is similar to many others in the fact that I was a collector first.  You can open a card shop or a franchise without much experience, but not an antiques business.  Collecting first gives one the time to gain the requisite knowledge to be successful.

Rare Handel Elk lamp

Rare Handel Elk lamp

In the early 1970s, my sister bought a country house in upstate New York.  One day she asked me to go to an auction with her to buy some items to furnish her house.  I was more than a little bit reluctant, but she was convincing.  So I went with my wife and my sister to my first auction.  It was an old-fashioned estate sale where everything was there to be sold without reserve.  We had no idea what we were doing, but we bought a few items — a rocking chair, a small rug — and had fun.  We started attending auctions and bought without a plan, but antique lighting was especially interesting to me.  I liked the idea that I could buy an antique that was functional.  Handel, with its beautiful reverse-painted lamps, was the first company I gravitated to.  I became knowledgeable quickly and was off to the races.

At the time I was teaching chemistry, physics and math in the NYC high school system.  I’d never wanted to teach, but the army wanted me to become a private in Vietnam or teach.  Hmm, tough choice.  So for the 8½ years that I taught until 1978, I juggled both teaching and the antiques business.  Because of the Women’s Liberation Movement, men could now apply for paternity leaves, so I took a leave for a year.  My wife continued teaching, while I helped to take care of my young daughter.  It allowed me to spend more time in the antiques business.  The year was successful, so I resigned from the New York City Board of Ed and haven’t looked back.  For me it was a good decision.

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.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090.