The results of the Miami National Antiques Show, January 22-24, 2014

Posted on January 27, 2014 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. Tune in this Thursday for news from the Original Miami Beach Antique Show.
.

My aisle, Saturday afternoon at 4:30 PM

It’s Saturday afternoon at 3:45 PM as I start to write this blog. Half the Miami National Antiques Show is over, with reasonably good results to this point, far exceeding last year’s results. Attendance was fairly good yesterday, with some real buyers in the crowd. Attendance today is much weaker, so boredom is setting in. I’ve got some clients considering major purchases, but I can’t take that to the bank.

Attendance was a little better on Sunday at 2:30 PM

UPDATE: Sunday, 2:45 PM. Attendance is a little better today, but not sales. Made one sale early on Saturday, but none today. Some people arrived early to catch the last day of the Miami National Antiques Show before going on to the big Miami Beach show later this week. It looks like this show will finish with a whimper, not a bang, but it’s still been a good show. The de facto end to our show was Saturday at 1 PM, but there was no way to know that in advance.

FINAL UPDATE: Sunday, 5:00 PM. WRONG! I’m happy to report that the show ended with a bang, not a whimper. We made three significant sales in the last two hours — a nice way to finish a show that was a bust last year.

One of the fine Daum Nancy vases sold at the show

The excitement will begin this Tuesday, when we start setting up the Original Miami Beach Antique Show. All the big shot collectors and dealers will be there, creating a totally different ambiance. The show opens to the public this Thursday at noon and will continue until Monday, at 6 PM. You still have time to make plans to come to Miami this week. According to the weather report, the daytime temperature will range from 67° to 82° for the next 10 days. Last I checked, the temperature was 26° in New York City, 19° in Detroit, and 5° in Minneapolis. This is a great time to visit Miami. You’ll be able to see the best antique show of the year, enjoy the weather and eat at many great restaurants.

We’ll have this great Tiffany Studios candlestick lamp at the show

We’ll end our southern swing with the wonderful Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference, February 21 – 23, 2014. We last exhibited there a few years ago and couldn’t exhibit again because of scheduling conflicts. This year there were no conflicts, so we’re happy to return. It will immediately follow the important Palm Beach Antiques Show.

Andre Gisson painting with rare balloon subject matter

Click here to view my new website and look around. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps

Setting up at the Miami National Antiques Show, January 22, 2014

Posted on January 23, 2014 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. Tune in next Monday for the results of the Miami National Antiques Show.

Lia is busy setting up

Yesterday was the first day of set-up at the Miami National Antiques Show. Set-up went smoothly, but there’s still a full day’s work left before the booth will be ready for the public. The show opens this Friday at noon and ends on Sunday at 5 PM.

Toulouse Antiques has a beautiful display

There are some very high quality dealers at the show, so the displays are top-notch. You can get first crack at this wonderful merchandise by visiting the show before next week’s Original Miami Beach Antiques Show.

The Grodskys have brought an impressive selection of Handel and Pairpoint lamps

You still have time to make plans to come to Miami this week to see the Miami National Antiques Show and then the Original Miami Beach Antique Show the following week. According to the weather report, the daytime temperature will range from 66° to 80° for the next 10 days. Last I checked, the temperature was 7° in Long Island, 10° in Detroit, and 0° in Minneapolis. This is a great time to visit Miami. You’ll be able to see two great antique shows, enjoy the weather and eat at many great restaurants.

We’ll have this great Tiffany Studios candlestick lamp at the show

Andre Gisson painting with rare balloon subject matter

The Miami National Antiques Show begins this Friday, January 24, 2014

Posted on January 20, 2014 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. This Thursday’s blog will be from Miami, after we’ve finished setting up the show.

It’s hard to believe, but the Miami shows are about to begin. It seemed they were so far away and now they’re here. The Miami National Antiques Show is first, beginning this Friday, January 24th, at noon and continuing until Sunday, January 26th, at 5 PM. The show is located at the Doubletree Expo Centre, Miami Merchandise Mart, near the southwest corner of Miami International Airport.

My booth last year at the Miami National Antique Show

This is the warm-up show for the big Original Miami Beach Antique Show to be held the following week at the Miami Beach Convention Center. However, this year the show is under new management — U.S. Antique Shows, the same management as next week’s Original Miami Beach Antique Show. New show promoters generally mean a show will be better because of increased advertising, new dealers and better attendance. Here’s hoping it will be true this time.

Fantastic Tiffany Favrile black decorated vase, just in

We’ve been buying for the last several weeks, with great success. We’re bringing wonderful Tiffany Studios glass, lamps and candlesticks we’ve purchased from fantastic private collections. We’ll have it all on display at our four shows down south, starting with the Miami National Antiques Show.

This killer Tiffany Favrile student lamp will be at the show

You still have time to make plans to come to Miami early to see the Miami National Antiques Show and then the Original Miami Beach Antique Show the following week. According to the weather report, the temperature will be in the 60s and 70s every day for the next 10 days. With another polar vortex coming to the center of the country and moving east, this is a great time to visit Miami. You’ll be able to see two great antique shows, enjoy the weather and eat at many great restaurants.

We’ll have this great Tiffany Studios candlestick lamp at the show

Andre Gisson painting with rare balloon subject matter

Sotheby’s amazing $1 billion November

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Philip Chasen

Sotheby’s worldwide auctions of art and jewelry totaled $1.02 billion in 10 days in November, 2013. Records were broken repeatedly, including for individual items and total sales. Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale realized $200 million, the highest total for any jewelry auction ever.

Giacometti bronze Grande Tête Mince (Grand Tête de Diego), Sotheby’s lot #15

Top lot of the Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sales on November 6th was #15, a bronze sculpture by Alberto Giacometti entitled Grande Tête Mince (Grand Tête de Diego). Estimated to sell for $30,000,000 – $50,000,000, it realized $50,005,000 — near the high estimate.

Andy Warhol Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster), Sotheby’s lot #16

Andy Warhol won the bidding wars at the Contemporary Art Evening Auction on November 13th. His Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster), lot #16, sold for $105,445,000, a world record for a Warhol. The estimate was secret, listed as “Estimate Upon Request”. Not sure why they do that, but basically it means “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.”

Robert Mapplethorpe portrait of Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol was a regular at the Triple Pier Show in NYC before his death in 1987 at age 58. I saw him many times, but never talking to anyone. He never came into my booth. I wish I had taken a photograph of him, but it didn’t even cross my mind at the time. I didn’t know he would become such a big deal.

We’ve been buying for the last several weeks, with great success. You won’t believe all the wonderful Tiffany Studios glass, lamps and candlesticks we’ve purchased from fantastic private collections. We’ll have it all on display at our four shows down south, starting with the Miami National Antiques Show on January 24, 2014, less than two weeks away. We’ll end with the wonderful Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference, February 21 – 23, 2014. We last exhibited there a few years ago and couldn’t exhibit again because of scheduling conflicts. This year there were no conflicts, so we’re happy to return. It will immediately follow the important Palm Beach Antiques Show.

Wonderful Tiffany Favrile vase with wheel-carved leaves, just in

The Chicago Merchandise Mart has canceled their 2014 spring antiques show

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Philip Chasen

The aisles were jammed at the Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antiques Show. Let’s hope we can see the same crowds in Chicago.

The Chicago Merchandise Mart has decided to cancel their 16-year-old spring antiques show, at least for 2014, and likely for good. The news is so new that the 2014 dates are still listed on their website as of this writing, merchandisemartantiques.com. What a shame! This was one of my favorite shows of the year — elegant, personal, easy, productive.

So what happened? In one word, competition. The Palm Beach Show Group decided to hold a major antiques show in Chicago the same week as the Merchandise Mart. There aren’t enough good show dealers to fill both shows the same week, so something had to give. I couldn’t understand why the Palm Beach Show Group decided to hold their show the same week. I sent emails, I asked questions, but basically got the runaround. It wasn’t until the Merchandise Mart canceled their show that I probably got closer to the truth. Apparently the Palm Beach Show Group tried to buy the Merchandise Mart Antiques Show, but was unable, for whatever reason(s). It looks like they intentionally chose the same week to drive the Merchandise Mart out, and they succeeded. Too bad, because I think the Merchandise Mart would have been better off with the Palm Beach Show Group in charge. It would have been the best of both worlds — the Merchandise Mart is a great location and the Palm Beach Show Group are great promoters. Additionally the Mart may have soured on all art and antiques fairs. In early 2012 they shut down their annual modern art fair.

An aerial view of Chicago’s Navy Pier

Now that the winner of the duel has been decided, we wish the Palm Beach Show Group success with their new Chicago International Art, Antique & Jewelry Show at the Navy Pier, April 24-28, 2014. I’ve signed up, chosen a booth and listed the show on my website calendar. I’ve heard complaints about the facility — it’s hard to park, etc., etc. But now there’s only one good game in town, so buyers will somehow find their way. If history is any indication, attendance will surely pick up because of good promotion. We have to hope that there will be real buyers in the large crowds, which will make the dealers happy and the show succeed.

We’ve been buying for the last several weeks, and will continue to buy more, in anticipation of our four shows down south, starting with the Miami National Antiques Show on January 24, 2014 and ending with the wonderful Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference, February 21 – 23, 2014. We last exhibited there a few years ago and couldn’t exhibit again because of scheduling conflicts. This year there were no conflicts, so we’re happy to return. It will immediately follow the important Palm Beach Antiques Show.

Wonderful Tiffany Favrile vase with wheel-carved leaves, just in

The Miami National Antique Show will start on January 24, 2014

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Philip Chasen

We’ve been planning and planning for the Miami antique shows and now they’re almost upon us. First up will be the Miami National Antiques Show (The Airport Show) at the Doubletree Expo Centre, Miami Merchandise Mart, near the southwest corner of the Miami International Airport. It will open to the public on Friday, January 24th, at noon, and continue until Sunday, January 26th, at 5 PM.

Last year at the show

This will be the first year the show will be run by U.S. Antique Shows, after purchasing it from Rosemary Krieger of Dolphin Promotions. U.S. Antique Shows has been on a buying spree, buying this show as well as all the New York shows of Stella Show Management Co., which included the Pier Antique Show. Shows usually get better when new promoters take over, as they tend to increase advertising budgets, acquire new dealers and make other beneficial changes. As an example, the Pier Antique Show saw a significant increase in attendance this past November as U.S. Antique Shows ran the show for the first time. As a result, I hope to have a good report on the Miami National Antique Show. Look for that post on Monday, January 27th.

In the meantime, I strongly suggest you make plans to attend. There are always terrific dealers at the show with an incredible selection of fresh items. You can get first crack at them, before the dealers exhibit the following week at the important Original Miami Beach Antiques Show (also run by U.S. Antique Shows). The weather will be warm, the food will be great, and the antiques shopping will be fantastic! Why stay home in cold ____ (you fill in the blank), when you could be relaxing in Miami? For more information about the show, click here.

Wonderful Tiffany Favrile vase with wheel-carved leaves, just in

Sotheby’s New York sells a Tiffany Studios Wisteria table lamp for $1,565,000, December 18, 2013

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Philip Chasen

December is 20th Century month, with every major and many minor auction houses holding a sale. Sotheby’s held two sales yesterday, December 18, 2013, with some truly impressive individual results. The Important Tiffany auction realized total sales of $3,675,625, while the Important 20th Century Design sale realized $5,145,500.

Tiffany Studios Wisteria table lamp, Sotheby’s lot #330

First among the results was a world-record price for a Tiffany Studios Wisteria table lamp at auction. Sold as lot #330, with a pre-sale estimate of $600,000 — 800,000, it soared to $1,565,000, with two phone bidders who wouldn’t give up. The color was strong and the provenance royal, from Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza of Spain.

Tiffany Studios Double Poinsettia table lamp. Sotheby’s lot #317

Another Tiffany lamp with a super result was lot #317, a 22″ Double Poinsettia. It was a particularly nice example, with strong red and blue colors — just what collectors like. It sold for $221,000, against an estimate of $120,000 — $180,000.

Wonderful, rare Tiffany Favrile red carved vase, Sotheby’s lot #304

The selection of Tiffany Favrile vases in the sale was limited, but choice. I lusted for lot #304, a fantastic cherry red Tiffany Favrile vase, completely wheel-carved with flowers and leaves. It sold for $21,250, against an estimate of $8,000 — $12,000. Unfortunately, I was the underbidder. There’s only so much a dealer can pay. Retail buyers will win every time.

There were some disappointments too. The cover lot, a rare Tiffany Bat lamp failed to reach its reserve of $500,000, against an estimate of $550,000 – $750,000. Another important lot, a piano from Louis Comfort Tiffany’s studio in the Charles Tiffany mansion in NYC, also failed to sell, against a reserve of $200,000 – $300,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here. Tune in Monday for the results of Christie’s 20th Century sales being held today, Thursday, December 19, 2013.

We’ll be busy buying for the next several weeks in anticipation of the important Florida shows, starting with the Miami National Antiques Show on January 24, 2014. We’ll end our winter schedule with the wonderful Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference, February 21 – 23, 2014. We last exhibited there a few years ago and couldn’t exhibit again because of scheduling conflicts. This year there were no conflicts, so we’re happy to return. It will immediately follow the important Palm Beach Antiques Show.

Wonderful Tiffany Favrile vase with wheel-carved leaves, just in

Two more VERY interesting items from Christie’s Interiors sale, December 11, 2013

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Christie’s held their Interiors sale last week, December 11-12, 2013. I last wrote about a couple of interesting French lots in the sale. Today’s post will be about two very curious American lots from the same sale. They’re both interesting, but for very different reasons. Let me explain.

Christie’s lot #254 is on the left. A complete vase is on the right.

Lot #254 was a rare and very desirable Tiffany Favrile vase, but not exactly this example. You see it was only half a Tiffany vase. Someone, sometime, in its history decided to re-carve the vase into an amusing shape. It’s hard to believe this was done at the factory, so the best explanation is that someone took a seriously damaged vase and became very creative. The workmanship involved in cutting the vase was expert. Christie’s didn’t even think it was an authentic Tiffany Favrile vase, so they called it “AN AMERICAN CLEAR AND COLORED CAMEO GLASS VASE, SIGNED IN ETCH ‘L.C. TIFFANY-FAVRILE’, EARLY 20TH CENTURY”. In fact, if it were complete, it was a killer example. The color was much better than usual and the grape clusters were bigger. Even with the creative carving, it realized $3,125, including the buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $1,500 – $2,000.

Pairpoint Hummingbird & Roses puffy table lamp, Christie’s lot #463

Lot #463, a Pairpoint Hummingbird & Roses puffy table lamp, wasn’t quite as amusing, but still interesting. Why was the lamp photographed with the shade on the table? Take a look at the spider arms. They’re upside-down, so the shade couldn’t possibly rest on the arms. That tickles me. This was another lot that I had hoped to sneak up on. The shade was the larger of two versions, 16″ in diameter, with no chips and a very desirable green background. BUT, I didn’t bid one penny for it. Upon inspection, the interior paint was peeling off the roses — a very rare occurrence. How disappointing! The lamp failed to sell, even with a very fair estimate of $4,000 – $6,000 and a likely reserve of half the low estimate, or $2,000. The paint peeling was subtle, so it probably wouldn’t have been detected in a condition report. This is one bullet I dodged by viewing the item in person.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

Wonderful Tiffany Favrile vase with wheel-carved leaves, just in

Some VERY interesting results for art glass at Christie’s Interiors sale, December 11, 2013

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Christie’s held an Interiors sale, yesterday, December 11, 2013, with first day sales totaling $1,796,875. Included in the sale were a few lots of art glass that were very interesting, for different reasons. Let me explain.

Gallé Magnolia table lamp, Christie’s lot #252

Lot #252 was a monumental Gallé table lamp, 30″ tall. It was decorated with red magnolias on a yellow ground, using the windowpane technique to keep the flowers red. It was an important lamp that should have been in the main 20th Century sale coming up later this month. It carried a very low estimate of $7,000 – $9,000. I had hopes that it would sneak by so I could buy it for $20,000 or less. It didn’t take long to find out that was a pipe dream. It sold for $50,000, including buyer’s premium, even with a large chip on the fitter rim of the base. But, it was a beauty, and at least two people realized it.

Reproduction Gallé mold-blown lamp, Christie’s lot #255

Now for the complete opposite. Lot #255 was listed as “A FRENCH CAMEO GLASS TABLE LAMP AND SHADE, THE SHADE AND BASE SIGNED IN CAMEO FOR ‘GALLE’, EARLY 20TH CENTURY”. Now this was a BIG boo-boo that shouldn’t have happened at a major auction house like Christie’s. This was a modern reproduction Romanian lamp, signed “Gallé” and also signed “TIP”, which is “type” in Romanian. If you’ve read my lessons on French Cameo Glass, all you had to do was read lesson #5. The lamp was estimated to sell for $4,000 – $6,000, and realized $3,125. If it were authentic, it would have sold in the $100,000 neighborhood. There is going to be one unhappy buyer when he/she finds out.

I’m saving two more goodies from this sale for Monday’s post. They are MOST interesting for very different reasons. Tune in on Monday and I’ll explain.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

We’ll be busy buying for the next several weeks in anticipation of the important Florida shows, starting with the Miami National Antiques Show on January 24, 2014. We’ll end our winter schedule with the wonderful Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference, February 21 – 23, 2014. We last exhibited there a few years ago and couldn’t do it again because of scheduling conflicts. This year there were no conflicts, so we’re happy to return. It will immediately follow the important Palm Beach Antiques Show.

Fine Tiffany Favrile vase with applied handles, just in

Heritage’s Tiffany, Lalique & Art Glass auction grosses over $1 million, December 4, 2013

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Philip Chasen

Heritage Auction held a Tiffany, Lalique & Art Glass auction on December 4, 2013. It wasn’t a stellar sale, with mostly B level items, but the results were decent. 344 of the 364 offerings sold, for a high sell-through rate. The sale totaled $1,030,706, for an average of $2,996 per sold item.

Tiffany Studios 22″ Belted Turtleback table lamp, Heritage lot #89039

Top lot of the sale was a Tiffany Studios 22″ Belted Turtleback table lamp, with a rare base, in a non-mosaic tile version. When inset with mosaic tiles, this same base is much more valuable. The lamp sold just below the low estimate of $100,000, for a total of $118,750, including buyer’s premium. The consignor was lucky to sell the lamp, as it wasn’t exciting and carried an overly optimistic estimate.

Fine Tiffany Favrile paperweight vase, Heritage lot #89049

The top Tiffany Favrile glass lot of the auction was #89049, a fine paperweight example, purchased in 1978 from Grover Antiques. It sold just below its low estimate of $25,000, for a final price of $30,000.

Fine Loetz black bottom vase, Heritage lot #89172

The most interesting lot of the sale was #89172, a rare, desirable, signed Loetz 7″ black bottom vase. It carried a ridiculously low estimate of $1,000 – $1,500. Black bottom Loetz vases have been selling in the $10,000 price range for the last 20 years, so why did Heritage put a $1,000 – $1,500 estimate? Only two explanations make sense. First they didn’t know, or second they did it purposely to generate excitement. Regardless of the reason, the vase soared to a final price of $13,750.

For the complete results of the sale, click here. You will have to sign in to get the prices realized.

We’ll be busy buying for the next couple of months in anticipation of the important Florida shows, starting with the Miami National Antiques Show on January 24, 2014. We’ll end our winter schedule with the wonderful Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference, February 21 – 23, 2014. We last exhibited there a few years ago and couldn’t do it again because of scheduling conflicts. This year there were no conflicts, so we’re happy to return. It will immediately follow the important Palm Beach Antiques Show.

Fine Tiffany Favrile vase with applied handles, just in

Philip Chasen Antiques

The blog for chasenantiques.com

Tag Archives: Philip Chasen blog

The results of the Miami National Antiques Show, January 22-24, 2014

Setting up at the Miami National Antiques Show, January 22, 2014

The Miami National Antiques Show begins this Friday, January 24, 2014

Sotheby’s amazing $1 billion November

The Chicago Merchandise Mart has canceled their 2014 spring antiques show

The Miami National Antique Show will start on January 24, 2014

Sotheby’s New York sells a Tiffany Studios Wisteria table lamp for $1,565,000, December 18, 2013

Two more VERY interesting items from Christie’s Interiors sale, December 11, 2013

Some VERY interesting results for art glass at Christie’s Interiors sale, December 11, 2013

Heritage’s Tiffany, Lalique & Art Glass auction grosses over $1 million, December 4, 2013