A few good results at Bonham’s New York 20th Century Decorative Arts sale, June 12, 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.

Bonham’s New York held their 20th Century Decorative Arts sale on June 12, 2012, with fair results. There were a few good sales, but more than a few items went unsold. Sotheby’s and Christie’s held their 20th Century sales in the two days following Bonham’s, with considerably better results.

Tiffany Studios Lotus table lamp, Bonham's lot #4061

Top lot of the Bonham’s sale was #4061, a Tiffany Studios Lotus table lamp. Estimated to sell for $80,000 – $100,000, it squeaked by to sell near the low estimate, reaching $92,500, including buyer’s premium.

Art Deco bronze and ivory figure, Dourga, by Chiparus, Bonham's lot #4205

Second best lot of the sale was an Art Deco 24½” bronze and ivory statue by Demetre Chiparus, entitled Dourga. It soared past its pre-sale estimate of $25,000 – $35,000 to sell for $88,900. That continued the decade-long strength by important Art Deco bronze and ivory artists like Chiparus and Preiss.

Rare R. Lalique vase, Deux Anneaux Lizards, Bonham's lot #4195

René Lalique glass sold well, also showing continued strength. Top Lalique lot was #4195, a rare frosted glass two-handled vase, Deux Anneaux Lizards. It was sold privately after the auction for $20,000, against an aggressive estimate of $20,000 – $30,000.

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

Thursday I’ll cover James D. Julia’s Important Lamp and Glass auction that took place on June 21.

Our next show won’t be until July 27-29, in Redondo Beach, CA, but we’re still very much in business. Don’t hesitate to call or write, and let me know what you’d like to buy, sell, or trade.

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Very fine, internally decorated Burgun & Schverer vase, just in

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 this past week, I added about 10 new items. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Noguchi table leads the way at Christie’s New York Important 20th Century Decorative Art & Design sale, June 14, 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.

Important and unique marble table by Isamu Noguchi, Christie's lot #175

Christie’s New York held their Important 20th Century Decorative Art & Design sale on June 14, 2012. A unique marble table by Isamu Noguchi, lot #175, commissioned for the Chappaqua, NY home of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel C. Dretzin, 1948-49, led the sale with an impressive result. Estimated to sell for $800,000 – $1,200,000, it more than doubled its high estimate to sell for $2,882,500, including buyer’s premium.

Important R. Lalique cire perdue vase, Rondes D'Enfants, Christie's lot #153

Top lot of the glass section of the sale was #153, an R. Lalique cire perdue vase from 1930, entitled Ronde D’Enfants, #5/5 from a small edition of five. It sold within its estimate of $200,000 – $300,000, realizing $290,500. The Lalique market, in general, appears solid, with good results worldwide for better vases.

Rare Tiffany Studios Dragonfly lamp on blownout crab base, Christie's lot #111

A wonderful Tiffany Studios 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp, lot #111, with a rare blownout crab base, was the lamp leader, selling for $266,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $100,000 – $150,000.

Total sales were $8,821,337, roughly twice as much as Sotheby’s the day before, helped in no small part by the sale of the Noguchi table. For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link. Christie’s 20th Century sale results.

Just prior to the Important 20th Century Decorative Art & Design sale, Christie’s conducted a one-owner sale of seven Tiffany Studios lamps. Results were less than stellar, with four of the seven lamps selling, including a very fine Wisteria lamp for $602,500. For the results of this sale, click on the following link. Christie’s Henry Africa’s lamps results.

James D. Julia’s Important Lamp and Glass auction is happening today, Thursday, June 21, while Skinner’s 20th Century Design sale will happen this Saturday. After that we can expect a calmer July.

Our next show won’t be until July 27-29, in Redondo Beach, CA, but we’re still very much in business. Don’t hesitate to call or write, and let me know what you’d like to buy, sell, or trade.

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A killer Gallé fuchsia blownout vase, just in

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. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

The Original Miami Beach Antiques Show opens on Thursday, February 2, 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. Since the Original Miami Beach Antique Show closes on Monday, Feb. 6th, I will post again on Tuesday, Feb. 7th, with the results of the show.

We're starting to get set up on Tuesday

The Original Miami Beach Antiques Show started setting up on Tuesday, January 31st and continued until Tuesday, February 1st. As the show is huge, it was quite an undertaking to get all the dealers in and ready for business. Lots of business was transacted during set-up — I would estimate millions of dollars before the first paying customer will walk in the door on Thursday, February 2, 2012. I personally saw tens of thousands of dollars in business transacted.

We're set up and ready for business

This show is one of the most exciting of the year for a variety of reasons. First, the show is huge. Second, many of the exhibitors exhibit at very few shows. Third, the quality of the exhibits is very high. Fourth, buyers fly in from all over the world. Fifth, the show is in Miami Beach in the middle of winter (whoo hoo!). I wouldn’t be surprised if the total of all the merchandise for sale totaled $1 billion. I would also guess that many tens of millions of dollars of business will be transacted over the course of the show.

Rare and important, large Le Verre Francais Palmiers Bleus vase

I was lucky to buy some superb items during the set-up. In no particular order, I bought a rare and important Le Verre Francais Palmiers Bleus vase; a superb Tiffany Favrile green-black millifiori vase; a Tiffany Studios green turtleback swivel desk lamp; an R. Lalique highly opalescent box, Houppes; a Handel boudoir Venice scenic lamp; and finally a large 19th plaque of a beautiful woman.

Rare Tiffany Studios Turtleback swivel desk lamp

The show runs from Thursday, February 2nd at noon, until Monday, February 6th at 6 PM. If you haven’t made your plans to come, there’s still time. The weather is great and so are the restaurants. You’ll thank me.

There’s only one more show in Florida for us after this one and that’s the important Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show. It runs from February 18 to February 21 and has some of the best dealers in the world exhibiting. We have a week in-between to rest and we’re really looking forward to it.

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Is this Daum creamer fantastic or what? Just in.

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. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

I’d like to show you some of the new items I recently acquired

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 a review of the results of one of December’s 20th Century Decorative Arts auctions. (There have been many.)

Rare Le Verre Francais vases - Poissons and Palmiers Bleus

December is always a very busy month for antiques, mostly for buying, and not as much for selling. People get busy with their Christmas shopping and that doesn’t usually include a valuable antique. But sometimes it does, so I’m always ready to provide emergency service. If you still need a fine antique gift, I can work very quickly and so can UPS or FedEx.

Two of three Tiffany Favrile red vases available for sale

I’ve been buying out of control, and that’s good. Business is usually best in winter, especially at the Florida shows, so I’m loaded for bear. I was lucky enough to be able to buy some incredible items by Tiffany Studios, Daum Nancy, Emile Gallé, R. Lalique, Le Verre Francais and others. I’ll illustrate a few of them in this blog. Please check my site for new items, because I’ll be adding them as fast as I can. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Fantastic Tiffany Studios Art Nouveau smoker stand with original enameling

Among the many Tiffany Studios items I bought are vases — red, red decorated, Cypriote, millifiori, etc. For lamps, I purchased a 20″ Arrowroot, a 10-light lily and a 7-light lily. For miscellaneous, I have a Tiffany Studios pottery vase, lots of desk items, and an incredible Art Nouveau smoker stand with original enameling, unlike any I’ve owned before.

One of the best Daum Nancy vases I've acquired in years

The French cameo glass market, especially Daum Nancy, has been solid for years, and shows no signs of slowing. I recently acquired some fabulous items, including a very rare and beautiful farm scene, two rain scenes and an unbelievable collection of about 25 miniature vases.

You can see everything I have for sale if you visit me at one of my winter shows. The first will be at Birchwood Manor in Whippany, NJ, the weekend of January 7-8, 2012. Then a week’s break and off to Florida for the start of our Florida circuit, first in Palm Beach (Jan. 20-22), then two in Miami (Jan. 27-29 and Feb. 2-6), and then back to W. Palm Beach (Feb. 18-21). If you can’t visit me at one of my shows, I’m always available by email, philchasen@aol.com, or phone, 516-922-2090. We can ship to anywhere from anywhere.

Very rare R. Lalique red vase, Ronces

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. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

A couple of interesting surprises at Christie’s New York Interior sale, December 8, 2011

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.

Christie’s New York held an Interiors sale on December 8, 2011. Two lots that I was following had very interesting results.

R. Lalique vase Senlis, Christie's lot #82

Lot #82 was a gray R. Lalique vase, entitled “Senlis”. I knew that Senlis was a very good model because it had bronze handles. The problem was that I only knew enough about R. Lalique glass to be dangerous. I’m not nearly as knowledgeable about Lalique as I am about French cameo glass or Tiffany Favrile glass. I hoped that perhaps it would go unnoticed and slip through the cracks. Wrong! Estimated to sell for $2,000 – $3,000, it sold for $40,000, including the buyer’s premium. I would have gambled up to $10,000, but not more since I didn’t really know the value. Obviously others did.

French dolls, Christie's lot #235

Lot #235 was listed as: A FRENCH BISQUE AUTOMATON DOLL STANDING BEFORE A CHEVAL MIRROR, with an estimate of $800 – $1,200. The lot was actually two dolls — one seated and the second an automaton with a mirror. Apparently the dolls were way better than estimated, as they sold for $20,000, including buyer’s premium. Again, I knew enough about dolls to be dangerous. Many years ago, I bought about 100 dolls from one collection and learned the basics from that experience. So I knew that to sell for $20,000, there had to be something else going on. I never had a chance to examine the dolls in person, but I suspect that one was made by an important French maker, like Bru, Jumeau or others. That would explain it.

Knowledge is power. Need more proof?

Rare Tiffany Arabian lamp in glorious blue color

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. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Strong results for Arts & Crafts at Sotheby’s Important 20th Century Design sale, December 16, 2010

Every major and not-so-major auction house holds its 20th Century Decorative Arts sale in December. It makes for a very busy month.

Sotheby’s held three decorative arts sales on December 16th. In my previous blog, I covered the superb results of the Important Tiffany sale. Today I’ll review the results of the Important 20th Century Design sale, which grossed $6,933,688, despite the failure of the cover lot to sell, a Greene & Greene desk and chair from the Pratt House of Ojai, CA.

The first section of the sale was devoted to Arts & Crafts furniture, ceramics and lighting. The strong results probably had most of the consignors smiling.

Rare Greene & Greene lantern, Sotheby's lot #30

The top lot of this section of the auction was a Greene & Greene lantern, one of six that had been removed from the Blacker House in Pasadena, CA. It sold toward the lower end of the estimate of $400,000-600,000, realizing $470,500, including buyer’s premium. It’s curious to note that the following lot, #31, another of the six Greene & Greene lanterns, failed to reach reserve and did not sell.

Rare 17 inch Teco Calla Lily vase, Sotheby's lot #23

Rare and impressive examples of Arts & Crafts ceramics all sold well, with one Teco vase doing exceptionally well. Lot #23 was a rare 17″ Teco Calla Lily vase, estimated to sell for $80,000-120,000. It soared to three times its pre-sale estimate, to sell for $314,500.

Rare Gustav Stickley book cabinet, Sotheby's lot #38

Gustav Stickley was well represented in the sale with furniture and metalware. A rare book cabinet, lot #38, sold for $194,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $80,000-120,000.

Other superb results from the sale were a cire perdue René Lalique statuette ($602,500), a cire perdue René Lalique vase ($494,500), a pair of armchairs by Emile Ruhlmann ($410,500) and a dining suite by Claude Lalanne ($386,500). For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link: Sotheby’s Important 20th Century Design results.

If you like my blog, please let your friends know by sending them a link. Then check out my new Tiffany, Daum, Gallé and R. Lalique acquisitions. I’ve recently listed many of them on my website, including Daum blackbirds, swans, rain, and more to come in the next few days, plus a killer red Tiffany Favrile vase. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

R. Lalique red vase soars at Ron Rhoads auction, November 28, 2010

Lalique vase, Hirondelles, Ron Rhoads lot #802

Ron Rhoads Auctioneer of Spring City, PA, held a Thanksgiving weekend auction on Saturday and Sunday, November 27-28, 2010. Much of the sale was the estate of Stanley Baker of Minneapolis, Minnesota, a noted author and collector of Railroadiana for seventy years. The second half of the sale, on Sunday, was mostly his wife’s collection and included some choice pieces of art glass, including a rare Lalique vase.

Lot 802 was listed as: Lalique Hirondelles Vase circa 1919
Rene Lalique Vase Hirondelles An amazingly rare approximately 24 centimeters tall red glass Lalique Vase signed LALIQUE in the mold condition listed as good, photo shows typical scattered air bubbles Lalique Vase with winged birds, deep red glass with etched flower, signed “Lalique” (embossed), “France” etched on base

Condition report
Good.

Estimate $5,000 – $10,000
Starting Bid $1000

The bidding started at $25,000, so immediately it was clear that the estimate was low. It went up in $5,000 increments, with action from four phones and five floor bidders. When it was finally over, the winner was present at the sale, and paid $115,000 + buyer’s premium of $17,250, for a total of $132,250. Everyone at the auction house was surprised, except for the bidders, who knew the rarity and value of the vase. The Hirondelles model is desirable in any color, but is rarest and most valuable in red, the holy grail.

Tiffany Studios Favrile vase, Ron Rhoads lot #839

Also in the sale were a couple of very nice Tiffany Favrile vases. Lot 839 was small at 3½” tall, but very nice quality and somewhat rare. It was estimated at $800-1,200 and sold for $3,737.50, including buyer’s premium. The bidding started at $500 and quickly jumped to $3,000, with a bidder on the Internet, and ended at $3,250.

If you like my blog, please let your friends know by sending them a link. Then check out my new Daum, Gallé and R. Lalique acquisitions. I’ve listed them all on my website. I just listed another fifteen incredible Daum items, including swans, rain, and more in the last few days. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com Then check out the huge sale I’m having on Icart etchings. For the complete listing, click this link. Available Icart etchings.

Results of the Arlington Park Antiques Show, October 15-17, 2010

Arlington Park Racetrack

Some days you can do no wrong and others you can do no right. Unfortunately the latter was closer to the truth for this show. According to the promoter, Shawn Hastings, attendance was better at this show than the previous two. The problem for me was that the wrong people came. Many of my clients showed up at the show, but just to say hello and admire my items. It was frustrating getting the same response from so many of them.

R. Lalique frosted vase 'Monnaie du Pape'

The show was not a total disaster. Friday was a bust with absolutely no sales. For half of Saturday, there were no sales. I started to write my Monday blog in my head, beginning with the fact that this was the only show in the last ten years where I’d sold absolutely nothing. Luckily business picked up a little on Saturday and late Sunday, so I didn’t actually write it. I probably made my expenses and a ham sandwich. Not exactly a good show’s pay, but not terrible. There was interest in Rookwood and Marblehead pottery and Lalique glass.

This is the third show I’ve done in the greater Chicago area in the last seven weeks and that may be part of the problem. Possibly compounding the problem, I’m exhibiting at a fourth show in the greater Chicago area this coming week, in Winnetka, IL. Winnetka is a wealthy northern suburb of Chicago. I’ve got my fingers crossed that different people will attend the show, but whether they’re interested in what I’m selling is a question I can’t yet answer. I’ll let you know in a week if my experiment was a success or a failure.

Fantastic Japanese cloisonné vase with dragon decoration

I’ll be bringing at least 25-30 new items that I’ve just purchased, including a few you wouldn’t think of finding in my booth. How about a Satsuma bowl with underwater seashells and flora on the underside, or a really great cloisonné vase with a dragon?

If you like my blog, please let your friends know by sending them a link. Then check out my new Daum, Gallé and R. Lalique acquisitions. I’ve listed them all on my website. Here’s the link chasenantiques.com.

The Chicago Merchandise Mart Fall Antiques Show runs from October 1-4, 2010

The Merchandise Mart in Chicago runs a very successful antiques show in the late April to early May every year. The success of the show led the Mart to create a fall version, which will open with a preview party on Thursday evening, September 30, 2010. This will be the third time the Mart has run the fall show and it’s getting better every year. It doesn’t have some of the international exhibitors who exhibit there in the spring, but nonetheless it’s an A-1 show that deserves a visit, even if you have to travel some distance.

The Merchandise Mart Fall Antiques Show, October 1-4, 2010

I recently returned from a successful buying trip, so I’ll be bringing some very fine items that you haven’t seen before, especially glass by Daum Nancy, Gallé and R. Lalique.

A superb Daum Nancy ewer with poppies and gilding, 9¾ in. tall

The show hours are Friday, October 1, 11 am–7 pm; Saturday, October 2, 11 am–7 pm; Sunday, October 3, 11 am–6 pm; and Monday, October 4, 11 am–3 pm. Not many shows end on a Monday. I can’t say I’m fond of it, but as this promoter insists on it, we’ll be there until Monday, October 4th.

Make your plans to visit the show. The weather in Chicago in early October is great, the city is vibrant and the restaurants are superb. Introduce yourself to me and let me know what you’d like to buy, sell or trade.

Check out the newly acquired Daum, Gallé and R. Lalique vases I’ve recently listed on my website. Please take a look by clicking 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.

Results for the Pasadena Antiques Show, August 6-8, 2010

The Pasadena show is all packed up on Sunday evening, August 8, 2010

What a difference a show makes. Two weeks later, in basically the same city, Los Angeles (Redondo Beach vs. Pasadena), the tenor of the show completely changed. Attendance wasn’t significantly improved from Redondo Beach, but the show looked and felt different. There was lots of interest in different categories of items and selling was more broad-based. I can call this show a good one, not a lucky one (read my previous blogs for a more complete explanation.) Gross sales were lower, but selling more items to more people felt better.

Pairpoint rose puffy table lamp

Interest was good in French glass including R. Lalique, Pairpoint and Tiffany lamps, and pottery, including Newcomb College. Many collectors were asking intelligent questions about a whole host of collecting categories. It felt like a normal show in normal times.

Now I’m more upbeat about the upcoming shows in Chicago and Baltimore. I believe business is a bit tougher in California than it is in the rest of the United States, but I’ll be able to give a more definitive answer in a few weeks. I especially want to thank my loyal clients, who buy from me repeatedly.

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.