Some interesting results at Humler & Nolan’s Rookwood XXII●Keramics 2012●Art Glass 2012 sale, June 2-3, 2012

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Philip Chasen

Humler & Nolan held their Rookwood XXII●Keramics 2012●Art Glass 2012 sale on June 2-3, 2012. There were some diverse results in the the art glass section of the auction (which is the only part I will cover). Following are the two highlights.

Tiffany Studios mosaic scarab stamp box, Humler & Nolan lot #550A

Lot #550A was a very rare Tiffany Studios mosaic tile stamp box with jeweled scarabs on the lid. Estimated to sell for $8,000 – $10,000, it soared to $34,220 (including buyer’s premium), as it should have. What a great box! I don’t have enough adjectives to describe how fantastic this box was. I’m not sure I would have been the successful buyer, but I might have been if I hadn’t been on vacation. I would have given the successful buyer a run for his money.

Wonderful Gallé lilac vase, Humler & Nolan lot #587

Now for a Gallé vase that gets me ill. Not because there was anything wrong with it. Just the opposite. It was wonderful and sold for such a bargain that I’m speechless. Lot #587 was a gorgeous, huge (19″), colorful Gallé vase with vivid red lilacs on a yellow background. It was estimated to sell for $6,000 – $8,000 and sold for only $5,900 (including buyer’s premium). This was easily a $15,000 vase, so my vacation cost me thousands more in lost profits. Every once in a while, something wonderful falls through the cracks and this was one of those times.

For the complete results of the entire sale, click on the following link. Humler & Nolan results.

Our next show won’t be until July, but we’re still very much in business. This coming week I’m going to list some new French glass purchases that are breathtaking, so make sure you check my website daily. 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 rare, fantastic Daum Nancy vase with penguin decoration

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 results of the Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show, April 13-15, 2012

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Philip Chasen

It was time to set up the show on Wednesday and Thursday

The Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show was held in Arlington Heights, IL, from April 13-15, 2012. Unfortunately, the show has gotten smaller and smaller over the years and has been in a vicious cycle. There were fewer dealers, so there were fewer people. Some dealers didn’t do well and won’t come back, and round and round it goes. It’s possible to reverse a vicious cycle, but it takes extraordinary effort and money. A show promoter has to commit to a show and pour money into promotion to attract new dealers and new attendees. It’s been done before. The problem is that the show promoter, Shawn Hastings, has been very ill for quite some time, so he wasn’t able to do what needed to be done. Hopefully, he’ll do something now and reverse the trend.

Saturday afternoon at my booth

Personally, my show went well. Thanks to a very loyal customer base in the greater Chicago area, the right clients showed up and made purchases. (You know who you are, so I’d like to send each of you a personal thank you.) There was interest in a variety of areas, including French cameo glass by Daum and Galle, Tiffany desk items, and American Art Pottery. Icarts, paintings, and lamps were slow at this show, but unpredictability is why I made a conscious decision many years ago to diversify. Everything that didn’t sell at this show may sell at the next.

Another aisle on Saturday afternoon

In asking around, a few dealers did okay and a few were complaining. I didn’t hear anyone rave about his/her show. Attendance was fairly light all weekend, with mostly tire-kickers coming on Sunday.

Our next show will be at the Merchandise Mart, in downtown Chicago, Friday-Sunday, April 27-30. It’s Chicago’s best show, and one of the best shows in the entire country. There will be great exhibitors, many of whom exhibit at very few shows a year. It’s worth a trip from anywhere.
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A wonderful Martin Brothers stoneware face jug

The Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show starts this Friday, April 13, 2012

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Philip Chasen

The Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show starts this Friday, April 13, 2012, at 11 AM, and continues until Sunday, April 15, 2012, at 5 PM. It’s a small, but very nice show, with a diverse selection of quality dealers. We have many friends in the greater Chicago area so it’s a pleasure to return after not having exhibited there since last November. We’ve been doing Chicago shows for so many years that it feels like home.

A very fine Tiffany Studios 10-light lily table lamp (one of two)

I’ve been buying up a storm, so I’ll be bringing my new purchases, which include Tiffany lamps, glass and metalware, outstanding Daum Nancy and Gallé glass, a Le Verre Francais lizard vase, a nice selection of Martin Bros. stoneware, a wonderful Pairpoint puffy lamp, delightful American illustrator paintings, and a great selection of Icart etchings.

A rare and wonderful Daum Nancy egg with swan decoration

The French cameo glass market has been good, with rare items selling strongly at auction. Click on this link to read my blog about the 10″ Daum Nancy blackbird vase that was sold last month at Christie’s for $40,000. Christie’s results blog.

Wonderful Joe Hennesy oil on canvas cover illustration

I just bought a group of nine American illustrator paintings, one better than another. I’ll have them all at the show.

Have I given you enough reasons yet to visit the show? Make sure to stop by my booth and introduce yourself. I want to know what you’d like to buy, sell or trade.

One of the rarest and most beautiful of all Louis Icart etchings, Mardi Gras

The Palm Beach Winter Antiques Show, January 20 – 22, 2012

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Philip Chasen

Friday afternoon, 2:15 PM, in the ballroom where my booth is located

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. There will be a post this Thursday about this week’s Miami National Antiques Show.

I thought it might be interesting if I gave you a contemporaneous blow by blow description of the Palm Beach Winter Antiques Show as it progresses. Here goes.

Friday, 1:00 PM. The show opened at 11 AM and I’m already crawling out of my skin. The show is off to a slow start, with very light attendance. Those few people who came to the booth never even asked to see a single item in the showcases.

Sold one good item at the preview party last night, but to the dealer in the next booth. There were very few people at the party and not one serious buyer among them.

Friday, 3:05 PM. Attendance is still very light. No serious questions. One small sale to another dealer on the floor. Played 4 games of Spider Solitaire and 10 games of Words with Friends (I’m winning many of them). Now I’m off for a walk because my rear end is flat.

Friday, 5:20 PM. There are very few buyers walking around and no questions about anything. Just doing busywork (like writing my blog). Luckily, I have a free wifi connection from the hotel.

Friday, 6:45 PM. The ballroom is almost empty, so we’ll leave five minutes early. I need a drink!

Saturday afternoon, 4 PM

Saturday, 1:00 PM. The show started off very slowly today, but the attendance has picked up a bit. I actually showed a few items to different people. They seemed more than a little reluctant, but definitely interested.

Saturday, 1:40 PM. Finally broke the ice to the public — made a small sale to a lovely older couple.

Saturday, 3:55 PM. Busy for a while. A few bona fide customers inquired about various vases, but no dice. A gentleman brought in some French cameo glass vases that I wound up buying. Made another sale to a dealer on the floor. Three of my four sales have been to dealers at the show.

Saturday 6:20 PM. There isn’t a single client walking around, so we’ll leave a little early. The show never should run to 7 PM on a Saturday night. It should have ended at 6 PM.

Sunday, 1:15 PM. I dropped Lia off at the show earlier and left to buy lunch and find a portable TV to watch the NY Giants defeat the 49ers. Did you know they’re nearly impossible to buy in a store? First I went to Walmart, then Brandsmart, then Best Buy. Finally the Best Buy salesman said he had a couple for sale in the trunk of his car. So I bought one — I hope it didn’t fall off the back of a truck. He assured me it hadn’t.

Attendance is still slow, but there have been a few questions. We’ll see if any of them turn into sales.

Another section of the show on Sunday, 4:15 PM

Sunday, 4:10 PM. One of our clients showed up — a lovely lady. She purchased several of the rarer Tiffany Studios desk pieces, so we are ending the show on a positive note. In 50 minutes, we’ll start packing up and get ready for the next one.

After all the bother with the portable TV, it didn’t work in the building. The signal was too weak and only worked outside. I called the salesman who sold it to me and he agreed to take it back.

Sunday, 8:05 PM. ESPN.com showed the results in a timely fashion, but no voice or video. The NY Giants finished the first half ahead 10-7 (Go Giants!). We finished packing and now I can go to the hotel bar and watch the second half. Did I say Go Giants?

The show was disappointing, but far from a disaster. Attendance was much lighter than I had hoped, as was interest and sales. I didn’t add everything up, but either we broke even or made a ham sandwich. That’s a lot of work for a ham sandwich. Will we do the show again? Doubtful. There’s a Pier Show in New York at the same time, with significantly lower costs for us. We could stay home in New York for an extra week and then travel to Florida for three shows, instead of four. That’s probably what we’ll wind up doing next year, but that could change.

The second show of our Florida circuit starts this Friday, January 27th, with the Miami National Antiques Show (aka The Airport Show), at the Doubletree Expo Centre, Miami Merchandise Mart, in Miami. Make your plans to visit us at any of our Florida shows. They’re filled with the best dealers and a fabulous array of merchandise that you won’t find anywhere else. The big bonus is the weather. The temperature has been in the 70s and 80s every day (while it’s 10 degrees in Chicago, as I write this). No more excuses! Make your plans now.

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A really gorgeous scenic blue Gallé vase, just in

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

Posted on December 19, 2011 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 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

Antiques make wonderful Christmas gifts

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Philip Chasen

If you’re having trouble deciding on a Christmas present for your loved one, may I suggest an antique? Antiques are unique, unlike electronics or similar. Antiques have the possibility of appreciating in value, unlike electronics. Historically, antiques were frequently given as gifts. I’ve purchased many an Icart etching from someone who inherited it from their grandparents, who received it as a wedding gift in the 1920s or 1930s.

Think antiques are too expensive for Christmas gifts? Many items I have for sale are below $1000, with some below $500. Here are a few examples.

Tiffany Studios Pine Needle pen tray, priced at $450

Original Tiffany Studios desk set items, dating from 1900 – 1915, start at $350. Many items are priced below $1000, with the majority priced between $1000 and $2000. Rarer items will exceed $2000. Two presidents have used Tiffany Studios desk sets in the White House (Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush). I have many desk set items listed now on my website and will be adding items frequently. If you’re looking for something, but don’t see it, please email me. philchasen@aol.com. I have many items not listed yet. Here’s the link directly to my website. Tiffany Studios desk set items for sale.

Louis Icart original etching, Love's Awakening, $950, unframed, on special sale for Christmas

Original etchings by Louis Icart make superb gifts. Prices start at $950 for unframed etchings. Custom framing is available for any etching. There’s still time. Framing takes 7-10 days, with shipping as soon as overnight, if you’re desperate. Most etchings are priced between $1000 and $2000, with rarer examples from $2000 – $15000. Here’s the link. Original Louis Icart etchings for sale.

Galle scenic banjo vase, circa 1900, reduced to $1450 for Christmas

The average price for French cameo glass by Galle and Daum is slightly higher, with most prices in the $1000 – $5000 range, but some as high as $25000. Many Galle vases are available for $500 or less, but I don’t usually offer any of them for sale, as the quality is lower than I require. If an item isn’t good enough, it does not pass through my filter. That means you only have to like what you see. I’ve done all the vetting for you. You don’t ever have to worry about quality or authenticity. Here’s the link. French cameo glass for sale.

There are many other options available including Tiffany Favrile glass, American art pottery, French ceramics and much more. Remember two things. First, please check my website often, as I will add items frequently. Second, if you don’t see it, please email me and ask. philchasen@aol.com

Fine R. Lalique Monnaie du Pape vase with sepia staining

Look around my website. There are listings for sale, sold listings 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 NYC Pier Antiques Show opens this Saturday, November 19, 2011

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Recently I’ve had less time to write about the interesting things happening in the antiques world, because I haven’t had a show in a few weeks. When there’s no one in my booth at a show, I keep busy by writing blog posts. 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.

Print this coupon for a $5 discount or free for students on Sunday

The NYC Pier Antiques Show opens this Saturday, November 19, 2011, at 10 AM and continues until Sunday, November 20, 2011, at 6 PM. It’s a short show, and intense as a result. The crowds are usually deep and the action fast. If people don’t make their purchase decisions quickly, they risk losing to someone else, and often do. The selection of items for sale is so eclectic, there’s something for everyone. Besides high end glass and lamps (me), there’s everything else — silver, jewelry, Asian, ceramics, art, clothing (yes, they have Fashion Alley), famous autographs (15 dealers) and more miscellaneous than you can imagine. Many people come with their decorators because the selections are so varied and interesting that they need professional help. My booth is near the entrance, so I see all of the many packages and purchases as they leave the show.

Magnificent Tiffany Studios green Linenfold counterbalance floor lamp, just in

I’m bringing some truly fine items that I’ve recently purchased, in addition to the usual strong assortment of Tiffany Studios lamps and glass and French cameo glass. I just bought a very nice, large Andre Gisson oil painting that hung in a home for many years. It was purchased by the grandfather of the present owner.

Andre Gisson oil painting, 24" x 36", fresh to the market

This is a show that is worth traveling to from any distance. I’ve said it before, but people travel from Europe and Japan, as well as from all over the US. It’s the excuse you’ve been waiting for to come to New York City. If you want to see a great antique show and enjoy New York City at the same time, this is the weekend. The weather has been great in New York recently and should continue until the weekend. Broadway has great shows running. Museums and galleries have superb exhibitions going on right now. The restaurant choices in the city are mind boggling. So what are you waiting for? Make your plans right now. Stop into my booth and let me know you came to New York because you read my blog.

Fine R. Lalique Monnaie du Pape vase with sepia staining

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. 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

Tiffany Studios items do well at Bonhams 20th Century Decorative Arts sale of June 7, 2011

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Lots of interesting things have been happening in the antiques world recently. Since I have a bit more time to write about them during the spring and summer, I will be posting new blog entries twice a week, instead of once — Mondays and Thursdays for the next few weeks. So make sure you come back often and tell your friends about my blog!

Bonham’s New York held its 20th Century Decorative Arts sale on June 7, 2011. While the Tiffany Studios items were not as deep in quality as the Sotheby’s and Christie’s New York sales, there were some notable exceptions. The results showed a continuation of the strength of better Tiffany Studios objects.

Fine Tiffany Studios Wisteria Lamp, Bonham's lot #6097

Lot #6097 was a Tiffany Studios Wisteria lamp, in beautiful shades of blue. Estimated conservatively at $200,000 – $300,000, it soared past its high estimate to achieve $792,400, including buyer’s premium.

Tiffany Studios paperweight vase, Bonham's lot #6026

The best of the Tiffany Studios glass was lot #6026, a fine and rare paperweight vase. It exceeded its pre-sale estimate of $20,000 – $30,000, selling for $39,040.

Very rare Tiffany Studios Pine Needle triple frame, Bonham's lot #6051

A very rare Tiffany Studios triple frame in the Pine Needle pattern, in mint original condition, was the top lot of a nice offering of twelve frames. It doubled its pre-sale estimate of $6,000 – $8,000, to sell for $19,520, an auction record for any frame in the Pine Needle pattern.

Other notable results were a Tiffany & Co. carved mahogany clock, lot #6014 ($91,500) and a cracked Tiffany Studios blue decorated mini vase, lot #6034, ($3,416), continuing the trend of “cracks don’t make a difference at auction”.

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

Impressive 11½ inch Daum Nancy floral vase

Check out my new acquisitions. This week I listed a gorgeous Daum Nancy pink floral vase; a very fine Tiffany Studios Favrile flowerform vase — better than the one that sold at Christie’s for $27,500; a rare Tiffany Studios desk lamp in the Spanish pattern; several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Soon I’ll be listing a wonderful Tiffany Studios 7-light lily lamp with beautiful shades and a fine patina. Also coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

$500,000 Norman Rockwell painting discovered on The Antiques Roadshow

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Philip Chasen

Lots of interesting things have been happening in the antiques world recently. Since I have a bit more time to write about them during the spring, I will be posting new blog entries twice a week, instead of once — Mondays and Thursdays for the next few weeks.

Norman Rockwell The Little Model. Photo by Jeff Dunn for WGBH.

The Antiques Roadshow travels from city to city during the summer months, taping shows for broadcast during the year. At a stop in Eugene, Oregon, an as-yet-unnamed gentleman brought in a painting by Norman Rockwell that had descended in his family. The 1919 original oil on canvas, entitled The Little Model, had been used to illustrate the cover of Collier’s magazine. Norman Rockwell gave it to the present owner’s great-grandmother over 90 years ago.

Collier's Magazine cover, March, 1919. Courtesy BestNormanRockwell.com

The appraiser, Nan Chisholm, of Nan Chisholm Fine Art in New York City, appraised it for $500,000. This was a very rough estimate, as original Rockwell paintings have sold in a wide range of prices at auction, from the low five figures to over one million dollars. In the fifteen year history of the show, the appraisal tied the second-place record for the most valuable item. Only a collection of Chinese jade items that were appraised last year had a higher appraisal — close to one million dollars. The show will air sometime between January and June of 2012. An exact date has not been specified yet.

A very rare Tiffany Studios desk lamp in the Spanish pattern.

Check out my new acquisitions. This week I listed a very rare Tiffany Studios desk lamp in the Spanish pattern, as well as several fine Daum vases, a Daum lamp, several Galle vases and several Tiffany Favrile vases. Soon I’ll be listing a wonderful Tiffany Studios 7-light lily lamp with beautiful shades and a fine patina. Also coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

Think your wife’s cheating on you? A really fine 17th Century French chastity belt is coming up for sale.

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Philip Chasen

A French 17th Century chastity belt, Aguttes lot #318

The French auction house Aguttes, will be holding an auction in Lyon, France, on June 15, 2011. Lot 318 will be a 17th Century iron and leather chastity belt. As most of you know, they are difficult to obtain, so make sure you sign up soon for the auction, so you can buy it for that unfaithful wife of yours. I would suggest cleaning off the rust and oiling the hinges before usage, as it can cause chafing on delicate skin. Then you can take that nice long trip you’ve wanted without your wife, knowing that you can now trust her. The estimate is reasonable at €1500/1800, especially for the peace of mind it would surely give.

Study skeleton, Aguttes lot #405

The sale has a section called “Curiosités”, which does not need translating. How about a real skeleton (lot 405, €1000/1200)? Some nice surgical instruments (lot 406, €400/500)? An engraved, English brass model of a steam locomotive (lot 476, €2000/2500)? The sale has a wonderfully diverse selection of items too numerous to mention, but you can browse it by clicking on the following link. The Aguttes June 15, 2011 sale. The Curiosités section begins with lot 300. Have fun!

An English model of a steam locomotive, Aguttes lot #476