Tag Archives: Tiffany Studios

Knowledge is power, part VI

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This story doesn’t end the way I planned it, but I trust you’ll find it interesting.

Daffodil table lamp, Hindman lot #346

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, of Chicago, held their Marketplace auction on January 19-20, 2011. Included in their offerings was lot 346, described as An American Leaded Glass Daffodil Table Lamp, after Tiffany Studios, raised on a tree trunk standard. Height overall 18 1/2 inches, outer diameter of shade 13 7/8 inches. Estimate $800-1,200 , and that’s where my story begins.

As soon as I discovered lot 346, my curiosity was piqued. Here was a lamp that was described as “after Tiffany Studios”, which is auction-speak for “the lamp is not authentic”. To my eyes, the lamp appeared to be authentic, but late-period. Late in their production, Tiffany Studios stopped using their own glass that had been manufactured in-house. Rather, they purchased glass from outside suppliers, like the Kokomo Opalescent Glass Company of Kokomo, Indiana. This outside-purchased glass had a different “look” to it — “flatter”, less subtle and more garish. To the untrained eye, late Tiffany lamps look like reproductions. So here was the perfect opportunity to sneak up on an item and use my knowledge to gain the advantage. (Read my blog of July 24, 2009 for a good example. Here’s the link. July 24, 2009 blog)

I called the auction house and spoke to the expert in charge and asked Hindman to ship the lamp to me for inspection. I volunteered to pay for the shipping in both directions. Unfortunately, they were unable to comply with my request as this wasn’t their property, but the property of the consignor (in this case an estate). They sent many detailed photos, which only confirmed my suspicion that the lamp was authentic. The problem was that photos were insufficient to make a 100% decision about its authenticity — I had to see it in person. Unfortunately, the only way I could do that was to fly to Chicago.

So, on the Saturday before the auction, I flew to Chicago. The expert in charge, Mike Intahar, kindly agreed to meet me at the auction house to view the lamp. In person, there was no question — the lamp was authentic. I turned right around and flew back to New York. In and out in a few hours. Now armed with knowledge, I could bid with confidence. The lamp had a retail price of $25,000 – 30,000, but I wanted to be conservative, so I could resell it quickly for $20,000 or less.

The auction took place on Wednesday, January 19th. The problem was that I didn’t record it in my calendar, so I completely forgot about it. I was in the city with my wife, when I checked my phone. There were two messages from Hindman’s that I had missed their calls. My heart sank! Here I had spent the time and money to go to Chicago to inspect a lamp, only to forget about the auction!!! Argh! I called Hindman’s and much to my relief, I hadn’t missed the lamp. It was an unimportant lot, earlier in the sale, that I had missed. Whew!!! Dodged a bullet on that one. Now I was prepared to bid. They were going to call me back within the hour.

At around 2 PM EST, Hindman called me to bid on the lamp. The bidding started at $400, which was a very good sign. It meant that no one had left a bid. I let other bidders start the bidding before I jumped in. $1000, $1500, $2000, still good. I was prepared to bid $10,000, or more, so there was plenty of room. $8,000, $9,000, $10,000 — oops, not looking too good any more. $16,000, $17,000, ($20,740, including buyer’s premium), and the bidding ended. Oh well! Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I exchanged one day’s time and $500 in expenses for the possibility of a big payday. But it wasn’t meant to be. Two other bidders, one on the phone and one in the room, were also knowledgeable.

I have no regrets. If I have the opportunity again, I will do exactly the same thing. Throw enough #*&% against the wall and something will stick.

If you like my blog, please let your friends know by sending them a link. Then check out my new Tiffany, Daum, Gallé, Webb and R. Lalique acquisitions. I’ve recently listed many of them on my website, including Daum swans, rain, a Gallé monumental red vase — more each day, plus a killer red Tiffany Favrile vase and a millifiori vase. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

The 2010 year in review for Tiffany Studios

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Tiffany Studios Magolia floor lamp

2010 was a very good year for better Tiffany Studios items, continuing a decades-long trend of new records nearly every year. The fireworks began at the Cottone sale of March 27th. A Tiffany Magnolia floor lamp that descended in the family of Merton Armstrong, sold for $661,250. In the same sale, a very good 20″ Dragonfly, on a great lily pad base, sold for $172,500.

Tiffany glass and pottery came up for sale at the Rago sale of April 24th. A rare 6″ tall pottery artichoke-form vase, sold for $19,520, approximately double the high estimate. In the same sale, a 9″ Favrile vase with elaborate gold hearts & vines decoration on a deep carmel background sold for $26,840, approximately four times the pre-sale estimate.

Tiffany Studios Dragonfly table lamp, Sotheby's New York, lot #4, June 16, 2010

Tiffany Studios Dragonfly table lamp, Sotheby's New York, lot #4, June 16, 2010

Those were just the warm-up acts for the 20th Century Decorative Arts sales in June. Sotheby’s was first, offering 22 important Tiffany Studios lots. Three of the lamps sold just above or below the half-million dollar mark, including a gorgeous 17″ Dragonfly on a matching mosaic base, which sold for $554,500.

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

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

Christie’s held their Decorative Arts sale the next day. A beautiful Tiffany Studios Grape chandelier sold for $398,500, more than double the low estimate of $150,000-200,000. Christie’s results were not as good as Sotheby’s, but that wasn’t a total surprise as Sotheby’s offerings were better.

Tiffany Favrile Lava loving cup, Leland Little lot #438, September 18, 2010

Leland Little held a sale on September 18th with some important estate-fresh Tiffany Favrile glass. They didn’t know how good their glass was, so they underestimated a loving cup to sell for $1,000-2,000. It soared to $62,100, including buyer’s premium — a price commensurate with its quality and rarity.

Tiffany Studios turtleback inkwell, Nadeau's lot #150

The string continued on October 30th when Nadeau’s sold a killer Tiffany Studios inkwell for $37,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $15,000-20,000.

Tiffany Studios Peony window, Christie's lot 252

Like a good fireworks show, the year ended with the finale — both Sotheby’s and Christie’s sold Tiffany items for approximately $1 million. Sotheby’s was first with the sale of a magnificent Peony window for $962,500. Christie’s followed the next day, with the sale of a Grape lamp for $1,202,500. These were only the headline results. Both sales were solid throughout with many very strong sales.

Rare Tiffany Studios Grape table lamp, Sotheby's lot #221

I rarely give investment advice but I did when a wealthy client asked me about ten years ago. I told him that the better Tiffany Studios items had performed best over the previous twenty years and I had no reason to doubt that they wouldn’t continue. I never found out if he followed my advice, but I hope he did. He surely would have done significantly better than the last decade in the stock market.

2011 is looking up. The antiques business saw a significant recovery from 2009 levels and appears to be continually getting better. The Miami Beach Antiques Show at the end of January is always a good barometer for the rest of the year. I’m cautiously optimistic.

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

The Tiffany Studios market is alive and well (Part II)

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If you read Monday’s blog, you know that better Tiffany Studios items were very strong at Christie’s Important Tiffany auction on December 15, 2010. Sotheby’s followed the next day with their Important Tiffany auction, also with impressive results. With only 33 lots for sale, the auction grossed $5,583,375.

Rare Tiffany Studios Grape table lamp, Sotheby's lot #221

The top lot of the sale was the cover lot, #221, a rare Grape table lamp, in the shape of a Wisteria. Estimated to sell for $400,000—600,000, it realized $1,202,500, including buyer’s premium, doubling the estimate — an understandable result for a beautiful and rare Tiffany Studios lamp. So how do you explain the following result?

Tiffany Studios Daffodil table lamp, Sotheby's lot #232

Lot #232 was a Tiffany 20″ Daffodil table lamp — a nice example, but certainly not remarkable. On a good day, it might have sold for $100,000. On this day, it sold for the extraordinary price of $512,500, against an estimate of $50,000-70,000 — 10 times the estimate. The consignor must have been giddy. And why not? It’s the equivalent of winning the lottery. The only sensible explanation is that two bidders who have more cents than sense (my mother would have liked that one, too), were bidding against each other. Pride and competitiveness won out over logic. All one of them had to do was to go into a shop on Madison Ave. and buy a similar lamp for a fraction of the price.

Another six Tiffany Studios lamps sold for over $250,000, for a total of eight. They included a Laburnum ($842,500), a rare Landscape floor lamp ($842,500), and a Peacock table lamp ($410,500).

Tiffany Favrile wheel-carved vase, Sotheby's lot #203

Only a few lots of high quality Tiffany Favrile glass were offered, all selling well. A beautiful wheel-carved vase, lot#203, sold for $50,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $8,000—12,000.

For the complete results of the sale, use the following link: Sotheby’s Important Tiffany 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

The Tiffany Studios market is alive and well

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This past week saw the major New York auction houses hold their 20th Century Decorative Arts sales, which included a significant number of Tiffany Studios items. What became clear is that the upper end of the market is sizzling, while the lower end of the market is fizzling. (My mother would have liked that one.) Today, I’ll discuss the Christie’s sale and on Thursday, the Sotheby’s sale.

Tiffany Studios Peony window, Christie's lot 252

Christie’s held their Important Tiffany sale first, on December 15, 2010. The sale included several important lamps and a gorgeous window, lot 252. The estimate of $100,000-150,000 gave no clue that it would become the star of the sale, realizing the incredible price of $962,500, including buyer’s premium. In retrospect, it shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise — first, it was gorgeous and second, it had impeccable provenance. It was installed in the Darius Goff House in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1893 and remained there until early in 2010.

Also in the sale were a Wisteria lamp ($842,500), a Snowball (Hydrangea) floor lamp ($482,500), another Wisteria lamp ($482,500) and ten more lamps selling over $100,000 each. Another nine lamps sold in the range of $40,000 to $86,500.

Rare Tiffany Studios table, Christie's lot 227

One of the more unusual Tiffany offerings was an early 1881 cherry table with brass inlays, from Tiffany’s own home at the Bella Apartment House in New York City. Estimated to sell for $150,000 – $200,000, it sold within the estimate for $182,500.

Tiffany Studios Lemon Leaf table lamp, Christie's lot 204

Simple Tiffany floral lamps and geometric lamps were under-appreciated at the Christie’s sale. There were some serious bargains, especially for Arts & Crafts buyers. An 18″ yellow Lemon Leaf table lamp with a matching Grueby base, with Jordan-Volpe Gallery provenance, sold for only $15,000, including the buyer’s premium. Kudos to the buyer for picking off this one.

For the complete Tiffany results from Christie’s, click on the following link: Christie’s Important Tiffany 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

Even Sotheby’s makes mistakes

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Rare Tiffany Studios Laburnum table lamp, Sotheby's lot 227

Sotheby’s New York will hold their sale of Important Tiffany today, December 16, 2010. There are only 33 lots in the sale — but most of them are important and high quality. The offerings range from original oil paintings by Louis Comfort Tiffany to glass to lamps, like a Laburnum, lot 227.

Reproduction Tiffany Studios vase, Sotheby's lot 202

You would think their experts would be able to spot a fake Tiffany vase when they saw one, but lot 202, sneaked past them and into their catalog. It’s listed as “A Superb Monumental Floriform Vase”, circa 1900, Favrile glass, engraved L.C. Tiffany-Favrile W2977, 16 5/8″ high. Provenance — Private Collection, Paris. $15,000-20,000. The only problem is that it’s not by Tiffany Studios, but a modern reproduction. Upon receipt of the catalog, I immediately doubted the authenticity of the vase, but waited to make a final judgment until I could see it in person. There was no doubt in person. The cup part of the vase was good quality, but the foot was all wrong. It’s a decoration Tiffany did not do. The signature was an obvious fake, of which, unfortunately, I don’t have a photo. I can only assume that the European consignor was an important client with other valuable objects, so the vase did not get the proper scrutiny it deserved. It’s rare for reproductions to get past their experts.

(P.S. – Thursday afternoon, December 16, 2010, 1:55 PM. I just found out that Sotheby’s withdrew the above lot, #202, before sale time. I don’t know if someone read my blog and informed them or if they found out another way, but luckily it was not put up for sale. It saved the potential buyer a lot of grief.)

Christie’s Tiffany results were excellent on December 15th, so I can only assume that Sotheby’s will be too. I’ll post blogs next week about the recent 20th Century sales in New York at the major auction houses. One item soared past estimates to sell for almost $1 million.

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

Solid results at Julia’s Lamp & Glass Auction, December 1-2, 2010

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James D. Julia, Inc. held their semi-annual Lamp & Glass auction on December 1 & 2, 2010, with excellent results. Dudley Browne, the head of the department, told me he was very pleased with total sales of $1.9 million, against expectations of $1.3 million. He attributed the improved results to several reasons — new collectors, old collectors getting involved again, and realistic estimates and reserves. The sell-through rate improved to 85% — a significant increase over the previous couple of years.

Tiffany Studios Peony border floor lamp, Julia's lot #2276

It was no surprise that the top lot of the sale was #2276, an estate-fresh Tiffany Studios Peony Border floor lamp with excellent color and in near mint condition. It was consigned by the children of the buyers who purchased it at an auction in the Midwest in the early 1960s. Estimated at $125,000-175,000, it sold for $172,500, including buyer’s premium.

Tiffany Studios Aquamarine vase, Julia's lot #2257

The top Tiffany Favrile glass lot of the sale was #2257, a rare aquamarine vase. Aquamarine vases are heavy as they’re nearly solid glass, with internal decoration, usually flowers or fish. This example was very nice, with yellow daffodils. The pre-sale estimate was $15,000-20,000 and sold for $34,500.

Rare Daum Nancy gourd vase, Julia's lot #2012

French glass sold well, with a unique Daum gourd vase with applied insect selling best. It’s final price was $19,550 against a pre-sale estimate of $10,000-15,000.

Painted lamps by both Handel and Pairpoint were weak. Prices appear to have regressed to levels not seen since the 1980s.

For the complete sale results, click on the following link. Julia Lamp & Glass results. You will need to register first (free).

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

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

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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.

The results of the NYC Pier Antiques Show, November 13-14, 2010

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The lines outside of the show at 9:45 AM on Saturday morning

Stella Show Management held their semi-annual NYC Pier Antiques Show this past weekend, November 13-14, 2010. Attendance was excellent on Saturday and very good on Sunday. The weather was probably a factor, as it was uncharacteristically mild for a mid-November weekend. The two-pronged line extended far out of the door 15 minutes before opening at 10 AM on Saturday.

My booth on Saturday afternoon

Personally, my show was good, with interest and sales in many categories, including Tiffany glass and desk pieces, French cameo glass, Vienna bronzes and Icart etchings. In asking around, I heard results from good to fair. No one was effusive and no one was glum. Most dealers were satisfied.

Sold Daum Nancy solifleur vase with wild orchids and spider webs

In my last blog, I tried to convey some of the atmosphere of the show. In talking to another show promoter during the show, she referred to the Pier Show as “raw”. It made me look at the show through a stranger’s eyes. What I saw is a show that is not polished, with more functional displays than elaborate ones. That’s part of what makes the show interesting — it’s a very “New York” happening. Can I say “funky” anymore or is that passé?

The hours are long, from 10 AM – 6 PM, both Saturday and Sunday. It makes a lot of sense on Saturday, when there are lots of people all day, but it makes NO sense on Sunday. The hours should be 12 – 5 PM, but I can understand longer hours. At the very least, the hours should be shortened one hour on Sunday, from 11 AM – 6 PM. I spoke personally to Irene Stella about the change, but she indicated to me that the dealers needed the extra hour to park in the street and pay their bills. Excuse me??? I need an extra hour’s sleep and rest and not help with parking or paying my bills. To those other dealers who read my blog, please let Irene know you agree with me. From 10 – 11 AM, I did not answer a single question from even one person, nor did I open a single cabinet. The show didn’t even start to fill up until about 11:30 AM. Irene, please change the hours. OK, enough of my bitching.

Stella Show Management continues to put together high quality full shows in a world where many shows are shrinking dramatically. Their publicity is good, so they maintain consistently strong attendance. I wish them continued success.

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’ve listed another twenty items in the last few days, including Tiffany, Quezal, Steuben, Van Briggle, Fulper, George Ohr, Daum and Gallé. Here’s the link chasenantiques.com

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Tiffany Studios auction action in Connecticut, Saturday, October 30, 2010

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Tiffany Studios turtleback inkwell, Nadeau's lot #150

Nadeau’s Auction Gallery of Windsor, Connecticut, sold a killer Tiffany Studios inkwell on Saturday, October, 30, 2010. Their auction description was as follows:

Description: Tiffany Studios RARE ‘TURTLEBACK TILE’ AND BRONZE TRIPLE INKWELL, with two gold iridescent liners, three metal inserts, stamped TIFFANY STUDIOS NEW YORK, 1071

Dimensions: ht. 4 1/4in., dia. 6 1/4in.

Estimate: $15,000 – $25,000

Starting Bid: $7,500

In their written description, they left out the fact that the inkwell rotates — a rare feature, however they did mention it just before selling the object. The bidding started at $15,000 and continued in $1,000 increments until the final price of $30,000 ($37,500 with the buyer’s premium). In my opinion, the price was a bargain if the buyer was a collector and a bit high if the buyer was a dealer. I had guessed the final price would be closer to $50,000, considering the beauty, rarity, and desirability of this very fine inkwell.

Tiffany Studios Tyler Scroll table lamp, Gaudreau's Auction Company

On the same day, Gaudreau’s Auction Company of Killingly, Connecticut, sold a Tiffany Studios Tyler Scroll table lamp, in as-found condition. The lamp had an original kerosene burner and a very dirty shade. It had never been electrified. The unreserved lamp was sold at the high end of the $10,000 – $20,000 pre-sale “guesstimate” for $20,000 ($22,000 with the buyer’s premium) — a very fair price for the lucky buyer, followed by loud applause from the audience. The lamp was not pictured in any advertisement, only described. One had to visit the auction site to see photos of it.

I don’t think any sweeping conclusions can be drawn from these two results, except to say that if you had enough spare change and the knowledge of when and where they were selling, you could have bought two winners.

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’ve listed another ten items in the last couple of days, including art pottery. Here’s the link chasenantiques.com

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Setting up at the Winnetka Antiques + Modernism Show, October 20, 2010

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Truly fantastic Ernst Wahliss Amphora ceramic with three witches on a broom

Previously the Winnetka Antiques Show and the Winnetka Modernism Show were each held once a year. The two shows have now been combined and the new combined show will be held once a year in October. This is my first time at the show. The building is not your typical exhibition space, as found at most convention centers. It has many rooms, so attendees have to search in each of the rooms, lobby and upstairs to find all the exhibitors. Our space is different from any other show as the room was divided in an unusual way to accommodate three exhibitors. It was tricky, but we made it work.

My booth on the first day of setup

I’m bringing some items to this show that have never been exhibited before, including an unbelievable Ernst Wahliss sculpture of three witches on a broom. I’ve owned lots of Austrian ceramics before but have never seen anything as great as this. Also for the first time, I’ll have a super Tiffany Favrile blue miniature vase with millifiori decoration and a fine Van Briggle 1907 blue vase. I also brought another 25-30 items that I recently purchased, including a Satsuma bowl with underwater seashells and flora on the underside and a really great cloisonné vase with a dragon.

One of the high-quality booths at the show

The show is very diverse with top-notch exhibitors. There’s furniture, art, jewelry, glass, ceramics and most anything you can think of. The overall quality is higher than most shows, so it’s definitely worth a visit.

I’ll do my best to post the results on Monday morning, but no guarantees.

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.