What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

Posted on June 22, 2015 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.

Important Daum Nancy Impressionist vase

We haven’t exhibited at any shows since the Chicago Botanic Garden in mid-April, so I’ve directed a lot of my energy to buying for the summer shows, the Denver World Wide Antique Show, July 24-26, 2015, and the Baltimore Summer Antiques Fair, August 20-23, 2015. We were successful both in France and in the US, so here are a few of the newest and most interesting purchases. I’ll be spending time this week and next adding as many new items to my website as possible. Keep checking back.

Fine, rare Tiffany Favrile red vase

I bought a pair of rare and very desirable 7″ Tiffany red vases. I’ve known where they were for the last couple of years, but the dealer who owned them couldn’t sell them, because he insisted on selling them as a pair. The Tiffany numbers are very close to each other, indicating they were probably made on the same day. I have no problem selling them individually or as a pair. It’s not like a pair of candlesticks that were meant to stay together. On any given day, Tiffany produced a run of consecutively numbered vases that were meant to be sold individually. These red vases are no different.

Fantastic Austrian bronze novelty lamp

I just bought this incredible Austrian bronze novelty lamp, 11½” tall. It was probably designed by Bergman, because this is the quality he created. The condition is superb, with original colored glass windows. Haven’t had anything this wonderful in Austrian bronze in quite some time.

Fine Daum Nancy Peacock Feather vase

Daum Peacock Feather vases are deceptively sophisticated. Most of the work on the vase is standard acid-etching, but not the centers of the feathers. The light blue and dark blue glass was applied when the glass was molten, then pressed into the vase on the marver. The process is called padding, which makes for special vases. I get one or two Peacock Feather vases yearly and they sell very quickly. This example is almost 12″ tall. (The vase is not in yet, so please excuse the quality of the photo. I’ll post a better one after the vase has arrived).

There’s lots more coming in in the next couple of weeks, including two important Daum Nancy Blackbird vases, two large Tiffany Favrile Jack-in-the-Pulpit vases, two Gallé Magnolia vases and lots more. Keep checking my site, as I will be updating it daily.

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

Good results for Tiffany Studios lamps at Christie’s Design sale, June 10, 2015

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Christie’s New York held their Design sale yesterday, June 10, 2015, with total sales of $7,687,750 for the 213 lots offered. Included in the sale were several Tiffany Studios lamps that sold well as a group.

Tiffany Studios 22″ diameter Peony floor lamp, Christie’s lot #14

The top lot of the Tiffany lamps was #14, a 22″ diameter Peony floor lamp that sold for $161,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $80,000 – $120,000.

Tiffany Studios 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp, Christie’s lot #11

Flying well past its pre-sale estimate of $60,000 – $80,000 was an unusual 20″ Dragonfly table lamp, Christie’s lot #11. It had nicely colored dragonflies against a pastel sky-blue, mottled background, with non-jeweled eyes, two amber geometric bands near the rim and amber jewels in the background. The shade rested on a twisted vine base, all with an original gold doré finish. I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not, but I was going to buy it if the price were low. Alas, that wasn’t the case. It realized $125,000.

All prices include the buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

No shows until July, when we’ll be in Denver for the Denver World Wide Antique Show, at the Denver Mart, EXPO Building, 451 East 58th Avenue, July 24-26, 2015. We’re still in business, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. Keep checking my website for the latest offerings, which I’ll be posting in the next week.

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

Good results at Sotheby’s The Warshawsky Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design sale, May 19, 2015

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Philip Chasen

On May 19, 2015, Sotheby’s New York sold a one-owner collection, The Warshawsky Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design, which included 90 lots of outstanding Tiffany Studios objects. Only 2 of the 90 lots failed to sell. Sales totaled $7,951,125 for the 138 lots offered.

Tiffany Studios Oriental Poppy floor lamp, Sotheby’s lot #36

The top lot of the sale was #36, a beautiful Oriental Poppy floor lamp. It topped $1 million, with a final sale price of $1,066,000, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $400,000 – $600,000.

This rare Tiffany Studios Peacock frame, Sotheby’s lot #2, sold for $40,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $5,000 – $7,000

The sale started strongly, with frames and lamp screens selling for ridiculously high prices. Then reality set in and the sale lost a little steam, with some lots selling at or below their low estimates.

Tiffany Studios Grapevine frame, Sotheby’s lot #85

A bizarre result was the sale of a medium-sized Tiffany Grapevine frame, lot #85, a common frame that I ordinarily sell for $2,500 – $3,500. It sold for the extraordinary price of $22,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $1,200 – $1,800. Whaaattt??? Some people have more cents than sense. Where are those clients when I need them?

Tiffany Studios advertising sign, Sotheby’s lot #87

One of the more amusing results came with the sale of an original Tiffany Studios bronze advertising plaque. It brought an incredible $20,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $800 – $1,200.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

We’re now in Lyon, seeking treasures, then back to Paris for a few days before returning home.

No shows until July, when we’ll be in Denver for the Denver World Wide Antique Show, at the Denver Mart, EXPO Building, 451 East 58th Avenue, July 24-26, 2015. I’ll always be in touch, even while we’re in Europe, so please don’t hesitate to email or call.

Good results at Sotheby’s New York 20th Century Design sale, March 4, 2015

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Sotheby’s New York held its 20th Century Design sale on March 4, 2015, with good results. Sales totaled $2,621,379 for the 218 lots offered. Of those, 168 lots sold, for an average of $15,603. 50 lots failed to reach reserve and did not sell. Considering the selection was weaker than the main sales in June and December, the results were impressive.

Tiffany Studios 7-light lily lamp with decorated shades, Sotheby’s lot #11

Lot #11 was one of the better Tiffany lamps — a 7-light lily with decorated shades. Most lily lamps have gold shades, so it was nice to find an example with unusual shades. The lamp was in nice condition, except for one mismatched gold decorated shade (visible in the rear). Regardless, it sold for $40,625, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $12,000 — $18,000.

Steuben red decorated vase, Sotheby’s lot #18

Several lots of Steuben glass crossed the block, with #18, a fine red decorated vase, selling well. It brought $11,250, against an estimate of $7,000 — $9,000.

Rare Daum Dragonfly lamp, Sotheby’s lot #46

I didn’t like lot #46, a rare Daum Dragonfly lamp, so I didn’t bid. The shade didn’t match the base well and I had a suspicion the base was shortened. I also had doubts about the authenticity and originality of the hardware — it just didn’t look right to me. However, the bidders didn’t ask my opinion first, and pushed the lamp to $43,750, against a pre-sale estimate of $20,000 — $30,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

Now we’ll slow down until our next show, the NYC Pier Antique Show, March 28-29, 2015. In the meantime, I can see a nice vacation in our near future. 🙂

The remains of Louis C. Tiffany’s home — Laurelton Hall

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Monday’s post should be up by noon.

This mansion sits right on the site of Laurelton Hall

I feel lucky to live only a few miles from Laurelton Hall, the home of Louis C. Tiffany. I wonder how many of the residents of the many mansions that now cover the 600 acres of the former grounds of Laurelton Hall know about its history. My gut feeling is that most of them don’t have a clue. The mansion above is one of a couple that sits right on the location of Laurelton Hall. In the backyard, one original wall remains. I’m curious if the owner is permitted to knock it down, or does it have historical status? What a joy it must be to live right on the same ground that Tiffany lived and breathed. It’s my opinion that if Laurelton Hall had never burned down, and were preserved, it would be one of the most visited sites in the entire USA. I dream about it.

Sagamore Hill

Did you know that Sagamore Hill, the summer residence of President Theodore Roosevelt, is just down the road? Tiffany and Roosevelt were neighbors. Sagamore Hill has been beautifully preserved and is a must-see if you come to Long Island. Here’s another hint. Teddy Roosevelt is buried just down the road and almost nobody goes. It’s right next to the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center, 134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay, NY. My guess is that most people who visit Sagamore Hill never visit his grave, simply because they don’t know it’s there.

Historical photo of the minaret at Laurelton Hall (courtesy of http://www.oldlongisland.com/)

Historical photo of the minaret at Laurelton Hall (courtesy of www.oldlongisland.com)

The snowy view today from the beach

You can see the blue glass at the top of the minaret

If you travel to the beach at Laurel Hollow, next to the parking lot of the Village Hall, you can see the Laurelton Hall minaret, originally the smokestack for the power house. At the top, you can see the original blue glass. It’s in the backyard of the mansion pictured above in the first photo. (BTW, thanks to Chris Delloiacono for showing it to me. I’ve lived in the area for 25 years and never knew it existed.)

The view of the Laurelton Hall caretaker’s house from Tiffany Road

Driving down Tiffany Road, you can see the caretaker’s house, near the original entrance to the estate. I might be spreading rumors here, but to the best of my knowledge, the house was occupied for many years by Bruce Randall. He was Mr. Universe in 1959 (way before Arnold Schwarzenegger). He’s the same Bruce Randall who not only wrote the forward to the famous book on Tiffany lamps, The Lamps of Tiffany, by Egon Neustadt, but the entire book. Supposedly, Dr. Neustadt was just the collector who put together his famous collection, while Bruce did all the writing. In another aside, you can view the Neustadt collection of Tiffany lamps in two places, the New York Historical Society in NYC and the Queens Museum in Flushing Meadow Park (the site of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs).

If you’re planning a trip to New York, consider adding a side trip to the Oyster Bay, Laurel Hollow, Cove Neck area of Long Island. You’ll be rewarded.

There won’t be a Thursday post this week, but tune in next Monday for What’s New at Chasen Antiques, part III, with an emphasis on French glass.

I’ll be spending the next couple of weeks looking for still more treasures to bring to Florida for our southern circuit. Wish me luck!

What’s new at Chasen Antiques?

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Philip Chasen

Our five-show-Southern-circuit is around the corner, with the first starting in Miami on January 24th. This is the time of year when I scour the earth to find treasures. I’ve been a busy boy. There’s always luck involved and this year it’s been good. A large proportion of my new items are from private estates. Following is a sampling. I suggest you check out my website where I’ve listed some of them, but there are many I haven’t yet listed. Call 516-922-2090, or send an email by clicking here, if you’re looking for something specific. (Remember to answer the simple anti-spam question at the bottom of the form or your email will not be sent.) Thursday’s post will be part II of What’s New at Chasen Antiques.

Rare Tiffany Favrile yellow vase

Tiffany Favrile glass is one area where I’ve purchased some very fine items, including a rare yellow vase, pictured above, a black millifiori vase, a turquoise decorated mini vase, a hearts & vines vase, a red-orange vase and several other outstanding examples.

Fine, rare Tiffany Favrile Artichoke pottery vase

I don’t get many Tiffany Favrile pottery vases because they’re even rarer than Tiffany Favrile glass. I just bought a wonderful, big (11″), artichoke example with a great glaze.

Natzler Tiger Eye Reduction Glaze vase

Another item I rarely get is Natzler pottery. If you don’t know, it’s mid-century and the best quality. This example has a great Tiger Eye Reduction glaze, with the original stickers, including the original price. A very cool item!

I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg. Look for more this Thursday. In the meantime, please check my website. I think you’ll like what you see.

I’ll be spending the next three weeks looking for still more treasures to bring to Florida for our southern circuit. Wish me luck!

Bonham’s New York had a good 20th Century Decorative Arts auction, Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Philip Chasen

Bonham’s New York held its 20th Century Decorative Arts auction on Tuesday, December 16, 2014, a day ahead of Sotheby’s. The sale was fairly small, with total sales of $1,136,534, for the 95 of 166 lots that sold. Many of the unsold lots were radios, which skewed the results. Tiffany lamps were a large contributor to the total.

Tiffany Floral Bouquet chandelier, Bonham’s lot #52

Leading the sale was a beautiful Tiffany Floral Bouquet chandelier, which easily exceeded its high estimate of $120,000, realizing $197,000, including buyer’s premium.

Webb perfume bottles, Bonham’s lot #7

Lot #7, two Webb lay-down perfume bottles, was a nice surprise. It soared past the pre-sale estimate of $1,500 – $2,000, to realize $21,250, including buyer’s premium. To be fair, the pre-sale estimate was quite low, and the quality was high. Mice are rare subject matter, the detail was superb, and the lids were 14K gold, instead of the usual sterling silver.

It was nice to see two sales in a row where Tiffany Studios lamps and glass sold well. It appears that the poor results at Christie’s sale were just an anomaly.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

I’ll be spending the next month looking for treasures to bring to Florida for our southern circuit. So far the buying has been great, so look for lots of new goodies to be listed on my website soon. The Florida shows begin with the Miami National Antiques Show on January 24, 2015.

Excellent results at Sotheby’s New York Tiffany: Dreaming in Glass auction, December 17, 2014

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Philip Chasen

Sotheby’s New York held its Tiffany: Dreaming in Glass auction yesterday, December 17, 2014 with total sales of $6,585,875. 36 of the 41 lots offered sold, for an average of $182,941. Most of the Tiffany lamps sold near or above their high estimates.

Tiffany Wisteria table lamp, Sotheby’s lot #216

Leading the sale were two nearly identical Tiffany Wisteria table lamps, selling for $1,145,000 and $1,205,000, respectively. Both were outstanding examples.

Tiffany table lamp, Sotheby’s lot #218

The third best-selling lot of the sale was a Tiffany 22″ diameter Drop-Head Dragonfly table lamp with a vividly colored shade and an important mosaic and turtleback glass base. The lamp sold for $965,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $600,000 — $900,000.

Tiffany Poppy paperweight vase, Sotheby’s lot #207

The top lot of the glass section of the sale was #207, a paperweight vase with Poppy decoration. It sold for $87,500, easily exceeding its high estimate of $50,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.

I won’t cover Christie’s Tiffany Studios auction of December 9, 2014. It was too depressing. I can’t begin to explain why Sotheby’s did so much better than Christie’s, but they did. You’re on your own for Christie’s results.

I’ll be spending the next five weeks looking for treasures to bring to Florida for our southern circuit. So far the buying has been great, so look for lots of new goodies to be listed on my website soon. The Florida shows begin with the Miami National Antiques Show on January 24, 2015.

Louis Comfort Tiffany-designed necklace to be auctioned by Heritage Auctions on December 9, 2014

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Philip Chasen

Louis Comfort Tiffany necklace, Heritage lot #54124

Most people are aware that Tiffany Studios made lamps and many people know they made other items, including glassware and desk sets. But I suspect if you were to ask someone if Louis Comfort Tiffany designed jewelry, the answer would probably be “I don’t know.” or “No.”. Well, he did, and Heritage Auctions will sell a lovely example on December 9th. Lot #54124 in the Holiday Fine Jewelry Signature Auction is an amethyst, enamel and gold necklace, designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, for sale at his father’s store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, Tiffany & Co. The necklace features a 35 carat amethyst, enhanced by several smaller amethysts, set in 18k gold, with enameled leaves and suspended by an 18k gold chain. It is marked Tiffany & Co.

Enamel detail

The pre-sale estimate is $30,000 – $50,000. In most auctions, the reserve is kept secret, but in this case Heritage revealed the reserve of $20,000. That means as soon as the bidding hits $20,000, the item is sold. It can stop at $20,000 or sky’s the limit. Anything less than $20,000 will mean the item will go unsold. It’s provenance will certainly help. It’s been passed down through three generations of New York women.

It will be on public view in NYC at the Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion on E. 79th St. for several days prior to the sale. I’m curious to see what happens as I specialize in the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany, but never his jewelry. I’ll let you know after the sale.

For the complete catalog, click here.

I’ll be spending the next month and a half looking for treasures to bring to Florida for our southern circuit. The Florida shows begin with the Miami National Antiques Show on January 24, 2015.

The NYC Pier Antique Show opens this Saturday, November 22, 2014

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Philip Chasen

The NYC Pier Antique Show will open to the public this coming Saturday, November 22, at 10 AM, and close the next day, Sunday, November 23, at 6 PM. This is the second year that U.S. Antique Shows will manage it, having bought the show from Stella Show Management. It promises to be a good one, with 25 additional dealers.

We’ll have this beautiful Tiffany 18″ Tyler Scroll table lamp at the show

This will be our last show of the year, so we hope to make it a good one by bringing some fantastic new items. One is a Tiffany Studios 18″ Tyler Scroll table lamp. It’s one of 25, mostly Tiffany Studios, lamps we’ll have on display at the show.

Museum-quality Daum Nancy vase with applied cabochon-center daisies

Our French glass selection will be large, with some outstanding examples of Daum and Gallé glass.

After the Pier show, we’ll be buying treasures for our important Florida shows in January and February. I’m already flying out of town today to buy an outstanding French glass collection.

Tune in Monday for the results of the NYC Pier Antique Show!

Philip Chasen Antiques

The blog for chasenantiques.com

Tag Archives: Tiffany

What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

Good results for Tiffany Studios lamps at Christie’s Design sale, June 10, 2015

Good results at Sotheby’s The Warshawsky Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design sale, May 19, 2015

Good results at Sotheby’s New York 20th Century Design sale, March 4, 2015

The remains of Louis C. Tiffany’s home — Laurelton Hall

What’s new at Chasen Antiques?

Bonham’s New York had a good 20th Century Decorative Arts auction, Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Excellent results at Sotheby’s New York Tiffany: Dreaming in Glass auction, December 17, 2014

Louis Comfort Tiffany-designed necklace to be auctioned by Heritage Auctions on December 9, 2014

The NYC Pier Antique Show opens this Saturday, November 22, 2014