Stories for June '19
(Issue Story)Another Look for Ten Bucks
Another Look for Ten Bucks
In early April an intriguing new service was added to eBay. Before bidding on or buying Asian art, eBay users in the United States can now pay $10 via PayPal to have the object looked at—via the eBay listing and not in person—by an expert in ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)The Currier Museum’s “Candidates and Culture”
The Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire, is launching “Candidates and Culture,” a program to lead a conversation about arts and culture and their role in our country. The Currier will offer special discounted rates to political candidates from all parties to host events at the museum
According to a ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Harvard Art Museums Are Gifted 70 Otto Piene Sketchbooks
Seventy sketchbooks by renowned artist Otto Piene (1928-2014) have been gifted to the Harvard Art Museums. The gift was made by poet and author Elizabeth Goldring, the artist’s wife. Dating from 1935 to 2014, the largely unpublished sketchbooks reflect interdisciplinary, cross-media experiments from Piene’s long career in the Boston area ... (Read More)
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(Book Review)John Head’s Account Book
A Book Review
One day in 1717 a young man named John Head stepped off a boat from England onto the docks in Philadelphia. Not yet 30 years old, he had been born in Bury St. Edmunds in County Suffolk in 1688. He arrived in the Quaker city with his wife, ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Toomer to Head Print Fair
Art fair veteran Helen Toomer will join executive director Jenny Gibbs at the helm of the Fine Art Print Fair as fair director, the International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) recently announced.
Toomer brings a comprehensive background of over 14 years in the U.S. and U.K. organizing art fairs and exhibitions. ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)New Ownership for The Magazine Antiques
On May 1 it was announced that Gregory Cerio and Don Sparacin, editor and publisher respectively of The Magazine Antiques, have acquired the title from ArtNews Media, LLC.
“Stewardship is a better word than ownership to describe the way we feel about our new responsibilities,” said Cerio. “Antiques is fast approaching ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Elizabeth Goldberg Joins Phillips
Elizabeth Goldberg has been appointed senior international specialist of American art and deputy chairman, Americas, at Phillips. She will start in her new role in July.
Goldberg joins Phillips from Sotheby’s, where she was most recently chairman of American art. During her tenure at Sotheby’s, she also served as a senior ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)The Sky Is Falling! The Sky Is Falling! Maybe Not So Much
Opinion
If you look up the word “angst” in the dictionary, don’t be surprised to find a picture of an antiques dealer. For the better part of two decades the world of antiques has been unsettled, to say the least. When covering shows and auctions I am frequently asked “How is ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Internet Scams
Computer Column #365
The Internet has been around for three decades, and Internet fraud has been discussed almost that long in this column. Hackers are inventing new frauds every day. A few new ones will be discussed this month in the hope that you develop an eye for scams just as ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)The Stuff about the Stuff: The Value and Imperiled Future of Collectors’ Papers
Part I of II
A collector’s stuff alone is often enough for heirs to deal with. But, as we all know, many collectors, being collectors, also collect stuff about their stuff, and these sometimes monstrous mother lodes of market notes, receipts, invoices, newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs of objects, exhibition and ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Letter from London, June 2019
In the early weeks of April, when this “Letter” was put together, the principal London salerooms had not really got into full swing, and some were far more focussed on what was happening in China, so on this occasion I have taken the opportunity to pick out a few additional ... (Read More)
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(Young Collectors)Size Matters
The Young Collector
Size Matters
We talk often as an industry about what many consider to be the first rule of collecting: buy the best you can afford. Reduced, however, that means collecting two or three great objects per year rather than 25 “just good” objects. In theory, it makes sense, but ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Exhibitions, June 2019
Maine Antique Digest includes, as space permits, brief announcements of exhibitions planned by galleries, museums, or other venues. We need all press materials at least six weeks in advance of opening. We need to know the hours and dates of the exhibit, admission charges, and phone number and website for ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)New York Attorney General Announces Settlement with Auctioneer
On April 24 New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a settlement in a contempt of court case with an auctioneer who previously defrauded consumers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in the Syracuse area.
Timothy W. Conroy was found in contempt of court for violating a 2008 court order ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Latin American Imprints, Including Poet-Nun’s Songbook, Lead Printed and Manuscript Sale
Swann Galleries, New York City
Photos courtesy Swann Galleries
Swann’s printed and manuscript Americana department set several price records on April 16 in the auction house’s New York City gallery. On its way to doing so, the department posted its third straight sale that finished over $1 million (including buyers’ premiums). The ... (Read More)
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(Auction)The Asa Munger Clock Case Mystery
Swann Galleries, New York City
Swann’s keyword alert system flagged “clock” for me in the description of lot 150 of this Americana sale. According to Swann’s Rick Stattler, it was lucky for me that he happened to mention clock cases in his description of this 1826-54 handwritten account book kept by ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Prototype Coke Bottle
A rare Coca-Cola prototype bottle sold for $110,700 (includes buyer’s premium) and was the top lot at Morphy Auctions’ April 12-14 auction in Las Vegas that totaled more than $3 million.
With no chips, cracks, or case wear, this 1915 modified prototype Coca-Cola bottle was designed by Earl R. Dean (1890-1972) ... (Read More)
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(Show)The Garden Furniture & Antiques Fair
Bronx, New York
The Garden Furniture & Antiques Fair at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), April 11-14, smelled great and looked great, and exhibitors’ booths were put together with tender, loving care.
Pretty in pink could have been the theme for the fair. Pale pink cherry blossoms were everywhere, while bright ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Unique and Fresh Jewelry
Antique Jewelry & Gemology
Photos courtesy Leslie Hindman
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, Chicago, held its auction of important jewelry and timepieces on April 10. I had a conversation about the sale and the jewelry market with Katie Guilbault, senior specialist, and Jamie Henderson, specialist, afterward. Guilbault reiterated what we’d talked about when we ... (Read More)
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(Show)A Fresh Show Overlooking the Hudson River
Antiques on the Hudson at Lyndhurst, Tarrytown, New York
What better venue can an antiques event have than a location that is historical, easy to reach, with great views of one of the world’s most famous rivers and mountains, and a house museum filled with period antiques that was hosting a ... (Read More)
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(Auction)African American Fine Art at Swann
Swann Galleries, New York City
Photos courtesy Swann Galleries
Swann Galleries, New York City, has been offering African American fine art twice a year in dedicated auctions for the past 11 years. The spring auction on April 4, which began at 2 p.m., as is the house tradition, included 175 lots of ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Gun Trek: The Next Generation
Poulin Antiques and Auctions Inc., Fairfield, Maine
Photos courtesy Poulin Antiques and Auctions Inc.
After James Julia sold his business, the gavel lay dormant at the Julia auction facility in Fairfield, Maine. But not for long. Poulin Antiques and Auctions Inc., begun over 30 years ago by Steve and Jeannine Poulin, Jim’s ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Big Cupboard and Door Latch Combine for Over Twenty Grand
Hap Moore, York, Maine
At Hap Moore’s March 30 auction in York, Maine, a large red cupboard was expected to do very well, and it didn’t disappoint. But it was a 16" iron door latch that rose from obscurity to finish near the top.
The star of the show was a New ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Green Book Sets Record at Printed and Manuscript African Americana Sale
Swann Galleries, New York City Photos courtesy Swann Galleries
Swann Galleries sold a copy of a 1958 edition of The Negro Travelers’ Green Book for $27,500 (including buyer’s premium) on March 28 at its annual printed and manuscript African Americana sale in New York City. The price is a new record ... (Read More)
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(Show)The Elverson Antique Show & Sale
Elverson, Pennsylvania
Elverson is a borough that measures one square mile in the northwestern corner of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Twice a year for half a century, the Elverson Antique Show & Sale has brought collectors to this small town whose historical district has been on the national register since 1993.
The Elverson ... (Read More)
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(Show)The Connecticut Spring Show
Hartford, Connecticut
When the Connecticut Spring Show sets up in the sun-filled 1909 state arsenal and armory in Hartford, Connecticut, the soft colors and textures of the art and antiques on view blaze in the light. Dealers and collectors know that exhibitors bring their best, and the show is a highlight ... (Read More)
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(Show)Raleigh in the Spring: Rugs and Other Essentials
Raleigh Antiques Extravaganza, Raleigh, North Carolina
On opening day at the Raleigh Antiques Extravaganza, it took less than five minutes for red sold tickets to sprout on three items in the booth of John Cooper of Antiques & Folk Art at Wilmington, Wake Forest, North Carolina. His display was the first ... (Read More)
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(Auction)50 Years in the Making: The Blue Glass Collection of Dr. Charles and Jane Aprill
Norman C. Heckler & Company, Woodstock Valley, Connecticut
Photos courtesy Norman C. Heckler & Company
If ever a collection was begun in the purest of ways, the collection of Dr. Charles and Jane Aprill of antique glass and bottles would surely be the poster child. The first part of their collection was ... (Read More)
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(Show)Chester County Historical Society Antiques & Art Show
Exton, Pennsylvania
“Antiques and Art Show Today” read the sign at the entrance to the Church Farm School announcing the 37th annual Chester County Historical Society Antiques & Art Show. These days many antiques dealers offer paintings along with furniture and decorations, so shows in the city and the country have ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Fred Giampietro’s Second Fine Art and Estates Auction
New Haven Auctions, New Haven, Connecticut
Photos courtesy New Haven Auctions
Fred Giampietro has gone back to his roots. The New Haven, Connecticut, gallerist put together his first auction of 2019 on Sunday, March 17, with bidding available in the salesroom of his off-site location on Peck Street, as well as through ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Strong Showing for Bird Haven
Laughlin Auctions, Inc., Edinburg, Virginia
Laughlin Auctions, Inc., headquartered in Woodstock, Virginia, held its 32nd annual spring sale at the firm’s galleries in nearby Edinburg on March 16. Laughlin auctions are always large, with auctioneers utilizing three galleries simultaneously. This sale was no exception. While there were no blockbuster or record-setting ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Swan Decoy Tops Country Americana Sale
Garth’s Auctions, Columbus, Ohio
Photos courtesy Garth’s
Sometimes it’s not the top lot that makes the most significant statement. When Garth’s Auctions held a sale of country Americana on March 15 in Columbus, Ohio, it was a lesser piece of furniture that stuck in the mind of Jeff Jeffers, Garth’s principal auctioneer ... (Read More)
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(Show)Show Benefiting Kerr Memorial Museum Shines in 15th Year
Oakmont Antique Show, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
The 15th annual Oakmont Antique Show was held Saturday and Sunday, March 9 and 10, with a preview party held on Friday night, at the Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, and though the dealers are only 25 strong; there is nothing “only” about this show—be ... (Read More)
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(Show)53rd Tolland Antiques Show
Tolland Antiques Show, Tolland, Connecticut
An antiques show that has endured for 53 years is remarkable these days. Such is the case for the Tolland Antiques Show, a smallish show with 40 or so dealers from around the Northeast who bring their best quality American antiques. Dealers and show attendees alike ... (Read More)
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(Show)Short, Sweet, and Snowy March Sale
Bath Antique Sale, Bath, Maine
Paul Fuller’s Bath Antique Sale, held one Sunday a month in Bath, Maine, from November through April (but not February), is an unjuried come-as-you-are affair. At the March 10 show, some dealers brought A-game material, but there is plenty of room for B- and C-game merch ... (Read More)
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(Show)The 62nd CSADA Spring Fox Valley Antiques Show
St. Charles, Illinois
When a show reaches a milestone of 60-plus years, one has to wonder how long the success will last. We’re happy to report that the 62nd spring show of the Chicago Suburban Antiques Dealers Association (CSADA) on March 9 and 10 with 55 dealers from 15 states was ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Art and Design Auction
Toomey & Co., Oak Park, Illinois
How can one follow a hit with another success? That’s the conundrum staff at Toomey & Co. faced after the huge hit of their new “Tradition and Innovation” sale in December 2018.
So when CEO and second-generation gallery head Lucy Toomey told us, “March sales are ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Fine and Decorative Art, Including Americana
Cowan’s Auctions, Cincinnati, Ohio
Photos courtesy Cowan’s Auctions
For the third time in less than five months, Cowan’s Auctions has sold an Andrew Clemens (1857-1894) sand bottle for a six-figure price.
The most recent sale came during an auction of fine and decorative art on February 23 in Cincinnati. The bottle featured a ... (Read More)
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(Show)The Nashville Show by Jenkins: Change Is in the Air
Nashville, Tennessee
When visitors to the Nashville Show this year bought tickets at the front door, the first thing they saw was an artist’s rendering of what the new exposition buildings at the Nashville Fairgrounds will look like when collectors return in 2020. Construction is already underway, and modern techniques can ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Antiques at Rhinebeck Adds Fourth Building
Barn Star Productions’ Spring Antiques at Rhinebeck Show and Sale on Memorial Day weekend, May 25 and 26, will be adding a fourth building to the event to accommodate more exhibitors. The show is held at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, New York, and Barn Star has filled the ... (Read More)
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(Auction)American Paintings, Furniture, and Decorative Arts
Doyle, New York City
Photos courtesy Doyle
Doyle’s spring auction of American paintings, furniture, and decorative arts on March 27 offered over 400 lots, and the hours-long sale totaled $998,281 (including buyers’ premiums) with a sell-through rate of 81%. The presale estimate for the total sale was $954,450/1,446,900.
There were 15 to 20 ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Harvard Art Museums Are Gifted 70 Otto Piene Sketchbooks
Seventy sketchbooks by renowned artist Otto Piene (1928-2014) have been gifted to the Harvard Art Museums. The gift was made by poet and author Elizabeth Goldring, the artist’s wife. Dating from 1935 to 2014, the largely unpublished sketchbooks reflect interdisciplinary, cross-media experiments from Piene’s long career in the Boston area ... (Read More)
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