Le Salon des Antiquaires et Galeristes-Tour Eiffel

Hello Dear Readers.  This is just a quick post as Le Salon des Antiquaires et Galeristes-Tour Eiffel closes tomorrow so if you are in Paris...check it out.  The fair is a bit small which makes it manageable and no one  could fault its location under the tents at the foot of the Eiffel Tower along the Seine.

The fair was under the tents at left    Photo: Aestheticus Rex

There was a broad mix of dealers from Paris and beyond selling Old Master and Contemporary paintings to all sorts of decorative arts and jewelry, definitely something for everyone.  In the booth of tableware and textile dealer Dans Le Beaux Draps I was tempted by every manner of embroidered linen and outmoded textile.  It truly is a lost art as we live our lives ever faster and simpler on a day-to-day basis.  I had a chuckle at seeing my nom-de-plume initials emblazoned on an elaborate 19th century tablecloth.

"Aestheticus Rex" table linen in the booth of Dans Le Beaux Drap    Photo: Aestheticus Rex

The mini period rooms and decorative pastiches always get me.  A good dealer will stop you in your tracks with their presentation as they only have a moment to draw you in.  This was the case with the booths of Galerie Pipat and dealer Patrick Martin.

Booth of Galerie Pipat    Photo: Aestheticus Rex

 I was most captivated by the empire painting of and officer.  While it wasn't the most youthful or dramatic rendering I have seen from this period the technical execution was superb, especially in the details of the gold embroidery on his jacket.

Booth of Patrick Martin taking pride of place at the entrance of the fair   Photo: Aestheticus Rex

Patrick Martin created a continental fantasy and I was most amused by the stag head wall-lights with their bulb embellished points.

At the end of the day, it was the call of modernity that won the focus of my attention.  In the booth of contemporary art and design dealer Ludovic Le Floch I found my prize tucked away on a console table.

Booth of design dealer Ludovic Le Floch   Photo: Aestheticus Rex

"Clockwork Skull" at Ludovic Le Floch   Photo: Aestheticus Rex

"Centimes Skull" at Ludovic Le Floch    Photo: Aestheticus Rex

The skulls are masterfully crafted from the innocuous components of our daily lives yet they are themes that rule our mortal days...time and money.  I am a big fan of a clever memento mori and these were stark in their modernity.  Regrettably, I mislaid the card with the artist's details, but I remember that they were priced at €6500 each.  With a heavy heart I had to leave them with the venerable Mr. La Floch.  They immediately reminded me of the coin furniture by Johnny Swing, delicate and lacy yet durable with an edge.  Until next time--AR

Johnny Swing "Half-Dollar /Butterfly Chair"   Image via JohnnySwing.com

Rare Lalique Masterwork Sells in Paris

Rene Lalique: Winged Woman Balustrade Section, Detail.    Image via Sotheby's

Hello Dear Readers.  Just a quick post today.  In reviewing recent sales during this gloomy snowy Saturday I came across this stunner that sold at Sotheby's Paris some four weeks ago.  In a previous post regarding the sale of Tiffany Masterworks from the Garden Museum at Michaan's Auctions, I noted that the Museum's art nouveau treasures were being offered later at Sotheby's Paris salesroom.  I thought for sure they would be sold at the usual times for this material...the spring season but alas the sale was slated for February 16th.  There were many interesting pieces that I had not seen in some years but the rare Rene Lalique patinated bronze winged woman balustrade panel stole the show achieving the highest price of the sale.

Rene Lalique: Patinated bronze Winged Woman Balustrade Section    Image via Sotheby's

This panel was part of a sculptural balustrade within Rene Lalique's display with Siegfried Bing at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1900.

Rene Lalique installation at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle  Image via Allposters.com

Detail of installation showing balustrade.   Image via Sotheby's

Further detail showing balustrade   Image via Sotheby's

The bronze panel offered at Sotheby's was one of five that formed a decorative balustrade that was backed with a sheer gauze simulating wings from which Lalque jewels were hung.  According to Sotheby's description:

Contemporary illustrations of Lalique's display at the 1900 Exposition universelle show five sculpted bronze figures in three different poses. Two have their hands under the chin, one in the collection of the Kunstgwerbemuseum Berlin (acquisition no. 1901-111), the other on exhibition in the Lalique Museum, Hakone, Japan (lent by Shai Bandmann); one with both arms raised above her head with head to her left (private collection) and two with arms raised above her head (the present example and private collection).

As the cataloging shows the panel is one of five produced and only one of two made utilizing the same figure which may explain the result.

Detail of present model at the exhibition Universelle Paris 1900   Image via Sotheby's

The panel was estimated at €200,000-300,000 and achieved a stellar €1,240,750 ($1,658,313).  This was quite an unexpected result and is a testament to the rarity and desirability of the work.  As an investment it was a rather wise one.  It was purchased by the Garden Museum in 1998 at Christies New  York for $134,500 against an estimate of $100,000-150,000.

The present work as illustrated at its previous sale, Christie's New York, 10 December 1998, Lot 111  Image via Christie's

A decorative art item increasing in value by over ten times in fifteen years is not too shabby to say the very least.  At the same sale in 1998, another version from the suite of five was offered, making $101,500 against the same estimate of $100,000-150,000.  This appears to be the example owned by collector Shai Bandmann presently on loan to the Lalique Museum in Hakone, Japan.

The example presently on loan to the Lalique Museum Hakone, Japan, Christie's New York, 10 December 1998, Lot 112   Image via Christie's

The new $1.6M price may motivate the owners of the three other privately held examples to consider selling.  We will have to wait and see.  Until next time.--AR

The 58th Annual Winter Antiques Show

I braved the snow to make it out to this annual extravaganza of needful things from across the globe. The offerings were varied as usual but as a decorative arts aficionado I am embarrassed to admit that I was more captivated by the fine arts offerings this time around. Starting with this arresting John Singer Sargent charcoal drawing of the dapper Robert Gould Shaw III in the booth of the venerable Fine Art Society of London. The quality is exceptional and it stopped just about everyone. It is no wonder that is already sold so early on in the fair (I would assume near the asking price of $160,00).

The sitter was the rather ill-fated son of Nancy Langhorne Astor who ultimately committed suicide after a long battle with alcoholism and depression. However dark the underpinnings may be, it is magnificent in its sheer presence. A quick look around the internet revealed that it surfaced in a small auction in Kent last year and achieved a tidy £23,000. Who knows where it will turn up next.

When you enter the show you are confronted by the Historic Hudson River Valley installation and this rather smart pair of American Gothic revival benches. They were actually owned by Washington Irving of Sleepy Hollow fame and date to 1836 which is rather early for this style in America. I was struck by their absolute purity, before the Gothic revival was watered-down and blurred into frilly Rococo revival permutations.

This simple sweeping wheel is mesmerizing in its simplicity and almost stark modernity. Suggesting the tracery of a rose window and at the same time a spinning wheel of the coming machine age.

Above one bench hangs a portrait of Washington Irving painted by John Wesley Jarvis in 1809. It is exquisitely painted with all the requisite Empire period drama. Who knew Irving cut such a handsome figure...but I digress.

I next stumbled upon the booth of Elle Shushan and their ever expanding array of portrait miniatures. I was particularly taken by this Henry Colton Shumway portrait of a gentleman circa 1840. The elegant elongation of his form is striking. You see it in the rather gossamer depictions of women of the period and is interesting to see in a male portrait.

Maison Gerard did not disappoint with this rare Jules Leleu partially lacquered cabinet from 1933. However my focus was diverted to the lacquer panels just above and to the left of it.

One depicts a stylized city scene and the other abstract geometrics heightened with eggshell lacquer. I initially thought they were the work of Jean Dunand but in fact they are by the relatively under appreciated French lacquer artist Pierre Bobot. He deserves a full post soon I promise as I feel that he will only increase in estimation as works by Dunand become increasingly scarce and out of reach to most collectors. The panels are old friends that I remember seeing at auction in Paris this past December. They were offered from the estate of the artist's daughter Marie Therese Bobot but failed to sell even at their modest estimates. I am sure they will fare better in the capable hands of Maison Gerard.

Finally, I was quite impressed to see three Alexander Calder stabiles in the booth of Jonathan Boos. They date from the mid-1950s and it is not surprising that they were all sold so early in the show. While they are technically "fine art" they appeal to my passion for design. They transform in appearance as you move around them. Truly a microcosm of the artist's work.

Until next time--AR.

Update: The Bobot eggshell lacquer panel has sold. The venerable Maison Gerard was asking $28,000 and I am sure it found a good home. The other "Skyscraper" panel is still available to the tune of $42,000. We shall see what happens after the final weekend! Happy Hunting!

"Antiques & Art At the Armory"

Last night I attended the the opening reception for "The Antiques & Art at the Armory" show. The Winter Antiques Show it is not, but I was quite impressed with the array of goods and dealers. As you enter you are confronted by the whimsical and infinitely stylish vignettes created by Newel Gallery.

The installations tended to be more editorial than sale-friendly but it gives you a strong impression of the eclectic mix Newel has to offer. In the booth of The Silver Fund I was captivated by a rather large dinanderie vase by art deco master Jean Dunand.

Only a precious few pieces of this scale come-up at auction each season but not always with this level of decoration. At $95,000 it seems almost a steal. Over in the booth of Gallery 47 was a veritable menagerie of vintage perfume bottles and packaging. Most are a bit too frilly for my taste but I found myself drawn to two Egyptian revival scent bottles.

Again, some will fault my taste for the macabre but i think they are great (even the striking serpent bottle in the foreground). I have often thought that "modern alchemist" Douglas Little should create perfumes or room fragrances packaged in casts of bottles such as these. They truly capture the western fascination with "Old King Tut". They are quite a folly and one wonders what the fragrances were like...but I digress.

On the way out I wound through the booth of Tiffany veteran Ophir Gallery. The lamps were quite nice but I was captivated by their array of Tiffany Studios glass. They had examples of every major technique aquamarine, cypriote, floriform, cameo and agate glass.

This particular example of agate glass caught my eye. It is astounding that glass could be internally decorated and then cut to perfectly mimic stone to a heightened and other worldly effect. The show is open through the 13th and I highly recommend that you check out their compelling lecture series.

Editor's Choice: The 57th Annual Winter Antiques Show

I do apologize dear readers for the long gap, but again advising has robbed me of time to dedicate to you. That said, over the weekend I had a chance to take-in the 57th Annual Winter Antiques Show at the 7th Regiment Armory. I must say that the robust number of vendors with their diverse goods made me feel that we are indeed turning the corner away from a chilled luxury market. Here is a glimpse of a few things that caught my eye.

These Russian enameled vessels in the booth of A La Vielle Russie were truly stunning and hard to capture in a photograph. The enamel is not backed with metal so they are translucent like drinking out of stained glass windows...if you will. However, the booth also contained a display of Faberge masterworks, one of which truly enticed me.

Some may accuse me of having a taste for the macabre but this serpent-form cane handle is exquisite. It was executed by Faberge's master workman Michel Perchin in smokey quartz, gold and diamonds around 1900. It completely manifests the fin-de-siecle feeling with its heightened interest in symbolism and a flirtation with the occult. It was hauntingly naturalistic, a true masterwork.

This fantastic oddity was nestled in the booth of Aronson Antiquaire amidst an ocean of Delftware garnitures and plaques. While this figure of Atlas looks slightly clumsy to the modern eye one must remember that it was created out of glazed earthenware in 1710. It is amazing that it even survives at all. The dealer noted that this example is one of only three known which would explain the $72,000 price tag.

The Fine Arts Society of London brought this arts and crafts gem along with a display filled with works by Godwin, Pugin, Mackintosh, and Liberty. The table in question was designed by Charles Edward Horton and executed by Lamb of Manchester in 1886. This inlaid-rosewood beauty is very unusual as it has fluid curving lines that show a slant toward organic art nouveau. It almost looks as if it would tip-toe away when no one was looking. The dealer is asking $38,000.

This Phillip Lloyd Powell and Paul Evans walnut, metal and glass wall sculpture was presented in the booth of Lost City Arts. It is not my favorite example of work by Powell and Evans but it is a work you cannot forget. I remember that it was offered at Sotheby's twice and ultimately failed to sell in March of 2009 at an estimate of $20,000-30,000. I always encourage clients to take the time to research and purchase at auction. The work is currently priced at $85,000. The booth also contained the stunning Bertoia sculpture from the Robert Isabell estate that I profiled last year.

I have not always been an adamant fan of folk art but I have always been intrigued by the recontextualization of a "found object" within a modern setting. This leaping stag weathervane in the booth of Giampietro really caught my eye because it was at once graphic and yet sculptural. Perhaps it is the stark gallery presentation, but the work has a dynamism that demands attention. The weathervane is attributed to Cushing & White of Watham, Massachusetts and dates to 1880. Giampietro is asking $45,000.

Just when you think you know a subject completely something comes along to reignite your curiosity. This arts and crafts easy chair offered in the booth of Associated Artists, LLC is apparently the work of Tiffany Studios (and priced at $75,000). While most are familiar with the lamps and windows of Tiffany Studios, it has only been in the last two decades that more focus has shifted to their furniture production. Associated Artists always does a great job with their presentation as evidenced by the printed scrim behind the chair showing the model in a 19th century engraving. It was a great touch. The booth included two other monumental chairs attributed to Tiffany Studios and an imposing aesthetic movement cabinet by Herter Brothers.

This last object was nestled in the booth of the incomparable Maison Gerard . Now this Louis XVI style carved gilt wood wall-light may appear traditional but it is the work of one of my art deco favorites, Armand-Albert Rateau. Most are familiar with Rateau's multi-million dollar works in bronze but his repertoire also included carved furnishings in more staid 18th century styles. This wall-light is one of a pair that came out of a Greek shipping tycoon's Paris apartment and are of imposing scale (nearly three feet tall).

According to those working the floor the fair has been robustly attended and many booths were fortunate enough to have red "sold" dots next to a few of their pieces. This bodes well for the market as we move further and further from the bust of 2008.

56th Annual Winter Antiques Show

With the holidays and travel I let January slip me by but I am back and rejuvinated from the break. This past week I attended the 56th annual Winter Antiques Show at the Park Avenue Armory. This is one of my favororite events as you can take in so many areas and disciplines under one roof.


Americana at the booth of Nathan Liverant


Inspired garden installation from Barbara Israel Garden Antiques


Arms and armor in the booth of London dealer Peter Finer

In all it was an inspired collection of exhibitors where one could satisfy most collecting habits at a variety of pricepoints. But as my readers know by now, I have a particular fondness for tracing the ebb and flow of art as it passes from one hand to another and how that illuminates the workings of an often complex art market. With this in mind, I was not let down when I made it to the booth of the Manhattan gallery Lost City Arts.


Lost City Arts

Lost City Arts was largely filled with choice works by the craft icons Harry Bertoia, George Nakashima and Paul Evans. But it was a particularly horizontal Bertoia Sculpture that got my wheels spinning.

I recognized it immediately from the Collection of Robert Isabel sold at Sotheby's in December. It has distinctive oxidization patterns to the base that I recalled when it was on display at Sotheby's. The Isabel sale was a great success and this lot performed quite well making $92,500 against a conservative estimate of $50,000-70,000. Well, if it slipped through your grasp at the auction it can still be yours via Lost City Arts but it will cost you...$180,000 to be specific. This is why I always encourage collectors to attend auctions especially if they have been comfortable paying retail in the past. It can definitely provide more bang for your buck and thus for your collection as a whole.

Editor's Choice: Modernism Fair

German Art Deco Silver Teapot, circa 1920s

Well the Modernism fair at the Park Avenue Armory closed its doors today with most of the exhibitors in good spirits. I gravitated to metalwork for some reason as is my nature to be attracted to shiny objects. At the booth of New York based J. Lohmann Gallery I encountered a most compelling teapot, and yes there is such a thing as a compelling teapot! It is German Art Deco from the 1920s but owes heavily to the Bauhaus and functionalist schools. It is sleek, modern and space age in its geometry... a veritable tea machine. I am sure if one dug a little deeper a design attribution could be made. A consummate object for sure... and still available from the dealer kids.


Paul Evans Wall Mounted Sculptural Front Cabinet, circa 1960s

The other object that caught my eye was this Paul Evans sculptural front cabinet in the booth of George Gilpin. Now I must qualify this by saying that sometimes Evans' work can be a bit too brutal for my sensibilities, but that is not the case with this cabinet. The array of vibrant tones and sculpted textures evoke an inspired marriage of Louise Nevelson and Joan Miró. It was no surprise that this cabinet found a buyer and thus a new home.