Stories for February '19

(Issue Story)

Glenn Bauer, Forest Murmurs, Round Top, New York
by Frank Donegan

In the Trade I have to confess that I’ve never paid any attention to Black Forest woodcarvings. I’ve been looking at antiques since 1963 when I bought my first old object (a C.F. Martin guitar that my mother wouldn’t let in the house because it smelled from the mouse nest in ... (Read More)

(Issue Story)

Claggett Clock Reunion
by Bob Frishman

Redwood Library and Athenaeum, Newport, Rhode Island Back on June 5, 2015, I attended a daylong seminar, “Time Well Spent: Clockmaking in Colonial America,” at the venerable Redwood Library and Athenaeum in Newport, Rhode Island. The Redwood, America’s first purpose-built library, was founded in 1747 and still occupies its original but ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

Mid-Week in Manchester Goes to One-Day Format
by M.A.D. staff

In August Frank Gaglio and Barn Star Productions will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Mid-Week in Manchester Antiques Show. After a quarter century, there’s a big change coming. The show will now be held on one day only, instead of two. Dubbed “Mid-Week One-Day Antiques Fair,” it will be held ... (Read More)

(Issue Story)

Heritage Pulls Back The Curtain, Editorial February 2019
by Clayton Pennington, Editorial February 2019

Private sales by auction houses remain shrouded in mystery. Heritage Auctions, based in Dallas, Texas, has recently made a move to increase transparency in the antiques market—opening up a window into private sales. Heritage Auctions, which had $815 million in sales in 2017, has an innovative Make Offer to Owner (MOtO) ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

Virginia Antiques Shop Owner Guilty of Smuggling Endangered Wildlife
by M.A.D. staff

Antiques dealer Keith Foster, 60, of Upperville, Virginia, pleaded guilty on December 19, 2018, to violating the Lacey Act by illegally selling and transporting between $250,000 and $500,000 worth of items made from endangered species, migratory birds, and other wildlife. Foster was the owner of The Outpost LLC, Middleburg, Virginia. The ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

Northeast Auctions Closes and New Firm Opens
by Lita Solis-Cohen

The auction world has changed. In early January, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers from Chicago and Cowan’s Auctions from Cincinnati merged into Hindman LLC (see p. 131), and Ronald Bourgeault closed Northeast Auctions in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and established Bourgeault-Horan Antiquarians & Associates LLC. Bourgeault established the new firm with his partner, James ... (Read More)

(Issue Story)

James Arthur and His “Temple of Time”: A Cautionary Tale for Collector-Donors
by Jeanne Schinto

Part IV of IV In 1925 New York University (NYU) received from private collector James Arthur (1842-1930) the gift of a horological collection consisting of clocks, watches, sundials, and other time-measuring devices, along with a library and an endowment. Today, NYU retains the library, the endowment, and about a dozen of ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

Burglary Suspect Arrested
by M.A.D. staff

On December 27, 2018, Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office deputies served a search warrant at a residence in Dunsmuir, California, after an investigation into a Christmas night commercial burglary at Harley’s Antique Store identified a possible suspect in the case. The search warrant operation netted the key suspect, Benjamin Osborn, 43, most ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

New Board Members for American Folk Art Museum
by M.A.D. staff

The board of trustees of the American Folk Art Museum (AFAM) has two new members—philanthropist and educator Joyce Berger Cowin, a former member of the AFAM board (1992-2017), and attorney and civil rights advocate Gail Wright Sirmans. Joyce Berger Cowin. Gail Wright Sirmans. “Joyce Berger Cowin has been an exemplary and generous benefactor ... (Read More)

(Computer Article)

Encryption
by John P. Reid,

Computer Column #361 As youngsters, we listened to the adventures of Jack Armstrong and Captain Midnight on the radio every night. These series, along with Little Orphan Annie and The Lone Ranger, regularly offered premiums for 25¢ and a boxtop. A regular favorite was a decoder ring that allowed a youngster ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

Call for Consignments for Rockport Art Association & Museum
by M.A.D. staff

The Rockport Art Association & Museum, Rockport, Massachusetts, is currently accepting consignments of artwork by historical American artists, highlighting the Cape Ann school, for its annual art auction. The consignment deadline is Saturday, March 9, and the auction will be held on Saturday, May 4, in the museum’s Hibbard Gallery. Each ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

A Halifax Collector’s Final Wish
by Shaun Markey

Jack Craft of Finer Things Antiques & Curios, Halifax, Nova Scotia, wasn’t sure what to expect when he was summoned to the hospital bed of a local collector who was gravely ill. As it turned out, the collector wanted Craft’s help to disperse his superb collection of antique furniture, the ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

Princeton Sued Over Religious Manuscripts
by M.A.D. staff

A lawsuit filed in federal court in New Jersey on December 13, 2018, accuses Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, of holding in its collection four religious manuscripts that were stolen in 1917 from a Greek monastery. The lawsuit, filed by plaintiffs His All Holiness, Bartholomew I, the Archbishop of Constantinople, New ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

Record-Breaking Attendance at The Met
by M.A.D. staff

The Metropolitan Museum of Art welcomed 7.36 million visitors to its three locations—The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Cloisters, and The Met Breuer—in 2018, an increase over the 7 million it reported for 2017. According to the institution, the number is due in part to the record-breaking attendance for Heavenly Bodies: ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

New Bartlam Discovery
by Lita Solis-Cohen

An important and previously unrecorded American porcelain tea bowl and saucer, attributed to the John Bartlam manufactory in Cain Hoy, South Carolina, 1765-69, have been consigned to a February 19 auction at Woolley and Wallis in Salisbury, U.K. The tea bowl and saucer were made at John Bartlam’s pottery in Cain ... (Read More)

(Issue Story)

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts
by Hollie Davis and Andrew Richmond

The Young Collector We talk a lot in the antiques business about the dollars and cents of things, but for many of us and for much of our work, it is often much more emotional work than financial. It is, bluntly, hard, challenging, sometimes even saddening work. Much of our effort ... (Read More)

(Issue Story)

Letter from London, February 2019
by

Letter from London Ian McKay, <[email protected]> Now That’s What You Call a Royally Great Vase! One of the more important vases produced by the Russian Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg to come to auction for generations was a star turn of a Russian pictures and works of art sale held at Christie’s, ... (Read More)

(Issue Story)

Exhibitions, February 2019
by M.A.D. staff

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)

(Fragment)

Across the Continent Brings $62,500
by M.A.D. staff

On December 13, 2018, a Currier & Ives print, Across the Continent. Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way, sold for a whopping $62,500 (includes buyer’s premium) at Swann Galleries in New York City. The estimate was $7000/10,000. The buyer was the William Reese Company, New Haven, Connecticut. “We bought ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

Record Tiffany Lamp Sold at Christie’s
by Lita Solis-Cohen

 Christie’s established a new record for a Tiffany Studios lamp on December 13, 2018, when the finest of all Pond Lily table lamps sold for $3,372,500 (includes buyer’s premium); the estimate was $1,800,000/2,500,000. Tiffany Studios Pond Lily table lamp, circa 1903, leaded glass, patinated bronze, 26½" high, 18" diameter shade, shade ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

Original Plaza Hotel Portrait of Eloise Sells for $100,000
by M.A.D. staff

On December 5, 2018, Hilary Knight’s original Plaza Hotel portrait of fictional character Eloise sold for $100,000 (includes buyer’s premium) at Bonhams in New York City. The estimate was $100,000/150,000. Portrait of Eloise, tempera on board, 54" x 37", inscribed by the artist in paint lower right, “For Kay / on her birthday/ ... (Read More)

(Issue Story)

Gemmy Gifts, Engagement Rings, a Curated Collection, and More
by Mary Ann Brown

Antique Jewelry & Gemology Rago Arts & Auction Center’s sale of fine jewelry on December 2, 2018, in Lambertville, New Jersey, offered 636 lots and realized a total of $2,105,313. The auction was preceded by a November 30 unreserved online jewelry sale of 467 lots that brought $298,175. The top lot of ... (Read More)

(Show)

Williamsburg Show Signals the Opening of the Holiday Season
by Walter C. Newman

Holiday Antiques Show, Williamsburg, Virginia The 37th annual Holiday Antiques Show was held November 23-25, 2018, at the Doubletree by Hilton in Williamsburg, Virginia. Known to most antiques followers as simply the Williamsburg Holiday Show, the event long ago solidified its place as a post-Thanksgiving destination for many in the mid-Atlantic. ... (Read More)

(Auction)

58th Annual Thanksgiving Americana Auction
by Don Johnson

Garth’s Auctions, Columbus, Ohio Photos courtesy Garth’s Auctions It didn’t take long to set high expectations during the 58th annual Thanksgiving Americana auction, held by Garth’s in Columbus, Ohio, on November 23, 2018. Roughly ten minutes into the sale a New England dome-top box from the mid-19th century, in its original paint ... (Read More)

(Auction)

Flag Day Tops American Art Auction
by Julie Schlenger Adell

Bonhams, New York City Photos courtesy Bonhams A 70-lot sale of American art was offered at Bonhams in New York City on November 19, 2018. The sale totaled $2,440,750 with a sell-through rate of 77%. There were a dozen or so attendees at the sale, which was held on the second floor of ... (Read More)

(Auction)

“Pepsi” Rolex Leads at Potomack
by Walter C. Newman

The Potomack Company, Alexandria, Virginia Photos courtesy The Potomack Company The Potomack Company rounded out its 2018 live auction season in three sessions held November 17 and 19. Two of the sessions were live gallery sales, both conducted on November 17, and there was an online-only auction on November 19. Vintage Rolex collectors ... (Read More)

(Auction)

California Paintings and Sculpture
by Alice Kaufman

Bonhams, Los Angeles, California Photos courtesy Bonhams “We did reasonably well,” said Scot Levitt, describing the results of Bonhams’ November 19, 2018, California paintings and sculpture auction, held in Los Angeles and simulcast in San Francisco, that totaled $2.5 million. “The sale was heavy on nineteenth-century material, for which the market has ... (Read More)

(Auction)

20th-Century Art and Design
by Don Johnson

Treadway Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio Photos courtesy Treadway Gallery A painting by Gertrude Abercrombie (1909-1977) sold for an auction record at $149,000 (including buyer’s premium) during the 20th-century art and design sale held by Treadway Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 18, 2018. The work, Night Arrives, was a 20" x 26" oil ... (Read More)

(Auction)

American Art
by Julie Schlenger Adell

 Sotheby’s, New York City Photos courtesy Sotheby’s Sotheby’s fall American art sale on November 16, 2018, offered 82 lots, and at the completion of the noon sale $44.1 million (with buyers’ premiums) of art had been sold. Of the 82 lots offered, 57 sold, for a sell-through rate of 69.5%. Presale estimates ... (Read More)

(Auction)

The Sale of the Ebsworth Collection
by Julie Schlenger Adell

Christie’s, New York City Photos courtesy Christie’s Barney A. Ebsworth (1934-2018) was born in St. Louis, Missouri. His love of art was cultivated when, as a 22-year old U.S. Army officer in France, he made weekly trips to the Louvre. His self-made fortune came from his luxury travel businesses, including Clipper Cruise ... (Read More)

(Show)

The American Art Fair 2018
by Julie Schlenger Adell

New York City The American Art Fair, held November 10-13, 2018, offered three floors of approachable 19th- and 20th-century art, along with complimentary lectures, during its 11th edition. Landscapes, portraits, still lifes, and sculptures filled the three floors of the Bohemian National Hall on New York City’s Upper East Side. On ... (Read More)

(Show)

Salon Art & Design
by Julie Schlenger Adell

New York City There were no jewelry exhibitors per se, at the 2018 Salon Art & Design, held November 8-12, and yet jewelry played a role in the overall atmosphere of the seventh edition of the yearly fair. An observer could sense jewelry in the luster of metallic glazes of ceramics and ... (Read More)

(Auction)

Four Days and Six Continents Worth of Auctioning
by Mark Sisco

Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, Thomaston, Maine It wasn’t Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ biggest sale ever, but it was the longest. The Thomaston, Maine, company ventured into a four-day format, spanning November 8-11, 2018. The first two days presented collections of ancient and tribal artifacts and then jewelry. The second two days ... (Read More)

(Auction)

Slotin’s November Auction Brings In $1.2 Million
by Susan Emerson Nutter

Slotin Folk Art Auction, Buford, Georgia Photos courtesy Slotin Folk Art Auction For Steve Slotin, owner of Slotin Folk Art, Buford, Georgia, the numbers told the story. “We had the largest in-house audience ever,” he stated. “As well as an extremely large number of registered online bidders and more than 250,000 views ... (Read More)

(Auction)

The David and Janice Frent Collection of Presidential and Political Americana, Part IV
by Susan Emerson Nutter

Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas Photos courtesy Heritage Auctions Heritage Auctions’ fourth installment of selling the David and Janice Frent collection of presidential and political Americana took place November 10 and 11, 2018, in Dallas, Texas. Close to 1140 items were presented. Approximately 400 lots were up for grabs during session one held ... (Read More)

(Show)

North Carolina’s Oldest Continuous Show: Rowan Museum Antiques Show
by Pete Prunkl

Salisbury, North Carolina At its preview on November 8, 2018, the Rowan Museum Antiques Show became eligible for Social Security. Since 1953 this annual show has brought in locals and out-of-towners whose sponsorships, admission fees, and luncheon tabs have enabled the Rowan Museum to keep the air conditioning and lights on. ... (Read More)

(Auction)

Keeping the Art in Art Pottery
by Don Johnson

Humler & Nolan, Cincinnati, Ohio Photos courtesy Humler & Nolan During the November 3 and 4, 2018, holiday sale held by Humler & Nolan in Cincinnati, Ohio, a piece of Rookwood that sold 24 years ago served as a yardstick to measure the market for top-notch examples of the American art pottery. Rookwood ... (Read More)

(Show)

Winnetka Antiques + Modernism
by Danielle Arnet

Winnetka, Illinois “Rebranding” has, of late, become a buzz-word in the antiques world, and we cannot think of an example as successful as the Antiques + Modernism show at the Winnetka Community House, Winnetka, Illinois. There, smart tweaking has melded two tired shows into one vibrant event. The November 1-4, 2018, ... (Read More)

(Auction)

A Parade of Americana
by Frances McQueeney-Jones Mascolo

Skinner, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts Photos courtesy Skinner Americana collided with Americana at Skinner’s noon-time preview of its November 3, 2018, sale at the Boston gallery. The victory parade route of the Red Sox, winners of the 2018 World Series, jammed up the city, making access to the gallery a near impossibility. Dealers ... (Read More)

(Auction)

Huge Pot, Huge Price
by Marty Steiner

Southern Folk Pottery Collectors Society, Bennett, North Carolina Photos courtesy Southern Folk Pottery Collectors Society Southern Folk Pottery Collectors Society (SFPCS) absentee auction sales may be the consummate example of such events. Typically, an auction and its catalog will provide only minimal information about an object, placing the onus on bidders to ... (Read More)

(Auction)

Anna Snake Jug Entrances Bidder to $141,600, Sets Record
by Karl H. Pass

Crocker Farm, Inc., Sparks, Maryland Photos courtesy Crocker Farm The Zipps of Crocker Farm put together what was close to being their largest sale with a 612-lot auction held November 3, 2018, at the family’s Sparks, Maryland, facility. The total gross (including 18% buyer’s premium) was $879,837.50. Inscribed “8 to 7,” this is ... (Read More)

(Show)

Charlotte Antiques & Garden Show: Super Show with a Slow Start
by Pete Prunkl

Charlotte, North Carolina Photos by Donna Prunkl In late 2002, after a 35-year run, the Mint Museum Antique Show in Charlotte, North Carolina, closed its doors. Organized by Chicago’s Robert Lawler, the show featured top-flight dealers, renowned lecturers, and, in its final iteration, sparse crowds (see M.A.D., January 2003, p. 12-D). On ... (Read More)

(Auction)

Historical Firearms, Early Militaria, and Civil War Treasures
by Don Johnson

Cowan’s Auctions, Cincinnati, Ohio Photos courtesy Cowan’s There was no question about the quality and desirability of 48 swords offered at Cowan’s Auctions on October 30 and 31, 2018. From the collection of William “Bill” Koch, the swords included unique ceremonial pieces that truly presented a once-in-a-lifetime buying opportunity. Although there was ... (Read More)

(Auction)

Northeast Auctions
by Frances McQueeney-Jones Mascolo

Hampton, New Hampshire Northeast Auctions Frances McQueeney-Jones Mascolo Photos courtesy Northeast Auctions As Ronald Bourgeault of Northeast Auctions took the podium for the first day of the October 27 and 28, 2018, auction of the Dingman collection, he recalled that after he had relocated to New Hampshire, Michael David Dingman (1931-2017) was one of ... (Read More)

(Auction)

Edward Moran Painting Wins the Race
by Frances McQueeney-Jones Mascolo

Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers, Milford, Connecticut Photos courtesy Shannon’s Days End by Dale Nichols (1904-1995) is a view of a farm reminiscent of the artist’s Nebraska childhood home. It sold for $16,250 (est. $8000/12,000). The 15" x 19" gouache on illustration board is signed and titled on the mat. These days when the ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers and Cowan’s Auctions Acquired by Hindman LLC
by Don Johnson

Two of the Midwest’s most prominent auction houses—Leslie Hindman Auctioneers and Cowan’s Auctions—have been acquired by a new venture, Hindman LLC. No immediate changes are planned. The auction houses will continue to operate under their original brands, at the same locations, and with their existing staffs. The owner of the new ... (Read More)

(Fragment)

Museum Buys Friedrich Painting
by M.A.D. staff

The Saint Louis Art Museum has acquired Sunburst in the Riesengebirge, a 10" x 12½" oil on canvas by German painter Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840). The museum purchased the painting on December 12, 2018, at Sotheby’s in London for $2,720,095 (includes buyer’s premium). The estimate was $626,750/877,450. According to the museum, ... (Read More)
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