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(Auction)The New Masters
Cottone Auctions, Geneseo, New York
Photos courtesy Cottone Auctions
If you believe that Cottone Auctions' major sales are a fairly accurate picture of the state of the antiques market today, at least in the public arena, then you can come to only one conclusion: the "new masters," in terms of high prices ... (Read More)
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(Show)The Spring Antiques Expo
Cedar Grove, New Jersey
In what used to be Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook Ballroom, a venue that hosted bands and vocalists during the 1930s and 1940s, show manager and dealer Debbie Turi put together an intimate antiques show featuring nearly 30 dealers.
Held on March 19 and 20, the first weekend of spring, ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Americana Auction
Garth's, Delaware, Ohio
Photos courtesy Garth's
There's no shame in admitting that the Americana sale held by Garth's on March 19 in Delaware, Ohio, wasn't the company's best offering. Good material, yes. Solid antiques, absolutely. Best stuff ever? Not so much.
Amelia Jeffers, president of Garth's, put it in perspective. "I'm a collector. ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)The Philadelphia Antiques & Art Show
After taking a year off, with rumors of its demise greatly exaggerated, the Philadelphia Antiques Show has been revived. The 54th show, to be held April 15-17 and to benefit Penn Medicine, has changed its name to the Philadelphia Antiques & Art Show because there are more dealers in American ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Gatling Gun and Paterson Revolver Top $15 Million Sale
James D. Julia, Fairfield, Maine
It doesn't happen every day that a firearms auction hits $15 million in sales. At James Julia's in Fairfield, Maine, however, it happens about every six months. This time around, it was a two-day affair on March 14 and 15. Many of the auction's key items ... (Read More)
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(Show)59th Annual Spring Fox Valley Antiques Show
St. Charles, Illinois
Imagine a show held for almost 60 successful years and still going strong. Then add show management that rolls its sleeves up and volunteers for years. By the way, said management is not composed of paid professionals but is part of a dealer organization that hosts the show.
Add ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Crowd Splurges in a $1.3 Million Buying Spree
Bertoia Auctions, Vineland, New Jersey
Photos courtesy Bertoia Auctions
It was a vintage crop in Vineland, New Jersey, on March 12 as Bertoia Auctions sold 581 lots for a sparkling $1.3 million total (includes buyers' premiums). Auction owner Jeanne Bertoia was suitably bubbling with enthusiasm, commenting that all categories had exceeded expectations ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Americana and Some South Americana Sell in Cambridge
CRN Auctions, Cambridge, Massachusetts
CRN Auctions has for some time been selling the collections of a Connecticut couple who lived in Latin America for many years beginning in the 1960s. The most recent sale on March 12 included 30 lots from that collection, the highlight of which was a mid-18th-century 31" ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Good Fellows: The Walpole Society
Part V of V
Photos courtesy the Walpole Society
"Looking toward strengthening the society's prospects in the future, I feel that it is appropriate for the membership to act to insure our relevance and assure that we continue to enjoy the most loyal, enthusiastic, and uniquely qualified membership in the Walpole Society's ... (Read More)
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(Young Collectors)Risky Business
The Young Collector
Last summer (oh, maybe we should just pause here for a few welcome minutes to think about summer), we talked about mistakes and recovering from them, but the reality is that the antiques business carries with it inherent risks. With risk comes that pesky concept everyone seems to ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Strong Results at Joseph DuMouchelle Auction
Antique Jewelry & Gemology
Photos courtesy Joseph DuMouchelle
Joseph DuMouchelle's March 11 auction of jewels and timepieces realized over $1.7 million. DuMouchelle, president, and Melinda "Lindy" Adducci, vice president, have been running the company, specializing in gems and jewelry, for 22 years as business partners and as a married couple. DuMouchelle's family ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)The Lighter Side of Collecting
John Stinger's cartoons have appeared in Maine Antique Digest and other publications for years. Now the artist, collector, and cartoonist has released a book called The Lighter Side of Collecting! It features 200 cartoons and over 60 pages of quirky humor about collecting.
Stinger said that it's "designed to appeal to ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)New Antiques Show for Portland, Maine
Goosefare Antiques & Promotions is launching a new antiques show in Portland, Maine, at a new location-Thompson's Point Event Center at Brick South.
"Many antique enthusiasts used to go to our shows at the Portland Exposition Building until parking became unavailable. For years, we have tried to find another location in ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Antiques Dealers Need Not Apply
Editorial
On January 28 the board of the village of Huntley, Illinois, passed a resolution im-posing a six-month moratorium on approving occupancy permits for certain businesses in the town of about 25,000. Personal loan agencies, payday loan companies, and currency exchanges are included in the types of businesses to be frozen ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)TEFAF New York at the Park Avenue Armory
The European Fine Art Foundation, known as TEFAF, has entered into a joint venture with Artvest Partners to produce two new shows a year in New York City at the Park Avenue Armory.
The new venture calls for a show to be held at the armory October 21-27 that will feature ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Blue Transfer-Decorated Staffordshire Ceramics Bullish
Northeast Auctions, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Photos courtesy Northeast Auctions
Ron Bourgeault's Northeast Auctions' "Spring Weekend Auction," held March 5 and 6 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, offered a series of specialized collections along with furniture and decorations from various owners, estates, and some museum deaccessions. The sale began on Saturday at noon with ... (Read More)
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(Show)The Short Sweet Swap
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
For a dozen years, Nan Gurley's short and sweet Sunday shows at the Frank Jones Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, have been a meeting place for New England dealers and collectors. From September to April on one Sunday a month from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., some serious ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Heckscher and Kenny Receive Annual Wunsch Award
On January 20 the Eric M. Wunsch Award for Excellence in the American Arts was awarded to Morrison Heckscher and to Peter Kenny, each of whom was recognized for his contributions to the American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The short ceremony was held ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)New Maine Antiques Show
The inaugural Scarborough High School Antiques & Vintage Show will be held on April 2 in Scarborough, Maine. Benefiting the Model United Nations Club, the show with 50 exhibitors will have a blend of "quality antiques and fun n' funky vintage," according to the managers.
The show will be managed by ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Annual Silent Auction to Benefit Alzheimer's Research
Barbara Johnson of Pewter & Wood Antiques, Cave Creek, Arizona, is hosting the tenth annual Alzheimer's Benefit Silent Auction on March 19 from 1 to 2 p.m. MT. Pewter & Wood will host an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. on the same day.
All the auction items are donated ... (Read More)
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(Book Review)Books Received, March 2016
These are brief reviews of books recently sent to us. We have included ordering information for publishers that accept mail, phone, or online orders. For other publishers, your local bookstore or a mail-order house is the place to look.
The Historical Apothecary Compendium: A Guide to Terms and Symbols by Daniel ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)U.S. Antique Shows Cancels Pier Show for November 2016
The Pier Antique Show scheduled for November 12 and 13 at New York City's Pier 94 has been canceled. Dealers received an e-mail from U.S. Antique Shows on February 3 announcing the news.
"At this time we do not have any indication that the ten-year trend-that has seen the Pier Antique ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Two Buyers (for a Head) Are Not Better than One
A sculpture had one seller, two buyers, and two wildly different prices.
On January 12, Gagosian Gallery of New York City filed suit in federal court against Pelham Europe, Ltd. in a case involving the sale of Pablo Picasso's 1931 sculpture Buste de Femme (Marie Therese), which was on loan to ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with $1.4 Million Ponzi Scheme
On January 15, Rose Marie O'Reilly, 63, of La Grange, Texas, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for her role in an estimated $1.4 million Ponzi scheme. In addition to the prison term, O'Reilly was ordered to pay $1,463,128.50 in restitution and to be placed on supervised release ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Bill Introduced to Extend Tax to Out-of-State Art Purchases in New Mexico
The New Mexico legislature is considering extending a state tax on fine art sales to out-of-state, nonresident buyers. Senate Bill 226 would require all receipts from a New Mexico place of business to be reported.
"This would extend the New Mexico gross receipts tax, New Mexico's versions of the sales tax," ... (Read More)
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(Book Review)Willard Lighthouse Clocks
A Book Review
Simon Willard Patent Alarm Time Pieces: An Exhibition of Willard Lighthouse Clocks by Paul J. Foley and John C. Losch Willard House & Clock Museum, 2016, 110 pages, softbound, $35 plus S/H from the Willard House & Clock Museum, (www.willardhouse.org/shop) or (508) 839-3500.
Simon Willard, perhaps America's best-known clockmaker, ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Dealer Charged with Two Counts of Theft
Antiques dealer Robert Jones, 48, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, has been charged with two counts of "Theft-Business Setting," a felony, according to a criminal complaint filed on January 19.
Court papers state that a police investigator was contacted by Marc Storch on November 15, 2015. Storch reported that he had contracted ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Rago's February Sales
Rago Arts, Lambertville, New Jersey
Photos courtesy Rago Arts
Rago Arts and Auction Center presented its three-day 20th-century arts and design auction February 26-28 in four catalogs. Two catalogs were for private collections, one with Tiffany, French art glass, and German porcelain plaques, and the other the collection of James and Rose ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Sweet Sale Sweeps Graeter's Americana into Others' Collections
Main Auction Galleries, Cincinnati, Ohio
Photos courtesy Main Auction Galleries
Auctioneer J. Louis "Jay" Karp had a simple explanation for the success of the February 28 sale at Main Auction Galleries in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. "Getting great stuff," he said. "That's the trick of the game."
The best material was Americana from the ... (Read More)
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(Auction)A $46,125 Overmantel Painting Tops Americana Sale
Skinner, Inc., Boston
It's a rare sight in most auction rooms these days, but there it was at Skinner's February 27 Americana sale in the Boston gallery. As the preview wound down on the morning of the sale, staff was busy rolling out pallets of chairs to augment the seating already ... (Read More)
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(Auction)The Collection of Corinne H. Machmer
Conestoga Auction Company, Manheim, Pennsylvania
Photos courtesy Conestoga Auction Company
There is an old saying that for a dealer's auction to be successful, the consignor has to be dead. "That is just not true when everyone likes you; everyone loves Corinne," said Phil Nissley, a partner in Hess Auction Group, after he ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Variety Is Key at Quinn's - Central Virginia
Quinn's Auction Galleries - Central Virginia, Louisa, Virginia
Photos courtesy Quinn's Auction Galleries
Quinn's Auction Galleries - Central Virginia held its winter fine and decorative arts auction on February 27 at the firm's showrooms in Louisa, Virginia. Since opening its new location in September 2015, the firm has offered regularly scheduled cataloged, ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Berman's Political Americana Collection Totals $2.75 Million
Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas
Photos courtesy Heritage Auctions
Merrill C. Berman knew what he liked, and he bought what he wanted, and where his collection of political Americana was concerned, he liked and bought a lot. From February 2015 to February 2016, Heritage Auctions of Dallas, Texas, presented four cataloged auctions of ... (Read More)
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(Auction)John and Ruth Page Collection Sold at Auction
William A. Smith, Inc., Plainfield, New Hampshire
Photos courtesy William A. Smith, Inc.
It was nearly impossible to find a seat in the salesroom of William A. Smith, Inc. for the February 27 midwinter auction. Customers were lined up and leaning against the wall. It is an interesting phenomenon that the gray-haired ... (Read More)
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(Auction)A Midwinter Auction of a Country Collection
Davies Auctions, Lafayette, Indiana
The question came midway through a single-owner sale held by Davies Auctions on February 27 in Lafayette, Indiana. A dealer I've known for years tapped me on the shoulder and, with a smile, asked, "Is it fair to write a story about how crazy it is sometimes ... (Read More)
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(Show)Hope and Concern Coexist at Raleigh Extravaganza
Raleigh, North Carolina
Daffodils were sprouting in Raleigh, North Carolina, on February 26, the first day of a three-day run for the Raleigh Antiques Extravaganza. Promptly at 10 a.m., 20 potential buyers were at the door waiting to enter the Exposition Center at the North Carolina Fairgrounds. Their early arrival gave ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Hoosier Antiques Expo Discontinued
The semiannual Hoosier Antiques Expo has been discontinued. A notice on the show's website (www.hoosierantiquesexpo.com) reads, "Due to my ongoing divorce; I am unable to continue promoting the show. Thank you for your patronage and support. Respectfully, Christoph Miller." An e-mail with the same wording was sent to the show's ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Met Settles What Remains of Class-Action Lawsuit
The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced on February 26 that it had reached an agreement to settle the three-year-old class-action lawsuit, Saska v. Metropolitan Museum, that challenged the museum's longstanding "pay-what-you-wish" admission policy.
Under the terms of the settlement, the Met will refine the language on its signs at all admission ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Letter from London, March 2016
Ian McKay, ianmckay1@btinternet.com
With the London season still to get properly under way at the time of writing, I am still dealing here with things sold at the end of the old year. Though I have included the horological star turn of 2015 in this month's "Letter," it was part of ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Dwarf Tall Clocks
For hundreds of years clockmakers have made some clocks that were smaller versions of normal household clocks. The tendency has given birth to, among others, American dwarf tall-case clocks and similar small British examples. As far as I know, when the same small-size clocks were made in Great Britain, the ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Factory Sample Canoe Exhibit
The Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) is planning a major exhibit of antique factory display samples at its annual assembly in Paul Smiths, New York, on July 15. The WCHA assembly runs from Tuesday, July 12, until Sunday, July 17, but the exhibit will be up only on the morning ... (Read More)
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(Computer Article)Swaying Users
Computer Column #327
John P. Reid, e-mail
In January, installations of the new Microsoft Windows 10 reached 200 million. A spate of upgrades and new products accompanied it.
New software called Office Sway for creating presentations has been released as an addition to the Microsoft Office family. It can be used on ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Ex-Employee of Black Angus Antique Mall Arrested and Charged
On January 19, Ephrata (Pennsylvania) Police arrested and charged a Schaefferstown man with the January 3 burglary of Black Angus Antique Mall in Adamstown.
According to the police, vendors reported that jewelry, coins, and antiques valued at over $4000 were taken from their stands. Mall employees identified former employee Ryan Lee ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Trotta-Bono Antiques, Shrub Oak, New York
In the Trade
The old joke is that if you plan to get an English degree in college, you'd better learn how to ask, "Would you like fries with that?"
But Ted Trotta and Anna Bono, who met while teaching reading and English at a New York City high school, seem to ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Gurley's Americana Celebration Changes Location
Antiques Week in New Hampshire now has another major change. Promoter Nan Gurley is moving her Deerfield Americana Celebration Show from the fairgrounds in Deerfield to the Everett Arena in Concord. The show had been located at the fairgrounds for over 20 years, occupying four buildings and outside spaces. On ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Boxborough Paper Town Show Rescheduled until March 12
Because of the major snowstorm that struck the Northeast on January 23, Flamingo Eventz has rescheduled the Boxborough (Massachusetts) Paper Town-The Vintage Paper, Books & Advertising Collectibles Show. The new date for the show will be Saturday, March 12, at the Holiday Inn in Boxborough. ... (Read More)
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(Auction)The Eddie Tatum Collection, Part I
C & A Auction, Ramseur, North Carolina
Although this M.A.D. reporter has covered antiques auctions and shows in the Carolinas for the past 22 years, February 21 marked my first time at C & A Auction in Ramseur, North Carolina. It is hoped it will not be my last.
Ninety percent of ... (Read More)
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(Show)The American Indian Art Show Marin
San Rafael, California
At this year's American Indian Art Show Marin, held February 20 and 21 in San Rafael, California, some came to sell, but everyone came to buy. Attendance was up 15% from last year, and finding a space in the parking lot was a challenge on both days of ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Hunt's American Antique Museum Auction: A Celebration of the Golden Age of Wood Carving
Hal Hunt Auctions, Northport, Alabama
Selling antiques at auction is in Hal Hunt's blood, and that passion runs deep. In these times when even the oldest firms are bought, sold, or consolidated, his business is strictly a family affair and run with traditional practices. No Internet or phone bidding; buyers or ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Presidential Ephemera Sold at Roland Auctions NY
Roland Auctions NY, New York City
Photos courtesy Roland Auctions NY
A small group of collectors gathered in the street-level salesroom of Greenwich Village-based Roland Auctions NY on February 19 to bid at the first of several auctions containing collections from the estate of Dr. Alan York.
An East Hampton, New York, optometrist, ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Exhibitions, March 2016
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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(Auction)Dogs in Show and Field
Bonhams, New York City
Photos courtesy Bonhams
Following on the heels of the Westminster Kennel Club's annual dog show at Madison Square Garden, the Dogs in Show and Field auction at Bonhams attracted a small group of collectors and dealers to its salesroom on February 17.
Of the 167 lots offered, 115 found ... (Read More)
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(Auction)The Market for Americana in New York City
Photos courtesy Sotheby's and Christie's
All auction prices include the buyer's premium.
"As goes January, so goes the year" is an old Wall Street aphorism subscribed to by the antiques world. It is not always true, but many believe it. That is why collectors and the trade carefully watch the January Americana ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Michigan Art Dealer Arrested and Charged with Fraud
The FBI is looking for people who bought art from Eric Spoutz. Not a familiar name? How about Robert Chad Smith or John Goodman or James Sinclair? They also want to hear from people who bought art with provenance including "Betty Parsons Gallery," "Larry Larkin," "Henry Hecht," or "Julius and ... (Read More)
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(Feature)Solid Sales at Rago and Skinner
Antique Jewelry & Gemology
Photos courtesy Rago Arts and Skinner, Inc.
A great deal of anticipation preceded Rago Arts' December 6, 2015, jewelry sale in Lambertville, New Jersey, where bidders vied for Dora Jane Janson's coveted collection of Art Deco and Art Nouveau jewelry, which realized a total of $579,063 (with buyers' ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Ives Marble Sculpture Breaks Out for $100 Grand
Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, Thomaston, Maine
From the pre-Christian era to the Renaissance and from medieval times to the late 20th century, just about all major eras were covered in Thomaston Place's wide-ranging winter auction on February 13 and 14 in Thomaston, Maine.
The top-selling lot was a 503/4" tall Neoclassical Carrara ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Ducks Fly in the South: Two Decoy Auctions Bring in $2.7 Million
In February both Copley Fine Art Auctions and Guyette & Deeter, Inc. held decoy and sporting art auctions in Charleston, South Carolina. The two firms sold a combined total of approximately $2.7 million worth of merchandise in sales held during the annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition.
Copley Fine Art Auctions
On February 12 ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)The "American Eagle" by James Bard: A Closer Look
A painting signed by Antonio Jacobsen or Fred Pansing of a named ship is a ship's portrait. Simple as that? Well, not really. No, it's more. Like the title of an essay-or a short story-it is filled with the details that abide behind the name, details about the builder, the ... (Read More)
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(Show)Heart of Tennessee: Skillful CPR Revives a February Show Tradition
Hendersonville, Tennessee
The new Heart of Tennessee Antique Show opened on February 11 with an evening preview party featuring notable dealers, outstanding offerings, and excellent catering. Last year, Nashville was Heart-less. The long-running Heart of Country show at the Opryland Hotel had ended its run in 2014. But Katherine Bovard already ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Susanin's Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Retro One-Owner Sale Brings Affordable Jewelry to the Block
Antique Jewelry & Gemology
Photos courtesy Susanin's
There is well-made antique and vintage jewelry to be had at reasonable prices, and Susanin's in Chicago held a sale featuring many examples on February 10. Prices realized for the 382 lots from a single-owner collection ranged from $62.50 to $625. The top lot was ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Los Angeles Art Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison
A Los Angeles art dealer has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for conspiring to smuggle looted archaeological resources into the United States and then using those antiquities as the basis of a charitable donation tax fraud scheme involving local museums.
Jonathan M. Markell, 70, a resident of the ... (Read More)
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(Young Collectors)Movin' On Up
The Young Collector
Over the years this space has served not only to document our lives in and our view of the antiques trade but by necessity, to a degree, our personal lives as well. (At Cowan's we used to joke about having T-shirts made that read, "The auction business is ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Winterthur Closed for Season but Much of the Collection Now Available Online
The Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, Winterthur, Delaware, closed for the season on January 4 and will reopen to the public on March 1 with a new lineup of exhibitions and programs.
The institution has announced that it has reached a significant milestone: 60,000 objects in the collection have been cataloged ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Good Fellows: The Walpole Society
Part IV of V
Photos courtesy the Walpole Society
"Outsiders are often unclear as to what the Walpole Society actually does. [Member Robert Lincoln McNeil Jr.'s daughter] Vickie recalls as a child telling her grade school class that her father was going to spend time with the Tadpole Society!" The Walpole Society ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Westchester Glass Club Show Offers Free Admission
The Westchester Glass Club's 40th annual Collectors Show and Sale will be held on April 9 and 10 at the Greenwich Civic Center in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. To celebrate the 40th anniversary and to attract new dealers and new buyers to the show, the Westchester Glass Club will offer free ... (Read More)
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(Auction)A Passion for Collecting: Part I of the Estate of Candice B. Groot
Treadway Toomey Auctions, Oak Park, Illinois
Photos courtesy Treadway Toomey Auctions
When John Toomey of Treadway Toomey Auctions hired John Walcher, Toomey asked him to build a new sale category. Long celebrated for a depth of Arts and Crafts auctions plus period fine art and 1950s/contemporary sales, the Oak Park, Illinois, gallery ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Old Masters Lead the Potomack Company Sale
The Potomack Company, Alexandria, Virginia
Photos courtesy The Potomack Company
The Potomack Company held its first sale of the 2016 season on February 6 at its gallery and showrooms in Alexandria, Virginia. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the firm. In that relatively short time Potomack has become a leading auction ... (Read More)
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(Auction)The Nelson Collection Succeeds
Skinner, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts
There is nothing quite like a single-owner auction to get everyone's attention, particularly when that collection is a carefully gathered and highly regarded one. So when the Van Kirke and Helen Nelson collection of Plains Native American art came to auction on February 6 at Skinner's Boston ... (Read More)
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(Computer Article)Four Useful Apps
Computer Column #326
John P. Reid, jreid@dca.net
Most antiquers use both desktop and mobile computers these days. Here are four useful mobile apps available for both Apple iOS and Android devices. Most integrate well with desktop Windows, Macintosh, and Chromebook partner software or allow desktop access using any web browser. Except the ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)A $665,000 Imperial Snuffbox at the Center of a Lawsuit
Two Maine residents with lineage to a famed Bulgarian diplomat are among the plaintiffs suing Christie's over the sale of a jeweled and enameled two-color gold snuffbox. The 31/4" wide snuffbox, marked by Karl Hahn, was sold on May 20, 2015, in New York City for $665,000 (includes buyer's premium), ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Bay Psalm Book with Salem Witch Trial Provenance Tops $1 Million Sale
Swann Galleries, New York City
Photos courtesy Swann Galleries
A seventh edition of the Bay Psalm Book, published in Boston in 1693, was the top lot at Swann's printed and manuscript Americana sale on February 4 in the auction house's New York City gallery. Estimated at $30,000/40,000, The Psalms Hymns and Spiritual ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Annual Tolland Show Celebrates Golden Anniversary and Changes Month
The annual antiques show in Tolland, Connecticut, a benefit for the Tolland Historical Society, is moving from February-the month it has been held in for the last 24 years-to April. According to Kathy Bach of the historical society, "This is our fiftieth golden anniversary show, so it's going to be ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Shrubsole Researches Tea Table Used by George Washington
When Tim Martin, president of S. J. Shrubsole, walked into Doyle New York in early October 2015 to preview some silver, he had no idea he'd be the next owner of a tea table used by General George Washington at his headquarters in Newburgh, New York, during 1782 and 1783.
One ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Heade Heads Julia Auction
James D. Julia, Fairfield, Maine
Photos courtesy James D. Julia
An important American Revolutionary War powder horn and a Martin Johnson Heade genre painting combined for over a quarter of a million dollars to lead James D. Julia's February 3-5 auction in Fairfield, Maine.
This powder horn, owned by Oliver Buttrick, can be ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)California Dealer Sentenced for Illegal Sale of Black Rhinoceros Horns
Art dealer Lumsden W. Quan, 47, of San Francisco, California, was sentenced on December 16, 2015, in federal court in Las Vegas, Nevada, to one year and two days in prison for conspiracy to violate the Lacey and Endangered Species Acts and to a violation of the Lacey Act for ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)David Weiss Antiques, Mill River, Massachusetts
In the Trade
Part-time dealers have always been a significant force in the antiques trade. Individually, they may not sell a lot, but, as a group, they account for a substantial share of the market. At your average antiques show or local weekly auction, it's a safe bet that a lot ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Collector Sues over Native American Art Purchases
On December 7, 2015, Dr. Reuben Setliff of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, filed suit against Larry Belitz in county court in Fall River County, South Dakota. The case stems from Setliff's purchase of more than $600,000 worth of Native American artifacts and antiquities from Belitz.
According to the suit, Setliff, a ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Map Believed Stolen from the Boston Public Library Found in New York City and Returned
On December 4, 2015, the Boston Public Library (BPL) announced that a map believed to have been stolen from the library more than a decade ago has been located and returned.
The map, Carte Geographique de Nouvelle France, compiled in 1612 by explorer Samuel de Champlain, was found for sale with ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Advances in Wood Identification and Thereby Attributions
Philip Zimmerman's recent workshop "Strategies for Recognizing American vs. English Furniture," under the auspices of the Appraisers Association of America, afforded this wooden objects and furniture conservator an opportunity to comment on an icon of American decorative arts: the 17th-century Elder Brewster chair, owned by Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth, ... (Read More)
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(Show)166th Original Semi-Annual York Antiques Show and Sale
York, Pennsylvania
The January three-day York show, promoted by Melvin L. "Butch" Arion as the 166th Original Semi-Annual York Antiques Show and Sale, was a perfect antidote for cabin fever. A January thaw provided three days of sunny weather with temperatures in the 40s and 50s, making it a pleasant drive ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Appraisal Organizations Join Forces
Three major personal property appraisal organizations have announced an initiative to educate the public regarding meaningful qualification standards for appraisers. The Appraisers Association of America (AAA), the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), and the International Society of Appraisers (ISA) support the effort as a needed step to improving overall appraiser ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Maritime Paintings and Decorative Arts
Bonhams, New York City
Photos courtesy Bonhams
Blizzard? Price of oil? Economy? Who knows? Some of the results of Bonhams' important maritime and decorative arts sale on January 28 in New York City are arranged alphabetically by artists' names. You be the judge.
James Buttersworth (1817-1894)
American clipper ship Black Warrior, outward bound, 29" ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)New Show in Cedar Grove, New Jersey
Show manager Debbie Turi has announced that a new antiques show, the Spring Antiques Expo, will be held March 19 and 20 at the Meadowbrook in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
"The old Meadowbrook will house a stylish and intimate show of just 40 dealers. An old venue, once known for its ... (Read More)
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(Issue Story)Letter from London, February 2016
Ian McKay, ianmckay1@btinternet.com
A very familiar Constable painting, The Lock, heads the pictorial content of this month's "Letter" and is joined in that category by Durer's magnificent woodcuts of a rhinoceros and a lion, Sir John Lavery having a Japanese moment in the Swiss mountains, and a golfing icon that has ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Spring Antique Spectacular to Open One Hour Earlier
The annual Spring Antique Spectacular, to be held March 4-6 at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island, Illinois, will open one hour earlier for two days of the three-day show. The new hours will be Friday, March 4, 4 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, March 5, 10 a.m. to 6 ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art
Mystery and Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art from the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection at the American Folk Art Museum at 2 Lincoln Square (Columbus Avenue between 65th and 66th Streets), New York City, January 21 through May 8, documents the rich artistic heritage of objects related to ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Fine Furniture, Decorative Arts, and Silver
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, Chicago
Leslie Hindman's first decorative arts sale of the new year is, traditionally, the opening gun for a new season of sales. As a first volley, the January 26 and 27 sale was a lulu.
First, there was, at over 1000 lots, the sheer mass of merchandise. You like ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Major Changes for Cape Cod Glass Show
The 29th annual Cape Cod Glass Show will feature a new sponsor, a new location, and new dates. The show's co-managers-James and Betsy Hewlett Lessig-will remain the same. They have been at the helm for the past four years and have exhibited at every show since its inception.
The show will ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)CCADA Announces Cultural Enrichment Grants
The Cape Cod Antique Dealers Association (CCADA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the public's knowledge and appreciation of antiques, has announced the 2015 winners of its Cultural Enrichment Grants.
Through its Cultural Enrichment Grant Fund, the CCADA seeks to promote a better understanding of Cape Cod's history and heritage by ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Print Conservation Grant Program
The American Historical Print Collectors Society (AHPCS) encourages accredited nonprofit institutions with significant print collections to apply for conservation grants for the preservation of American historical prints. An American historical print is defined as an American print over 100 years old. Applicants must be members of the AHPCS.
This program is ... (Read More)
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(Show)The New York Ceramics & Glass Fair 2016
New York City
A small 14th-century anthropomorphic English jug, a large 16th-century gotch for bringing beer to bell ringers in East Anglia, 17th-century German Westerwald stoneware jugs and flasks, tin-glazed earthenware with charming naive painted decorations, elegant 18th-century dinner, dessert, and tea wares, and proto-modern mochawares-these were just a few of ... (Read More)
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(Auction)A Bard, Ben, and a Blizzard
Sotheby's, New York City
Photos courtesy Sotheby's
Sotheby's had so much to sell this January-more than 1000 lots from the Schorsch estate (see pp. 29-33-C), 96 lots of folk art from the Levins (see pp. 36-37-B), and 406 lots from various owners-that it was hard to find enough time to see it ... (Read More)
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(Show)Outsider Art Fair 2016
New York City
The Outsider Art Fair, now in its 24th year, drew thousands of people to the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City over its four-day run (January 21-24), during which the city was hit with over two feet of snow. The fair's move to a new venue had dealers ... (Read More)
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(Show)The NYC Big Flea
NYC Big Flea Antiques Market, New York City
The big snowstorm that pummeled New York City on the third weekend of January dealt a blow to the two-day NYC Big Flea Antiques Market held January 23 and 24.
Although 160 dealers had set up on Friday and the show opened for business ... (Read More)
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(Show)The Wallace Hall Art, Design & Antiques Show
New York City
New Yorkers, as well as out-of-towners who came to the Big Apple for Americana Week, got in some last-minute shopping on the first day of the show at Wallace Hall before the snowstorm closed down the city Saturday afternoon.
The 34 dealers who set up shop in the below-grade ... (Read More)
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(Fragment)Pop-Up Sale by Keno Auctions
With an e-mail blast Keno Auctions in New York City announced a pop-up "Boutique Winter Auction" just a week before its proposed date of Sunday, January 24, at the Keno gallery at 1 p.m. When the blizzard arrived in New York City the day before, Keno postponed the sale to ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Growing Auction House Sets New Records
Case Antiques, Knoxville, Tennessee
Photos courtesy Case Antiques
Put quite simply, Case Antiques in Knoxville, Tennessee, had its best sale ever on Saturday, January 23. The event went off as planned in spite of threats of snow from the giant storm marching through the state toward the East Coast. Vice president Sarah ... (Read More)
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(Auction)The Levin Sale
Sotheby's, New York City
Photos courtesy Sotheby's
The blizzard on January 23 didn't help, but it was not why the sale of the folk art collection of Stephen and Petra Levin brought $5,104,500, well below its estimate of $8,900,000/12,800,000. Just 50 of the 96 lots of American folk art found buyers; that ... (Read More)
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(Show)Maumee Valley Historical Society Antique Show
Maumee, Ohio
Talk of the trade in Ohio during early 2016 swirled around one common factor: sizable crowds at antiques shows. Dealers at Worthington and Lebanon practically gushed about the flow of buyers. They hadn't seen anything yet.
The 47th annual Maumee Valley Historical Society Antique Show, held January 23 and 24 ... (Read More)
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(Auction)Hadley Chest, Rich and Mellow
Christie's, New York City
Photos courtesy Christie's
Christie's sale on January 22 in New York City, culled from various sources, was a small one but not without excitement. The offering of the oak and polychrome Hadley chest was big news. Twelve years ago John Hays, then Christie's head of American furniture, now ... (Read More)
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