Innehållsförteckning för February 27, 2019 från Kovels Antique Trader

On Nov. 15, 2018, British artist David Hockney’s Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) sold for $90.3 million in Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York City. It is now the most expensive work by a living artist sold at auction. This beats the $58.4 million record previously set by Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog in 2013. David Hockney is considered one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century. In November 2016, Hockney’s “Soldgate Woods” sold through Sotheby’s in New York for $11.7 million. And in May 2016, the artist’s large-scale oil painting titled Pacific Coast Highway and Santa Monica sold for $28.453 million (also at Sotheby’s).…

Q I was referred to you by a historical society. I am just curious on the history and possible value of this chair: I have a 1961 chair in great condition. I’m wondering what it’s worth. It was designed and custom built for Harris Bros. in East Liberty Pittsburgh. The tag says: 6830-3 S Chair HAZEL Classic Nylon Gold with original do not remove tag with a department of labor and industry stamp on it. — S.B., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania A S.B. asked about a chair he owns made by the Harris Brothers Furniture Co., East Liberty, Pennsylvania. The chair was actually made for Harris Brothers Furniture by the Grand Rapids Upholstery Co., Michigan, probably through their subsidiary Gallery Crafts. This company operated from 1906 until 1979. During this time they…

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The black dress that a distraught Marilyn Monroe wore to a 1954 press conference announcing her separation from baseball legend Joe DiMaggio less than a year after she married him is going up for auction. The simple wool dress with a zippered turtleneck front will be up for bidding starting on March 30, KruseGWS Auctions announced. The auction house expects the dress will fetch between $100,000 and $150,000. The seller’s name is not being made public. Monroe was wearing it on Oct. 6, 1954, when she stepped out into the Beverly Hills sunlight to meet a mob of cameras and shouting reporters and announced the split in her marriage with the New York Yankees star that united sports and Hollywood and brought frenzied press coverage. “You…

Bill Rettew, Daily Local News of West Chester PARKESBURG, Pa. (AP) – Whether it’s collecting coins, stamps or computers, I love the enthusiasm of people who hoard. Putting coins, stamps and computers in the same sentence about collecting might seem a little strange. West Chester University professor Michael Pearson owns 200 computers and he’s not done collecting. “It’s a labor of love,” Pearson said. “I really am excited by how quickly things change.” Most of the professor’s computers date to pre-1981 when the IBM personal computer was introduced. IBM put almost everybody out of business except Commodore and Apple. QVC now occupies the former Commodore building in West Goshen. With the help of students, Pearson will be opening a computer museum, “The Computer Church,” in a former church in Parkesburg.…

LANGLEY, Wash. (AP) — An 8-month-old puppy digging a hole in a backyard in Washington state has made a 13,000-year-old discovery. Kirk Lacewell says he thought it was unusual that his yellow Labrador retriever Scout carried around what appeared to be a piece of wood or rock for a couple of days. So the Whidbey Island man sent photographs of it to experts at the University of Washington’s Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle. KOMO reports that paleontologists concluded it was the tooth of a woolly mammoth, an extinct elephant relative that roamed thousands of years ago. The museum’s marketing director Andrea Godinez said she can’t remember a time when a dog helped uncover a fossil. The fossilized tooth now sits on the mantle where Scout can…

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — One exhibit contains a hinged wooden box that held a bottle of champagne before it was smashed across the bow of a newly launched cargo ship built to carry supplies to American troops overseas. Another displays the ship’s bell and a life ring from the S.S. Esso Baton Rouge, which sank off the Georgia coast in a deadly torpedo attack from a German U-boat. The artifacts recall moments of tragedy and celebration during World War II in Glynn County, where sailors and airmen trained for battle overseas while civilians — including many women — labored at the shipyard in support of the war effort. More than seven decades later, their stories are the subject of a museum that re-creates the war’s pervasive effect on the American…

NORTHLAKE, Ill. — The 47th annual Glass Show and Sale, sponsored by the 20-30-40 Glass Society of Illinois, returns March 9-10, 2019. This show, which is the second oldest depression glass show in the country, will feature more than 25 dealers from around the United States who specialize in depression, elegant, carnival, pattern, Art & Mid Century Modern glass, pottery and utensils. Also featured is a booth for crystal repair by Mary Lou, an extensive reference library helping with glass identification, hourly door prizes and a special raffle. New this year, Gary Piattoni, professional appraiser, former senior vice president at Christie’s International Auction House, appraiser on Antiques Roadshow since 1997, will be available on Saturday, March 9, offering one appraisal with each paid admission. (No stamps, coins, or jewelry.) Whether…

BOSTON — Are you interested in hand fans? If so, you should check out this year’s Fan Association of North America (FANA) 37th annual meeting in Boston, on April 10-14, 2019. FANA members will gather to view and learn about historic, unique, and stylish hand fans. The host hotel is the Four Points by Sheraton Boston Logan Airport Hotel Revere, 407 Squire Road, Revere, Massachusetts. Meeting chair Shelly Gonçalves said, “Our educational agenda will delight FANA members and guests with numerous fan-viewing opportunities.” Fan enthusiasts, who are members, will participate in several guided field trips including a visit to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), the Braintree Historical Society, and the McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College. The tours will include information and close-up views of the Ester…

DALLAS – An important piece of American history will be offered when a rare copy of The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution still in its original publisher’s boards crosses the block in Heritage Auctions’ Rare Books Auction March 6 in New York. “The Federalist Papers were written as part of an effort to get the New York delegation to ratify the Constitution – it made the case for Federalism and sought to convince the citizens of the states,” Heritage Auctions Rare Books Director James Gannon said. “Probably around 500 copies were printed, and this example is particularly rare because it’s still in the publisher’s boards. You just don’t find them like this.” The board bindings were meant to be temporary, and purchasers of…

Before traveling any distance we recommend that you verify event dates. To list your antiques-related event (show, auction, convention, etc.) for free in Antique Trader, send event information (date, location, contact information, times) at least six weeks in advance to: AT Calendars, C/O Antique Trader Editors, 5225 Joerns Dr., Suite 2, Stevens Point, WI 54481 or email to ATNews@fwmedia.com. Listings will be included on a space available basis. Antique Trader assumes no responsibility for any show not listed. ALABAMA Apr 6, 2019 Theodore. Annual Camellia Classic Open Car show, Bellingrath Gardes and Home, 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Rd, Theodore, AL; 251-459-8973; bellingrath.org. SH: 9am-3pm ARIZONA Feb 21-24, Mar 21-24, Apr 11-14, May 16-19, Jun 20-23, 2019 Phoenix. Sweet Salvage Market, 4648 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ; 602-279-2996; info@sweetsalvage.net; sweetsalvage.net. SH: Thurs…

This is truly an exciting time of year in the antiques trade. We’re coming out of the lull of winter (or is it hibernation?) and events are picking up in frequency. You’ll find a hearty events section in this edition, along with three full pages of show preview reports. (Beginning on page 30.) You’ll also find more events listed in the calendar section beginning on page 38, which we’ve expanded a bit in this edition. I hope you will be as excited as I was when you read this edition’s cover story. Mary Theisen introduces us to Griswold pups. These little cast iron and cast aluminum figures would fit into at least four collecting categories: Griswold cast iron, figurines, dogs, and advertising. Better yet, the author gives detailed information on…

Q I’ve had this oil on canvas on my bedroom wall since I found it left behind by moving neighbors. It is the most beautiful girl I’ve seen. Signed in front by A. Pinot. I couldn’t stand to let it go to the dump. Any information would be appreciated. — M.B., via email A Original or not, I do agree with you that your oil on canvas of a most beautiful girl left behind by moving neighbors was far too lovely to be discarded in the thrash. Your picture of a serene young lady seated in a field on a summer day as you mentioned signed by A. Pinot on front is referred to as the “Pensive One.” A. Pinot or Albert Pinot born in 1875 lived in Belgium and…

In spite of being such an old cave bear at heart, sometimes I really do enjoy getting out and seeing the sights – or sites. Recently my best friend Gail and I had the opportunity to visit one of the rare gems in the award winning Florida State Parks system. This time the site was the Torreya State Park located on the high bluffs above the Apalachicola River north of Bristol, Florida, in the Panhandle. Gail wanted to go to the Park because of the Torreya tree, a rare exotic tree that only grows in China, Japan, another foreign country called California and this part of Florida – and in Gail’s garden. I went to see the ante bellum furnished house located at the top of the park. The house…

With Valentine’s Day upon us, thoughts of romance and weddings dance through our heads. Before the wedding however, there is usually a period called the engagement. This trial and error timeframe allows the future bride and groom to solidify their relationship in a number of ways. One of the first may be choosing the all-important engagement ring. Though the diamond engagement ring is a fairly new tradition, the concept of the engagement ring has been around for centuries. The ancient Romans used engagement rings to represent ownership of the future bride. The ring signified a marriage contract was in place and also symbolized the ownership of the daughter would soon transfer from the father to the future groom. In public, the young woman usually wore a gold ring. Back at…

DETROIT (AP) — An exhibition of new works created by the artistic couple Ruben and Isabel Toledo is on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts. The exhibition titled “Ruben and Isabel Toledo: Labor of Love “ opened this month at the museum and includes works created in response to pieces of the museum’s permanent collection. It’s scheduled to run through July 7. The three-part project includes a large-scale installation designed by the Toledos in response to portions of Diego Rivera’s “Detroit Industry Murals,” additional new works located throughout the museum and a collaboration with nonprofit Sew Great Detroit on handmade tote bags. Isabel Toledo is a fashion designer and artist. Ruben Toledo is an artist whose paintings and illustrations also have strong connections to fashion and style.…

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — One of only two known photos of painter Vincent van Gogh turns out to most likely be an image of his brother, Theo, the Van Gogh Museum announced Nov. 29. Forensic testing by experts at Amsterdam University “confirmed the high likelihood of the boy in the photograph being the 15-year-old Theo van Gogh, and not Vincent,” the Amsterdam museum said. The museum said there is now only one known photographic portrait of the camera-shy Dutch artist, taken when he was 19. Both photos are in the museum’s collection. The photo now thought to be of Theo was first publicly presented in 1957 by researcher Mark Edo Tralbaut. A Dutch television program called into question whether it was indeed of Vincent in 2014, prompting further research.…

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The fi fth great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton loaned some family heirlooms, including a ring that has a lock of his hair inside, to the Museum of the American Revolution. Douglas Hamilton was in Philadelphia to give the artifacts to the museum to be featured as part of the museum’s “Year of Hamilton” in an exhibit called “Hamilton Was Here: Rising Up in Revolutionary Philadelphia.” The items include a Society of the Cincinnati Eagle insignia worn and owned by Hamilton and a gold mourning ring — featuring a lock of his hair set under a glass jewel — worn by his wife Elizabeth after his death. “My dad never talked to me about it,” Douglas Hamilton said of growing up as a Founding Father descendant. “The only story…

THE NETHERLANDS — TEFAF Maastricht has long distinguished itself as the unrivaled destination art fair. This year TEFAF implemented a new, more transparent selection procedure, which has resulted in a number of new dealers being invited to take part in the Fair. Of the 279 exhibitors taking part in TEFAF Maastricht 2019, 40 are new to the Fair. The impact of this, development is a revitalized Fair that remains an unparalleled attraction for private collectors, museum curators, patrons, art market professionals and art lovers from all over the world. TEFAF Maastricht 2019 takes place at the MECC (Maastricht Exhibition & Confrence Centre) from March 16-24, 2019. Out of all sections of the Fair, TEFAF Modern sees the greatest number of new exhibitors, with 13 new exhibitors participating, a number of…

FORT WORTH, Texas – Is blue your favorite color? You and about half of the world. No color has more fans or more complexity than the color blue. From March 1-3, 2019, 150 exhibitors from across the nation will bring their best blues to the 56th year of the Fort Worth Show of Antiques & Art, with the show theme, “True Blue – Antiques & Art with Blue.” Of course they’ll bring their reds and blacks and whites and every other color too, but expect to shop over 150 examples of vintage and antique blue, as well as the use of blues in select contemporary art. Look for baby blues, vintage denim and indigo, sapphires, lapis, Blenko glass blue, blue and white porcelain and transfer ware, Swedish blues and American…

MONROVIA, Calif. – Moran’s is auctioning 15 portraits from some of the finest artists working in England from the 17th to 18th centuries. The portraits will be auctioned alongside other works of English and Continental art, furniture, and décor during the firm’s March 10 Traditional Collector auction. Chief among the offerings is a beautifully painted portrait of Mrs. Isaac Elton (née Ann Tierney) from famed artist Thomas Gainsborough. The portrait of the enigmatic sitter captures the softness of her complexion and skillfully conveys the fine fabric and delicate pearls typical of a lady of her station and is estimated to sell between $50,000-$70,000. Sir Joshua Reynolds, a founder, and president of the Royal Academy of Arts who was Knighted by King George III in 1769, is featured in this auction…

ONLINE Sundays. Heritage Weekly Internet-Only Comics Auction, www.ha.com/comics, 6pm CT Sundays. Heritage Weekly Internet-Only Movie Poster Auction, www.ha.com/Posters, 6pm CT Sundays & Tuesdays. Heritage Weekly Internet-Only US Coin Auction, www.ha.com/Coins, 7pm CT Tuesdays. Heritage Weekly Internet-Only Currency Auction, www.ha.com/Currency, 7pm CT Thursdays. Heritage Weekly Internet-Only Nature & Science Auction, www.ha.com/NatureAndScience, 10pm CT Thursdays. Heritage Weekly Internet-only World Coins Auction, www.ha.com/WorldCoins, 8pm CT First Thursday of each month. Heritage Monthly Internet-Only Wine Auction, www.ha.com/Wine, 10pm CT Last Sunday of each month. Heritage Monthly Internet-Only World Coin Auction, www.ha.com/WorldCoins, 8pm CT Feb 24, 2019 Online. Fine Asian Works of Art Online Auction, Turner Auctions + Appraisal, 888-498-4450; 415-964-5250; www.turnerauctionsonline.com Mar 28, 2019 Online. Online Gun Auction, Rock Island Auction Co., www.rockislandauction.com May 18, 2019 Online. Woody Auctions’ Online Only Auction, hosted by…

WASHINGTON (AP) — About 1,000 years ago, a woman in Germany died and was buried in an unmarked grave in a church cemetery. No record of her life survived, and no historian had reason to wonder who she was. But when modern scientists examined her dug-up remains, they discovered something peculiar — brilliant blue flecks in the tartar on her teeth. And that has cast new light on the role of women and art in medieval Europe. The blue particles, it turns out, were lapis lazuli, a semi-precious stone that was highly prized at the time for its vivid color and was ground up and used as a pigment. From that, scientists concluded the woman was an artist involved in creating illuminated manuscripts — a task usually associated with monks.…

Still chuckling at ‘The Way To Go’ I really enjoyed the informative article “The Way to Go” by Dr. Anthony J. Cavo in the 16 January 2019 issue. I was born in 1940 to hard-working but poor immigrants and lived with no indoor plumbing as a young child and made full use of the items mentioned along with an outhouse. The girls had the ironstone pots while my brothers had to use enameled metal ones, which they duly complained about in cold weather. After use they were emptied into a “slop jar” and emptied into the outhouse in the morning. I can’t help but collect pots, slop jars and homemade wooden commodes because they amuse me. Now that I’ve shared my expertise, I would like to share several fun experiences.…

The question posed on Quora was both enlightening and amusing. It read: “How do antique dealers know so much about everything?” [https://bit.ly/2TEyiJL] I read the query and laughed. After some thought, I read the comments. Contributor Ryan Lynch described the strength and weakness of a dealer’s knowledge succinctly when he replied: “An antique dealer’s knowledge is a lot like Lake Chad: Extremely large and very shallow, excepting for one or two particular and very narrow areas of expertise.” Lynch’s analogy has merit. Allow me to expand a bit, though: Just as countless species of flora and fauna and the economies of three African nations are sustained by “large and shallow” Lake Chad, the antiques and collectibles business is sustained by the expertise of its dealers, whether such knowledge be shallow…

HOUSTON (AP) — A three-story house in Houston built in 1927 by a World War I veteran and long-rumored to have been home to actor Clark Gable has been demolished. The Houston Chronicle reported the Tuscan-style villa that neighbors dubbed the “Clark Gable house” was part of a three-residence compound recently torn down. The buildings were featured in a November 1928 issue of Civics for Houston magazine titled “Old World Architecture Graces Houston Corner.” Some residents in the Montrose neighborhood voiced preservation concerns as the complex was sold this year for development. The Chronicle reported Gable, as an aspiring actor during the 1920s, was said to have lived in the home while with a theater group in Houston. Gable starred in numerous films, including the 1939 classic “Gone With The…

BOSTON — An attic discovery of the rare 1845 first edition of Poe’s Tales (Lot 224, Estimate: $60,000-80,000) in paper wrappers surpassed all expectations to sell for $315,000 after fierce competition from internet and telephone bidders. Based on the context of the discovery of this copy of Poe’s Tales, the original owner presumably bought this and other similar contemporaneous books to be read for amusement in the 1840s. Once read, the Poe and its companions were bundled and stored away in a trunk in the attic until they were found during an in-home auction evaluation by Skinner specialists. In the rare book trade, it was thought that all copies of Poe’s Tales in wrappers were known. Department Director, Devon Eastland noted that the annual November Fine Books & Manuscripts Auction…

Spring weather allows antiques dealers to travel to the Chicago area from afar. On March 9-10, 2019 the 62nd Spring Fox Valley Antiques Show will take place, with dealers traveling from 15 states to gather at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles, Illinois. I jumped at the chance to interview two of the visiting dealers: Stephen Score from Boston and Scott Tagliapietra from Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. Stephen Score, Inc., Boston Most of us in the Midwest only know of Stephen Score from reading East Coast-based trade magazines. He’s either seen at an important auction or selling at a world-class antiques show. Stephen maintains a shop on Chestnut Street in the historic Beacon Hill section of Boston. To have him exhibit with us at the Fox Valley Antiques Show is…

WILMINGTON, Ohio — Queen City Shows has announced the dates for its 2019 Ohio Country Antique Shows at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio. The spring session will be held on Saturday, April 13 and the fall show is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5. Now in its 15th year of semi-annual engagements, these shows and sales are a respected destination for collectors and decorators in search of authentic, traditional American antiques and primitives. Each Ohio Country Antique Show features 50 regional and national dealers representing several states. Both the sophistication and the simplicity of America’s early years are included in the booths and room settings assembled by these specialist dealers. Items on display can offer a glimpse into the décor of a colonial era great house or may have been…

THOMASTON, Maine – According to Yankee Magazine, “mud season is God’s way of letting New Englanders know they haven’t gotten to heaven yet.” Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ March 1-3 auction will help alleviate the effects of this less-than-anticipated time of the year. The sale will present an inventory of fine art, early American furniture, Chinese antiquities, rare watches and jewelry, estate silver, rare books & documents, and oriental carpets. On Friday, March 1, the auction focus will be on rare first edition, signed and fore-edge painted books from a 19th and 20th century literature collection assembled in the 1960s through 1980s by an international investment banker; plus an exceptional selection of graphic arts and ephemera. Highlighted books will include: three editions (first and signed limited, and first American printing) of…

NEW ORLEANS – M.S. Rau Antiques will unveil its patriotic new exhibition, From Sea to Shining Sea: 200 Years of American Art at its gallery at 630 Royal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 6, 2019. The show, which is free and open to the public, will run through June 8, 2019 and the gallery is open Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m.-5:15 p.m. Since the founding of the United States, artists have sought to capture the essence of our country on canvas. From Sea to Shining Sea: 200 Years of American Art presents 80 works that span the first two centuries of the nation’s rich history, highlighting the variety and strength of American artistic achievement from the colonial era through the World Wars. “During a time when our…