tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86297301653758373532024-03-13T06:10:12.645-04:00APPRAISE MY ARTA guide to help you better understand the art marketChristian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-9257417571657924922016-05-18T16:10:00.002-04:002016-05-18T16:11:39.963-04:00The 40 X 80 Museum Camera<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: #ccddbb; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16.575px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 8.84px;">Joe McNally Museum Camera set up with a Fireman for "Faces of Ground Zero" series</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #00297a;">Often known as the “Moby C” or as the “Museum Camera” when it was in the basement of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the 40 X 80 camera was invented by the founder of Polaroid, Edwin Land. According to the <a href="http://stanstudio.com/Boston_Photo_Blog/tag/polaroid-40-x-80-inch-camera/" style="color: #777766; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Stanley Rowinphotography blog</a>, other 40 X 80 cameras “were built around the world, on the fly, with the “room” usually created out of rolls of black vinyl supported by scaffolding.” The camera measured 12’ X 16’ and could produce detailed life-size photographs in about two minutes. </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">The cameras employed existing Polaroid films including Polacolor ER film, Polapan black and white film, and Polacolor PRO film. According to lore, the lens came from a U2 spy plane. In order to focus, the subject of the photograph had to move back and forth in tiny increments. The lens itself could also roll back and forth 15” and the ceiling had a pulley system so that the large prints could be hoisted through the rollers. There was a vacuum board to keep the print flat while the film exposed. The operators of the camera were located inside of it and wore infrared goggles. The camera was decommissioned when Polaroid closed down its film production facilities. During the run it was purported to cost </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">$300.00 to make each image plus studio time of $2,000.00.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1745000/images/_1749177_gallery300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #777766; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Pictures of rescue workers at Grand Central Terminal" border="0" src="http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1745000/images/_1749177_gallery300.jpg" height="228" style="border: 5px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 8.84px;">Faces of Ground Zero by Joe McNally</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">A number of famous artists used the 40 X80 camera including Andy Warhol, Chuck Close, Lucas Samaras, and </span><span style="color: #00297a;">Robert Heinecken</span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: medium;">. Perhaps the best known body of work made by this camera is "Faces of Ground Zero — Portraits of the Heroes of September 11th", a collection of 246 photographs shot in the Moby C studio shortly after 9/11. These photographs, created by American photographer Joe McNally were exhibited in seven cities and help raise money for 9/11 relief. They also helped raise the profile of this type of large format photography.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-3330882554843853602015-11-16T11:26:00.003-05:002015-11-16T11:27:39.483-05:00The Star Wars Early Bird<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTL8auVmEOXbhO-eNi3LgRiw0kZ_LGRjZTzHyxtvNeupMXMhMN79SKQT4fasvdP68Jnhi40XcLaOIhGLaCp6G8pgPzjZfW0O0jktiA3353lzMcQKC8Jey4kDN_yjkSjwJ6UvogUc1tKg/s1600/early+bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTL8auVmEOXbhO-eNi3LgRiw0kZ_LGRjZTzHyxtvNeupMXMhMN79SKQT4fasvdP68Jnhi40XcLaOIhGLaCp6G8pgPzjZfW0O0jktiA3353lzMcQKC8Jey4kDN_yjkSjwJ6UvogUc1tKg/s320/early+bird.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The collectibles market can be finicky. </span> <span style="font-size: large;">People will often tell you to buy what you love. This is so you won't be disappointed if the value of your collectible goes down. Most people assume that over time the value of a collectible will always goes up. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. The one thing that will usually guarantee rising value is the release of the latest episode of a franchised movie. Star Wars is the prime example.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;">The Early Bird
Certificate Package was the first Kenner Star Wars action figure item. It was also the first major success story in movie toy retailing. No one thought Star Wars would be the major hit. When Kenner signed on to be the toy maker for the film, they had no idea that the movie would be so successful. When they realized there was a huge demand for action figures, they did not want to miss the opportunity to market to children at Christmas time. Because they had no time to create the action figure line before Christmas, they sold an empty box with a display stand featuring all of the characters. The children would fill out the certificate with their name and address, wait months, and then the action figures would be mailed to them. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;">This
certificate package has long been popular with collectors. Many were damaged or
destroyed when they were first opened as it is essentially an empty box and
those that remain are very popular. The display headers that sell for the
highest prices remain in their envelopes. In the retail market,
these stands vary in price depending on the grade as well as which elements are
present.</span> With the release of the new Star Wars movie, prices for the Early Bird Certificate package continue to rise today.</span>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-79418076737527611362015-07-09T10:22:00.000-04:002015-07-09T10:22:25.708-04:00Articles on the InterwebsIt's been a while since I've posted but I'm back! I've been publishing in other places recently and have had a lot of fun with it.<br />
For about six years now I've been working for an appraisal company that primarily focuses on "loss" appraisals. This means that fires, floods, hurricanes, tornados, and theft of art items have become something I think about and talk about every day. One question I am frequently asked is "how do I replace this? There is nothing out there like it." Now, you have an answer.<a href="https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2014/10/08/pricing-the-priceless---valuing-irreplaceable-work" target="_blank">Read this article from Property Casualty 360</a>. When you are finished with that, you may want to follow it up <a href="https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2013/11/21/market-influences-in-appraising-fine-art" target="_blank">with this.</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPf8yzd0GSKxW8NQm1ibU5o3Ax_kEt45i777KctgADhFkl4bExgvoN_mXMW3j-W2khFQ-OO-5fqJ2vuqvOX0kHmJmKxqHIqBclSP_NKjwKVkwzsoDOrXaacSDpe071fCQCvROKVjeba4/s1600/Hitler-and-Goering-1024x802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_308374="null" height="250" lua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPf8yzd0GSKxW8NQm1ibU5o3Ax_kEt45i777KctgADhFkl4bExgvoN_mXMW3j-W2khFQ-OO-5fqJ2vuqvOX0kHmJmKxqHIqBclSP_NKjwKVkwzsoDOrXaacSDpe071fCQCvROKVjeba4/s320/Hitler-and-Goering-1024x802.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Finally, in 2014 the Claims Journal published one of my articles which focused on stolen art, the recovery of stolen art, and how to protect yourself financially. You can find that article <a href="http://www.claimsjournal.com/magazines/special-report/2014/04/28/247845.htm" target="_blank">here.</a>
Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-41601326763448808142013-05-02T11:56:00.002-04:002013-05-02T11:56:16.647-04:00 LeRoy Neiman Auction Tomorrow<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ha.com/c/search-results.zx?N=0+793+794+791+792+2088&chkNotSold=0&Ntk=SI_Titles&Nty=1&Ntt=leroy+neiman+basketball" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tCJsVq_qBxT5AiYjGeeRRzhyiMDPYkK9JVEHXkJvwlwCwKXd7zlMjWwVtGRjSmdV9OT5sItFVQimhCNDfouSfOrRO_Ik6VWZUYSbCIOOwMAaPx25Q0f_PD2VKQh6eHNUhyphenhyphenGNPeICJ_Y/s1600/neiman.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leroy Neiman, 16.5" X 20.75" (visible image), 23.5" X 27.5" (framed), Acrylic on Paper</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Leroy Neiman was born in St. Paul,
Minnesota on June 8 1921 and died on June 20, 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He spent the majority of his adult life
living in New York.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">Just after World War II Neiman’s
talent as a painter was recognized and he began painting sets for the Red
Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a brief time, he studied at
the St. Paul School of Art and then attended the Art Institute of Chicago on
the G.I. bill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1954, the artist began
his long freelance career as an illustrator for Playboy Magazine, and beginning
in 1960 he began traveling and painting sporting events throughout the world.
These included The Kentucky Derby, The Masters, The Ryder Cup, The World Equestrian
Games, and </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Wimbledon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On many occasions he also created paintings
of other types of athletes such as the boxer Muhammad Ali and basketball
players such as Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, George McGinnis, Wilt Chamberlain, and
Kareem Abdul Jabbar.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Since his death, there have been few Neiman original
works offered at auction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Tomorrow, <a href="http://www.ha.com/c/search-results.zx?N=0+793+794+791+792+2088&chkNotSold=0&Ntk=SI_Titles&Nty=1&Ntt=leroy+neiman+basketball">2 original works will be offered at Heritage Auctions.</a> Each of these works is an original acrylic on paper depicting basketball players. Each is estimated to bring in excess of $10,000.00.</span></span></span></span></div>
Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-74875282585815071932012-07-19T12:55:00.000-04:002012-07-19T13:04:11.924-04:00HOW TO APPRAISE & AUTHENTICATE ANTIQUITIES<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Appraising
and authenticating antiquities are two distinct processes which help in the
understanding of the objects themselves. In the best case scenario, the
appraiser and the authenticator work together to form a complete picture of what
the item <span class="GramE">is,</span> where it came from, the date of creation,
the condition, and the value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJddLG_Jqv0tDLfts-Rb98XmteiE-dTrxS6GhsqJWUUt8dT8mxjlr0XCmoerQSuoawax0XmGFwshzCAuH0548Vvaa5jOU_0NJ_D1B-hsyFPqYQyvsa9awhNnYuyr55iRWSalLUGGeen4/s1600/magnifying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJddLG_Jqv0tDLfts-Rb98XmteiE-dTrxS6GhsqJWUUt8dT8mxjlr0XCmoerQSuoawax0XmGFwshzCAuH0548Vvaa5jOU_0NJ_D1B-hsyFPqYQyvsa9awhNnYuyr55iRWSalLUGGeen4/s1600/magnifying.jpg" /></span></a><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Appraising</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Appraisers
come from a variety of educational backgrounds and possess numerous specialties.
Although most appraisers are not experts in every field, they do have an
understanding of how to research a variety of items to determine their origin
and monetary value. Appraisers invariably spend hours scouring auction results,
galleries, and libraries for the information about an object. Furthermore, they
often depend on connections in academia, archaeology, galleries and auction
houses to help them come to a conclusion about the items they are appraising. An
appraiser’s ultimate goal is to put a value on the work which properly reflects
the market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the United States, there
are three major appraisal organizations:<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
</b>Appraisers Association of America, American Society of Appraisers, and
International Society of Appraisers. Each of these organizations has a
searchable database of well trained professionals who were admitted by passing
qualifying exams or other processes. Below are the most common elements of a
properly prepared antiquities appraisal.</span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Elements
of a Properly Prepared Antiquities Appraisal</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-size: large;">• Item
</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="GramE"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">A
brief description of the type of item being appraised.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <span class="GramE">For example, “Ptolemaic Ceramic Oil Lamp.”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-size: large;">•
Size</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span class="GramE"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">An
accurate measurement of the length, width, and height of the
item.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-size: large;">•
Medium</span></span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">The
materials used to create the antiquity.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-size: large;">•
Signature or Markings</span></span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="GramE"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Any
mark that might give additional information which is located directly on the
antiquity.</span></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-size: large;">• Date
of Creation<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="GramE"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">If<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"> exact
date is unknown, dating the item to a period or a range of years. <span class="GramE">For example, “Circa 150 BCE to 50 CE.”</span></span></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-size: large;">•
Condition<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Inspect
the piece for rust, cracks, deterioration, and wear.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-size: large;">•
Provenance<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Research
and list any known owners of the work, when and where it was acquired, and the
original location and date of discovery.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Authenticating</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Authentication
of antiquities can be complicated since it takes a comprehensive understanding
of scientific methods, the latest academic research, and a personal knowledge of
the expected attributes. Like appraisers, authenticators come from a variety of
backgrounds. They may specialize in scientific analysis, documentation, and
connoisseurship. An authentication company may have a variety of experts on
staff each of whom may weigh in on an item in their particular area. Below is a
detailed explanation of the more common scientific and research
methods.</span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Scientific
Authentication</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">•
<span class="SpellE">Thermoluminescence</span> (TL)</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">This
method can tell the observer how much time has elapsed since the clay was fired.
In this process, the clay is heated to a high temperature. Once it reaches that
temperature a faint violet blue light is emitted and then measured using a
sensitive detector.</span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">•
Radiocarbon Dating</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">This
type of dating is an absolute dating technique. It works by determining the
ratio of radiocarbon against stable carbon in the sample. All living organisms
are made of carbon. A very small amount of this carbon is C-14 which is unstable
and radioactive. When the organism dies it disintegrates at a known rate thus
making it easier for scientists to determine the age.</span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">•
Computer Tomography (CT Scanning)</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Although
this process does not scientifically date an antiquity it does give an overall
3-dimensional image. This information can provide information concerning
previous repairs, oxidation, deterioration, and the techniques used to actually
make the work.</span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Researched
Authentication</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">•
Provenance</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">Researching
the original place of purchase and the history of ownership of an antiquity is
important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing that the piece was in
the collection of a scholar or major collector helps others understand that the
item is what it is purported to be. Further, documented evidence of when and
where the antiquity was originally found may help establish the age of the
piece.</span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">•
Scholarly References and Attributes</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: large; mso-themecolor: text1;">This
step is always important but it becomes even more important if the antiquity
does not have a strong provenance. Sending photos of the antiquity to an
archaeologist, scholar in the field, or a dealer who regularly examines such
items to verify the item has the correct attributes is an important
step.</span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-51553796351210389702012-05-09T23:03:00.001-04:002012-05-10T11:37:53.065-04:00BATTLE OF THE BRONZE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgUZ50BYLMPa4ododIdIJ_3jtk30HYIGHRT7-d3PzqmFy80wXMzpfPLA7KX_n7iuH3NtKiHrZO5VemgOgfKCLeN6FQkv5Ed96KeQC-fd_YaaL0MnAZDiCGhonMFDNMDm_SSJPkcip7AE/s1600/getty+bronze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgUZ50BYLMPa4ododIdIJ_3jtk30HYIGHRT7-d3PzqmFy80wXMzpfPLA7KX_n7iuH3NtKiHrZO5VemgOgfKCLeN6FQkv5Ed96KeQC-fd_YaaL0MnAZDiCGhonMFDNMDm_SSJPkcip7AE/s320/getty+bronze.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I have always loved Antiquities. These items speak to me because they give us a glimpse into the human race, a culture that influenced our own, and a way of life that has long since vanished. When I was in college, I loved learning about the ways in which sculptors created their works, how the techniques progressed, and the way in which those techniques influenced the aesthetics of the day. <a href="http://arthistory.about.com/od/glossary/g/c_contrapposto.htm">Contrapposto</a> is one of those techniques. This term is used to describe the pose as seen in the sculpture above whereby one knee is bent, the hip is lifted, and the weight of the figure is seemingly on one leg. This pose was a breakthrough in sculpture as it was the first to express a human emotion through a physical gesture. One can only imagine the excitement such a development caused the first time a sculptor created this type of work.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>A Defensive Posture</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">In the antiquities world, the buzz surrounding a special item can only be outdone by the modern spectacle of a battle between countries and cultures over who owns which items.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">On May 3, <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/04/entertainment/la-et-getty-bronze-ruling-20120504">an Italian court upheld a ruling</a> that a bronze statue of an athlete, said to have been created by Alexander the Great's personal sculptor <a href="http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/ancientart/p/2002aa6gkartist.htm">Lysippus</a>, belongs to Italy and should be seized from the J. Paul Getty Museum. The statue, purchased in 1976 for $4 million is alleged to have been illegally exported from Italy before the museum purchased it. On the other hand, the Getty maintains that they purchased the statue legally and will likely petition the highest court in Italy. The Getty's belief that the statue was not exported and sold illegally should not be taken lightly. They have, in fact, returned 49 items which they admit were the product illegal excavations. The Getty does not believe that the export of this item was illegal because it was originally found by <a href="http://uk.ask.com/wiki/Victorious_Youth">fishermen in international waters off Italy's Adriatic coast</a>.</span>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-34511315892960627262012-05-09T22:12:00.000-04:002012-05-10T11:42:13.467-04:00SEAL DISCOVERED ON TEMPLE SITE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR4QtWo6sQaNGyRlv6wxl-AF6HlYZ4xcHhswjAtQW2JSk2-35-DWMWYUGJZH3rJ6asN3P52tSBrcVsF4gMSdSNX6ed0tiXrKkBKllcalD8P5JG-Xna9VoFihOShfq0JwvQNMkFRf8Os8/s1600/seal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR4QtWo6sQaNGyRlv6wxl-AF6HlYZ4xcHhswjAtQW2JSk2-35-DWMWYUGJZH3rJ6asN3P52tSBrcVsF4gMSdSNX6ed0tiXrKkBKllcalD8P5JG-Xna9VoFihOShfq0JwvQNMkFRf8Os8/s1600/seal.jpg" /></span></a> </div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">When I was a child, I was fascinated by a <a href="http://3djeweler.com/wipm/product_view.php?product_id=2369&store_id=1">signet ring</a> that my father wore. The gold band was inset with a dark brown stone. The stone's face was carved with the family name and crest. Little did I know the tradition which inspired this ring was thousands of years old, and similar jewelry was being worn by men on the other side of the world during that time.</span><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Discovering an Ancient Seal</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A tiny seal measuring 2 centimeters is making a huge impact in the antiquities world. The seal was unearthed in an archeological dig on the Temple Mount in Israel and is from the late first Temple period over 2700 years ago. Seals of this type were mounted on rings and were used to sign documents during that period. According to archeologist Eli Shukrun, "The name Matanyahu, like the name Netanyahu, means 'gift to God.' These names are mentioned several times in Scripture. They are typical of names in the Judean Kingdom at the end of the <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/jer1.html">First Temple period</a> – from the late 8<sup>th</sup> century BCE until the Temple's destruction in 586 BCE."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Engraved gems were predominantly made of semi-precious stones. In the Western tradition they were usually made with images on one side. However, many Middle Eastern seals display their own traditions. In fact, in the Bible, seals with words are mentioned bearing the names of the <a href="http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/judaism/f/12Tribes.htm">Tribes of Israel</a> instead of images.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ACgKKs7Jp0SZSEDha1-0lX9RDXzC7p58OJd1X8GNgCu8aobd2RpvuZCkfzUoB7O_0pKdue-wIUCpA0I50nLRZMVgLni7RUxbEFwtF-yv8vjXCKI2_vTBtqA1bLT7Gha-rAW2AHjzi30/s1600/gem+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ACgKKs7Jp0SZSEDha1-0lX9RDXzC7p58OJd1X8GNgCu8aobd2RpvuZCkfzUoB7O_0pKdue-wIUCpA0I50nLRZMVgLni7RUxbEFwtF-yv8vjXCKI2_vTBtqA1bLT7Gha-rAW2AHjzi30/s320/gem+2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Although the Matanyahu gem will likely not be sold, it is interesting to see what other gems sell for in the marketplace. In December of 2011, Christies sold a <a href="http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/ancient-art-antiquities/a-late-roman-chromium-chalcedony-magic-circa-5509407-details.aspx?pos=100&intObjectID=5509407&sid=">late Roman Chromium Chalcedony Magic Gem</a> from circa 3rd century A.D. The stone, pictured above from both sides was described in the sale as a "convex oval stone engraved on the obverse with Chnoubis, the lion-headed serpent with his radiate head in profile to the left; the reverse with the sign of Chnoubis, framed by his name in Greek: XNOYBIC". It sold for $2,750.00. This seems a small price to pay for something of such interest and beauty. When comparing the carved gems to other types of antiquities, the price point of many seems unusually reasonable.</span>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-10266868822494330242011-10-22T12:56:00.005-04:002012-05-10T11:41:23.175-04:00THE ASIAN MARKET<div>
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQlDTdQn8lZjKKAmfyPrWbVdybRDBF02wJ7eajFAb5zX8320qaKvZU63Ghk7IQoPlK0z7qDAOKUvlja7bNh1pl6eeZ0PkSVoicIdtyZSoV7h4nUu_WPBicfj7mw4WAjq3AQgHtJep9k4/s1600/bbd864de-e5b0-11e0-8e99-00144feabdc0.img.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666366054681389090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQlDTdQn8lZjKKAmfyPrWbVdybRDBF02wJ7eajFAb5zX8320qaKvZU63Ghk7IQoPlK0z7qDAOKUvlja7bNh1pl6eeZ0PkSVoicIdtyZSoV7h4nUu_WPBicfj7mw4WAjq3AQgHtJep9k4/s320/bbd864de-e5b0-11e0-8e99-00144feabdc0.img.jpeg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 193px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 272px;" /></a><br />
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #434343; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span></div>
<h2 face="georgia, 'times new roman', serif" style="color: black; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0.66em 0px 3px; text-align: center;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Moonflask sold $2,658,500 at Christie's New YorkSept. 15-16, 2011</span></i></h2>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Call it the "Antiques Roadshow effect" but In recent years everyone wants to know which markets are hot and which markets are getting hotter. If you are new to the art market you might be interested in what's a steal as opposed to what purchases might rob you. Today, much of the talk in the art world surrounds the Asian market. The growing population of wealthy Chinese consumers has piqued the interest of art sellers from auction houses to art galleries. The excitement also includes lesser known but no less influential games players such as high end art fairs and investment funds.</span></div>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Despite this, there seems to be a lot of confusion in the art world about what is actually happening, what is really selling, and if Asian buyers are invested in the market for the long haul or are just participating in a buying frenzy. Many see the Asian art market as the next bubble. Others see the Asian market as the next best bet. Below are some facts to help sort out the confusion and to help you understand if you are willing to take a risk.</span></div>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">THE MARKET</span></div>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There is no doubt that the summer was slow in terms of art sales and that the Asian art market has become more volatile. However, this fall, Chinese art works stole the show. The sale of Chinese classical painting held at Sotheby's nearly doubled the pre-sale estimates while a moonflask dating from 1736-1820 sold at Christies for $2.7 million and an 18th-century jade melon box sold for $2.1 million. Further, if the location of high- priced, high- profile contemporary galleries are an indicator of where the market is going, then Asia is the place to be. Gagosian Gallery now has a location in Hong Kong while White Cube and Lehmann Maupin continue to say that they have plans to follow suit next year. In May the Art HK fair was purchased by the most prestigious of art shows, Art Basel. It is also important to note that that there are at least forty art investment funds now in China. </span></div>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">THE POTENTIAL SLOW DOWN</span></div>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With every boom there is, if not a bust, then a slow down. ArtTactic's latest consumer confidence report indicates that there has been a downturn in consumer confidence since June. This decreased confidence is likely a direct effect of the slowing Chinese economy which has propped up the art community's confidence in the art market. There has also been growing debate about why the Chinese are collecting; many believe that the growing wealthy class see art as nothing more than an investment and that once they see a better opportunity they will sell, causing the market to flood with works and prices to go down. Further, while there continues to be an aggressive market at auction for the best pieces, recent results have proved that other works are selling below their low estimates or are being "bought in" by the auction houses.</span></div>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">THE CONCLUSION</span></div>
<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Arial; margin: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The art market can be confusing during normal economic times. However, when the economy is volatile and a new group of wealthy investors begin to enter the marketplace, opinions about the state of the market can change with every sale. What has become clear over the last year is that auction houses, art galleries, and a number of collectors have made significant investments in the art and antiques of Asia. While current speculation in the market will likely ensure future investment in Asian art overall there is a good chance that today's results will be seen as the peak of a bubble tomorrow.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-75349475265155561962011-10-18T13:49:00.011-04:002011-10-18T14:14:32.757-04:00ETCHING-WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE & HOW IT IS MADE<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkgijEL765R9SZvXwhdlvD-SQLBWBnD9-qKRpW0I9KnPsRGPZfQm1AZEKLwGbP-G5ueJlfLJntrLIjwB4_JqKpj8vkDNu4ttVIBBfUTLws369DZYq7nrdXf2VzIo0pTOeEtORvnU2iec/s1600/needle+copper+plate.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 141px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664891469041517634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkgijEL765R9SZvXwhdlvD-SQLBWBnD9-qKRpW0I9KnPsRGPZfQm1AZEKLwGbP-G5ueJlfLJntrLIjwB4_JqKpj8vkDNu4ttVIBBfUTLws369DZYq7nrdXf2VzIo0pTOeEtORvnU2iec/s200/needle+copper+plate.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">An etching begins by coating a copper plate with an acid resistant material such as wax. Once the ground is dry, the artist uses an etching needle to begin drawing a picture into the surface. Once the image is complete, it is dropped in an acid bath so that the acid will "bite" the exposed areas. The artist will then clean the plate, roll it with ink, and will put into a press. Numerous images can be formed this way.<br /><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrYd_P1pQgCRRzRH3H-MpdXezyZdfqyYK70zYB6NME3MEwmEuKmFuzh4L-V2Tt0ZrmQLpF3Th_r6yTLbPfvAtca7GvGbGEatfAXNgkSxRV5JASaxP5mVSqgDjNgSW8EFl4vJLIb0IBSg/s1600/dry+point+close+up.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664896579585602466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrYd_P1pQgCRRzRH3H-MpdXezyZdfqyYK70zYB6NME3MEwmEuKmFuzh4L-V2Tt0ZrmQLpF3Th_r6yTLbPfvAtca7GvGbGEatfAXNgkSxRV5JASaxP5mVSqgDjNgSW8EFl4vJLIb0IBSg/s200/dry+point+close+up.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-size:85%;">There are several types of etchings but drypoint etching is one of the most desirable in the market. The lines produced by printing a drypoint are formed not only by the depressions in the plate as discussed above but also by the burr, or raised lines at the edge of the incised lines. If examined under magnification, the incised lines look like depressions in the earth made with a plow while the raised lines look like the dirt thrown to the side of the depression. Once printed, the drypoint appears rich in tone and a bit fuzzy. </span><br /></div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVr4jPdnqBFhhhiFC6ANny9n2KheekJfcCBKtbUkEyO6xdAF1eisQpn8JBQf2s8s-PpjV5xJsYgsogvAiZHonOWw0BPBQJKFxTWhpe4OUe_pkkHWeAPh9BfaW3XtvdfBKYztVJouA5mk/s1600/drypoint.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 148px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664890894182323586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVr4jPdnqBFhhhiFC6ANny9n2KheekJfcCBKtbUkEyO6xdAF1eisQpn8JBQf2s8s-PpjV5xJsYgsogvAiZHonOWw0BPBQJKFxTWhpe4OUe_pkkHWeAPh9BfaW3XtvdfBKYztVJouA5mk/s200/drypoint.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6n1713ohgY-MosWRSenVYFIy_SCiHcKfUvILgB15rmMJH8RqIWL7ev8B1fGJVdDuzrToj0RIPI_MUm1G8eK8IQMJD-kuwYIM8q_7A9k33rPW_j0qpNqc2p1nD5PmEFEQqUdRDtLYTvjs/s1600/etching+close+up.jpg"></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Dry point etchings such as this one are often highly sought after as the raised lines more quickly disappear after each impression, rendering a less and less desirable image after each pass.<br />Many drypoint etchings have a sepia tone as seen in this work.<br /><br /><br /></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-1531077488516761732010-07-08T08:45:00.011-04:002010-07-08T10:26:38.605-04:00SEEING THROUGH THE VALUE OF MONROE'S X-RAY<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzGnyPCS_lWVsBgY7k8k0tKTLJxYQL8pAkB1375ujl7INH49hOBnDCUUNVB1KZ-7TTWCSIDKn0a3OqaeGn9MmWHUUWhTAwok7MhMA3LIhMASWH3_pmpDgUis_bQ-3ko6A1JX9zo1JVng/s1600/monroe+photo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491535203402035410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 306px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzGnyPCS_lWVsBgY7k8k0tKTLJxYQL8pAkB1375ujl7INH49hOBnDCUUNVB1KZ-7TTWCSIDKn0a3OqaeGn9MmWHUUWhTAwok7MhMA3LIhMASWH3_pmpDgUis_bQ-3ko6A1JX9zo1JVng/s320/monroe+photo.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong> <span style="font-size:78%;">Marilyn Monroe's chest, x-ray, 1954, sold at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Julien's</span> Auction "Hollywood Legends" sale on June 27, 2010 for $45,000</span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><br /></strong>One of the most talked about auction lots in recent weeks was the set of Marilyn Monroe chest x-rays that sold at the Hollywood Legends auction run by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Julien's</span> Auction at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Las</span> Vegas. The selling price was $45,000. It seems that even the auctioneers were surprised by the figure as their estimated price was $800-$1000. Also, in <a href="http://www.juliensauctions.com/press/2010/marilyn-monroe.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Julien's</span> Auction press release </a>about the sale, the x-rays are just briefly mentioned while an entire paragraph is devoted to the therapy couch Monroe used in her doctor's office from 1960 until the time of her death.<br /><br /><br />When I first read about this auction I wondered about the provenance of the x-rays. With a selling price this strong, I assumed the proof of successive history of ownership was pretty solid but I was eager to find out exactly how the x-rays were obtained. According to news reports, the x-rays were taken in November 1954 at the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Florida and prove Monroe was suffering from e<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ndometriosis</span>. According to London's telegraph newspaper, a young doctor obtained the x-rays for use in classes he taught at the center. When the doctor died, his daughter inherited the x-rays and put them up for sale. Although Monroe was in the process of divorcing Joe Di <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Maggio</span>, the name on the x-rays read "Marilyn Di <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Maggio</span>".<br /><br />I also wondered how the auction house came to its estimate. Certainly an item like this is a little more unusual but was there anything of "like, quality, and kind" in which to compare? Certainly there have been many artists producing x-rays of flowers, still life, and other objects and turning them into fine quality photographs. A good example of this is the photograph below created by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Helmut</span> Newton of a hand wearing a Van <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Cleef</span> & <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Arpels</span> Diamond Bracelet. In April of 2010 this silver gelatin print sold at Phillips <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">de</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Pury</span> & Company for $18,000.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491534700102612882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 233px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sbCL2_FVtry4Dk1we4Euvc1VBxHQrf9aodnZ8gveKAb3D1ajopD0HiJauta_223W3PKNmn-3L6cbCNRb8vBGFnoMSjuwrCK419W8AXhmUF0Jjqk2AabD8tgBQCLFdcnDYa35zHYqmLM/s320/newton+photo.jpg" border="0" />Newton was a famous German-Australian fashion photographer who's work was seen in magazine's like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Despite the artist's fame, it is not a good comparable. Although the image is of an x-ray the actual medium is a silver gelatin print photograph. Next, it is important to point out that there is an arm and a hand in the x-ray but the <em>actual</em> subject is the very expensive bracelet worn by the hand. In the case of the Monroe x-ray, it can be assumed that the primary attraction was not the person taking the x-ray but the actual subject of the x-ray. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Therefore</span>, a better and more logical comparable would be a different x-ray of Monroe or another equally famous person which has sold at auction. Believe it or not, such an x-ray exists. On September 4, 2008 the "Fame Bureau" in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Dartford</span> England sold the below x-ray of Elvis Presley's arm. Because Elvis lived during the same period as Monroe and is arguably just as famous as Monroe, this x-ray is a good comparable. The selling price on that day was £3,500 (approx. $5,300).<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491533929205807538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 295px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 173px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHyhln8TTr0BlqAHcvCdsxxuBRb2gZiogQWRIWtwx_KyuXO2ozyoDlMY_t7KGLsS6H6rEHon5fvzisZppm5synXWm32Rlrx4zVChgvSoxSMjgobCCXs3bX4Qf0ojdvwPYLlxqeO7pTyQ/s400/elvis+x+ray.bmp" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /></div><p>Finally, it is important to note all of the media attention this auction received in advance of the sale. From serious news <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">organizations</span> to comedy parody shows <a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/281734/april-19-2010/marilyn-monroe-s-x-rays">(see the Stephen Colbert coverage here)</a>, the attention surrounding these x-rays created a buzz that could not have been achieved otherwise. Although media coverage is not something appraisers usually discuss in relation to valuing objects, the effect of the media coverage and the excitement it creates should not be ignored. It would be impossible to look at an auction result of $45,000 for chest x-rays and not to acknowledge the effect of such publicity. Or, in the words of Stephen Colbert, "Good for you, whoever is making money selling a dead woman's private gynecological X-rays."</p>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-62160185146028996382010-07-07T12:25:00.015-04:002010-07-07T12:57:16.695-04:00MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU--THE VADAR PROJECT<a href="http://www.freemansauction.com/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=1&ps=25&st=D&sale_no=1375"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491201931302383970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNF02xAvarjihgXj9Z1XJOvtWeyT35aGjDbnaV63xyPmykBLcFB-uAZldhBuwPmDSLKrnzmGON1E76v3JK8zetaK29SkJX3aGdcUzhPqgcYXksnN7AW9DpcFeQ-sjvj9aED9ffs0CMA38/s400/darth+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.freemansauction.com/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=1&ps=25&st=D&sale_no=1375"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491202471097226290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-og-myAoSp2niAeFP6Sbc1byW32bKnCf1-lB6vec4y_a5AEJOaQLq9Op54PFnUuIFNskhCtQ7arI5GmhB-rlLsex1i6w0qPpfTGNBp9AJ5uK7lAaPm8-lUGPmsHtglEyAjNojVzo-Yk/s400/darth+3.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.freemansauction.com/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=1&ps=25&st=D&sale_no=1375"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491202555954003954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15pnvjjMBVd__bFH8fhEKI4xyaB7bLKTujTzN_c34XFUaUn8fQNalXnwhVZbXsRPZGddwQWGbvg-hKvebsg31Vrc4CNa8dcxpZiMCoQjo3EPjEwhkH2n6tPLtQMVdFgRdQSNNthe0DjY/s400/darth+4.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.freemansauction.com/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=1&ps=25&st=D&sale_no=1375"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491201548996272530" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 74px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6oXxnGx0ccxXeDfRoNlsSNebeSMtCpJf2QW4jUXXEawkqCX0kEXFAlOS3xMXhIh9BJf7UtfgNYx0ppq7Hh-kQJkcY36HuEfntYdhmtDlvJBWC8nDgqEkhKL_-z9Q0BN5cC4BfIVaq88/s400/darth.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.freemansauction.com/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=1&ps=25&st=D&sale_no=1375"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491202631423823794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Uc3C62-FMj3E_dvX-fcE0dV7s5dBBHkXXRghIR6aDorjnoGAaf9dpZPZLjwFeooLsdmG1y_kDjV7S0Vl3-J8XSeyI8r7gEh754O_fAk2oHRWP4LC8uSDxaScyczJLl1ZKtC3oVj6Xs8/s400/darth+5.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpSiaeZlmFNXf4p-KAl1qhQCQmypQYiai_1wGoZRKnJo_FxOvpfEGf1L2RTUaMEa_n8ok1AEBI0aVf5ig9Oi6VU0ojCvwZiVOb9rBoWWmNx_Dledqi_mT1yMYjDT-MEsg89dzP7LGiZ8/s1600/darth+6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491207688782324530" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpSiaeZlmFNXf4p-KAl1qhQCQmypQYiai_1wGoZRKnJo_FxOvpfEGf1L2RTUaMEa_n8ok1AEBI0aVf5ig9Oi6VU0ojCvwZiVOb9rBoWWmNx_Dledqi_mT1yMYjDT-MEsg89dzP7LGiZ8/s400/darth+6.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div>On July 10, the 100 artworks of "The Vadar Project" will be auction at <a href="http://www.freemansauction.com/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=1&ps=25&st=D&sale_no=1375">Freeman's in Philadelphia. </a>The works, created by artists from the underground art scene as well as notable pop and surrealist artists will be sold beginning at 12:00 p.m. According to the press release, many of the lots will begin at $1,500. Most estimates range from $3,000-$5,000 with a few lots estimated to potentially reach $8,000-$15,000. Although the sale follows a ten day auction preview in Los Angeles, the exhibit has actually been touring the world since its premier in 2007. The exhibit was curated by Dov Kelemer and Sarah Jo Marks of DKE Toys. </div><br /><div>The Vadar Project is a good example of an auction that will appeal to a wide variety of collectors. Those interested in Star Wars and toy memorabilia, pop art and underground collectors, as well as those who collect the works of individual artists. </div><br /><div><a href="http://www.freemansauction.com/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=1&ps=25&st=D&sale_no=1375">You can find a full color catalog online here.</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>ARTWORKS ABOVE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ARE AS FOLLOWS</strong>:</span><br /></div><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:78%;">JOSH AGLE (SHAG), (B. 1962), Darth Tipua, Estimate: $4000 - 6000</span></div><strong></strong></div><div><br /><div><span style="font-size:78%;">ANTHONY AUSGANG, (B. 1959), Darth Vader is Gay, Estimate: $3000 - 5000<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:78%;">JOE HAHN, (B. 1977), The Revenge of Mr. Hahn, Estimate: $8000 - 10000</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:78%;">WADE LAGEOSE LAGEOSE DESIGN, (B. 1966), Untitled, Estimate: $10000 - 15000</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:78%;">PLASTICGOD, (B. 1973), Praise the Lord, Estimate: $10000 - 15000</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;">CAMERON TIEDE, (B. 1972), Darth InvadedEstimate: $3000 - 5000</span></div></div></div></div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-13258690207703735452010-06-12T18:58:00.028-04:002010-06-13T09:50:19.114-04:00PARODY & THE WORKS OF JULIE HARVEY<div align="center"><em><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Parody (also called send-up or spoof), in contemporary usage, is a work created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation. -Wikipedia</span></strong></em> </div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482042162514306210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 195px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxG8dzuROal_g8nmUQz4ZNwzvf1b4KNriG1o6fkxJv3bDvC-IB7o3u56jqu2oMi78-hkW6-qpNHlGSli3GHCyFRv5jMpCXo1b2_3Xec42jYvQJL8gq1my5U_UJsbZgJYfE_Uy9pernrdc/s320/Hirst%2520(a).jpg" border="0" /> <strong><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://julieharvey.us/gogo.htm">Julie Harvey, <em>Damien Hirst,</em> 2005</a></span></strong></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">Damien Hirst is a British artist best known for cutting up animals and displaying them in "vitrines". In the 1990s he became one of the leading figures of the "Young British Artists" and shot to fame with the help of "super collector" Charles Saatchi</span></strong><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#000000;">Parody has a long history in art. From political cartoons of politicians to humorous paintings of self-aggrandizing individuals, artists have used their medium and their wit to call attention to the absurdities of those who they deem ridiculous, who take themselves too seriously, or who commit heinous and unconscionable acts. </span><span style="color:#000000;">In recent years, parody has again taken a front seat in popular culture. Television shows like the Colbert Report (which mocks popular political pundits) to the Simpsons (which satirizes everything from the family to celebrities) have hit a nerve with the public. In these shows, "wit" is directy toward "folly". </span></div><br /><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482042354969706466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 187px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvLWKx2XvQ_20qvuyDUt5Gkr62ua6hLW7GjDZaDnafhopr9uUnmlUcqt0d8jWkkaupF6kaL6ap-rl-sZWAHxssrc33D3-vRlG1CtSopbIscoDbfr00MEMZYlUiHK-Z0c75ar6W5uHzaM/s320/Saatchi%2520(a).jpg" border="0" /> <strong><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://julieharvey.us/gogo.htm">Julie Harvey, <em>Charles Saatchi</em>, 2005</a></span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">Charles Saatichi was the cofounder of Saatchi and Saatchi advertising agency until 1995. He is known as a "super collector" and owner of Saatchi Gallery. He helped boost the careers of many artists including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.</span></strong><br /><br /><div align="center">Similarly, a few artists have begun to create works which poke fun of the things that they deem worthy. A good example of this are Julie Harvey's "Go-Go Nudes", a series created in 2005. In these paintings, Harvey parodies big name artists, art dealers, and art promoters to spotlight them as media hounds and sensationalists. She does this by creating naked portraits of the subjects in silly poses. At the time of their creation, Harvey also created what one could think of as an interactive performing art piece choreographed to compliment the paintings. On March 11. 2005 Ms. Harvey hosted an art show entitled "Julie Harvey's Go-Go Party". <a href="http://julieharvey.us/gogo.htm">It can be found here</a> but is best described as an Austin Powers extravaganza with actors and dancers who schmoozed with guests. <em>"</em></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482042533482427090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKbSRiYtCK9N6TA54YkZwPH9_K9S_KjYYvAJYFD1R60bWrrTm6ka2RZNSoGnS_yh15qQ5InmO9zMT7oJIRsXURDdnCSUIRz4Q4ytuq5qKttAzeRRWnuiqZ-onmjakh5cn9X9EcJ4pXuw/s320/Shafrazi2%2520(a).jpg" border="0" /><strong><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://julieharvey.us/gogo.htm">Julie Harvey, <em>Tony Shafrazi</em>, 2005</a></span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">Tony Shafrazi is the owner of Shafrazi Art Gallery in New York. Although he handles the works of many art luminaries such as Francis Bacon and Keith Harring, he is best known for spray painting "Kill Lies All" on Picasso's <em>Guernica. </em>He said he did this to protest the commuted sentence of William Calley (who was sentenced for his role in the My Lai massacre) by Richard Nixon. Later, Shafrazi became the Shah of Iran's art advisor and assembled a 20th century collection on his behalf.</span></strong><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">What does all of this have to do with appraising and valuing art? The fact is, every person involved in putting a value on items must understand what is going on in the marketplace as well what trends are becoming "hot" in popular culture. To understand the marketplace, appraisers must understand what subjects interest those who are willing to buy art. Although Julie Harvey's series, Go-Go Nudes caters to those who "know" the art world, it also speaks to the larger popular trend of "parody".</div><br />In case you are wondering, Julie Harvey's works range from $7,000-$14,000 depending on size. Her work is carried at Bernarducci Meisel Gallery on West 57th Street in New York. You can <a href="http://www.bernarduccimeisel.com/artists/">find it by clicking on "featured artists" here.</a> </div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-52792716966269102872010-05-29T14:37:00.021-04:002010-05-30T08:20:31.705-04:00LITHOGRAPHIC FLAG-MORATORIUM<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIFDfYFYwzNSo4xIMw4ZaHXs1LNaFzMxpGO9qzpP__lIKqITRBP7YHCNo5wIC58Dbv3t-hAFU8pQRwjXqxE8gRAOu1CFE3yZ6TPsUU32mf3tufMjYgah8sT7MMBcxCarwQtVJhpjbPRg/s1600/jasper+johns.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476763181409405602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 310px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIFDfYFYwzNSo4xIMw4ZaHXs1LNaFzMxpGO9qzpP__lIKqITRBP7YHCNo5wIC58Dbv3t-hAFU8pQRwjXqxE8gRAOu1CFE3yZ6TPsUU32mf3tufMjYgah8sT7MMBcxCarwQtVJhpjbPRg/s400/jasper+johns.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>Jasper Johns, <em>Flag-Moratorium</em>, 1969, offset color lithograph</strong></span> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">***</span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Clients often ask for more details relating to the medium of their work. Most people understand different types of painting methods but are often confused about the processes involved in creating prints. It is important for any collector to understand how their work was made. The more familiar you are with the work of an artist and his working method, the less likely you will be to purchase something that isn't what it is purported to be. Lithography is one of the more complicated processes because it has changed and advanced so many times over the years. </span></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">At first, lithographs were made by drawing an image into wax which was applied to lithographic stone and then that image was transferred onto paper. Today, the process of lithography is still similar to the older process but the materials artists and printers employ are different. Instead of wax, today's artists usually use polymer which is applied to an aluminum plate. The image is then printed directly from the plate onto the paper. In the case of offset lithography, the process is different still. Modern offset lithography depends on printing plates which are coated with a photosensitive emulsion. The printer puts the image and the emulsion in contact and then exposes it to ultraviolet light. In the printing press, the plate roles against a rubber coated blanket and the image is then transferred to the paper.</span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">During the 20th century, lithography was re-discovered as an art form by artists such as Picasso, Chagall, and Miro. Mourlot Studios in Paris began to encourage artist to work on lithographic stones which could be produced in small numbers and then used to advertise the work of the artists. During the 1960s, Jasper Johns began to use lithography to produce the majority of his prints.</span> </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The offset lithographic print above by Jasper Johns from 1969 is entitled, <em>Flag-Moratorium</em> and is a color offset lithograph measuring 17.1" X 25.9". It is number 107 from and edition of 300. It will be auctioned in Germany on June 12, 2010. The estimate in US dollars for this work is $8,677 - $11,156. </span></span><a href="http://www.artnet.com/PDB/PublicAuctionResults.aspx?collection_id=195169"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;">You can view the auction here.</span><br /></div></span></a>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-66615023655123404112010-05-06T10:40:00.007-04:002010-05-06T11:13:27.519-04:00OLD INFLUENCING THE NEW INFLUENCING THE OLD<div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">The "style and spirit" sale held by Christie's (South Kensington, London) held on February 23, 2010 lived up to it's name. In a surprise result, an 1840s stuffed crocodile in a William IV period mahogany and glass cabinet on casters sold for $17,495.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"></span> </div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468169432221637186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 396px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTWKZBZ758Y8Iw8v84akMzF9Uq9ZdqhzCJ_5fEtfXWbvrxup8Jr5p2jX7y6A_m-AfigHdn241n0W2N01rUcaRUJBq09s2rkEiHE6WNf6nBy53rCBtIcL0ia2awiKwmEa-o2Dcq9TzWU8/s400/crocodile.jpg" border="0" />Although this type of display may seem like a relic of the past, the concept has, in fact, been reinvented in today's world. No longer just an object of interest, stuffed or preserved animals have become "art objects". The most notable example of this are the pieces by controversial British artist Damien Hirst. <em>Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living</em> from 1991 depicting a preserved Tiger Shark in a glass case was sold to the hedge-fund billionaire Steven A. Cohen for $8 million and is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. One can't help but believe that Hirst was influenced by 19th century displays of preserved animals. In turn, the enthusiasm surrounding Hirst's work has created new interest in the older natural history displays.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468172426519979090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilP_NfH0wgqahE6n1O2QO25mQSdFB9gDYcfdIq2DOgUzlZqQIFVDvUQBSOB9e43uVmT8PzQ434dR5rr43UvX96zbZw3P1b3MIWpnxaQMgsFLWnepGHWLLLub7OdyGRMQr6abD04V1JgF0/s400/physical+death.jpg" border="0" /></div><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong><em>Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living</em>, Damien Hirst</strong></span></p>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-66809080920414896522010-02-14T17:19:00.008-05:002010-02-14T18:27:02.358-05:00THE REAL ART MARKET<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilh2Kd7KD8zBBJWN083lSe_93S1j7bfNISlRUY3PoJ-1Fmgrq2EyhO5HuqP3ol41xu5jDxMfBvepDyDFX4nlbU-YLyQ4nxXiGrsyLevbDUXG2UaTzkmG4fpNFQN5UtNAeEu0zO1N_cgM/s1600-h/LHomme-qui-Marche-by-Albe-002.jpg"><span style="font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438243290501553634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilh2Kd7KD8zBBJWN083lSe_93S1j7bfNISlRUY3PoJ-1Fmgrq2EyhO5HuqP3ol41xu5jDxMfBvepDyDFX4nlbU-YLyQ4nxXiGrsyLevbDUXG2UaTzkmG4fpNFQN5UtNAeEu0zO1N_cgM/s320/LHomme-qui-Marche-by-Albe-002.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;"><em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">L'Homme</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Qui</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Marche</span></em> by Alberto Giacometti at auction</span></strong> </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;">Newspapers and art journals have been screaming. "Alberto Giacometti Sculpture Breaks Auction Record", A Touch of Fame Works its Magic in the Market", "Giacometti: The plot thickens over spending man", "Giacometti Auction: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sotheby's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Business</span> Model Wins Again" and "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Sotheby's</span> Historic Sale". Of course these headlines are all referring to the the sale of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">L'Homme</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Qui</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Marche</span> I" (Walking Man I), which sold on February 3, 2010 for a record breaking $65 million pounds. But what does such a sale mean for the art market and why did it happen now.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">All of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">hubbub</span> surrounding the sale is great PR for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Sotheby's</span> and for the art market in general. But who would pay such a high price for the sculpture and why now? It is true that in the last five years Giacometti prices have been rising. It is also true that in the last year record prices have been set for sculptures by the artists Rodin, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Brancusi</span> and Degas. Perhaps one can conclude that a group of wealthy buyers are playing the "my sculpture is bigger than your sculpture" game. Certainly part of paying such an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">exorbitant</span> sum is creating a stir and stroking the ego of the wealthy collector. After all, money not only buys taste in the art world, it often creates it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">But another, more complicated and compelling answer may be the real one and it goes back to the auction house PR machine. In order to generate buzz and create a sale, auction houses often begin calling around to their short list of wealthy and willing buyers. In his article <em>Bait and Switch </em>Charlie Finch, a writer with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">artnet</span> magazine sums it up this way, "The game is simple: when museum holdings of great value cannot be sold, buyers at auction are not compelled to be identified and auction houses have willing arts journalists ready to sell the sucker public on another astounding record, which could easily have been <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">pre</span>-arranged to goose the market and provide a nice dividend to the auction firms, true value and the discerning eye which drives it cease to exist."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">So this begs the question, is the art market actually rebounding? The simple answer is 'yes'. However, the more complicated and realistic answer is 'sort-of'. If you ask around at art galleries and smaller auction houses they will likely tell you that their overall sales have gone up a little or stayed exactly the same. Since the majority of items sold in any given year are not over the $1 million mark the real market is still in flux-a fact not surprising given the continuing state of our economy.</span> </div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-83468152153847739332009-12-27T10:05:00.007-05:002009-12-27T10:43:55.205-05:00New Year's Antiques Auction<div align="center"><strong><em>An ideal museum show would be a mating of Brideshead Revisited with House & Garden. Provoking intense and pleasurable nostalgia for a past that none of its audience has had.</em><br /></strong></div><div align="center">-Robert Hughes</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419940458539567362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 139px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 138px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNjBRDMpDZOBhyphenhyphen0PxQGCRaKpH3ZsFW6Jh2ZvzsEh46UrnxMbZAld-lteHSXn5wRN1_qJ-JBDui8-1k764gjjr_0a_6QsqFtbSEfixso5BWIYudK4uR2HSNIk2cG_XQqKn6WazUghN8E4/s320/empire+dresser.bmp" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>Empire Dresser (19th century)</strong></span><br /></p><div align="center">The New Year. A time to look forward, to reinvent, and rediscover who we really are. This time of year I often find myself thinking about New Year's past. What were people wearing? What kind of parties did they go to? What sort of furnishings surrounded them? In other words, as much as I like to look forward I also have a bit of nostalgia for a past I never knew. Merriam Webster's dictionary defines nostalgia as "wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition." When it is cold and dark and I find myself longing for a connection with days gone by, I can think of no better remedy than an auction. Below is one auction that looks like it will have a good selection of antique furniture and objects.</div><br /><div align="center"></div><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419940283456164690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 298px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJK8QBLLQoOsqwjR611iTuXp3NIKsvGFbTmaioaNKRtgM-6ydBujvykaIUOqdlc8dt6CuzVN925W8s45LVytfIDgmlxpjd0JbLM3OngNqbi5pfkTpA5E-BXTiCQfrBhPpOPu7nJ-9g7EY/s320/meal+chest.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">Meal Chest</span></strong> <span style="font-size:78%;">(this was a large chest for storing corn)</span></p><div align="center"><a name="OLE_LINK3">ANNUAL ANTIQUE & COLLECTIBLE’S AUCTION</a>.<br />FRIDAY JANUARY 1ST 2010 @ 10:00 A.M<br />722 SOUTH FRANKLIN STREET “ST. RT. 122”<br />EATON, OHIO </div><br /><div align="center"><em>Less than three hours north of Louisville, one and half hours east of Indianapolis and just one hour northwest of Cincinnati. <a href="http://www.mapquest.com/mq/10-4HyhIUd4ENxQ">Click here for a map</a></em></div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-31459791238730624582009-11-25T19:02:00.003-05:002009-11-25T19:20:11.702-05:00THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mNlxhD6bHJ09dKvlfwdiBewnhZ6khL8smQU6Jy3LcCtOjOUDAJ0m5-L0jxIYZMEz3YCVl7i-xyphy8IT3c7dYNBoCUzXpBlgBnGWzjS2411sX9Q6Ok33CAA16jPcUSd9T_16WYsB_u4/s1600/macys+parade.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408196251057842882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 182px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mNlxhD6bHJ09dKvlfwdiBewnhZ6khL8smQU6Jy3LcCtOjOUDAJ0m5-L0jxIYZMEz3YCVl7i-xyphy8IT3c7dYNBoCUzXpBlgBnGWzjS2411sX9Q6Ok33CAA16jPcUSd9T_16WYsB_u4/s320/macys+parade.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Although artist Moisio Walfred died in 2001, his work has stood the test of time. Known for photographing cultural events of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s this photograph is no exception. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been an American tradition for decades and this 1930s photgraph captures the spirit and emotions of this special day.<br />The photograph will be auctioned on December 3, 2009. Details below. </span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><br />Artist: </span><a id="ctl00_cphMain_ucLotDetails_ucTabs_hlArtistInfo" href="http://www.artnet.com/AUCTIONS/Pages/Common/Search/LotSearchResult.aspx?ShowOnlyActive=True&ArtistId=425942930#scroll=0"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;color:#000000;">Moisio Walfred</span></a><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><br />Bio: </span><a id="ctl00_cphMain_ucLotDetails_ucTabs_hlArtistBiography" href="http://www.artnet.com/Artists/ArtistHomePage.aspx?artist_id=425942930&page_tab=Bio_and_links" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">View biography on artnet</span></a><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><br />Title: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade<br />Style: Contemporary (ca. 1945-present)<br />Medium: Photographs, Silver print<br />Year: ie. circa 1930<br />Size: height - 11 in, width - 14 in, depth - 0 in<br />Markings: stamped, on verso, 2005 #3 edition of 6. Image printed from original negative.<br />Estimate: from $900 to $1,200<br /></span><a href="http://www.artnet.com/auctions/Pages/Common/Lot/LotDetails.aspx?lotId=18281"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">BID HERE-AUCTION WILL BE HELD ON DECEMBER 3, 2009 AT 1:00 P.M.<br /></span></a><div></div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-85039901851002860402009-11-19T13:16:00.003-05:002009-11-19T13:43:42.062-05:00LOUISVILLE EVENTS FOR 11-19 & 11-20<div align="center">When you are operating a small art gallery or a small museum it is difficult to get the public's attention. Below are two worthy events taking place over the next two days in Louisville. Both events are free and open to the public.<br /></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><u>THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 2009</u></span></strong> </div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405880619562589330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 136px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 183px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOM5QnVWiQhux41gVV8iQu3110tb8vw65BFcgDwhEowUDqu6e9FRqfH-_hduH7Wz8eHv8AwZC0w9285cmMwkB5GMUWjzao-tOet0avlfHztNQ3huK4kDDaiwJZCNSv7n52RgYyHnaGa4/s320/lincoln.jpg" border="0" /><br />Lincoln: Presidency in Pictures</div><div align="center">Get a good look at these historic images and then prepare to bid. Starting on Dec. 6 a duplicate of one of the works from the exhibit will be auctioned off in a silent auction.</div><br /><div align="center"><strong>Opening Reception: Thursday, Nov. 20 5:30-7:30</strong><br /></div><br /><div align="center">Illustrations from Harper’s Weekly & Frank Leslie’s, 1860—1865</div><div align="center">November 19, 2009 — February 28, 2010</div><div align="center">at the Portland Museum Albert Comstock Gallery</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.goportland.org/">The Portland Museum</a></div><div align="center">2308 Portland Avenue</div><div align="center">Louisville, KY 40212</div><div align="center">(502) 776-7678</div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.mapquest.com/maps?address=2308+Portland+Avenue&zipcode=40212">MAPQUEST OF THE MUSEUM FOUND HERE</a></div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><u>FRIDAY, NOV. 20, 2009</u></span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405881302723558770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 174px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_zIB6tlzQnHkWq0HyxhEiBDU1T8z2cQ0NzGBSqnRDMn6g2nC-8lFPZ4LK9xbGrFxuV4PIRHhoNhxwo_amGu40co7IJwjS9vN4u78ragG_2vtS7fkLQjr3_z1qn3W5IlOaEDl-3lW-Gs/s320/begoniarex24square_600dpi.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><p align="center"><em>ILLUMINATIONS: TERESA WALLER</em></p><p align="center">Waller is a local artist working in southern Indiana. While the official subject of many of the works are the leaves she depicts, the real subject matter is the way that light penetrates and changes the surface of every object it touches. Even the nudes appear to glow from within.</p><p align="center">The opening will be Friday, November 20 from 6pm-8pm. If you work downtown stop by after work for free wine and cheese...who knows, you might just go home with something.</p><p align="center"><strong><a href="http://www.brownhotel.com/about/shopping.html">Gallery at the Brown</a></strong></p><p align="center">The Brown Hotel</p><p align="center">335 West Broadway</p><p align="center">Louisville, KY 40202</p><p align="center">502-583-1234 x 7174</p><p align="center"><a href="http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Louisville&state=KY&address=335+W+Broadway&zipcode=40202-2105&country=US&latitude=38.246024&longitude=-85.757259&geocode=ADDRESS">MAPQUEST OF THE GALLERY HERE</a></p>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-89744980099595458422009-11-15T13:11:00.011-05:002009-11-15T14:57:17.290-05:00NOVEMBER 2009 ART AUCTION MARKET<div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404420173363685170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 116px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DggLZNjcRtdaxR43Qoj2w5lLu6W7wiMcozNtUOinHfy66RumNAgdhLUcpy3BrJnrIjXPHQLLXbNVijnVjwUqZ52T9zzT-Euyp3r9b5gPrMUY2GF9ahX3UyHtG374UkcG0EJkU1WmZZA/s400/sausage.bmp" border="0" /><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">Jean-Michel Basquiat <em>Brother Sausage,</em> 1983, estimated $9 mil-$12 mil, Unsold, Christie’s New York, Nov. 10, 2009<br /></span></strong><div align="center"><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">LARGE AUCTION HOUSES</span></strong></div><br /><div align="center">There has been some confusion about the art market. Is it up or is it down? The answer is it is up from a recent low point in the Fall of 2008 but it is still down from a high point in May of 2008. Overall, the market has been down since its highest point. However, the Fall of 2009 has brought some reason to celebrate. </div><br /><div align="center">September 15, 2008 was the day Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy and the day the western markets began to plummet in earnest. That date is also a good marker for the day the art market began to change course. Although <a href="http://www.christies.com/">Christie's</a> had a record sale of $362 million just four months before, the Fall of 2008 could only be described as dismal. Potential sellers that were able to hold onto their works did so. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><a href="http://www.sothebys.com/app/live/lot/LotDetail.jsp?lot_id=159564574"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404416106834293618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 278px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2yuh_yVKwp6-pcCZkYrwDRFAlF8a6ay-p2XkXB6smzW5ZnQZnUO9p73EBLPh6kE5XBWuUXSdOgy3hgY3PUac_EhaVwcyH9qCFZHWvLGAs2EHEdbigSJh2IlvhNgqUb3E7Z9aa-vXMmE/s320/200+one+dollar.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://www.sothebys.com/app/live/lot/LotDetail.jsp?lot_id=159564574"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">Andy Warhol200 <em>One Dollar Bills</em> 1962, Estimate $8,000,000—$12,000,000,sold $43,762,500, Sotheby’s New YorkNov. 11, 2009</span></strong><br /></a></p><br /><div align="center">But if Fall 2008 made art lovers think the market was doomed, then the Fall of 2009 should give them hope. On November 11, 2009 Sotheby's sold 52 of 54 lots which brought in $134,438,000 plus premium. The most exciting lot of the evening was <a href="http://www.artnet.com/ag/fulltextsearch.asp?searchstring=andy+warhol">Andy Warhol's</a> <em>200 One Dollar Bills </em>from 1962. That lot opened at $6 million and then jumped by $1 million bids until the hammer came down at $39 million ($43,762,500 with premium). Although pre-sale skeptics predicted the Warhol lot would 'make the sale' it was, in fact, not the only exciting lot. <a href="http://www.artnet.com/artist/12434/alice-neel.html">Alice Neel's </a>work, <em>Jackie Curtis and Rita Red </em>helped set a new auction record high for the artist by selling for $1,650,500. Other new auction records set at that sale including <a href="http://www.artnet.com/artist/141621/jean-dubuffet.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#000000;">Jean Dubuffet</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">'s <em>Trinite-Champs-Elysees, </em>1961 ($6,130,500); </span><a href="http://www.artnet.com/artist/14228/germaine-richier.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#000000;">Germaine Richier</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">'s , <em>La Feuille</em> bronze, 1948 ($842,500); and </span><a href="http://www.artnet.com/artist/660568/juan-muoz.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:#000000;">Juan Munoz</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">'s, <em>Five Seated Figures,</em> 1996 ($1,202,500). </span><br /></div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center">This is not to say the the auction market has rebounded in full. While sales exceeding $134 million proves that the art market is moving up (Sotheby's May 2009 sale totaled just $125 million), it certainly does not come close to the high point in the market and estimates are still conservative. It is also important to note that there have been some disappointments in recent days as well. Just two days before the Sotheby's sale was Christie's Contemporary Art Sale on November 10. Connecticut horse farmer Peter Brant's painting entitled <em>Brother Sausage </em>(estimated $9,000,000-$12,000,000) by <a href="http://www.artnet.com/artist/2068/jean-michel-basquiat.html" target="_blank">Jean-Michel Basquiat</a> and his prized <a href="http://www.artnet.com/artist/17524/andy-warhol.html" target="_blank">Andy Warhol</a> painting entitled <em>Tunafish Disaster</em> (estimated $6,000,000-$8,000,000) both went unsold. Many in the artworld felt that Brant's desired price was too high while arnet.com said "Cynics may view the buy-ins differently, however, as a gambit to establish lower values for works that may become subject to a property settlement in a future divorce."</div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">SMALLER AND SMALLER AUCTION HOUSES</span></strong></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.phillipsdepury.com/auctions/lot-detail.aspx?sn=NY010309&search=&p=&order=&lotnum=112"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404414732786419394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3qSj2I5YskE34aCsqAXkujqQ5Ky-6DqKZft-BFzkPwA2EDXysIwZbOSYN_thy2PcU_TepyQ7lNyWF1s3-5hd14_5QMbynKP7_J_J9UZwp4II1Fti33Hu2lDelR5deOECft6tER1jGec/s320/yayoi+kusama" border="0" /></a></div><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://www.phillipsdepury.com/auctions/lot-detail.aspx?sn=NY010309&search=&p=&order=&lotnum=112">YAYOI KUSAMA<br />Infinity Nets, 1991Acrylic on canvas. 36 x 23 3/4 in. (91.4 x 60.3 cm). Signed and dated "Yayoi Kusama [in English and Japanese] 1991" on the reverse. This work is accompanied by the Yayoi Kusama Studio artwork registration card.<br />ESTIMATE $35,000-45,000, SOLD at Philips De Pury on November 12, 2009 for $842,500</a></span></strong> </p>Phillips de Pury & Company Art Evening sale on November 12 was also successful selling 31 of the 40 lots offered for a total $7,099,250, within its pre-sale estimate of $5.7–8.1 million. With only five lots exceeding the $500,000 mark and not a single lot reaching $1 million, the overall result was a welcome figure. Just a year before Phillips de Pury had an unsold rate of 46 percent by lot and 51 percent by value.<br /><br />An even smaller Auction house, <a href="http://www.stevensauction.com/">Stevens Auction Co. in Aberdeen, Miss </a>told <a href="http://www.kovels.com/">Kovel's</a> that their auction business is also doing well again. </div></div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-2980342793737070432009-11-08T18:09:00.010-05:002009-11-09T08:48:55.897-05:00THE ART OF ARNESON<div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgMjr9iiXT8KYeyMtJq-wDdGTgjm-0LyBLiFI70MZOmeK7KuhWX-JVk0jIr3N-Zow3Mp06cIkArvfIxnJNsuDDCPPsIDzfY_SMcoB78lGSTGysDL_yfPTqLD8kBtfelW2zpHGwTOhaZE/s1600-h/IMG_2190.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401874297443041746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgMjr9iiXT8KYeyMtJq-wDdGTgjm-0LyBLiFI70MZOmeK7KuhWX-JVk0jIr3N-Zow3Mp06cIkArvfIxnJNsuDDCPPsIDzfY_SMcoB78lGSTGysDL_yfPTqLD8kBtfelW2zpHGwTOhaZE/s320/IMG_2190.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>Yin and Yang (1992-2002)</em>, Robert Arneson, Bronze with white patina, edition 2/3, The blogger's husband posing with the statue. The artist had a keen sense of humor and probably would have like the correlation between the real and the fake heads.</span></strong></div><br /><div align="center">Robert Arneson was born in Benicia California in 1930. After a stint teaching in a California highschool, he became interested in ceramics. In 1958 Arneson received an MFA from Mills College and in 1962 he became a professor at the University of California Davis.<br /></div><br /><div align="center">Looking at Arneson's work today one might suspect the artist had a keen sense of humor. What one might not suspect is that the way he used ceramics was, for the time, ground-breaking. Until that time, most ceramics artists created pieces which were purely functional (think teapots, bowls, and tiles). Arneson broke away from that tradition and started creating non-utilitarian pieces. Soon, he became associated with a group of California "Pop" artists who created what was known as "Funk art".<br /></div><br /><div align="center">Arneson also became known for creating a series of self-portraits in a wide variety of mediums. Each work depicted the artist with a different identity. In this way, he associated himself with larger issues such as suffereing, life, and death. This is not to suggest that the artist was not controversial. Arneson created many works which challenged authority, poked fun at public figures, and questioned the art world itself.</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401894749568284754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 98px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35pheMmKh5_M_UYbPb7vp4NG_8CfBN8H-N0kcPs1cXpz9K9sI-815qcpNtMWrteI8BfgyHuzH81pj_9he6btpuoJwgoU_YylfuazfeCD7TPgivb-JK4ENTHN05WfPQyvcAI64PhjEr-k/s320/MOSCONE.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">Robert Arneson, Portrait of George (Moscone), 1981 (7'-10" x 29")</span></strong> </p><div align="center">The most famous of these works is a depiction of the San Francisco mayor George Moscone. Arneson was commissioned to create the sculpture in 1981 for the Moscone Convention Center just a few short years after the popular politician's 1978 assassination. When the bust was revealed, much of the public was shocked by the five bloody bullet holes on the pedestal, the words "bang, bang, bang" and "Harvey Milk Too!" Eventually, the Arts Council decided not to use the bust and a private collector purchased it.<br /></div><br /><div align="center">The <em>Egghead </em>series (photo at top of page) were among some of the artist's last works before he died. They were originally commissioned for the UC Davis campus. Today the <em>Eggheads</em> are an important part of life on the campus. In fact, the artist specifically requested that the University never limit or inhibit the student's playful interaction with his sculptures. Because the estate of the artist owns the originals, 'editions' of the same works can be seen in other public locations. Recently, when I was in San Francisco, I saw <em>Yin and Yang</em> on the Embarcadero. Pictured above with my husband posing next to them, these pieces are bronze with a white patina are number 2 in an edition of 3.<br /></div><br /><div align="center">Today, Robert Arneson's pieces continually sell privately and at auction. Some recent auction figures can be found below. The pieces that demand the most money are those that are more representative of the artist's point of view. Generally, this means they are political or funny. The first piece listed below was completed in a more traditional style and sold for just $3,585. The other pieces have sold or are estimated to sell for higher values because they better represent what collectors are looking for when buying an Arneson piece.<br /></div><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vp_C-3aCS6Vo5ogIydO6E__s-9WZc7-5dkSOKsWDREA7xcGSsb1_ADGWqn7bXZausoOSdJi-NN5osyZsHgtMffT6e2zMfuvgAxLwuPHIiP-2w2qcoaA-my0LoUVbpP-MvLL3r7_L85A/s1600-h/arneson+1.jpg"></a></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401890614164345714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 152px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ES31c2FvofeuozTIVCvlzMqNjERdrZXEUOGHEyBJtGMG4ZS7q6pCsX-luCfD3QNfvP2FY_pz34FUZGJ1-qoIh-ACKOz5iKWkONlklixGYx4ABUmaX2x6D2hZudeNT_62GMk_aVrKsYU/s200/arneson+1.jpg" border="0" /><br />Robert Arneson<br />Title<br />Self-portrait<br />Medium<br />bronze with blue green patina<br />Year of Work<br />1990<br />Size<br />Height 7.2 in.; Width 4.2 in.; Depth 3 in. / Height 18.3 cm.; Width 10.7 cm.; Depth 7.6 cm.<br />Found./Pub.<br />Walla Walla ed.<br />Misc.<br />Inscribed, Stamped<br />Sale of<br />Bonhams & Butterfields: Monday, November 19, 2007 [Lot 01604]Made in California<br />Estimate<br />5,000 - 7,000 US$<br />Sold For<br />3,585 US$<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401889565118591122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 114px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVv7pDEcMR5bFLUsroDc2xUEIRXzPNY5HcHxmxF7rvVcmCTS1cpZQxsxDiTwh4-YdlrUFUK758FQeojs5WuOnaSN_4YF8WO_8LRKZP171t3fm6609NGnyU0KrWj6Grf2QF8H2TsVK842E/s200/arneson+2.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div align="left">(UPCOMING SALE)<br />Robert Arneson<br />Title<br />W.T.W. witness - William T. Wiley<br />Description<br />Robert Arneson (American, 1930-1992)W.T.W. Witness (William T. Wiley), 1980signed and dated 'Arneson 1980' (lower right)conte crayon, oil crayon, oil paste and oil stick on Reeves paper51 x 30in<br />Medium<br />conté crayon, oil crayon, oil paste and oil stick on Reeves paper<br />Year of Work<br />1980<br />Size<br />Height 51 in.; Width 30 in. / Height 129.5 cm.; Width 76.2 cm.<br />Misc.<br />Signed<br />Sale of<br />Bonhams & Butterfields Los Angeles: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 [Lot 02082]Made in California<br />Estimate<br />20,000 - 30,000 US$<br />Provenance<br />Morgan Gallery, Shawnee Mission, Kansas (label on the reverse)Hansen Fuller Goldeen Gallery, San Francisco, California (label on the reverse)Property of a Southern California Collection</div><div align="left"> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402099500019133106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 195px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 132px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtlPWudxU-CihAyjJp27eNc0rBCa8wdvsPMKj0t2Ba2N3FzfJuzDVmNv5rzy6fsvNE1Y5N1v80xO4K3NjgyZaFoQHnw2oITuJEtNb-dJawaOaT2kHSni6q_8RcFzM5UjgihshNCJ79j0/s320/arneson+3.jpg" border="0" /><br />Robert Arneson<br />Title<br />A nuclear warhead<br />Medium<br />ceramic<br />Year of Work<br />1983<br />Size<br />Height 16.9 in.; Width 18.5 in.; Depth 9.1 in. / Height 42.9 cm.; Width 47 cm.; Depth 23.1 cm.<br />Misc.<br />Signed<br />Sale of<br />Bonhams & Butterfields: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 [Lot 01119]Made in California<br />Estimate<br />12,000 - 18,000 US$<br />Sold For<br />32,400 US$Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-70858147890284782502009-09-13T15:06:00.020-04:002009-09-14T09:01:56.517-04:00'AGE' DOES NOT EQUAL 'VALUE'<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgPOh9SepAmrFnauTAjYcdJAhJD28OtJAMJWs_ANgm32LAu-1GdPnSgWuiYoMFxBjAcBlINhK4KMWOsSP_C_scJ0MXQAI0aBz8KWSx1UidSdsydzGl4CURMkMVM6Rdc2rZotvZa_ERQ8/s1600-h/sewing+machine.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381032695447504626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 224px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgPOh9SepAmrFnauTAjYcdJAhJD28OtJAMJWs_ANgm32LAu-1GdPnSgWuiYoMFxBjAcBlINhK4KMWOsSP_C_scJ0MXQAI0aBz8KWSx1UidSdsydzGl4CURMkMVM6Rdc2rZotvZa_ERQ8/s400/sewing+machine.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Circa 1895, Household Sewing Machine Company, in the collection of the Henry Ford Museum</strong><br /></span><br />As an appraiser of old things, I can say with authority that there are many misconceptions about how or why some items are valuable and some are not. Recently, I appraised an item for $3000 and the client swore to me he knew it was worth more. Even after I showed him the most recent sales figures for the same item (with photographs) he was not convinced. It is hard for most people to separate their emotions from their possessions. Common objections are “my mother left this to me and she told it me it was very valuable", “someone once offered me a lot of money for this item”, or “I saw the very same item in a museum and they <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">wouldn</span></span>’t own something that was not valuable.”<br /><br />It was the third objection that the $3000 man used as his objection. In our consumer-driven society we often forget that museums do not collect just what is valuable. They also collect items that relate to their collection and to the mission of the museum. Just because an item has historical significance does not mean it has great monetary value. Supply and demand are still <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">applicable</span> in the art and antiques world.<br /><br />A good example of this is the late 19<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span></span> century sewing machine. The sewing machine was one of the first machines found in many American homes in the 19th century. At the time, the machines were made by the hundreds of thousands and the technology used to make them was state-of-the art. The sewing machine pictured above was made around 1895 by the Household Sewing Machine Company of Providence Rhode Island. I took a picture of it last month when I visited the <a href="http://www.hfmgv.org/">Henry Ford Museum</a>. The Ford Museum's mission is to showcase the "genius of the American people" as well as "to bring to life the stories of ordinary people."<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381032229897834194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRw-jWEaxDQjzl54BheZ_wrTQqwJIYuabjjWcnyTASXHBKwERhsPVoub3bbLwkJ_aZhZRleQ_JMk53irSj-8cLXTpeBoKCNRPDxp248utUJr6dvWvQC5EHnuZciGdhhPQ4t0nSsmdJO3Q/s400/IMG_0664.jpg" border="0" />Thus, the sewing machine was chosen because it is an example of an innovation that helped spur the American economy and average American households forward. The machine was a revolution in technology for its time. Today, however, the market does not financially reflect the historical importance of the item. Sewing machines were made in such large quantities that there are still many that exist today and there are not a lot of modern uses for them. Thus, the prices remain relatively low. Below are some examples of recent auction figures.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUHTKt1APh10FdA1_0jDHm4UEQkrNjBqq98d_MHrxGb1Sj6N2wwhK6wv1x25Zh9v441OXe53wgjJo-XD5d4ZnJxqbMTGEn_JQF2wr7HGjJVTUd-CF08YItJRK_VnTgPObXRRhITl8yf4/s1600-h/household+sewing+trunk+and+cabinet.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381039971573992450" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 95px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 89px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUHTKt1APh10FdA1_0jDHm4UEQkrNjBqq98d_MHrxGb1Sj6N2wwhK6wv1x25Zh9v441OXe53wgjJo-XD5d4ZnJxqbMTGEn_JQF2wr7HGjJVTUd-CF08YItJRK_VnTgPObXRRhITl8yf4/s400/household+sewing+trunk+and+cabinet.bmp" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAAm0dJfayEShyphenhyphengHKLq02qX6kyv_eBC_TaAHUr_buG9zBeUt7-uE04X-5Dq-78ECUzpLdkrNd6nuzP_7Ikop39FYsCzZgMZfRw0jOGqca5zDygbbKMtSXTnCKR5olC7cOsJJ8mXtJ8S4/s1600-h/singer+mar+16+08+calf+auctioneers.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381039619597257362" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 95px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAAm0dJfayEShyphenhyphengHKLq02qX6kyv_eBC_TaAHUr_buG9zBeUt7-uE04X-5Dq-78ECUzpLdkrNd6nuzP_7Ikop39FYsCzZgMZfRw0jOGqca5zDygbbKMtSXTnCKR5olC7cOsJJ8mXtJ8S4/s400/singer+mar+16+08+calf+auctioneers.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381031386218883282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 115px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 75px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmlkM8wYFlLZa-S-V7lfZKzFcnKwAoWrrN9tJESCIqCZm-KKSsLP5gbyWynxqIABI_l7V3RDfrbyXSYXJf75njIsweVj3SWoMrTb_NPknQD6v5ZLABTJ26gK7JigS5vRPxJ_Ehwe7mdo/s400/singer+feb+17+08+homestead+auctions+ohio.bmp" border="0" /></span></strong>FROM LEFT TO RIGHT<br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>1.</strong> Household Sewing machine with trunk and cabinet sold at Skinner Auctions on Jan. 24, 2008 for $50</span><br /><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>2.</strong> Singer Sewing Machine sold at Homestead Auctions, Feb 17, 2008 for $30<br /><strong>3.</strong> Singer Sewing Machine sold California Auctioneers, March 16, 2008 for $70<br /></div></span>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-72549467752149155382009-09-07T09:59:00.008-04:002009-09-07T11:51:33.023-04:00BEING HUMAN ON LABOR DAY<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrm4Vv6mJTtlq867GsOYQAiBhTtT9fNVHsXR6cZJXjoAnwVhoxD1ApR3fVbkNhGIu0iMhIyoQSFnzc5nlwZDd8YyJ8VsErolsRNllP8xA7Iwzl-Ql5Y25ZcwD2M5CfA3svyYfMFSiGYA/s1600-h/IMG_0090.jpg"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378725800854732274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrm4Vv6mJTtlq867GsOYQAiBhTtT9fNVHsXR6cZJXjoAnwVhoxD1ApR3fVbkNhGIu0iMhIyoQSFnzc5nlwZDd8YyJ8VsErolsRNllP8xA7Iwzl-Ql5Y25ZcwD2M5CfA3svyYfMFSiGYA/s400/IMG_0090.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Made In China</em>, Julie McNair</span></span></strong></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">For the last eight weeks, I have been traveling more than usual to complete appraisal work throughout the country. In every city I visit, I try to carve out time at the end of the day or between flights to see an art exhibit or to experience a new museum. One of my favorite places in recent memorry has been Telluride, Colorado. Located in the southwest portion of the state, Telluride is an amazingly beautiful town with a rich history and a lovely art scene.</span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">One day, during an early morning walk, I came face to face with the sculpture above and it immediately captured my attention. The sculpture entitled <em>Made In America</em> is one of the works featured in artist Julie McNair's latest exhibited, <em>Being Human. </em>The title, <em>Being Human, </em>suggests that the artist's intent is to capture what it is like to be human. But more than that, the artist is concerned with what it is like to be human in today's world. For instance <em>Made in America </em>is a depiction of a woman wearing the stars of the American Flag on her dress as she hides American Flag behind her back. Her facial expression is both proud and sad. Is this a comment on the decline in American manufacturing and its proud heritage or is it a comment about the American worker? Is the woman proud or ashamed of her country? </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"></span></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378751841701071410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnCDoN4-lJABjc87RrNoDFzjelOeCZLn_h8Nj_SUAmz7j2ZE_HeNoth6X1tHfjiXG2AcylxP9l_r-CZ-vfSKGZP5VaflcCCSUTmEWVbl-mF1GYod0PJH4ox195dxOlK115vwEjHqkBZo/s400/mcnair.jpg" border="0" /><br /></span><div align="center"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">The answers are left to the viewer but the method of creation are readily apparent.<br />And thoses methods are both interesting and fully successful. Each sculpture has a different texture which is acheived throught the use of press molds, detailed by hand-painting, and then sealed with a post-fired patina. The texture and color help create a mood and personality for each figure. Today's viewer is more accustomed to viewing physically beautiful models as the subject. But McNair's subjects are not traditionally beautiful. Instead, they are interesting and flawed and this forces the viewer to focus on the artist's message or the particular issue she is exploring without wasting time on the beauty of the face or the body. McNair has said, <em>“I start a piece with a specific idea, whether it’s a personal concern or more of a big picture dilemma. From that starting point I jump into the creative flow. The finished piece ends up embodying that energy.”</em><br /></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Julie McNair is a long time resident of Telluride, Colorado but she was not educated in the state. She received her undergraduate degree in sculpture from North Texas University and her M.F.A. in fine arts from the University of Wyoming. During her long arts career she has had varying jobs including grants writer, executive director of the Art League of Houston, Assistant Professor, and art gallery owner.<br /></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em>Being Human</em> will be on display at the <a href="http://www.ahhaa.org/school.html">Ah Haa Gallery </a>in Telluride, Colorado until September 24, 2009.</strong><br /><br /><br /></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"></span></div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-76965415043488957572009-07-24T14:36:00.005-04:002009-07-24T14:51:08.392-04:00A GRAND DISPLAY<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2i8dpUWqHn0mkGM0ANq0cooVjnR7zCKS9zV1hE0-_8K28MwRklfrtWMaSrMONwiRfpm6BFe_9uDWBdxiJpiOMBF1P7UafQwbvnwwsigPNeObbDc3gNPBcpK3ITWNEFdS0mXBiHU2zxo/s1600-h/jewelry+display+case.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362100709085627634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 270px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2i8dpUWqHn0mkGM0ANq0cooVjnR7zCKS9zV1hE0-_8K28MwRklfrtWMaSrMONwiRfpm6BFe_9uDWBdxiJpiOMBF1P7UafQwbvnwwsigPNeObbDc3gNPBcpK3ITWNEFdS0mXBiHU2zxo/s400/jewelry+display+case.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JqV9mBlLUAmUPDlInEOZUtDSOBj21SvCeKxxCkUKEJmfIfwj_SOCjPmnzctG1EwfE5BXqDANM1Hfca83KOIuviO1twxhgmeX91E9GSAUx-ldn-EQ0um3y5ICP0vlRNHiOEWFdOI5Sm0/s1600-h/swim+shorts.bmp"></a>In recent years I have begun to notice commercial fixtures showing up in my client's homes. Most people are familiar with the commerical grade stoves and refrigerators in high end homes but recently I have noticed commercial display cases showcasing everything from jewelry to vintage toys to a man's tie collection. </div><br /><div align="center">The case above is an Arts and Crafts jewlry case with a trestle base. It is described as having 'key and tenon' contruction and a shoefoot base with brass caps. The finish is original. It sold at Treadway Gallery in Cincinnati in March of 2007 for $600.</div><br /><div align="center">The case below is a Lavico Men's Jewelry Display case. it is made of clear glass and oak with three inner shelves and a lower storage drawer. It will be sold on July 29, 2009 at Tom Harris Auctions in Marshalltown, IA. The estimate on this case is $200-$300. To bid on this auction <a href="http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6562578">click here.</a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWXASGzTWidbeqklIlMrMUhwreSnslfHF132AqJEQUp9Ij-59zEEd6iPhStFU5B427aWfndsyV3zc1_rkc7jY-xmzDfUMRSPuqxumQdbCk0N1hZN-48Wa6b3cKRU5eA_yKUVQkZUThmA/s1600-h/chanel+suspenders.bmp"></a><br /><a href="http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6562578"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362097765996853858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 81px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0ZOm1RwpYpy33kQhunaV7UY7pWA7GZYAaxL3RBnPmos25mXT6fmSPAkBcOcHyy6c83UDyUxxsukquoQ869vrXGZBteCiC0_H3G1IdZFzEqW2W0P-eGDKWPT-iOKtpXUl-zQA-hF6ids/s400/lavico+jewelry+stand.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-33177737650248345852009-07-05T16:19:00.005-04:002009-07-05T17:08:04.303-04:00EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN<strong><em><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiey9AGpyEXtMGAXpEXWIgEkV8uI7BOSknHj35Ve71DQVR5BN3xQ9wsZrU7MMPJB7Ds9oXefPzkTUBOUGRR0TEUNK9JZeB0z5F1quxO08C2hmaXkrQvIuha8Sf2n_uBYtkg4KaqdiSLzd4/s1600-h/friedrich.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355075569952954674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiey9AGpyEXtMGAXpEXWIgEkV8uI7BOSknHj35Ve71DQVR5BN3xQ9wsZrU7MMPJB7Ds9oXefPzkTUBOUGRR0TEUNK9JZeB0z5F1quxO08C2hmaXkrQvIuha8Sf2n_uBYtkg4KaqdiSLzd4/s400/friedrich.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>Monk on the Seashore, </em>Caspar David Friedrich, c. 1809, Oil on Canvas, 3' 7.25" X 5' 7.25", National Galerie, Staatliche Museen, Berlin</span></strong><br />Casper David Friedrich was admitted into the Prussian Royal Academy in 1811 based on the strength of this painting. At the time, the juxtaposition of the small monk against the vast expanse of sky was an unusual composition. Many believe that this painting is a self portrait of the artist and represents man's preoccupation with death and the vastness and endurance of nature.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGA5yejs3MtKZ-wLXp_uxS8PYdL94ETtnnz2A4Wxs4RLAOoq2K8XF25ye624rDp-hZHUsMDXcQo2hNYFwT-iR1zYcyYm4DV49rLQHEybPpZt_8JyBMVMsskBdwKOz0EQW9cAlqSHC0Go/s1600-h/Sternfield.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355074174707211954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 329px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGA5yejs3MtKZ-wLXp_uxS8PYdL94ETtnnz2A4Wxs4RLAOoq2K8XF25ye624rDp-hZHUsMDXcQo2hNYFwT-iR1zYcyYm4DV49rLQHEybPpZt_8JyBMVMsskBdwKOz0EQW9cAlqSHC0Go/s400/Sternfield.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong><em>Badwater Lake, Death Valley, CA, Easter Sunday,</em></strong> <strong>Joel Sternfeld, 2005, Chromogenic Print, 48" X 38.5", available at Rose Gallery (310) 264-8440</strong></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong><br /></strong></span><span style="font-size:100%;">Joel Sternfeld is a contemporary photographer. He was born in 1944 in New York and is known for his large format, color photographs. Sternfeld often works with a tripod mounted view camera which allows him to explore his subjects from a distance. Although the artist's works are often said to continue the photographer Walker Evan's tradition of capturing "roadside America" the compositional similarity to the work of Friedrich is at once apparent. Further, the artist's objective also seems to be similar. Photographed at a distance, the figures in this painting appear small and insignificant compared to the large landscape. </span></div><div>Works of this size by this artist have recently sold at auction for around $17,000-$18,000.</div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8629730165375837353.post-35459015111088858152009-06-28T19:19:00.006-04:002009-06-28T20:09:59.461-04:00THE EPERGNE<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoTVRFJdHADEMkQ57iE0XvXokucDGaOOO4X3-w4kR8QNh5HirFuDYPjkKWJNh-YBmrOn2VP_oKNgw8-qhk3lMDBRatQmp3XCD-JvGEMiKtW9h0MuJOFaXqGbQPYkd2nbDTJVo-tIQLC4/s1600-h/epergne.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352522536654649506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 387px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoTVRFJdHADEMkQ57iE0XvXokucDGaOOO4X3-w4kR8QNh5HirFuDYPjkKWJNh-YBmrOn2VP_oKNgw8-qhk3lMDBRatQmp3XCD-JvGEMiKtW9h0MuJOFaXqGbQPYkd2nbDTJVo-tIQLC4/s400/epergne.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>English silver plated epergne with cut crystal bowls, 19" wide, 19" high, sold at Northgate Gallery on Dec. 3, 2005 for $1200</strong></span></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></strong></div><br /><div align="center">An epergne is a table centerpiece with a central bowl and arms which extend from the center. The arms also terminate in bowls or holders for fruit or flowers. The epergne's history has ties to the seventeenth century when foods that had been eaten from a common bowl began being served on individual plates.</div><br /><div align="center">Although records indicate that the first epergne appeared in England around 1720, there are no known examples from that period. However, the earliest known examples are very large with cast feet and hanging baskets. They were often used to save space on the table and provided a convenient way for guests to serve themselves smaller items such as nuts and fruit. Silver epergnes with glass bowls first began to appear around 1770. From the late 19th-early 20th centuries the form of the Epergne was briefly revived but mainly for decorative purposes. In America during that perioed, Gorham was one of the best makers of the Epergne. Today, Epergnes are regularly offered in the marketplace. Often they are glass, silver, or a combination of both. Below is an Epergne which will be sold in July at Brunk Auctions in Asheville, North Carolina.</div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6504469"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352530635033063698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 329px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho37xccUBcFOAB0VbrzF168aR3fsp9RmdkW8MIKVhnM-o9RImzg64z4bWoBsAYcpr_Z2rN1EJE9hremU4sKK6a56u2F0rLtrnlo5UAP3O2u6cDrvHnM3cLJkNvmx2dZSGwSAjJy6YbS5c/s400/epergne+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong><a href="http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6504469">four arms, scroll and floral decoration, cut glass bowls, unmarked, no monogram, British, early 19th century, 16-3/4 x 23 x 21-1/2 in. Repairs, post and arms bent., Brunk Auctions, July 11, 2009, </a><em><a href="http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6504469">starting bid $150, Estimate $300</a>-<a href="http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6504469">$600</a></em></strong></span><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><strong></strong></div>Christian Trabuehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012241044170771833noreply@blogger.com0