Hard to find two alike - At the Heart of Country Antiques Show in Nashville, TN If you're looking for authenticity at major retailers, yes you might become weary. A recent tale published in the New York Times and elsewhere begins in the apartment of Casey Barber, a writer who has decorated with one-of-a-kind items … Continue reading Have We Given Up on Authenticity?
Tag: New York Times
Jeff Koons, Ikea, Old Masters and the Chinese Art Market
Several articles that appeared in the popular presses recently touch on the art and antiques industry and caught my attention. The first was a September 7 article about the Chinese art market in the New York Times. If you caught that you'll already know that Chinese buyers are moving beyond reclaiming cultural heritage and are … Continue reading Jeff Koons, Ikea, Old Masters and the Chinese Art Market
The $69.3 million Chinese Vase
The first day of the Asia art sales dawned spring-like, an auspicious sign for the dealers and auction houses looking towards the coming as one of the most significant sales season's of the entire year. The only chilling part was that the "New York Times" had that day acknowledged the elephant in the room … Continue reading The $69.3 million Chinese Vase
Philadelphia History at Auction
A still life by Raphaelle Peale that passed through Christie’s auction house appeared in today’s New York Times Arts section today. The article is about the long-raging debate of deaccessioning. The still life brought the Philadelphia History Museum $842,000. I don’t want to repeat the content of the article here, but feel it necessary for … Continue reading Philadelphia History at Auction
An Open Letter to Peter C. Marzio, Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Dear Mr. Marzio- I am looking forward to a first visit to the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. Spending a bit of Sunday morning reading the New York Times feature on the future of the Brooklyn Museum of which I am very familiar, I wonder aloud where Houston's museum could be heading. With your … Continue reading An Open Letter to Peter C. Marzio, Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Of Mystery, Murder and Help for a Home in Cresson
MRS. THAW IN TEARS OVER SON'S ARREST, Aug 19, 1913, New York Times Headline read. “Gayly chatting with her woman traveling companion, smiling and laughing, although she undoubtedly knew that her son, Harry, was under arrest, Mrs. Mary Copley Thaw stepped from the Pennsylvania Limited at 5:22 o'clock this evening, threw up her parasol before … Continue reading Of Mystery, Murder and Help for a Home in Cresson
Steampunk and the New Victorians
Apparently there’s a fashion, decorating or even cultural movement out there called steam punk, although its existence has up until this point been lost on me. It was explained to me that people into steampunk often dress in old styles and use old objects in new ways. I’m picturing a lamp made from a blender, … Continue reading Steampunk and the New Victorians
Pier Show, Tintype Exhibit this Weekend
Five hundred exhibitors and with any luck thousands of antique-lovers will converge on Pier 94 in New York this weekend for Stella's 2009 Pier Antiques Show. Merchandise will be found grouped by type, classic and formal; Americana, decorative arts and collectibles; 20th century Modern and Fashion Alley. There are shuttle buses from the Port Authority, Grand … Continue reading Pier Show, Tintype Exhibit this Weekend
Finding the First Antiques Show
It was suggested to me this week that the history of antique shows extended back to 1934. “That’s nonsense,” my friend Jay Melrose, an antique dealer and show promoter, said when I mentioned this "history" on the phone. It turns out he had in his front hall a few issues of Antiquarian magazines from 1929. The … Continue reading Finding the First Antiques Show
Free Meals
No matter what spokespersons from the banking companies say of their motivations, eventually the art collection that they have amassed are part of their assets which can be sold for financial, tactic or strategic purposes. Art collections are part of their long-term financial investment, which in short term serves for publicity purpose. Just like lending money for interest, each time they lend museums for exhibitions, they are building up the legacy of the collection for monetary gain in future. This must be admitted by those museums who are inclined to accept the offers. [Read more...]
Urban Art & Antiques 