“Old Master” is a term for a European painter of skill who worked before about 1800, or a painting by such an artist. An “old master print” is an original print (for example an engraving or etching) made by an artist in the same period likewise for an “old master drawing.”  In theory   an Old Master should be an artist who was fully trained, was a Master of his local artists’ guild, and worked independently, but in practice paintings considered to be produced by pupils or workshops will be included in the scope of the term. Therefore, beyond a certain level of competence, date rather than quality is the criterion for using the term.

Keep in mind, etching as referred in the Art Field developed from engraving on metal by goldsmiths and other metal-workers in order to decorate metal items such as guns, armour, cups and plates has been known in Europe since the Middle Ages at least, and may go back to antiquity. The elaborate decoration of armour, in Germany anyway, was an art probably imported from Italy around the end of the 15th century—little earlier than the birth of etching as a printmaking technique.

The earliest process as applied to printmaking is believed to have been invented by Daniel Hopfer (circa 1470–1536) of Augsburg, Germany. Hopfer was a craftsman who decorated armour in this way, and applied the method to printmaking, using iron plates (many of which still exist). Apart from his prints, there are two proven examples of his work on armour: a shield from 1536 now in the Real Armeria of Madrid and a sword in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum of Nuremberg. An Augsburg horse armour in the German Historical Museum, Berlin, dating to between 1512 and 1515, is decorated with motifs from Hopfer’s etchings and woodcuts, but this is no evidence that Hopfer himself worked on it, as his decorative prints were largely produced as patterns for other craftsmen in various media. The switch to copper plates was probably made in Italy, and thereafter etching soon came to challenge engraving as the most popular medium for artists in printmaking. Its great advantage was that, unlike engraving which requires special skill in metalworking, etching is relatively easy to learn for an artist trained in drawing.

Albrecht Dürer (21 May 1471 – 6 April 1528) was a German painter, print maker, engraver, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance ever since. His vast body of work includes altarpieces and religious works, numerous portraits and self-portraits, and copper engravings. His woodcuts, such as the Apocalypse series (1498), retain a more Gothic flavor than the rest of his work. His well-known works include the Knight, Death, and the Devil (1513), Saint Jerome in his Study (1514) and Melencolia I (1514), which has been the subject of extensive analysis and interpretation. His watercolours mark him as one of the first European landscape artists, while his ambitious woodcuts revolutionized the potential of that medium.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, (15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669) was a Dutch painter and etcher. He is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art history and the most important in Dutch history. His contributions to art came in a period of great wealth and cultural achievement that historians call the Dutch Golden Age when Dutch Golden Age painting, although in many ways antithetical to the Baroque style that dominated Europe, was extremely prolific and innovative.

Having achieved youthful success as a portrait painter, Rembrandt’s later years were marked by personal tragedy and financial hardships. Yet his etchings and paintings were popular throughout his lifetime, his reputation as an artist remained high, and for twenty years he taught many important Dutch painters. Rembrandt’s greatest creative triumphs are exemplified especially in his portraits of his contemporaries, self-portraits and illustrations of scenes from the Bible. His self-portraits form a unique and intimate biography, in which the artist surveyed himself without vanity and with the utmost sincerity.

It was the innovations of Jacques Callot (1592–1635) from Nancy in Lorraine. He developed the échoppe, a type of etching-needle with a slanting oval section at the end, which enabled etchers to create a swelling line, as engravers were able to do.

He also seems to have been responsible for an improved, harder, recipe for the etching ground: one using lute-makers’ varnish rather than a wax-based formula. This enabled lines to be more deeply bitten, prolonging the life of the plate in printing, and also greatly reducing the risk of “foul-biting”, where acid gets through the ground to the plate where it is not intended to, producing spots or blotches on the image. Previously the risk of foul-biting had always been at the back of an etcher’s mind, preventing him from investing too much time on a single plate that risked being ruined in the biting process. Now etchers could do the highly detailed work that was previously the monopoly of engravers, and Callot made full use of the new possibilities.

He also made more extensive and sophisticated use of multiple “stoppings-out” than previous etchers had done. This is the technique of letting the acid bite lightly over the whole plate, then stopping-out those parts of the work which the artist wishes to keep light in tone by covering them with ground before bathing the plate in acid again. He achieved unprecedented subtlety in effects of distance and light and shade by careful control of this process. Most of his prints were relatively small—up to about six inches or 15 cm on their longest dimension, but packed with detail.

One of his followers, the Parisian Abraham Bosse, spread Callot’s innovations all over Europe with the first published manual of etching, which was translated into Italian, Dutch, German and English.

The 17th century was the great age of etching, with Rembrandt, Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione and many other masters. In the 18th Piranesi, Tiepolo and Daniel Chodowiecki were the best of a smaller number of fine etchers. In the 19th and early-20th century the Etching revival produced a host of lesser artists, but no really major figures. Etching is still widely practiced today.

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PHILADELPHIA – An important artwork by Prince Twins Seven-Seven (Nigerian, 1944-2011) not only co-headlines Material Culture’s 450-lot Oct. 14 auction, it also inspired the event’s title: “The Spirits of My Reincarnation Brothers and Sisters.”

Deeply mystical and immediately identifiable, the works of Prince Twins Seven-Seven have spurred a new level of interest in the marketplace since Material Culture offered several exciting multimedia paintings by the artist in their May 5 auction debut. The self-taught Prince Twins Seven-Seven expressed his boundless imagination in themes that blended esoteric imagery with a vibrant, traditional West African color palette. The 65 by 58-inch batik dye, watercolor, acrylic and oil-on-cloth painting featured in Material Culture’s Oct. 14 sale was purchased directly from the artist in 2007 and is one of seven of his works entered in the sale. It is expected to realize $5,000-$7,000.

Other self-taught artists represented in the October offering include Vojislav Jakic, Kwame Akoto a k a Almighty God, Purvis Young and Felipe Jesus Consalvos, a Cuban-American (1891-1960) who worked as a cigar roller but whose natural talent as an artist was not widely known until after his death. Consalvos created visually stunning modernist collages that incorporate cigar bands and cigar-box paper with photographs, postage stamps and magazine images. His mixed-media collage titled “Let Dreams Come True” was created around the second quarter of the 20th century. It measures 10 x 8 inches (15¾ x 13¾ inches framed) and comes with provenance from the Fleisher/Ollman Gallery. Estimate: $1,500-$2,000.

The auction will showcase a selection of items from the Bill Liske collection of early Chinese and Tibetan textiles, carpets and ethnographic artworks. Material Culture’s first offering of articles from the Liske collection – auctioned on May 26 – was enthusiastically received, said owner George Jevremovic, a cultural arts dealer of 30+ years.

“The Liske collection is special because it reflects the impeccable eye of a collector who lived and worked as a mountaineering guide in the Himalayan region for three decades. Textile dealers in the area taught him how to identify pieces that were genuinely exceptional,” said Jevremovic.

Liske’s expertly chosen collection has appeared at the History Museum in Denver, the Krimsa Gallery in San Francisco, the Shaver-Ramsey Gallery in Denver, and in Hali magazine.

A premier artwork in the Liske collection is a powerfully rendered early Thangka scroll painting depicting the deific reincarnation known as Vajra Varahi in Sanskrit and Dorje Pakmo in Tibetan. Dating to 14th-16th century Tibet, it is valued at $3,000-$4,000.

Another auction highlight is the Michaelian Meshed (31 feet by 47 feet), a circa-1900 Persian carpet originally custom-woven for the prestigious Union League Club in New York City. It remained in the club for decades until its purchase in the 1950s by Frank Michaelian of Michaelian and Kohlberg. Suitable for a discriminating owner with a palatial space, it will be offered for sale publicly for the first time in its history on Oct. 14, with an auction estimate of $60,000-$90,000.

An outstanding 19th-century Syrian silk and gold judge’s tunic from the collection of Samy and Sara Rabinovic, Philadelphia, was the blue-ribbon exhibition winner at the 1996 International Conference on Oriental Carpets, and is expected to fetch $3,000-$4,000. Also up for auction is a rare pre-Columbian funerary headband made with a knotted-pile technique, valued at $1,000-$1,500; and a 19th-century Tibtetan or Bhutanese bull-headed Buddhist dance mask of meditational deity Yamantaka. The mask’s vivid red hue was achieved by applying pigment to a papier-mâché of laurel or mulberry. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000.

Other categories of artifacts include an outstanding group of 17th-18th century Mughal columns and arches from northern India, 16th- to 19th-century Ottoman, Central Asian, Asian, African, Continental and pre-Columbian textiles, 17th-19th century Oriental Carpets, African, Himalayan and Oceanic Tribal Arts, antiquities from the Near East, Americas and Asia; 18th- to 20th-century folk art from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas; and 100+ lots of vintage Navajo jewelry from a private Pennsylvania collection assembled in the 1970s.

“From the beginning it has been our goal to present pieces of diverse origin that would present collecting opportunities for every level of buyer, from beginners to advanced collectors and interior designers. In addition, we take the position that it is better to have around 400 items of very good to excellent quality – from consignors who have realistic expectations – than to create a more-specialized sale with a few stars and lots of filler,” said Jevremovic, explaining his company’s mission.

“This is an age in which corporate auction departments seek to maximize their bottom lines with million-plus-dollar items or high-profile sales that have more to do with celebrity and fashion than quality or connoisseurship. We believe some of the best collecting opportunities – particularly for younger buyers worldwide – exist in the areas we are presenting in our October 14th sale: self-taught, folk, ethnographic, decorative and traditional arts,” Jevremovic said.

Material Culture’s Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012 auction will commence at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. Preview: Oct. 10-12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The gallery is located at 4700 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144. All forms of bidding will be available, including phone, absentee or Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com. For additional information on any lot in the sale, email expert@materialculture.com or call 215-438-4700. Visit the company online at www.materialculture.com.

Legend of the Nymphenburg Porcelains Works starts with the designs of Dominikus Auliczek. He was born in East Bohemia on August 1, 1734. Following an apprenticeship in Litomyšl, Auliczek travelled to Vienna, Paris, London and Rome to refine his skills as a sculptor. He was awarded first prize of the Accademia di San Luca for his modelling work by Pope Clemens XII. Auliczek came to Munich in 1762, as one of the best in his field.

It was in 1763, he commenced work for Porcelain Works-Studio Nymphenburg as the successor to Franz Anton Bustelli. In 1772, he advanced to become royal sculptor to the Bavarian electoral court. He created around 100 figures as the model maker during this period. From 1773 to 1797, he headed manufacture as inspector and subsequently as the artistic director (until his death in 1804).

Initially, still strongly influenced by the late-baroque buildings and structures he encountered on his travels in Italy, he created statuesque figures of the gods and a monumental table piece. The most pioneering design by Dominikus Auliczek is the PEARL service held in the Louis-Seize style, which was initially created at the porcelain manufactory for Elector Carl Theodor of Bavaria (around 1793).

These works has been produced for over the past 100 years plus, this service was reserved exclusively for the court of the Wittelsbach family. The name of PEARL is derived from the fragile bar of pearl that lines each individual object. For the first time in the history of porcelain in Europe, Auliczek based his service on the shape of a dodecagon.

Lovingly artisans applied with 792 different sepia veduta and lavish blue-gold decorations, the service was produced in 1918 for the golden wedding anniversary of King Ludwig III and Archduchess Marie Therese as a gift from their children and has, since this time, been known as the “Royal Bavarian Service”.

The painted decoration consists of small oval and round landscape reserves in grey or sepia (tone-in-tone painting) with a few trees in the foreground, sometimes with a building as a “view ” and in some cases adorned with  small figures of people in the spirit of Jacques Callot’s etched scenes . Even today these works are highly sought after as so many of the fine works of the Nymphenbury Porcelains factory in different variations based on original layouts dating from the 18th century.

The Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory (in German: Porzellanmanufaktur Nymphenburg), manufacturer of Nymphenburg porcelain, is situated in the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, capital of Bavaria, and since the mid-eighteenth century has been manufacturing porcelain of high artistic value.

After his accession in 1745 Maximilian III Joseph, Prince-Elector of Bavaria, commanded the establishment of manufacturing companies in order to bail out the state finances. From 1747 attempts were made to manufacture porcelain and at the end of that year the former Neudeck Castle in the area now the Munich suburb of Au-Haidhausen was made available for that purpose. Up to 1754 the experiments were a miserable failure and lost considerable amounts of money, but in that year the efforts to manufacture porcelain finally began to succeed. In 1755 the factory received its first commission from the Bavarian court and in 1756 came the first success in painting the porcelain in color. The management of the jurist and entrepreneur Count Sigmund von Haimhausen from 1758 ensured that the factory was placed on a sound commercial footing. By 1761 it had moved to the Nymphenburg Palace, where it still is today.

Among the great artists who followed Bustelli were Dominikus Auliczek the elder (1734—1804) and Johann Peter Melchior. A great promoter of the works was Ludwig I who gave them many commissions. Particular favorites were dinner services with copies of famous paintings or with Bavarian landscapes in an antique style.

In 1822 Friedrich von Garner, the fashionable architect, was appointed artistic director of the factory. In the middle of the 19th century, its financial position deteriorated to the extent that in 1856 all artistic production was halted and it was decide to privatize the factory. It was leased out for the first time in 1862 and its focus shifted to the production of technical, medical and sanitary porcelain goods.

In 1887 Albert Bäuml (1855—1929) took a lease of the factory. His aim was to regain the previous high artistic level of the factory’s products: it was Bäuml, for example, who “rediscovered” Bustelli. This aim was realized at around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and besides historical copies, elegant Jugendstil ceramics were developed.

Works of the Nymphenberg Porcelains work can be seen and appreciated at;

http://stores.ebay.com/Candlewood-Yankee-Fine-Arts/_i.html?rt=nc&_nkw=Nymphenburg&_sid=645563163&_sticky=1&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14&_sop=3&_sc=1

James Stow & Anthony Yau

Candlewood Yankee Fine Arts

Since the 5 of January 2009, Wedgwood, Waterford and Royal Doulton has been sold K P S Capital Partners had purchased The English Manufacture works. Except for special orders and smaller ware in Jasper ware, Wedgwood jasper ware is NO LONGER produced in any volume .

Most ware are now manufactured outside of the UK by other locations  in the Foreign  Companies owned by the WWD ( Waterford-Wedgwood-Royal Daulton ) producing other wares and not the noted Jasper ware .

The more outstanding items, Larger Plaques, Portland Vases, tricolor works are still produced in the United Kingdom.  The sweet dishes, small plates, small vases that we see by the thousands are what has flooded the market and still can be found in the secondary auctions. These you find in so many auctions houses, on-line Auctions by the hundreds.

Special and outstanding ones can still be found on the Better Auction Houses and by dedicated Smaller Antique dealers.  The older vintage works can be purchased for far less than the new ones produced and available from the Wedgwood site in the United Kingdom.

“What a Shame, that the “Father of British Pottery” was a victim of the global financial crisis.”

Josiah Wedgwood (July 12, 1730 – January 3, 1795, born Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent) was an English potter, credited with the industrialization of the manufacture of pottery. He was a member of the Darwin — Wedgwood family, most famously including his grandson, Charles Darwin.

Born the thirteenth and youngest child of Thomas Wedgwood III and Mary Wedgwood (born Stringer; d. 1766), Josiah was raised within a family of English Dissenters. He survived a childhood bout of smallpox to serve as an apprentice potter under his eldest brother Thomas Wedgwood IV. Smallpox left Josiah with a permanently weakened knee, which made him unable to work the foot pedal of a potter’s wheel. As a result, he concentrated from an early age on designing pottery rather than making it.

In his early twenties, Wedgwood began working with the most renowned English pottery-maker of his day, T. Whieldon. There he began experimenting with a wide variety of pottery techniques, an experimentation that coincided with the burgeoning early industrial city of Manchester, which was nearby. Inspired, Wedgwood leased the Ivy Works in his home town of Burslem and set to work. Over the course of the next decade, his experimentation (and a considerable injection of capital from his marriage to a richly endowed distant cousin, Sarah Wedgwood) transformed the sleepy artisan works into the first true pottery factory.

To better appreciate the beauty and hand craftsmanship of these works please visit the two sites here;

Part 1-    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy87Gd7kQpE

Part 2-    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9E_BJgc3kM

Vintage works in Jasper Ware from the Wedgwood Manufacture can be seen at;

http://stores.ebay.com/Candlewood-Yankee-Fine-Arts/_i.html?rt=nc&_nkw=wedgwood&_sid=645563163&_sticky=1&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14&_sop=3&_sc=1

James Stow & Anthony Yau

Candlewood-Yankee Fine Arts

Sooner than later, we will be preparing for the, “Holiday’s Shopping and Gift Giving Season.”  Perhaps now is the best time to make the ‘battle Plans’ for the upcoming events.

Forget waiting in line in the middle of the night for that “Door Buster, ” twelve hours to open and the madness when all shoppers will act like fools to buy that mass produced item, twenty colors and sizes to choose from and will be tossed aside and forgotten in a few months for a newer version a few months later OR regifted for another gift at a later date.

So often this is the case. Why not try something new quite time tested and proven?

Set your budget and think more about how each of your gifts should be tailored to the one receiving it. Give a gift of Fine Art, collectible or fine antique that says something special for that special one. Give a Gift of Fine Art or a Treasure Antique …  Many people do not realize this is possible even with the most modest budget.

Years ago Neman Marcus started this with the “Christmas Wish Book” and others followed …Why not do your own with special art for the REAL collectors without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Take the time and think about the hobbies or interests of the ones you are giving a gift.  Over the years many collectors love antiques Cups & Saucers and many can be purchased at $75.00 or less from fine English Derby, Worcester Gregorian Periods , singular tea bowl /bowls are favorites along with a selection of fine Gourmet  tea’s makes a great gift. Many other fine porcelains dating from the Georgian Period to the Mid Century are priced from $25.00 and up depending on the work.

Perhaps for someone that loves jewelry would be interested in a hand crafted Necklace or a rare and vintage “John Lenon Designed Italian Scarf,” or a Rene Lalique Star of David Necklace that would be great as a wearable work of art. All under $ 250.00

The collector of fine literary works would love a Medieval Manuscript from the Nuremberg Chronicle or a Durer Wood Cut from “The Small passions,” first executed in 1511 at $125.00 and up. Often nice volumes of a limited edition of classic literature are illustrated with original etching, wood cuts or lithographs by Baskin, Austin or Brangwyn among others.

A great gift for the host or hostess can be a nice porcelain vase or decorative dish by Wedgwood, Waterford, Spode, Royal Doulton and others which then can be filled with favorite sweets and packed as a gift basket…. Many love Crystal Goblets (Waterford perhaps a pair with a nice bottle of wine never loses appeal.)  If a person loves silver, find a piece of the silver or china pattern they may not have and would love to add to their collection. Many company’s make great gift sets that are no longer made BUT can be found on the secondary market in antique and replacement shops.

For the Art Lover, a nice Limited Edition Print by James Whistler, Matisse, Manet, Renoir or other modern masters. For the true traditionalist collector with more in the budget try Rembrandt’s (etched by Durand or a student after the artist exactly line for line after Rembrandt) for $75.00 and up. If your budget allows, several etchings executed by Rembrandt and pulled from the artist copper plate at $ 2,000.00.

No matter what is the price range, when you take the care to know the person a little better a quality gift of good taste can be achieved. Good fine art and quality antiques can be obtained if you take the time to do so BEFORE the night you have to wrap a gift…

Giving a special gift will give the recipient a life time of precious enjoyment when you know what really matters.  It is the energy and effort you take to give a gift that makes a statement of yourself and the person you wish to please. It’s not the price, it is the planning and the knowing what is a special gift.

Candlewood Yankee Fine Art and Antiques Offers a wide selection of both Fine Art and Antiques priced from as little as $25.00 to several thousands of dollars. Something for every occasion and budget.

Please visit our site. Shop early for a better selection and save the drama of “Holiday Shopping,” for the theatrical crowd.

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James Stow & Anthony Yau

Candlewood-Yankee Fine Arts

Printing a Etching of “The Three Trees,” by  Rembrandt

For both the Veteran and Beginner Print Collector , The video is a wonderful way to see the process of the printing OR what is called , “Pulling a Proof ” from a original copper plate etched by Rembrandt .  This was filmed at the  Rijks Museum (Amsterdam), in which the largest collection of Rembrandt’s Copper Plates are deposited.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIfaU1Q1zs0

Enjoy the video, it is not every day you can see a great work of art created by a Master Artist of the Past who will remain as one of the greatest of all time. The work in the video is “THE THREE TREES,” among one of his finest examples of Landscape etchings.

James Stow & Anthony Yau

Candlewood-Yankee Fine Arts

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rembrandt-Lieven-Willemsz-van-Coppenol-Etching-/180386117685?pt=Art_Prints&hash=item29ffd9b835

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Rembrandt’s Etchings True or False Originals?

Mae West once said, “Come up and see my etchings some time.” The variations of Original Rembrandt Etchings has been misunderstood and abused since the days of his own life time. In the field of fine prints there are; the etching conceived, etch and printed from the same plate … either printed by Rembrandt or various printers with possession of the Copper plates are in fact originals work and should be treated as such.

See the link;     fineartadvocacy.com  or  http://www.fineartregistry.com/

This is excellent Start to better understand the history and appreciation of Rembrandt’s Etched work.

These plates (depending on that particular image), have been printed from over the past three centuries, some lost and others were printed from as late as 1998 and the Millennium Impressions … which are only a ghost of the image of what the Artist intended .

Many works were in fact etched after Rembrandt by his students (studio workers and later devoted students influenced by his work) and later great bodies of works were etched in the same size with a slight larger plate mark size by Armand Durand. Durand’s works are explained in a excellent way at;      http://www.kickarseart.com/consigned_etchings/etching_armand_durand.htm

Many etchings are passed off as Originals in Internet Auctions, including many online so called Auctions or E -Bay sites. So many others are in fact NOT by Rembrandt but either Helli gravures (reproduction) original etchings etched by Durand or by a student copyist.

Now with such wonderful websites, collectors should take the step to research before purchasing ANY Etching of Rembrandt. Even if documented by a follower, student or Durand still has some value …However an etching conceived, etched and printed from the original copper plate has much more value.

Know exactly what you are looking at and appreciate each for what the work truly is…. Some of the works etched after the Master are indeed quite beautiful and many have historical importance. Keep in mind the value and quality are TWO DIFFERENT factors. If aN Original Rembrandt is NOT in your means, enjoy a good recreation by a student or by Durand. Often these are finer impressions than the horrid Impressions from the last Edition. How sad the last editions on the market are very poor quality and most often overpriced.

Best way to see what is offered at various prices, feel free to visit;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rembrandt-Christ-Between-Two-Thieves-Etching-/170459626592?pt=Art_Prints&hash=item27b02f7c60

James Stow & Anthony Yau

Candlewood Yankee Fine Arts

Childe Hassam American Impressionist Painter, Lithographer, water colorist and etcher (known to all as Childe, pronounced like child) left high school without graduating, and ended up working for a wood engraver. He attended drawing classes at the Lowell Institute, a division of MIT, and was a member of the Boston Art Club. He began his artistic career as an illustrator and water colorist and later worked in etching and Lithography .

By 1882, Hassam was exhibiting publicly and had his first solo exhibition, of watercolors, at the Williams and Everett Gallery in Boston. The following year, his friend Celia Thaxter convinced him to drop his first name and thereafter was known simply as “Childe Hassam”. Having had little formal art training previously, Hassam went to Paris in 1886 to study figure drawing and painting at the Académie Julian. He studied under Gustave Boulanger and Jules Joseph Lefebvre. However, he later considered the education he received there “superfluous.” What had a greater influence on Hassam’s work was the art he was exposed to in the city’s museums and galleries, especially the works of the Impressionists. Hassam returned to America and settled in New York City in 1889. He soon became close friends with fellow artists J. Alden Weir and John Henry Twachtman, whom he met through the American Watercolor Society. Hassam enthusiastically painted the genteel urban atmosphere He discovered in New York, which he greatly preferred to Paris. During his time in New York, Hassam made summer painting excursions to Thaxter’s home on Appledore Island, Maine, the largest of the Isles of Shoals; and to Gloucester, Massachusetts; Cos Cob, Connecticut; and Old Lyme, Connecticut.

Outstanding Pair of his works Lithography can be seen at;

http://www.antiques.com/classified/1135743/Antique-Childe-Hassam—-Venice—-Pair-Rare-Aquatints

James Stow & Anthony Yau

House of Stowe Galleries

PORTLAND, Ore. – On Sept. 30, 2012, a new first-class auction resource for luxury gems, jewelry and timepieces will become available to buyers worldwide with the launch of Watch Auction HQ’s auction division. The Portland-based company was formed from the 2011 merger of a private jewelry wholesale firm and a boutique specialist in estate and privately acquired fine jewelry. Businessman Nick Dillard and a prominent jeweler/gemologist are partners in Watch Auction HQ, which deals only in fine jewelry and watches of an especially high standard, as evidenced in the selection they’ve hand-chosen for their Sept. 30 auction premiere.

“Our private clients are entertainment executives, business owners and ‘captains of industry.’ They are sophisticated buyers who expect exclusivity and a much higher level of customer support than they might receive elsewhere,” said Dillard. “For instance, we recently sold his-and-her diamond bezel bracelets to a movie industry executive and flew to Los Angeles to deliver them personally to the client’s Beverly Hills residence. We’ve tailored our auction model so it incorporates many of the white-glove extras our private clients appreciate, such as lovely cases and packaging for all goods, and complimentary Fed Ex shipment. In addition, auction bidders will have the assurance of knowing that they are dealing with a company that has already proven itself to be of utmost integrity.”

The 300-lot Sept. 30 auction titled ‘Diamonds Speak’ will be structured as a timed online auction through LiveAuctioneers.com, with additional bidding options to include phone and absentee bidding. Lots will close consecutively after the start time of 10 a.m. PST (1 p.m. EST).

Among the men’s timepieces to be offered are watches by Audemars Piguet, Omega and Rolex. Leading the ladies’ watches is a highly desirable diamond-bezel 18K gold Rolex Datejust model. Other ladies’ watches include a stunning 18K yellow gold Lucien Picard contemporary design with 48 pavé diamonds on its face, 32 diamonds on the bezel and 240 diamonds on the bracelet; and a chic 18K yellow gold Tiffany & Co. wristwatch with 134 diamonds on the bezel and diamond dial markers.

The ultimate fashion accessory that moves with ease from the country club to a formal dance is the now-classic tennis bracelet. Watch Auction HQ will offer to the highest bidder an elegant, mint-condition 14K gold tennis bracelet set with 39 diamonds weighing approximately 10 carats.

Several other bracelets are worthy of special mention. A 18K yellow gold custom design by David Freeland features a full carat of sparkling diamonds set in a row alongside a circle of gold-framed opals. Also guaranteed to turn heads is a superb Renaissance-style custom-designed bracelet of white and yellow gold set with tourmalines and both square and round diamonds – total weight: 62.2 grams. The third key lot amongst the bracelets is a hinged design of cobalt-enameled 18K yellow gold fashioned as two intricately detailed, ruby-eyed lions’ heads.

Another statement piece in the sale is an 18K yellow gold and diamond necklace designed by Gabriel Barda. Its graceful motif features gold “leaves” set with 60 round diamonds cumulatively weighing (approx.) 2 carats.

If there is a single jewel that can speak a thousand words, it is the diamond solitaire, says Nick Dillard. “When a fine diamond is cut in a special way, it shows off the jewel’s brilliance and can be the most spectacular thing.” Just such an example in the Sept. 30 sale is the marquise-cut solitaire diamond that serves as the focal point of a 14K yellow gold ring. Ten channel-set diamonds accent he impressive center diamond within a distinctive contemporary design.

Dillard said Watch Auction HQ will be introducing many custom marketing features to its online sales, as well as a private club whose members will receive an exclusive catalog containing “pieces to dazzle even the most discriminating buyer – these items will be for members’ eyes only.”

Starting with the Sept. 30 auction, there will be a gift drawing to accompany each Watch Auction HQ sale. No purchase is required. Anyone who signs up to bid or to receive either the company’s e-mails or e-catalog will automatically be entered for a chance to win a fine-jewelry item or timepiece valued at no less than $500. The Sept. 30 auction-drawing prize is a men’s 14K gold Longines vintage watch valued at $1,000.

“What we want to stress above all else is that customer service is of prime importance to us. We answer every question and respond to every phone call, e-mail and social media contact promptly and courteously. We view each customer as a long-term business partner and want to build lasting relationships with people who like to have fun and enjoy the finer things in life,” Dillard said.

For information on any item in Watch Auction HQ’s Sept. 30 “Diamonds Speak” auction, or to arrange for a phone line on auction day, call 800-890-7780 or e-mail nick@watchauctionhq.com or info@watchauctionhq.com. Visit the company’s website at www.watchauctionhq.com. View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet on auction day at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

To view a brief video clip previewing Watch Auction HQ’s Sept. 30 sale, click here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KGv9lefS7Sg&noredirect=1

What are Putti … Putti in art are plump male children, usually nude and winged that one often sees in Renaissance, Mannerist, Baroque and Rococo art. These come to mind with the works of Franz Anton Bustelli and were most likely originally created to decorate the table in the “Stone Hall” at Schloss Nymphenburgi. The hall’s ceiling painting shows the nymph Flora surrounded by important gods as befit her standing, e.g. Mercury, Jupiter and Juno. Bustelli’s children, clothed as Ovidian gods, may be regarded as allegoric.

Franz Anton Bustelli (April 12, 1723 – April 18, 1763) was a Swiss-born German modeller for the Bavarian Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory from 1754 to his death in 1763. He is widely regarded as the finest modeller of porcelain in the Rococo style: “if the art of European porcelain finds its most perfect expression in the rococo style, so the style finds its most perfect expression in the work of Bustelli.”

From 1754 to today these little Putti or Cherubs, are still produced on the designs of Anton Bustelli in white or referred to as Blanc de Chine (French for “White from China”) is the traditional European term for a type of white Chinese porcelain and hand colored.

These are to be found on the secondary market … These are retailing new at the $800-1,000.00 for the uncolored works and up to $3,000.00 an up for the colored works. With patience and a level head you can acquire some beautiful works of Nymphenburg Porcelains.  These are in fact more rare than Meissen and are quite beautiful.

Works of these (both Blance de Chine & Colored works) can be seen at;

http://www.antiques.com/classified_items.php?SeArChItEmS=Nymphenburg&img.x=12&img.y=14

James Stowe

House of Stowe Galleries

For more information on Nymphenburg Porcelains, check out their website:

http://www.nymphenburg.com/en/nymphenburg/

Over the years, antiques have been passed down from generation to generation, from one antique shop to the next, and from flea markets all over the world to your home.  With the volume of households antiques have been in over the last 50-100 years, is it any wonder any of it is still in mint condition?

In the United States, collectors often want their antiques to be flawless. In other countries, some damage is more accepted.

I am often asked, “If I buy an item that is restored, does that make the value increase?”  That’s a loaded question.  It doesn’t make the item worth the same as if it was still in “original” mint condition.  However, it can certainly increase the interest in a potential buyer.

Should I restore my things?  It all depends on the type of item you are talking about.  To replace missing stones on a piece of jewelry, yes!  Should I refinish an American Highboy, probably not.

What’s a handy item to have when out antiquing? A black-light!  This handy little tool can help you detect if a piece of glass, pottery, porcelain or a painting has been restored.  Take the item and the black-light into a dark room. Turn on the portable light and hold it over the item.  Wave it from side to side and look for any spot to “jump” out at you.  If something seems to stand out, there might be some issues with the piece.

What if you want to buy a piece that needs restoration? Should you buy it, or should you pass?  In many cases, if an item is damaged, you can expect the value to be 10-20% of what it would be worth if pristine.  If an item is rare, that percentage would change.

So if you just happen to love the item, and it is priced accordingly, then by all means, buy it and enjoy it!  However, if your plans call to restore the item, you might contact your local restorer first to determine how much it would cost to repair it.  Restoration is often not cheap, and even though you are getting an item as a cheap price because of damage, the restoration costs might bring the total investment to the same or close to what you would have to pay if the item was in mint, original condition.

With all this said, where do you go to have your antiques restored?  For simple restorations, you can do a search online for “antique restorer (insert your city/state here)” and there should be plenty of restorers in your area.  If you have a bigger project, or an expensive item you want to make sure is restored properly, contact your local museum and speak with the curator in the department that exhibits your type items.

Finally, you can reach out to Old World Restorations at:  www.oldworldrestorations.com

Or Wiebolds: www.wiebold.com

Recognized 20th Century Decorative Arts Expert and Appraiser.  As seen on CBS “The Early Show” and NBC’s “The Art of Collecting”. Haines has written numerous articles and books on collecting. Her most recent pubication is “Collecting Wristwatches” for Krause Publications which comes out April 2010.  Reyne is a frequent appraiser on PBS Antiques Roadshow.