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/

“Brownrigg Interiors is one of the best antique shops outside London” according to the Tattler magazine. Brownrigg Interiors has been the subject of many press and magazine articles in Britain such as the The World of Interiors, The Times, The Telegraph, Homes and Gardens and many more.

Brownrigg Interiors and antiques shop is based at Tetbury in Gloucestershire, England with other showrooms in London and Petworth, West Sussex. At Brownrigg Interiors, they specialize in French antiques and French antique furniture and also offer a good range of other antiques from Europe. Their French antiques are sourced from all over France and England… be it cities like London, Paris, Limoges, Bristol, Rouen, Marseille, Tours and the Loire Valley region of France.

Antiques buyers in the UK are particularly keen on French antique tables of the refectory table shape. French farmhouse tables or French refectory tables of fruitwood and other woods are especially suited to the modern trend for abandoning the dining room in favour of larger dining areas in the kitchen where the large kitchen dining tables used in France (French Farm house tables) fit the requirement so perfectly. Types of wood used in French farm house tables varies between the general description of fruitwood to cherry, walnut, pine and even rosewood.

Complimentary to such large refectory tables are French breakfast tables, console tables and other French tables such as French marble top tables, round tables, sofa tables, antique console tables and even French dressing tables.

Another very popular item is the French Armoire. These are large antique wardrobes or cabinets, originally used for storing weapons but are now used as bedroom antique wardrobes and cupboards. Often these French Armoires are made from walnut and feature pleasing carvings.

Another interesting item under the French Antique banner is the commode. Originally, in French furniture, a commode introduced about 1700 meant a low cabinet, or chest of drawers at the height of the dado rail. A commode, gilt-bronze mounts, was a piece of case furniture much wider than it was high, raised on high or low legs, with or without enclosing drawers. This piece of furniture would be accompanied by a marble slab top selected to match the marble of the chimneypiece. A commode occupied a prominent position in the room for which it was intended: it stood against the pier between the windows in which case it would often be surmounted by a mirror glass. A pair of identical commodes would flank the chimneypiece or occupy the centre of each end wall. Before the mid-eighteenth century the commode had become such a necessary commodity that it might be made in menuiserie, of solid painted oak, or walnut or fruitwoods, with carved decoration, typical of French provincial furniture.

In the English-speaking world, commode passed into London cabinet-makers’ parlance by the mid-eighteenth century, to describe chests of drawers with gracefully curved fronts, and sometimes with shaped sides as well, perceived as being in the “French” taste. Thomas Chippendale employed the term “French Commode Tables,” to describe designs in The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Director (1753).

(Interestingly, the term “commode” is also a rurally used colloquial synonym for a toilet in the United States. This word was commonly heard in the 20th century but seems to be falling out of favour and has become uncommon to rare)

Other French antiques offered include chairs such as armchairs & French Fauteuil, French leather chairs, comfortable Louis XVI chairs and sofas. Their French antiques also include a variety of French cabinets and bookcases together with beautiful antique French mirrors and stunning antique lamps.

Brownrigg Interiors Antiques offers a comprehensive antiques search service. Contact them if you would like to search for a French Antique that you cannot find on their web site.

If you see an item you like on the web site please check it is at the correct showroom before visiting one of their three antiques showrooms. It is also possible to purchase online and they will ship anywhere in the world!

Check our web site for opening hours (Usually they are Monday to Saturday from 10.30 am – 5.30 pm).

Please contact Jorge Perez at the following email brownrigg@mac.com

For more details visit us at: http://www.brownrigg-interiors.co.uk/

(Chicago, IL) The 2012 edition of Journal of Advanced Appraisal Studies contains nineteen in depth original research articles and topical discussions relating to personal property appraisal. While the Journal is targeted primarily at professional property appraisers, it also contains useful insights and information for anyone associated with the business of personal property such as auction houses, estate lawyers, insurance brokerage houses, museums and cultural property conservators.

According to Michael Conner Ph. D, ISA–AM, the mission of the Foundation is to “promote the advancement of education related to personal property appraising.” The Foundation was formed in 2002 as an independent arm of the International Society of Appraisers. The Foundation raises funds to provide scholarships for continuing studies for both new and veteran appraisers by publishing the Journal

Editor Todd W. Sigety, ISA CAPP comments, “The Journal of Advanced Appraisal Studies is now in its 5th year of publication.  From what started as a simple concept of creating a platform for personal property appraisers and allied professionals to publish scholarly works, reviews, primers, theories and experiences has now grown and matured into the publication of choice for our profession. The Journal has developed into an important tool to assist new and emerging appraiser as well as becoming an incubator for developing new concepts and ideas for experienced appraisers.”

Sigety continues, “The 2012 edition of the Journal contains a wealth of appraisal related content on varied topics such as the 2011 art market, photography skills, report writing, Hedonic appraisal approach, marketing through TV, radio and public appearances, the Asian market, Asian textiles, appraising Judaica, book appraising, wood identification, inspection tools, multi-part antiques, artist archives, fair value, women in 20th century design, fraud on eBay, appraising books, and artist identification. All articles are specifically written and selected for the personal property appraiser.   Appraisers from the three major personal property organizations, ISA, ASA and AAA as well as independent appraisers, allied professionals, and educators have been active supporters and contributors to the journal project.”

The 300 page 2012 edition of the Journal, edited by Todd Sigety, is available for $55 at http://www.appraisaljournal.org/contents.html. Previous editions are available for $35 on the same site. For more information visit the Journal’s websites at http://www.appraisaljournal.org  and http://www.foundationforappraisaleducation.org/journal.html to read an excerpt article and visit the home page of the Foundation at  http://www.foundationforappraisaleducation.org/index.html

You can contact the Foundation for Appraisal Education at 201 W Lake St # 214 Chicago IL, 60606, telephone 312 924-1832, email info@foundationforappraisaleducation.org.

[Admin Note: We receive many inquires here at antiques.com to help our users appraise their antiques. It is almost impossible (and irresponsible) to try and appraise anything via email online. Detecting the objects subtleties, imperfections, weight, smell, texture, you name it requires in person inspection. Therefore for those interested, we have the below offering from the International Society of Appraisers so you can learn the craft for yourself.]

Eight courses are scheduled for October and November including Appraisal of Fine Arts, Core Course in Appraisal Studies, Requalification Course, Advanced Report Writing, Oriental Rugs, Appraisal of Antiques & Residential Contents and the 7 hour and 15 hour Personal Property USPAP Course.

APPRAISAL OF FINE ART – October 15-20, 2012

Emphasizes the primary categories of fine art frequently encountered by appraisers and dealers: paintings, sculpture, works on paper, frames, photography, animation art, Russian icons and Spanish Colonial art. Major areas of focus: art history, looking at art works properly, identifying and researching fine art works, properly describing art works, correctly employing specific vocabulary, and art conservation. A field trip to local museums, such as The Art Institute of Chicago, provides students with close exposure to the property categories being studied.   (Covered by course fee)

CORE COURSE IN APPRAISAL STUDIES – October 8-14, 2012

This is the “original” complete appraisal methodology course for personal property appraising.  Its thorough scope includes appraisal objectives, intended uses, market identification and analysis, research methods and skills, ethics and professional conduct, and a detailed presentation of report formats and checklists.  This course sets the standards that others imitate.  The encyclopedic manual is in two sections and includes a resource directory of over 200 pages, including computer research sites, useful forms for your appraisal practice, and abridged law cases worthy of mention.  The on-site class is presented in a user friendly manner with many group activities that reinforce written and visual information.  Students learn the techniques of networking and are able to apply their new skills and knowledge in writing complete appraisal reports that are both ISA and USPAP compliant.  Minimal computer skills are required and laptop use in the classroom is encouraged.

REQUALIFICATION COURSE-September28-29(Toronto,Ontario)and October 26-27, 2012

A review and update of ISA’s Appraisal Standards covering significant recent changes including those in the ISA Core Course Manual,  the IRS, and the insurance industry.  The class is a requirement for re-qualification and provides current guidelines, checklists, and forms helpful for every member.   This will ensure that you are developing and writing appraisals to the current standards.    Our text is the current edition of the ISA Core Course Manual and much class time is spent in discussion and group activities.  No exam is given and students are dismissed at the end of the second day.

ADVANCED REPORT WRITING – October 24-25, 2012

This two day class is for all appraisers who are seeking to enhance and advance their report writing skills.  Attention is given to forming persuasive arguments in writing defendable reports.  We also cover complex, multiple value, and broad evidence appraisals and the choices we have in formatting and presentation.  Time will be spent on appraisal software and technology in presenting great looking reports.  Another section will explore appraisal reviews and how to write them.  This will include peer review of two appraisal reports that each student will bring. You will be encouraged and challenged.  The class will give you many ideas and tips that will benefit you no matter how long you’ve been in the profession.  Bring laptop computer.

ORIENTIAL RUGS COURSE – November 9-10, 2012 (Dallas, TX)

Whether they are hand-made or machine-made, appraising rugs is one of the most daunting appraisal specialties.  Winston Churchill’s description of the former Soviet Union, “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma,” also describes the world of oriental and area rugs.  This course focuses on terminology, components of identification, rug photography, commonly encountered rugs, factors affecting value, comps, and serves as a springboard to self-study.

The class will be held in “The Casbah”, a classroom in a 100 year old oriental rug cleaning plant in Dallas, Texas.  The instructor, Ellen Amirkhan, ISA CAPP, is the president of Oriental Rug Cleaning Co. in Dallas, Texas, a business started by her grandfather in 1911 that specializes in cleaning, repairing, appraising and selling oriental rugs.  An industry instructor for 20 years, she teaches rug schools in the U.S., the UK and Australia and is a co-author of A Comprehensive Guide to Oriental and Specialty Rug Cleaning.

APPRAISAL OF ANTIQUES & RESIDENTIAL CONTENTS – October 1-6, 2012

This newly revised course provides information necessary to properly identify and value items falling into the broad category of antiques and residential contents. Focus is on analysis of construction and manufacturing; discerning the difference between “good”, “better”, and “best” quality, design characteristics pertinent to general periods and styles; and research resources for the appraiser. Course sections include furniture, ceramics, glass, silver, toys and dolls, and vintage fashions as well as general household contents. The course includes an off-site field trip covered by the course expense.

15-HOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY USPAP COURSE – October 22-23, 2012

The 15-hour Personal Property Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) material is designed to aid appraisers in all areas of appraisal practice seeking competency in the USPAP. This course is intended to fulfill the USPAP requirement for credentialed membership levels within professional personal property appraisal organizations and will be taught by an active Personal Property Appraiser.

This course focuses on the requirements for ethical behavior and competent performance by appraisers that are set forth in the USPAP. The course material emphasizes the role of the appraiser and the impartiality associated with this role. In addition to lectures, the course includes discussion examples that show how USPAP applies to situations that personal property appraisers encounter in everyday practice.

7 HOUR Personal Property USPAP COURSE – November 8, 2012 (Dallas, TX)

This is the required 7 hour update for personal property appraisers seeking to fulfill the 2 year requalification process.  This class covers the 2012-2013 version of USPAP.  The class does not include an exam.  Students must have previously attended the 15 hour National USPAP class.

LOCATION INFORMATION

ALL COURSES WILL BE HELD IN NAPERVILLE, IL, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. COURSE MATERIALS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE AND BROUGHT TO CLASS.   For hotel and transportation information, go to:  www.isa-appraisers.org website.

At some point in time collectors are faced with the need to deaccession, or pair down their collections.   They often tire of their earlier purchases, deciding to upgrade to more rare, or one of a kind pieces. Sometimes they shift gears altogether, collecting a completely different artist, or era.

Selling your antiques online has both risks and rewards.  It offers you great opportunities to get in front of large audiences and obtain a good bang for the marketing buck.  After all, what could be better than getting to enjoy something for a while, then sharing it with some else by selling it for a profit?  For the addicted, this generally affords you the opportunity to purchase another great item, perhaps even more rare and expensive, which starts the process all over again!

As always, marketing your items is very important.  For this, you’ll need really good pictures!  Since the buyer is unable to hold the item in hand, you’ll also need to provide thorough descriptions.  Be open to answering questions from inquisitive buyers.  Price your items based on your research and current market conditions.  Keeping a list of which client bought what type of item can prove handy in the future when selling similar things.

There are many venues you can use to sell your collectables.  So which ones are best?  That depends on what it is you have to sell.  There are sites like eBay and Craigslist which work well for certain items,  but would they really offer the serious collectors for your Tiffany glass collection?

Other venues exist to help your efforts.  Google “selling antiques online” and you will find over a million results for auctions, online antique malls, and collectors clubs that might help you get in front of the right kind of buyers which should bring you more opportunity.

When working with online auctions or an online mall, it is important to know a few things.  First, do they deal in items like the ones you have?  Second, you should find out what kind of agreements they have between buyers and sellers.  Ask how they settle the purchase and what fees could be charged to you.  Finally, what kind of protection do they offer for both the buyer and the seller?

Remember, do not ship your item until payment has been received.  If you accept credit cards, be cautious when accepting credit cards from certain countries. You may not want to sell your entire collection to the Nigerian prince offering to pay you with his credit card.  PayPal is often the safe method for accepting credit cards if you do not already have merchant status in place.

Whether you use a popular online auction or mall, or create a web site yourself, you should be knowledgeable and exercise a sound strategy when offering your antiques.  In today’s world it isn’t just “caveat emptor” but also “vendo cum cautela” (sell with caution) as well.

As antiques aficionados, most of us appreciate authenticity and are drawn to items that have provenance or –at the very least– are as old as they are purported to be by the person trying to sell them. But now and then an item may be sold under a false pretext, and it can save us money and heartbreak if we recognize this before bringing it home.

“Fake” versus “Not Very Old”

There are two ways one may be led into buying an antique with a lower value than advertised. One is the circulation of an actual “fake”, a counterfeit “Tiffany” lamp, “Chippendale” chair, or “1923 Rolex” watch, for example. These kinds of fakes (except for the watch– more on that later) are actually very difficult to create and pass off as the real deal. It takes an intense degree of craftsmanship and attention to detail to pull off a scheme like this, especially when it comes to wooden furniture, so you don’t see these kinds of things very often. All the same, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Some deals are too good to be true. If the price of an item seems way too low, feel free to buy it, but don’t count on being able to resell it as an authentic piece.
• If you’re trusting a label or watermark to tell the truth, it’s best to have some experience with that particular maker so you know exactly what the correct version looks like. Joining collectors clubs or similar social groups can expose you to experts and help build your knowledge and confidence.
• Sometimes pottery and ceramics have minor defects and are sold as “factory seconds.” In this case, the maker will often strike out the signature. If you believe you’re looking at a factory second, buy at your own risk. The manufacturer has disowned the item, and you can’t prove the authenticity of the piece when you sell it, but you may still find pleasure in owning it.

“Not Very Old”

Some misleading items are simply recently-made pieces that are passed off as old. An item sold as a colonial table or an 18^th century German cuckoo clock may have been made in a factory last week. Here are a few ways to tell.

• Over time, wood changes shape along the grain. The length stays the same, but the width varies. If a round table is still perfectly round, it may not be very old. Square shelves that fit imperfectly in cabinetry, gaps, slight buckling, and a general misshape are all good signs.
• Check the woodworm holes and the joining pegs. Tiny cracks should not radiate from the wormholes, and the joining pegs should stand out slightly from the surrounding wood as it shrinks back with time.
• Dovetail joints should be a bit rough. Uniform cuts suggest a 20^th century factory.  Rougher, uneven cuts suggest handwork.
• Check patterns of grime and wear. The piece should show more distress in the places where it’s been touched most over the years, like on the arms of chairs and the handles of things. Uniform wear is a bad sign.
• Read the description carefully. Items sold as “in the style of” or “inspired by” are not claiming to be antique. These are perfectly legal and legitimate imitations of antique items.

A Few Additional Tips

Remember that “authentic” can be a purely philosophical distinction. Antique items have been popular for thousands of years. “Fake” antique tables were bought and sold during biblical times. If you come across one of these, I’d hold onto it.

By the same token, if a wooden table is made from the boards of an old barn, is it old? As the buyer, you are allowed to decide. But it’s harder to dictate these terms when you become the seller.

When an item becomes appealing to speculators, fakes abound. Show caution when buying something at the peak of popularity.

Use your nose. Real silver has a very distinctive smell. So does old wood in the enclosed space of a drawer or cabinet.

Repair and patchwork are also subjective matters, but they diminish official resale value. Be especially cautious of patchwork when it comes to items with many small parts, like watches and clocks. One modern replacement spring mechanism may render a watch inauthentic, and may be very difficult for non-experts to detect.

By Erin Sweeney

for Antiques.com

NEW YORK, 9 May 2012 – Tonight at Sotheby’s, the Contemporary Art Evening Sale brought a strong total of $266,591,000, well within the $216/304 million pre-sale estimate and with 81% of lots sold.

Tobias Meyer, this evening’s auctioneer and Sotheby’s Worldwide Head of Contemporary Art, said: ‘‘We are thrilled with tonight’s total of $266 million, and especially with the results achieved for our top four lots, which set a record for Roy Lichtenstein, for a single panel by Francis Bacon, one of the strongest prices for Andy Warhol in some time, and a record for Cy Twombly. The top end of the market performed beautifully this evening due to a global demand for masterpieces that is almost unparalleled, and we saw a remarkable depth of bidding between $30-40 million.’’