The 25th annual Maine Antiques Festival was a success for the customers, the dealers and the promoter, Paul Davis. Approximately 300 registered bidders from 12 states actively participated in the two-day sale. A standing-room-only crowd was on hand for the N. H. Americana portion of the auction, with over 200 registered in the gallery and 150 people bidding by telephone or absentee. The fall version of Heart of Country, the famous Nashville antiques show, will be moving to the Dallas area in 2006. All of the lacquer in "Masterpieces of Chinese Lacquer" at the China Institute Gallery is being shown in New York for the first time beginning September 16. On September 13, the Amon Carter Museum will present "Edward Hopper in Four Acts," a small exhibition of five works in four media by one of America's great artists. "Ansel Adams" captures Adams's poetic vision through some 180 black and white photographs over 50 years of the artist's career on view through December 31. "Maxfield Parrish, Master of Make-Believe," a nationally touring exhibition, brings together a splendid selection of 80 of his finest works. A carved wooden eagle with a shield and banner exhorting, "Don't Give up the Ship" brought $10,450 at Leo P. Legare's on-site sale. "Changing Hands: Art without Reservation, 2: Contemporary Native North American Art from the West, Northwest and Pacific," will open September 22. "The dealer quality was good and the sales were good," observed Mr Coffman, one of the show's promoters. As victims of Hurricane Katrina continue to be relocated, some news organizations have turned their eye toward the devastation of historical monuments and museums. The 34th Annual Outdoor Madison-Bouckville Antiques Show had a nearly full capacity in dealers and perhaps the largest crowds ever. The new permanent exhibition showcases stunning gifts and serving pieces from the Eighteenth, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. "Modernism in American Silver: 20th Century Design," an exhibition organized by the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), explores the American silver industry's forays into Modernist design. Dealers enjoy the show, report strong sales and are complimentary about the show management, Dennis Radulski and the committee. Most return faithfully each year. Edvard Munch's "Mermaid" leads an exhibition of 25 paintings, prints and drawings that will open on September 24 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A Northwest Coast painted wood mask brought a stunning $259,000 at Skinner's September 10 American Indian and Ethnographic auction. At the recent William A. Smith sale, a desirable New Hampshire Chippendale maple slant lid desk took top honors when it sold for $29,700. A cache of paintings discovered in a locked and hidden closet during building renovations were in the spotlight at the most recent Gustave White fine art auction. MastroNet's recent online auction included such diverse items as a World Series jersey worn by Dizzy Dean to a lock of hair from Napoleon. The most exciting item in this collection is the earliest plan for the Babar book (91/2 by 6 inches) with 44 pages of pencil and watercolor sketches and the original text. Beginning October 1, the Brandywine River Museum presents "Andrew Wyeth: Early Watercolors," an exhibition of nearly 50 watercolor paintings by Andrew Wyeth. "In the American Grain: Dove, Hartley, Marin, O'Keeffe and Stieglitz" is on view from September 30 through January 2 at the Currier Museum of Art. An extraordinary colonial American overmantel and companion fireboard was the hot lot of Kaja Veilleux's two-day sale August 27-28, selling for $605,000. Shattered records livened up the already lively Northeast Auctions' Marine and China Trade sale as no fewer than four world record prices were achieved. "I've been doing Brimfield for over 20 years," exclaimed one dealer as he gazed up at the cloudless skies, "and this is the best Brimfield week I have ever seen." "Behind the Magic - 50 Years of Disneyland" debuts at The Henry Ford Museum on September 23. Show manager Steve Jenkins said, "We had a pretty good show, good gate [visitors] did pretty good for the dealers and sales seemed good." An eagle carved by John Haley Bellamy of Kittery, Maine, was the highlight of the Robert L. Foster sale September 3 and 4, selling for $60,500. Just weeks after acquiring a complete set of Grueby tiles, the Two Red Roses Foundation acquired a Grueby tile fireplace surround. Volunteer show manager Nancy Prince said, "Most dealers were pleased, for they sold well. In fact, I haven't found one who won't be back next year." Highlighting the sale was a 10-inch-high carved wooden box by Zimmerman on round ivory ball feet with cast bronze handles and hinges. An auction of Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Prints and Drawing at Swann Galleries saw active bidding and totaled an impressive $2,629,705. "Treasures of the Titans," on view through December 31, exhibits a variety of objects owned by some of the most influential people of the Twentieth Century. At Christie's September 20 sale, a rare Fourteenth Century painting and a sublime Persian-inscribed Sixteenth Century vase each achieved $1,696,000. For the first time, the $1 million barrier has been breached in contemporary Indian art following Christie's September 21 sale of Indian and Southeast Asian art. "Attendance doubled," stated MADA president Nancy Glazer. As buyers rushed onto the floor, many dealers could be seen placing red stickers and sold tags on items. Attracting many dealers from the nearby vicinity and some from throughout New York and New England, the show has a faithful following of customers. People seemed to be coming from everywhere to bid on the contents of Merritt's Museum of Childhood, 1,301 lots featured in a two-day sale. "We found the sale to be very successful," said owner Mike Fallon. "In Private Hands: 200 Years of American Painting," exhibits some of the finest works of American art held in private collections across the country. The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) launches "Women Artists Worldwide," cosponsored and organized with international embassies. The Farmers' Museum will soon be the new, permanent home for the Empire State Carousel, a handcrafted merry-go-round depicting N.Y. State history and culture. The exhibition, "Eva Zeisel: The Playful Search for Beauty," is on view at the Hillwood Museum and Gardens through December 4. |
