Arthur Carter, a celebrated artist in the Modernist tradition, will show approximately 95 of his works at New York University's fine arts museum, the Grey Art Gallery, from April 16 to 29. As the antiquing phenomenon known as Brimfield gets ready to observe a “golden” anniversary, six of the event’s promoters are suing the town, claiming that they are being taxed illegally for emergency services provided by the town. An anonymous bidder acquired the “King of Cowboys” Roy Rogers’ OM-45 Deluxe Martin guitar at Christie’s on April 3 for $554,500. The Connecticut Spring Antiques Show once again proved itself as one of the country's leading venues for showcasing American furniture and decorative accessories made prior to the year 1840. Hidden away in the deep South for more than two decades, an upstate New York water cooler made a stellar showing at Crocker Farm’s March 21 auction, as the first lot of around 300 lots of American stoneware and redware to cross the block.
The inaugural D.C. Spring Antiques Show offered an expansive display area inside the cavernous Walter E. Washington Convention Center that was chock-full with an attractive and varied selection of antiques. The Museum of the City of New York has gifted two Aesthetic Movement period rooms originally from the home of John D. Rockefeller at 4 West 54th Street to the Metropolitan Museum and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Paul Revere’s 1768 copperplate engraving of the British troops landing at Boston, the first such image to come to auction in nearly a century, sold on the phone for a record price of $469,000 at Northeast Auctions’ March 21–22 sale. A quirky and attractive mix of merchandise spread out among hundreds of booths brought buyers out in hordes for Stella Shows’ popular Pier Antiques Show at Pier 94 March 14 and 15. The Ramapo, N.Y., Police Department is investigating a burglary that occurred on or about March 20, where a number of paintings and antiques were stolen.
The view from Phil Zea’s office tucked in back of the sprawling Historic Deerfield campus offers a glimpse into early American life. One can barely hear the passing cars as they traverse the road behind the building, past a thicket of trees. Out front, the pedestrian-friendly street and the antique homes that dot either side serve as testament to a passion for preserving New England history and the culture of the Connecticut River Valley. “We view this street and the surrounding land as the museum’s largest artifact,” says Zea, president of Historic Deerfield since 2003. Zea has found his niche spanning the twinned yet independent worlds of the antiques trade and museums throughout his far-reaching career. A common refrain among Zea’s peers is their admiration for his approachability and willingness to share his considerable knowledge. That, combined with his infectious enthusiasm for antiques and cultural history, is what led the Antiques Dealers Association of America (ADA) to name Zea its 2009 Award of Merit winner. The award will officially be presented at a dinner in Zea’s honor on April 18, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Antiques Show at the Navy Yard.
Anna Richards Brewster (1870–1952) came to maturity in America’s Gilded Age when increasing numbers of women sought to become professional artists in the face of daunting odds and societal inhibitions. While many of her compatriots dropped out, she persevered, becoming a skilled and appealing painter, and leaving a significant oeuvre that is today enjoying revived interest. Brewster had the advantage — and disadvantage — of being the daughter of William Trost Richards (1833–1905), a noted land- and seascape painter associated with the Hudson River School and the American Pre-Raphaelite movement. She benefited from watching him work, traveling with him on painting excursions. On the other hand, her accomplished work was often viewed in the shadow of her father’s acclaimed canvases. Moreover, she had to contend with the widespread idea of her time that women were “weekend” artists, painting and drawing as a social divertissement, and the belief that women had neither the energy, strength nor perseverance to produce first-class art. The struggles and achievements of her career are documented in “Anna Richards Brewster: American Impressionist.” Comprising 50 plein-air scenes, still lifes and portraits in oil, watercolor, gouache and pen, it is on view at the Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art & Science in Fresno, Calif. through June 14.
Bob Four and Tony Fusco really know how to put together an art show. Back for the second year, the mood was buoyant at their AD 20/21 fair showcasing art and design of the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries March 26–29.
Antiquorum Auctioneers’ sale of important collectors’ wristwatches, pocket watches and clocks on March 4 and 5 realized the impressive sum of $8,707,724.
The Chester County Antiques Show dazzled the large crowds in attendance in its new home at the historic Westtown School over the weekend of March 20–22.
Clarke Auction Gallery’s April 6 sale turned up the volume somewhat on what Ronan “Ron” Clarke, the firm’s founder and owner, had characterized as a quiet start to this season’s sales in February and March.
As a chilly and blustery morning dawned Sunday, April 5, the dealers and shoppers at Elephant’s Trunk Country Flea Market were warmed by the excitement of another grand opening day of this venerable institution.
“This is our all-time favorite show,” exclaimed John and Tina Bruno of Flamingo Eventz, managers of the Ephemera Society of America’s annual show. They have managed the event for the past eight years, and on March 20–22 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Ephemera 29 attracted crowds of collectors.
Frank Gaglio of Barn Star Productions has announced the new location for his two August shows, the Pickers Market and Mid*Week.
Two new exhibitions of photographs will be on view at the New-York Historical Society (NYHS) from April 30 through July 12, offering visitors contrasting yet complementary visions of the urban landscape as a site of historic change.
The Muckenthaler Cultural Center has announced that its longtime supporter Carl Wilson Gregory, CEO and chairman of the board of Fullerton Community Bank, died Monday, April 6, following a two-year battle with cancer. He was 68. “Horse rustlers” struck a suburban property in New Jersey on March 15, making off with an antique cement pony that was displayed in the owner’s front yard.
Bolstering his business and bucking trends, auctioneer Stephen Gass of Trinity International Auctions and Appraisals has found a formula for success: Keep it simple.
The Van Gogh Museum is staging the exhibition “Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night” through June 7, the first show devoted exclusively to the evening and nighttime scenes by Vincent van Gogh.
Sometimes called “Connecticut’s Quiet Corner,” Winter Associates’ auction gallery was anything but quiet on Monday, April 6, when a 305-lot multi-estate auction attracted boisterous bidding. After 28 years of exemplary leadership at the Wilton Historical Society (WHS), Marilyn Gould stepped down as its director this past April 1. The board of trustees and friends honored her contributions with a gathering on March 29. For a state that did not see a single battle of the Revolutionary War fought on its soil, Maryland and its people still played a significant role in the conflict that resulted in American independence.
What may have very well been the mother lode for mechanical bank and cast iron toy collectors revealed itself at Lloyd Ralston Toys on Saturday, April 4, as roughly one-third of the remaining unused inventory, parts, patterns and molds from the J&E Stevens manufacturing company crossed the auction block.
In a comprehensive, 30-year survey, the Museum of Arts and Design traces the progression of Klaus Moje’s work, from his early carved crystal glass pieces to his intricately patterned vessels of layered glass, to his recent multipanel fused works.
William Edmondson (1874-1951), the illiterate son of freed slaves, was the first African American to become the subject of a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. That display, in 1937, brought to national attention the powerful, direct carving of this self-taught, visionary stonecutter and sculptor. Edmondson did not begin carving objects until he was well into his 50s. Working exclusively in limestone, his intuitive approach to sculpture produced minimalist, compact works that convey a sense of monumentality and express a high degree of design. Since he was born and died in the Nashville, Tenn., area, it is fitting that the Cheekwood Art Museum has the largest collection of his work, and has organized “William Edmondson: The Hand and the Spirit,” on view through January 3. Drawn from the museum’s permanent collection, it comprises 11 representative works of the great self-taught sculptor.
The Delaware Art Museum presents “John Sloan in Philadelphia and New York,” a focused exhibition celebrating the return of several of Sloan’s works to the museum following a tour that ended in 2008. The exhibition will be on view until September 20.
The third annual Vintage Clothing, Accessories, Textiles and Jewelry Show and Sale returned to the Danbury Police Athletic League Building April 4 and 5. Vintage wearables are becoming a big part of some wardrobes, with many shoppers finding inspiration in fashions of yore.
Love was in the air at the preview party for the 24th annual Bedford Spring Antiques Show. St Matthew's Church's main fundraiser, the two-day show got underway at the Rippowam Cisqua School on April 3 with 28 exhibitors offering a well-selected mix of antiques, fine and decorative arts.
“Donald Kaufman’s rare and bountiful antique toy collection created what many believe was the most well-attended auction of its kind,” stated Jeanne Bertoia in her typical reserved fashion during the days following the landmark sale.
It was just like an auction is supposed to be when a selection of Chinese jades crossed the block at Grogan & Company on April 19. Overseas interest was high: a group of buyers from China were present, the phones were fully staffed and the Internet was jumping. When it comes to the collecting of vintage movie posters, one thing holds true above the rest: classic horror is king as evidenced March 20–22, when a 1931 Style B one-sheet Dracula poster sold for $310,000 at Heritage Auction Galleries
Barbara Lessig, proprietor of Pleasant Valley Antiques, a longtime antiques dealer, personal property appraiser and expert on glass, died Monday, April 13. Master of the color woodblock, Gustave Baumann (1881–1971) combined traditions of fine and folk art with his German heritage and knowledge of colors to create vivid images of New Mexico and its diverse people. He was also an accomplished oil painter, carver, furniture maker and creator of marionettes. During a six-decade career in Santa Fe, N.M., Baumann won friends for his generous civic contributions and admirers for his innovative achievements in a variety of media. The quality and timeless subject matter of his woodcut prints have given them enduring popularity. That continuing interest has led to a rotating permanent installation at the New Mexico Museum of Art, “Gustave Baumann: A Santa Fe Legend,” which features selections from the museum’s 1,000 Baumann prints, drawings, paintings and pieces of furniture. The broader show is complemented by a fascinating focused display, “Pulling Strings,” that showcases examples of the 65 marionettes carved and painted by Baumann.
A large and supportive crowd gathered in the large tent adjoining the Navy Yard Terminal for the annual ADA Award of Merit presentation and dinner on April 18 to honor this year’s recipient, Philip Zea of Historic Deerfield. “Illuminating the Sea: The Marine Paintings of James E. Buttersworth, 1817–1894,” a major retrospective exhibition highlighting the work of famed Nineteenth Century marine artist James Edward Buttersworth, is on view at the Bruce Museum through July 5.
“Catching Light: European and American Watercolors from the Permanent Collection” will be on view at the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center from May 8 to July 26.
Marine art was the major draw at Eldred’s two-day Americana and paintings sale April 3 and 4, attracting a full house to the Cape Cod auction gallery.
I.M. Chait’s third annual Asia Week auction brought out buyers who were able to sweep entire categories at prices within or slightly higher than catalog estimates. One important item, however, exceeded estimate.
New owners sold out their 400 exhibit spaces at Marburger Farm for the most recent gathering, which opened to clear skies on March 31 for thousands of visitors.
Ralph Willard opened Rifle Hall Americana Antiques Show with a fresh sparkle and Americana antiques March 31 through April 4.
The Dedham Historical Society, founded in 1859, is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a special exhibit including some of its most important and rarely seen items. The new exhibit remains on view for the remainder of 2009.
Bloomsbury’s March 25–26 auction of photographs, travel, military, natural history, maps and atlases was a successful, bumper two-day sale and a true embodiment of the “something for everyone” maxim, according to the auction house in London.
The Original Round Top Antiques Fair drew big crowds to this small Texas village for its April 1–4 events, which encompassed The Big Red Barn and Carmine Dance Hall antiques shows.
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