: There was bad weather and a bomb scare, but that did not
completely deter visitors to the New York Antiques & Fine
Art. This neat, compact show, a new addition to the city's fall
calendar, was organized by OSAT and took place in the auditorium
of St Paul the Apostle, a church on Manhattan's Upper West Side.
The range of pieces was excellent, from the Chinese ceramics to
the French paintings to the Victorian jewelry to the Belle Époque
posters, there was something to suit the taste of every
collector.
The display case of vintage jewelry specialist Joyce Groussman of
Merion, Penn., included a selection of Chanel and Bulgari. The
most adorable piece, however, was a green enameled frog cuff
bracelet by David Webb. A Manhattan designer and jeweler, Webb is
famous for his enameled jewelry.
Another jewelry specialist, Arthur Guy Kaplan of Baltimore, had a
strong selection of Nineteenth Century cameos. The neoclassical
and Victorian brooches and bracelets offered proof that the art
of cameo making did not decline after the Eighteenth Century.
Glen Leroux brought a touch of Hollywood glamour with an Art Deco
sofa that was made as prop for a 1930s John Barrymore film. The
Westport, Conn., dealer's selection of American Modern furniture
also included a pair of rosewood end tables, some chairs, 1950s,
by Florence Knoll, and a Midcentury table veneered with python
skin by Carl Springer.
A browser's paradise of prints was brought to the fair by B. Fine
Art of Beverly, Mass. Navigation, botany, trains and architecture
were among the many subjects displayed.
A rare Sanci glazed Tang dynasty horse in the booth of
Alexander and Alexander, Mira Loma, Calif.
A late Art Nouveau shaving mirror that was made in Vienna
shortly before World War I was one of the highlights of the
inventory of New York dealer Leah Kleman. Kleman was also showing
an attractive pair of Parisian side tables from the 1940s by an
unknown designer.
Betsy Greene of Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., was exhibiting in
New York for the first time. The owner of Authentic Vintage
Posters says that her wares are suited for urban homes. "Vintage
posters fill the walls with color. They are perfect for lofts."
She especially recommends the posters of Chéret and Cappiello.
For those with space to fill there was also the mahogany dining
table, 1840s, that was being offered by Putnam Antiques &
Design of Greenwich, Conn. At more than 14 feet, it is longer
than many city dining rooms. Putnam also had a pair of painted
end tables, 1800, and a pair of newly upholstered Nineteenth
Century settees. There was also an intriguing painting of a man
in his study by French artist Jacques-Emile Blanche.
There were many fine pieces of Nineteenth Century furniture at
the fair, including the English serpentine sideboard, circa 1880,
that was being sold by Henry Fender of Glen Cove, N.Y.
At B&D Johnson Antiques, also of Greenwich, there was a pier
table, circa 1828, that was of decorative and scholarly interest.
The table is an early work of American cabinetmaker Anthony
Quervelle and is similar to a piece in the Chicago Historical
Society. The Johnsons were also selling a Hepplewhite sideboard,
circa 1800, from Massachusetts, and a library table, circa 1825,
with ivory pulls and waterleaf leg carving from Albany. There was
also a set of sturdy Arts and Crafts period billiard room chairs
made of mahogany with mother-of-pearl inlay.
Kathleen Avery, Palo Alto, Calif.
A range of furnishings was also for sale by Glenbrook
Antiques of Hudson, N.Y.. There were some fine revival pieces from
the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, including a Queen Anne
Revival highboy, a set of Colonial Revival dining chairs, and
Regency Revival dining table. There was also a pretty Second Empire
coffee service, that was decorated with gilding and painted
flowers.
Flamboyant eclecticism seemed to be the theme at Morning Glory
Antiques Inc, of Kansas City, Mo., from the Gothic Revival
monstrance to the Blackamoor console table to the 1920s beaded
peacock lamp. Other pieces included a letter box made from the
spines and boards of old books, a pietra table decorated with
mosaic flowers and birds, and a Regency harp. Among the paintings
there was a charming scene, circa 1850, of classical antiquities.
There was also an unusual oil portrait, 1970s, by caricaturist Al
Hirschfield, who depicted his subject as a Disco Era dragon lady.
A Napoleon III sideboard was the most striking piece at the booth
of Emporium, Ltd, of New York. This fine example of Nineteenth
Century boulle veneer was decorated with ormolu mounts. Also at
Emporium were a pair of Chinese opera figures, circa 1910, and a
pair of lamps, 1920s, with painted shades depicting a lady
dancing over a man's back.
The selection of Asian art from Alexander & Alexander, of
Mira Loma, Calif., included a Tang dynasty ceramic horse that was
decorated with three colors of glaze. The horse was made many
centuries ago to be part of a tomb's furnishings.
Merion, Penn., dealer Joyce Groussman shows off her David Web
frog-form enameled gold, diamond and cabochon ruby cuff
bracelet.
The Chinese Art Gallery of New York also had a fine selection
of Asian art. A Ming dynasty statue was among the many
representations of Buddha. In addition there were the fragments,
including a bronze hand from the Twelfth or Thirteenth Century and
a limestone torso. A Nineteenth Century screen decorated with
lacquer and paint that was made in China for export was also for
sale.
The painting dealers exhibited many fine works from the first
half of the Twentieth Century. Jeffrey Winter Fine Arts, of Long
Beach, Calif., who specializes in Modern figurative French
painting, was selling many works from the 1920s and 30s,
including "Nu sur le Sofa," 1924, by François Eberl. Earlier
works included "Le Coffre de Bijou," 1910, a quiet domestic scene
by Paul Renaudot, "Le Salon de Billiards," 1900, by Edmond
Lempereur, and "Sirens," circa 1910, an extravaganza of female
flesh by Adolphe Lalyre.
Kathleen Avery of Palo Alto, Calif., sold "The Gentleman," circa
1910, by the Hungarian painter Zsigmond Vajda. "The painting is
quite beautiful and captures a very particular time, place and
sensibility," says Avery, who calls the picture "a favorite of
many who have passed through our gallery."
Avery also sold "Trois Chevaliers," an unusual gouache by French
artist Gen Paul, which was, in her words, "executed sparingly
with simple and beautiful lines showing fluid movement."
Dealers credited promoter Marty Ellis with advertising the show
and providing a suitable showroom. "We all would have liked to
have seen more people come through," says Avery. Nonetheless,
"Marty worked very hard to make this show, the first in this
location, a success."
