$1 Million-Plus Auction Lights Up Cleveland

CLEVELAND, OHIO

:Sigmund Freud once observed that the anticipation of an event is usually far sweeter than the event itself. If so, a notable exception occurred on October 22 at the Metropolitan Galleries.

The event was LampsandArtGlass.com's second live auction. Carried on eBay and attended by serious dealers and collectors from coast to coast, the sale easily generated more than $1 million. While reasonable heat was generated by the audience on hand, the bulk of the bidding action came via nearly 500 absentee, phone and eBay bids.

Altogether, a large majority of the often-dazzling 300-plus lots met expectations, with many doing even better than that.

The makeup of the sale clearly delighted those interested in Twentieth Century decorative arts. While heavily weighted toward all manner and makers of lighting, also presented were various fine art glass examples and a sprinkling of accessories, a few rarities among them.

The sale's top lot was a brooding oil painting by Louis Comfort Tiffany suggesting a Seventeenth Century European street scene that realized $103,500. Strong performances among the lighting examples included a particularly rich 20-inch Tiffany Dragonfly table lamp, $97,750; a Tiffany Daffodil table lamp, $77,625; and a Tiffany Tulip ball hanger showing turtleback glass that realized $71,925.

After the sale, a very pleased Dean Lowry, the firm's co-founder, said, "We had some ingoing concern over a possible conflict with Atlantique City, but that wasn't a factor - the sale got attention from New York to Texas to California. It was also great to chat with any number of dedicated collectors, a few of them longtime and very advanced, in the audience. This paid off one of the reasons we've had for holding occasional live auctions - to rekindle or establish personal relationships with people we might otherwise only know online. All in all, the sale was a huge success - and collectors definitely won't have to wait another year for the next one."

As expected, the lighting offered neatly illustrated the range of expressions, techniques and materials employed by various makers, many well known, others less so. One of the stated purposes of LampsandArtGlass.com is to create awareness of somewhat lesser makers, their sometimes fine products overlooked in all the marketing commotion surrounding such as Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint.

"Frankly," said Lowry, "I'm not sure we've yet identified every last manufacturer of period lighting. There were many, and a surprising number of them - though not widely known - turned out some very good examples. Since we take an interest in building collections, it only makes sense to shine a light on good examples that remain affordable. It's no accident that lamps by such as Moe Bridges, Wilkenson, Gorham, Bradley & Hubbard, Chicago Mosaic and others play a prominent role in our sales, and online as well."

Beyond the high-flying Tiffany models already mentioned, Handel and Pairpoint also had their bright spots, as did a number of examples from other makers. Handel winners included an 18-inch Cattail table lamp, $14,500, a Feather-motif table lamp at $19,550 and a #6688 floral model that reached $13,800. The Pairpoint offerings were led by a 15-inch Puffy Apple Tree table lamp at a strong $24,150, and an Oxford table lamp that made $12,075.

Still others registering respectable results were a 27-inch Suess Water Lily leaded lamp, $14,950); a Pittsburgh table lamp painted with an American Indian, $8,913; a rare and striking Duffner & Kimberly table lamp that made $12,075 and a Moe Bridges Poppy table lamp that closed at $6,325. Notable, too, was a highly dramatic Loetz oil lamp, all original, which seemed a bargain at $7,248.

Other Tiffany lighting examples doing well, and most did, were a linen fold table lamp that made $16,675 and an interesting turtleback jeweled desk lamp that finished at $13,325.

Art glass and accessories played a meaningful role in the sale. On hand were a dozen examples of Tiffany art glass, Handel mugs, Tiffany mirrors and desk pieces - even a handsome Limoges enamel over copper vase. The art glass presented included a group of Tiffany's choice floriform examples; one of these, a delicately folded 13-inch vase, made $4,888. Among others, a vivid 9-inch Tiffany vase in red and yellow glass climbed to $7,475.

Accessories included a Tiffany Queen Anne's lace inkwell, which soared to $12,650, while a seldom-seen and beautifully made Tiffany American Indian desk set made $3,450.

Prices reported include 15 percent buyer's premium

The next live event is slated for the spring and, in addition to lighting examples, the partners are close to securing several major collections of art glass for it. For information, www.lampsandartglass.com, 603-759-6235 or 330-714-9950.