Acme Fine Art, Boston,
Mass.
By W.A. Demers
NEW YORK CITY - Stella Show Mgmt. Co., amid an "Orange Alert"
level in the national terrorism threat rating system, anxiety
about the start of the Muslim hajj holiday, the eve of a massive
antiwar rally in New York City and other forms of the world
behaving badly, put on a brave Valentine's Day of a show at
Gramercy Park February 14-16 at the 69th Regiment Armory at
Lexington Avenue at 26th Street. Quipped one of the dealers:
"We're in the armory, for Pete's sake. It's probably the safest
place to be in town."
Show visitors had to walk a gantlet at the entrance, but it was a
gantlet flanked on one side by bright floral paintings by
Austrian Christian Nesvadba and on the other side paintings of
fields of corn and lavender by Christian's father, Gerhard,
displayed by Gladwell & Company, London, one of the show's 65
exhibitors. And while the paintings' titles, like "Stunning
Bouquet" and "Floral Explosion," had a disturbing connotation
during this time of high national anxiety, the effect of the art
was to at once calm and excite the senses.
Sunday seemed to bring the largest audience, according to most
dealers, who said that Friday's lighter than normal opening was
followed by also smaller than normal crowds on Saturday,
apparently due to the antiwar rally that was occurring in the
city over that weekend.
For Isabelle Seggerman of Bonsal-Douglas Antiques, Essex, Conn.,
the show traffic seemed steady. "I felt that there were
consistently customers on the floor --no crushing crowds, but a
steady flow of people," she said. "We sold several paintings, as
well as a French chalk drawing of a terrier [this was Westminster
Kennel Show week] to the owner of a Westhighland named 'Lilly.'"
Also featured at Seggerman's booth were original illustrations
from award-winning children's books, including several by Will
Hillenbrand, author of Fiddle-I-Fee and Counting
Crocodiles, among others. "This is the first time I've shown
these. I needed it," said Seggerman of the colorful, whimsical
art displayed on her walls.
Dale Jones of B&D Antiques & Art Pottery.
Decorative arts dealer Pascal Boyer, Wappingers Falls, N.Y.,
speculated that weather, Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day
weekend, and tensions over terrorism, Iraq and the economy were
to blame for the thinner than normal weekend crowds. "Spending
was hard," he said. "People tend to be reluctant to spend as they
used to, and purchases tend to happen after the show." In fact,
Boyer added that he had just recently wrapped up a big-ticket
sale that originated at the Gramercy show in October 2002.
Boyer's gallery was rich in French Deco furniture, including a
large selection by Jacques Adnet and a mahogany and lapis cabinet
by Re-nee Kinsbourg. "At my level, people tend to go for names,"
explained Boyer. "It helps them in the purchase decision. I did
well with Jacques Adnet leather stitched furniture and
accessories. I sold a pair of Adnet floor lamps, an interesting
sale because I sold them to a French woman." Boyer characterized
the show staff and organization as "perfect," adding, "I just
wish the dates were different. Stuck between Valentine's Day and
Presidents' Day weekend is not very good for attendance. Our core
customers, designers, tend to leave town for the occasion."
Also remarking that Sunday's crowd was significantly more active
than Friday's and Saturday's was Jeff Russak of Bradford House
Antiques, Litchfield, Conn. "Sunday was up considerably," he
said. "Retail customers were there to buy mainly big-ticket
items; I think folks are buying antiques they consider to be
investment grade, thus combining entertainment and portfolio
diversification," said Russak. Bradford House, which specializes
in fine art, silver and antique and estate jewelry, displayed
among its wares a 1929 Gorham punch bowl with matching tray.
"We in fact sold the Gorham punch bowl to a collector who was
very happy to get it," reported Russak. "We also had a couple of
interesting multiple sales where the customers seemed very taken
with our eye, whether silver jewelry or objects.
"Gramercy Park is an artistic balm for the soul, a quiet oasis of
gentility in a world lacking grace," said Russak. "It's the one
show I make sure my wife comes in for so we can walk around it
together and just enjoy. It's always successful for us. I feel
that this is the best general show in New York City to spotlight
nonfurniture merchandise."
Dale Jones of B and D Antiques and Art Pottery, Shepherdstown,
W.Va., was attending the Gramercy Park Show for the first time
with a an extensive selection of art pottery pieces, including
Rookwood and Roseville vases.
Commenting on the size of the gate, "It is not necessarily the
size of the gate that counts, but how many attendees are buying.
I had a very good show, so much so, that I have asked to be put
on the waiting list for the October show," said Jones. He
reported that one customer was so pleased with his booth when she
stopped by on Friday that she came back on Saturday and purchased
more merchandise.
Olde Good Things, New York City.
Vietnamese art was the focus of East Meets West International
Fine Art, Tarrytown, N.Y. Owner Stephen Segal displayed original
signed paintings by three contemporary artists from central and
southern Vietnam whose work combines French and Chinese
influences with traditional Vietnamese subjects and techniques.
He also had oil on paper paintings by a Kazakhstan artist.
Segal said that although many dealers he spoke with were upset
about the crowd-dampening effects of the "Orange Alert" and
antiwar rally on Saturday, "we did okay. I sold seven paintings,
half within the $2,000 to $3,000 range, half between $500 and
$600. Stella Mgmt puts on a very good show." Next up for Segal is
a buying trip back to Vietnam in April, including a first-ever
trip to Hanoi.
Opening a new gallery at 67 Gansewoort Street in New York City in
March, Ted Wolter of Lucca & Co. displayed furniture with a
European focus, including a carved wooden Nineteenth Century
French folk art bed, circa 1860-70, an imposing Eighteenth
Century English doorway/cupboard and a French Empire gueridon,
circa 1820. "My clients like a mixture of pieces," said Wolter.
"They like beautiful woods, clean forms that are sophisticated
but not stuffy."
Stella Show Mgmt. Co.'s next event is the Triple Pier Antiques
Show, March 15-16, at Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 88, 90 and
92. For information, 212-255-0020 or www.stellashows.com.
