: The Armory at 26th and Lexington was once again filled with
quality antiques and throngs of buyers as Stella Management
presented their Gramercy Park Antiques and Fine Art Show. The
show, which took place over the weekend of February 19, is one of
several Stella events that takes place at the facility between
Americana Week and the end of February, although each of the
shows is unique, each with its own flavor and distinctions.
Gramercy Park is a show with formal roots, although it does have
a strong eclectic presence that surely pleases the downtown
crowds. A moderate sized crowd was on hand for opening on Friday
morning and management reported a steady flow gradually picking
up throughout the day. The weekend saw an overall stronger gate,
Saturday's attendance was down from last year, although
attendance and sales on Sunday were up.
The show took place a week later than it had in past years with
Leanne Stella commenting that the show had always fallen at the
beginning of a holiday week. "We moved it to the tail end of the
holiday week," stated Stella, "People got back into town on
Saturday and we saw a surge in attendance for Sunday." Good sales
were also reported on Sunday with several of the dealers
commenting that although they sold fewer items, more high ticket
pieces were moving from the floor. "When we hear of $10,000 to
$30,000 pieces moving off of the floor, we are happy," said
Stella, "those are big numbers for this show."
Management also commented on the look of the show and the upswing
in both quality and the number of real interesting items seen
around the floor from last year, a sentiment that was echoed by
others as well.
Marion Harris, Simsbury, Conn., offered a selection of outsider
art and self-taught works, including the David Bromley
embroidery pictures.
One booth that featured a new and interesting look was Olde
Good Things, dealers that specialize in architectural elements and
ornamentation. The dealers presented a massive Gothic fireplace
surround with carved lions heads on the mantel supports and an
oversized raised panel above. The piece had been removed from a
mansion in Buenos Aries. Salvaged from an upstate New York mansion
that a bank was razing was 43 feet of wonderful chair-rail height
paneling with applied carvings.
A piece that caught the eye of Americana enthusiasts was a carved
entry way removed from the powerhouse on the Eli Lilly mansion.
The rare architectural panel was carved with a elaborate spread
winged bird of prey with a fish its mouth.
A good assortment of Americana was seen in the stand of the
Kembles American Antiques with merchandise ranging from a
numerous fine examples of mocha and Staffordshire, to a proud
looking large bull weathervane in the front of the booth, to a
strongly figured tiger maple corner cupboard of diminutive
proportions.
A nice selection of art was offered in the stand of Ars Longa
Gallery, Hillsborough, N.H., including a stellar WPA figurative
bronze, circa 1930, by Helen Nelson. An abstraction painting by
Thomas Eldred was also featured, along with several lithographs
by Ednat Heald.
Stephen Segal was at the show, not the movie star, but the
proprietor of East Meets West International Fine Art. Segal, of
Tarrytown, N.Y., offered a selection of Vietnamese art, which the
dealer stated is an up and coming genre in the States and is
already very popular in Europe. Segal commented that while
vacationing in Vietnam several years ago, he became enthralled
with the art and decided to deal in it. Among the selection was a
rare Cubist lacquer with eggshell and gold leaf painting on wood.
Martin Cohen offered up an eclectic assortment with pieces
ranging from Arts and Crafts to Art Deco. Among the items
attracting attention was a mantel in mahogany with fruitwood
inlay that the dealer attributed to L&JG Stickley. Also
offered was a large Deco-style cabinet by Grossfield House, circa
1940, that utilized large stylish Lucite handles similar in
appearance to Lalique. The top section of the cabinet had two
doors with Lucite bars as a grille. The cabinet, according to the
dealer, is identical to one that was sold during in the Andy
Warhol auctions.
Peruccini Fine Art, Stamford, Conn.
French country items were on display in the booth of Isle de
France with a colorful assortment of accessories complimenting the
country furniture. Pottery with splashes of vibrant slip filled one
cupboard, early glass and brass wares filled another. At the
forefront of the booth was a large tailor's workstand that was
attracting interest as the ultimate island for a kitchen.
A large folk art carousel four-passenger figure appeared in the
center of the booth occupied by ProArte. While the Miami dealers
specialize in art, mainly works by Picasso and other Twentieth
Century artists, the figure proved an excellent attraction. The
walls of their display were lined with Picasso etchings and a
couple originals such as the satyr, circa 1964, in colored pencil
on paper, 13 by 10 inches that sported a $60,000 price tag.
Other original art at ProArte included a Joan Miro pen, ink and
gouache abstract and a Henri Lebasque nude in gouache and
watercolor over charcoal.
The next show for Stella Management will be Triple Pier on March
20 and 21. Piers 90, 92 and the lower level pier 94 will be
utilized for this show with a special new feature focusing on
home restoration.
For further information call 212-255-0020.
