Your Happenings Could Be Here

Happenings

updated 11/15/08

Altermann Galleries will be offering over 300 works at its Saturday, December 6^th auction at the Hilton Santa Fe, 100 Sandoval St.  The

 auction will have two sessions; Session(I) American Western Art begins at 1:00 p.m.; Session (II) American Indian Art at 3:30 p.m.  On Friday December 5^th there will be a set price offering at the Gallery on 225 Canyon Road, #11.

The American Indian Session (II) will include such notable plates and pottery artisans as: Maria Martinez, Margaret Tafoya, Grace Medicine Flower, LuAnn Tafoya, Nathan Youngblood, and Nampeyo.  In addition, there will be a selection of textiles, jewelry, paintings and blankets.

Session (I) will have numerous highlights:  E.M. Hennings 30 by 30 inches oil entitled “Sagebrush Riders” (est. $500,000 - $800,000); E.I., Couse 24 by 29 inches oil entitled “Decorating the War Shield” (est. $300,000 - $400,000), and W.R. Leigh, West Virginia Wood Chopper, a 37 by 49 inches oil that is prominently illustrated in June Dubois biography of the artist (est. $300,000 - $500,000).

Also, in the deceased master category are works by: Oscar Berninghaus, Conrad Buff, Curtis Gerard Delano, Nick Eggenhofer, Freemont Ellis, Nicolai Fechin, Albert Larry Groll, Lajos Markos, Florence McClung, Thomas Moran, Sheldon Parsons, Bert Phillips, Burt Procter, Carl Redin, Marjorie Reed, Diego Rivera, Frederic Remington, Porfirio Salinas, Charles Schrevogal, Joseph Sharp, Rufino Tamayo, Harold Waldrum, Andy Warhol (his Western Character series), Francisco Zuniga and others.

Works by members and participants in the Cowboy Artists of America, National Academy of Western Art and the Prix de West Exhibitions will be offered including: Cyrus Afsary, Roy Anderson, Bill Anton, Joe Beeler, Duane Bryers, Gary Carter, Michael Coleman, Fred Fellows, Ed Fraughton, David Halbach, John Hampton, Harry Jackson, Harvey Johnson, R. Brownell McGrew, Dan Mieduch, John Moyers, Gary Niblett, George Phippen, Robert Pummill, James Reynolds, Craig Tennant, Olaf Wieghorst and more.  Highlights include a major oil painting by Bob Kuhn depicting deer in flight, and two Grand Canyon works by Curt Walters and three paintings by Martin Grelle.

Other Gallery favorite artists included are: Nelson Boren, Michael Coleman, Nicholas Coleman, Stan Davis, David Drinkard, Jay Dusard, Veryl Goodnight, Doug Hall, Tom Gilleon, Gary Kapp, Tim Solliday, Karmel Timmons, Karl Thomas, Kim Mackey, Kim Wiggins and Jie Wei Zhou

Call: 505-983-1590 for additional information and to order a catalog ($40), or visit the galleries website at: www.altermann.com.  The catalog can be viewed online.

DIVERSE TREADWAY AUCTION FEATURES THE BEST OF 20TH CENTURY DESIGN

            Oak Park, IL - Treadway Gallery of Cincinnati, Ohio has scheduled a wonderfully diverse auction of fine and decorative arts for Sunday, December 7th.  Furniture, lamps, pottery, glass as well as paintings and etchings will be offered at this three-session sale.  The sale will be held at the John Toomey Gallery in Oak Park, Illinois starting promptly at 10 a.m. on the 7th. Pre-auction preview hours are: Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Monday, December 1, 2008 through Wednesday, December 3 from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. each day; Thursday, December 4, 2008, 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Friday, December 5, 2008, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, December 6, 2008 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

            Some 1,100 lots will be sold on Sunday with the first session covering Arts & Crafts/Art Nouveau.  Although choice examples of Mission and Arts & Crafts style furniture will be a highlight of this portion of the sale there will also be a nice range of art pottery, glass and other decorative pieces. Grueby, Teco and Newcomb College are among the potteries featured. Lots offered include a large Grueby pottery vase with carved and applied leaves under a green matte glaze ($9,000-12,000), a Newcomb College pottery vase painted with yellow crocus, ca. 1903 ($7,000-9,000); and a very rare Adelaide Alsop Robineau vase covered in a brown and tan glaze with large red crystals ($10,000-15,000). The rarest example of the potter's art is a very rare 20” high Walrath vase featuring brown pine cones and green pine needles, expected to sell in the $20,000-30,000 range.  Some nice examples of European art pottery are also included with several nice examples of Amphora being sold including an 8 1/2" high four-sided vase designed by Nikolaus Kannhauser and featuring a wonderful Art Nouveau female portrait in the Sovereign of the Night design.

            For those who love fine art glass there will be a nice selection of Tiffany and Steuben pieces as well as a superb Quezal jack-in-the-pulpit vase with a green and gold pulled feather design ($12,000-17,000).

            Also featured in Session One are textiles, metalwork and printed artworks. A bulbous hand-hammered copper jardiniere by Dirk Van Erp is expected to sell in the $4,000-5,000 range while a selection of Edward Sheriff Curtis photogravures of Native Americans are estimated at $2,000-4,000.

            Some of the finest examples of Arts and Crafts furniture offered recently are a major focus of Session One.  Choice examples of Gustav Stickley's work include a three-door oak bookcase with original dark finish ($15,000-25,000), a large dining/library table, Model No. 622 ($8,000-10,000) and a unique side chair designed by Harvey Ellis and decorated with fine inlay ($7,000-9,000). Other furniture makers of the early 20th century are also being sold. These include a rare L. & J.G. Stickley oak settle, Model No.234 ($15,000-20,000), an unusual tall case inlaid mahogany clock by Shop of the Crafters and designed by Pal Horti. This "Manchester" model, features a unique Egyptian Revival design with inlaid tall papyrus blossoms up the front corners. Most unique among the Arts & Crafts furniture offerings is an extremely rare Charles Rohlfs tall-back side chair. The very tall slender back features a detailed carved and pierced organic design above the rounded seat raised on scroll-cut front and rear stretchers.  Produced around 1900 this fabulous piece is expected to reach the $30,000-40,000 range.

            Lamps round out Session One with prime examples of Tiffany and Handel lamps for sale. The finest lamp offered, expected to be top lot of this sale, is an important Tiffany Studios "Peony" pattern table lamp estimated to sell in the $90,000-125,000 range. A couple of other fine Tiffany table lamps include a seven-lily model with upright arms fitted with gold Favrile shades ($15,000-20,000) and a blown Favrile design with the baluster-form base and domical shade both in gold iridescent glass finely carved with green leafy vine designs ($15,000-17,000). For those who are attracted to the fine lamps from Handel this sale includes a wonderful floor lamp with a slender bronzed metal standard supporting an octagonal paneled shade with each panel overlaid in metal filigree with a cattail design hand-painted in naturalistic colors ($20,000 - 25,000) and a hanging lantern-style ceiling fixture with each of the six side panels overlaid in a metal filigree palm tree design backed by mottled red and orange slag glass ($7,000 - 9,000).

            American & European Paintings are the focus of Session Two with a wide variety of oil paintings, engraving and lithographs spanning the century between 1870 and 1970 offered.  Among the works by American artists is a wildlife painting of flying ducks by Harry Curieux Adamson titled "Cloudy Dawn Canadian Hawkers," ca. 1945 ($6,000 - 8,000); an oil, "Women in an Interior," by Eda Elisabeth Sterchi  ($17,000 - 22,000) and a "Paris Street Scene" by Aaron Douglas ($15,000-25,000). One of the most iconic American works is an Andy Warhol exhibition poster silkscreen featuring a portrait of Elizabeth Taylor, ca. 1964-65. It is signed in ink and is expected to top out in the $20,000 - 30,000 range. European works of art included in this session include paintings by Edouard Frederic Wilhelm Richter (French); William Stephen Coleman (British); Bela Kadar (Hungarian); Charles Louis Baugniet (Belgian) among many, many others.

            Session Three - 1950s/Modern/Art Deco - closes out the sale.  Once again Modernist furniture designs spanning the 1930s through the 1970s are a major focus of this session.  However, many unique lighting devices are also offered as well as a selection of ceramic and glass art pieces (Rene Lalique "Archers" vase in amber frosted glass  ($9,000 - 12,000); colorful Michael and Frances Higgins mobile  ($1,200 - 1,500).

            Many of the most famous American furniture designers of the post-war era have pieces offered here, including George Nelson, Paul Evans, Edward Wormley, George Nakashima and Charles and Ray Eames.  Highlighted pieces by George Nakashima include a "Sundra" coffee table in elm, laurel and walnut from 1961 ($3,000-3,500) and a wonderful side cabinet in laurel, elm and rosewood, 1961 ($7,000-9,000).  Several classic Edward Wormley designs, produced by Dunbar, include a pair of lounge chairs with mahogany frames covered in off-white leather ($3,000 -5,000), a three-door mahogany sideboard ($3,000 - 4,000) and an executive desk in rosewood and mahogany with two roll-tops ($5,000 - 7,000).  Quite a variety of Charles and Ray Eames designs are featured in this sale including their "3473" aluminum group sofa produced by Herman Miller ($1,500 - 2,000), their RAR molded fiberglass rocking chair by Herman Miller ($500 - 700), and their iconic "670/671" black leather lounge chair and ottoman with a molded rosewood plywood shell, also made by Herman Miller ($2,500-3,500).

            A fine selection of Modernist European designs round this section and include an Arne Jacobsen "Egg" chair and ottoman, produced by Fritz Hansen, with its original tan wool upholstery ($2,500 - 3,500); a Gio Ponti sideboard cabinet in walnut with a simple rectangular design, made by Singer & Son ($5,000 - 7,000); and an Archizoom Associati "Superonda" modular sofa in red shiny vinyl over foam, produced by Poltronova, Italy ($3,000 - 5,000)

            All of this and so much more will cross the auction block at the John Toomey Gallery showroom facility located at 818 North Boulevard in Oak Park, Illinois on Sunday, December 7th. Mark that date on your calendar and join the in-house crowd of 100-150 bidders or make your bid by phone or on-line via eBayLiveAuctions and LiveAuctioneers.com .

            For further details check out the Treadway-Toomey Galleries and their calendar of upcoming auctions at their web site, www.treadwaygallery.com .

Exciting New Date for The Guilford Antiques Show

Rhinebeck, NY,

Barn Star Productions manager Frank Gaglio and the Dorothy Whitfield Historical Society have announced a new exciting date of Saturday, February 21 & Sunday, February 22, 2009 for it’s annual Guilford Antiques Show at the Elisabeth Adams School, 233 Church Street, Guilford, CT.

This year will mark the 40^th year anniversary of the event benefiting the Hyland House Museum in Guilford, a preeminent museum of colonial life, art and architecture.  

Manager Gaglio comments, “This wonderful antiques show featuring over forty New England, New York and New Jersey dealers has been a mainstay for collectors of early Americana, and now art, garden decorations and furniture as well as estate jewelry, clocks, ceramics and fine prints. Last year’s event in April was an overwhelming success under Barn Star Productions management. However this year our Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 23^rd Street Armory Antiques Show fell on the same weekend creating a date conflict. After polling Guilford exhibitors and reviewing the annual calendar of antiques shows, our new February date met with the most approval. Dealers are also thrilled to have another winter show to look forward to fill their schedule. We look forward to building on the positive aspects Barn Star has brought to this show and making it even better this time around”.

For more information and show updates, please visit www.barnstar.com or www.hylandhouse.com. To receive a detailed show announcement card, please email name and address to: barnstar1@aol.com or call (845) 876-0616. 

DOING IT RIGHT!

D.C. BIG FLEA DRAWS THEM IN BY

THE THOUSANDS

DEALERS BUSY AT THE SEPTEMBER SHOW

How do you bring them to your door by the thousands and keep them coming back for more?  How do you make each show a winner, even in tough economic times?  If there is a magic formula, the D.C. Big Flea has it!  The recent September show brought in thousands of customers, dispelling the idea that we are all staying at home to conserve on gas, while glued to our tv sets for the latest stock market news.

          Adjusting to the times; that is a key factor in the D.C. Big Flea’s success.  Here is a show that offers a winning combination of affordable booth prices – so important in this economy – along with strong dealer support in the form of advertising and promotion right were it counts (in the newspapers consumers read over coffee, the shows they watch, and the radio programs they tune into on their way to work).

          The D.C. Big Flea has fine-tuned its operation to adapt to the times with a show that is accessible and user-friendly for both participants and showgoers alike.  “This was our fourth D.C. Big Flea,” commented Chuck Johnson of Emma Jean’s General Store in West Virginia.  “Prior to the show, we were concerned about how the economy might affect sales, but, for this show our sales were actually higher.”  At 9:00 am when the doors opened, by sister was alone, manning the booth and was overwhelmed with customers.  The aisles were really crowded.”  For Johnson, the pull of nostalgia continues to drive sales.  High on the list are collectibles that remind customers of their own childhood and far simpler times with sales strong and steady for vintage advertising signs and children’s toys.  He also brought a collection of store fixtures from the family’s general store in West Virginia, still run by Chuck’s Mother, that delighted showgoers.  The original display counters and such accessories as glass candy jars bring a much-longed-for homey touch to today’s modern kitchen.

          An important ingredient in the Fall show’s success was the willingness of dealers to self-promote.  Ashley Dettor and Bob French of Antiques on Eleven in Richmond, Va., have participated in past D.C. Big Fleas and personally send invitations to their clients to visit each show.  “We have had wonderful response to our specialty – ceramics, decorative arts and period American furniture – from both customers who responded to the invitations and from fresh showgoers.”  Our intention is to exhibit in each of the upcoming D.C. Big Flea markets and actively build a following of dedicated buyers.”  It is this extra effort to build promotion into the show experience that is giving many dealers the edge.

          “This is a time when it is especially important to work with your customers,” notes Johnson.  One of the most unusual items that he sold at the September show was a two-seater playground carousel from the 20s.  The sale took place on a Sunday.  When the customer expressed interest in the carousel, but wondered how to get it home (10 miles away), Chuck immediately jumped into his van and solved the problem with no delivery fee.  Now, that’s real customer service.

          He adds that this is the time to generate booth traffic by offering special promotions.  Signs in booths inviting showgoers to make an offer and special “mark-down” tables were spotted at the September show and did an effective job, while stimulating sales of higher-end merchandise as well.  Once in the booth, customers not only checked out the marked down table, they gravitated to higher-end merchandise as well which resulted in additional sales.

          Furniture moved well at the September show, with sales not confined to smaller pieces.  First time exhibitor, Pat Kolby, sold a three-piece parlor set circa 1870s that was one of the most unusual and stunning pieces in her collection.  The set, priced at $1800, featured intricately carved female heads on the chair backs.  A huge bookcase in tiger oak and a large primitive pine cupboard which sold for $1275 were among her best furniture sales.  “Everything was priced well at this show,” notes Ms. Kolby.  Dealers were very realistic in terms of their prices.”

          “You have to work harder in this market and be open to change,” adds Dick Timme of Antiques & Appraisals, who bypasses local Connecticut shows in favor of the D.C. Big Flea.  “You need to keep moving and find new ways to present your merchandise.  Many of the antique dealers who did well as the show had an excellent presentation, setting up their booths as room-settings.  If you present your merchandise right, it works!”  “It’s time to sharpen the presentation. “  Mr. Timme was among the dealers for whom furniture moved well.  “Antique furniture is a god investment from the standpoint that you are getting a lot of design and craftsmanship for your investment.  It stands the test of time.  Not true for much of the furniture made today.”  He sees 50s mahogany furniture picking up in interest as it is very affordable.  Dick experienced good sales in flatware, sterling hollowware and small paintings.  He adds that silver is an excellent purchase for consumers as the metal itself will always have value. “

          Participants consistently commented on the quality of the show.  “We were in excellent company,” says Ms. Kolby.  “While the name of the show connotes bargains, the D.C. Big Flea delivers quality far beyond the average flea market, offering a vast array of fine antiques and popular collectibles.  There’s truly something for everyone.”  The diversity of the show and its excellence have made it a strong contender in the fine arts and antiques category, as well as in the highly specialized collectibles market. And that’s no small accomplishment in today’s ever changing market.  The next D.C. Big Flea is Nov. 1 & 2, 2008 at the Dulles Expo Center, Washington, D.C.  For more information contact:  Leigh Infield Associates, 212/691-7297.

2009 DATES FOR D.C. BIG FLEA MARKET SHOWS: 

            January 10 & 11, 2009

            March 7 & 8, 2009

            July 18 & 19, 2009

            September 19 & 20, 2009

       November 7 & 8, 2009

JULIA’S ANNOUNCES MAJOR

TOY, DOLL, ADVERTISING, AND COIN-OP AUCTION

Fairfield, Maine.  November 20, 2008 – For over 40 years the firm of James D. Julia has been known for handling some of the finest quality collections.  This auction is no exception as they present another stunning and diverse array of quality goods.  The upcoming sale is highlighted by the Geraldine Gaba Estate of Scottsdale, Arizona.  The late Mrs. Gaba’s superb collection of dollhouses and exquisite miniatures is one of the finest collections of its type to hit the market in many years.  This collection will be joined by many fine dolls, rare toys, a wide variety of slot machines and other coin-op, quality advertising items including selections from the Phillip H. Morse Collection (vice chairman and co-owner of the Boston Red Sox), salesman samples, and much more.

Julia’s recent foray to the Southwest yielded two truckloads full of items from the Estate, and will be offered over three separate auctions.  Julia’s will first offer the late Mrs. Gaba’s collection of dollhouses, room settings, and unbelievable miniatures that she amassed over the last 50 years.  Included will be over 30 houses and room settings including Gottschalk, Hacker, homemade examples, and many others.  Complementing the grouping will be hundreds upon hundreds of top shelf miniature furniture pieces and accessories to fill these dwellings such as Biedermeier, Waltershausen, artisan pieces including Renee Isabelle, which with their incredible detail are considered some of the finest available today, and delicate ormolu accessories.  This collection is absolutely fresh to the market and will be sold unreserved!

A deluxe full-color catalog for the auction will be available for $35 including Priority shipping and prices realized list after the sale.  Free full-color, detailed, illustrated brochures are available by contacting the Julia offices.  The catalog will also be available on Julia’s website at www.juliaauctions.com .  Previews: November 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and November 20, 8 a.m.-10 a.m. at Julia’s auction facility in Fairfield, Maine on Rt. 201, Exit 133 off I-95.  Auction commences at 10 a.m. on November 20.  Experts and cataloguers Jay Lowe and Mike Caffarella will available the week of the sale for questions or consultation.  For more information about this and other exciting sales, contact Andrew Truman at 207-453-7125, by email: atruman@jamesdjulia.com , or visit Julia’s website at www.juliaauctions.com .

New Barn Star Show:

Autumn Hartford Antiques Show, October 2009

 

Rhinebeck, NY,

Barn Star Productions and Frank Gaglio are pleased to announce the creation of a new fall event, the Autumn Hartford Antiques Show, October 31-November 1, 2009 in Hartford, Connecticut.

With the recent cancellation of the Fall Hartford Antiques Show, Barn Star will fill the gap left in dealers and collectors fall schedule and endeavor to restore the excitement and fine quality antiques show Hartford has become known for.

Comments show promoter Frank Gaglio, “I have been looking for an opportunity to bring New England another Barn Star event and when the Expo Center presented availability, Hartford became that event. We are thrilled at the number of longtime and high end Hartford dealers that have already heard about this new show and have requested a contract.”

The Autumn Hartford Antiques Show will present your favorite dealers in room setting booths, focusing on the traditional Americana, plus selected dealers in other categories including art, jewelry, garden, pottery, textiles, maps, glass, early toys, prints, folk art, hooked and oriental carpets. We’ll also be introducing a taste of mid-century modern and English antiques, bringing the show full circle in period, style and taste. Our goal is to create a show everyone will shop and enjoy.

The Connecticut Expo Center has become a popular location among show goers and dealers for its’ ample free parking, easy loading and access from major highways.

With a whole year to build the show, we are planning an extensive ad campaign to get the word out and generate anticipation. Mark your calendar now for this great opportunity to enhance your collection or start building one.

Please visit www.barnstar.com for updated show information, or to be considered for a show contract call our office at (845) 876-0616 or email to barnstar1@aol.com.

JULIA’S ANNUAL SAMOSET ANTIQUES & FINE ART AUCTION

THE BIGGEST MAINE HAS EVER SEEN!

James D. Julia’s spectacular antiques & fine art auction at the Samoset Resort in Rockland, Maine has long been the pinnacle of the summer auction season.  With each passing year, the Fairfield, Maine auction firm amazes and delights auction goers with an even greater offering of fine antiques than the previous year, consistently exceeding the last in quality and quantity.  This time the three-day extravaganza featured over 1,700 lots with a total gross of over $5 million, making it their biggest summer antiques auction to date.  Bidders in attendance were treated to the breathtaking display in the posh ballroom and adjoining halls of Maine’s most luxurious resort and it was a sight to be held.

From the very first lot of the three-day extravaganza, it was obvious that this was to be no ordinary auction.  The sale featured nearly 750 pieces of fine artwork, high style Victorian contents of a Gulf Coast mansion, early American furniture, folk art, weathervanes, pottery, and fine antiques of every kind from some of the finest estates and collections to hit the auction block in many years.  Included were the contents of the Richard Paine Estate of Seal Cove, Maine, whose auto museum was a world renowned attraction.  His tremendous collection of folk art included a variety of rare weathervanes highlighted by one in the form of a full-bodied standing mule.  Circa late 19th Century, this possibly unique form was a must have for two phone bidders who refused to let it go without a fight.  Only one could be victorious in the end, and that is the one who was willing to pay $117,300 with no deference to its $20,000-30,000 estimate.

Julia's upcoming auctions include their fabulous firearms and military memorabilia auction will take place October 6 & 7 that will offer between $14-20 Million in rare antique firearms including what is considered the finest martial Colt Walker in existence and is estimated for $500,000-1,000,000.  Julia’s toy & doll auction as well as a rare lamp & glass auction will follow in November, and their next antiques & fine art auction is scheduled for February 2009.  Julia’s is currently accepting consignments for these and other upcoming auctions.  Call immediately for inclusion in these exciting sales.  For more information, contact their offices at 207-453-7125.  James D. Julia, Inc., P.O. Box 830, Dept. PR, Fairfield, ME 04937.  E-mail: info@jamesdjulia.com .

USArtists: American Fine Art Show, the largest show and sale of work by AmericaN artists in the country, benefits Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, October 17-19, 2008

Philadelphia, Pa. (April 14, 2008) -- Over 50 of the leading art galleries from around the country will gather once again in Philadelphia for the largest exhibit and sale of work by American artists in the nation. The 17^th annual USArtists: American Fine Art Show is open to the public from Friday, October 17, through Sunday, October 19, at the 33^rd Street Armory in Philadelphia, Pa. USArtists is presented for the fifth consecutive year by Pitcairn, one of the world’s leading multi-family offices. The Women’s Board of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) produces the show. Funds raised by the Women’s Board through USArtists and other events directly support student scholarship and museum programs.

USArtists provides the opportunity to view and purchase over 5,000 pieces of original work brought in by the country’s most prestigious galleries from New York to California, Maine to Florida, and many points in between. “Collectors of fine art consider the show a unique opportunity to purchase from a vast selection of exceptional work.  Some pieces at USArtists are acquired for museums, but most purchases go to private collections, so in many cases this is a last chance to view a particular piece by a favorite artist,” said USArtists co-chair Susan Muller. Featured dealers for the 2008 show include Adelson Galleries of New York, N.Y.; John H. Surovek Gallery of Palm Beach, Fla.; Walker-Cunningham Fine Art of Boston, Mass.; Godel & Co. Fine Art, Debra Force Fine Art, Inc. and Gerald Peters Gallery – all of New York, N.Y. New dealers joining the show this year include Robert Henry Adams Fine Art of Chicago, Ill.; Principle Gallery of Alexandria, Va.; Papillon Gallery of West Hollywood, Calif.; and Gratz Gallery of New Hope, Pa.

“The series of events during the show include a Preview Gala on Thursday evening, October 16, and New Collectors Night on Friday, October 17,” added co-chair Ellie Fine. “We will have a Family Day on Saturday that should be a lot of fun, with special activities planned for children.” On Friday and Saturday, visitors may attend free lectures by the art dealers on topics that range from remarkable women artists to displaying and protecting your art collection. Throughout the show, attendees will also have the opportunity to observe students from PAFA sketch models. PAFA-trained docents will also offer personalized tours each day before the show opens to the public.

General admission to USArtists is $15 and includes a bound, full-color show catalogue. Seniors, students with ID, and groups of six or more pay $12. Group docent tours are $18 per person. Discounted tickets of $12 are also available at www.usartists.org . The show is open to the public from 11 am to 8 pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday. Tickets are also available for the Thursday night Preview Gala ($125 to $550) and the New Collectors Night ($75). For tickets and additional information, call 215.972.7639 or visit www.usartists.org.

Admission to USArtists also includes one free admission to PAFA good for the entire year. PAFA, founded in 1805 by artist, scientist and civic leader Charles Willson Peale, is the oldest museum and school of fine arts in the country. PAFA is located at 128 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, less than two miles from the USArtists show site. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm. For information, visit www.pafa.org .

USArtists is produced by the Women’s Board of PAFA, which is committed to furthering PAFA’s mission. The Women’s Board, established nearly 60 years ago, h as been a vital supporter of PAFA through its events and other fundraising efforts. For more information about the Women’s Board, visit www.usartists.org .

Pitcairn helps families sustain and grow the substantial, and often complex, financial assets and the unique heritage of its clients across multiple generations. Pitcairn has been recognized as an innovator and leader in the multi-family office industry since its inception as a family office in 1923. Today, Pitcairn’s pioneering spirit continues to redefine the family office experience for generations of the world’s wealthiest families. Pitcairn serves its clientele and their advisors from locations in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. For more information, call 800.211.1745 or visit www.pitcairn.com.

Roger King Gallery Features Masterwork by Frederic Edwin Church: The Ruins at Sunium

The Roger King Gallery in Newport has recently acquired a major painting by Frederic Church, one of the most renowned painters of the Hudson River School. Church’s most famous works are extravagantly large scenes of exotic landscapes and natural wonders known for their impeccable attention to detail, masterful composition, and deft treatment of light. The Ruins at Sunium, Greece is one of the most important Church paintings in private ownership to become available. Its arrival in Newport coincides with the gallery's landscape exhibit "Landscapes Near and Far" which has been extended through April. (The Church joins Wilderness Idyll by another master of American landscape painting, Robert S. Duncanson, who painted primarily in the West. The Duncanson was part of a family collection which had not been publicly exhibited before coming to the gallery earlier this year. The presence of both paintings together is a rare opportunity to see important works by the two artists outside a museum.)

The artistically precocious Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900) was born in Hartford, Connecticut to an affluent family. He showed artistic talent at an early age and became the only student ever accepted by Thomas Cole, the founder of the Hudson River School. Church proved to have an extraordinary talent for draftsmanship and as a colorist. After studying at Cole's studio in the Catskills, Church moved to New York, where he became one of the youngest artists to be elected to the National Academy of Design. He painted large-scale scenes in New York and the Northeast until 1853, when he traveled from Colombia to Ecuador. He followed the route taken by the naturalist-explorer Alexander Humboldt in 1802, and the influence of Humboldt’s writings and those of art theorist John Ruskin are evident in his work. Church abandoned the romanticism and allegory for which Cole was famous, embracing instead the study of natural sciences and a heightened sense of realism. 

Upon his return from his South- and Central-American trips, Church's rise to popularity was meteoric. His landscapes from this period are filled with images of volcanoes, cataracts and other natural wonders. Within these vast and dramatic landscapes, Church gave meticulous attention to atmospheric and meteorological conditions and details of geology and botany. A contemporary art critic observed that in his "elaborate studies of vegetation...every local trait (is) carefully noted." In 1861 Church traveled to the Arctic to paint icebergs; subsequently he traveled to Jamaica and the tropics; and in 1867 he traveled to Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. Enormous and breathtaking pictures like Niagara (now in the collection of the Corcoran Gallery) and Heart of the Andes (at the Metropolitan Museum) caused a sensation when they were first presented to the public.

Church was fascinated by ancient civilizations. His works often contain allusions to history, commenting metaphorically on the vicissitudes of humanity and nature in the relentless march of time. They embody realism and accuracy while simultaneously enveloping the whole in a sense of timelessness. In The Ruins of Sunium, the afterglow of a sunset highlights the remains of a classical colonnade, perched high on a promontory overlooking a pastoral valley. Church emphasizes the remains of a once-glorious civilization, underscoring both its majesty and its decline, by bathing it in the almost-lurid pink light of a waning sunset. The drama and poignancy of the scene is reinforced by the rapid disappearance of a luminescent sky as it fades away into the somber tones of rock and vegetation. In the foreground, a peasant with a water jug makes her way along an aqueduct remaining from an ancient empire.

Church was as astute about marketing his paintings as he was in painting them. Although he was highly acclaimed in artistic circles and a prominent member of the National Academy, he never exhibited any of his "Great Pictures," as he called his massive landscapes, at the National Academy, the standard outlet for artists of the day. Instead, he arranged separate showings at a private venue where patrons paid a fee to see his newest work. Immediately prior to this exhibit (which was timed to coincide with the annual exhibition of the National Academy), Church would hold a "mini-exhibit" of related plein-air studies and sketches in his own studio. Over the ensuing decades this approach became a formula adopted by other artists, leading to the growth of private galleries, dealers and art clubs to the detriment of the Academy's position in the forefront of the American art world.

In the 1870s Church collaborated with the architect Calvert Vaux to design a magnificent Moorish-influenced villa situated on a hilltop overlooking the Hudson River. The quasi-Persian fantasy that resulted was called Olana, and its design and decoration and the landscaping and cultivation of its acres of park-like grounds occupied much of Church's time and efforts for the rest of his life. He developed inflammatory rheumatism in his arm in 1877, which greatly curtailed his painting. He spent the remainder of his life at Olana and at his camp near Mount Katahdin, Maine.

“The Ruins at Sunium, Greece” is on view at Roger King Gallery of Fine Art, 21 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport beginning in April. For more information, contact the gallery at (401) 847-4359 or via email at paintings@rkingfinearts.com. The gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Nedra and Richard Matteucci acquire Morning Star Gallery

Nedra Matteucci Galleries is pleased to announce the purchase of Morning Star Gallery at 513 Canyon Road in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Nedra and Richard Matteucci are the owners of both Nedra Matteucci Galleries, leading seller of historical American and Western paintings, and Nedra Matteucci Fine Art, representing quality contemporary painting and sculpture. Morning Star Gallery, the world=B9s premier gallery for antique American Indian art, adds an important artistic and historical component to this mix.

Founded in 1984, Morning Star Gallery has been at the forefront of the collecting world of Native American artifacts for nearly two decades. The superior offerings of Morning Star Gallery are widely known and include their extraordinary collection of Navajo textiles, Pueblo Pottery, Southwestern jewelry, and features some of the most sought after examples o= f quilled and beaded artifacts from the Plains and Great Lakes Indian cultures. Nedra and Richard Matteucci, who have personally collected such works for many years, are excited to continue in the tradition of Morning Star and offer the best of Native American arts and artifacts through this beautiful gallery on Canyon Road in the heart of Santa Fe=B9s arts district.

To celebrate this purchase Nedra has scheduled the first major show at Morning Star Gallery under new ownership. In August 2002 the gallery will mount its inaugural exhibition featuring an important collection of Plains Indian dolls. In keeping with the tradition of all three galleries, it will be a unique opportunity in Santa Fe to view exceptional works of art, through this rare collection of finally crafted Native American dolls.

Nedra and her staff at all of her galleries continue to be committed to sharing the finest works of art and culture with the public. The staff is always available to provide up to date information for collectors as well a= s the consideration of acquisition of objects to our inventories.

Nedra Matteucci Galleries is at 1075 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501 tel 505-982-4631, www.matteucci.com

 

FURTHER INFORMATION AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Contact: Alex Hanna

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Upcoming Pappabello Shows

see http://www.pappabello.com/  for more info

 

  S H O W  C A L E N D A R

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JUNE 21, 22, 2008 NORTHERN VIRGINIA 20th ANTIQUES & MODERNISM SHOW & SALE THOMAS JEFFERSON CENTER, 3501 S. SECOND STREET, ARLINGTON, VA 22204 The Kiwanis Club of Arlington have been the sponsors of The Northern Virginia Antique Show & Sale for the last 20 years. The Art Deco Society of Washington (ADSW) will be a co sponsor as the new show will combine more than 100 general antiques dealers with an estimated 40 dealers of Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern, to once again support the Kwanis of Arlington in their major fund rasing event of the year. As sponsors of this event in the past the Kwanis of Arlington have raisied over $200,000, which allows the Kiwanis Club to support various community projects & charities plus provide scholarships. Your support of the Northern Virginia Antiques & Modernism Show & Sale is welcomed by The Kiwanis Club of Arlington and the Art Deco Society of Washington.

 

NOVEMBER 8 & 9 2008 McLEAN ANTIQUES SHOW McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Avenue, 60 Dealers. 95% renewal. Our smallest show, but one with loyal customers and strong buying. Contact office for info on available space.

 

 

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Stella Show Management  2007 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

. For more information: Stella Show
Management Company (212) 255-0020.

check www.stellashows.com for more info

    S   H  O  W    C  A  L  E  N  D   A  R

Antiques & Design in the Hamptons June 2008 In tents @ The Bridgehampton Historical Society Corwith House Museum 2368 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, NY 50 Exhibitors. Antiques & Design in the Hamptons August 2008 In tents @ The Bridgehampton Historical Society Corwith House Museum, 2368 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, NY 50 Exhibitors. The Country Living Fair September 2008 The pages of Country Living Magazine come to life! Antiques, Artisans, Home, Harvest & so much more. Rain or Shine!10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day Weekend Pass $20. Children Free. The Modern Show October 2008 69th Regiment Armory, Lexington Avenue @ 26th Street, New York City 100 Exhibitors Show Admission: $15   Gramercy Park Antiques Show October 2008 69th Regiment Armory, Lexington Avenue @ 26th Street, New York City 100 Exhibitors Admission: $15 The Pier Antiques Show November 2008 Passenger Ship Terminal Pier 94, 12th Ave.@ 55th St., NY 500 Exhibitors plus Fashion Alley. Admission: $15 Includes "others" ART SHOW on Pier 92 PLUS: The Pier Antiques Show Extension on 92 with 65 more exhibits! DOWNLOAD A SHOW PROGRAM! "OTHERS" An Art Show November 2008 The works of passionate & compulsive artisans. Pier 92, 52nd to 55th Streets & 12th Avenue, NYC. Admission: $15. Held in conjunction with The Pier Antiques Show on Pier 94

 

 

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©The Fine Arts Trader 2008