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| American Antiques & Folk Art |
| Sept 2011 Market, Schmarket So it’s the same old story, just a different day. As a matter of fact, you would have to be living under a rock not to know how very uncertain the stock market is. And yes, I am talking to YOU - I know you’re out there, somewhere…with your eyes glazed over from watching the fluctuating market, undoubtedly from the edge of your seat. How has that been working out for ya lately? Considering changing your strategy? Let’s ponder some other types of alternatives, shall we? You do have some other choices out there, let’s see now, there is…private equity, hedge funds, wind energy, hydrogen power and antiques...Wait - WHAT?!?! ANTIQUES!?! Yup! That’s what I said - now try to keep up with me here my good friends; antiques including fine art, wine and memorabilia. Not only do you receive stress-free enjoyment from your investment, it’s also appreciating in value through the years. Investing in antiques is rightly considered an alternative means to gain profitable returns. So, now…where do you believe you should be putting your money these days? .....I think you could guess as to where I am putting mine. |
| October 2011 Buy For Love “What do you collect?” I asked intriguingly to my soon-to-be client at one of our recent shows. After a moments thought she simply said, “Well – I really just buy what I love,” with a small shrug of her shoulder and a smile. What she may not have realized at the time is that she gave me an answer that I am hearing more often in today’s market. I find that today’s collector is extremely intelligent, eclectic, trendy, and not afraid to simply buy what they love and to mix it up! For instance; take a pair of 1940’s Leather Club chairs, a 16th c. Old Masters Painting, an Eero Saarinen table, an 1840’s Weathervane, a George Nelson coffee table, an 8-day Tall case Clock, a large sculptural vintage industrial machine part, a 17th c. Chinese Vase turned lamp, and toss in a colorful and heavy sprinkling of both Carnival & Folk Art and put it all together in one big room. You know what you’ll end up with? A classy, elegantly eclectic and well balanced room full of all the things you love and cherish. The old time antiques dealers used to say a great piece would “speak to them” – what I’d like to propose is: “let that great piece speak to YOU.” Every single one of these items can hold its own or flow beautifully together in one space. Long forgotten are the days where collectors would decorate their homes in one particular period, say Queen Anne, or Sheraton. Oh yes, times are (and have been) a changing, and as collectors (and dealers) we need to change with them and stay current. Open up any Elle Décor magazine or Traditional Home and study the interiors of these magnificent homes. You will see interiors that are eclectic, fun, or even vivacious in their settings. In a grim economy, most of us find ourselves entertaining more potluck dinner parties in our homes and surrounding ourselves with the ones and the things we love most. Collectors today are willing to spend more on that one particular item they are in love with, and to afford it - they are buying less. The 21st century collector deserves to spoil themselves and buy for love, pure and simple. These objects give us much in return, not only in an investment aspect, but in the joy they personally bring to us, our family, our friends and to whomever may visit. |
| November 2011 Never Eat Soggy Waffles; North, East, South, West American Antique Weathervanes Here is a rather interesting fact. Did you know that the very first weathervane was created in the first century, BC. It featured a strange looking creature similar to Triton, the Greek God of the Sea, and sat proudly on the “Tower of the Winds,” an octagonal marble clock tower in Athens. Weathervanes were made mostly by hand prior to the middle of the nineteenth century and crafted by skilled artisans in copper, iron, zinc, and even wood. Antique weathervanes are one of the most celebrated categories of folk art by collectors today. Due to the increasing popularity of collecting weathervanes, there are a high number of reproductions and theft, most probably due to their more recent and continuing rise in value over the past six years. General George Washington had commemorated the end of the Revolutionary War by having a weathervane commissioned by architect Joseph Rakestraw. Upon it’s completion in 1787, the vane was placed on top of his Mount Vernon Estate. This very special weathervane designed by Washington himself was the form of a dove, carrying an olive branch, signifying peace. |
| We all know Thomas Jefferson as not only the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and third President, but he was also a brilliant inventor. One of his inventions involved enhancing the design of his weathervane by extending its pole into his home, and placing a compass rose on the ceiling. This enabled him to see the wind's direction from indoors rather than being inconvenienced by going outside to see which way the wind was blowing at his Monticello Estate. |
| Following the Civil War, America returned to business and reconstruction. A considerable number of metal-working factories as well as weathervane manufacturers were established throughout New England. Most were made from sheets of copper that were hand hammered or press molded into the desired form. The three dimensional nature of most antique weathervanes meant that halves and pieces (up to twelve) had to be soldered together, so the proper fit and trim quality is another indication of age. During the late 19th century they were sold in shops, general stores, and mail order catalogues. Some well known makers were; L. W. Cushing, J. W. Fiske, Harris & Co., A. L. Jewell & Co., and E. G. Washburne & Company. They were offered at a variety of prices and easily accessible for their growing popularity. While shapes and sizes varied extensively, animals seemed the preferred choice among many including cows, pigs, steer, roosters, and horses. You can usually find a nice 19th century horse or rooster weathervane under five thousand dollars with which to start your collection. The race horses that were quite favored then as well as in today’s collecting are George M. Patchen, Dexter, Black Hawk, and Smuggler. Even more sought after forms because of their rarity would be Indians, trains, mermaids, firemen, Gabriel angels and patriotic themed designs such as the Goddess of Liberty. In January 2006 a figure of Liberty was sold at Christie’s in NY for a then record $1.08 million. Then in August of that same year, a copper steam train weathervane obtained 1.2 million in New Hampshire at Northeast Auctions. A home located in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan was owned by Josephine Ford, (Henry Ford’s granddaughter) and was exceedingly well known for her large collection of folk art, as well as antique furniture. On the roof of her home sat an outstandingly rare and considerably sized weathervane. This spectacular weathervane was in the likeness of an Indian chief hoisting a bow in the air. His embellishments included a fringed skirt, feathered headdress and stood 5 feet 2 inches tall. This Indian Chief vane hit the auction block on October 6, 2006 at Sotheby’s in New York and ended up selling for a whopping $5.84 million dollars. This weathervane still holds the record for the most expensive one ever sold and was purchased by Jerry Lauren, Executive VP of men’s designs at Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation. There are many celebrities today who collect antiques, including Oprah Winfrey who has some particularly wonderful horse vanes she has added to her Hawaii farmhouse estate, see picture at right. Antique weathervanes are extraordinary folk art objects that are indeed part of our American heritage and can add whimsy as well as sculptural art to any home décor. |
| Antique, I find comes from the Latin word "antiquus" meaning old. The French word “antique” which means ancient was brought into the English vocabulary after the Norman invasions. They had begun on September 28th in 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. This, in turn, brought about a transformation of the English language including the word “antique” as well as many other additions and adjustments to the English vocabulary. My personal definition of what an antique is would be something that is made from a previous era and yes, believe it or not, I do believe that can mean 20th century. Upon reading this, many purists out there would probably want to bonk me on the noggin with my now empty coffee mug because they firmly believe an antique has to be 100 years old or older. The fact is this - that in 1930 the United States Government ruled that objects had to be at least 100 years old to be classified as antiques, so they could be admitted as “duty-free” items. However, I must remind you that this determination was one of a legislative tax decision at that time and nothing to do with “antique” or its definition as we know it today. So whether or not you believe an antique has to be 100 years old or not, I have found that to most collectors it just doesn’t matter. They love the history of antiques as well as the thrill of the hunt, and the rarer the find, the bigger the reward. They purchase and collect for desirability, such as an item’s age, beauty, rarity, condition, utility, a personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features. And then again, perhaps it’s simply a way to connect with another time or possibly even another life. And finally, what can be better than enjoying the desire, dedication and love in purchasing, collecting and maybe even making a profit by those means. Well, okay now - NOW I can get back to work. From both Frank & I, at Kocian DePasqua, to all of you, we wish you all the very best in 2012! |
| January 2012 An Day in the Life I am compelled to say that I have really enjoyed my much needed hiatus, however short it was. I have spent the past couple of weeks simply enjoying the festivities of the holiday season with family and friends. Frank and I did our share of attending dinner parties, hosting Christmas cocktail gatherings, and meeting with friends at restaurants. We also entertained family who came to stay with us and just plain had fun! We rang in the New Year with friends, champagne and desserts galore, while at midnight our mouths dropped to the floor as we watched Jenny McCarthy making out with a very surprised NYC policeman, as our Grandfather clock gloriously struck twelve o’clock midnight. However soon enough, I find myself looking forward to normalcy and routine once again. A creature of habit, I suppose but I long to bury my nose back into those research books and materials, perusing the internet, buying/selling and just getting back into the grind of things. So here I am, on a frosty January morning of a chilly 16 degrees. I plop my ginormous coffee mug down and sit at my desk – oh, how I’ve missed you and have you missed me? I shift my weight on my chair a bit, and start to feel remorse for over indulging during the holidays. I gaze across the room out the large window and make another notation to myself to take down the Christmas lights outside. When a thought pops into my head “where in the world did the term “antique” come from?” I pondered, “Is it maybe a word that can be broken down as in “anti” but then what does “que” mean?” I eventually turn my attention to the steam gracefully rising up from my mug that reads “Dog Lover”, a favorite gift from one of my nephews. I take a big swig of coffee and then wince at how dumb that was as I felt it burn all the way down my esophagus. |
| Meg's Musings |
