Another Fantastic Goodwill Find

On several occasions I have walked into thrift stores and have found items that were vintage collectibles and that I thought might have some worth to someone.  My finds include a Royal Delft Bowl, Some Replogle Globes, Moon and Stars Compotes, Asian Ivory Wall Hangings and even a vintage toy Kaleidoscope.  These have all sold for a nice profit and I am always on the lookout for the next “great find.”  Unfortunately, my luck has not been as good as the lady in North Carolina this past April.

Beth Feeback is an artist who bought two large paintings at the local Goodwill.  Her intent was not to make a profit on them, but to paint over them.  You see, large blank canvases can cost quite a bit of money to an artist.  So many artist buy used paintings on canvas and then recycle the canvas by putting their own artistic creations on them.  Usually this is a very smart move because the paintings you find at thrift stores are mostly done by amateurs or recreational painters.  However, not so in this instance.

When she got home, Ms. Feeback did what I, and just about anyone else, would have done.  She “Googled” the artist’s names and to her surprise found that one of the artists was not an amateur at all, but none other than Illy Bolotowski.  To a lot of people, including Beth, the name would have probably meant nothing if she hadn’t searched it.  But as it turns out, Illy Bolotowski was a Russian born abstract painter from New York.

The painting Beth was about to paint over was titled Vertical Diamonds and it is estimated that it will bring in some $20,000 - $30,000 at auction.  In fact, the painting will be auctioned off in September.  Not a shabby find at the Goodwill Store for Beth Feeback and a nice tidy profit of probably over $20,000. 

Sebastiano Ricci Long Lost Painting to be Auctioned

Sebastiano Ricci an Italian Baroque style painter was born in August 1659 in Belluno, Italy. His early career as an artist took a bad turn when at the age of 19 he was accused of trying to poison the mother of his unborn child. However, one of his benefactors intervened on his behalf and he was released, at which time he moved to Bologna and where he got his first commission to paint the Decapitation of John the Baptist by the Fraternity of Saint John of Florence. His career took off after that as he was commissioned by more and more churches, statesmen and others for works of art.

His painting, The Vision of Saint Bruno, which had been thought lost, will be sold at auction on November 20, 2008. The painting, which measures about 36 inches by 48 inches, is believed to have been painted around 1705 and once belonged to a European nobleman and most recently to an American family in Texas. Heritage Auctions, which will handle the sale of the painting, expects the painting of a robed Saint Bruno looking at angels in the sky to bring in over $600,000. Ricci, the artist who almost blew it by going to jail, passed away in 1734 leaving the world with some of the most beautiful paintings or his time, over forty of which reside in world class museums today.

Lucien Freud Not Recession Proof Either

Yesterday it was Andy Warhol’s painting that did not reach its pre-sale estimate at an auction at Sotheby’s. Today, a rare Lucien Freud painting of Francis Bacon failed to reach its pre-sale estimate of about $14 million. The painting, which has been described as an unfinished portrait of his friend and painted around 1956, sold for about $9 million at a Christie’s Auction. Based on previous sales, the price was a bargain for a Freud painting.

In an article I wrote in my June 23, 2007 Newsletter, I described a portrait painting sold at Christie’s auction of another of Freud's friends, Bruce Bernard. It set a record auction price for a living artist. And yet another painting titled Benefits Supervisor Sleeping sold in May of this year for $33.6 million, which was at the higher end of the pre-sale estimate. Both Warhol and Freud failing to reach pre-sale estimates has many questioning whether the slump will continue as stocks take a roller coaster ride and credit is at a low even for the wealthy.

Andy Warhol Paintings Not Recession Proof

Many years ago, when I was a lot younger, I owned an Andy Warhol Coca Cola T-Shirt and boy do I wish I would have kept it around. Although probably not worth as much as one of his paintings, it is always nice to have pieces of memorabilia from your past. It wasn’t too long ago that all Warhol collectibles were going for a premium price, however in these days of economic recession prices seem to be down. This is even more evident in the art world. At a Sotheby’s Auction yesterday, many pieces of art went either unsold or brought it less money than they were expected to bring including the paintings by Andy Warhol.

A compilation of 10 silkscreen paintings of skulls, which was expected to bring in more than 12 million at auction, brought in a mere $7.5 million. This compilation of paintings was first put together by a Zurich art dealer, Thomas Ammann, in 1976 and is said to represent the “the literal multiplication of death.” Each of the 10 canvases in this compilation was painted in different and contrasting colors and were signed by Warhol, who was one of the central figures in the Pop Art movement. Last year, Christie’s, sold Green Burning Car I, by Andy Warhol for a record breaking price of $71 million.

Andy Warhol was born Andrew Warhola on August 6, 1928. Better known for his paintings and artwork, he was also a filmmaker, author and illustrator. In addition, he is also well known for the phrase that he coined regarding everyone’s “fifteen minutes of fame.” As with most artists, his work evolved as time went by. His works, which are as highly sought after today as they originally were, were the subjects of many scandals in the 1960’s. In the 1970’s, he toned down his celebrity and started getting more portrait commissions from the rich and famous including the Beatles’ John Lennon and Diana Ross of the Supremes.

Warhol was to evolve again in the 1980’s after some criticized his works of the 1970’s as too commercial and without substance. He started hanging around with other artists that were up and coming at the time including Jean-Michael Basquiat and David Salle. He had very successful exhibitions of his art and a resurgence in the interest of Warhol paintings again gripped art collectors. Unfortunately, his life was cut short and in 1987 after routine gall bladder surgery, Warhol had a heart attack and died. However, many would agree that Andy Warhol has overly exceeded his fifteen minutes of fame.

Scrimshaw Sells at Sotheby’s Auction

Scrimshaw is the name of the art that includes the carving of intricate and elaborate pictures on bones, whale teeth and sometimes the tusks of walruses. Mostly done by whalers, the carvings are normally then highlighted by adding pigments. It is believed that this art form had it’s heyday in the early 1800’s and survives today at the hands of a few hobbyists. The carvings are very sought after by collectors and can bring in tens of thousands of dollars. In September of 2005 we carried an article in our NOVA-Antiques Newsletter about carved whale tooth that brought in more than $270,000. This week, Sotheby’s announced the sale of another whales tooth.

This carving was done by William A. Gilpin and was actually signed. According to Sotheby’s this was important because other works belonging to this sailor could now be authenticated. Other examples of his existing works only contained the name of his ship, Ceres and the letter A. On this particular carving, one side of the whale tooth depicts the artist’s ship at sea on rolling waves of water. The other side of the tooth depicts a man in a tie holding his hat aloft and his hair blowing in the wind. The banner reads, “Free Trade and Sailor’s Rights.” Estimated to sell for $40,000 to $60,000, this whales tooth brought in $98,500.

When Wardrobe Resurfaces as Art

Aprons have been cooks’ companions for hundreds of years. Indeed, aprons were used by men and women for a variety of tasks long before they were seen on 1950s television. During this era, women were portrayed as homemakers and good mothers and you rarely saw them without their aprons. Some researchers point to Biblical references about aprons. They cite a passage in which Adam and Eve sewed together fig leaves to make aprons to cover themselves. We traditionally think of aprons being used for cooking, and while that is true, they have served as a cover-up for other tasks that tend to be messy. Occupations such as butchers, welders and bakers have always used aprons to protect both their clothing and bodies from their work.

For centuries, homemakers have used aprons. Even since the early 19th century, women have used aprons to keep their clothing clean. They have also used aprons to carry essential utensils such as rolling pins, for gathering and carrying eggs and for transporting kindling wood. Aprons have been an effective tool for many, many years. It was not until the 1940s and 1950s that society started to see the stereotypes of the ""perfect mother"" who always wore an apron, no matter what. Until that time, aprons were thought of as a functional piece of the wardrobe.

Today’s aprons are more stylish. Perhaps surprisingly, aprons have made a fashionable comeback, even making occasional runway appearances in the form of the apron dress. You can find aprons at Aprons Info.

NOVA-Antiques Newsletter Archive – September 28, 2006 . . .

Reward Offered for Stolen Art Cache

I have written about how only dumb thieves steal art in the past but it their just doesn’t seem to be a shortage of dumb crooks in this world. The fact that artwork is recognizable, identifiable or harder to sell than other things does not stop those with a low IQ and the irrational thought that they could make quick money. Now police in Los Angeles are offering a reward and looking for the person or people that were dumb enough to steal a cache of specialized artwork that included paintings by Gorky, Soutine, Chagall and Diego Rivera. Experts have said that some of the paintings are worth more than $4 million.

The owners of the stolen art cache were in another part of the house when this theft occurred and police speculate that the thieves must have worked very quickly to remove the paintings by a side door. They also believe that the thieves may have been familiar with the couple’s routine. The sophistication and the smartness of the art thieves themselves will be evident when, not if, the artwork is recovered. The artwork will be recovered either at a flea market or when someone tries to sell it in Europe ten years from now. The authorities have contacted all of the major auction houses, show promoters, art dealers and others to be on the lookout for the paintings. A $200,000 reward has been offered.

Lucien Freud Painting of Francis Bacon to Bring in Millions

Lucien Freud paintings have been bringing in record auction prices for the past couple of years. Christie’s in London is reporting that this trend will probably continue on October 19, 2008 when Freud’s portrait of Sir Francis Bacon goes on the auction block. The unfinished painting, which he painted in 1956, is expected to bring in more than $12 million. This is one of two paintings that Lucien painted of his friend Bacon, the first painting has been missing with its whereabouts unknown. Pilar Ordovas, head of contemporary art at Christie’s was recently quoted by Reuters Life! Saying, “Lucien Freud and Francis Bacon are widely considered to be the most important British artists of the 20th Century.”

Lucien Freud was born in Berlin, Germany in 1922 to Ernst and Lucie. Lucien is the grandson of renowned psychiatrist Sigmund Freud, who founded the Psychoanalytic School of Psychology. In 1933, Lucien’s family moved to England. He studied at the Central School of Art in London, East Anglican School of Painting and Drawing and Goldsmiths College at the University of London. Early in his carrier, Freud was associated with the surrealist movement but in the 1950’s turned to portraits, many of them nudes as he tried to capture a subjects history and sensuality in his brushstrokes. In May of 2008 his nude portrait of friend and model Sue Tilley titled Benefits Supervisor Sleeping sold at Christie’s for $33.6 million and set the record for a living artist.

Jackson Pollock Most Expensive Painting in the World

It’s not a Goya, a Rembrandt, a Da Vinci or even Monet or Van Gogh. The correct answer is No. 5, 1948 and if you were playing the game show Jeopardy on television, which is one of my favorite shows, the question would be, “What is the world’s most expensive painting?” The painting, which looks like a bunch of drips on a canvas, was reportedly sold for $140 in a private deal brokered by Sotheby’s. According to published reports previous owner and entertainment mogul David Geffen sold the painting to Mexican financier David Martinez in November of 2006. So who exactly is Jackson Pollock?

Jackson Pollock who was born in Cody, Wyoming in 1912 was an abstract impressionist painter that some experts consider one of the most influential painters of the 20th Century. Pollock was married to Lee Krasner, herself a painter, and they moved New York in 1945. Their house in Long Island had a large barn on the premises that they turned into a studio. Soon after, Pollock started laying his canvases on the barn floor and began perfecting his “drip” technique. He experimented and tried many ways of dripping paint onto the canvas including using syringes, wooden sticks and just plain old pouring out of the can.

He numbered his paintings as opposed to naming them because he wanted people to use their imaginations as to what they saw and not be influenced by the artist interpretations. Some people have read too much into his art and have come to a decision that on some plain, Pollock used “mathematical” skills to build his paintings with “fractals,” whatever that means. It has been reported that Pollock was an alcoholic and looking at his paintings, I believe that the artist was just a little drunk, inspired and had fun. It is said the Pollock was influenced by sand paintings done by Native American people as well as David Alfaro Siqueiros, a Mexican muralist. Sadly, Pollock was killed in a single car crash in New York in 1956.

Moser Lavish and Extravagant Bohemian Art Glass

Moser Glass was founded by Ludwig Moser in Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary), Czech Republic in 1857. This area is well known for its Bohemian Glass and I had the opportunity to tour there twice in the 1990’s after the crumbling of the “wall,” the cold war and when the dollar was extremely high. The Moser Glass Company was going through a transformation at that time, but I did manage to pick up a few pieces of the luxurious and opulent art glass which I later sold at auction for a nice profit.

Moser Glass was originally an engraving studio where artists etched stags and wooded landscapes on glass blanks obtained from other manufacturers. However, in 1893 after opening their own glass manufacturing plant, their designs became more lavish and extravagant. Moser Glass can easily be identified by most collectors because of their design techniques which included applied glass acorns and “grapes” as well as applied enameled birds, oak leaves and bugs. Antique Moser Glass pieces can go at auction for hundreds of dollars with the rarer pieces going in the thousands of dollars.

Martin Johnson Heade – Luminism Style American Painter

A couple of weeks ago a Cape Cod, Massachusetts family found that a painting they had owned for generations was worth more than $1 million. The painting, titled “Haying on the Marsh” by Martin Johnson Heade was painted in the 1860’s. The family had no idea how much it was worth because the frame covered the artists name until they turned it over to Eldred’s Auction Gallery for appraisal. A pre-sale estimate by the gallery was determined to be about $500,000 and the family was pleasantly surprised when the painting brought in more than $1 million. Other Heade paintings have also sold for more than $1 million in previous auctions.

Martin Johnson Heade, a Luminism Style, American painter, was born in August of 1819 and is best known for seascape, still life and salt marsh landscape paintings. Although some art historians disagree, Heade is believed to have been part of the Hudson River School and many of his paintings were displayed at a major art exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1987. Heade didn’t begin exhibiting his works until 1841 after studying under Edward Hicks in Pennsylvania and traveling to Europe to practice his craft. It wasn’t until 1857 that he became interested in landscape painting and in 1859 moved to New York. Heade passed away in September of 1904.

Santos de Palo – Four Centuries of Folk Art in Puerto Rico

Santos de palo, or saints carved from wood, originated in Spain in the 1500’s. This folk art tradition was then brought to the Spanish colonies by explorers and people who immigrated into these lands, including Puerto Rico, which later became a U.S. territory. Associated with Christianity and Catholicism, the Santos were normally placed on an altar inside the home, where the family usually gathered for prayer. It was believed that the saints resided in the wooden carvings and thus would hear the people’s prayer. The Santos would then act as the intermediaries and communicate with God on behalf of the people saying the prayers. I can attest to this as my dear mother would always pray to San Judas Tadeo, Saint Jude Thaddeaus, in times of distress or when she wanted to keep our family away from trouble.

Santos in Puerto Rico are a four century folk art tradition. They were carved by artists known as a Santero and usually varied in style and design as well as dimensions. The style and design of the Santos were different depending on when they were made and where they were made. Primitive Santos are not as polished and clean as the colonial types of Santos. Some Santeros preferred to leave their Santos in a natural state to show the wood, others preferred to paint their pieces. My grandfather, Marcelino, was a Santero and he is said to have specialized in Los Tres Reyes Mago a Caballo, The Three Wise Men on Horseback (Three Kings). It is said by many that the Santero was inspired by a higher power and that it was not just a hobby or profession, I can confirm this as well as my grandfather was a spiritual man who truly had a higher calling.

Santos de palo are very collectible in every form and recently there has been a surge in their popularity as more and more Puerto Ricans are getting touch with their roots and their culture. In addition, art collectors are realizing the importance of this folk art form and it significance to the overall American culture that Puerto Ricans are now a large part of. A lot of people are also researching their roots as I have been doing and have found Santeros as ancestors as I have done. Unfortunately, most of the original antique and collectible Santos were unsigned by the Santero and can be difficult to authenticate them as genuine. However, in the past couple of years, El Museo de Los Santos in San Juan has been doing research and cataloging many of the specimens that they have found.

Pictured on the right is a picture of San Judas Tadeo, carved by Rubén Acevedo Méndez of Aguada, Puerto Rico. Rubén is one of the few young artists that remain true to their culture and is continuing to preserve the tradition of the Santero. This particular piece was made for Pope John Paul II and now resides in the Vatican, Rome.

Western Artist Charles Russell - Art Auction Brings in Millions

Charles Russell (1864-1926) was born in Missouri but found his way to Great Falls, Montana, which he adopted as his home and lived in for over 46 years. One of the greatest artists and sculptures of the American west, had humble beginnings working on a sheep ranch at the age of 16. His interest in the west, history and the outdoors along with his awareness of his environment gave him the ability to capture western landscapes, cowboys, and Indians in perfectly flowing colors, lines and exquisite detail.

Russell produced over 2000 works in his lifetime featuring his favorite subjects including paintings and sculptures. In 1926, Trails Plowed Under, a collection of his short stories were also published. Recently two of his artworks brought in more than $9 million at auction. The holdup, a painting by Charles Russell, showing a stagecoach being held up, sold for $5.2 million at the Coeur d’Alene Art Auction in Reno, Nevada. A bronze, Meat for Wild Men, depicting Native Americans on a buffalo hunt brought in more than $4.1 million.

The Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, 1,100,000 acres in north central Montana were named after this artist and includes native prairies, river bottoms and badlands. In addition, a lot of his artwork is on display at the C.M. Russell Museum, “A place where the old west is still alive.” The museum is located in Great Falls, Montana.

George Vlosich III – Vintage Etch a Sketch Toy on a New Level

I was reminiscing the other day about being a kid and not having a care in the world and playing with my toys. One such toy I remember getting one Christmas from my Aunt Lucy in New Jersey was an Etch a Sketch. I remember playing with that toy for hours, trying to “draw” animals and cars and such. The catch to this toy was that you had to be creative, because it was not like drawing on paper where you could lift your pencil; you had to draw with one continuous line. This is a difficult process at best, unless your name is George Vlosich III.

Mr. Vlosich has taken Etch a Sketch drawing to a higher level and it all started in 1989 when on a trip to Washington D.C., he started drawing the U.S. Capitol on his Etch a Sketch. He has now been perfecting his method of art and has been featured on many television programs to include, Inside Edition and American Journal as well on many news programs on all the major networks. He has created portraits of many different celebrities to include, President Clinton, Elvis Presley and the cast of the Andy Griffith Show. His works, which can take anywhere from 50 to 70 hours to produce, are just unbelievable. Click on the picture above to view his amazing work . . . .

NOVA-Antiques Newsletter Archive December 1, 2005 . . . .

Albright-Knox Art Gallery Acquires Curator & Collection in a Week

Some people only know about Buffalo because of the media and comedic hype about the weather and the all too famous snowstorms. Others know about Buffalo because there live the inventors of the savory and tasty Buffalo wings, or as others around the country may call them chicken wings. Yet still others know about Buffalo because of Scott Norwood’s wide right kick and subsequently four straight Super Bowl losses by the Bills. However, last week, Buffalo was in the national news twice and both times it was because of one the great institutions of the majestic city on the Lake Erie, otherwise known as the Queen City. That great institution is none other than The Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

For those who don’t know, The Albright-Knox Art Gallery has the most “modern important collection of modern and contemporary art outside of the Museum of Modern Art,” according to Charles Banta, president of the gallery board. The building, which was started in 1890 by John J. Albright and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is impressive on its own, but the collections donated by philanthropists A. Conger Goodyear, Seymour Knox and now Count Giuseppe Panza di Biumo make it one of the most impressive galleries in the world with one of the most impressive collections of modern and contemporary art in the world.

Reportedly, Panza came to Buffalo last fall under the pretense of supervising the installation and display of his private collection of modern art at the Museum. The exhibit of his artwork, which is both large and impressive, was to have been from November to this past February. This past week his true intentions became known when 71 paintings, installations and sculptures became a partial gift to the museum. This exhibition spans a 40 year period leading up to the 1960’s and meshes well with the museums primary holdings which include much post 1960 modern abstract art. The worth of the partial Panza collection is valued at more than $3 million.

In the second piece of good news coming from the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Heather Pesanti was hired as assistant curator of contemporary art. Ms. Pesanti has a lengthy resume and was most recently with the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh and before that was with the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art. According to reports, she will be focusing her skills and abilities on the museum’s collection of modern and contemporary art, which means she will probably be working closely with the Panza collection that was just acquired.

Ancient Art Elvis Look-a-Like to be Auctioned

In October, Bonhams will auction a 2000 year old Roman bust as part of an antiquities auction. However, this is not any run of the mill bust or any run of the mill antique for that matter. This bust has an uncanny resemblance to the King of Rock and Roll himself, the late great Elvis Presley. The collection belongs to Australian collector Graham Geddes who thinks this ancient art piece resembles the man himself and so he calls it Elvis.

This ancient piece of art is actually an ornament called an acroterion which normally decorates a sarcophagi. Sarcophagi were most often designed to remain above ground, and thus were often ornately carved, decorated or elaborately constructed. Some were built to be freestanding, as a part of an elaborate tomb or series of tombs, while others were intended for placement in crypts. Some experts claim that this particular piece may be from about 400 BC and may bring in more than $50,000 at auction.

Designer & Artist - Charles Eames

Charles Eames was born in 1907 in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1938 he accepted a fellowship at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Cranbrook, Michigan. By 1940 he, along with Eero Saarinen were designing furniture and won a competition at the New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Their work consisted of new and innovative techniques of molding plywood. Besides chairs and other furniture, this team would go on to design splints and stretchers during World War II.

In 1941, Charles married Ray Kaiser, another student at Cranbrook and moved to Los Angeles, California. Together this team went on to design more chairs and other furniture, but are more renowned for designing and building the Eames House, which was constructed on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The house was constructed of prefabricated steel parts and is still considered a milestone of modern architecture. Charles died in St. Louis in 1978 and Ray continued their work until she passed in 1989.

NOVA-Antiques Newsletter Archives, September 29, 2005 . . . .

Georgia O’Keefe Artwork on Exhibition

Georgia O’Keefe (1887 – 1986) has been a major American artist since the 1920’s and her name has become as recognizable as other notable artists such as Rockwell, Warhol and Adams. Her claim to fame are the abstract representations of the American southwest and her paintings contain every imaginable subject from rocks and shells to flowers, architecture and landscapes. Many people agree that her vision and inspiration used in combination with masterful strokes of subtle hues is what have made her the greatest American woman artist of the century. She was married to master photographer, Alfred Stieglitz. Georgia O’Keefe’s art is something that we should all experience at some point in our life and the good thing is that you can view her artwork in many places in the United States.

The Georgia O’Keefe Museum located in Santa Fe, New Mexico is probably the best place to get the full effect of her great artwork. It is steward to over fifty percent of all her collection. The museum website also has slideshows of many of her works, which is as close as I will probably ever get to the southwest. Closer to home and an exhibition that I am sure to attend, “Georgia O’Keefe and Ansel Adams: American Affinities” will be at the Smithsonian American Art Museum from September 26 through January 4, 2009. This exhibit will also travel to the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco. In addition, “Georgia O’Keefe and the Camera: The Art of Identity” is currently on exhibit at the Portland Maine Museum of Art.

My Country 'Tis of Thee Manuscript Found

It was reported on CNN today that a rare and original manuscript of the America (My Country ‘tis of Thee) was found by a flea market shopper in New York. The flea marketer purchased a framed picture for $10 and later found the original manuscript behind the picture.

America was written by Samuel Francis Smith in 1831 and was first heard at a church in Newton, Massachusetts. Later, the song was sung by all school students, so much so, that as I was reading the article, the song became stuck in my head and I started to sing out loud. The flea market shopper sold the manuscript to Keya Morgan who is an art collector and handwriting expert.

Record Auction Price for Monet Painting

A painting titled “Water Lily Pond” by the master impressionist Claude Monet sold today in London for more than $80 million. This painting was part of four that Monet painted in 1919. “Water Lily Pond” had been auctioned in 1971 and had sold form a mere $320,000. That is one heck of an appreciation in price in 37 years. Of the four paintings, this is only one of three that survive. Another is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the third was purchased at auction by a private collector in 1992.

Monet who was born in Paris, France in 1840 is the founder of French Impressionist painting. He intentionally created a water garden in Giverny, France so that he could paint as great a variety of water lilies as possible. Monet is not only considered one of the greatest impressionist painters by those of us who art, but by his fellow painters of the time as well. His fellow painters, Degas, Renoir and Cezanne, to name a few, considered him a leader and he influenced their work. Claude Monet passed away in 1926.