Category: Art

Stirring Up Fashion!



Life on the Ranch
I often see myself as a cowgirl living in the city, eventhough I did not grow up on a ranch. Early memories of childhood take me down on the path of a narrow country road in Leogane, Haiti, riding my horse with my mother and her sister, Jeanine by our sides. I look to the day when I get to have my own private ranch (perhaps in Aspen? Why not?
It’s good to dream big. Or to take a more realistically approach and dwell in Connecticut where I’ll get to ride most days dressed in these chic outfits and accessories from Ariat.
The Equestrian Lifestyle

Performer Full Seat Front Zip Breaches

   
Fall 2012 Belts from the Ariat Collection

 
Left: Ariat’s Chap, and tan boot

Images courtesy Ariat


It’s good to see that after all these years, the company is still dominant in the Englishmarket and remains a real force in the Western market too. I like most of their Fall 2012 collection – from their comfortable and sleek leathers, to their elegant, and beautiful breaches. What’s different about this brand is that they have so many years of heritage, authenticity and craftsmanship. They’re utilising what they know of the English and Western market and infusing it into a lifestyle collection that is both fashionable and comfortable yet still maintains their Equestrian heritage.

Stephen Spielberg’s film archives among the highlights of Swann Galleries’ Upcoming Auction

An outstanding assortment of more than 430 Vintage Posters will go for auction on Thursday, February 2nd at the Swann Galleries. This sale, the first of Swann’s 2012 season, features some exceptional rarities, as well as iconic images from the United States and Europe. The public exhibition of the posters started this past Saturday, and will continue until Wednesday, February 1st, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Art Nouveau collectors will be pleased to know that approximately 100 rare and important posters of that style will be featured in the sale.
Bernard Vellemot for Perrier

Of note is a stunning set of Alphonse Mucha’s The Seasons, two variations of Mucha’s celebrated Reverie, one 1897, the other circa 1898. A run of posters of Judaic and Hebraic interest includes Miskovitz’s rare advertisement for the film The Promised Land, billed as “the first movie filmed in Palestine,” with text in Hungarian and Romanian, circa 1930s. Steven Spielberg adapted this image for a poster promoting his Jewish Film Archive. There are also posters for the Jewish National Fund, the Palestine & Near East Exhibition, the inauguration of an international memorial monument at Birkenau, and more. Also on view is a number of ski and winter resort posters from around the world. American examples include Ernest Haskell’s 1896 image for Truth Magazine, which is the first American ski poster, and possibly the earliest ski poster from anywhere; 17 posters for the annual Dartmouth Winter Carnival, including some of the most striking and rare images from the late 1930s. Lou Hechenberger’s bright and colorful image of a female skier toting her skis in New Hampshire. Last but not least are my personal favorites, three exceptional posters from Bernard Vellemot for Perrier’s campaign ads which ran in the 1970s and 1980s. The Swann Galleries is located at 104 East 25th Street, NYC.
BERNARD VILLEMOT (1911-1989). Perrier / C’est Fou. Circa 1979. 24×17 inches, 63×45 cm.
Lot 190. Estimate: $600 – $900
BERNARD VILLEMOT (1911-1989). PERRIER / C’EST FOU. 1984. 17×23 inches, 43×60 cm.
Lot 191. Estimate: $600 – $900.
JULES CHÉRET (1836-1932). Palais De Glace. 1893.
98×34 inches, 250×87 cm. Chaix, Paris. 
Lot 25. Estimate: $3,000 – $4,000
Left: JEAN CARLU (1900-1997). Mon Savon. 1925. 61×46 inches, 156×117 cm. Editions d’Art Robert Lang, Paris. Lot 153. Estimate: $2,000 – $3,000. Right: ALPHONSE MUCHA (1860-1939). [Reverie] 1897. 26×19 inches, 66×49 cm. 
Lot 59. Estimate: $12,000 – $18,000
Cover Image: BERNARD VILLEMOT (1911-1989). Perrier / C’est Fou. 1977. 24×17 inches, 62×44 cm. S. E. Lalande – Courbet. Lot: 189. Estimate: $600 – $900.
JOSEPH BASS (DATES UNKNOWN). [Abima Theatre] 1958. 37×27 inches, 94×68 cm.
Lot 104. Estimate: $500 – $750

Photos Courtesy of Swann Galleries
All rights reserved

The Vital Role of Art to Interior Designers

IIDA RESIDENTIAL FORUM

Tueday, February 7th 2012
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Desiron Showroom
151 Wooster Street
Between Houston & Prince
New York City
(212) 353-2600

The Dream by Pablo Picasso

MAKING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN INTERIOR DESIGN AND COLLECTIBLE ART 

Join the IIIDA for a stimulating dialogue between one of the most influential figures in contemporary art, two of America’s foremost residential designers, and an artist whose celebrated and controversial work has been featured in major museums for over 3 decades. 
Interior Designer Amy Lau will be signing her new book, “Expressive Modern: The Interiors of Amy Lau,” which will be available for purchase. 
MODERATOR
Stephanie B. Simmons, Director, Jason McCoy Gallery In addition to representing international contemporary artists, Simmons has curated several independent exhibitions in NY, as well as in her native Germany. For the past decade, her articles on art and interviews with artists have been published in various national and international magazines and newspapers. Simmons is also a contributing editor of the acclaimed art reviews site Artcritical.com. 
SPEAKERS: 
Mario Buatta, Principal, Mario Buatta “Prince of Chintz” 
Recognized as One of Architectural Digest’s Top 100 Designers, Buatta has influenced interior design for decades. Initially associated with Elisabeth Draper, Inc. he later formed his own design firm. Buatta has created his own unmistakable style which he calls, “The Undecorated Look.” Celebrated as “The Prince of Chintz,” Buatta is known for his use of chintzes with textures, patterns and stripes, and expertly balancing contemporary and antique furnishings.
Amy Lau, Principal, Amy Lau Design 
Renowned contemporary interior designer Lau also currently serves as an independent advisor to collectors of 20th Century decorative arts. In 2005, she cofounded the prestigious Design Miami fair, which assembles the most significant galleries specializing in design from the post-war period to the present. Her new book, “Expressive Modern: The Interiors of Amy Lau” is testimony to her vibrant, innovative design. 
Lauri Simmons, Artist 
Represented by New York City’s Salon 94, Simmons is an internationally celebrated artist whose work has been featured in major museums and collections for over three decades. A central figure in the Pictures generation, artists who came to prominence in the late 70s and early 80s, Simmons is widely known for her work with human surrogates (dolls, puppets, cut outs, etc…). Her most recent photographic series exhibited at Salon 94 Bowery last spring was entitled “The Love Doll: Days I – 30.” 
Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, Owner, Salon 94 As a highly respected innovator and visionary in the art world, Rohatyn’s work as a collector, art advisor, and independent curator has made her one of the most influential figures in contemporary art. She founded Salon 94, a project space built within her home as an alternate to the traditional white box gallery in 2002, and launched Salon 94 Bowery in the fall of 2010. She hosts critically acclaimed exhibitions of noted artists in both spaces, as well as oversees numerous important private and public collections.
To Purchase Tickets, visit the IIDA Official Website

The Weekender: The Winter Antiques Show & The Bard

The Importance of Being Fashionable
A couple of days before I went to a Press Preview at the Bard Graduate Center, I had no idea who Jane Harding was. Although the actress was not so well known here in the United States, back in France, she was all the rage. It is said that during her lifetime, Ms. Harding was one of the most photographed women in the world. Enter Staging Fashion, an “absolutely required” exhibition for fashionistas, and those who are so enthused by the celebrity culture.

Woman’s Hat by Joseph G. Darlington and Co. Philadelphia, circa 1908 – 10.

Straw, silk flowers and leaves.

The show is mostly about how celebrities like Jane Harding, Lily Elsie, and Billie Burke dominated the fashion scene back in the early 20th Century. They managed to do so by one important medium – Photography. Carefully staged photographs represented a vital self-promotional tool by which the actresses asserted their status as Fashion Arbiters. Sound very much like our current culture right? Back then, the images by Harding emphasized an image of an attractive, elegantly dressed, and poised woman, who offered herself for admiration and at the same time, scrutiny. A close collaboration between photographers and actors was crucial back then as it is today. The promotional interest between the media to its public is phenomenal and is ever increasing. In this sophisticated exhibition, Fashion and Theater came together beautifully to form a brilliant and lasting marriage.

January 18 – April 8, 2012
The Bard Graduate Center
18 West 86th Street
New York City

Left: Reutlinger Studio (French, 1850-1937). Postcard of Jane Hading in La Pompadour, ca. 1901. Hand-colored photograph with glitter. Private collection. Photographed by Bruce White. Right: Foulsham & Banfield (English, 1906–1920). Postcard of Lily Elsie in The Merry Widow, ca. 1907. Private collection.
Photographed by Bruce White.
Advertisement for Rogers & Thompson’s Soirée Silk featuring Billie Burke. Photograph by Sarony Studio. From The Theatre (September 1916): 165. Private collection. Photographed by Bruce White.
Jane Hading: Paul Boyer. Jane Hading in Plus que Reine. Cover of Le Théatre (May 1899). Private collection. 
 Photographed by Bruce White.
Postcard of the Théâtre du Vaudeville and the Boulevard des Italiens, ca. 1905. Hand-colored photograph. Private collection. Photographed by Bruce White

All photos courtesy of the Bard Graduate Institute.
© All Rights Reserved
The Winter Antiques Show 2012

The illustrious Winter Antiques Show opens today at the Park Avenue Armory for the 58th Year in a row. This year, be prepared to get reacquainted with old dealers and meet new ones. Jonathan Boos is displaying an impressive collection of Alexander Calder’s standing mobiles.

Originally gifted by the artist to a family who cared for his mother in the 1950’s, these pieces were kept there for over 50 years and now are ready to embrace a new home. Highlights from the show included a rare and important African-American Pictographic Plantation desk, ca. 1870, from Madison, Mississippi. This particular desk is attributed to “Willie” Howard, a favored slave at Kirkwood Plantation, owned by pre-Civil War Governor McWillie. Art Deco dealer, Maison Gerard, have several new acquisitions from Leuleu. They are exquisite and offer themselves as perfect additions to any art deco collector. Another exciting dealer to look for is Keshishian. Mr. Eddy Keshishian, a carpet dealer from London, is exhibiting a jaw-dropping Art Deco carpet made for the Maharajah of Indores palace. This magnificent piece demonstrates the widespread appeal of Art Deco design, which was originated in France and quickly spread as far as India. Go inside the show, by visiting us on Facebook, for more photographs. The Winter Antiques Show benefits the East Side House Settlement which was founded in 1891 to help immigrants and lower income families on the East Side of Manhattan. In 1962, it moved to the South Bronx where it serves 8,000 residents annually within one of America’s poorest congressional districts, the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx.

My Fair Ladies
Quintessential Victorian fairies from the 19th Century
Clockwise: From Nicholas Grindley Works of Art, Ltd. A ceremonial fan of circular leaf shape made of three boards crudely joined together and carved on the face with radiating ribs with an incurved lip at the top. Thai, 18th – 19th Century. Egyptian gilded and painted cartonnage mummy mask. Ptolemaic Period, c. 4th – 3rd century BC, from Rupert Wace Ancient Art. Foreground – One of three remarkable series of Alexander Calder standing mobiles (untitled) from Jonathan Boos

Photos property of High End Weekly™

Americana Week: January 17 – 29, 2012

Your Guide to Americana Week

Monday, January 16
Metropolitan Museum of Art
New American Wing Galleries for Paintings, Sculpture, and Decorative Arts Opens
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York City

Sotheby’s Preview
Important Americana: Furniture, Folk Art, Silver, Porcelain, Prints and Carpets
1334 York Avenue

Tuesday, January 17
Hayes Fine Arts Building
The Modern Art of Antique Quilts

Fisher Heritage Specialty
305 East 61st Street
New York City

Bohemian National Hall
New York Ceramics Fair
Opening Night
5 p.m. until 9 p.m.
321 East 73rd Street
New York City

Christie’s
Preview of Important American Furniture and Folk Art
Rockefeller Center
New York City

Christie’s
Preview of Chinese Export Art
Rockefeller Center
New York City

Bonham’s
Preview of Fine American and European Furniture and Decorative Arts
580 Madison Avenue
New York City

Keno Auctions
Auction: Important Americana, Paintings, Furniture and Decorative Arts
48 E 84th Street

New York City

Sotheby’s
Preview: Americana: Furniture, Folk Art, Silver, Porcelain, Prints and Carpets
1334 York Avenue
New York City

Hayes Fine Arts Building 

The Modern Art of Antique Quilts
A Fisher Heritage Specialty 
305 East 61st Street
New York City
Wednesday, January 18
Metro Show Opening Night
7 p.m. until 9 p.m.
125 West 18th Street
New York City

Christie’s 

Preview: Important American Furniture and Folk Art
Rockefeller Center
New York City

Christie’s
Preview: Chinese Export Art

Rockefeller Center
New York City

Bonham’s 

Auction: The Mapping and Discovery of America
580 Madison Avenue
New York City
Bonham’s 
Preview: Fine American and European Furniture and Decorative Arts
580 Madison Avenue
New York City

New York Ceramics Fair 

Lecture: Searching for Pots: 40+ Years Above and Below the Ground
12 Noon
321 East 73rd Street
Lecture: Getting the Blues: Cobalt Ornament on Tin-Glazed Earthenware from Around the World 
2 p.m.
321 East 73rd Street
New York City

New York Ceramics Fair 

Lecture: The Impressionists 
Dishes: Ceramics in the Florence Griswold House and the Odd Way They Were Collected 
4 p.m.
321 East 73rd Street
New York City

Sotheby’s

Preview:  Important Americana: Furniture, Folk Art, Silver, Porcelain, Prints and Carpets
1334 York Avenue
New York City

American Folk Art Museum
Music:  2 p.m. until 3 p.m.

Performed by jazz guitarist Bill Wurtzel
Hayes Fine Arts Building
Fisher Heritage Specialty
Show: The Modern Art of Antique Quilts
305 East 61st Street
New York City
Thursday, January 19
Winter Antiques Show 
Opening Night Party
5 p.m. until 9 p.m.
Park Avenue Armory
643 Park Avenue @ 67th Street
New York City

Christie’s 
Auction: Silver Auction

Rockefeller Center
New York City
Sotheby’s 
Auction: Important Americana: Furniture, Folk Art, Silver, Porcelain, Prints and Carpets
1334 York Avenue
New York City

Christie’s

Auction: Important American Furniture and Folk Art
Rockefeller Center
New York City

Christie’s 
Preview: Chinese Export Art

Rockefeller Center
New York City
Bonham’s 
Auction: Fine American and European Furniture and Decorative Arts
580 Madison Avenue
New York City

New York Ceramics Fair 

Lecture: Going Beyond Chromium Green: Overglaze Enamel Formulations and the Dating of Factory and Hausmaler-Decorated Meissen Ware 
12 noon
321 East 73rd Street
New York City

New York Ceramics Fair 

Lecture: American Blues: Printed Pottery Celebrating a New Nation
2 p.m.
321 East 73rd Street
New York City

Sotheby’s

Preview: Important Americana: Furniture, Folk Art, Silver, Porcelain, Prints and Carpets
1334 York Avenue
New York City

Hayes Fine Arts Building

A Fisher Heritage Specialty
The Modern Art of Antique Quilts
Show: at 305 East 61st Street
New York City
American Indian, circa 1900s
via The Financial Times: How To Spend It
Friday, January 20
Christie’s
Auction: Important American Furniture and Folk Art
Rockefeller Center
New York City

Christie’s
Preview: ‘Chinese Export Art

Rockefeller Center
New York City
Sotheby’s
Auction: Important Americana: Furniture, Folk Art, Silver, Porcelain, Prints and Carpets
1334 York Avenue
New York City

Antiques at the Armory 

Stella Shows
10 a.m. until 7 p.m. 
69th Regiment Armory
Lexington Avenue at 26th Street
New York City

Hayes Fine Arts Building

A Fisher Heritage Specialty
The Modern Art of Antique Quilts
305 East 61st Street
New York City
Saturday, January 21
Christie’s 
Preview: Chinese Export Art 
Rockefeller Center
New York City

New York Ceramics Fair

Lecture: From a Mere Lump of Clay: Harry Potter and Ceramic Technology
12 noon
321 East 73rd Street
New York City

New York Ceramics Fair 

Lecture: Hot Plates: Every Dish Tells a Story
2 p.m.
321 East 73rd Street
New York City

New York Ceramics Fair 

Lecture: A Variegated History: Tortoiseshell Earthenware in Colonial America
4 p.m.
321 East 73rd Street
New York City

Antiques at the Armory 

Show: 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. 
69th Regiment Armory
Lexington Avenue at 26th Street
New York City

Americana and Antiques at the Pier 

Show: 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Pier 92
New York City
Sunday, January 22
Christie’s 
Preview: Chinese Export Art
Rockefeller Center
New York City

Antiques at the Armory 

Show: 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. 
69th Regiment Armory
Lexington Avenue at 26th Street
New York City

Americana and Antiques at the Pier

Show: 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Pier 92
New York City
Monday, January 23
The Modern Art of Antique Quilts 
Show: A Fisher Heritage Specialty
Hayes Fine Arts Building 
305 East 61st Street
New York City
Christie’s

Auction:  Chinese Export Art

Rockefeller Center
New York City

Life size Nubian Goat Sculpture on Wheels
Photo courtesy of 1stDibs
Tuesday, January 24 – Saturday, February 25

1stDibs

Folk Tales: Bringing Folk Art Home Exhibition & Sale
The New York Design Center
200 Lexington Avenue
New York City

Christie’s
Auction: The Peter H B Frelinghuysen Jr Collection of Chinese Export Porcelain
Rockefeller Center
New York City

The Modern Art of Antique Quilts

Show: A Fisher Heritage Specialty
Hayes Fine Arts Building 
305 East 61st Street
New York City
Wednesday, January 25
National Academy Museum and School 
Exhibit: The Annual: 2012
1083 Fifth Avenue
New York City

American Folk Art Museum 

Music: 2 p.m. until 3 p.m.
Performed by jazz guitarist Bill Wurtzel
The Modern Art of Antique Quilts
Show: A Fisher Heritage Specialty
Hayes Fine Arts Building 
305 East 61st Street
New York City
Thursday, January 26
New York Historical Society Homes of Early New York
Lecture: Birth of an American Style
6:30 p.m.
170 Central Park West
New York City
For tickets inquiries, contact: East Side House Settlement | 718-292-7392

Winter Antiques Show Young Collector’s Night

Park Avenue Armory
643 Park Avenue @ 67th Street
Show: 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.
New York City

Outsider Art Fair

Preview
7 West 34th Street
New York City
Friday, January 27
National Academy Museum and School The Annual
Exhibit: 2012
1083 Fifth Avenue
New York City
The Modern Art of Antique Quilts
Fisher Heritage Specialty
Show: at Hayes Fine Arts Building 
305 East 61st Street
New York City
Saturday, January 28, 29
National Academy Museum and School
The Annual: 2012 Exhibit
1083 Fifth Avenue

 Bringing Home A Legend 

A handful of rare and historical objects will go on view, during Americana Week in New York City. This time honored tradition kicked off yesterday at Keno Auctions with a gallery talk entitled American Still Life Painting in the 19th Century by Doctor William H. Gerdts.
This lecture marked the beginning of a series of high profile art fairs, auctions, and showroom events. Americana Week is in fact two weeks of sales, viewings and symposium devoted to three centuries of American craftsmanship in all its forms, including important furniture, decorative arts, and of course, folk art. Young and old collectors will become transfixed by an impressive mix of the finest museum quality art, and antiques. Yours truly will make the rounds to most of these events, shopping for clients, and gathering materials for you lovely readers out there. I’m looking forward to a couple of impressive lectures and auctions at Christie’s as well as the January 24th event at 1stDibs entitled: Folk Tales – Bringing Folk Art Home.
Life Guards from Just Folk 
(Michael and Gael Mendelsohn Collection)
Iconic Figures
Cover photo: Marionettes, also from Just Folk 
Extremely Rare 34 Star Flag
Used as a national parade flag during the Civil War period it features four different size stars on a blue canton, Jeff R. Bridgman American Antiques
Above photos courtesy of 1stDibs
All right reserved

This will be an important selling exhibition of rare and extraordinary examples of American Folk Art and Ephemera curated by five of the country’s leading Americana specialists, and 1stdibs dealers including Jeff R. Bridgman American Antiques, Just Folk and Judith and James Milne. Ames Gallery and A Bird in Hand will be displaying their antiques as well. Folk Tales is a group show of independent dealers from across the United States who will highlight collectible quilts, weathervanes, flags, outsider and tramp art, game boards, original-surface painted furniture, trade signs and one-of-a-kind pieces, all of which offer a fascinating view into the American decorative past. This show will include a broad range of items priced from the affordable (under-$500) to pique the interest of the budding collector to museum-quality to satisfy the ardent enthusiast ($100,000).

January 24 – February 25, 2012

1stDibs at New York Design Center
200 Lexington Avenue, 10th Floor
@ 33rd Street
New York City
Free and Open to the Public
Monday – Friday: 9:00AM – 5:00PM
Saturday 10:00AM – 5:00PM

The Caudalíe Spa: NYC’s Best Kept Secret?

The Star Treatment

Located inside an iconic building tucked right next to Central Park is this 8,000 square foot destination spa that goes by the name of Caudalíe Vinothérapie® Spa. This exotic haven in the 4th floor of The Plaza Hotel encompasses the signature design elements of Caudalíe’s worldwide spas which represent total warmth, tranquility, combined with elegance.Caudalíe Spa at The Plaza Hotel.5

The decor is all about precious cherry wood, a mix of natural materials, smooth dark stones and symbolic vine sculptures. The overall result is a space that is intimate, modern, with tremendous ambiance. Guests pad around this extensive property while enjoying services like, honey & wine wrap, red vine barrel bath, crushed Cabernet scrub, fresh grape massage and a menu of their world-famous facials with grape and active vine patents, along with Caudalíe‘s products that purify, firm, energize and illuminate their skins. Over the holidays, my friends Donald and his wife visited this spa, and indulged their senses with these signature treatments:

Refreshing massage under a Vichy shower
Energy® wrap
Slimming wrap
Caudalie massage* for two: divine duo!
Pregnancy message
Caudalie grand facial treatment
“Premier Cru” treatment.

Caudalíe Spa at The Plaza Hotel.1Husband and wife team, Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas, revolutionized the spa world in 1999 when they introduced the first-ever Vinothérapie® Spa in the heart of the Châteaux Smith Haut Lafitte vineyard (Bordeaux, France), harnessing the untapped, restorative power of grapes and grapevine polyphenols.

Caudalíe Spa at The Plaza Hotel.4

Caudalíe is rated the second best spa in the world by Travel & Leisure and “Hot Spot” by Condé Nast Traveler, it is a world-renowned destination with treatments and techniques developed exclusively for their spas – a second in the Rioja region of Spain whose property was designed by acclaimed architect Frank Gehry, followed by Les Etangs de Corot in Versailles.

Caudalíe Spa at The Plaza Hotel.3

For Mathilde, The Plaza is special in many ways, “I want for this first Caudalie Vinothérapie Spa in the US to offer New Yorkers a sample of French life and our “Art of the Vine” in the heart of this always moving city.

 

 

Below: An 800 square feet. Wine Lounge stocked with wines from Château Smith Haut Lafitte, the family estate and vineyard of Caudalíe founder, Mathilde Thomas.

Caudalíe Spa at The Plaza Hotel.2

The Lounge features an imposing wine cellar of wood and bissazza tile, with a floor of slate grey tiles interspersed with elegant rugs and comfortable chairs and couches.

Photos courtesy of Caudalíe
All rights reserved

Vintage Posters from Aspen

My latest acquisitions are these “vintage” posters from various online sites. Not too sure whether I’ll be able to use them in our current place, but surely I can find room for them in another house? Preferably one in the middle of the mountains…

   
Aspen Winter Jazz Festival poster from Jazz Deluxe Vintage Posters
Top: Vintage Aspen Posters from All Posters

NOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you.

Meet Nicholas Lowry

Nicholas D. Lowry is the third generation owner, and president of Swann Auction Galleries. The auction house is currently celebrating its 70th Anniversary as a family-owned business. Nicholas was born into a family of antiquarian book dealers in New York City, where he was raised and educated. When I met him last week, I was struck by his mere appearance, his gallant personality, fashion sense (he was wearing his signature plaid suit), and friendliness. Not only is he the principal auctioneer and director of the Poster Department, he is also an avid poster collector himself.







High End Weekly™: Talk to us a little bit about the upcoming sale of the Complete Poster Works of Robert Broders at Swann Galleries this coming Thursday, at 10AM?
Nicholas Lowry: The entire collection came from the archives of a single collector. Roger Broders was best remembered for the advertising work he did between 1920 and 1933 for the French Railroad company. One of the things that is uncommonly known about him is that after 1935, he completely stopped working, and no one knows why. This particular auction presents all of his travel posters, including variants, some which are known and several that are unknown. Most of the Art Deco posters are in superb conditions. While working on this project, many of our staff commented on the fact that they looked like they’ve just been printed. The colors are so vivid, and the look is so modern.
HEW: Just what did it mean to you to be entrusted with this unique, unparalleled sale?
NL: It certainly was a great honor, but the honor was eclipsed by the opportunity. We’ve worked on this project for the past three to four months, and realized that the chronological order of the dates, and his artistic talent progressed throughout the years. Between the year 1927 – 1929, he polished his immaculate ability to create some of the most memorable Art Deco posters. Roger’s work displayed an energy at constructing incredible depth of field. He skillfully used layers after layers of bold, and colorful images which were beautifully conceived.
HEW: In your opinion, what is the most note-worthy piece from the Robert Broders Collection?
NL: Lot Number 87 (Monte Carlo Country Club) comes to mind because visually, it is simply stunning. It is immaculate, and the image is one of pure confidence. It is expected to fetch somewhere between $15,000 – $20,000. Dunkerque, lot number 59, is one of his oeuvre de triomphe. The image projects a sophisticated couple arriving the busy port of Dunkirk on their yacht. The poster creates a refined mood of elegance and ease.
HEW: How big of a factor to your auction business are vintage posters?
NL: Posters are so visual, and they carry allot of weight. That produces a huge impact to our buyers. 
HEW: What are some of the strongest areas of the market for Art Deco and why are they in such high demmand these days?
NL: Art Deco is king. Everything in art has a cycle. Right now, Art Deco is Up, and Art Nouveau is Down. As the younger generation gets older, their interests go towards design. Good design, that is.
HEW: I read somewhere that you yourself is an Art Deco collector. When did this start for you, and what was it with?
NL: Not only do I collect Art Deco posters, I also have a huge collection of Czech posters, and books. It began with a Gustav Klimt poster I brought in Austria when I was a young adult, but it really started way before that.
HEW: On a personal collecting level, what is the one item you have parted with over the past that you wished you still had?
NL: Very little. I tend to keep all of my collections.
HEW: What are three things that you consider the strenghts of the auction industry today?
NL: Exceptional variety. Auction houses have a greater, more powerful reach to the general public. More powerful than dealers, and they’re armed with a huge mailing lists. It carries thousands and thousands of items for sale, each year. The variety that auction houses offer the public is simply unparalleled. A good auction house should also be able to offer phenomenal pieces to their buyers, and serious collectors. Basic transparency in prices should be at play. When an item is presented as rare, it’s a great mental challenge to perceive value.
HEW: Lastly: Complete this sentence/thought. If I was just starting to collect Art Deco, I would recommend…
NL: Besides visiting auction houses, start attending shows, galleries. Expose yourself to the art world. Get out there, and experience it with your eyes, and hands. Read art-related books and articles. It’s a mistake to buy the first thing that you see. Look around a bit more, do the research. And last but not least, buy at reputable places.

The Complete Poster Works of Roger Broders

JUST IN!
December 15, 2011

Nicholas D. Lowry, Swann President and Posters Specialist, said, “Today’s auction was a landmark event. It was the first time that the entire work of a single poster artist has ever come up for sale. By today’s exchange rate, we set five world record prices, and more than a dozen records for Broders posters sold in the U.S. In the salesroom were bidders who are not typically poster collectors, proving that Broders’s wonderful images transcend the traditional market of poster lovers. In my opinion, the strong prices were completely justified by the great images and the overall superb condition of the posters being offered.”

Roger Broders (1883-1953), Monte Carlo, 1930
December 12, 2011

Posters can be a visual delight and often present a powerful and informative imagery. Roger Broders’ Art Deco posters from the 1920s and 1930s convey an energetic scenery, and the subject is often a glamorous one. Swann Auction Galleries is getting ready to auction off 100 Art Deco travel posters of his work on Thursday, December 15th at 10AM. This is a unique sale in the sense that for the very first time, Roger Broders’ complete body of work is being auctioned from one single collector. Among these rare gems are Lot Number 9, and 100, which have never been seen before. These vintage posters are simply breathtaking. The colors are striking, the text is crisp, and modern. The scenic views pulled the observer into a world of elegance, and sophistication. Take a virtual tour to Monte-Carlo, Lac D’Annecy, Dunkerque. From seaside resorts to mountainous hideouts, hotels and skiing sites such as les Vosges. One of my personal favorite is the Monte-Carlo Country Club, with twenty one tennis courts overlooking the Mediterranean. I gathered some information from the catalogue which described it this way: “The Monte-Carlo inauguration was attended by members of European royal families. Broders emphasizes the glamorous members of the club and its exquisite setting to create one of his best posters. The elegant couple depicted in Broders’ signature manner, using only flat planes of color. He creates exceptional depth-of-the field via the different levels of tennis courts, people in the grandstands and the beaches in the distance. His handling of the shadows and the bright Riviera sun is masterful and is crowned by the slivers of yellow sunlight which silhouette some of the figures”. In two words: Très jolie.

 Roger Broders (1883-1953)
Sports D’Hiver Dans Les Vosges, 1930
39 1/2” x 24 1/2“
Lot 73
Estimate: $7,000 – $10,000
Rare Appearances
Left: Lot Number 9. Il Faut Aller En Rhénanie, 1921. 21 3/4 x 17 3/4″. Estimate: $500 – $750
Right: Lot Number 100. Loterie Des Régions Libérée, 1935. 23 3/4” x 15 1/2“. Estimate: $600 – $900 
Roger Broders (1883-1953)
Lac D’Annecy, 1930
39 1/2” x 24 1/2“
Lot 75-1
Estimate: $2,00 – $3,000
Photos courtesy of Swann Galleries Auction

Tableware Designed With an Eye on Peace

From celebrated French porcelain tableware company Bernardaud, and the Art Production Fund came a collector’s item plate conceived by leading artist Jeff Koons. The design of this special edition Limoges porcelain plate is a direct reference of Jeff Koons “Popeye series” sculpture Acrobat, an inflatable lobster balanced atop two readymades, a trash can and a chair.

The idea behind this picture brings to mind the classical concept of beauty through the equilibrium of mind and body. I can’t think of a better porcelain company than Bernardaud, who over the years have had some of the most successful collaborations with top artists as Roy Lichtenstein, Cindy Sherman, George Segal, Joeph Kosuth, Arman, César, Pae White, and James Brown, to present this unforgettable piece which bears the image  of the shape of a peace sign And the fact that the graphics are in black and white (we get enough colors from our food) makes the patterns even more striking. The project was made possible through a gracious contribution from Sotheby’s.

Bernardaud is a family owned-and-operated business which was founded in 1863 in Limoges, France. The trendsetting company is recognized worldwide for its commitment to the French traditions of refinement and creativity in the crafting of porcelain tableware, jewelry and interior design pieces. 
The 10.5″ limited edition plate retails for $98.00 and is available for purchase through www.worksonwhatever.com. Information on local stores is available from 800-884-7775.

Jeff Koons Plate
Photos courtesy of Bernardaud