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Antiques Insurance Guide: Documenting Your Valuables

Guest post by Wayne Texeira, Murphy Insurance Agency

Skinner is pleased to join D.F. Murphy Insurance as co-presenting sponsor of the Wayside Inn Antiques Show. In the lead up to the show, we’ve invited Wayne Texeira, Marketing Director at Murphy Insurance to provide our readers with some insider insights on protecting antiques and collectibles.

Documenting your Antiques & Fine Arts

Antiques Insurance Guide | Documenting ValuablesWhen it comes to protecting your personal possessions and financial well-being, having a home inventory is important. You never know when something may happen and you will need to file an insurance claim. And, if you own antiques or fine arts, the unique nature of such items makes having detailed documentation crucial so that you’ll receive appropriate insurance compensation if a loss occurs.

Documenting Valuation

Proper valuation is essential to protect your financial investment. While a receipt may be sufficient for recent purchases, we recommend having your antiques and fine arts appraised as their value often appreciates over time. Periodically updating appraisals is also wise to ensure you maintain sufficient coverage.

• Work with a qualified appraiser who has experience evaluating items similar to yours.
• Be sure to check credentials and discuss the appraisal cost in advance to avoid problems.

Tips on Creating an Inventory

• Document all your antiques and fine arts — not only higher value items. A collection of lesser value items can add up to a substantial amount. You need proof of their worth to collect the true value in a claim situation. Consider getting appraisals for all items.
• List all pieces with full descriptions including history and assessed value. Keep receipts or the most recent appraisals, if you have them, with your list.
• Take pictures of each piece in your collection. Use the time stamp feature if available and label all photos. Digital photos are inexpensive and easy to store. Video is a great way to give a verbal description of items, and can be a first step to create a quick inventory.
• Safely store your inventory and documentation. Keep a copy for handy access, but store the information in a safe location, preferably away from your home and separate from your collection.
• Keep the inventory up to date. When you make purchases, update your inventory and be sure to notify your insurer. Policies often provide coverage for newly purchased items but only for a very short period of time unless you specifically add them to your schedule.

Taking time to prepare an inventory also allows you to assess if you have the right amount of insurance protection. It’s important to prepare an inventory not only for antiques and fine arts, but also for all your personal possessions. If the unthinkable happens and you experience a fire or other major loss, you won’t have to suffer the additional trauma of having to trying to document details about all of your possessions from memory.

There are a variety of methods and approaches to organizing an inventory.  The key issue is to find a method that works for you and to get started.  The sooner you get your inventory in place…the sooner you’ll be able to have peace of mind.

Visit dfmurphy.com/homeinventory for more tips on documenting all your possessions.

Murphy Insurance Agency is a full-service provider of insurance solutions for personal and business needs. http://www.dfmurphy.com/

Stringed Instrument Guide: What to Look for in a Composite Violin, Viola, or Cello

Stringed Instrument Guide | Composite Violin

Italian Violin, c. 1700, School of Andrea Guarneri, possibly composite, featured in the April 29, 2012 Fine Musical Instruments auction (Lot 68, $15,000-25,000)

Composite instruments are those that have had one or more of their original parts replaced. They can represent a significant opportunity for string players who are seeking a good value in a playable 18th or 19th century violin, viola, or cello.

If you have found a composite instrument with a sound that you love, your next step is to determine its fair market value. This can be difficult at times. As a player, your first consideration is naturally sound quality, but it’s also very important to know if the instrument will hold its value should you ever need or wish to sell it. Here are major areas to investigate when considering the purchase of a composite instrument.

Replaced Scroll

If the original scroll has been replaced, you should be aware of three possibilities:

  1. The replacement scroll could be by the same maker, but originally part of another instrument;
  2. It could be of a similar style or period but from another hand;
  3. It could be entirely from another period and maker.

Each of these situations will, to some degree, discount the fair market value of the instrument by 10 to 20%, depending on which case describes your prospective instrument. By almost all accounts, a scroll will not affect the sound of a violin, viola, or cello, but will only impact the aesthetics of the instrument.

Replaced Top

After scrolls, the second most commonly seen composite instruments are those with replaced tops. Again, period, style and maker are the most important considerations. In the 18th century, it was common to replace cracked tops rather than undertake extensive restoration. Many Italian violins, even some by Stradivari, have tops replaced by skilled makers from a later era. In the case of a well-matched top that was made no more than 50 years later than the body, a discount in the area of 30-40% of the fair market value would be typical.

Many Replaced Parts

In the case of instruments that have actually been assembled from different parts, you should start by judging the instrument on how naturally the pieces match, and if the parts fit together well. Avoid any instruments with major problems like extensive worm damage or a soundpost crack to the back. An independent musical instrument appraiser can be trusted to help you determine the fair market value.

Fine Musical Instrument auctions are also very dependable sources — ask for a full condition report and consult the specialist with any questions that you may have. At an auction, you are among professionals, so the price achieved for an instrument will reflect the consensus of its real fair market value.

All things (carefully) considered, a composite instrument may be the answer for players trying to find that unmistakable, burnished 18th-century sound without breaking the bank.

Wedgwood Jasperware: Now is the Time to Buy

Wedgwood Jasperware

Wedgwood Crimson Jasper Dip Jug, England, c. 1920, sold for $711 in the January 2012 Fine Ceramics Auction

Wedgwood jasperware has been in production for well over two hundred years. In the manufacturing of jasper there are two primary categories: solid jaspers were turned or molded from a solid piece of colored clay; and jasper dips were made by dipping the typically white solid jasper body in colored clay to give the surface an entirely different appearance. In both varieties, Wedgwood’s typical classical subjects and foliate designs were applied in relief, often in a complimenting color or colors. With two, three, four and five color examples, the possible combinations of colors are nearly endless.

To a collector, this is where the journey begins.

Some Wedgwood collectors primarily collect a single color such as crimson, lilac, or black; others buy examples from the variety of colors manufactured. Jasperware collectors buy by form, by subject matter and by period. Pieces from the 18th century are especially popular. All of these different facets of jasperware collecting have helped Wedgwood remain especially competitive in the marketplace throughout the world.

Of course, this is an observation from the past, looking back at my over forty years working with Wedgwood collectors. The present as well as the future of collecting seems to be heading in a different direction. The number of Wedgwood collectors in general has diminished greatly over the past few decades, and fewer new, young collectors join the hunt for fine Wedgwood ceramics each year. Market competition appears to be entirely controlled by a few collectors who are now nearing the end of their collecting days. This has allowed jasperware and other collectible Wedgwood varieties to become more affordable.

Both 19th century jasper and jasperware manufactured until about 1930 are readily available on the open market, and at very competitive prices. There is something for everyone and every taste. Some color combinations have actually come down in value over the last 10 years, in particular those colors produced in large quantities over a long time period, such as the light blue and dark blue jaspers.

Whether your taste in Wedgwood jasper is a particular color or shape, or perhaps you’d like to start collecting the jasperwares, there are good reference books readily available, excellent Wedgwood societies through the United States and Australia, and auction houses like Skinner that specialize in the sale of Wedgwood. We feature Wedgwood in our Fine Ceramics auctions twice annually, in January and July. Happy Hunting!

Wedgwood Jasperware

Wedgwood Yellow Jasper Dip Bowl, England, c. 1930, sold for $563 in the January 2012 Fine Ceramics Auction

Antiques Insurance Guide: How to Protect your Valuables

Guest post by Wayne Texeira, Murphy Insurance Agency

Skinner is pleased to join D.F. Murphy Insurance as co-presenting sponsor of the Wayside Inn Antiques Show. In the lead up to the show, we’ve invited Wayne Texeira, Marketing Director at Murphy Insurance to provide our readers with some insider insights on protecting antiques and collectibles.

Insuring Antiques and Fine Art

Do you know how much your antiques, fine arts, jewelry and other valuables are worth? You might be surprised at the value of what you’ve collected over the years. Whether you have an extensive collection or just a few high value pieces, it’s important to clearly understand how your valuables are protected by your insurance.

Coverage considerations

Antiques Insurance Guide | JewelryEven the most comprehensive home policy has limitations on how it protects your valuables in the event of damage, theft or loss. Your homeowner, condominium owner or renter’s policy has a specific coverage limit for your personal property, so you need to make sure that the value of your collection combined with all your other personal possessions does not exceed this limit. The big concern is that if you have a major fire that destroys everything, you need to have enough coverage to replace everything. Therefore, you need to think carefully about and determine if your personal property limit is sufficient.

Another consideration is that most policies have specified theft limits for jewelry, silverware and a few other types of items. Depending on your policy, theft limits often range from $1,000 to $5,000 after your policy deductible. If you have items of substantial value in these categories, you’ll need to assess carefully if your coverage offers the right protection.

Beyond having enough protection, you also need to understand what causes of loss are covered by your home policy.  Some policies only cover specified situations such as fire, lightning, windstorms, hailstorms, burst pipes, or theft, while other policies offer broader coverage for all situations other than those specifically excluded.  Also, most home policies exclude what is known as breakage coverage for fragile items such as glassware and porcelain, so if you have items for which you want breakage coverage, you’ll want to be sure that you’ve purchased this protection.

The physical location of your valuables can also affect coverage. If you have valuables in multiple locations such as a second home or office in addition to your primary residence, you’ll need to consider how your policy protects your personal property when it is not located in your primary residence. Some policies exclude coverage when your property is in transit and may not provide coverage if, for example, you loan items for an exhibition, so be sure that you are properly protected if your antique or fine art items are away from your home.

Coverage options for antiques, fine art, and collectibles

To have proper insurance protection for your antiques, fine arts and other valuables, there are several options for expanded coverage. A smaller collection can often be covered using a special floater endorsement on your home policy commonly referred to as scheduling. This method provides broader coverage for additional causes of loss and does not require a deductible for listed items. For larger collections or items that are extremely valuable, a separate policy may be required. If breakage coverage for fragile items is a concern, be sure to specifically request it whether you schedule an item on your home insurance or purchase a separate policy because insurance companies will differ in how they provide this coverage.  Some carriers automatically include breakage coverage with the special protection while others only provide breakage protection if you specifically request it.

Because there can be so many nuances to protecting antiques and fine arts, the key to getting the right coverage is choosing a knowledgeable insurance professional, who takes the time to understand your unique needs.  By working together with an insurer that understands antiques and fine arts, you can create a plan that protects your valuables for the broadest range of situations and ensures that you have sufficient coverage to protect your investment.

Murphy Insurance Agency is a full-service provider of insurance solutions for personal and business needs. http://www.dfmurphy.com/

Guide to Buying Antique and Modern Furniture: Why is Joinery Important?

Guide to Buying Furniture | George Nakashima

Beautiful butterfly joints in a large English oak burl and walnut table by George Nakashima (1905-1990). Auctioned for $204,000

How a piece of furniture is put together indicates how long that piece of furniture will stay together. For example, when I am shopping for a piece of furniture, I always check out the drawers and how they are constructed. Why chance having all your belongings fall out of your nightstand because the drawer bottom was stapled in and simply couldn’t hold together for very long?

Understanding how a piece of furniture was made before you buy can prevent you from having to replace or repair the piece. In the long run, this knowledge can save you money and time.

For centuries, craftsmen constructed furniture using hand tools and different methods of joining together the various parts to create a whole. Hide glue, nails, and wood joints were popular and practical methods used to hold a piece of furniture together.

Dovetail Joints

Guide to Buying Furniture | Dovetail Joint

This is one example of dovetail joinery commonly used in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The dovetail joint functions to keep the parts together as the wood expands and contracts with changes in moisture and temperature.

Note the scribe line marking the joint line–this shows that the maker used hand tools. If you feel tool marks on the underside of the drawer, this means it was hand -planed. Machine -planed wood has a smooth surface and does not leave the ridges that hand tools leave.

With the advent of the industrial revolution in the 19th century, machines became a popular way to make furniture parts and join those parts together. Nobody expected to see the joinery, and it was typically seen as an engineering solution, not an element of design.

Through Tenon Joints

Guide to Buying Furniture | Through Tenon JointBy the early 20th century (c. 1900) the Arts and Crafts Movement pushed back on the frenzy of the industrial revolution. Joinery came to the forefront and became a design principle offering strength, comfort and beauty.

As can be seen in this Arts and Crafts Morris chair, the through tenon joins the leg to the wide arm. The corbel below, which is joined to the post and supports the wide arm, provides additional support.  In this chair, joinery is an essential element of the design. It’s exposed and not hidden.

Finger Joints

Guide to Buying Furniture | Finger JointThe 20th century continued to embrace exposed joinery not only for its strength but as a design element, as can be seen in this mid-century modern chair from Denmark.

The curvilinear chair back continues through to the arm.  The use of a finger joint keeps the parts together, providing an elegant solution as well as strength and stability.

Butterfly Joints

Guide to Buying Furniture | Butterfly JointThe Studio Furniture movement started in the last quarter of the 20th century and is still thriving today. George Nakashima (1905-1990) designed his furniture based on the natural form of a piece of wood using minimal joinery. His sensitivity to the craft resulted in pieces where the wood seems to come alive. His daughter Mira Nakashima continues crafting furniture with the same intuitive gift.

This is a fine example of furniture crafted by George Nakashima.  A slab of old growth burled hardwood became the table top, and the natural fissure in the wood is held together with a butterfly joint. This functional joint provides minimal ornament. The through joint at the base provides strength and support for the large free edge top.

If you are shopping for a piece of furniture, paying attention to the joinery can tell you a lot about how  a piece was made, when it was made, and how long it might stay together. Good joinery and design stand the test of time.

How to Buy Antique Furniture made from Wood, Part I

Choosing a piece of antique furniture for your home can be a genuinely rewarding experience, But it can also be a challenge to select the right piece with so many options and limited time to consider them. Many antiques are one-of-a-kind pieces and once someone else has snapped one up or it’s gone through auction, you’re out of luck. The best strategy is to understand exactly what you’re looking for before you go shopping.

Antique Wooden Furniture | George Nelson Chest of Drawers

If you want to buy a wooden dresser, you have a huge range of options. Which do you prefer: this modern chest of drawers by George Nelson, or this late 18th century tiger maple tall chest?

Antique Wooden Furniture | Tiger Maple Tall Chest

Here is the list of things I think about when I’m searching for antique furniture made from wood. I find the search is most successful when I have a solid idea in mind for two or three of these criteria, and then remain flexible for the rest. For example, I might know that I want a mahogany table with specific dimensions, but I’m flexible when it comes to style and finish.

1. What’s the purpose?

Ask yourself, why am I buying a piece of furniture?  Perhaps the piece will have a specific function—you might need a new dining room table. Or maybe you want something decorative to go with the modern style of your new home.

2. Know your style

It can help narrow down the choices if you define the style you’re looking for, but I suggest keeping your mind open. Sometimes you’re drawn to the design of a piece without knowing why, and these are the purchases that will help to develop your unique, personal style.

3. What’s your budget?

Make sure you know how much you’re willing to spend before you start looking. This is especially important at auction, where it can be all too easy to get carried away and overlook the buyer’s premium. It’s also important to research the value of a piece of furniture so you can recognize if a piece is selling for a reasonable price.

4. Make sure it fits!

We’ve all made this mistake at least once. You go to a showroom or an auction preview and fall in love with a piece of furniture, and then you bring it home. And it’s the wrong size. Even after you remove a door to try to get it in the house, it still doesn’t fit! So be sure to write down the dimensions you’re looking for – height, length, and depth.

5. Look at the design of the whole room

Even if the piece of furniture fits physically into the space you have in mind, that doesn’t mean it will fit visually or artistically. Take pictures of any other pieces of furniture, rugs, wallpaper, or other accessories you plan to place in the same space. You can create a collage online using OlioBoard to see how everything works together before you buy.

6. Oak, walnut, or mahogany… what’s the difference?

Look at wood samples in a hardware store to help figure out which materials appeal most to you. Some common options are oak, walnut, mahogany, pine, teak, cherry, and other more exotic woods. Some of the pricier antiques you’ll find are made from historic old growth wood (that may even be extinct) rather than new growth wood.

7. How is the surface finished?

The surface of antique wooden furniture may be painted, stained, fumed, oiled, or lacquered. A surface in original condition is always of more interest to collectors. You’ll find both real wooden furniture and wood veneer, and it’s important to know the difference.

8. Consider the hardware

The knobs, hinges, and drawer pulls on a piece of furniture can change its whole appearance. Some historic pieces of furniture have handmade hardware and many antique furniture collectors find this quite appealing.

9. Recognize well-crafted joinery

Be sure to inspect the joinery on a piece of furniture. Failure to do this is like buying a car without looking under the hood. Joinery is important. It can make all the difference in the longevity of a piece of antique furniture. I’ll explain how to recognize different types of joinery in a future blog post.

10. What’s the story?

The great thing about buying antique furniture at auction is that pieces often comes with a story or history—who owned it, where and when it was made, and the historical trends that contributed to its style and design. The provenance of a piece of furniture can make a big difference in how much it appeals to collectors.

My colleagues and I would be happy to help you explore woods, joinery, historic styles, and more at a Skinner auction preview. After over forty years in the auction business, we have seen some of the most interesting pieces of furniture ever made.

My next few posts in this series on buying wooden furniture will cover joinery, finish, and different wood choices. Please leave a comment if you have a specific question about wooden furniture that you’d like to see addressed.

Should I Collect Prints or Paintings?

Edward Hopper | Night Shadows

Edward Hopper (American, 1882-1967) Night Shadows, 1921, Auctioned for $27,255 in September, 2010

“Want to come up and see my etchings?”

The opportunity to throw out a line like this may be one motive to collect prints, but there are much better reasons. Collecting prints is the auction equivalent of “having your cake and eating it too.”

“Print” is a broad term that, in the context of fine art, refers to a work for which the artist creates the printing matrix, such as an etched plate, a lithographic stone, or a carved woodblock, and uses this to create multiple impressions of an image.

The artist may or may not be the actual printer, but generally approves of the quality and methodology of printing, and often signs his or her prints by hand.

Prints tend to be smaller in scale than paintings – unless you’re looking at Modern and Contemporary works – and generally invite the close, intimate scrutiny that a smaller space engenders. This intimacy lends itself extremely well to adorning the walls of a regular-sized home.

If you have a limited budget—who doesn’t these days?—you should consider prints.

Because of their very nature, prints are less expensive than paintings. Prints are multiples, rather than one-of-a-kind works of art, so clearly they are less rare. This also means that condition is extremely important. In buying a unique work, if you absolutely love the image you may be more accepting of some minor condition problems.

With prints, however, the rules change. Consider an iconic etching like Edward Hopper’s Night Shadows of 1921. If that is the work you want, then you have options. This work was printed in an edition of 500. The very next one to come up at auction might be laid down or have trimmed margins or staining — all negative condition issues. If you’re willing to overlook those problems, you could get one of those 500 etchings for around $25,000 or less. Or, you can hold out for a fantastic impression in pristine condition for $40,000.

Thomas Hart Benton (American, 1889-1975), Threshing

The Hopper in poor condition may not be within your price range, but here’s another example: Let’s say you want to buy Thomas Hart Benton oil—just a minor one. Well, you need to be ready to spend $300,000 to $500,000. That’s the price of a house! It’s simply beyond most people’s budgets. And that doesn’t even address the cost of a prime example of his painting – his record for auction prices is just over $2.4 million.

But, you can get a great Thomas Hart Benton lithograph—a quintessential example of his work—for $3,000 to $5,000. That’s not cheap, but it’s only a mortgage payment or two, and if you’re in love, what are a few mortgage payments? And since you’re wondering; for a major Hopper painting, plan to spend the price of the house, two new cars, plus 4 years of college tuition… or over $1,000,000. Suddenly $25,000-40,000 seems like a bargain.

My advice to you is, “have your house and decorate it too.”

So, should you collect prints or paintings? It’s a few mortgage payments versus the whole house. You make the call!

View the Fine Paintings & Prints Auction Catalogue for our February 3, 2012 auction.

Originally published November 23, 2010. Revised and updated January 13, 2012.

Guide to Dedham Pottery: Modern Antiquity in Blue and White

Dedham Pottery Scottie Dog Plate

Dedham Pottery Scottie Dog Plate, Est. $700-900, Lot 33 in the December 17, 2011 auction

I have worked in the world of antiques and modern design for over three decades and have learned to love many styles. But as a life-long lover of both nature and the arts, I continue to be inspired by works from the Arts & Crafts movement, when artists took their cue from the natural world around them.

Nature’s inspiration is especially evident in pottery from the Arts & Crafts era. One of my favorites is Dedham Pottery, which was founded by Hugh C. Robertson as Chelsea Pottery in Chelsea, Massachusetts in 1891, before moving to Dedham, Massachusetts in 1896.

Fall in love with the crackle glaze and a variety of animal designs

Though made in the modern era, Dedham pottery is traditional in its design, resembling the look of antique Chinese export porcelain. It’s easily distinguished by its blue and white crackle glaze, and cobalt blue decorated borders, which feature a repeating pattern of animals, birds, fish, plants and flowers. Ironically, Robertson happened upon the crackle look accidentally, when experimenting with new glazes and cooling techniques, but since the design was a near-instant hit within the Arts & Crafts community, the look stuck, and it’s still drawing in collectors today.

Dedham’s most recognizable pattern is the Dedham Rabbit, which eventually became the firm’s logo, but they created dozens of other animal borders including elephant, polar bear, lion, dolphin, swan, owl, duck, chicken, turkey, Scottie dog, crab, lobster, turtle, and butterfly patterns. Plant and flower patterns included clover, magnolia, iris, horsechestnut, grape, orange tree, snow tree, water lily, and azalea borders.

Dedham’s designs were hand-painted, not stenciled, so pieces have a whimsical nature to them. Some decorators became well known for their beautiful work and even signed their wares. These pieces are highly collectible and often fetch top prices in today’s competitive collectibles market.

 

Dedham Pottery | Turtle Design

Dedham Turtle Pottery, Est. $700-900, Lot 24 in the December 17, 2011 auction

Find affordable Dedham pottery at auction

I love Dedham pottery because it’s not only fun, it’s highly functional. Full lines of dinnerware were made, plus candlesticks, coffee pots, tea services, sugar and creamers, bread and butter dishes, soup bowls, salad plates, bacon rashers, cups, pitchers, platters, vases, and decorative figures. One of my favorite offerings is Lot 21, a Dedham day/night pitcher, meant to rest on a bedside nightstand. It features a rooster on one side and an owl on the other.

Best of all, Dedham pottery is fairly easy to find at auction, and it’s still a great value and surprisingly affordable, even for beginning collectors. Estimates on the pottery in the December 17th auction of 20th Century Design range from $125-175 for a single piece to $700-900 for a set. For more detailed information on Dedham Pottery’s history and patterns, search online and at your local library.  When you’re ready to buy, remember that with pottery and all other ceramics, condition is paramount, so ask the experts at auctions and in shops for their best advice on which pieces to buy.

To see some great examples of Dedham pottery, preview the December 17th auction of 20th Century Design online or join us in person at Skinner’s Boston Gallery, December 15th, 12 to 5 p.m., December 16th, 12 to 7 p.m., or December 17th, 8 to 9 a.m.

Dedham Pottery | Elephant Design

Dedham Elephant Pottery, Lots 28-29 in the December 17, 2011 auction

Dedham Pottery | Chick Design

Dedham Chick Pottery and a Day/Night Pitcher, Lots 19-21 in the December 17, 2011 auction

Support New and Emerging Artists at the Museum School Art Sale December 8-11th in Boston

Guest post by Dan Elias, Co-Chair of the 2011 Museum School Art Sale

June August, Queen Elizabeth II, 2011

June August, Queen Elizabeth II, 2011. Silkscreen painting on paper. 30 x 44 inches. Courtesy of NK Gallery.

I was delighted to accept a recent invitation by Skinner to guest blog on two topics near and dear to my heart: collecting and the Museum School Art Sale at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

In my varied roles in the art world – gallery owner, former host of Antiques Roadshow, museum administrator, and husband of Skinner CEO Karen Keane – people often ask me about the process of collecting: what it means, how it’s done, and even what constitutes a collection.

Now, I know some collectors. A few of them are dedicated, passionate individuals with a well-defined collecting focus, broad knowledge, deep pockets, and an extensive rolodex. Most, however, are more like me: “huh? A collector? I just bought some stuff!” Most people don’t set out to collect; they end up there. And, while knowledge is certainly helpful, it tends to come through experience and develops over time.

I’ve recently begun to collect a little wine at Skinner’s wine auction. I don’t know very much about wine, but it’s amazing how quickly you learn when there’s money on the line. You don’t have to spend a lot, just enough to make you take it seriously. If you do that, you’ll pay attention, and if you pay attention, you’ll improve your taste and knowledge over time.

And that brings us to the Museum School Art Sale, an annual fundraiser to support scholarships at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The SMFA is a vibrant jewel in the cultural fabric of the city. I’m proud to be an alumnus of the school and was equally proud when they asked me to co-chair this year’s sale, along with fellow collectors Lee Essex Doyle and Juan Prieto.

If you’re one of the many who love art, but don’t know much about the contemporary art world, and have a couple of walls that need “a little something,” you’re in the perfect place to take the first steps down the road toward a “collection.” With original artwork starting at $50, you can drop by the Museum School Art Sale and take a look, ask questions of the staff, find out about the artists and their artwork, take a look at what’s on offer, put a few dollars down, and take something home.

Michelle Samour, Wired Eye #3 (detail), 2011

Michelle Samour, Wired Eye #3 (detail), 2011. Pigmented abaca, gouache. 24“ diameter.

You never know what could happen. This is one of only a handful of schools in the country turning out artists like Ellsworth Kelly, Nan Goldin, and Mike and Doug Starn (whose Big Bambù graced both the Metropolitan Museum roof and the Venice Biennale this past year). Some of these young, unknown artists are going to be leading the way in decades to come. So visit the show, open your eyes, get a little advice, take a chance, and start building that collection.

The Museum School Art Sale is open to the public and runs from Thursday, December 8 through Sunday, December 11. For more details, visit http://www.smfa.edu/artsale.

 

 

Dan Elias owned Elias Fine Art, a contemporary art gallery in Boston, served for three years as host of the PBS series Antiques Roadshow and is now at the Peabody Essex Museum, a museum of world art and culture in Salem, Massachusetts, where he manages grant funding for projects in cross-cultural education and the arts.

 

Holiday Shopping Guide: Why I Buy Gifts at Auction

Vanilla. Its essence is delightful in a holiday cookie, but not so much in a holiday gift. We’ve all given them; we’ve all gotten them: gifts that are so unremarkable, so unmemorable, so “plain vanilla”, that they leave both the giver and the receiver feeling rather “Ho-Ho-Hum.”

The truth is, we all want to give and receive unique, thoughtful, and personal holiday gifts. But this seemingly simple task becomes daunting when all that is offered in stores and online is a homogenous array of “stuff.” Not only is it boring and uninspired, much of it is ill-designed, poorly-made, mass-marketed, and overpriced. So what’s a well-meaning gift-giver to do?

Here’s an idea to try this year: break with the tired holiday shopping tradition and opt to buy antiques and art at auction this season.

Good Sense, Great Taste

Antique Gold Jewelry | Holiday Gift Guide

December 6, 2011 Fine Jewelry Auction, Lot 509: Antique 18kt Gold and Reverse-painted Crystal Fishbowl Earpendants, Estimate $1,000-1,500

Buying at auction makes good sense year-round, but it is especially smart during the holidays. Some of the most memorable gifts I’ve ever given or received were purchased at auction. I’ve purchased modern photography for my children, and my brother once found a set of wrought iron antique fireplace tools at auction. He knew I would love them, and he was right.

Buying at auction is one of the most practical and surprisingly affordable ways to find beautiful, interesting, high-quality gifts that are truly unique – many are even one-of-a-kind. For example, at a typical Skinner Discovery auction, you’ll find thousands of antique offerings from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, including furniture, fine art, decorative arts, jewelry and other specialty antiques. See a gallery of photos from our recent Discovery preview on our Facebook page.

Most of these items come to auction fresh from estates, which means they’ve been tucked away and well-cared-for for decades. This factor is what gives auction property that “fresh-to-the-market” feel. The offerings at each auction are completely different, so it’s always a thrill to find the perfect gift. We all want to watch the joyful surprise as our friends and loved ones unwrap an unexpected gem.

Auction is also one of the greenest choicest you can make during the holidays, since the fine art and antiques at auction have been recycled – some items many times over.

There’s still time to do your holiday shopping at Skinner this December. Attend an auction preview or preview online for Skinner auctions of Asian Works of Art, Fine Jewelry, The Holiday Auction, and 20th Century Design.

My Holiday Favorites

My favorite auction buys this holiday season include:

Holiday Gift Guide | Bamboo BuddhaHoliday Gift Guide | Jewelry auctionHoliday Gift Guide | Vintage dress

 

#5 Glittery costume jewelry for festive party attire

Sparkly jewelry is a must during the holidays. This Giorgio Armani crystal necklace is lot 521 in the Holiday Auction on December 14 and 15, 2011. Estimate $200-400.

#4 Vintage couture and accessories for that fashion-forward friend

This mid-century modern, Marimekko-style dress is also featured in the Holiday Auction. I love the bold pattern and sophisticated palette.
#3 A bamboo Buddha for peace and serenity throughout the season

This delightful bamboo carving of a seated Luochan holding a staff is Lot 437 in the Asian Works of Art auction on December 1st through 3rd. Estimate $1,000-1,500.

#2 Mid-century modern décor for the fun and funky on your list

This fabulous Wendell Castle table will be offered at our 20th Century Design auction on December 17, 2011. Estimate $15,000-20,000.

 

Holiday Gift Guide | Wendell Castle Table

#1 Fine jewelry!

Of course, the absolute, hands-down best buy at auction during the holidays is fine jewelry. You will simply never buy at a retail jewelry store again when you see the spectacular examples of fine jewelry including diamonds, gemstones and pearls that are offered at auction.

My pick for jewelry this season is this pair of antique fishbowl earrings. You won’t see another pair of earrings like this anywhere else.

So save the vanilla for the cookies and eggnog. Show off your good sense, green thinking, and great taste – buy your holiday gifts at auction.

What’s the most unique gift you’ve ever given? Where did you find it?

Happy Bidding and Happy Holidays!