Archive for the 'shows' Category
Prices and Pricing of Antiques, of Anything
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010I have always been a strong advocate of disclosed prices in the art and antiques industry. The fear of disclosing an asking price is nothing less than a secret reserve price. It creates a setting for being deceived and manipulated before you even make an inquiry about the item. As a method […]
Auction Draught; Dealers Rummage Around
Saturday, February 27th, 2010As bad as antiques dealers have fallen, so has the entire auction part of the trade. As I looked over at my group of upcoming Sotheby’s and Christie’s decorative arts sales catalogues, I had to pause at the thin volume and quality of inventory coming onto the market. I have three current (thin) […]
The State of the (Winter) Antiques Show
Friday, January 29th, 2010I started writing this blog when the antiques business was pre “Great Recession” in January of 2007. It was when the venerated New York Winter Antiques Show was on its last legs as an event with past glories. At that time the selection of dealer inventory styles was expanding. The extent […]
Industry Control; Controlling Inventory.
Monday, January 18th, 2010Physical possession of a fine or decorative arts item includes an added premium of control. Auctioneers like Sotheby’s and Christie’s have been using this advantage more than anyone in the industry. Their warehouses can be unbelievable experiences to walk through and see such quantity, quality, and diversity (sounds like Newel). But control […]
Happy New Year; Looking Forward to 2010!
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009I can’t wait for 2010, because it must be better than 2009 for the art and antiques trade. If nothing else, there are changes and underground currents in the industry and wealth in general, that should have an effect on how and why these items are traded. As a matter of some economic thought, […]
Antiques and the Luxury Market Today
Sunday, November 15th, 2009In the present state of the antiques market, it seems like an eternity since there was a feeling that our products could be bought and sold with any kind of rapidity. Turnover is not happening, and any sale is a welcomed event. Will this ever change; will there ever be a broad based […]
A National Antiques Week
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009FYI, the National Antique Week runs from November 23-30th, but in England. If American antiques dealers would recognize what a positive image could have on their sales, perhaps they might want to come together for such an occasion. It’s hard for anyone to not be curious about antiques.
The camaraderie of dealers working together for […]
Dealers’ Need a Real Lobbyist Organization
Saturday, February 14th, 2009Doctors have the American Medical Association; lawyers are represented by the American Bar Association, car dealers, teachers, religions, and even countries have organized representation to promote their best interests to the public and government. Art and antiques dealers, one can categorically say, do not have any form of an umbrella organization that can advocate […]
The “Saturday Sale” at 1stdibs, Getting Dealers’ Motivated
Monday, January 19th, 2009I have to respect what 1stdibs is offering with their announcement that “starting this Saturday (1/17/2009) dealers all across the country will be posting items that they have marked down to move quickly”. Of course, those dealers are members invited by Michael Bruno to join 1stdibs (for disclosure purposes, I was invited by Mr. […]
Antiques Dealers and Deceiving the Public
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008It doesn’t take much for the public to mistrust antiques dealers. We see it in New York Times articles like Christopher Mason’s scathing account of the Hobbs brothers family feud over the veracity of what they were selling or walking the Haughton International Art & Antiques Show and rarely finding a dealer who openly […]