Archive for the 'New York Times' Category
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) […]
Irrevocable Bid Redux
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010As Enron was well versed in the smoke and mirrors of accounting practices, so too has Sotheby’s and of course Christie’s been encouraged with the buyer collusion offered by the irrevocable bid sham. This is now the duopoly’s new form of giving guarantees, and still collecting generous fees. With their intractable buyer’s premium, […]
Antiques, Back In Favor?
Thursday, April 30th, 2009Its been a constant tendency over the last decade that 20th Century modern design and decorative arts have been the number one topic for publications to promote and elevate, at the expense of other periods of antiques. It was to my amazement that last Friday (April 24) in her Antiques column, Wendy Moonan of […]
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 […]
New York Times 9/10/08-Secrets to Collecting
Thursday, September 11th, 2008The New York Times published an article titled “Passion and Prudence, the Secrets to Collecting” as topic in a section on wealth management. Once again we see how dealers are treated and misunderstood, at the expense of auctions and specifically the Sotheby’s/Christie’s duopoly. I responded to the author.
Dear Ms. Rozhon,
I think your article […]
Selling Art vs. Antiques; Apples vs. Oranges
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008Antiques and art are not really so similar. While they both fall under the same industry category, selling these items seems to require very different approaches. As I strolled down the side streets of Chelsea’s West 24/25/26th Streets, I saw techniques and environments for selling art that just doesn’t happen for antiques and […]
The Hobbs Antiques Dealer Scandal; Desperate Times
Saturday, May 24th, 2008The New York Times lead article in the Friday (5/23/08) Arts section profiled the alleged deception by the English dealer John Hobbs on the authenticity of the items they sold. Dealers of high end antiques know that it is rare to find any item in perfect condition, with absolutely no restoration or repair. […]
Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antiques Show; Some Observations
Friday, February 22nd, 2008Glitz, high prices, but where’s the (decorative arts) beef? The Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antiques Show over President’s Day Weekend was just that: magnificent jewelry, beautiful art, but what about furniture and decorative arts. The show’s title gave equal billing to that aspect of the trade, but from what I saw, […]
Special Buyers Terms, Special Conflicts of Interest
Monday, November 19th, 2007In Carol Vogel’s article “One Market Remains Sound: Money Is Still There for Best Art” in Saturday’s (11/17/07) New York Times, she reported that “when Sotheby’s or Christie’s is nervous that a work will not do well, it is not unusual for the house to contact potential buyers and offer special payment terms.” (my italic) […]
Bargain Time For Antiques-Not Anymore
Thursday, November 15th, 2007You might remember 9 months ago, I commented (2/8/2007 blog) on a New York Times feature article in the House & Home section, revealing the dire straits of dealers suffering from a 30% fall in prices since 2002. It’s time to look at the present market conditions and see what has changed.
Decorative Arts seem […]