Wednesday, March 24, 2010

BIG MONEY IS SPENT AT BIG NEW YORK SHOWS

IMAGE COURTESY OF JULIUS LOWY FRAME & RESTORING COMPANY, INCThe biggest shows and sales of the year are in New York City in January. Prices are always high and the merchandise is tops. The economy is in bad shape, but at the New York shows it seemed to be fine. Sold pieces included a bird-shaped weathervane cut from copper (asking price, $85,000); an 1823 silk embroidered mourning picture from New Hampshire, $250,000; a Philadelphia William and Mary table, $72,000; a Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, sampler for $125,000; and a blanket chest with ball feet, $125,000. Other pricey pieces were a huge elk from a Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Elks lodge, $385,000; a Boston blockfront chest of drawers, $775,000; an elaborate mirror made about 1800, $45,000; and a cow figurine with bocage by Enoch Wood, a 19th-century Staffordshire potter, $12,000. Less expensive wares were selling, too. We wonder if antiques are becoming so desirable because stocks, bonds, and real estate are not great investments right now. (From a long article in Maine Antique Digest, April issue)

1 comment:

UnrulyChild said...

I assume these figures were from the American Folk Art Musuem America Show. This show always brings out money. The items are very often sold before the show opens to the public. Still, many dealers had items from last year in their stalls.

The dealer overhead for these shows is absolutely enourmouns