general antiques & arts

  Payne Fine Arts is proud to offer a still-life by Patty Thum, a circular oil painting of roses – yellow, white, pink and red – against a blue sky. Louisville, Kentucky, native Patty Thum (1853-1926) was one of the most influential figures in regional art from the Victorian period through the 1920s. She had a national audience thanks to popular lithographic reproductions of her flower paintings that appeared in newspapers and painting magazines. She also helped determine Louisville’s artistic agenda through her writings about art, primarily as a critic for the Louisville ...

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Some years ago it was suggested that I build waterline models for profitable sales, similiar to the work of noted builder Charles Van Ryper. At that time I was not familiar with his work, nor did I know the history about his contemporary "Art Deco' style which emerged when he produced his Travel Series prior to the Second World War. Today, in the maritime arts, especially in the Collectible market of ship models, there seem to be a strong resurgence of collectors sprouting up in America and across the atlantic relative to the antique shipmodels of Charles Van Ryper. This is due, in part, ...

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It's evident on the collectible's circuit that miniature ship models have taken on a new perspective as an artform. In recent times it has been garnered the distinctive titleship as being a highend collectible under the auctioneer's hammer -and bidding participants who look upon these tiny gems, with awe and appreciation, anticipate ownership. These ship miniatures have been bought, sold, and appraised for hundreds (sometimes thousand of dollars) -attesting to the fact that these are, indeed, highly desirable art pieces. Ship models, or rather, the ship model has long been regarded in ...

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Or what finds YOU at the flea market.  As you may know, I am re-examining my roots and heading back to Philly to open my own antique store.  The antique and design scene there is growing at a break neck pace as new locales are created and new traditions begun.  I have been writing about the store and looking at ways to become involved in this growing scene.  One of those ideas was to set up at a local flea market...   Flea markets are where I began to first understand antiques and where I began my business those ten years ago in New York City.  So, it ...

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It has been long regarded that ship models exist as a craftsman's art and has never been taken seriously as a true artform. On the contrary... Over the years, as both artist and historian, I have studied this art trend -and to my amazement and awe, found that the artist and the artform has, in my most humble observation, been a medium much sought after. Moreover, with the recent passing of noted British artist Donald McNarry, world-wide collectors have scowered the maritime searching for his signature miniatures since his retirement from the medium in 1983. At the auction house of ...

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20th Century Traditions.  It's more than a blog.  It's an idea.  A blending of what is to come with the foundation of what has been built.  It's a starting point from which to re-invent.  It's the embodiment of Spring.  It's the beginning of my newest venture.  A store in Philadelphia.   Philly was my home for many years before moving to New York City.  It's wonderful to go home again.  People always say that it can't be done, but that is because they are expecting to see what they knew.  I am expecting to see the rebirth of the ...

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Shadowboxes came into vogue as sailor keepsakes during the 18th century when crews placed in this window-framed box items that denoted a sailor or officer's career while with a ship. This was the early shadowbox. Since then, the shadowbox has developed into pictureque two-dimensional form containing either cultural or maritime-related subjects. As the American maritime market grew in the mid-70s, so did the shadowbox. These were bulky wall pieces that centered around a shipmodel that was plaed in a setting with other vessels or coastal scenes which either depicted a lighthouse or town. ...

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It had to be done.  Re-invention is the stuff that keeps us young.  In the moment.  Fresh.  And in doing this, just how do we keep our feet on the ground?  How do we build on our foundation?  How do we grow?  We hold steadfast to our traditions while always looking to the future.  This is the new 20th Century Tradition.     Many of my colleagues have agonized over our business and the direction in which they perceive it to be heading.  Where is the antiques buyer of today and tomorrow?  These dealers simply cannot understand ...

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Fall River Line models are extremely attractive and worthy of exhibition anywhere. As a collectible their value rarely diminish as I've recently discovered. The next area of interest in New England would be the island steamers that operated around Cape Cod between Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. These are beautiful one of a kind pieces that are rarely seen in today's market. Once they are on the circuit for auction they are gathered up quickly; inpart, because of their rarity and collectible status. The Northeast carried an extensive line of steamboats of various types. Collectors have ...

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    FLYING MURALS OF WYNWOOD & CAMO DEER Capturing the essence of what the Wynwood Arts District and the Miami art scene have to offer, Wynwood pioneer Tony Goldman will exhibit what he describes as “the flying murals of Wynwood” in the fair’s VIP Lounge.  Under his guidance, six 8’ x 24’ murals by international artists, including a Retna work from the Janet and Tony Goldman Collection, an existing piece from How & Nosm, as well as new murals from DAZE, Aiko and Futura, are installed Goldman has also commissioned a special exhibit by Ron English, who is one ...

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Australian aborigines called it the "stone of light" and the Celts believed its prismatic properties linked it to the sun. Even the fortuneteller's rudimentary crystal ball was originally crafted of the mysteriously alluring mineral we refer to today as rock crystal. Rock crystal, or clear quartz, has been revered by nearly every ancient culture in history. It's clear, ice-like appearance, enhanced by light refracting fissures gave the mineral an air of mystique that carried on well into the Renaissance. The mineral's innate beauty piqued the interest of 14th-century European royals and ...

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Some folks like to do things in a big way.  They enjoy the spotlight, and blossom with a little extra attention.  We’re sort of that way, too, so we understand.  Even when it comes to selling an antique or collectible, we think it’s always more fun to make a splash.  Why do anything the conventional way when you can make it fun? Do you remember that Super Hero Auction we had last year?  We had national news coverage for that event, plus plenty of local headlines and spots on our local news networks.  Our own John discovered he looked good in ...

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There was a time when no amusement park or playground was complete without a carousel ride. Children and even adults could take pleasure in a whimsical ride atop an array of horses and other fanciful creatures carved by the most skilled artisans of the day. Though quality examples of these nostalgic masterpieces come few and far between on the market, that doesn't seem to deter the demand for these magnificent figures. The carousel reached its golden age in early 20th-century America, and lasted until the Great Depression of 1929. This roughly 25-year period saw the creation of carousel ...

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  I recently came across this rather amusing photograph of me while cleaning out a drawer of old photographs. I find it comical that at the age of three I possessed the strength to lift what appears to be a sixteen pound gander.  Upon seeing this photo, the first question that came to my mind was "Could I have ever ended up in a non-waterfowl related field?" With an avid hunter as a father and the past Chairman of National Audubon Society as my uncle and Godfather, the sporting field was a profession I couldn't refuse. Little has changed in the last forty years, I still love ...

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My neighbor described it as a desperate act.  An act forced upon dealers whose need for sales outweighed any other factors.  With this, I envisioned a rather gloomy scene of empty show aisles, dealers trolling booths looking for steals for which they could offset payment and the few potential customers that might be there would be saying over and over, "I'll think about it...".   But that was not to be the case.  Instead it was a vibrant show.  With happy dealers.  And a buying public out in full force.  While it wasn't the best show of my career ...

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One of the missions of M.S. Rau Antiques is to seek out and provide our clients with the absolute finest antiques, works of art and jewelry...something we like to call The Best of The Best. To come across pieces that embody the key elements of beauty, rarity and history is what really excites us. This opulent Royal Commode by Henry Dasson is just such an antique. In terms of rarity and history, it is distinguished by not just one, but two of the most important craftsmen, or ébénistes, to have ever lived. The great Henry Dasson based its design on a pair of commodes André Charles ...

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Yup.  I've tried them.  And a whole bunch of other techniques.  What is happening with the art and antiques business?  I'm hearing one thing and seeing another.  I'm hearing horror stories of stuff selling for virtually nothing or not selling at all, while I see my inventory at my boutique in Center44 depleted each month with sales and rentals of my inventory are on the rise.  Huh?  Well, to further complicate and confuse the already muddy waters, I've chosen to jump in with both feet and set up at the Pier Show on November 19th and 20th.  Here's why it's confusing...  My neighbor at Center ...

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It's been a pretty interesting transition so far.  The days when I would pile frames on my shoulders and hoof it to the nearest subway station to travel to the Upper East Side art galleries are now only fond memories.  Or when I would bring home piles of frames, paintings, even a six foot tall metal easel on either the Metro North or LIRR train (and then, of course, on the subway to my tiny apartment in the West Village) are also now just funny stories.  Family life has brought me into the 21st Century and all that the internet has to offer.  Websites, social networking, blogs... you name, ...

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Have you heard that?  Have you said that?  I'm not speaking about dating, but rather singles and pairs in the antiques and design business.  Lamps, chairs, vases, chandeliers, mirrors, sconces - just about anything.  For those of us in the antiques and design business we seem to be all too preoccupied by pairs.  The desire to have a mirror copy of a room, to have even numbers throughout, to have a numerical balance - it just doesn't add up.   Let's examine your living room.  A sofa with a matched pair of end tables on either side with a matched pair of lamps or vases sitting on top.  ...

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You know this already.  We've all heard it.  The three most important things in real estate are location, location and location.  And when you're speaking of Manhattan real estate you had better add numerous zeros.  This 'City that Never Sleeps' offers everything you could want (and maybe some things that you don't) throughout the city.  And there's a price for that convenience.  Whether you rent or own, a Manhattan store is no small investment.  With rents in the 10's of thousands of dollars per month and prices to own in the millions, what is a start up business to do?  That all depends on ...

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Ever since I moved to New York City in 2002, I have been an early morning (well before dawn) shopper at the flea markets along 6th Avenue.  By the time I had arrived on the scene, and I do mean scene, there were a few different parking lots and an indoor parking garage packed with hundreds of dealers set up selling every imaginable treasure, and some trash, you could ever hope to find.  Celebrities and rarities.  Sure, I was told of the good old days in the 80's and 90's, when there were many more lots and even better choices, but this was my time and I made the most of it.     I was the ...

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One of the most fascinating aspects of collecting antiques is the story each piece has to tell. Each and every antique and work of art in our 30,000 square-foot French Quarter gallery embodies a moment in history that makes it beyond compare. This breathtaking billiard table is certainly no exception. Known as the "History of Australia" Billiard Table, this award-winning, hand-carved masterpiece with a matching score board has it all: royal provenance, peerless craftsmanship and an impressive international exhibition history to boot. Carved from Australian blackwood by renowned carver ...

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Few figures in Modern history evoke images of leadership, integrity and political prowess as does Winston Churchill.  His iconic speeches and steadfast direction during World War II galvanized the Allied forces in Britain and abroad. Few people realized that, though he was most revered for his rolls as statesman, orator, historian, politician and writer, Churchill was also an accomplished artist. M.S. Rau is honored to have two of his historically significant works currently in our Fine Art collection: The Tower of Katoubia Mosque, created and given by Churchill to President Franklin Delano ...

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When was the last time you went outside on a clear night for the sole purpose of looking at the night sky?  I sometimes wonder about the level of amazement that must have gone through the minds of early man, observing comets, eclipses and moon phases with a surreal combination of awe and trepidation. These first “astronomers” used what they observed with the naked eye to explain everything from the changing seasons to their religious beliefs. But it wasn’t until the invention of the telescope that these observations made the giant leap from mere assumption to revolutionary truth. The first ...

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The "taking of snuff" was a very social activity among Europe's upper class, beginning in the early 16th century. It's hard to believe a habit that caused frequent, and at times messy, sneezing fits would become so en vogue, but it did. And, with such widespread usage by seemingly every person of importance in the 16th century, the demand for a fashionable yet functional way to carry one's snuff inspired the greatest jewelers, enamellers, goldsmiths and silversmiths of the time to create what we know today as the snuffbox. It is said that Queens Anne and Charlotte enjoyed snuff so much, ...

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