Friday the 26th (today) through Sunday the 28th, noon to 6 p.m.
Closed next weekend though (December 3, 4, 5). Following weekend TBD.
Just come in this week, to be sure!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Appraising Mid-Century Furniture
I've had a couple folks come in and ask for appraisals. I'm happy to do it (you'd better be able to come up with ideas of value when you're buying and selling), but I also have to be honest - it's an incredibly science-less science. When I'm selling something for $500 that someone on 1stdibs is selling for $4000, there's more than a little play. When I see a pair of chairs selling at one place for more than a set of six is at another, there's a lack of consensus on value.
Why does this happen? I think there are a few reasons. First, there's really very little information available to demonstrate scarcity, or lack of it. Production runs are unknown, as are surviving quantities. The best we can do is ask "how often do we see these come up for sale?"
Second, people have differing opinions on condition issues. Does refinishing help or hurt? Is a small gouge a big problem? There doesn't seem to be strong consensus.
Third, and this is the one I can least account for, is audience and knowledge. The auction audience has little time for Knoll sofas or Paul McCobb Planner Group products. These were mass-produced and are visibly non-scarce. Nonetheless, the general consumer market seems to be willing to pay quite a bit more for these things. So should I appraise based on the possibility of an enthusiast's impulse, or based on the cool eye of the sophisticated buyer? The unlimited wallet of the SiliValley interior design client (which really can warp prices), or the more cautious mid-century fan?
The internet has also led to a breakdown of traditional ideas of retail, auction, and private party sales. Everyone on craigslist and eBay thinks of themselves as retailers, who should receive top-dollar for their items. This creates further confusion about pricing. If a price is visible on eBay, maybe that represents something. That eBay seller may sit on the item for years, hoping for that magical sale that never comes, but the unrealistic prices asked by some folks are nonetheless data points that have to be considered.
In short, appraisal is inexact, a bit chaotic, and you can get a lot of different numbers on the same thing.
Why does this happen? I think there are a few reasons. First, there's really very little information available to demonstrate scarcity, or lack of it. Production runs are unknown, as are surviving quantities. The best we can do is ask "how often do we see these come up for sale?"
Second, people have differing opinions on condition issues. Does refinishing help or hurt? Is a small gouge a big problem? There doesn't seem to be strong consensus.
Third, and this is the one I can least account for, is audience and knowledge. The auction audience has little time for Knoll sofas or Paul McCobb Planner Group products. These were mass-produced and are visibly non-scarce. Nonetheless, the general consumer market seems to be willing to pay quite a bit more for these things. So should I appraise based on the possibility of an enthusiast's impulse, or based on the cool eye of the sophisticated buyer? The unlimited wallet of the SiliValley interior design client (which really can warp prices), or the more cautious mid-century fan?
The internet has also led to a breakdown of traditional ideas of retail, auction, and private party sales. Everyone on craigslist and eBay thinks of themselves as retailers, who should receive top-dollar for their items. This creates further confusion about pricing. If a price is visible on eBay, maybe that represents something. That eBay seller may sit on the item for years, hoping for that magical sale that never comes, but the unrealistic prices asked by some folks are nonetheless data points that have to be considered.
In short, appraisal is inexact, a bit chaotic, and you can get a lot of different numbers on the same thing.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Thinking about Warhol
Sotheby's just sold an Andy Warhol Coke Bottle painting for $35 million. There's not much to say about this, other than to note that when an artist becomes a universal symbol (well, for an incredibly tiny universe, anyhow) for "culture" and simultaneously appeals to our senses of whimsy and simplicity - "it's a Coke bottle! What's to think about?" - finding bidders is probably easy.
I'm not a big Warhol fan. I often look at his work and think it was high concept at the time, but also hedged its bets - not just commenting on iconicity, but cynically and easily trading in it. You'll get more of us to buy when we have our own simple, transparent associations with your subject.
That said, I'm really happy to have this in my collection:
It's from the 1964 "One Cent Life" book and portfolio of prints. Like many of the prints, it's accompanied by a Walasse Ting poem (it's really Ting's book). Unlike a lot of the Warhol stuff I see that seems so dry and end-of-empire, this one gives us what seems like a bit of joie de vivre. This is an icon (that's Marilyn, right?) taken apart and trafficked in, but with careful composition and the excitement of contrasting color. Despite the disembodiment, this is lively.
The entire portfolio is pretty fascinating. It features - and occurs early in the maturation of - Pop Art (including prints by Lichtenstein, Dine, Indiana, and Ramos) but also makes a few nods to the previous decade's Abstract Expressionism (Mitchell, Francis, Van Velde). It is made up primarily of New York artists, but also includes folks from around the world.
I'm thinking of putting it on display at some point, but I'm not sure about the logistics.
Anyhow, to see some of the other prints in the portfolio, you can have a look here:
http://www.woodwardgallery.net/exhibitions/ex-onecentlife.html
I'm not a big Warhol fan. I often look at his work and think it was high concept at the time, but also hedged its bets - not just commenting on iconicity, but cynically and easily trading in it. You'll get more of us to buy when we have our own simple, transparent associations with your subject.
That said, I'm really happy to have this in my collection:
It's from the 1964 "One Cent Life" book and portfolio of prints. Like many of the prints, it's accompanied by a Walasse Ting poem (it's really Ting's book). Unlike a lot of the Warhol stuff I see that seems so dry and end-of-empire, this one gives us what seems like a bit of joie de vivre. This is an icon (that's Marilyn, right?) taken apart and trafficked in, but with careful composition and the excitement of contrasting color. Despite the disembodiment, this is lively.
The entire portfolio is pretty fascinating. It features - and occurs early in the maturation of - Pop Art (including prints by Lichtenstein, Dine, Indiana, and Ramos) but also makes a few nods to the previous decade's Abstract Expressionism (Mitchell, Francis, Van Velde). It is made up primarily of New York artists, but also includes folks from around the world.
I'm thinking of putting it on display at some point, but I'm not sure about the logistics.
Anyhow, to see some of the other prints in the portfolio, you can have a look here:
http://www.woodwardgallery.net/exhibitions/ex-onecentlife.html
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