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The New York Winter Antiques Show is America’s most

prestigious; and is also regarded as one of the important

shows internationally. Its seventy-four dealers are the

world’s elite, and the objects they bring are among the

rarest and finest on the market today. A perfect venue for

the quest set for our five antiques lovers. The

rules were simple: we were each given an

imaginary amount of money (up to a million

dollars) to spend at the show, and invited to

select any four objects. To make it interesting, Antiques &

Fine Art added a couple of requirements. Two of the

pieces had to be objects outside our usual comfort zone,

and one had to be priced less than $15,000.

The results were fascinating, reflecting the immense

variety of objects on show. Great objects, regardless

of their price, tend to tell a story; we are often too

preoccupied to listen. The quest forced us to listen and

we found our most interesting objects, such as the

Enigma machine and the Regency miniature eye, from

outside our areas of specialty, talking to dealers we

might otherwise have passed by.

produced by Mark Golodetz

A WinterAntiques

ShowBuyingSpree

If I had $1 Million

As collectors of English Georgian furniture,American furniture is generally not to ourtaste, but we surprised ourselves by falling inlove with Leigh Keno’s superb chest on chest($385,000). The richly figured mahoganywith its warm, almost glowing, patina issomething we have rarely seen on anAmerican piece. Its graceful curved front,swan’s neck pediment and ogee feet, and itsimpeccable provenance (it was once ownedby the pioneering American furniture col-lector, Charles Davenport) helped convinceour Anglophile eyes to put this exceptionalpiece on our list.

The extraordinary cockerel weathervane atPeter Tillou’s stand could definitely be thecenterpiece of our weathervane collection.This large, gutsy piece, priced at $275,000,had spent centuries on a church steeple

through the bitter Maine winters. It isremarkable not only for its size (3 ? feet highby 4 feet wide) but also for its strong linesand lovely patina of weathered copper. Thesplit tail is particularly strong and gives it atremendous sculptural vitality.

Collecting paintings is one of our greatestpassions, and we swooned over a gorgeousSergeant portrait. At $3.5 million, it was wayout of our budget (we did ask if we couldspend more and sadly, the answer was no!), sowe continued our search, coming across alovely oil by Marie Laurencin (French,1885–1956) for $100,000 offered by TheFine Art Society. We have long admired thedistinctive style of Laurencin, and thispainting of a woman in contemplative pose isa beautiful example of her work.

But for this assignment, we would certainly

never have discovered one of RegencyEngland’s most eccentric fads. As exhibitorElle Shushan told us, the trend for eye minia-tures started in 1786 when the Prince ofWales (later King George IV), not wanting toflaunt his marriage to the twice-widowed,Catholic Mrs. Fitzherbert, refused her requestto wear his miniature portrait as was thecustom. The wily George instead commis-sioned the royal miniaturist, Richard Cosway,to paint the Prince’s eye and had it set in alocket. Mrs. Fitzherbert was captivated andimmediately commissioned a miniature ofher eye (now in the Victoria and AlbertMuseum). Although the man whose eye isreproduced in this tiny treasure, which Ellepriced at $3,200, will always be a mystery tous, we were charmed by its offbeat historyand its allure as a conversation piece.

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Rosalind and Kenneth Landis, collectors

Chest on Chest from Leigh Keno: $385,000. Photography by Michael L. Hill. Cockerel weathervane from Peter Tillou: $275.000. Courtesy of Peter Tillou.

Painting by Laurencin from Alexander Galleries:$100,000. Courtesy of The Fine Art Society.

Eye miniature from Elle Shushan:$3,200. Courtesyof Elle Shushan.

I’m fascinated by the thin line dividing the sublime and theridiculous. Or maybe there is just something sublimely ridicu-lous about the art that catches my imagination.

“There is only one person uglier than myself, and that is mywife,” was the proud boast of British colonial painter GeorgeChinnery (1775–1852), who painted several portraits of himself.Owners of the portraits include the Metropolitan Museum ofArt, New York, the National Portrait Gallery, London, and thePeabody/Essex Museum, Salem, MA. The wonderful, tiny (only9 1/4 inches high) Chinnery portrait offered by China Tradespecialist Martyn Gregory for $130,000, the only one not in thecollection of an institution, speaks volumes about this notori-ously talented and troubled genius—A master portrait painterwho, for decades, made his subjects beautiful, but then wallowedin his own grotesqueness. Fantastic!

After admiring the beauty of the Hudson River School paintingon the crest of a circa-1820’s New York chair, one has to wonder howsuch absurdly shaped legs could support a person. But the chair wasobviously sturdy, having survived in such a marvelous, “undisturbed”(dealer’s expression) condition for over 180 years, even retaining itsoriginal rush seat. Made of maple and other native woods, this“urban American Sheraton style” chair was remarkably well pricedat $6,500 at Courcier Wilkins.

Since known provenance increases the value of a piece, MicheleBeiny’s price of $175,000 for a magnificent Sevres vase seemed atrifle. Presented by Napoleon to the Prince de Talleyrand in 1813,and standing a little over 17 inches high, it’s a spectacular exampleof the outstanding form known as “Vase Etrusque de 1810.” Thescene, La Tour des Souiris prè Bingen sur le Rhin, was painted bySwebach-Desfontaines, one of the most important landscape

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Elle Shushan, exhibiting dealer, specialist in portrait miniatures

Phyfe guéridon fromCarswell Rush Berlin:$160,000. Courtesy ofCarswell Rush Berlin.

Sevres vase from Michele Beiny: $175,000. Photography by E. Shushan.

George Chinnery self portrait from Martyn Gregory:$130,000. Courtesy of Martyn Gregory.

Hudson River School painted chair from Courcier Wilkins:$6,500. Photography by E. Shushan.

painters at the Sevres factory during the Empireperiod. The gilt ornamentation is by CharlesChristian Marie Durosey, one of the factory’smost talented gilders. This porcelain master-piece is indisputably worthy of its destiny as agift from an Emperor to one of the greatestpoliticians in history.

Conveniently, the name of Phyfe & Sonswas in use for only three years, 1837–1840, somy next object, a delightful cast iron and

marble guéridon, for $160,000, may be datedalmost exactly. Believed by dealer CarswellRush Berlin to be the earliest documentedexample of indoor formal American cast-ironfurniture, this diminutive table (29 incheshigh, 22 inches in diameter), also retains itsoriginal marble top. The marble, set into aconforming rosewood apron, bears an inscrip-tion in charcoal, “PHIFE [sic] & SONS,”presumed to have been inscribed by Phyfe’s

marble supplier. Additional inscriptions onthe brace identify the table as having beenmade for “Mrs. A Holmes/East Greenwich,R. I.” A native of Rhode Island, Alice ArnoldHolmes (1782–1866), daughter of ColonelWilliam Arnold, married shipping baronCaptain Silas Holmes in 1807. They kept res-idences in New York, New Orleans, andGreenwich, Rhode Island, which were obvi-ously furnished in the latest fashion.

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One of my roles as a curator is to expand the collection with objects relating to New York.Therefore, as part of my assignment I searched for pieces with regional associations. Ifound my first object almost immediately at Leigh Keno’s booth. The elegant, sinuous five-

legged New York rococo card table for $285, 000caught my eye. For years I have been longing forone of these masterpieces of New YorkChippendale furniture for the Historical Society’scollection. Leigh Keno’s example featured aboldly curved serpentine front, shapely cabriolelegs terminating in solid, well-executed ball-and-claw feet, acanthus carving on the knees, and thenotable absence of a gadrooned border on theskirt, which seemed to give it a weightlessquality. Though it had minor condition issues

(not unusual for a piece of its age), including arepaired leg and a missing card drawer, and no surviving history of its original owner, I wascaptivated by its dynamic form and delicate grace.

Margi Hofer, curator of decorative arts, New York Historical Society

New York card table from Leigh Keno: $285,000.Courtesy of Leigh Keno Antiques.

Bonnet from Morning Star Galleries: $8,500. Courtesy of Morning Star Galleries.

Frankl Skyscraperbookcase fromHistorical Design:$250,000.Photography by Brad Shew,New York City.Copyright 2006Historical Design,Inc., NY, NY.

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My second pick, the centerpiece ofHistorical Design’s booth, could not contrastmore dramatically with the curvaceous cardtable—Paul Frankl’s towering 8-foot sky-scraper bookcase, all straight lines and hardangles, at $250,000. The Historical Society hasfocused its recent collecting efforts on thetwentieth century, and skyscraper-inspiredobjects rank high on the decorative arts wishlist. Although Frankl’s line of skyscraper furni-ture, introduced in 1927, included a variety offorms, the soaring verticality and jagged out-line of the New York skyline is best capturedby the bookcases. Historical Design’s examplewas virtually identical to one in the original

Skyscraper Furniture catalogue from circa1927, listed at $300. Its bold orange-red inte-riors and black lacquered exterior had beenredone, but in a manner consistent with theoriginal decorative scheme.

Putting aside my curatorial focus for theobjects outside my “comfort zone,” I was drawnto the jewelry display at James Robinson andexamined a stunning 18K bracelet by Paris jew-eler Eugène Fontenay, made circa 1865 in theEtruscan Revival style. I inspected the amaz-ingly intricate details of the design and, mostimportantly, made sure it looked as good on myown wrist as it did on the black velvet mount inthe display case. It was an easy sale at $36,500.

In search of a fourth item, I was drawn tothe beaded bonnets at Morning Star Gallery’sbooth of antique Native American art, where Iexamined a bright blue bonnet of tanned hidewith intricate beaded decoration of birds,flowers, and an exuberant potted plant.Morning Star’s Vanessa Hernandez, explainedthat this Sioux bonnet ($8,500) of around 1880represented cross-cultural exchange, as the formwas introduced to the tribe by Christian mis-sionaries in the mid-nineteenth century. NativeAmerican bonnets are quite rare, and those thatdo survive were commissioned by missionaries’wives or made for Native American infantsbaptized as Christians.

Spend a million dollars at the Winter Antiques Show—Easy! As adesigner, my approach is to look for items that are beautiful, unique,outstanding, or all of the above. I approached the project with zest.Finally! There is enough money to buy anything I want; and at one ofthe best sources in the world.

As a collector of antiquities, I knew I wanted the first- second-century AD Roman torso of Apollo at the Safani Gallery priced at$285,000. The torso is a Roman copy of the original Greek bronzestatue known as the “Kassel Apollo,” by Pheidias, circa 460–450BC, and named after the replica in the Kassel museum in Germany.The overall form is elegant and dynamic. The surface of the marble

Ron Bricke, interior designer

Roman torso fromSafani Gallery:$285,000.Photography byMichael L. Hill

Library chair fromDillingham: $195,000.Courtesy of Dillingham.

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has a soft glow with l ight traces oforganic growth indicating its burial inthe ground. The scale is impressive atapproximately 32 inches high, and sobeautifully made you hardly notice themissing legs and head.

My second choice was an importantEnglish George II walnut arm chair, circa1730 at the Dillingham & Companybooth. I was attracted to the extraordinaryarmrests with facing eagle heads. Acanthuscarving at the knees and pad feet, and thevery slender framing outlining the backmade in burl walnut veneer complete thepiece. Comfort added to the mix pushedme to the decision to buy at $195,000.

I saw a beautiful half-spherical silverplated teapot by Christopher Dresser at theFine Art Society — a registered design byJames Dixon & Sons in 1879. Althoughsmall at 13 1/2 inches, the teapot was pureform and a pioneering industrial design.

There are only seven known examples ofthis unique design, which probablyaccounted for the price — $250,000. Theebony handle held by a semicircular sup-port hovering over the body convinced meto make it my third choice.

My final selection was priced at$12,000, to be well spent at Hyde ParkAntiques. Here was the complement to myalmost-modern Dresser teapot. A Regencyrosewood tea caddy with its original glassdishes. Strong in form, classical in design,large in scale, with exceptional graining inthe wood, it would create an exciting ten-sion with my teapot.

Reflecting on my purchases, I discoveredthat form and scale were for me the mostimportant elements. I now have a chair tosit in while looking at a remarkable sculp-ture using my regency tea caddy to supportmy very individual teapot.

My quest didn’t start well; bothRosalind and I had fallen for thesame cockerel weathervane on thePeter Tillou stand, but she beat me toit. However, within a couple of min-utes, I was happily marking off themagnificent oval Italianate Kentmirror on Clinton Howell’s stand for$185,000. William Kent(1686–1748), at his best, juxtaposes amonumental formalism in his carvedfaces with an almost playful, sensualcarving. Here were perfectly carvedfeathers, shells, vines, and oak leavesbursting with life; an exuberant back-drop to the cool beauty of thegoddess Diana perched on the top.

Given that I frequently write aboutwine, I try to avoid antiques that haveanything to do with the subject. Butthe English cellaret on MalcolmFranklin’s booth was special. Cellaretslike this are common; what made thisone remarkable was the color, a lus-

Mark Golodetz, writer and collector

Dresser teapot from theFine Art Society:$250,000. Photographyby Michael L. Hill

Rosewood tea caddy from Hyde Park Antiques: $12,000.Photography by Michael L. Hill.

Kent mirror fromClinton Howell:

$185,000.Photography byMichael L. Hill.

Cellaret fromMalcolm Franklin:

$11,500. Courtesy ofMalcolm Franklin.

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Mark Golodetz is a contributing editor to The Wine Enthusiast and also consults for corporate and private cellars. He can be reached at MarkGolodetz@aol.com. He is a regular contributor to Antiques & Fine Art.

trous faded mahogany that spoke volumes about itshistory. It had not only survived several centuriesbut been enhanced by them. Price $11,500.

I have always wanted a Tang horse because oftheir natural modeling and bright colors. RogerKeverne had a glorious example, larger than usual,and seeming to have a real presence and character,the careful modeling sweetened by the lovelyjewel-like earth tones of the paint. Definitelyworth its $280,000 price tag.

At Kenneth Rendell’s booth. I almost literally raninto an Enigma cipher machine. Looking like a glo-rified typewriter put together by a mad DIY fanatic,this was used by the Germans to send coded mes-sages to their U boats in the North Atlantic duringWorld War II. Deciphering the code was one of themost important breakthroughs for the Allies. Afterthe war, the British government put a large bountyon Enigma machines to prevent them from fallinginto Soviet hands, so few have survived. Less than aspear throw away, at Rupert Wace’s booth, layanother weapon; a simply constructed Corinthianhelmet made from bronze in the seventh century.Reflecting a time when battles were hand-to-handaffairs, often between neighboring villages, today itcan be seen as just beautiful, savage, and slightlyalien in appearance. The pale turquoise of its slightlycorroded bronze, and its relatively small size (it wasprobably worn by a youth) made this a stunningobject at $85,000. The two pieces reflecting warfarefrom their respective eras made sense as a singleexhibit, so I cheated and counted it as one. Even so,like the others, I spent far less than a million dollars.We are a frugal lot!

Tang horse fromRoger Keverne:

$280,000. Courtesyof Roger Keverne.

Enigma cipher machine from Kenneth Rendell: $85,000.Photography by Michael L. Hill.

Corinthian helmetfrom Rupert Wace:$85,000. Courtesyof Rupert Wace.