The Art Appraisal Blog

Art Dealers Association of America Develops Their Appraisal Division

2010-02-21T14:04:00.000-05:00

Carol Vogel of the New York Times reports:

NEW APPRAISALS CHIEF

In an effort to beef up its appraisal business — and grab some of it away from the auction houses — the Art Dealers Association of America has hired Karen E. Carolan, the former director of the Internal Revenue Service’s art appraisal division and former chairwoman of its Art Advisory Panel. She was appointed executive director of the association’s appraisals services department. “This is a long-term initiative,” said Lucy Mitchell-Innes, president of the dealers group.
While the association already has a team of appraisers, it is hoping to increase the business that comes primarily from estates and collectors making donations to nonprofit institutions. Performing appraisals not only brings in revenue, it is also a good way to learn where works of art are, which can often lead to future sales. That’s partly why the auction houses are so keen to help clients with appraisals for everything from estate taxes to insurance and gift taxes.
While Sotheby’s and Christie’s usually charge fees for appraisals, it is often waived for collectors whose works they hope to sell in the future. Art dealers, like those in the association, charge a fee too, another revenue stream the group hopes to increase.

Maine Antique Digest - Pair of Aesthetic Movement Chairs at Rago Bring $390,400

2010-01-29T15:02:00.001-05:00

$390,400 for the pair. Photo Courtesy of Rago

I love the fact that these were found in a boiler room and that the consignor was a 70 year old widow. Quite shocking that these chairs had an auction estimate of $500/700, just goes to show how easily the unusual pieces are overlooked because of condition issues! Granted, they need quite a bit of work including replacing the missing panels and casters, along with the Louis Comfort Tiffany glass mosaics which can be reproduced.

Read more here:

Maine Antique Digest - Pair of Aesthetic Movement Chairs Sells for $390,400

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Maine Antique Digest - Four More Chairs with Peacock Finials

2010-01-29T14:57:00.001-05:00

Maine Antique Digest - Four More Chairs with Peacock Finials

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Artprice.com reports Unabashed Confidence in London

2010-01-26T17:38:00.000-05:00

Artprice.com shows us what a difference a year can make, comparing auction catalogues that have just come out for next month's Impressionist auctions in London. Let's see if this unabashed confidence bears up in February! Should be an interesting month....
Read more here:
http://web.artprice.com/AMI/AMI.aspx?id=MDYyMzkwNjE2MDU2OTk=

Kenneth Noland, Color Field Painter, Dies at 85

2010-01-06T18:24:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to the New York Time obituary and wonderful slide presentation of the artist's work:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/arts/06noland.html

American Museum Attendance Increases in Recession

2009-12-28T09:51:00.000-05:00

The Art Newspaper reports the findings from their survey of 20 American museums, showing that two-thirds of these institutions have seen an increase in admission ticket sales over the past three years. This upward trend runs across the board from museums with paid and free admissions alike, and extends not only to individual ticket sales but an increase in museum memberships as well. The sharpest increase is seen in museums showing contemporary art. A variety of factors are used to explain the upswing, including the popularity of the "staycation", the relative bargain of the ticket prices, and the popularity of the blockbuster shows at certain institutions such as the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, The Guggenheim Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Read more here:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Museum-attendance-rises-as-the-economy-tumbles/19840

Art Basel Miami Beach 2009

2009-12-08T18:29:00.002-05:00

The Art Newspaper reports stronger sales in 2009 in spite of a still-struggling economy. Most galleries indicated that sales are up from the doldrums of 2008, although it does take a bit longer for deals to close. The fair has "grown up" in the words of David Juda of Annely Juda Fine Art. The atmosphere is quieter and more sedate than the party-oriented mood of prior years, with buyers doing their homework before making a purchase. David Juda also reports that he has closed sales at both the mid-market level (David Hockney prints sold between $23,000 and $38,000) as well as the upper echelon (Naum Gabo's Linear Construction in Space No. 2 sold for just under $1m). Needless to say, price levels have dropped from previous years, and in the words of 303 director Lisa Spellman, "$500,000 is the new million".

Read more here:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/The-going-is-tough-but-stronger-sales-at-all-levels-than-last-year/19833"

Andrew Wyeth Painting Sells for $6.9 million at Christie's

2009-12-07T10:28:00.003-05:00

Christie's Important American Paintings sale achieved a stellar result when they hammered down Above the Narrows by Andrew Wyeth for $6,914,500 on December 2nd. The portrait of the artist's teenage son Nicky was painted in 1960, and depicts the figure standing on a bluff overlooking the St. George's River in Maine. The painting was offered for the first time since it's initial purchase from the artist in 1961 by Jack Dreyfus.

This auction result represents the second-highest auction price for the artist's work. The record price for one of Wyeth's paintings was set by Christie's in 2007 when the auction house sold "Ericksons", a 1973 tempera on panel, for $10.3 million.

Maine Antique Digest - The American Art Fair

2009-12-01T09:27:00.001-05:00

Maine Antique Digest - The American Art Fair

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September American Paintings Auctions

2009-11-25T21:07:00.003-05:00

Here is a link to an interesting article that covers the results of the Fine American Paintings sales at Christie's and Sotheby's in September. While the results were not stellar, one cannot say that either sale was a bomb. A painting at Sotheby's by Francis A. Silva (1835-1886), Sailing at Twilight, more than doubled the low end of the estimate. Christie's set an artist-record for a painting by John Fabian Carlson (1874-1947) when they sold Forest Silence, 1917, for $80,500. The upcoming December sales at each auction house will be interesting to see, since most of the top-level material is set aside for the December auction.

Read more here:

http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/stories/index.html?id=1623

Madoff memorabilia hits auction block: Start your own financial scandals collection

2009-11-11T20:45:00.000-05:00

Madoff memorabilia hits auction block: Start your own financial scandals collection

Christie's Postwar/Contemporary Evening Sale

2009-11-11T12:49:00.004-05:00

Courtesy of Artinfo, here is a link to a slide show of the Postwar/Contemporary Art Evening Sale at Christie's on November 10th. Images of the highlights and lowlights from the sale (both sold and unsold works) are included along with buyers and consignor information when relevant.

Read more here:

http://www.artinfo.com/news/photos/1890/18226/

American Museum Directors Accept Salary Cuts

2009-11-02T20:56:00.005-05:00

The Art Newspaper reports that in a recent survey of 60 American museums, one-third of these museum directors have accepted salary cuts. Museum staff members and directors have seen a widespread reduction in salaries, elimination of bonuses, unpaid leave, hiring freezes and lay-offs.

A listing of the specifics (as of July 1, 2009) can be found here:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Salary-cuts-for-one-third-of-US-museum-directors/19366

Union Jack Naval Flag From the Battle of Trafalgar

2009-10-28T20:46:00.004-04:00

The Antiques Trade Gazette reports that a Union Jack Naval Flag brought 320,000 pounds at auction on October 21, 2009. The flag was sewn on board the HMS Spartiate, and was given to Lieutenant James Clephan by the ship's crew in commemoration of his courage in the battle of Trafalgar. Offered by maritime specialist Charles Miller, Ltd. in a Trafalgar Day Sale, the naval flag was purchased by an American collector who is in the process of arranging for the flag to be placed on display in the UK. With a conservative estimate of 10,000 to 15,000 pounds, the flag garnered considerable attention in the press prior to the day of the sale.

Read more here:

http://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/7321.aspx

What You Should Know About Choosing an Art Appraiser

2009-10-20T18:29:00.006-04:00

I recently wrote a short article for the law firm Fox Rothschild which was published in their Art Law blog. The blog touches upon key points to keep in mind when choosing an appraiser of tangible personal property to prepare a report for estate, income or gift tax purposes. The IRS looks very carefully at these appraisal reports, and the taxpayer needs to hire a "Qualified Appraiser" in order to comply with IRS regulations.

Read more here:

http://artlaw.foxrothschild.com/articles/art-valuation-1/

New Attribution to Leonardo Davinci - La Bella Principessa

2009-10-19T13:45:00.007-04:00

A convincing argument has been built based on certain clues found on a small portrait that had previously been identified as a 19th century German portrait. Using scientific analysis of the canvas, the brushstrokes and the paint, the work has been compared to a known Da Vinci painting in the Vatican. Martin Kemp, emeritus professor of the History of Art at Oxford University, has claimed this painting to be the most important discovery in Da Vinci's oeuvre in the last 100 years. The value of the portrait has been adjusted upwards to reflect this new attribution to Da Vinci, from $19,000 to $100 millon.

Read more here:

How Do Experts Authenticate Art?

http://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/7311.aspx

Antiques Market Outshines Contemporary Art in London

2009-10-16T10:16:00.003-04:00

The Financial Times reports that the antiques market appears to be on the upswing. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors recently polled London antiques dealers on the state of the market for fine and decorative art. Two-thirds of these dealers reported rising prices over the past three years, particularly in the areas of jewelry and silver. There is speculation that collectors are choosing to invest in safer havens of traditional works of art, and are turning away from riskier purchases as they build their collections.

Read more here:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1d10c366-b504-11de-8b17-00144feab49a.html?nclick_check=1

Holland Cotter on White House Art

2009-10-14T11:44:00.004-04:00

The New York Times art critic Holland Cotter reports on the selection of art currently on loan to the White House from various Washington, D.C. museums. This link provides a slideshow to these works, which include blue-chip artists such as Jasper Johns, Ed Ruscha, and Richard Diebenkorn. Featured strongly in this article is a profile on Alma Thomas, an African-American female artist who started paining full-time at the age of 69. Holland Cotter considers Alma Thomas to be the ideal Obama White House artist, and her work stands out among the entire collection as a power of example for the Obama administration.

See more here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/weekinreview/11cotter.html

A Child's WWII Drawing Returns Home

2009-10-07T14:45:00.006-04:00

This is an interesting feature story that traces the footsteps of a piece of World War II memorabilia which was returned to the original owner after 63 years. Fortunately, this particular drawing was mounted in a double frame, allowing this piece of ephemera to be fully documented. Never underestimate the importance of good quality framing.

Read more here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/nyregion/20iwo.html

Thomas Chambers at the American Folk Art Museum

2009-10-05T16:19:00.003-04:00

The American Folk Art Museum has mounted the first major exhibition of the painter Thomas Chambers (1808-1869). Born in England as the son of a mariner, Thomas Chambers was active in the United States during the period 1834 to 1866. Chambers specialized in painting seascapes and battles scenes, often working from print sources. Because most of his work is unsigned, this exhibition breaks new ground in the scholarship for this artist.

Check out this slideshow of his work:

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/10/02/arts/20091002-cham_index.html

Kickstarter Funding of Matt Held's Facebook Project, Phase II

2009-10-01T20:27:00.004-04:00

Here is an interesting way of supporting Matt Held in his Facebook Portrait Project, phase II. If you follow this link to the Kickstarter site, you can contribute as little as $1 to help fund the next phase of this artist's project, where he explores the relationship between classic portraiture and social networking. Learn more here at Kickstarter:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1671016343/matt-held-facebook-portraits-phase-ii

Porcelain Market Remains Strong Despite Gloomy Economy

2009-09-30T16:54:00.004-04:00

The Artnewspaper reports that antique porcelain appears to be impervious to the global economic crisis. This optimistic outlook was shared at a recent conference of the Confédération Internationale des Négociants en Oeuvres d’Art (Cinoa). Experts of 18th century porcelain indicate that the shortage of high quality material and discerning collectors are the reason behind the strength of the market for Meissen tableware, figurines and groups.

Read more here:
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Porcelain-unharmed-by-economic-crisis/19353

Inflated art appraisals cost U.S. government untold millions -- latimes.com

2009-09-29T08:43:00.004-04:00

The L.A. Times reports that overinflated values for donations of art and antiquities are part of a widespread problem. It is important to note that these appraisers were acting as advocates for their client, and were not producing reports in compliance of USPAP. Museum officials may have also contributed to the problem in an effort to add to their collections while trying to appease these donors. The importance of working with a qualified, USPAP compliant appraiser cannot be overstated. In addition, appraisers should avoid any client that tries to steer them towards an inflated value.

Read more:
Inflated art appraisals cost U.S. government untold millions -- latimes.com

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Archaelogical Treasures Unearthed in Staffordshire

2009-09-28T20:43:00.003-04:00

Armed with a metal detector, a hobbyist discovers an important collection of early Angl0-Saxon gold and silver in a farmer's field. Experts are awed by the size, scope and importance of the find, which is being referred to as the Staffordshire Hoard. Dating to at least the 7th century, the treasure trove is believed to have been war bounty seized in battle. The Staffordshire Hoard overshadows the royal burial chamber discovery at Sutton Hoo, Staffordshire in 1939. The Collection will be sent to the British Museum in London where the objects will undergo further study by experts.

Read more here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/world/europe/25treasure.html

Early Damien Hirst Work To Be Offered at Auction October 1st

2009-09-25T15:52:00.005-04:00

Red Rubber Ball, a collage of found objects by Damien Hirst will be offered at Duke's, a regional auction house outside of London in the town of Dorset. Produced in the late 1980's and given as a gift to fellow art school student Julie Balmforth, the piece is estimated at 30,000 to 50,000 pounds. Offering an important Damien Hirst piece in a regional auction house is unusual, since virtually all of Hirst's auction records have taken place in London or New York. That being said, the consignor chose Duke's as a sales venue based on the auction house's reputation. Founded in 1823, Duke's holds regular auctions of jewelry and fine art, and maintains an illustrated online catalogue at www.dukes-auctions.com

Read more below:

http://www.antrimtimes.co.uk/latest-south-west-news/39Unique39-Hirst-artwork-up-for.5675747.jp

New Evidence in Warhol Foundation Lawsuit

2009-09-24T13:17:00.002-04:00

The Art Newspaper reports that new evidence has surfaced in the much-publicized Federal Court lawsuit against the Warhol Foundation. Joe Simon-Whelan is the owner of a 1964 Andy Warhol self-portrait that has been twice rejected by the Warhol Authentication Board in 2003 and 2004. Details surrounding the self-portrait and the lawsuit can be found on Simon-Whelan's website www.myandywarhol.com, which chronicles the ongoing saga between the collector and the Warhol Foundation.
Read more here:
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/New-evidence-uncovered-in-Warhol-Foundation-lawsuit/19336

Renaissance Masterpiece Rediscovered after 60 years

2009-09-22T21:01:00.004-04:00

A recently rediscovered cabinet picture by Ludovico Mazzolino painted in 1522 will be offered by Duke's, an auction house in Dorchester on October 1st. The provenance history on this piece is spectacular. Experts at the National Gallery were able to determine that the picture last sold in London in 1812 before it was passed down to the present owner, who wishes to remain anonymous. The owner of the picture had almost forgotten about the painting, and stumbled upon it as he was preparing to call in some experts to look at the china and glassware that he had stored away.

Read more here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/6210993/Lost-Renaissance-masterpiece-discovered-after-60-years.html

Important Rembrandt Portrait to be Offered at Christie's

2009-09-21T17:20:00.003-04:00

Coming up on December 8, 2009 at Christie's London, an important portrait of an unidentified gentleman. Painted in 1658, the portrait is one of two works to have survived from that year. The auction house cites the Yves St. Laurent sale as having a positive impact on the market for Old Masters and 19th century Paintings, which may account for the estimate of 18 million pounds ($29.7 million) to 25 millions pounds.
Read more at Bloomberg.com:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aWebmJOca.qM

Annie Liebovitz Gains Time to Repay Loans

2009-09-18T08:46:00.002-04:00

The photographer Annie Liebovitz has come to a last minute agreement with Art Capital regarding her highly publicized $24 million loan. Her collateral for this loan is her intellectual property and extensive real estate holdings. Art Capital sued Liebovitz in July, although they have since withdrawn their lawsuit and have come to an agreement with the photographer, allowing her more time to pay back the loan.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/12/arts/12leibovitz.html

Keep this NYFA Publication Afloat!

2009-09-17T20:43:00.003-04:00

New York Foundation for the Arts is an extraordinary organization which provides incredible services to the artworld. The NYFA Current is their online publication which is in danger of closing down shop. An invaluable resource for artists, it provides regular listings on deadlines for artists' awards, grants, and residency programs. In addition, NYFA Current publishes in-depth interviews with artists who share their insight on the creative process. The quality of the NYFA Current content is excellent, unlike anything else available online. Please read the recent plea letter to find out how you can contribute and keep this publication going:

http://www.nyfa.org/level3.asp?id=697&fid=1&sid=17

Regimental Detritus Unearthed at the Armory - NYT article

2009-09-15T15:11:00.004-04:00

The Park Avenue Armory collection is undergoing a transformation, with the help of a $50,000 grant and some very hardworking grad students from the conservation department of N.Y.U.'s Institute of Fine Arts:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/arts/design/11antiques.html

How to Invest in the Art Market - Foxbusiness.com news story

2009-09-14T16:12:00.002-04:00

How to Invest in the Art Market

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Diversity in American Museums

2009-08-28T22:40:00.003-04:00

One of the reasons why I love the Brooklyn Museum - they are at the forefront of an effort in diversity! Here is a great article on how museums are making an effort to consistently mount shows that are appealing to diverse ethnic groups. This is a subject that not everybody wants to talk about, and Arnold Lehman, the director of the Brooklyn Museum deserves credit for his efforts during the last 12 years of his tenure at this world-class institution.

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/America-is-changing-but-are-its-art-museums?/18563

Frida Kahlo "Lost Archive" is Denounced as Fake

2009-08-24T21:50:00.004-04:00

Ah, the importance of provenance research!

The Artnewspaper reports that the "Lost Archive" of Frida Kahlo and subject of a forthcoming book has been denounced by art historians as a cache of forged paintings, drawings and diaries. Carlos Noyola and Letitia Fernandez had collected over 1200 objects from 2004 to 2007, purchasing the items incrementally from a wood carver who reputedly received the objects from Kahlo. Read more here:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Forthcoming-Frida-Kahlo-book-denounced-as-fake/18682

Dove/O'Keefe Circles of Influence at the Clark

2009-08-22T17:35:00.008-04:00

This is an incredible show at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Mass. which closes on September 7th. I am also planning to go to the Georgia O'Keefe show at the Whitney which opens on September 17th, and I am interested to see how these two exhibits compare to each other. The Clark is a jewel of a museum, and I am always interested to see what they are doing. This show is particularly unusual in that it hangs Arthur Dove and Georgia O'Keefe paintings side by side so you can see how the artists overlap and diverge from each other. O'Keefe credited Dove's work as being one of her early introductions into modernism, and I was curious to see how similar some of the paintings would be. However, one can see almost immediately how different they are. In the 1920s the two artists were often exhibited together, and they were hailed as the quintessential male and female modernist artists in America. The two artists forged a life-long friendship where they continued to draw inspiration from each other's work.

Vogel Responsibilities

2009-08-20T19:47:00.001-04:00

Vogel Responsibilities

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The Work of Charles Gwathmey

2009-08-17T09:25:00.000-04:00

Here is a great slideshow on the work of Charles Gwathmey, the modernist architect who recently passed away on August 3, 2009. Gwathmey was a member of the group of architects known as The New York Five, which included Peter Eisenman, Michael Graves, John Hejduk and Richard Meier. In 1967 the New York Five were part of a MoMA exhibition organized by Arthur Drexler and were subsequently the subject of Drexler's book Five Architects in 1972. Their dedication to a pure form of modernism in architecture was the common bond between the five, although their work was decidedly individual. Mentored by Philip Johnson, the New York Five was also particularly known for an aesthetic first championed by Le Corbusier in the 1920s and 1930s.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/08/04/obits/20090804-gwathmey-show_index.html

Great NY Times article on how we look at Art in museums

2009-08-13T21:25:00.000-04:00

Here is a great article that appeared in the New York Times recently. It discusses how we look at art in museums such as the Louvre or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or anyplace where there is too much art to look at in one day:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/arts/design/03abroad.html

Tony Rosenthal (American, 1914-2009)

2009-08-05T11:11:00.000-04:00

Today I mourn the loss of a sculptor who created 2 of my favorite sculptures that I have been a part of my life in New York City since my childhood:
1. Tony Rosenthal, Alamo, 1967 (Otherwise known as the Astor Place Cube)
2. Tony Rosenthal, 5 in 1, 1972-1973 (The sculpture under the municipal building at the end of Chambers Street, or One Police Plaza)
Go to the New York Times to see a slideshow of some of his most famous works:
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/08/01/arts/design/20090801RosenthalSS_index.html or check out www.tonyrosenthal.com

Anthropodino at the Park Avenue Armory

2009-06-11T15:20:00.000-04:00

Ernesto Neto has created the first commissioned installation in the Wade Thompson Drill Hall of the Park Avenue Armory. Walking through the structure with its translucent walls and fragrant hanging sculptures, one feels transported to another time and space. Housed within the 19th century drill hall of the 7th regiment, Anthropodino is a sharp contrast to the industrial and military landmark. With its translucent tulle skin, and plywood bones, this seemingly delicate sculpture is a complex feat of engineering. Attendance to Anthropodino has doubled its expectations, partly due to the favorable reviews by the New York Times. Anthropodino closes on Sunday, and so try to visit the Park Avenue Armory before then, which has evening hours tonight and Friday until 8pm.

Beyond Craigslist - Where to sell estate contents

2009-06-04T07:17:00.000-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/garden/04fix.html

Here is an article that I was interviewed for recently. It contains some key tips on how to handle unwanted furniture that you may inherit over the years. The journalist lists some great resources that are worth sharing with friends and family.

visit to Tom Otterness' studio

2009-05-19T10:45:00.000-04:00

We recently visited Tom Otterness' studio as part of a field trip with my son's Kindergarten class. I was amazed at how relaxed and open the studio was, in particular when some 5 year olds starting climbing on one of the larger sculptures. Suprisingly, the artist didn't start screaming, and didn't even seem that upset. He just asked the teachers to please ask them to get off of the sculpture, which they did. Tom Otterness showed us the plans for a playground that he is creating in San Diego, and did a demonstration with clay. Some of the questions that the children asked were very technical, such as "How do you make it look shiny and brown", as they were pointing to the plaster version of a piece in the studio. Tom explained the whole lost wax process, and now all the kids are trying to work with clay at home.

To Appraise or Not To Appraise

2009-03-31T14:30:00.000-04:00

A client of mine was recently trying to decide whether or not to have some artwork appraised. She had inherited them from her parents and they really were not her taste. They wouldn't work in her home so she wasn't sure if she she hold onto them or toss them out. And yet something told her that it was worthwhile to investigate. Although the value was modest, I recommended that she might appreciate the artwork more if she knew something about the artist who made them. We turned over the backs of two of the prints, which were artist's proofs, and saw that they were inscribed to her parents. I pointed out that everything has a value, and that even if the prints did not work in her home, there may be a relative that would appreciate them as gifts. Not to mention the fact that these pieces were a little time capsule into her parent's lives. She agreed that with new mattes and frames, she may have an entirely different outlook on what she owned.
I am relieved that I saved these objects from a street corner or thrift shop, and I am convinced that we all have a responsibility to take care of our family's material culture. Sometimes the monetary value is not really as important as the sentimental value. As an appraiser, I am always aware of this important distinction.