Sack Heritage Group - Stealing With Style

Emyl Jenkins – Author of Stealing with Style will be providing Sack Heritage Group with fine arts related Questions & Answers each month.

Ms. Jenkins is a longtime antiques appraiser. She has worked at two auction houses and written numerous books and articles on antiques, as well as a syndicated column. In addition to Stealing with Style she is the author of Emyl Jenkins' Appraisal Book, Emyl Jenkins' Southern Christmas, The Book of American Traditions, and From Storebought to Homemade, among others.

Question:

Dear Antiques Expert: After my brothers and sisters and I selected what we wanted from our parents’s home, a lot items were left over. When the antiques dealer came to purchase these things we were surprised to learn that some things were really valuable weren’t and conversely, the value of some things we thought were giveaways astounded us. What makes one piece more valuable than another?

Answer:

Yours is a common experience. To accurately value an antique, remember this tip: age + condition+ quality + rarity = value. Truly valuable antiques must meet all four criteria. For example, a poor-quality, commonly found piece in bad condition will not be valuable, regardless of age. And even a fine antique in excellent condition won’t be extremely valuable unless it is rare. Also remember that antiques have fashions, like hemline lengths and hairstyles. That’s why, to learn the real value of an antique, it’s wise to consult someone who is knowledgeable about current values as well as a particular object.

Question:

Dear Antiques Expert: I recently tried to purchase an ivory figure in an English antiques shop. When the owner realized I was American he wouldn’t sell it to me. When did it become illegal to have ivory?

Answer:

The story behind that law goes back to the 1920s and 1930s. During the height of the Art Deco era, 60,000 or more ivory tusks were shipped yearly from the Belgian Congo to Liverpool. From just one tusk, scores of heads, torsos, legs and other body parts used in the Art Deco figurines were carved. The ivory was inexpensive, but millions of elephants were being killed. Realizing how severely the elephant population had dwindled, the 1989 Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species made it illegal to trade in ivory, and America accordingly banned the importation of ivory.

Question:

Dear Antiques Expert: My husband and I set up a booth in our town's antiques mall after we retired. A woman from out of town asked us to buy out the contents of her mother's home just a few blocks from our shop. But when went to the house, I realized it was a job for our local auction house. Because the lady had to get back home, she asked me to contact the auctioneer. When I did, he offered me a finder's fee. Is it right for me to accept this?

Answer:

Absolutely. The lady needed you to make the contact and the auctioneer appreciated your referral. This is a business transaction. Auction houses happily pay a "finder's fee" to dealers and appraisers who refer clients to them., and the money comes out of the auction company's money rather than the seller's proceeds. A finder's fee is just a token thank you - usually 3-5 percent of the final selling price. But for a large estate or expensive item, that small percentage can be significant.

Question:

Dear Antiques Expert: I hear so much about Meissen china. What makes it so special?

Answer:

Until trade with the Orient was established, Western countries didn’t know about fine china and porcelain. Even during the Middle Ages, wood or metal was used for plates and bowls. The Meissen factory, established by the German king Augustus the Strong in the early 1700s, became Europe’s first true porcelain manufacturer. Ever since, the Meissen name has been associated with fine quality and its pieces, both old and new, are highly sought after.

Question:

Dear Antiques Expert: I just learned that my Windsor chair is American. Doesn’t the name Windsor denote an English origin? If my chair is American, is it less valuable than an English one?

Answer:

Yes, Windsor chairs originated in England during the Middle Ages when the chair symbolized authority - so much so, it could only be sat in by its owner, or with permission, a distinguished guest. By the later 18th century, though, things had improved, and comfortable spindle-back "Windsor" chairs became popular on both sides of the Atlantic among the emerging middle class. American Windsors are actually rarer than their English counterparts.Today a really good single Pennsylvania Windsor chair can easily cost $,000-5,000. A pair can bring $10,000-15,000 - on up to $65,000 or $75,000 for the best of the best.

Question:

Dear Antiques Expert: My decorator has suggested that we try to find a pair of "burr walnut" Queen Anne chairs to use in our living room. What exactly is burr walnut?

Answer:

A "burr" is a nubby protrusion along the trunk of a tree where a dormant bud grew in diameter but not in length. But insude these burrs, the wood has a rich, densely figured grain. Ever since the 17th century, fine furniture craftsmen have used thin layers of this precious wood as a beautiful veneer on chair backs and drawer fronts. Queen Anne chairs with this highly desirable veneer are considered eye catching and are expensive, especially if they date from the 18th century. You should expect to pay $30,000 - $50,0000 for a fine pair.

Question:

Dear Antiques Expert: I recently found an Art Deco figure identical to one I inherited in an antiques shop. The difference was that mine is small, just 10 inches tall, and the one in the store must have been 20 or 24 inches tall. Does this mean that one of them is a fake?

Answer:

During the 1930s, wall "niches" became a popular architectural detail. The bronze, or bronze and ivory, Art Deco figurines were prefect for these spots, but since a small figurine could get lost in a large niche or a high-ceilinged room, many manufacturers produced the same figurine in a variety of sizes. So size alone does not denote a real or fake piece. (Incidentally, some figures came with a hollowed-out stand containing a colored electric lightbulb to add a glamourous touch to the niche, but these seldom survived.)

Question:

Dear Antiques Expert: When I admired a friend's silver flatware, she told me it was the Audubon pattern. I've heard of James Audubon who drew the birds and plants in the South during the 19th century. Is there a connection between him and his silver pattern?

Answer:

Indeed there is. In 1871 Tiffany, which was already a trend-setting shop in Manhattan, introduced a silver pattern based on popular 19th-century Japanese paintings of birds sitting on tree branches. Because James Audubon was so well known for his drawings of birds and foliage, the lyrical and romantic pattern was named "Audubon" in his honor. It became an instant success and remains Tiffany’s best-selling pattern. Collectors willingly pay $350 or $400 on up for a single serving piece, and if it is still in its original box, the price is more likely to be $700 or $800 – or more.