The Palm Beach Jewelry, Art, and Antique Show was splendid, with several hundred
jewelry dealers and antique specialists on hand. Four galleries specialized in
Tiffany lamps and other glass of the Art Nouveau Style. This is the "Waterlily Lamp."
Norman Rockwell. "The Graduate." 1947. oc
Another gallery had three original Norman Rockwell paintings;
these were used to make the covers of the Saturday Evening Post.
Some of the antique dealers brought entire rooms with them and then filled them
with furniture and ceramics. This was a lovely display. The dealers are happy to
identify each piece for you and tell you what is special about it; I learn a great deal.
This dealer had 15 Tiffany lamps. This is the "Wisteria Lamp." These lamps were
designed by a group of women in the design department, and then assembled by men in
the studio. Each piece of glass was hand made and mottled, and there are no pieces of
a flat color. The pieces of glass are held together with strips of lead.
One of the beautiful Tiffany "Dragonfly Lamps." These were very popular and
came in a variety of sizes and colors. You could get a catalog and order one.
Louis Comfort Tiffany. "Tulips and Crocus Lamp."
Tiffany's studio designed many windows for the mansions of wealthy New Yorkers.
They also designed some hanging panels, like this one, "Delphiniums and Lotus,"
which were meant to be hung in windows so light would come through them.
"Delphinium Window" close-up.
You can see clearly here how each piece of glass is actually several layers thick and
variegated in color, as well as the strong black lines of the leading.
There were 30-40 major jewelry shops at the show, along with their display cases
and lighting. The jewelry is magnificent, and I enjoyed looking a great deal.
This is a beautiful gold and amethyst necklace from 1890. Much of the
jewelry is historic ( = not contemporary), although some of the jewelers
are designing jewelry today. My favorite was a dealer from Tehran/New York.
Amethyst and Pearl Necklace. While most women do not have occasion or
location to wear such pieces, the ladies of Palm Beach do. Fancy dinners, balls,
dances, charity events, receptions, and concerts abound in Palm Beach. It is
necessary to have a number of pieces if you are going to attend Mar a Lago or
the other mansions of Palm Beach.
Landscape paintings and animal sculptures are very popular; they must fill the
great houses of Palm Beach.
This dealer had beautiful furniture and gorgeous ceramics. The carving on the
console here is as delicate as the work on a necklace. On the center of the
console is a special piece of Meissen porcelain.
The centerpiece is "Meissen Porcelain" from Dresden, Germany.
It depicts snowball flowers and parrots. 18th Century.
Glass of all kinds and periods could be found. These are three pieces of French
Emile Galle's work. It is called cameo glass and is made by gathering layers of different
colored glass on top of each other, then grinding through to reveal subsequent layers,
like making a cameo of stone. It is very special and very difficult. Late 19th century.
There is also contemporary art, which might appeal to the wealthy
of Palm Beach. This is Andy Warhol's print of "The Bald Eagle"
from the "Endangered Species Series." $190,000.
Mel Bochner is popular these days; this is "Head Honcho."
It is a unique monotype of embossed handmade paper on a particular
theme, in this case, "the head guy." In Palm Beach,
Who could that be?
Marlene Rose. "Green Buddha in Circle." Cast Glass.
Marlene is one of the most important glass artists in the U.S. today. She works
by making a figure in clay, pressing it into a bed of wet sand, and then pouring molten
glass into the cavity. When it has cooled off, remove it, and brush it clean.
This lovely sideboard is 19th century Italian and only $36,000. It is decorated with
panels of blue lapis lazuli (a semi-precious stone) and images made in pietra dura.
Central panel on above side cabinet, in "pietra dura" (hard stone).
The image is made by taking thin slices of colored stones of various kinds and
inlaying them on a surface. It is a very special technique used by Italian craftspeople.
I am undecided this year. Last year, I definitely preferred emeralds and
diamonds. This year, however, I think I prefer sapphires and diamonds.
Another of the great glass artists of the early 20th century was Rene Lalique.
This is molded glass, not blown, and so many copies could be made. Lalique
believed everyone should be able to own and enjoy beautiful objects in their home.
This is looking down on the circular top of a table decorated with micro-mosaic pictures of
ancient Rome. Around the outside is a large circle of pietra dura and more than 48 colors of
marble to be found in Italy, surrounded by bands of green malachite.
Micro-mosaic of Roman Forum. Although it is difficult to see, the image is made with
pieces of colored glass the size of grains of rice; look at the wall in the center. This is
about 3 inches across. These were very popular in the 18th century. Green malachite.
Another micro-mosaic of doves at a fountain on the top of a jewelbox. Remember, this is
made entirely of small pieces of glass the size of a grain of rice.
Close-up. This is about an inch and a half high.
One of my favorite shops last year was the Russian shop, and they were back.
This is a goblet, made of copper or brass, and then decorated with enamels and
fired in a kiln. This is about 4 inches high.
Some of the most beautiful items were ceremonial kovsh. These are also
enameled and were given as gifts on special occasions like birthdays, housewarming,
weddings, or just to show how rich you were. Imperial Russian. 18th century.
Another beautiful enameled Russian kovsh. Imperial. 18th century.
It is a ceremonial drinking cup.
German potters were imported to teach Russians how to make porcelain. By the late 18th
century, the imperial workshops in Moscow were producing high quality porcelain,
like these two examples, for the imperial family and other great aristocrats.
This flower pot (jardiniere) is from the Minton Pottery in England. It is majolica,
with a lead glaze. Several hundred potteries existed in England in the late
18th and 19th centuries. It is imitating Chinese porcelain.
The Chinese invented/discovered porcelain 2,000 years ago, but the technique was
not brought to Europe until the 18th century. Then everyone tried to imitate
Chinese porcelain. This is a large Chinese fish bowl of famille rose porcelain.
A set of five jars and vases in famille rose Chinese porcelain.
Porcelain is made from kaolin clay, is fired very hot in the kiln, and rings
clearly if hit with a mallet.
Two Chinese vases underglaze blue porcelain. 18th century.
In the blue and white technique, the white clay body is fired; it is then decorated
with a cobalt blue color, then covered with a transparent glaze and fired again.
Made well, which the Chinese did, the pieces were splendid.
There was a glass shop from Murano, Venice, Italy, featuring the work of several
artists. Established artists come to Venice with their drawings and paintings, and
glass masters work with them to translate the works into glass. These are by a
Spanish painter, Massimo Lunardon, and are entitled "Aliens."
Massimo Lunardon. "Aliens." Murano glass.
Luigi Benzoni. "Heads." Italian. Murano Glass.
Silvio Vigliaturo. "Two Figures." Italy. Murano Glass.
18th Century Sideboard, Candlelabras, and Mirror.
Sapphire and Diamond Brooch.
Van Cleef and Arpels. "Sapphire and Diamond Necklace."
Chinese Tomb Figures. The figures on the right are Han Dynasty of 2nd century,
and the horse and left figures are unglazed T'ang figures of 9th century.
Glazed T'ang Tomb Figures of 8th Century.
These are the most popular and colorful of the tomb figures. A large tomb of a
wealthy man or woman might have fifty of these figures in many forms.
Dale Chihuly. "Piccolo Venetian." Blown Glass. U.S.
About 10 inches high.
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