Author Archive

Exhibition

Evolution of a Royal Vision: The Birth of Meissen Porcelain

San Francisco International Airport museums – Through
September 13, 2010 — http://www.sfoarts.org

Approximately 100 pieces of the Malcolm D. Gutter collection
of Meissen, Chinese and Japanese porcelain are on view in
cases at the San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco,
California.  Not intended to be a comprehensive presentation
of Meissen porcelain, the exhibit is designed to highlight one
professor and Meissen scholar’s collection of special pieces.  
Each piece is highly desirable in and of itself, having been
produced between 1710 and 1750, and has a story associated
with it.  Taken together, however, they comprise a  particularly
special and engaging collection.  The exhibit of the Gutter
collection is especially significant during this, the tercentennial
of the invention and establishment of  Meissen porcelain  
manufacturing near Dresden Germany in 1710.

Porcelain was invented by the Chinese during the Tang Dynasty
(617-906) and was progressively improved to the stunningly
beautiful ware that made its way to Europe in the 14th
century. There it and  the porcelain produced by the Japanese,
who also had the secrets to its manufacture, was highly
appreciated and valued.  Numerous individuals and scientific
organizations tried for decades to duplicate the quality, strength
and beauty of the ware imported from China and Japan – all
without success.  As a result of a cooperative between Freidrich
Bottger, an alchemist and Ehrenfried  Walther von Tschinhaus,
a scientist, Bottger, in 1709 after Tschinhaus’ death, succeeded
in producing the first porcelain of acceptable quality.  With the
establishment of the Meissen factory near Dresden Germany in
1710 a magnificent 300 year run of beautiful and highly durable
ware began and continues today.

Marking Meissen porcelain with the famous crossed swords
marking beginning in 1720 began what is today one of the
oldest and best known trademarks in existence.  Documented
variations in the Meissen crossed sword trademark allow the
approximate dating of the ware carrying the mark.  Not only
did the Meissen factory produce tableware but also figural
ware of exceptional quality such as figural horses, individuals
and chimney garnitures.

There are several excellent books available that discuss and
illustrate Meissen.  They can be found here:

The Book of Meissen (A Schiffer book for collectors)

The following video provides more good information about the topic.

Annual Red Wing Collectors Society Convention

We recommend the recent book Red Wing Stoneware Encyclopedia

Hopi Kachina Dolls

The dancers, as stand-ins for the real spiritual beings, play
a very important role in the Pueblo religious ceremonies
which vary to a certain extent from community to community.
Similarly, the carved and painted kachina dolls, that are
created to represent the true kachinas, are presented to
the children of the Pueblo to serve as life instructional devices.

The kachina dolls may represent any of the hundreds of kachinas
in the spectrum of Hopi belief which, in turn, represent historical
events and natural phenomena such as rain, the sun, stars, and
corn as well as a vast array of other topics or concepts.
The history and origins of kachinas are ancient and shrouded in
mystery.  Whether they are an indigenous creation or imported
from another source, such as Mexico, is an open question.
Admittedly, there are striking similarities between kachina
beliefs and those from central Mexico but it is quite likely that
we will never know for sure.

There is an excellent collection of both old and new kachina
dolls in the Heard museum’s holdings in Phoenix, AZ.  The
Barry Goldwater collection of old kachinas is housed there
as are collections assembled by owners of various long time
trading posts.   Additionally, there are exceptional newer
kachinas created by Pueblo Indian artist/carvers.

of years ago is Hopi Kachinas: The Complete Guide to Collecting Kachina Dolls

Also, please enjoy the following video concerning kachinas

Third Phase Navajo Chief  Blanket

Navajo weavers have an approximately 300 year history of
weaving blankets and, subsequently, rugs.  Because of their
superior quality Navajo wearing and saddle blankets were
highly prized by Mexicans and by early Anglo settlers of the
US West as well as by other Native Americans.  These blankets
had outstanding water and wind resistance, were warm and
lasted for decades in constant use.  These characteristics were
due to the high quality of the materials used in their
construction and the exceptional skill with which they were
woven.  As an example of their desirability, a fine large Navajo
wearing blanket would fetch $50 in gold in 1830.

Especially notable were the so-called Chief’s blankets.  They
are typically oversized and frequently woven side to side rather
than top to bottom.  The advantage of this configuration is
that the blanket can be wrapped distinctively around the
wearer’s body sometimes presenting visual evidence of rank.
Chief’s blankets of the Classic Period have always been highly
sought after.  Chief’s blankets are divided into three primary
styles depending upon where they fell stylistically in the Classic
Period which ranged from the very early 1800s until about 1880.
They are First Phase, Second Phase and Third Phase Chief
blankets. Additionally, there were several subsequent “revivals”
of these styles.

Classic Third Phase Chief’s blankets were woven to include
center diamonds, either stepped or smooth, as well as
lengthwise stripes and partial diamonds.  The designs are
reminiscent of Mexican Saltillo weavings from which it is
thought the design was derived.  In many cases, the true
era in which a blanket of this design was woven can be
determined only by careful examination of the fiber from
which it is constructed.

There are a number of excellent books about the subject
of Navajo weaving.  However, in our opinion, Joe Ben Wheat
stands out as a scholar and anthropologist for his work in
categorizing Navajo textiles. We enthusiastically recommend
the book written by him and published posthumously in 2003.
The link follows:

Blanket Weaving in the Southwest

The following video provides a discussion of a 1940s revival
Third Phase Chief’s blanket.

Glass Dictionary

The study and appreciation of glass in its various forms has long been a focal point within the antiques community.  People have been fascinated by and valued glass since it was first discovered and used in approximately 3000 BC.

Man has used, studied and improved glass through the intervening thousands of years to modern days. To more fully comprehend the improvements, artistically and functionally, that have taken place it is necessary to read and study information made available in books, publications and museum exhibits. In turn, to understand the information contained in these works it is critical that the terms used in the study of glass be well comprehended.

The Corning Museum of Glass, located in Corning, New York is a world renowned focal point of scholarship and knowledge. To help further the understanding and study of glass in its various forms and uses, the Corning Museum of Glass has developed and published a comprehensive glass dictionary.

It is available in published form and on their web site. We highly recommend that you review its contents and purchase a copy for your library. If you have any interest in glass, antique or otherwise, this dictionary will substantially help your comprehension and understanding of the topic.

You can review the on line copy of the dictionary on the Corning Museum of Glass web site. Its official title is ”Glass: A Pocket Dictionary of Terms Commonly Used to Describe Glass and Glassmaking, Revised Edition”.

A larger and more complete book on the topic of glass is Dictionary of Glass: Materials and Techniques by Charles Bray.  It can be obtained at a good price by clicking on the above blue link.

One of the best books available on the highly popular topic of 20th Century glass is 20th-Century Glass (Collector’s Guides). The book is well worth the investment and can be obtained by clicking the blue link above.

Sheraton Style Furniture

Popular and in vogue in England, and subsequently in America,
from approximately 1790-1820, Sheraton style furniture is still
very popular today. Developed and promoted by Thomas
Sheraton, this style, characterized by a marked linear simplicity,
rounded legs and almost severe character contrasted sharply
with the preceding more voluptuous Chippendale style.
Sheraton, born in England, was apprenticed to a cabinetmaker
and worked as a journeyman cabinetmaker subsequently
publishing a four volume set of design books called “The
Cabinet Maker’s and Upholsterer’s Drawing Book” in 1791.

Although English in origin, the Sheraton style rather quickly
jumped the Atlantic Ocean to America, where driven by big
city demands for the latest fashion, American furniture makers
and craftsmen adapted the style to American tastes. The
Sheraton style was further developed in America and propelled
to its zenith by highly accomplished cabinetmakers. John and
Thomas Seymour and Samuel McIntire were located in or near
Boston, Massachusetts and its surrounding communities and
Duncan Phyfe’s shop was in New York City. All four individuals
are acknowledged masters of the Sheraton art form and their
work is highly sought after by collectors.

Sheraton style furniture is characterized by its form and by the
woods used in its manufacture. Hardwoods, especially
mahogany, were used in the body of American Sheraton style
pieces and contrasting inlays, typically ash, birch or rosewood
provided the contrasting designs which often included lines,
urns, swags, ribbons and floral motifs. Tables and chairs would
typically have straight round, tapered, legs terminating in
cylindrical, tapered or rectangular feet. The result is an
elegant, light appearance that seems to lift the object off
the surface upon which it sits.

The hardware used to highlight and functionally enhance
American Sheraton style furniture typically consists of relatively
lightweight back plates with pulls, stamped brass lions heads
and other devices. Gone were the heavy prominent winged
brasses that characterized Chippendale style furniture.

An excellent book that provides superb detail about the
identification, characteristics and construction of Sheraton
and other styles of 18th century furniture has been written
by Jeffrey P. Greene. The title of the book is American
Furniture of the 18th Century: History, Technique and Structure
(Hardcover) and is available at an excellent price by clicking on the
blue link. American Furniture of the 18th Century: History, Technique, and Structure

Please take the opportunity to view the following video to learn more.

Book Review

Native American Clothing: An Illustrated History (Hardcover)
By Theodore Brasser (Author)

In the normal course of collecting and appreciating antiques and historical artifacts we tend not to deeply consider the topic of Native American clothing. Rather, we focus upon other Native American artifacts such as weapons, tools, pottery, baskets and the like. However, upon further reflection, it becomes quite apparent that clothing played a vital role in Native American every day life and culture. Brasser’s book plays an important role in explaining and illuminating that role. Not only was clothing functional but it also provided a canvas for the demonstration of individuals’ artistic skills.

Because climatic conditions varied extensively throughout North America, clothing, of necessity, reflected the climate in which Native Americans lived, worked and hunted. Brasser divided his study of Native American clothing in 12 geographic regions that ranged from the sub-tropical Southeast US to the arctic regions of Canada and moving from East to West and South to North. He further discusses the evolution of clothing design and construction from the era preceding contact with Europeans to when Native Americans became subsumed by them. More than 24 tribes are included in the discussion along with their spiritual beliefs and tribal customs, detailed maps of where they were located, and appropriate historical facts about them.

Native American Clothing: An Illustrated History can be purchased here at an excellent price.

Native American Clothing: An Illustrated History

Please view the video below for more information about Sioux beadwork and decoration on Native American worn clothing.

Book Review Apostles of Beauty: Arts and Crafts from Britain to Chicago (Art Institute of Chicago) (Hardcover) By Judith A. Barter (Editor, Contributor), Sarah E. Kelly (Contributor), Brandon K. Ruud (Contributor), Monica Obniski (Contributor), Ellen E. Roberts (Contributor)

The Arts and Crafts Movement began, largely in Britain and Scotland, in response a perceived notion that society had lost the dignity of handwork and design excellence. It was the aim of notable proponents of handwork and design excellence such as William Morris and Charles Rennie Mackintosh to reintroduce such qualities into the society in which they found themselves, i.e., post industrial revolution. Their intent was that architecture and crafted objects should reflect the idealist concept and spirit of the Movement in that they would embody high aesthetic quality and exceptional craftsmanship.

Christopher Dresser added a Japanese influence to the Movement by visiting Japan in 1876 to help modernize Japan’s industrial art production and then writing a book about his experiences “Japan: Its Architecture, Art and Art Manufacturers” exerted a powerful influence upon the Arts and Crafts Movement in America. The success of the Arts and Crafts Movement is revealed not only in the way the Movement was accepted and embraced in its own time but in the way contemporary society continues to value it.

Most especially, the contemporary value of the Arts and Crafts Movement is evidenced by the response and enthusiasm it engenders in collectors and the museums in which its examples are found. This book, Apostles of Beauty, is an excellent introduction to the Arts and Crafts Movement as well as a great refresher for those who are already knowledgeable about the topic. It seems quite natural that the Movement found exceptionally fertile soil in Chicago, and once planted, grew and thrived there as evidenced by the collections and scholarship of the Art Institute of Chicago. To one’s pleasure and gratitude the Arts and Crafts Movement embraced a very broad range of artistic endeavors – architecture, lighting, stained glass, art pottery, furniture, hardware, tableware, textiles, photography and metalwork.

Specifically, we note that Arts and Crafts homes employing stained glass designs, art tiles of the era, and light fixtures are enthusiastically embraced today. Further, Arts and Crafts furniture such as clocks, dining tables and chairs, complete with tableware, and candle wall sconces grace these homes. Frank Lloyd Wright and Gustav Stickley are only two of better known names associated with the homes of the period and their contents but are widely admired for their contributions to the Movement.

This book is exceptional for its writing, scholarship and illustration. It should be added to the library of any student or collector of Arts and Crafts Movement genre. Apostles of Beauty: Arts and Crafts from Britain to Chicago can be ordered here at an excellent price

Apostles of Beauty: Arts and Crafts from Britain to Chicago (Art Institute of Chicago)

Please enjoy the video below for further information about the Arts and Crafts Movement.

Antiques

Throughout history the term “antiques” has had different
meanings to different people in different societal contexts.
In 19th and 20th century Europe an antique may have been
an object considered to be hundreds if not thousands of years
old.  It would have represented extraordinary design,
craftsmanship or cultural value.  In today’s context, particularly
in America, an antique may be also be only a few years old, a
manufactured object, and not of a particularly special design or
exhibit great craftsmanship.

In America, in the early to mid 20th century, antiques were
considered to be objects of exceptional quality or craftsmanship
and represent a special cultural value.  Examples were fine early
furniture, custom automobiles, clocks, exceptional needlework,
woven textiles such as coverlets and tapestries, metalware such
as fine silver or pewter, pottery and early lighting.  Great
collections were formed around special objects of a particular
type or those made by a certain craftsman, or on a regional
basis such as New England or Southeastern Pennsylvania origins.

Today, antiques or, as they a sometimes referred to, collectables,
may only be a few years old.  Most newer “antiques” are collected
on the basis of nostalgia or fond memories of childhood rather
than quality, craftsmanship or intrinsic value.  Numerous collectors
of high quality classic antiques remain however and more are
beginning to collect.  Collectors have been encouraged by high
profile exhibitions of classic antiques and even later collectables
by museums and institutions. The establishment and publication
of well written and well illustrated publications representing both
the scholarly and the commercial aspects of antiques and
collectables has significantly added to collector’s interest. One
excellent example is the magazine Antiques and Fine Art.

Due to the highly restricted availability of classic antiques and the
number of them at least semi-permanently entering individual
and museum collections, their values have steadily risen for
noteworthy examples.  The market value of collectables has,
however, been subject, in many cases to sharp increases and
corresponding steep drops – resulting in significant disappointment.
An excellent current resource is

Miller’s Antiques Handbook & Price Guide 2010-2011

This site is about adding video, in an organized and searchable
way, to the body of knowledge available to collectors.  Enjoy it
and please let us know what you like and would like to see more
of.  Let us know too what you don’t like – it’s a great help to us
in improving this site.

Clyfford Still

A founder and leading figure of Abstract Impressionism and
color field painting, Clyfford Still was born November 30, 1904
and died June 27, 1980. The Abstract Impressionist movement,
a dynamic new approach to painting, took root and flourished
in the years immediately after World War II. Some of the other
notable artists deeply involved in the development of this
powerful art form were Jackson Pollack, Mark Rothko, Robert
Motherwell, Franz Klein, Phillip Guston and Barnett Newman.

All of these artists had very different approaches to their work
and developed highly individual styles. However, there were
common characteristics that marked Abstract Impressionism.
That is, the forms were quite abstract, the brushwork very
expressive and the scale large and imposing.

Still’s early work (pre 1938) was representational as evidenced
by the painting associated with the construction of the Grand
Coulee Dam which is depicted in the accompanying video.
Although this work is, indeed, representational it none-the-less
shows early signs of Still’s transition from a representational
style to Abstract Impressionism. Pay particular attention to
the boldness of the brushwork and the color. The period
1938-1942 saw Still take the lead in the movement in making
the transition to the abstractness of the forms, the presence of
rich color fields and the use of expressive brush strokes in
his paintings.

After first teaching at Washington State University from 1935-
1941, where the artwork depicted in the accompanying video
was painted, Still taught at several different art schools and
universities. He then moved to New York City where he lived for
most of the 1950’s at the height of the Abstract Impressionist
movement. Despite several well received solo exhibitions and
relationships with major art galleries, he became disenchanted
with the commercial art establishment in the early 1950s.
Subsequently, Still moved to Maryland where he and his second
wife remained until his passing in 1980.

At full fruition, Still’s work largely consisted of abstract
formations of different colors and surfaces that were placed
in a variety of adjacent formations. His formations were
developed in complex ways with jagged flashes of color
placed in thick impasto. The result was a shimmering, subtle
effect with shades of color on the surface of the painting.
Still’s mature work suggests, in a very mysterious way, natural
forms and phenomena. Using one’s imagination, one can
see caverns and their components of stone flows, drip-formed
stalagmites and other wondrous formations. Black and yellow
with patches of white and small amounts of red along with
dark blue and purple are found in his work.

At his passing, all non public domain works were withdrawn from both scholarly and public study and view and privately housed. This unfortunate situation will be remedied when the Clyfford Still museum opens in Denver, Colorado in 2010. The body of works available for view and study will consist of over 2400 paintings and works on paper that will span the artist’s career. Still’s complete collection of sketchbooks, notebooks, journals, library and other resources will also be housed at the museum.