KENO AUCTIONS HOLDS SPIRITED FALL SALE
27.09.11
Keno Auctions held its fall 2011 sale of Important Paintings, Furniture, Decorative Arts and Jewelry realizing $1,251,000.
“Today’s results reflect a recovering market on an upward trend for the very best pieces. It was encouraging to see a number of new, young collectors from around the world actively bidding, and some long-term buyers returning to the market,” said Leigh Keno, president of the eponymous auction house.
There is always interest in unique pieces of museum quality objects among top collectors and several of the lots from the estate of Hans Christensen, the Danish-American 20th Century master silversmith, attracted attention from numerous bidders in several different countries. Among the items that exceeded their estimates were his iconic sterling silver with rosewood handle and base Teapot and Warmer, his journeyman’s piece executed in 1944 that fetched a remarkable $33,480; which was a world record for a Christensen piece. There was a stunning sterling silver with rosewood handle Water Pitcher that realized $17,360; and a sterling silver Jewish Spice Box that sold for $23,560.
Source: ArtfixDaily (blog)
The Joys and Chores of Buying 'Dubai Kitsch'
06.10.11
The Joys and Chores of Buying ‘Dubai Kitsch’ Written by thehedonista
“No Photos!” she says. Why? The place is dark and dusty, unkempt as a mythical toymaker’s workshop. The advertising for this place is forlorn, and with a name like Fakih Collections (which does not phonetically sit very well in English), I wonder how anybody has taken the effort to find out about this place at all.
I have to speak to the manager. “Can you come back later?” he asks. No. I’m flying out on Wednesday morning. I’m just here for some Dubai kitsch for the folks back home. “I’ll blog about you,” I tell him. “I say only nice things…” No, he won’t budge an inch. It’s a pity, because above my head is a rainbow of hanging glass tea-light holders, just begging to be snapped up for posterity.
The aisles are dark, and warm, and I feel like I’m travelling down the intestine of a giant whale that has swallowed a ghost ship full of travellers souvenirs. They sit on shelves in a ramshackle way, but in families, as if the movement of the waves has nudged them out of line, but not entirely out of place. Pretty enamel boxes from Vietnam, pipes and canes from Oman, ceramics from Turkey, silver jewelery from Afghanistan, wooden “antiques” from Indonesia, glass from Egypt and Syria, the list goes on. It seems the whole of Asia is represented.
Source: MidEastPosts