Good Buy, Friday: Prints

photo: William Waldron
Stacked prints in a bedroom designed by Matthew Patrick Smyth, courtesy of Elle Decor.

Auctions are great for multiples, because the savings is often, well, multiplied. In the last Good Buy, Friday, I covered buying china sets. Purchasing a series of prints, lithographs or watercolors at auction can be just as much of a steal, not to mention a terrific time saver, particularly when the items are well framed, such as this set of six images (three shown) of Pompeii frescos, below, up for bidding at Skinner, in Boston, on July 9th, estimate $500-700.

Partial view of set of six images of Pompeii frescos, beautifully framed.
 At auction, July 9th, estimate $500-700.

Almost as much fun as hunting for prints is deciding how to hang your finds, the

possibilities are endless. I love prints stacked above a bed...

photo: Simon Upton
Six matching prints in a bedroom designed by Sig Bergamin, courtesy of Elle Decor.

...and hung in unexpected places, such as the kitchen.

photo: Simon Upton
Matching prints in an London kitchen designed by Alex Papachristidis, courtesy of Elle Decor.

When buying prints at auction, it is important to note that auction houses tend to ignore the value of the frame when determining the estimate. This makes sense: the frame is removable and separate from the art, thus its value is somewhat subjective. But YOU shouldn't ignore the frame! Have you gotten anything framed lately? It's shockingly expensive! Thus, if the item is finished to your liking, you might just walk away with a set of fine artwork that cost less than the current market value of the frames that enclose it. The set of six hand colored English prints, below, also at Skinner, might ultimately prove my point.

One of a set of six hand colored English botanical engravings,
circa 1829. At auction in Boston on July 9th, estimate $750-1,000.

They'd work great in a kitchen. And no one has done a botanical set better than Eliza Bolen.

Eliza Bolen's kitchen, courtesy of Bright Young Things: New York

Many of the multiples that you'll find at auction, however, are not framed. The upside is they will be much cheaper to ship and you can finish them to your liking. They will also be easier to inspect for fading, toning and foxing--issues you need to be aware of when you decide how much to bid (though these should be factored into the estimate already, and appear on the Condition Report, which you will, of course, as for). Some definitions...

Fading - When the colors in the image have degraded, usually due to sunlight.

Foxing

Foxing- Age-related stains and spots that appear on paper and other ephemera, so called (allegedly) because the stains tend to be a reddish brown. The cause of the foxing will vary: it could be mold, it could be oxidation of minerals in the paper. 

Toning -  Refers to a yellowing or darkening of the paper. Sometimes the mat is toned but the image itself is fine.

Note that the latter two conditions can be treated. It will add considerably to the cost, of course, but if you have a sentimental attachment to a print or the item in question has limited foxing, consider taking your find to an expert, such as those at Alvarez Fine Art Services in New York.

All the aformentioned issues afflict this set of nine watercolors by H. Fletcher, below. I don't care, I love them anyway. Perfect for a boy's room, a dressing room or a handsome bathroom, like the one from Elle Decor, pictured beneath them. The watercolors are at Brunk in North Carolina (which always has great finds) on July 19th, estimate $400-800.

Nine naval portraits, watercolor,
at auction on July 19th, estimate $400-800.

photo: Roger Davies
Prints grace a bathroom designed by Laura Sartori Rimini and Roberto
Peregalli, courtesy of Elle Decor.

Brunk also has are several series of grisaille ships by the same artist, H. Fletcher. One set is below, find the others here and here. These are stunning too. How does one ever decide?

Set of eight grisaille watercolors of ships,

at auction July 19th, estimate $300-500.

I could see ships in an elegant, slightly Spartan bedroom, such as the one below. Note how a fourth print is stashed on the bedside table.

photo: Joshua McHugh
Scattered prints in a bedroom designed by J.Randall Powers, courtesy of Elle Decor.

Clearly, I'm in a nautical mood: the wind at my back, the sea spraying my face. What, you're not, you say? You're about meadows and pastures? About animals?

How about cows? Brunk has several sets of cow prints by British artist George Garrard, circa 1800, one of which can be seen below. 

Set of 12 cow prints by George Garrard, circa 1800,

at auction July 19th, estimate $400-800.

I can imagine them in a study, such as the pretty room by Alexa Hampton, below, where nine similar photographs are scattered about the room in interesting arrangements. 

Alexa Hampton

...but if you'd rather talk turkey, these would work too.

Set of four 19c prints, unframed, at auction on July 19th,
estimate $300-600.

I close with some additional ways to hang your finds. Be sure to check out the full catalogs at Brunk and Skinner--they seem to have a lot of prints in their upcoming auctions. In the interim, Happy hunting everyone...and Happy 4th!

photo: Francois Dischinger
Eight matching prints in a bedroom designed by Anne Coyle,
courtesy of Elle Decor.

photo: William Waldron
A matched set of multiples enlivens a bookcase in a room
designed by T. Keller Donovan, courtesy of Elle Decor.

photo: William Waldron
These are framed leases in a bedroom designed by Steven Gambrel,
but you get the idea, courtesy of Elle Decor.

photo: Tim Street-Porter
An elegant arrangement of five prints in a bedroom designed by Martyn Lawrence-Bullard,
courtesy of Elle Decor.

Good Buy Friday: China Sets

Could your table use a little more panache?
photo courtesy of Carolyne Roehm

Your good china...at least you thought it was. Now, you're no longer so crazy about it--the pattern clashes with your wallpaper, and not in an eclectically chic way. Or maybe you never got a good set to begin with: you had other priorities then, but now? Well, that plain earthenware is looking a little, um...plain. Or perhaps you've used your good china so often it could stand a little refreshing: especially after that mishap where--whoops!-- three plates quickly became a safety hazard.

Five different flowers in this set of ten. At auction in Detroit on June 11th,
estimate $100-200.

There are lots of reasons you may want to pick up some new porcelain, but there is only one place where you should: at auction, of course! China sets are a steal at auction. For $100-200 you could end up with a slew of beautiful new plates--and a fun story to tell of how you hunted them down.

Gold plates play so nicely with almost any pattern...and look so
pretty in candlelight. Set of eight, above, at auction in Boston on June 16th,
estimate $200-350. 

Set of sixteen Minton dinner plates, circa 1925,

estimate $300-500, at auction in Detroit, June 11th.

Your strategy for buying china at auction will vary, depending on whether or not you are searching for a specific pattern. If you are, the simplest thing to do is to sign up with LiveAuctioneers and create an alert. Note that LiveAuctioneers has two similar sounding things available to you in the member dashboard:  "Saved Search Terms" and "Alerts." You want the latter, because with the "Alert," you enter the search term and you will receive a daily email if and only if that alert activates. Easy. You can also create alerts on AuctionZip and individual websites, such as Christie's or Doyle.

This Christian Dior set of "Malachite" is perfect for holiday parties,
at auction in Michigan on June 23rd, estimate $300-500.

If you're just looking for a pretty set, you can still set up an alert, just make it general: "porcelain set," "china plates," "Yale plates," or "Limoges porcelain," all work quite nicely. 

This "Cairo" pattern looks so promising. I'd either request additional photos, or search online for a better picture of the pattern, to be certain. 122 pieces, at auction June 11th in St. Louis,estimate $500-700.

Perfect for a summer soiree...12 Rosenthal porcelain plates,
at auction June 15th in Pennsylvania, estimate $100-200.

A few other tips:

Don't feel compelled to think local. Most auction houses work with very reputable shippers who are good at packing, and will happily supply you with their contact information. It might take several boxes to safely wrap a set of china and send it across the country, but it can be done--and you'll still be money ahead. If you buy local, you can save the shipping but you'll pay the sales tax, so there are plusses and minuses to each option.

Set of 12 elegant  and pretty Coalport plates,
at auction in MA on June 30th, estimate $100-200.

Don't worry if you don't want all of it. Old porcelain tends to come with itty bitty tea cups and other items that might now wow you. So? If you like most of the set, get it anyway. If you can't find a creative use for those porcelain bits--paper clip holders, jewelry repositories--just donate the parts you don't want to your local Salvation Army or similar. You'll still be money ahead and you won't waste precious storage space.

There are only 7 of these Minton plates, originally retailed  by Tiffany & Co...
bound to result in a good deal for you and perfect for mixing with other patterns.
At auction in Florida on June 25th, estimate $400-600.

Don't worry if it's not a complete set. Mixing and matching can be fun and can really look quite beautiful, so take some chances. If it doesn't work out, well, you might just have your next shower gift ready to go!

This sweet set of six bowls and six plates of Ironstone would be so pretty for a summer
lunch. At auction in Pennsylvania on June 24th, estimate $20-30!

Don't be put off by high estimates. Generalizing can be dangerous, of course, but, on average, I feel like most china sets sell toward the low end of the estimate range, and often just hit the minimum. 

I've always loved this Herend pattern, Chinese Bouquet. This pattern retails for a
$425 a place setting.  The estimate for 52 pieces  is $1,500-2,500. Will it go
even lower? At auction June 23rd in New Jersey.

Don't limit these plates to dinner parties. China looks great in unexpected places: the bedroom, the bathroom. Some inspiration, below--and some leading candidates too--because some plates are just too pretty to stow.

Mary McDonald shows how plates on the wall
can be anything but little old lady.

A pleasing arrangement of plates draws the eye up in a
 bedroom designed by Anne-Marie Midy and Jorge Almada,
courtesy of Elle Decor.

I could see these pretty birds on a bedroom wall as well.
At auction June 15th in PA, estimate $200-400. These gorgeous
aqua plates, circa 1930, below, are simply meant to be seen. At auction in Detroit
on June 11th, estimate, $300-500.

Miles Redd layers pattern on pattern-- and plate on bracket--to create

a charming and cozy bedroom.