Auction Houses
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Meet Nicholas Lowry
Nicholas D. Lowry is the third generation owner, and president of Swann Auction Galleries. The auction house is currently celebrating its 70th Anniversary as a family-owned business. Nicholas was born into a family of antiquarian book dealers in New York City, where he was raised and educated. When I met him last week, I was struck by his mere appearance, his gallant personality, fashion sense (he was wearing his signature plaid suit), and friendliness. Not only is he the principal auctioneer and director of the Poster Department, he is also an avid poster collector himself.
High End Weekly™: Talk to us a little bit about the upcoming sale of the Complete Poster Works of Robert Broders at Swann Galleries this coming Thursday, at 10AM?Nicholas Lowry: The entire collection came from the archives of a single collector. Roger Broders was best remembered for the advertising work he did between 1920 and 1933 for the French Railroad company. One of the things that is uncommonly known about him is that after 1935, he completely stopped working, and no one knows why. This particular auction presents all of his travel posters, including variants, some which are known and several that are unknown. Most of the Art Deco posters are in superb conditions. While working on this project, many of our staff commented on the fact that they looked like they’ve just been printed. The colors are so vivid, and the look is so modern.HEW: Just what did it mean to you to be entrusted with this unique, unparalleled sale?NL: It certainly was a great honor, but the honor was eclipsed by the opportunity. We’ve worked on this project for the past three to four months, and realized that the chronological order of the dates, and his artistic talent progressed throughout the years. Between the year 1927 – 1929, he polished his immaculate ability to create some of the most memorable Art Deco posters. Roger’s work displayed an energy at constructing incredible depth of field. He skillfully used layers after layers of bold, and colorful images which were beautifully conceived.HEW: In your opinion, what is the most note-worthy piece from the Robert Broders Collection?NL: Lot Number 87 (Monte Carlo Country Club) comes to mind because visually, it is simply stunning. It is immaculate, and the image is one of pure confidence. It is expected to fetch somewhere between $15,000 – $20,000. Dunkerque, lot number 59, is one of his oeuvre de triomphe. The image projects a sophisticated couple arriving the busy port of Dunkirk on their yacht. The poster creates a refined mood of elegance and ease.HEW: How big of a factor to your auction business are vintage posters?NL: Posters are so visual, and they carry allot of weight. That produces a huge impact to our buyers.HEW: What are some of the strongest areas of the market for Art Deco and why are they in such high demmand these days?NL: Art Deco is king. Everything in art has a cycle. Right now, Art Deco is Up, and Art Nouveau is Down. As the younger generation gets older, their interests go towards design. Good design, that is.HEW: I read somewhere that you yourself is an Art Deco collector. When did this start for you, and what was it with?NL: Not only do I collect Art Deco posters, I also have a huge collection of Czech posters, and books. It began with a Gustav Klimt poster I brought in Austria when I was a young adult, but it really started way before that.HEW: On a personal collecting level, what is the one item you have parted with over the past that you wished you still had?NL: Very little. I tend to keep all of my collections.HEW: What are three things that you consider the strenghts of the auction industry today?NL: Exceptional variety. Auction houses have a greater, more powerful reach to the general public. More powerful than dealers, and they’re armed with a huge mailing lists. It carries thousands and thousands of items for sale, each year. The variety that auction houses offer the public is simply unparalleled. A good auction house should also be able to offer phenomenal pieces to their buyers, and serious collectors. Basic transparency in prices should be at play. When an item is presented as rare, it’s a great mental challenge to perceive value.HEW: Lastly: Complete this sentence/thought. If I was just starting to collect Art Deco, I would recommend…NL: Besides visiting auction houses, start attending shows, galleries. Expose yourself to the art world. Get out there, and experience it with your eyes, and hands. Read art-related books and articles. It’s a mistake to buy the first thing that you see. Look around a bit more, do the research. And last but not least, buy at reputable places. -
The Complete Poster Works of Roger Broders
JUST IN!
December 15, 2011Nicholas D. Lowry, Swann President and Posters Specialist, said, “Today’s auction was a landmark event. It was the first time that the entire work of a single poster artist has ever come up for sale. By today’s exchange rate, we set five world record prices, and more than a dozen records for Broders posters sold in the U.S. In the salesroom were bidders who are not typically poster collectors, proving that Broders’s wonderful images transcend the traditional market of poster lovers. In my opinion, the strong prices were completely justified by the great images and the overall superb condition of the posters being offered.”
Roger Broders (1883-1953), Monte Carlo, 1930December 12, 2011Posters can be a visual delight and often present a powerful and informative imagery. Roger Broders’ Art Deco posters from the 1920s and 1930s convey an energetic scenery, and the subject is often a glamorous one. Swann Auction Galleries is getting ready to auction off 100 Art Deco travel posters of his work on Thursday, December 15th at 10AM. This is a unique sale in the sense that for the very first time, Roger Broders’ complete body of work is being auctioned from one single collector. Among these rare gems are Lot Number 9, and 100, which have never been seen before. These vintage posters are simply breathtaking. The colors are striking, the text is crisp, and modern. The scenic views pulled the observer into a world of elegance, and sophistication. Take a virtual tour to Monte-Carlo, Lac D’Annecy, Dunkerque. From seaside resorts to mountainous hideouts, hotels and skiing sites such as les Vosges. One of my personal favorite is the Monte-Carlo Country Club, with twenty one tennis courts overlooking the Mediterranean. I gathered some information from the catalogue which described it this way: “The Monte-Carlo inauguration was attended by members of European royal families. Broders emphasizes the glamorous members of the club and its exquisite setting to create one of his best posters. The elegant couple depicted in Broders’ signature manner, using only flat planes of color. He creates exceptional depth-of-the field via the different levels of tennis courts, people in the grandstands and the beaches in the distance. His handling of the shadows and the bright Riviera sun is masterful and is crowned by the slivers of yellow sunlight which silhouette some of the figures”. In two words: Très jolie.
Roger Broders (1883-1953)Sports D’Hiver Dans Les Vosges, 193039 1/2” x 24 1/2“Lot 73Estimate: $7,000 – $10,000
Rare AppearancesLeft: Lot Number 9. Il Faut Aller En Rhénanie, 1921. 21 3/4 x 17 3/4″. Estimate: $500 – $750Right: Lot Number 100. Loterie Des Régions Libérée, 1935. 23 3/4” x 15 1/2“. Estimate: $600 – $900
Roger Broders (1883-1953)Lac D’Annecy, 193039 1/2” x 24 1/2“Lot 75-1Estimate: $2,00 – $3,000Photos courtesy of Swann Galleries Auction - At The Auction with Vyna, Auction Houses, Celebrities, Christie's, Events, Haute Couture, Jewelry, Life and Style, The Weekender
The Weekender: Elizabeth Taylor auction featured at Christie’s
The auction house devoted all 300,000 square feet of its facility to this museum-quality exhibit of Elizabeth Taylor’s Collections of jewelry, fashion, accessories, fine art, film memorabilia, costumes and decorative items. What can one expect to see at this once in a lifetime exhibition which is divided into four major sections?Left: La Peregrina, a natural pearl, diamond and ruby necklace by Cartier. Right: Pair of Natural Pearl and diamond ear pendants by BulgariThe Diamond Room: Which offers an up-close tour through Ms. Taylor’s most iconic jewelry, boasts an exquisite 33.19 carat D-color stunner, called the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond. The Lifetime Achievement Room: A special display of Elizabeth Taylor’s impressive honors and humanitarian awards, intermingled with memorabilia and costumes from her many beloved film roles.The Icon’s Closet is an awe-inspiring walk through. It is a treasure trove of flawlessly-maintained haute couture and ready-to wear fashion and accessories (many of which the actress brought herself with her own money, and without help from a throng of stylists), with over 200 designer handbags alone. Finally, The Art Gallery – the first comprehensive exhibition of her most impressive fine art collection, includes master works by Van Gogh (valued at $12 Million, it is the priciest item from the entire collection), Frans Hals, Degas, Pissaro, Renoir, and Warhol.The auction is expected to exceed $50 million in total (I believe that the actual realized figure will quadruple that number). Tickets to the landmark exhibition are on sale now at www.christies.com/elizabethtaylorviews. Portion of the profits generated by the exhibition admissions, events and select publications related to the exhibitions will be donated to The Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation, which was founded by the beloved actress in 1991. Ms. Taylor passed away on March 23 from congestive heart failure at the age of 79.Christie’s20 Rockefeller PlazaNew York City212-636-2000
The Essentials: The little black dresses
Photos credited to: Associated Press
Lot 347A Tiziani black velvet ‘Scorpio’ evening cape labeled ‘Tiziani Roma’, 1968-1969Estimate: $2,000-$3,000
Lot 52“The Night of the Iguana Brooch”A diamond and multi-gem brooch by Jean Shlumberger, Tiffany & Co, circa 1964Gift from Richard Burton upon the occasion of the premiere of the film Night of the Iguana, August 11, 1964Estimate: $200,000-$300,000
Lot 1758A black patent leather shoulder bag labeled ‘Lanvin’, probably 2000s, with an acrylic green marbled handle, magnetic closure and chunky goldtone chain strap, with a black ribbon tie and an interior integrated swivel mirror: 8″ High, 12″ Wide, 3″ DeepEstimate $300-$500Photos courtesy of Christie’s Images Ltd. 2011
Making a StatementPhoto credited to: Getty ImagesThe jaw-dropping Elizabeth Taylor Jewelry Collection which is up for auction this month, finally made its grand appearance at Christie’s. The show is open to the public tomorrow, Saturday, December 3, and ends on Monday, December 12. Among other things, this exhibit reveals that not only was Dame Taylor a genuine Hollywood icon, but she was also a connoisseur of art and fashion, and of course, her lifetime passion – jewelry. The auction starts on the evening of December 13 with Elizabeth Taylor’s most iconic jewelry. Orianne Collins, jewelry designer and owner of OC Concept Store, hosted the preview event at Christie’s (check out my interview with Ms. Collins).
Photo credit: Getty ImagesNOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you.
