Treasure Hunting from Eve Kelly Herman
Noted antique dealer, Eve Kelly Herman shares highlights from her trip to Italy, England & The Netherlands. Her space on the 1st Dibs floor at the New York Design Center is a must for interior designers and discerning collectors looking for that special, unique finds that she brings back from her trips to Europe and beyond. But, some may know little of what it takes to unearth these sought after goodies. Good taste and a good eye are only the begining. As any intrepid dealer knows, just plain grunt work makes all the difference.
Here is Eve Kelly Herman’s commentary from her recent trip to Europe:
I hear it all the time, “Oh, you antiques dealers. It must be so wonderful just to spend every day shopping for beautiful things.” I try to keep a straight face and murmur, “Well, it’s not as glamorous as you think.” This sometimes inevitably leads to a discussion about some of my favorite purchases such as Italian glass, like mid-century Murano lighting for example, or beautiful Florentine sterling silver pieces from the 1950’s.
Bartolozzi & C. Sterling Silver Cup
Left: Venini Chandelier. Right: Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte Sconces
Over the past couple of months I’ve traveled to England, Italy and The Netherlands to curate pieces for my business. Visiting cities such as London, Parma, Bologna, Florence, Milan, Arezzo and Amsterdam led to my return with many highly sought and coveted objects. Outside of a few decadent meals and some educational trips to the design museums in London and Milan, my explorations were not much of a vacation.
Parma appears much less charming when navigating an unknown autostrade for 15 kilometers at 5am on a rainy morning only to arrive at a grim exhibition hall in the middle of an industrial wasteland that might as well be in New Jersey. However, inside was a treasure house where I came away with a variety of wonderful Italian glass mid-century lighting, which includes some truly remarkable 1960’s Venini chandeliers and sconces. The demand for beautifully crafted pieces is endless and they are getting much more difficult to find.
It’s nearly impossible not to take some time to enjoy Florence or Venice, even when I’m obsessively on the hunt for new merchandise. But the leisure aspect of the trip dims when I am focused on making purchases. It can take a lot of mental effort to really evaluate fine Murano vases when you’re looking at them by flashlight in a dusty, teetering crate on the third floor of a very dark warehouse. They do sparkle much more now that they’re on display in my space at 1stdibs in the NYDC.
Pauly & C. CVM Vase
Photos courtesy Highland Park Antique and Contemporary Furnishings
All rights reserved
In Amsterdam, I did take a full day to learn about the city and see some of the major attractions, which was followed by four days of clambering through narrow shops, and multi-story warehouses with no elevators. Amsterdam is famed for its canals; it should be famed for its stairs. I must have climbed a flight of stairs for every item I bought. Even so, I’m looking forward to my next trip there. I’ve never had such a workout incorporated into the day.
I love what I do. I get to see beautiful things I never imagined existed as well as handle them and learn about them from my suppliers in addition to my own research. My colleagues tend to have diverse interests and even more diverse backgrounds. It’s a field where strong friendships are a big part of the business interactions. But don’t get the idea that it’s a glamorous life. Like a miner, we all spend days sifting through the rubbish of the past to find one or two items we feel are lost treasures.
Article contributed by Eve Kelly Herman
