The San Francisco Fall Antiques Show 2010

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Galerie Steinitz

There are certain things one never gets tired of; and being surrounded by some of the most exquisite antiques is one of those things. The San Francisco Fall Antiques Show is the place for just that.

It returned for the 29th time to much fanfare, as always.  Michele Goss chaired this year’s preview gala benefitting Enterprise for High School Students.  She was joined by committee chairs Rosemary Baker, Peter Getty, Jenna and Bryan Hunt, Letitia and Michael Kim, Laura King Pfaff, Alison Gelb Pincus, Cathy and Mike Podell, Mary and Bill Poland, John Traina, and Suzanne Tucker.

Joy Bianchi, Derek Lam, Vanessa Getty

Award-winning fashion designer and San Francisco native Derek Lam served as the honorary chair and drew in even more of the fashionable set for the evening.  Despite an important play-off game by the San Francisco Giants opening night had a most generous turnout being one of the most popular social events of the season.

Dede Wilsey and Princess Michael of Kent

The fact that the game was shown on a large screen in the lecture pavilion surely helped wives to get their husbands to join them for the entire evening.  During the earlier part of the event there was quite a crowd in the backroom cheering on their team, and after the much anticipated win everyone celebrated by the always elaborate and delicious buffet and at the multiple bars.

The Finnegan Gallery

“The crowd here is very artistically cultivated.  Most people know about Jensen before they walk into our booth.” Gregory Pepin, Danish Silver

Among the guests were her royal highness Princess Michael of Kent, who gave a lecture about “Chinoiserie at Court” the following morning, Vanessa Getty who attended with her friend Los Angeles interior designer Ray Azoulay, Dede Wilsey, Denise Hale, Norah and Norman Stone, Princess Victoria Galitzine, Yurie Pascarella, Dagmar and Ray Dolby, Anne Marie and Christopher Bentley, Adriana Pope Sullivan and Bobby Sullivan, Sobia Shaik, Dorothy and Ken Paige, Joy Bianchi, Melissa Barber, Angelique Griepp, Merla Zellerbach, Helen Hilton Raiser and Jennifer Raiser, Karen and Oliver Caldwell, Restoration Hardware’s CEO Gary Friedman who thanks to Ed Hardy has added antiques to the company’s repertoire, Susan Dunlevy, O.J. Shansby, Holly Baxter and Alan Malouf.

Norah Stone

Princess Victoria Galitzine and Albert Bartridge

As always there was also a slew of architects and designers on hand, including Madeleine Stewart who came up in from LA, Douglas Durkin, Stephen Shubel, Myra Hoefer, Candace Barnes, Stephen Suzman, Jay Jeffers, Ken Fulk, Stephen Sutro, Will Wick, Brenda Mickel, Matthew Turner, Cecilia Sagrera, George Brazil, Melanie Coddington, Barbara Ashfield, David Hansen, Brian Dittmar, Benjamin Dhong, and Lawanna Endonino.

Daniel Diaz and Denise Hale

Andrew Skurman and Suzanne Tucker

The stage was set for this year’s theme “Chinoiserie: Rococo to Eco” right at the entrance with two-story red pagodas made entirely from cardboard and designed by on of the city’s most prominent architects Andrew Skurman.

Kevin Conru Gallery

Douglas Dawson Gallery

Also a number of galerists included Chinoiserie in their display.  Dealers represented this year included Kevin Conru from Brussels, Galerie Chanel, Les Enluminures and Galerie Steinitz from Paris, Il Segno del Tempo from Milan, Michael Goedhus, Robert Bowman Gallery and Robert Young Antiques from London, Danish Silver from Copenhagen, Kentshire and Hostler Burrows from New York, Finnegan Gallery from Chicago, and Midori Gallery Far Eastern Art from Miami.  Local exhibitors include Daniel Stein Antiques, Epoca, Foster-Gwin, Hackett|Mill, Peter Pap Oriental Rugs, Therien & Co. from San Francisco, and The Ames Gallery and Thomas Livingston Antiques from Berkeley and Imari Gallery from Sausalito.

Merla Zellerbach, Helen Hilton Raiser, Jennifer Raiser

KC Lynch, Jenna and Bryan Hunt

Leticia and Michael Kim

“I think this is one of the most beautiful shows in the country.  The selection of dealers is very interesting, ranging from classic to eclectic, and we are very glad to be here.” Jeff Russak, Lawrence Jeffrey Estate Jewelers

Galerie Steinitz, always the anchor at the very end of the venue, provided another striking room paneled in boiserie from an 18^th century Parisian mansion.  A pair of inlaid side tables made from Anglo Indian boxes especially captivated me amongst the other as always stunning furniture and accessories.

Ryan Lippman, Robert Domergue, Jennifer Biederbeck, Rosemary Baker

Ray and Dagmar Dolby

Todd Traina and Katie Traina, John Traina

Robert Young Antiques‘ (London, UK) English country furniture and folk art was as popular as ever.  Once again they brought a rare example of a 19^th century Noah’s Ark from Germany, which was snapped up during opening night by a San Francisco collector.  But Mr. Young said that they could have sold it four times over.

Full hulled Noah’s Ark with original animals in hand-carved painted wood from Germany, ca. 1875 (Photo: courtesy of Robert Young Antiques)

These arks have an interesting history, as they were very popular with children in Europe because they were often the only toy they were allowed to play with on Sundays.  They were considered educational.  When parents ordered an ark from a carpenter they could select as few or as many animals as they liked.  Often over time godparents, aunts and uncles would gradually add animals to a child’s set by ordering additional ones each Christmas or birthday.

Susan Feldman and Alison Pincus

Allison Speer, Laurie MacCaskill, Susan Niven

Adrianna Pope Sullivan and Bobby Sullivan

Vittoire Brown, Keith Scott, Summer Tompkins Walker

Hackett | Mill (San Francisco, CA ) exhibited more traditional Japanese artists with post war American artists in a goal to mix education with sensuality.

“Makiko IV” bronze sculpture with oil-based pigments on patinaed bronze base by Manuel Neri, 2009 (Photo: courtesy of Hackett | Mill)

“Mushroom” magna acrylic painting on canvas by Jules Olitski, 1959 (Photo: courtesy of Hackett | Mill)

Michael Goedhuis (London, UK) deals in antique and contemporary Chinese art and told me that he believes that it will become very expensive, as the appetite for buying back their heritage and their art is intense amongst the wealthy in China today.

“Zak Zen” ink painting by Leung Kui Ting at Michael Goedhuis (Photo: courtesy of Michael Goedhuis)

“Is a Mountain” ink painting by Kan Tai Keung at Michael Goedhuis (Photo: courtesy of Michael Goedhuis)

Claudia Juestel, Joel Goodrich, Sande Schlumberger

Stephanie Tuttle, Bo Lasater, Paula Carano, Angelique Griepp

“I tend to meet a lot of younger collectors, as they are the ones interested in jewelry.” Sue Ollemans

Xanadu Gallery (San Francisco, CA) concentrated on Asian art and artifacts that included rare Tibetan tankas and early stupas from Tibet and Nepal, and Khmer sculptures from Cambodia.  An Indian stone sculpture sold at the beginning of the preview to a local collector.

“Uma” Khner stone sculpture, 12th century, Khmer stone sculpture of male deity, 10th century at Xanadu Gallery

Set of five Tibetan “Thangka” with five transcendent Buddhas, 17^th century, large Tibetan “Stupa” in gilt bronze, 15th century, small Nepales bronze “Stupa”, 17th century at Xanadu Gallery

Jenna Hunt and Sobia Shaikh

John Traina, Dede Wilsey, Trevor Traina

“I think Chinoiserie is something everyone is really interested in knowing more about.  And we have seen a lot of collectors from all over including Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.” Eric Petsinger, Epoca

Lawrence Jeffrey Estate Jewelers (Litchfield, CT) participated for the first time; and the owners told me that they sold an engagement ring early on.  I wonder who the lucky girl is.  They also mentioned that their more modern and eclectic pieces from Swiss and German ateliers got the most attention from the audience, as they can be worn in a casual way as well.

Swiss modernist gold bracelets by Brechbuhl and Gubelin at Lawrence Jeffrey Estate Jewelers (Photo: courtesy of Lawrence Jeffrey Estate Jewelers)

Art Nouveau fantasy charm bracelet with lockets and pendants from 1890 to 1940 Photo: courtesy of Lawrence Jeffrey Estate Jewelers)

Huge fantasy charm bracelet with lockets from 1880 to 1920 (Photo: courtesy of Lawrence Jeffrey Estate Jewelers)

I was intrigued by the charm bracelets owner Jeff Russak made from and Art Nouveau and Victorian medallions and lockets and combined in wonderful arrangements.  He said that often the hardest thing to find to finish a piece is the actual chain itself, which can be rarely found in the right style and size.

Lisa and John Grotts, Yurie Pascarella

Epoca (Photo: courtesy of Epoca)

Epoca (San Francisco, CA) who participated for the second time brought a mix of antiques and 20^th century pieces.

Art Deco chair from Epoca. (Photo: courtesy of Epoca)

A pair of gorgeous mahogany-veneered Art Deco Modern chairs from Paris got a lot of attention, but had sold right after opening to a local interior designer.  Bunny Williams also had her eye on a pair of Italian 19th century olivewood-veneered consoles.

Betty Kay Coakley, Gary Friedman, Kimberly Miller, Michale Polenski

Peter Fetterman Gallery (Santa Monica, CA) once again displayed a beautiful selection of black and white photography by legends in the field, such as Paul Caponigro, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sebastião Salgado, Fred Lyon, Lilian Bassman, Annie Leibovitz, Martine Franck, and Elliot Erwitt.

“Mikhail Baryshnikov, White Oak Plantation” archival pigment print, 1990 byAnnie Leibovitz and other works at Peter Fetterman Gallery (Photo: courtesy of Peter Fetterman Gallery)

“Phillip Johnson, Glass House”  archival pigment print by Annie Leibovitz, 2000Peter Fetterman Gallery (Photo: courtesy of Peter Fetterman Gallery)

Danish Silver (Copenhagen, Denmark) showed their stunning collection of Danish sterling silver from the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods up to more contemporary pieces by Georg Jensen and other prominent designers.

Ken and Dorothy Paige, Katherine Jacobus

Objects included a rare set of flatware in the “Parallel” pattern by Oscar Gundlach-Pedersen and a one-of-a-kind hand-hammered fish platter by Harald Nielsen, which sold for $ 195,000.00.

Rare Georg Jensen Henning Koppel water pitcher, 1948 (Photo: courtesy of Danish Silver)

San Francisco has had a love affair with Georg Jensen for nearly a century, starting with the Panama Pacific Exhibition of 1915 where locals got first introduced to his exquisite modern designs, and luckily Danish Silver has a showroom right here in downtown San Francisco.

Claudia Ross and Paula Carano

Joy Bianchi and Douglas Durkin

Sue Ollemans (London, UK) who specializes in oriental jewelry and miniatures, returned for the eight time and displayed a selection of Indian moghul jewelry dating from the 12th century to the 20th century and some pieces from Indonesia and Burma.

Guest, Sarah and Austin Hill

Mitchell Benjamin, Gina Toney, Susan Dunlevy, Ricky Serbin

Two of the most striking were a contemporary Indian necklace made from about 200 karat of Columbian emeralds carved in the moghul style and combined with nearly 20 karats of diamonds, as well as a royal necklace from the court of Bikaner in Rajasthan set with white sapphires and diamonds and decorated with enamel on the back.

Ruby, diamond and emerald hairpiece from Mysore, Southern India, 19th century (Photo: courtesy of Sue Ollemans)

Chinese white Jade and silver box, Ming Dynasty (Photo: courtesy of Sue Ollemans)

“The architecture of San Francisco is intimate of warm-hearted, and the nuclear atom of people I have met here, whom I find intelligent and interesting and who have a breath of vision, those people are remarkable.” Michael Goedhus

Heidi Gerpheide, Jeffrey Alan Marks, Vanessa Brunner

Rick Nye and Carolyn Johnson

Suzanne Tucker, Tony Wolfson, Phoebe Cowles

Therien & Co. (San Francisco, CA), a local staple at the show, displayed a wonderful array of antiques from private collections they stumbled upon during their European travels.

Bronze figures of the Pelplorphoroi by Fonderia Chiurazzim ca. 1904,  Roman marble table base C.E. with 18th-19th century porphyry top, Italian Rococo gilt wood etagere, 18th century at Therien & Co. (Photo: courtesy of Therien & Co.)

German Rococo painted and parcel-gilt commode, ca. 1750-1760 (Photo: courtesy of Therien & Co.)

Jessica Mullens and Jay Jeffers

Zane Hoefer, Myra Hoefer, Jeff Scott

Madeleine Stewart and Robert Wilson

Downtown (Los Angeles, CA) a familiar dealer from the SF20 show, joined the Fall Antiques Show for the first time.  And in the spirit of Chinoiserie, and with a healthy dose of humor, they likened their booth to a Chinese chicken coop in corrugated metal with stencils of eggs and chickens.

Downtown (Photo: courtesy of Downtown)

Maison Jensen Campagne chair in steel and brass, 1930s at Downtown (Photo: courtesy of Downtown)

“It is always our favorite show because they make it so easy.  We have had a lot of young people who are buying our stuff to go with contemporary art used as accent pieces.” Robert Young

Melissa Barber, Patrick Perigaud, Lisa Alexander

Marybeth La Motte, Alan Malouf, Sobia Shaikh

Midori Gallery Far Eastern Art (Miami, FL) has returned for the 27th year with their vast collection of Asian decorative art, including a number of 18th and 19th century Japanese Netsuke pieces, which are also functional having been used as toggles to hold boxes for pills or purses.

Midori Gallery Far Eastern Art (Photo: courtesy of Midori Gallery Far Eastern Art)

“Nikubori” ivory manju with cameo of the compassionate goddess Benten surrounded by celestial clouds by Kihugawa Masamitsu, ca. 1880 (Photo: courtesy of Midori Gallery Far Eastern Art)

Richly patinated lunar hare in wood with Umimatsu eyes by Tomoshige, 18th century (Photo: courtesy of Midori Gallery Far Eastern Art)

Habité (Los Angeles, CA) created a European executive office in their booth in France with an eclectic combination of American, French and Italian furniture.  A crowd favorite was the Monteverdi Young sofa designed by Maurice Bayley.

Sofa by Maurice Bayley for Monteverdi Young, 1960s (Photo: courtesy of Habité)

Fine European period antiques intermingled with more ethnic objets d’art and accessories from Africa, Asia and the Americas, as well as 20th century furnishings and contemporary art.  Overall the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show aimed for diversity in both age and origin, truly reflecting our modern lifestyles.

Olivia Hsu Decker

Christopher and Amber Marie Bently

Justin Fichelson and Marcy Carmack

Daru Kawalkovski and Karen Sutherland

The lectures, always an important educational part of the show, were as stimulating as ever.  One of my favorites was the most engaging presentation by Adam Lewis about design legend Billy Baldwin.  I am already looking forward to next year.

“With a nod to the industrial and “found” approach, the space and objects share a more contemporary scene than perhaps in years past.  Less “furniture as art” that has prevailed over the past few years in the market, than consciously placed unique objects.” Philip Stites, Therien & Co.