Spring the Seasons for Hats by Russ Russell
Imagine how I felt when the 1950s famous designer Russ Russell’s granddaughter asked me to appraise twenty of his hats in Montecito. I have a weakness for vintage hats. If …
Majolica Apothecary Pot Held Lethal Drugs
PO sent me a photo of a Portuguese majolica covered earthenware glazed pot, large at twenty inches tall. I see the word “Rincine” on the cover in Latin. The colors …
‘Old School’ Glassblowers
I’ve known many kinds of artists in my career. Perhaps the most inventive and eccentric artists by MEDIUM are glassblowers. I don’t know if it’s something to do with the …
Tartan Symbolizes Scottish Pride
My last name is Stewart, and, yes, I have a Scottish connection, both by marriage and by heredity. Thanks to my good fortune at the young age of 23, I …
Four Big Art Stories
Four big stories dominated the art world this week: On the upcoming cover of The New Yorker, a courtroom artist’s sketch of Trump. Whistler’s Mother re-visits Philadelphia (last seen in …
Midcentury Mosaic Quite a Find
RT sent me a midcentury painted mosaic tile plaque, a curious image of a yellow fern with green and red foliage signed EC or CC Bealle. The work has been …
Asian Art Needs an Expert
Somebody in Honolulu called me. He lost four pieces of Asian art in a move, the fault of the moving company. Sadly, four rare Chinese porcelain vessels. He asked for …
Glass Swan Symbolism Still Lives
TY sent me a pink blown glass swan, and a green blown glass swordfish, about a foot tall each. The swan is Italian (Murano), the swordfish is Mexican “end of …
Tea Caddies Tell British History Tale
My southern grandmother, Ruth Sophia, and her family loved tea. Aunt Kathleen and the elder Aunt Sylvia drank tea all day long in old Saint Louis. I inherited that love, …
Highbrow, Middlebrow, Lowbrow: to Judge or Not to Judge
For a year I’ve appraised items in Paradise CA destroyed in the fire of 2018. I’m amazed at the variety of objects treasured and collected by many folks in that …