trading tips: how to buy at auction
In today’s society of big box stores that pretend to dictate what good design is, I offer a marvelous alternative: buying at auction. I personally have been purchasing items for myself and clients for the past 35 years in various auction houses here in St. Louis and New York. It has been my experience that people can buy much smarter, from a quality standpoint, at auction than they ever could buy at a national retail establishment. You ask how is that possible? Here are some tips for the novice auction attendee.
The first thing is to secure a catalog for the next auction from the auction house of your choice. St. Louis has no fewer than three nationally recognized ones. Depending on the auction house, there may be a nominal fee. You also can subscribe to the catalogs and they will be sent to you when available. Most auction houses publish the catalog several weeks before a scheduled sale, and it’s very detailed, including photos, a description of each item and an estimated price. Understand that this is only an estimate; oftentimes the item goes well above that estimate or, to the buyer’s delight, sometimes well below the estimate. I have purchased both below and above the estimated price. If you are bidding on items from an important estate, chances are that most will go above estimate. When I attended the Lilly Pulitzer sale in Palm Beach a few years back, it was worth it to me to pay a premium. If the item doesn’t have a provenance, you might not want to.
The public is encouraged, yes encouraged, to visit the auction house the week before the auction date to actually inspect the items listed for sale. That means that you, John Q. Public, can touch, feel and examine the items that have caught your fancy. This is a wise thing to do so you don’t buy a vase that has a hairline crack in it you didn’t notice in the photo, for example. As in any purchase, buyer beware.
Then, attend the auction! These can be very exciting, and it is a study in sociology to watch other people bid on items and wonder why they find certain ones so interesting. You may bid online for most auctions as well, but most of the fun is attending the actual sale. You sign in at the front desk, get your paddle and voila, you are on your way to buying your next treasure.
A word of advice from one who knows: set limits in advance. It is very easy to get caught up in the excitement and bid past a number that you are comfortable with. Remember, there always will be another auction. It is also important to remember that auction houses charge a buyer’s premium that can range from 18 to 25 percent on the total of your bid. Try to keep that number in mind when you set your limit.
Hope to see you at a local auction or one in Palm Beach or New York … happy bidding!
Since I’ve been on French topics lately, let’s consider a certain chair: the bergere chair, which is one of the most beautifully designed and utilitarian in the history of interior design. That is, in my humble opinion.
Beginning during the Regence period (1715-1723), this chair continued to evolve and maintain its popularity through the Rococo, Louis XVI, Directoire, and French and American Empire styles. The deep armchair often was referred to in the mid-18th century as the ‘shepherdess chair’ because in many ways it resembled the wing chair from the late 17th century, only with smaller ‘wings.’
The exposed frame around its upholstered back adds a defining beauty to this chair. Carved or molded wood that can be stained, painted or gilded offers an array of looks to dress up or dress down this rather formal chair. Even with its formal appearance, it is extremely comfortable for most body types. It actually was designed for comfort, with a deeper seat than its father, the fauteuil. And it was the precursor of today’s club chair. If you place an ottoman in front of these chairs, I would argue they are more comfortable than, dare I say it? A recliner! Not only is a bergere more comfortable, but it’s also more interesting, certainly from a design perspective.
Even today, the bergere is still popular and can be interpreted for contemporary interiors. If it was good enough for a Louis, it is good enough for us!
The French term that is generally used for these decorative additions to your furnishings, draperies and fabric accoutrements is passementerie. While I always have tried to incorporate these added touches to projects, they seem to be more popular now than ever. Clothing designers are using them to add interest and detail to the most simple of frocks. In the interior design world, there isn’t much that can’t be embellished by a tape or trim: bedding, walls, lampshades, throws, pillows, towels and upholstery are all fair game for these woven wonders.
Recently, a very dear client gifted me with a very special item: an antique wooden mold that was used to make tape trims and tassels. It actually had two samples attached of the pattern that could be created with this particular mold.
The Guild of Passementiers was created in France in the 16th century. (Think Louis any number and it is easy to understand.) The French took this art very seriously, since at that time only the wealthy could afford such luxuries. Keep in mind that this was the early days of overstuffed upholstery and opulent drapery treatments. Also, this form of decoration was widely used on royal wardrobes.
It took seven years of service in apprenticeship to become a master passementier. The primary item they focused on were tassels, but fringes, pompoms, rosettes and gimps also were produced for the decoration of furnishings. Just like faucets are jewelry for the bathroom, passementerie is jewelry for all the other rooms. Remember it’s all about attention to detail.