Watts debuts 70-tile Muresque mural at October Golden California Show
Posted: October 1, 2011 in TILE
Eric Ramos to the rescue in risky Fresno salvage job
Highlighting this year’s Golden California Show slated for October 9th and 10th will be a 70-tile mural that dealer Eric Watt is still in the process of salvaging from the estate of the owner of Muresque Tile. He will be showcasing this phenomenal 7′ x 10 1/2′ Spanish Courtyard scene, along with several dozen tiles from the Fresno estate.
Major tile dig
“I have been digging around there for about a week,” reported Watt, owner of Caltiles.com, in early September. He hopes to have the showstopper out of the wall in time for the sixth annual show, but he will certainly have plenty of never-before-seen tiles from the estate. He enlisted master tile salvager, Eric Ramos, to help in the process of the massive extraction.
“It is either Claycraft or Muresque,” he said of the tile mural, adding that Muir was a big collector of tile, especially Claycraft, so it was not necessarily made by his own company. ” I won’t know for sure until I can see the back of one of the tiles.”
Watt is not certain what he will price the mural at yet, but suspects a likely buyer will be somebody who is custom building a large Spanish style home.
Watt will be featuring other tiles from the estate of Muir, who founded Muresque Tiles in Oakland in 1925. The factory was located at 1001 22nd Avenue. Muir was not always a California boy; he was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, where he apprenticed as a tile setter.
Watt’s selection at the show will include nearly a dozen individual tiles that belonged to the founder. He will also debut an original Muresque catalog from the 1930s, a couple of old boxes in which the tiles were shipped, prototype fireplace surrounds depicting the history of California (certainly appropriate for the Golden California Show, and large tiles hand signed “W. Muir.”
“These were probably prototype pieces,” said Watt.
Inspired by both Batchelder and Claycraft
“There will be all kinds of neat historical items,” he said. “The more I dig, the more I find.”
Muresque tiles, among the finest tiles produced in California, were inspired by both Batchelder and Claycraft tiles. Among the many tiles, trim shapes and accessories offered by Muresque, the company produced over 130 decorative tiles, most molded in high relief with a raised border and used as wall or mantel inserts. The subject matter was always romantic, depicting the majestic California landscape, scenes from nature, medieval imagery, and most notably, ships at sea.
In addition to Watts’ tiles, there will be more than 40 other dealers in the 11,000 square foot Glendale Civic Auditorium. Offerings will include California Rancho style and Arts & Crafts furniture, early California pottery, fine art, iron metalwork and lighting, American Indian and Old West, Mexicana, and even smaller specialties, such as Big Bear Lodge and High Sierra Cabin.
Los Amigos del Arte Popular will be holding a panel discussion of masks, “The Arts of the Mexican Mask,” on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. The lecture is free with paid show admission.
Associate producer, Ted Birbilis, made a last minute announcement of some additional dealers. Just joining the roster were Federico, Andrew Munana Collection, Caskey Lees, Stephen Johnson, Michael Tierney Fine Art, Rod Bartha Antique Interiors, Brian Kaiser, and Len Woods Indian Territory.
Show hours are Saturday from 10-6 and Sunday from 10-4. Tickets sales ($12 each) start at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday morning.
This is producer Ted Birbilis and Sandy Raulston’s first Golden California show since their new and wildly successful Antiques & Objects L.A. which was held in the same venue, in March.
For more information on the Golden California Show, contact Ted or Sandy at (626) 437-6275 or tednsandy@goldencaliforniashow.com, or Eric Berg at eric@goldencaliforniashow.com.
The most sought-after item in the collection was her pair of famed Luxor No.6 flying goggles.
Worn by Earhart when she experienced her first crash in July 1921 while learning to fly with Neta Snook, the goggles still evidenced a cracked lens. The bidding opened at $10,000 and escalated to a final sales price of $17,775.
Also featured in the collection were 20 never-seen-before unpublished gelatin silver prints that were sold individually. The two photos in particular which captured the hearts of collectors were a silver gelatin print of Earhart, signed and inscribed by her and dated 1937. The photo snapped for $2,100. The second photo that tripled its high estimate was another photo of Earhart, signed and inscribed “To my friends of the radio audience.”
This image sold for $3,200.
Bidding for Clars auctions is available in person, by phone, absentee and live online at www.clars.com. To register to bid, call Clars at (888) 339-7600.
Joey Marsocci, aka Dr. Grymm, invited 20 steampunk artists from around the world to participate in the “Steampunk Bizarre” exhibit at the Mark Twain House & Museum. Each was allowed to submit six already-completed artworks. In addition, Marsocci issued a “Twain challenge”: Each artist was given a different quote from a Mark Twain work, with the task to create a steampunk artwork that illustrates that quote. Attend the Twain show to see what artists did with these ideas. Source: Hartford Courant
cocktail fashion Elizabeth Taylor’s favorite designer, Doris Geddes, at Netanya’s
Posted: October 1, 2011 in Vintage Fashion
Famous Sling Cocktail and strapless dress have same exotic origin
Susan De Tresor (above) will be offering haute couture gowns from 1940s fit and flare faux sarong styles to 1980s beaded Halstons at the upcoming Vintage Clothing & Textile Show slated for October 30th at the Pickwick Gardens in Burbank.
At a recent Caskey-Lees Textile Show, she offered a heavily-beaded 1960s paisley evening gown designed by Doris Geddes for $500.
The circa 1968 dress with wide sleeves originated in Singapore. Geddes boutique was located in the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. There are even photos of Elizabeth Taylor wearing a Geddes strapless gown in Singapore in 1957.
The Raffles Hotel was not only famous for housing Geddes’ couture collection. It was also the site of the invention of a very important drink concoction: the Singapore Sling. The cocktail was invented by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon between 1910 and 1915.
Susan’s business, Tresor de Vintage, specializes in vintage designer apparel. This includes vintage dresses, cocktail dresses and evening gowns, a huge collection of beaded shells and vintage sweaters, suits, separates and lingerie. Just in time for the cooler winter weather, they also carry an array of wool and cashmere coats, as well as fur capelets, stoles, vintage jackets and coats.
The Vintage Clothing & Textile Show
now in its 28th year, features 65 exhibitors.
General admission is $7, and early buying is $20. Show hours are from 9-3. Early buying is at 8:00 a.m. Parking is free. The Pickwick Gardens are located at 1001 Riverside Drive in Burbank. Call (310) 455-2886 for more information.
Photo: Netanya Caskey
producer
The most sought-after item in the collection was her pair of famed Luxor No.6 flying goggles. Worn by Earhart when she experienced her first crash in July 1921 while learning to fly with Neta Snook, the goggles still evidenced a cracked lens. The bidding opened at $10,000 and escalated to a final sales price of $17,775.
Also featured in the collection were 20 never-seen-before unpublished gelatin silver prints that were sold individually. The two photos in particular which captured the hearts of collectors were a silver gelatin print of Earhart, signed and inscribed by her and dated 1937. The photo snapped for $2,100. The second photo that tripled its high estimate was another photo of Earhart, signed and inscribed “To my friends of the radio audience.”
This image sold for $3,200.
Bidding for Clars auctions is available in person, by phone, absentee and live online at www.clars.com. To register to bid, call Clars at (888) 339-7600.
The most sought-after item in the collection was her pair of famed Luxor No.6 flying goggles. Worn by Earhart when she experienced her first crash in July 1921 while learning to fly with Neta Snook, the goggles still evidenced a cracked lens. The bidding opened at $10,000 and escalated to a final sales price of $17,775.
Also featured in the collection were 20 never-seen-before unpublished gelatin silver prints that were sold individually. The two photos in particular which captured the hearts of collectors were a silver gelatin print of Earhart, signed and inscribed by her and dated 1937. The photo snapped for $2,100. The second photo that tripled its high estimate was another photo of Earhart, signed and inscribed “To my friends of the radio audience.”
This image sold for $3,200.
Bidding for Clars auctions is available in person, by phone, absentee and live online at www.clars.com. To register to bid, call Clars at (888) 339-7600.
The most sought-after item in the collection was her pair of famed Luxor No.6 flying goggles. Worn by Earhart when she experienced her first crash in July 1921 while learning to fly with Neta Snook, the goggles still evidenced a cracked lens. The bidding opened at $10,000 and escalated to a final sales price of $17,775.
Also featured in the collection were 20 never-seen-before unpublished gelatin silver prints that were sold individually. The two photos in particular which captured the hearts of collectors were a silver gelatin print of Earhart, signed and inscribed by her and dated 1937. The photo snapped for $2,100. The second photo that tripled its high estimate was another photo of Earhart, signed and inscribed "To my friends of the radio audience."
This image sold for $3,200.
Bidding for Clars auctions is available in person, by phone, absentee and live online at www.clars.com. To register to bid, call Clars at (888) 339-7600.
