The original U.S. Navy diving helmet remains an absolute design classic. Resembling something lifted out of a B-grade Hollywood sci-fi flick from the 1950s, it was developed in 1916 in a drastic attempt to improve the Navy’s inefficient diving equipment and techniques. So good was the helmets design that it wasn’t replaced until 1984, when a lighter fiberglass model was introduced. On Thursday, March 3, Cowan’s Auctions offers bidders the opportunity to chanel their inner Jules Verne when they offer Lot 239 of their Firearms & Accoutrements sale. Dated August, 1949, this U.S. Navy dive helmet is constructed of brass and copper, and has glass viewing windows. The piece has been refitted and polished and comes with a stylish wooden stand. Lot 239 is just one of the many eye-catching lots up for grabs in this Cowan’s sale, beyond a deep catalo...Read More

Lino Tagliapietra sketches his designs in advance, but his approach seeks spontaneous perfection during the glassblowing process. As one profiler has written, "most of his decisions are made in front of the furnace”. With Venetian glass in his blood, Tagliapietra began working with glass at a young age at the island’s glass furnaces and factories. Born in Murano, Italy, an island with a history of glass-making that dates from 1291, Tagliapietra became well versed in the Venetian glass trade secrets. His work has brought him across the globe. Tagliapeitra’s impressive resume as a teacher and mentor has played a key role in the international exchange of glassblowing processes and techniques between the principal American centers and his native Murano. His influence is also apparent in China, Japan, Australia and around the world. Lino Tagliap...Read More

Collectors from all over America are set to descend on the City of Brotherly Love this spring when the Philadelphia Antiques & Art Show returns to The Navy Yard by the shores of the Delaware River. The show, founded in 1962 and long regarded as one of the nation’s best, has been expanded beyond its stunning array of antiques to include more fine and contemporary art, a decision sure to gain favor with all in attendance. 2016 sees 58 of the country’s most outstanding antiques dealers and fine art galleries on hand to exhibit the best selections in Americana, period furniture, folk and fine art, Asian ceramics, porcelain, silver, jewelry, textiles and decorative accessories. Everyone from collectors and curators, to designers and first-time buyers are sure to find pieces to more than suit their needs. Co-chair Anne Hamilton is brim full of en...Read More

Louis Comfort Tiffany declared that his life-long goal was “the pursuit of beauty.” Tiffany’s quest for his goal began with painting, continued with innovative interior design and largely focused on glassmaking. The aesthetics and shifting colors of his glass work elevated Tiffany to become one of the most influential artists in Art Nouveau. He is considered to have been the foremost American designer of decorative art objects at the turn of the century. Left: Autumn Landscape, Tiffany Studios, 1902-32, on exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Right: Louis Comfort Tiffany Louis Comfort Tiffany was born on February 18, 1848 in New York City. Louis was the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, the founder of Tiffany & Co. Although his father had founded the most prestigious silver and jewelry company in America, Louis chose another direction. Af...Read More

Any collector looking for a good excuse to escape the sudden spell of freezing north-eastern weather should circle Friday, February 19 in their calendars, then get busy booking flights to Florida. That very day, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers stage their Palm Beach Winter sale - 276 lots go under the hammer, including furniture, silverware, paintings, sculpture, porcelain, glassware and more. Lot 242 - a tropical scene titled "Monstera and Lorries," shoud set the sunnier tone nicely. By American Hunt Slonem, the painting is set in the artists personal aviary, a sanctuary in which he keeps over 100 species of live birds. A definite improvement on skies filled with smog covered pigeons... Now youre in a better climate youre sure to be in a better mood, which means its time to see friends. Dont lower the tone of the encounter by using sub-standard...Read More

When most people think of Valentines Day gifts they typically look towards the standards. Flowers, jewelry, chocolate...weve all been there and we all know the turf. But what to do if that special someone in your life doesnt really go in for the traditional Valentines Day fair? What if theyre the type whod much rather be roughing it in Jackson Hole than sharing appetizers at Jean Georges? On Friday, February 12, Copley Fine Art Auctions could have the answer when they stage their 2016 Winter sale. Featuring 481 lots, the sale offers a host of great art focusing on the outdoors, including oil paintings, etchings, pencil sketches, sculpture, canes, decoys, books and more. Its a great way to bring the outdoors in, for those winter days when even the most ardent sportsman prefers a hot fire and glass or two of whiskey. Lot 22, "Bull Moose" by i...Read More

With The Revenant set to sweep the table at the upcoming Academy Awards, focus will once again fall on American Indians and the beauty of their culture. Not just in the spritual sense, but also on the asthetic beauty of the objects and materials they produced to work and wear in the course of their daily lives. On Saturday, February 6, Skinner will offer bidders an opportunity to satify their cravings for American Indian artifacts when they stage their sale of the Van Kirke and Helen Nelson Collection of American Indian Art. And while the Nelsons, as proud Montanans, placed an emphasis on pieces from the Blackfoot and Crow tribes, their collection contains a stunning selection of material from a cross-section of American Indian culture. The Blackfoot, like the Apache, were known as great warriors. They were a nomadic people, moving frequent...Read More

Americana Week,  which runs the last two weeks of January, is in full swing.  For tips on how to approach this marathon of antiquing, Town & Country consulted Andrew Holter, Specialist and Head of Department in American Furniture & Decorative Arts at Christies. Below, Holters advice for what to look for at the flagship event of the week, the Winter Antiques Show, and what to consider when youre in the market for decorative arts. "When collecting antiques the first and most important rule is buy what you like," Holter says. "The key when buying pieces is to acquire objects that you want to live with and that you derive pleasure from looking at each day. However, if you want to hedge your investment there are a few golden rules that should apply when you evaluate an object.  Condition, proportion/design, rarity, surface, provenance and qualit...Read More

Recently, an article in Harper’s Bazaar called the Hermès Birkin handbag a “better investment than the stock market.” Over the last 35 years, the Birkin bag has become the most exclusive bag in the world and its value has increased 14.2%, mostly due to its luxurious appeal and scarcity in the industry. For this reason, the resale market, including auction, has seen a boom in these coveted bags. On February 20, you will have the opportunity to purchase an Hermès Birkin when a Private Florida Collection of Luxury Accessories hits the auction block in the West Palm Beach, Florida saleroom. The Hermès Fashion House was founded in Paris as a harness-making shop by Thierry Hermès. Hermès began his fashion house by crafting horse harnesses for carriages. He was well known for his expert craftsmanship and was greatly appreciated and respected by Eu...Read More

Likely many of history’s worthwhile artistic developments, the pâte-sur-pâte method of porcelain decoration came about purely by accident. A French term meaning, “paste on paste,” it was developed in 1850 at France’s Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres. The company was trying to reproduce a decorative technique from a Chinese vase, got it wrong, and suddenly, pâte-sur-pâte was born. Marc-Louis Solon (pictured below) perfected the technique, and was for most of his working life its leading exponent. A talented artist who worked for Sevres, he fled his native land in 1870 due to the Franco-Prussian War, and set up shop across the Channel in Stoke-on-Trent, where he lived out the remainder of his days. Those looking to snare one of Solons prized creations should circle January 27 in the calendar, when Leslie Hindman Auctioneers holds Day 2 of thei...Read More