Mission Statements

NORTH CAROLINA BOUND

2012-02-13T10:03:00.000-08:00

I must confess I feel an extra twinge of anticipation about this year's Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference, which runs February 17-19 in Asheville, N.C. Bruce Johnson's annual Arts and Crafts extravaganza turns 25 this year (just like Style 1900), and Bruce has added some special events in honor of the occasion, including champagne socials, giveaways and dancing under the stars.

Of course there will be the extraordinary antiques show, contemporary craftsfirms show and seminars, as well as my favorite activity, the small group discussions. It's always agony trying to decide which of those to attend, as they schedule six or seven at the same time. This year, in an act of sheer perversity, they've planned nine for the same hour on Saturday. Help!

If you're going to be at the conference, be sure to stop by the Style 1900 booth and say hello. We've got back issues and books available for purchase, and author Beverly Brandt will be signing copies of her book The Craftsman and the Critic from 2-3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to noon on Sunday. I'll be in the booth periodically, but will be spending most of my time strolling around and taking in the sights. If you see me, be sure to say hi.

POWELL SHORTAGE

2012-01-27T16:00:00.000-08:00

Writer and restoration consultant Jane Powell is a respected figure in the American Arts and Crafts revival. The author of such books as Bungalow Kitchens and Bungalow Bathrooms, as well as countless magazines articles, Jane is a fixture on the Arts and Crafts lecture circuit and at the Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference.

Ten years ago, Jane purchased Sunset House (above), a landmark Oakland, Calif., bungalow, and now finds herself overwhelmed by house payments and repairs compounded by a costly battle with lymphoma. So, in the spirit of the “rent parties” of yore, Jane will be hosting a fundraiser at Sunset House on Sunday, February 12, from 2 to 5 p.m. Food, entertainment, a hosted bar and a silent auction are just a few of the attractions. Tickets are $25 per person or $40 per couple.

For more information, and to RSVP, e-mail Robert Brokl or Alfred Crofts at broklcrofts@earthlink.net or phone (510) 655-3841. Can’t make the event, but still want to help out? Visit Jane’s blog and click the “DONATE” button on the right. To learn more about Jane’s woes, click the link labeled “Things Suck.” That just about says it all.

DUTCH TREAT

2012-01-20T15:09:00.000-08:00

Dutch design from the end of the 19th century through the 1920s will be the focus of a discussion January 27 at 7 p.m. at the Wolfsonian–Florida International University in Miami Beach.

The museum’s founder, Mitchell Wolfson, Jr., will share the stage with decorative arts expert Frans Leidelmeijer and Wolfsonian associate director for curatorial affairs and education, Marianne Lamonaca. The trio will consider how designers, architects and artists expressed changing ideas about city life, industrial development and the role of the state in shapng a new identity for the Netherlands. (RSVP here.)

If you can’t make it to the Sunshine State that day, you can preview more than 300 items from the Wolfsonian’s collection of Dutch materials online (just click “browse collection” at the top of the page). Glass, textiles, furniture and design drawings are displayed there, along with an extensive collection of Nieuwe Kunst (Art Nouveau) bookbindings and ephemera.

If you aren’t familiar with turn-of-the-last-century design from this part of the world, it’s definitely worth checking out—the stuff is exquisite.

Poster, Delftsche Slaolie, 1894

The Wolfsonian-FIU, Gift of Wim Crouwel

SHELL SHOCKED

2011-12-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

What do you give the Arts and Crafts enthusiast who has everything? How about a vase made from a World War I artillery shell?

I found this impressive work of “Trench Art” in a Maine antiques shop a few months back. The label described it as an "Arts and Crafts vase." Although I didn’t buy it, I was tempted, since I’d never seen one of these artillery shell vases done in such an overtly ornamental style.

I’d always thought such pieces were produced by bored soldiers, like tramp art. But checking around a bit, I discovered there was a whole cottage industry devoted to making decorative objects from used shell casings. The French filled leftover shells with sand and used tools to inscribe designs on them. And back in America, the enterprising folks at the Keeler Brass Company in Grand Rapids, Mich., were making ashtrays from 75mm cartridges and advertising them in the American Legion Weekly.

While it’s admirable to see a utilitarian object turned into an object of beauty, I think I’ll stick to the old FTD vases in my cupboard. I prefer my flowers without the whiff of gunpowder.

HOW TO FIX DAMAGED TILE

2011-11-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you own an old house, you've probably had to deal with old tile, and all the problems that go with it: holes, cracks in the glaze, missing grout. Are these problems fixable? And can you do the repair yourself?

The answer to both of these questions is YES, as I learned reading an informative interview with tile setter Jan Hahn in the Fall 2011 issue of Small Home Gazette. This marvelous 16-page newsletter is produced by volunteers with the Twin Cities Bungalow Club, and is regularly packed with interesting, informative articles about caring for an older home.

In the tile article, Hahn talks about ways to patch holes left over from old toothbrush holders or towel racks, techniques for cleaning old tile and grout, and why harvesting an inconspicuous tile to fill a prominent gap might not be such a good idea. She also mentions some of the companies that are reproducing old-fashioned tiles today.

The folks at Small Home Gazette were kind enough to let us to reprint the article in its entirety--you can find it at style1900.com.

VISITING VAN BRIGGLE'S SPIRITUAL HOME

2011-10-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

I was driving through Colorado Springs the other day and decided to stop at the original Van Briggle Pottery factory. Completed in 1908, this complex is a happy testament to the creativity of the pottery's founder, Artus Van Briggle, and of his architect, Nicolaas van den Arend, who instilled this industrial building with the charm of a Flemish farmhouse.

Although the complex has been owned by Colorado College since 1968 and currently serves as its physical plant, you can still walk around the outside and admire the playful tilework and terra cotta adorning the exterior. They must be used to Arts and Crafts fanatics here, since no one seemed to notice me as I strolled the grounds snapping photo after photo of chubby smokestacks and colorful gable ends. I was told there's a wonderful fireplace inside, but I didn't have the nerve to try and finagle a peek.

As I strolled the grounds on this sunny autumn day, the building made me smile. I hope it had the same affect on the men and women who worked here a century ago.

The Van Briggle Pottery abuts I-25 at the corner of West Uintah St. and Glen Avenue. A few exits south of here, at 1024 S. Tejon St., you'll find Van Briggle Pottery's current home: a storefront operation with a gallery in front and studios in back. Although it lacks the charm of its predecessor, the studio is a great destination for fans of the pottery's distinctive forms and colorful matte glazes--still in production after 112 years.

SEATTLE WRAPS UP ANNUAL BUNGALOW FAIR

2011-09-26T15:13:00.000-07:00

Historic Seattle mounted its 14th annual Bungalow Fair September 24 and 25, and I was in the Style 1900 booth both days, handing out copies of the magazine and chatting with visitors. While attendance was sparser than in years past (Was it the economy? The unseasonably warm weather? Sunday's presidential visit and concurrent traffic fears?), there was still plenty to occupy visitors, between the antiques dealers, the artisans and the lectures.

Newark Museum Senior Curator Ulysses Grant Dietz was on hand Saturday to talk about "The Victorian Roots of the Arts & Crafts Movement," followed by Liam O'Neill, Chairman of the Archibald Knox Society, who traveled all the way from the Isle of Man to discuss the great metalwork artist. (The puddle in front of my seat was from me drooling over Knox's incredible creations for Liberty.) Anne Stewart O'Donnell, my predecessor at Style 1900, treated attendees to a talk on "Five Outrageous Women of the Arts & Crafts Movement," which I was lucky enough to catch at the Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference in February.

The next big Arts and Crafts event on the West Coast arrives the weekend of October 14-16: Pasadena Heritage's 20th annual Craftsman Weekend. To make the most of your excursion to the City of Roses, check out the insider's travel guide in our Spring 2011 issue.

FORGET THE HAMMER; BRING THE BLOG

2011-07-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

In order to remodel a house, there are few essential items you need: time, money, tools, a blog …

A blog?

These days, it seems like every home remodeler has his or her own blog, enumerating in painstaking detail the steps from acquisition to transformation. So how do you weed through them all to find the best?

For Arts and Crafts lovers, one great place to start is the 3rd Annual Bungalow Blog Tour. This is a virtual tour of 10 house remodel blogs from across the country, chronicling work on residences from the early years of the last century. Each blog describes various projects, from kitchen and bath remodels to exterior painting and landscaping makeovers, all accompanied by copious photos.

It took me about half an hour to skim through all 10 projects (there are handy links at the bottom of each post allowing you to proceed to the next house or return to the preceding one), but you could easily spend hours exploring the minutiae involved. If you’ve got a bungalow makeover awaiting your attention, this is a good source for products and design ideas, techniques and tips. Plus, you can always leave a comment if you have any questions about how something was done.

Although my own remodeling days are over (for the time being), I still enjoy seeing before-and-after photos—both the ones on the Bungalow Blog Tour, and those we run in the Mission Accomplished column on the back page of Style 1900. In fact, we recently archived all of the past Mission Accomplished columns on our website, so you can revisit the projects we’ve published or see the ones you’ve missed.

VIENNA IN NEW YORK

2011-06-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

I just got back from New York City, where I caught the Neue Galerie's very fine show Birth of the Modern: Style and Identity in Vienna 1900. Spread over two floors of the museum's 1914 mansion, the exhibition explores the redefinition of individual identity in fine and decorative arts at the turn of the last century.

The second floor galleries are largely devoted to paintings, including some exquisite works by Gustav Klimt, although there's also a remarkable Koloman Moser marquetry cabinet on display, as well.

But I spent most of my time on the third floor, where you pass by a wonderful series of Secession Exhibition posters to reach a gallery that contrasts the work of Josef Hoffman with that of Adolf Loos. (According to the audio guide, the latter referred to the former as "that man who makes cutlery." Meow!) Hoffman's sumptuous Tall-Case Clock of 1906, a collaboration with Carl Otto Czechka, stands in stark contrast to Loos' minimalist Long-Case Clock of 1904, which simply features a face and pendulum housed in a clear glass cabinet. Hard to believe it was designed more than 100 years ago.

Other highlights include a room devoted to Otto Wagner, and a C.R. Ashbee Writing Cabinet from 1898-99 that would look great just about anywhere in my house.

The exhibition continues through August 8. The Neue Galerie is at 1048 Fifth Avenue; call (212) 628-6200 or visit neuegalerie.org for details.

Photo: Hilda Jesser, Beaker, courtesy Neue Galerie New York.

IT’S A BUYER’S MARKET AT BRIMFIELD

2011-05-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

Guest blogger: Zac Bissonnette

When I headed to the Brimfield antiques shows last week to report on the event for Antique Trader, “Time to buy!” was the popular refrain among the dealers I spoke to.

One, who’d been selling at this central Massachusetts town for more than 20 years, said it was a great time to be in the antiques business, with one caveat: “You have to be willing to work twice as hard for half the money.”

Long-term, though, the outlook might be better for dealers. Economic cycles come and go, but the first decade of the 21st century was all about the revolution of the antiques market brought about by the Internet. For all but the rarest objects, comparison shopping became easier than it had ever been—the urgency to buy is gone and, thanks to eBay’s search engine, many items that were once thought to be rare have proven not to be so rare after all.

That drove prices down. But the Internet’s ability to connect buyers and sellers is now fully priced into the market, and more normal trends of appreciation seem poised to resume as the echo boom generation (those born between 1982 and 1995) looks to decorate its first homes. Their tastes will drive the market for the foreseeable future.

So what were the big winners at Brimfield this year? Nearly every dealer I spoke with said that midcentury modern furniture and industrial antiques are the hottest things on the market. Nearly every vintage electric fan from the mid-20th century had a SOLD sign on it. A few years ago they were seen as an eyesore, but now they're trendy in contemporary homes--as long as you don't have any children or curious pets.

By contrast, traditional furniture--the kind of thing found in old New England houses--is hard to sell for all but the highest-quality pieces. Here again, demographics are the driver: Too many estates contain old furniture, and too few young people furnishing their first homes appreciate it.

And, if you’re trying to sell bric-a-brac, good luck. As one dealer put it, “Tchotchkes are OUT!”

Zac Bissonnette is a contributing editor at Antique Trader. His latest feature story looks at the career of Art Deco illustrator Erté.

APRIL SHOWERS BRING FREE MAY FLOWERS

2011-05-02T14:53:00.000-07:00

Spring has been slow to arrive in much of the country, with rain, cold, snow and, of course, tornadoes, dampening spirits nationwide. Before the plague of locusts attacks, this might be a good time to take in a local garden.

On Friday, May 6, more than 100 public gardens in three dozen states will open their gates free of charge as part of the third annual National Public Gardens Day, sponsored by Rain Bird and the American Public Gardens Association. Bask in seasonal blooms at the Brooklyn or San Diego Botanic Gardens, or make a day of it at Pennsylvania's stunning Longwood Gardens. It's a great way to kick off Mother's Day weekend.

Sign up for your free admission ticket (good for up to 10 people) at the Better Homes and Gardens website, bhg.com/freegarden. There you'll also find a drop-down menu listing all of the participating gardens.

Spring at the Malott Japanese Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Photo by Robin Carlson

LOCAL LIBRARIES HONOR PRESERVATION WEEK

2011-04-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

How should you care for old family photos? What's the best way to preserve memorabilia? How can you save digital images in the face of changing technologies?

Now through April 30, libraries across America are celebrating Preservation Week @ Your Library with a host of free talks and exhibits all geared toward increasing awareness of preservation and helping consumers preserve treasured objects and images for future generations.

A list of events can be found at the American Library Association's website--just click on the map you'll find on that page. And if you live on the Eastern seaboard, good luck--you could go crazy trying to locate a particular city on the map. (Maybe next year they could offer a seminar on "Preserving Your Sanity Through the Use of Simple Lists.")

Don't see an event in your area? Consider an online webinar. You'll find details on the ALA site.

HOW TO HANDLE A PERIOD KITCHEN

2011-04-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

Have you ever strolled through a beautifully preserved Arts and Crafts home, admiring the rich woodwork, lustrous floors and vintage fixtures, only to encounter a kitchen that looked like something out of The Brady Bunch?

I’m not saying a period house requires a period kitchen--after all, nobody still cooks the way they did in 1915. (At least I hope not.) But the kitchen should be sensitive to the home’s overall aesthetic, either hewing closely to the room’s original look or incorporating period cues into a more contemporary design scheme.

Color and design consultant C.J. Hurley has given some thought to this whole issue and shares his perspective in an interesting article timed to coincide with the 13th annual Kitchen Revival Tour April 16 in Portland, Ore. Nine kitchens--in houses dating from the beginning to the middle of the last century—will be on display during the tour, each selected for its sensitive response to its surroundings.

While not everyone will subscribe to Hurley's historical approach, few old-house enthusiasts could argue with his basic philosophy: “Be forgiving of older homes, relish in their unique characteristics, and avoid conforming to modern standards and trends.”

FINE ART, FINE CAUSE

2011-03-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

I’ve long been a fan of Washington state artist Yoshiko Yamamoto, whose exquisite block prints echo the work of the Arts and Crafts masters and rival them in terms of beauty and technique. Now you can own a limited-edition print by this Tokyo native and benefit relief efforts in Japan at the same time.

.
Yamamoto has just introduced a seascape called Matsushima Bay which depicts a revered spot along the Japanese coastline that was affected by the recent tsunami. The unmatted print measures 7.5 by 10.5 inches and sells for just $30, with all of the proceeds benefitting Empact Northwest, a nonprofit organization providing medical relief in the Sendai area.

.
To order your signed and numbered print, go to artsandcraftspress.com. You’ll be treating yourself to a fine work of art and helping a great cause at the same time.

24TH ANNUAL ARTS & CRAFTS CONFERENCE

2011-02-21T12:02:00.000-08:00

Are things returning to normal?

I just got back from the Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference in Asheville, North Carolina, and from the throngs of customers converging on the antiques show there, the economic woes of the last two years are starting to seem like a distant memory. A report from dealers (and a cruise through depleted booths Sunday afternoon) confirmed that people had indeed come to buy. An unusually high number were first-time conferencegoers--further evidence that things are turning around.

1904 Princeton Table, made by McHugh Furniture Co.

How was the conference otherwise? Crazy as ever, with plenty of lectures and small group discussions to keep you occupied between visits to the antiques show and contemporary crafts booths, and hurried jaunts between events in the far-flung Vanderbilt and Sammons Wings. (Given all the miles I put in rushing between the two, you'd think I would have lost at least a couple of pounds. But nooooo....)

Charles Stickley Chair

If some of this year's speakers weren't as compelling as those in years past, I still enjoyed Anne Stewart O'Donnell's talk on "Five Outrageous Women of the Arts & Crafts Movement" and Michael McCracken's lecture about production and design in Gustav Stickley's furniture (particularly his forthright declaration that Stickley's furniture was manufactured, not handmade, so we should all just get over it). Allan Wunsch's Small Group Discussion, "Art Pottery: How to Collect Wisely on a Budget," inspired a lot of story ideas, as did conversations with other conferencegoers in the corridors and Great Hall of this landmark 1913 inn.

Tall Back Spindle Arm Chair from Gustav Stickley's Craftsman Workshops

As for the antiques, well, one long-time observer probably spoke for many when he said there weren't any star pieces at this year's sale. But, to quote Spencer Tracy, "what there was, was cherce." I was taken with a 1904 Princeton Table--a round child's seat with built-in desk from Silverman Selected Antiques; a Freidrich Adler polished pewter wall sconce at Titus Omega; and a Charles Stickley chair from JMW Gallery. I ogled a $9,500 Gustav Stickley Tall Back Spindle Arm Chair from Dalton's, and was tempted by a $1,350 Limbert Library Table from Phil Taylor Antiques (which, mysteriously, still hadn't sold by the time I left Sunday afternoon).

Limbert Library Table

Next year is the conference's 25th anniversary, and founder Bruce Johnson promises some special treats. I'm looking forward to it.

Large Rookwood Pot

Freidrich Adler Polished Pewter Wall Sconce, 1902

A vignette in the Dalton's booth.

ASHEVILLE, HERE I COME

2011-02-08T14:27:00.000-08:00

Arts and Crafts lovers from across the country are converging on Asheville, North Carolina, February 18-20 for the 24th National Arts & Crafts Conference and Antiques Show. I'll be there, wandering the halls of the Grove Park Inn and attending lectures by some of the biggest names in the field, while trying not to drool too heavily on the incredible antiques and contemporary crafts for sale.

Walking into the antiques show is a mind-blowing experience--because of the quantity and quality of the offerings, and the seriousness with which some of it is pursued. (Believe me, you don't want to stand between some of those collectors and their prey.) I also love the seminars and the small group discussions--you learn a great deal, and the people around you are always so interesting.

The one thing that photos can't capture is the amazing sense of community that you feel when you're there. The Arts and Crafts world in this country is surprisingly small, and if you're lucky, in the course of three days you'll get to meet many of its major players. It's also a great chance for me to step out from behind my desk and chat with our readers--to find out what their interests are and to collect story ideas for future issues. I hope you'll come by and see me in the Style 1900 booth on the 8th floor Friday from 1 to 2:30 pm, Saturday from 2:30 to 4 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to noon.

And don't miss our book signings! Patricia Gebhard will be autographing Purcell & Elmslie: Prairie Progressive Architects in our booth Friday from 2 to 3 pm and Sunday from 11 am to noon, while David Mathias signs Greene & Greene Furniture: Poems of Wood & Light Saturday from 1 to 3 pm. Stop by and pick up an autographed copy, and while you're there, enter to win a fabulous Arts and Crafts gift basket!

FRAME OF REFERENCE

2011-01-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

Architect Stanford White is remembered for a lot of things--his monumental beaux arts buildings, his affair with Evelyn Nesbit and subsequent murder. But who knew White was also instrumental in changing the way we look at picture frames?

Until the late 19th century, frames tended to be goopy, overly ornate affairs that didn't relate to their surroundings or, oftentimes, the art within. White started designing frames for his artist friends that were works of art, with flatter profiles and more delicate ornamentation. His approach caught on, launching a American picture frame revolution that extended into the Arts and Crafts era.

A Change of Taste: From the Gilded Age to the Craftsman Aesthetic is a new exhibition showcasing 78 vintage picture frames that exemplify this break with tradition and the new emphasis on design, craftsmanship and artistic expression. Assembled from a variety of collections, the show includes a number of examples from the Arts and Crafts era--some of which are for sale. The exhibition is on view through April 15 at Julius Lowy Frame & Restoring Company, 223 East 80th St. in New York City. For details, visit lowyonline.com.

ROBERT JUDSON CLARK, FATHER OF THE ARTS & CRAFTS REVIVAL

2011-01-06T18:55:00.000-08:00

Robert Judson Clark, a pioneering architectural historian who helped launch the Arts and Crafts revival, died January 4 at 73.

If it weren’t for Clark, chances are there might not be a Style 1900 magazine. Clark was the driving force behind The Arts & Crafts Movement in America: 1876–1916, a landmark exhibition that debuted at Princeton in 1972, then traveled to the Art Institute of Chicago and the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C. The show ignited worldwide interest in the study and collection of Arts and Crafts, and Clark’s catalog became a bible for the movement. In the years that followed, he contributed to The Art that is Life: The Arts & Crafts Movement in America, 1875–1920 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and penned numerous other books on architecture and decorative arts. A celebrated speaker, he lectured across the country and at Princeton, where he taught from 1968 to 1996.

Clark was passionate about San Francisco’s architecture and design heritage, and was living nearby in Lafayette at the time of his death. A tribute to Clark will be offered at February’s Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference.

Photo: Daniella Thompson

BLESS US ALL WITH GUSTAV STICKLEY

2010-12-12T17:16:00.000-08:00

When your house is filled with original Arts and Crafts furniture, how do you decorate for the holidays?

If you’re Ken Nelson and Jessica Greenway, you rely on a treasure trove of vintage holiday decorations, accumulated through years of collecting. Jessica, who shared her passion for Arts and Crafts leather purses in the Fall issue of Style 1900, is nearly as enthusiastic when it comes to the trappings of the holidays, as evidenced by a recent article in The Seattle Times by writer Lawrence Kreisman (a frequent contributor to Style 1900).

Old snowman figurines, celluloid reindeer, vintage linens and heirloom ornaments are companionable matches for the couple’s Gustav Stickley furniture (and four Christmas trees). To check out the article and accompanying slide show, click here. (Hint: For a better view, click the word “ENLARGE” in the lower left corner of the photo.) And from all of us at Style 1900, have a wonderful holiday season and a New Year filled with (Arts and Crafts) wonders.

MFA'S NEW ART OF THE AMERICAS WING

2010-11-29T20:10:00.000-08:00

I was in Boston over Thanksgiving so I decided to check out the much-ballyhooed new Art of the Americas Wing at the Museum of Fine Arts. The addition, designed by Foster + Partners, contains 53 new galleries spotlighting American works from ancient times to the near-present. Each gallery incorporates objects from different media (paintings, furniture, decorative arts, etc.) so the emphasis is on the era, location or style, rather than the discipline--an approach I found really refreshing.

While the MFA really shines in its collection of early furniture, I was pleased to see galleries devoted to Arts and Crafts and the Aesthetic Movement. (The latter features a wall inset with windows by Tiffany, above, and La Farge, and invites viewers to decide whose work they like better.) The collection includes a nice assortment of pottery, an overmantel from Greene & Greene's James A. Culbertson House, and a chair from the entry hall of the brothers' Bolton house, where I stood just a few months ago as we shot the story on the house for the current issue.

While I had a few quibbles about the building (like the glass curtain wall, which had to be shielded from the galleries to control light, resulting in a series of underutilized spaces that feel like afterthoughts and are fully visible from the street), it's great to see an entire city so excited about the changes to a cultural institution. If you find yourself in Beantown, don't miss it.

Photos: Fred Albert

TIFFANY'S FORGOTTEN POTTERY

2010-11-19T12:59:00.000-08:00

Although it might seem like everything Louis Comfort Tiffany touched turned to gold, the guy had his failures, too. Between 1903 and 1917, Tiffany’s factory turned out nearly 7,000 ceramic pieces, often depicting objects from nature and decorated in monochrome or spattered matte glazes. The public response was muted, to say the least.

Now New York City’s Lillian Nassau Gallery has assembled about 60 of these works for a new exhibition, and commissioned noted scholar Martin Eidelberg to write an accompanying book, Tiffany Favrile Pottery and the Quest of Beauty.

Tiffany coined the term “Favrile” to describe objects that were handmade. But, according to Eidelberg, most of his pottery was cast, not made by hand. (Evidently, pottery wasn’t the only thing Mr. Tiffany was fabricating.) That doesn’t lessen their artistry, however. Provocatively glazed and exquisitely composed (I love the little frog crouching under the lily pad in the piece above), Tiffany’s pottery reveals yet another facet of this masterful artist and entrepreneur.

The Lillian Nassau Gallery is located at 220 East 57th Street; the Favrile pottery exhibit continues there through January 31.

MORE OHR

2010-11-10T12:01:00.001-08:00

When the new Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art opened in Biloxi, Miss., on November 6, the complex was missing a key component: the gallery devoted to the work of its namesake, potter George Ohr.

Now, thanks to a $3 million grant, the museum’s final building is under way. Dubbed the John S. and James L. Knight Gallery, in honor of its benefactors, the Frank Gehry-designed structure will consist of four sculptured “pods” clad in stainless steel and connected by a central glass gallery. Its 2,900 square feet of exhibition space will showcase works by the so-called “Mad Potter of Biloxi,” who died in 1918.

The new building should be completed sometime in 2012. In the meantime, the rest of the six-building complex (including the Gallery of African-American Art, above) is open for business. To read more about the project, see page 10 in the current issue of Style 1900, or visit georgeohr.org.

Photo: Robert Brooks

BUYERS SCARCE FOR HISTORIC WRIGHT HOMES

2010-10-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Frank Lloyd Wright only built four of his revolutionary textile block houses. Two are on the market, and buyers aren't exactly beating down the doors.

A recent article in the Los Angeles Times detailed the struggles to sell Wright's Ennis House and the Alice Millard House, also known as La Miniatura (shown here). Both were built in the early 1920s from decorative concrete blocks in a manner that recalls Mayan architecture, and both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Yet despite being on the market for two years, and having its price slashed from $7,733,000 to just under $5 million, La Miniatura remains unsold.

Over in nearby Los Feliz, the Ennis house has been marked down from $15 million to just $7,495,000, but after more than a year on the market it has no buyer. Despite the fire sale price, any future buyer would need to have another $6 million in reserve for future restoration.

At least there's one bit of good news to report: In mid-October, La Miniatura's listing agent, Crosby Doe of Crosby Doe Associates, Inc., said he'd received a "serious cash offer" from a buyer in the Middle East. And, unlike a Japanese buyer who'd expressed interest in the property a few months earlier, this party has no intention of disassembling the house and moving it to another location.

Photos: Scott Mayoral

REDISCOVERING ROHLFS

2010-10-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

Did Charles Rohlfs inspire George Nelson? It's hard not to look at the tall case clock Rohlfs designed at the turn of the last century and see a connection to Nelson's iconic "ball" clock from nearly 50 years later.

That was just one of the revelations I experienced at The Artistic Furniture of Charles Rohlfs, the fascinating exhibit that opened October 19 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I was lucky enough to catch the show at its previous venue, The Huntington in San Marino, California, where I marveled at the sheer joy in Rohlfs' work--from the lyre-like silhouettes adorning the feet of a high-back chair, to a wonderfully inventive light fixture from 1903 that filtered candlelight through a kappa shell scrim.

Rohlfs reveled in the unexpected, and while he was never as influential as Gustav Stickley--whose own furniture is currently on view at the Newark Museum--there's an impish daring to his creations that make them hard to categorize. No wonder Rohlfs didn't like to use the term "Arts and Crafts" to describe his work. He preferred to call it "artistic furniture." Seeing this exhibition, you'll understand why. If you're in New York City between now and January 23, don't miss it.

SUNDAY IN NEWARK WITH GUS

2010-09-28T16:12:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Newark, N.J., where I had a chance to tour the exhibit "Gustav Stickley and the American Arts and Crafts Movement" at the Newark Museum. No matter how much of Stickley's work you see (and in my job, I see a lot), it's hard to feel jaded about it--there's always something new to captivate your eye. I was entranced by a leather-topped table, a stunning group of pieces attributed to Harvey Ellis, an exquisitely simple candle holder and a wall filled with gorgeous embroidered table runners. And who could miss the understated sideboard that looked like it was put together by an 11th-grade shop class, not the father of the American Arts and Crafts movement? (Sorry, Gus.)

As much as I liked the show, I found the exhibit design a bit underwhelming, and I think the exhibition would have benefitted by putting Stickley's work in context. You can't really appreciate how radical this stuff was until you see it alongside other furnishings of the day. And I didn't feel it fully captured the extent of Stickley's empire--there was scant attention given to The Craftsman, his collaborations with other artisans, and his influence on society (then and now). His architecture was represented by a few floor plans, but photographs or--better still--video, would have been a welcome addition, adding more layers to the experience.

GOT YOUR TICKET?

2010-09-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, September 25, more than 1,000 museums across America will open their doors free of charge to participants in Smithsonian magazine's 6th annual Museum Day. To claim your free admission ticket, go to smithsonianmag.com and click on the link in the lower right column. Each ticket is good for one museum, and admits two people.

I'll be in New York City that weekend, attending the annual Arts & Crafts Conference, but intend to steal away long enough to check out the Museum of Arts and Design, one of the participating venues. Across the Hudson, the Newark Museum will be presenting Gustav Stickley and the American Arts and Crafts Movement, an unbeatable show for Arts and Crafts enthusiasts. And with free tickets, the price can't be beat, either.

BASKET CASE

2010-08-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

One of the benefits of my job is that I get to spend all day looking at gorgeous pieces of furniture. (Tough life, huh?) Just today, I ran across a photograph of this gorgeous wastebasket from the Michigan Chair Co. I never fail to marvel at the way the pioneers of the Arts and Crafts movement lavished attention on the smallest detail—that something as insignificant as a wastebasket could be turned into an item of such beauty.

I found this photo in the Rago Arts archive, which contains photographs and sales prices for items from Rago auctions going back nearly a decade. The archive is free and open to the public. Just go to ragoarts.com and click on the RESULTS heading at the top of the page, and you can while away the hours looking at gorgeous pieces of furniture, too.

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

2010-07-29T17:43:00.000-07:00

Antiques collectors are like fishermen: They all have stories about "the one that got away." Bruce Johnson is no different. The esteemed Arts and Crafts guru and author of Style 1900's "Collectors' Counsel" column tells a tale in his weekly blog about a little Stickley tea table he passed up 16 years ago. Bruce's story is funny and honest and warm--as his writing always is--and steeped in the kind of regret that only a fellow collector can appreciate.

My own "fish story" took place back in the late '80s, when I spied a Gus Stickley sideboard for the princely sum of $940, I believe. I could afford it, but couldn't justify it, as I had no place for the lumbering oak piece in my tiny urban dwelling. I still don't have a spot for it. But if that deal crossed my path today you can be sure I'd get rid of something else to accommodate it. After all, beds are way overrated, right?

BALANCING ACT

2010-07-05T10:03:00.000-07:00

There's an interesting article by Jonathan Clancy in the latest issue of the Craftsman Farms newsletter, Notes from the Farms. Clancy debunks some common myths about the Arts and Crafts movement, including the notion that its practitioners were opposed to modernity:

Despite the critique of modern life inherent in the Arts and Crafts movement, it was not a movement that rejected it outright, as much [as] it was an effort to transform it and restore the sense of balance many felt lacking.

It's a romantic notion to portray the movement's founders as purists who rejected industrialization. They were really businesspeople out to prove that artists and industry could coexist. Clancy sums it up nicely when he says: At its core, it was a movement that sought to restore a sense of authenticity and integrity to modern life.

A century later, we're still seeking that balance. Some things never change.

Photo: Dallas Museum of Art

Finding the Words

2010-06-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

Fans of the TV show Glee are called Gleeks, and fans of Clay Aiken are called Claymates. But what do you call people who are passionate about the Arts and Crafts era? Crafties?

I wrestle with that question every week. After all, how often can one dredge up that old standby, "aficionado"? "Follower" seems cultlike (don't drink the Craftsman Kool-Aid!), "fan" seems shallow and "connoisseur" slightly pretentious. "Enthusiast" is a wonderful term, since it connotes both interest and spirit. I'm a big fan of the Yiddish term "maven," which means expert, but I fear it might be unfamiliar to many people.

What term would you suggest? Post your ideas below. Your proposal might even appear in Style 1900, where it can be read by your fellow fans, followers, aficionados, connoisseurs, mavens, enthusiasts ... and Crafties.

How Sui It Is

2010-06-02T10:15:00.000-07:00

The other day I interviewed acclaimed fashion designer Anna Sui. Her Fall collection features patterns, colors and materials all inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement. Turns out, Sui is a big fan, having grown up in Detroit surrounded by vintage Craftsman homes. (At the time, she called them "Three Stooges" houses, because the Mission furniture and tiled fireplaces reminded her of the homes she saw in the Three Stooges films--which just goes to show you that inspiration can come from anywhere!) The new collection includes William Morris-style prints, studded leathers inspired by Charles Rohlfs, and cutout velvets backed with chiffon that recall Tiffany windows. Sui's collection hits stores next month; you'll find my interview with her in the Fall issue of Style 1900, due out August 1.

Cold Remedy

2010-05-13T18:16:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a trip to Maine, where the air was so unseasonably nippy that all you heard were gardeners contemplating the imminent demise of the previous week's plantings. So what does the editor of an Arts and Crafts magazine do when faced with inhospitable weather? Go antiquing, of course. And there are few places better to do it than in Maine--although, truth be told, the pickings seem to get slimmer with each passing year.

When I'm antiquing, I become so absorbed I forget everything around me. I imagine it's what athletes experience when they're in "the zone." I get in my "antiquing zone." I saw a lot of good art pottery on this trip (including one display marked "25% off" that was really tempting), plus the usual assortment of generic side chairs and Mission desks. At one store, I stopped to admire an Arts and Crafts armoire with ornate hardware (probably English) that was marked down to $450. I like Tramp Art, and saw several exceptional Crown of Thorns pieces for $250-$350. In the end, I didn't buy anything, but so what? I can't think of another pastime that keeps me so thoroughly engaged. Whatever the weather.

It's a Small World

2010-05-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

The other day I was watching that great documentary, Elbert Hubbard: An American Original. As a succession of talking heads flashed across the screen, bearing witness to the genius (and tangled personal life) of the Roycroft founder, I was struck by what a small world we Arts and Crafts aficionados inhabit. After a little more than six months at Style 1900, I already knew or had spoken with a number of the individuals on screen. (And no, gentle reader, Elbert was not among them.) It's exciting to realize that this passion we share for Arts and Crafts can link us to people across the globe, from all walks of life. One of the goals of the Arts and Crafts movement was to foster a sense of community. Isn't it amazing that more than a century later, the movement is still bringing people together?

Live and Learn

2010-04-28T23:00:00.000-07:00

Being a devotee of the Arts and Crafts movement means forever being a student of the Arts and Crafts movement. Just today I was editing a travel article about Vienna (scheduled for our Fall issue) when I ran across a mention of Carl Otto Czeschka. I wasn’t familiar with Czeschka, so I started to Google him, and found a treasure trove of designs by this remarkable man. A designer for the Wiener Werkstätte starting around 1904, Czeschka illustrated books and designed jewelry, metalwork, furniture, ceramics, stained glass and textiles—most of which appear as fresh today as they did a century ago. Styles may change, but the work of many Arts and Crafts masters is eternal.

Grove Park Groove

2010-04-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

Overwhelmed. That, more than anything, sums up my first visit to February’s Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference in Asheville, N.C. There was so much to see and do at this annual event I barely had time to catch my breath—and didn’t want to, for fear of missing out on anything.

The highlight for me—aside from meeting people whose names I’d only seen on book jackets—was getting to attend presentations by the likes of Sotheby’s Jonathan Clancy, pottery expert Paul Katrich and Stickley historian Mike Danial (who reminded us that—yes, indeed—Gus’s furniture was machine-made, and that doesn’t make it any less special). When I wasn’t getting lost in the labyrinthian hallways of the Grove Park Inn, I enjoyed meeting Style 1900 subscribers—each of whom assured me they saved every issue—and drooling through the aisles of the antiques show. (No, I didn’t bring anything home, except a note reminding myself to travel back in time to 1985 and snatch up every piece of Arts and Crafts furniture and pottery I can find.)

There were a few things I thought could be improved. I wish the small group discussions were scattered throughout the day and not concurrent, so that choosing one session didn’t mean you had to miss seven others. And it would be nice if the GPI offered more affordable dining options. I also regretted not having more time to explore Asheville and its surroundings, which—from what I saw—looked utterly charming. But that just means there’s more to look forward to next year.