My friend Michael Grogan in Dedham is having a two day sale this weekend. If you’ve never gone to a Grogan sale and you like auctions, you might like his. He, his wife Nancy and a great guy named Hercules Pappachristo and of course everyone else {I don’t know all their names} work hard and put on good straight up auctions. Mike, prior to moving to Boston {over 20 years ago} and hanging out his own shingle was at Sothebys.

The auction this weekend will include a portrait by John LaFarge and a very good still life by Henriette Alice Ronner. On the front of the auction ad is a a Mahogany Cellerette called English..we sold one that looked virtually identical years ago, which turned out to be from Philadelphia. Grogans also nearly always has a great selection of oriental rugs.

Also the sale will have bunch of good accessories including French, German and China Trade wares.  Of particular interest are some Monumental Sevres Vases and Urns. Tons of Limoge and Meissan as well.

THis weekends sale will run two days….and they have a website http://www.groganco.com/

Looks like a good sale..

Tomorrow Harlowe and Powell are having a sale and in it are a few things that looking interesting. Problem though, NO one there knows a thing about Asian art, Nada, Nothing, ZIP.

Arghh So I call, a nice young lady there answered the phone, the “antique person” is busy, so I asked her about  a particular lot. She says’ we don’t have an expert or even have access to one,  so she did try to help. She  admitted the things I was asking about come from a regular consignor who is “troublesome” translated means he/she brings in fakes.  The piece in question was a very good looking carved lacquer box, other things in the sale vases, Kangxi looking things are out of the question. 

Its too bad, because once in a while they get DO get in some very respectable things from blue and white to bronzes to Celadons. (I personally like Celadons)

Ming Lonquan Celadon, plcombs inventory

So this begs the question “Why on earth do they take stuff from this person?”

Answer…they are dense and amateurish. Nice enough but why do auction houses take in things time and time again from delaers who lie to them..when I ran live auctions one fib ended the consignors contact with me.

Ohh now I sound cranky and mean..didn;t mean to.