Author: Michael Chappell

It hadn’t occurred to me when we renewed our gallery lease, but a newly found perk was that we’re 100 feet from the start of the Giants’ World Series victory parade.

Fresh from watching it, I have to say it was about as much fun, condensed into forty minutes, as watching all the post season play. Phrases like ‘once in a lifetime’ and ‘ecstatic’ are hardly clichéd when applied to the crowd reaction to the Giants. My hands are so swollen from clapping, I’m barely able to write this blog entry. But, what the hell…

Enjoy this album, straight from the camera of my nephew and gallery assistant Jack Tremper. Aubrey Huff may have to explain what he was doing with that red thong, but there’s no mistaking Andre Torres’ look of sincere gratitude and appreciation- what a gentleman. Our gratitude to you, too, San Francisco Giants. And to Bruce Bochy, Peter Magowan, Bill Neukom, and Brian Sabean. And next year? I’ve already started to make hash marks on the wall behind me, counting the days until the start of the season.

Click through to our Facebook page to see an album of photos from the parade.

Word’s gone around that Christie’s owner and luxury goods magnate François Pinault will soon shed his interest in the venerable English firm, with the buyer Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of the Qatari royal family. During his 12 year tenure as owner, M. Pinault has seen some profound ups and downs in the fortunes of the salesroom- mostly downs. The price fixing scandal with Sotheby’s, the experience of huge losses the result of unsold lots the salesroom had guaranteed, and, of course, the downturn in the luxury goods market the last couple of years has doubtless made ownership of Christie’s an expensive proposition.

While not everyone purchases art and antiques from Christie’s at the highest levels, one can’t be either a dealer or a collector or an interior designer without knowledge that, in the last few years, Christie’s has sought to be in effect a retail vendor, as well, through its frequent ‘Interiors’ sales conducted in New York and South Kensington, London. While the material on offer may be less vaunted, the cost to catalog and market even second and third rank material is not. Although Christie’s, and Sotheby’s, too, have sought to cut costs by pruning staff numbers almost in half- and raising buyer’s premiums to upwards of 30% of the hammer price- they nevertheless continue to operate a high overhead, sporadically profitable and sometimes highly unprofitable business in some of the costliest commercial neighborhoods in the world.

It’s interesting, the Sultan of Qatar had commented last week to the Financial Times that Christie’s would be a good adjunct to his own passion for art collecting. That was at least partly M. Pinault’s motivation, as well. Clearly, business sense- or necessity- is now overruling passion. Even for billionaires, there must eventually be a payday.

The 2010 edition of the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show is now a matter of historic fact, and next year’s outing is something, thankfully, that most of the participating dealers are looking forward to.

I say ‘thankfully’, as, at our trade meeting yesterday morning on the show floor, there was a good feeling overall, and precious little grousing. That in itself is unusual when a group of dealers congregate, and I have to say, Keith and I spoke to a number of not only our local colleagues but those we know from far afield, and the mood was overwhelmingly positive. Mind you, sales results were mixed- some dealers did well, some did less well, and some didn’t even open the invoice book. But attendance was good and for those who did not sell, there nevertheless were innumerable conversations with punters of the type that lead one to expect that there will be follow-on business.

And, that’s what’s been lacking in the fairs- not just at show sales, but the attendance of engaged visitors who one feels, if they don’t buy today, will do so when they feel sunnier about things.

So, now that’s over, we can focus on the matter at hand- Go Giants! What? did you think there was anything else going on?

Not unusual for the time of year, dining table interest has spiked. Nothing more personal than a dining table, as style of life- casual or more formal- and décor- traditional or contemporary- and room size- compact or cavernous- often have more to do with what’s wanted than the style of the table itself.

A word to the wise, when you consider purchasing a period table, beware the banded table! An area with contrasting cross banding of either wood or decoration such as brass inlay around the perimeter of the table top is almost invariably a later add on. Surprising how often people inquire about banding, doubtless because they’ve seen a reproduction example with it- or a period example reprehensibly tarted up for sale. New and tarted up is hard to hide. But often banding, albeit not original, can still have some age to it. Again, beware, as cross banding can often mask substantial old repairs, including what so often occurred, the reshaping of a table top, often to associate the top with a new base. Bear in mind, dining tables are working pieces of furniture, and invariably sustain some damage through extensive use. When a table is restored, then and sadly now, sometimes it is thought easier and cheaper to make an alteration rather than to accomplish a proper repair.

We are ready for the first game of the World Series, and so is the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show. Go to tonight’s gala preview at Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion, and watch the opening game of the series on big screen. Trust me, the bev and nibblies will be better than anywhere else, and what a better 7^th inning stretch of the legs than to browse the show?  Go Giants and good luck to everyone at the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show!