6/13/16
With the summer doldrums in full swing there’s not much to blog about so for your rug-dumb reading pleasure I approved another moderately amusing comment . Not sure where these things are “coming from” or where they are going so check it out and form your own conclusion !
6/14/16
More feedback from this last weekends ART’s fair and it turned out for the most part as I expected. Fairly low public attendance which lead to weak sales for the exhibitors so one wonders if there will be another show next June ? One thing worth noting , a couple of above average collectors items did turn up and were promptly sold and then sold again so that’s something .
6/15/15
Thoughts on the state of the rug business heading into the summer slow period .
After the modest success of the spring auction season , the changes at the Sotheby’s rug dept. and less than stellar turn of events at the Boston ART’s show we are now moving into July and August and up to this point nothing is scheduled of any significance till the fall so it looks like we are in an extended quiet period at least for the unforeseen future . This could nevertheless change !
Concerning in a general way what’s moving and whats not , noteworthy pieces in distressed or even fragmented but unrestored condition continue to sell well because they are usually for the most part affordable and collectors are looking for very good to great examples damaged or not. The market is however overloaded with people trying to jettison late good condition rugs ( so called German condition ) made at the end of the 19th century , from most all weaving areas . This has been a stagnate part of the market for quite a while with prices remaing depressed because of the lack of interest coming from the “somewhat” educated collector / decorator buying public .
As for the very best items that appear in the marketplace being “fresh to the market” has a very big impact on what’s moving in this arena but unrealistic expectations do have an effect on even the superior examples out there right now . Note the difficultly Rippon- Boswell had with their high end lots that had aggressive starting points . There is certainly a hunger for the most desirable items that turn up but if they are not fresh to the market or from recognized collections the price ask has to reflect that. Once to many times around the block has a big influence on the price you can achieve in any area of collecting world .I have already seen that item a few times is a real buzz kill , over exposure really hurts an item.
As for where we go from here and how things advance only time will tell but not till the fall season begins , that’s for sure !
Again these are my thoughts and you may not agree so keep that in mind and any REAL comments are always welcome !
6/16/16
6/17/16
Rippon Boswell has finally posted the audited results of their May 28th major spring rug and textile sale and they are only slightly better than the immediate ” Liveauctioneer’s ” posted results . The sale total moved up to 148 items from the previous 144 so Mr Maltzahn must have worked the phones a bit for an added + 4 pieces sold . Not a big deal but every little bit helps . None of the big ticket items were among them but it does improve the sold percentage from 53% to right at 55%. As we all know , all improvements are welcome. And that folks is the proverbial that .
One more minor thing worth mentining . Netherhampton Salesrooms , Salibury , U.K. has still not posted the results from their last sale back on May 18th which may indicate it did not turnout in a positive fashion ? Time will tell !
Preparations for the upcoming Cali heatwave are in full swing !
6/18/16
6/19/16
Fathers Day for all you daddies out there !
Heatwave arrives in SoCal !
Bollocks or B.S. only lead to turmoil and oblivion , avoid this path at all costs ! , Sheik Frederich , 2016.
Song o the week , The Dead Daises , Long Way To Go on Make Some Noise , 2016 .
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