Rago 6 on the 15th? Say what!? I’ll clear up your confusion later on but first tell you about our adventure to Rago Arts and Auctions.

 

Located in Lambertville, NJ, Rago Arts and Auctions is a leader in international public and private auction sales. They appraise, buy and sell estates. The team also offer insurance evaluations and appraisals of personal property and estates.

This is where we come in.

We have wanted to attend an auction preview (I went once by myself) or one of the appraisal events for some time now. Unfortunately, both are usually on a Monday. Not exactly convenient for those of us who work and/or live out of state.

Anthony saw them advertising “appraisal day’ on Monday, July 15, 2019. As it so happened, we were both on vacation that week. With a two piece per person limit, we picked two pieces of art on which we wanted more information. High Society is a very large lithograph. And the second is an oil painting by Langtved-Jensen, dated 1918.

I went to the website and found that art had to have pictures, measurements, etc., submitted prior to the event. AND you had to make an appointment to reserve a time. Eagerly, I went into the site calendar. AND… everything was booked.

Undaunted, we debated what we could bring. Although we only have a few thousand items to choose from, we ultimately picked a vase made in France and a painted wood, art deco box.

 

On the day of the appraisals we made it a point to arrive early. Apparently other people had the same idea and there was quite a line developing. After signing in, we took our place in line.

The staff was incredibly organized and nice. People with appointments were called quickly and as lines inside moved, so did we. After a relatively short wait, it was our turn to go inside. And wait on another line. Here again, organization reigned with each person directed to a specific queue to see the professionals. In theory, each person is given 10 minutes with the experts. In theory, you need an appointment for art work appraisals!

More on that later.

 

Our turn came. The French vase is from the Limoges region in the early part of the 20th century. Not made by THE Limoges, but in the general region. Value? $40.00. Not bad, I only paid $18.00.

We had more hope for the painted wood, art deco box. A pity buy from a woman who was just opening an “antique” store, we liked it and it was only $20.00. Online research by Anthony has it attributed to Paul Frankl. Anthony could not prove this connection and hoped to find out once and for all. A quick online search by the expert and she found the same information. In her opinion, she doubted the connection to Paul Frankl but thought it was a nice decorative piece. Accurate to the deco period, she valued it at $175.00-$200.00.

 

Now, as for making an appointment for an art appraisal, we watched several people walk in and easily accommodated by the excellent staff. The funniest was a couple stating they were “driving by” and had “no clue” it was appraisal day and “just happen” to have two Currier & Ives lithographs, perfectly wrapped, with them. Me thinks I smell a fish!

Anyway, as I live so close to Lambertville, we decided to drive back to my house and pick up the High Society lithograph and the Langtved-Jensen painting. And since there were two of us, we also brought a couple of recently acquired Trenton Potteries pieces.

Back at Rago Arts late, but with time to spare.

 

Purchased at a second hand / antique store, Treasures From The Attic  in Southampton, NJ, for $95.00. High Society has a clouded history. Although signed Sané 28 in the border, there is no evidence of it designed or produced in that year. It’s actual production date is circa mid 1950’s. A popular and stylish image, 1980 reproductions are printed on high gloss paper with the outside border removed. Or, reproduced with the border but with the signature removed. I thought my poster was an earlier, more valuable, version and was thrilled to have the expert agree. She estimated the value at $600.00-$700.00. It garnered a lot of attention and admiration from other attendees.

 

I purchased my mystery painting at the GoodWill for $9.99. H.C. Langtved-Jensen is a (barely) known artist. The expert had difficulty finding anything on him. Based on the my research, she did find one of his paintings, Flower Garden, but was not able to give me more information.

 

She noted my painting was an unusual subject and style and would be a hard sell. She asked why I purchased it.

I told her I like it. Although dated 1918, it stylistically reminds me of the WPA/FAP period. I asked if it could be a study for a larger work. She agreed that the style and subject did lend itself to that theory. If it is, and I can link it to some sort or mural or public work, the value would increase. As it stands, she estimated the value at $100.00-$200.00.

 

 

Anthony had a stroke of pure luck. Pulling out the two vases, the appraiser immediately recognized them. He told Anthony that their expert on Trenton Potteries Co. was here, and available. He called over Thomas Rago, cousin of David Rago, founder of Rago Arts and Auctions.

 

Anthony explained we were having difficulty finding any information on the company. As it happens, Mr. Rago is not only an expert on their wares but literally wrote the book on them! He couldn’t have been nicer.

 

The vases are part of the modernistic line. The Crossley Vase featured in our earlier post, Weekend Finds – Spring 2019, is part of this same line. He informed us that although all Trenton Potteries (and most pottery in general) values have declined, this line retained a better value than most. The first vase, Rhythm,  glazed in Venetian Blue and the other, Orbit, in Gloss White appraised for a total value around $90.00. I paid $75.00 at the Golden Nugget Flea Market. He informed us that he had a small antique store, Lawrenceville Vintage Treasures, in Lawrenceville, NJ.  His autographed book on Trenton Potteries Co. is available for sale at his store.

Ironically, we were in Lawrenceville a few days earlier and unknowingly went to his store. But it was closed. Guess where we went the next day, what we bought and who we met? Well, two out of three isn’t bad. Mr. Rago was not there but we did meet his lovely wife and co-owner, Donna Rago. She was as charming and nice as her husband.

In all, we have to say thank you, Rago for appraising our 6 pieces on the 15^th of July. Get the title now?

 Happy Hunting!                                                                                                                                     Chris & Anthony (The Freakin’ ‘tiquen Guys)