New 'Auction Hunters' bets big on storage-unit sales

One has a tattoo as his hairstyle and problem perspiration. The other looks like the helpful Honda guy on TV commercials but knows how to drive a hard bargain. Meet Clinton "Ton" Jones and Allen Haff, above, of "Auction Hunters." This not-so-odd couple make a living -- and a TV show -- looking for treasures amid the trash of storage units whose contents are being auctioned off because of unpaid rent. The show premieres at 10 p.m. Tuesday on Spike TV.

By the looks of the unscripted series, the recession certainly isn't receding.  Following the success of the History Channel's "Pawn Stars," currently in its third season, and "American Pickers," currently in its second, junking and auction shows are beginning to clog up programming schedules like something out of an episode of "Hoarders."

In October, TLC launched "Auctioneer$," which followed the action at Auction Systems Auctioneers & Appraisers in Phoenix. According to the auction house's website, the series has already been pulled from its time slot. Going, going, gone. The Discovery Channel's "Auction Kings" bowed on Oct. 26. The eight-episode series follows the Atlanta auction house Gallery 63 and runs as two half-hour episodes, back to back, every Tuesday through Nov. 16.

"Auction Hunters," broadcast on the man-centric Spike, bridges the gap between salvaging and sold-to-the-highest-bidder events. In each episode, Jones and Haff bid on the contents of lockers after just a few minutes of peeking from the doorway. In the first installment, they prowl downtown Los Angeles and purchase the contents of two units.

The likeable duo exude the enthusiasm of boys on a scavenger hunt. In a genre filled with hard-luckers and hucksters, "Auction Hunters" is refreshing, a no-nonsense, no-drama half-hour that should satisfy fans of "The Antiques Roadshow."

Before Shepard Fairey there was Ben Shahn, an early voice in the art of politics

Long before Shepard Fairey created the Obama "Hope" poster, Ben Shahn (1898-1969) spread his own word as a renowned American Social Realist painter and illustrator. Among Shahn's works: striking images in a series of voter registration lithographs that includes the 1946 poster above, published by the Congress of Industrial Organizations.

On Nov. 14, Rago Arts  in Lambertville, N.J., will conclude a weekend sale of fine art with property from the estate of Shahn and his wife, Bernarda. The auction estimate for the work pictured here is $1,000 to $1,500. It contains many of Shahn's artistic signatures: precisely drawn figures rendered with minimal lines, integrated text and the strong color palette that he developed using matte tempera. 

The Rago sale includes not only original works and prints by Shahn and his wife, but also figurines and paintings from their travels to Asia and works by luminaries such as Alexander Calder, Robert Rauschenberg and sculptor Leonard Baskin.

Also going to auction: furnishings from the Shahns' Bauhaus-influenced studio and home in Roosevelt, N.J., which had an addition designed and built in the 1960s by the acclaimed woodworker George Nakashima.

Nakashima also produced bedroom furniture and a dining suite, below (table estimated at $4,000 to $6,000, dining chairs estimated at $2,000 to $3,000 for a pair, or $3,500 to $4,500 for a set of four). Those pieces will be sold along with a pair of Eames DCW chairs (estimated at $800 to $1,200 for both) and chairs by Finn Juhl and Niels Vodder. The full catalog is available for online perusal. 

 

East Coast readers can see the Ben and Bernarda Shahn collection on display in the preview exhibition from Nov. 6 to 12 at Rago Arts, 333 Main St., Lambertville, N.J.; (609) 397-9374

-- David A. Keeps

Photo: Lynette Mager / Rago Arts 

 

Going, going, not gone: L.A. Modern Auctions takes unsold lots and offers them again, at low-ball prices

Los Angeles Modern Auctions sold about 70% of the 500-plus lots in its Sunday sale, and though that normally would be the end of the story, the auctioneer wrote a sequel.

Furniture, lighting, rugs, artwork and other pieces that did not generate bids high enough to meet the reserve -- the minimum price the owner was willing to accept -- are being offered for sale again, this time at set prices. Those no-bid prices are based on the reserve plus the buyer's premium the auction house charges on all sales.

What does this mean for would-be buyers? It means you're paying the lowest price for which you could have won the piece at auction, except you don't have to deal with competing bids or guessing the seller's reserve. You pay the minimum amount, the owner unloads his or her piece and the auction house gets its commission.

The idea came from Internet sites that not only solicit bids but also sell merchandise at set prices, LAMA Managing Director Shannon Loughrey said. She expects to field inquiries on the current inventory through mid-November.

Browsing the list of unsold lots and comparing the new set prices against the catalog's pre-auction sale estimates makes for interesting reading. Among the lots that went unsold is "Man's Face," above, a 6.25-by-4.25-inch earthenware tile by Pablo Picasso, estimated at $3,000 to $5,000. It's selling for $2,940.

 

The pair of 1960s modern end tables above, manufacturer unknown, had been estimated at $800 to $1,200  for the lot. Now it's selling for $490.

A Frank Gehry-designed snake lamp -- 5 feet, 7 inches long -- also went unsold Sunday. Circa 1988, the signed piece was one in an edition of 60. The pre-auction estimate was $18,000 to $25,000. The post-auction price: $18,375.

Believed to date to the 1930s, a drafting desk by the legendary Kem Weber was estimated at $3,000 to $5,000. The post-auction price: $2,450. Keep reading to see more auction leftovers offered at no-bid prices ...

Historic L.A. stained-glass ceiling up for auction

Los Angeles Modern Auctions, founded in 1992, will celebrate its 50th sale on Sunday by offering what owner Peter Loughrey calls "the most comprehensive stained-glass window ever built in Southern California, a landmark design that affected the market for stained-glass windows for decades."

Created in 1965 by Roger Darricarrere, who won the medal for best artwork at the 1964 World's Fair, the unique piece was a custom commission for the ceiling of the Columbia Savings Bank in Los Angeles. During the auction preview, 28 panels from the work and a pyramid, shown above, will be displayed at Los Angeles Modern Auctions' headquarters in Van Nuys.

"While each panel was composed to make up a larger design," the auction catalog notes, "they can easily be assembled in smaller sections or used individually as coffee or dining tables."

That's good to know, as installation could prove costly, and the estimated price of the work is $80,000 to $100,000. 

The entire glass mural is made up of 84 concrete-and-glass pieces, with the pyramid hanging down from the center, and covered nearly 1,300 square feet when it was originally unveiled, as shown at right. 

Another highlight is a piece designed by William Haines, one of the forefathers of the Hollywood Regency style. In the mid 1930s, Haines was commissioned to decorate the home of studio chief Jack Warner. He created the bronze-framed Lanai sofa, left, which was later owned by David Geffen and actress Carol Kane. It is valued at $20,000 to $30,000.

Not everything in the auction is expected to sell for such astronomic figures. Among some of the items estimated at less than $1,000: a pair of Paul McCobb side tables, four Eames chairs, and ceramics by David Cressey and Stan Bitters.

Free public previews run daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday at 16145 Hart St., Van Nuys; (323) 904-1950. 

-- David A. Keeps

Photos: Los Angeles Modern Auctions / Courtesy of Leland Auslender

 

Tony Duquette rocked the casbah; now it's at auction

A glamorous globetrotter's fantasy room designed in the late 1990s by Tony Duquette and Hutton Wilkinson will be reassembled in Los Angeles for public ooh-ing and aah-ing before the contents hit the block at Bonhams & Butterfields' 20th Century Decorative Arts auction on Oct. 5.

"It was a difficult room, with doors and windows in all the wrong places," Wilkinson said of the commission, "but it did have a tall, peaked ceiling we wanted to play up. A tented room was the answer, hiding a multitude of sins and making an exciting casbah for entertaining."

The room was draped in a coral branch fabric printed in Jaipur, India, and featured signature Duquette designs: streamlined banquette sofas, an Asian-style altar table painted vivid coral, wall sconces made from iron and automobile hubcaps (to be auctioned in sets of four and estimated at $3,000 to $5,000), and a leopard-print rug about 9 feet by 12 feet (estimated at $1,000 to $1,500). 

And what exactly are those unusual seats in front of the Moroccan side tables?

"The eccentric chairs represent the peacock throne of Shiva," Wilkinson said of the intricately detailed metal pieces, right, which balance on the legs, head and tail feather of a stylized bird. A set of four created in India for the room is expected to fetch between $5,000 and $8,000. 

The piece de resistance, Wilkinson added, was the mother of pearl and raffia coral branch chandelier. "I made this with Tony specifically for this installation, and I have very fond memories of those days," he recalled. "He died on September 9, 1999, the day this room was being installed." That piece also, apparently, had sentimental value to the owners of the house for which it was created. It is not being offered for sale at the auction, but other Duquette pieces from various collectors are. Keep reading to see more photos as well as details of the public preview and sale ...

Sony Pictures auctions furniture, props from its L.A. warehouse

 Although it was designed as elegantly as a Craigslist posting, the recent two-day online auction of items from Sony Pictures' vast property department by liquidation firm R.L. Spear offered some incredible deals. Despite the shadowy photography and skimpy information provided on the auction website, I scored a 9- by-6-foot Scandinavian Rya rug for $50 as well as a black-and-gold Liberty armchair with a Harvard "Veritas" crest by Nichols and Stone, a 150-year-old Massachusetts furniture maker now owned by L. & J.G. Stickley for just more than $30. (Including the 13% commission and sales tax, my final tab was $99.41.) 

The good news: Both items were in impeccable condition (although the rug went off to the carpet cleaners, which will cost more than twice what I paid for it). The bad news -- at least for my wallet -- was that when I picked my booty up I got to see hundreds more tempting decor pieces that will be sold in two additional online auctions, which begin on Friday and Monday and end, respectively, on Sept. 15 and 16. 

Among the finds: garden statuary, pots and Tiki heads, above left, and a rainbow of midcentury metal lawn chairs with shell shaped backs, above right, that is part of a huge stash of patio furniture. For adventuresome landscapers, there is a grove of lawn ornaments, traffic signs and parking meters. 

 Oddities such as a giant bear wielding a mallet and a black painted bust of Richard Nixon make the life-size bearded warlords, right, and phosphorus green bobbin chairs, far right, look tame. 

The auction that begins on Friday focuses on framed art and decorative objects and is followed by a day devoted to furniture, outdoor pieces and props remaining from previous sales. Other than registering and placing a deposit of $100 on a credit card, bidding is no more difficult than it is on EBay and tends to get competitive in the last hour that each piece is on the clock.

Items will be posted online on Friday at 10 a.m. and Monday at 10 a.m, when bidding commences. Merchandise can be inspected -- a good idea if you have concerns about just how serious "as-is" gets -- during a free open-the-public preview 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday at 5300 Alla Road, in Los Angeles. 

-- David A. Keeps

Photos: David A. Keeps

L.A. Flea Market: Q&A with the man behind the event Sunday at Dodger Stadium

When the L.A. Flea Market premieres at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, it will feature about 400 vendors of vintage home decor and furniture, gourmet food trucks, bands and more. The all-day event will even offer carryout services if you don’t want to lug your purchases to your car.

The monthly market is organized by Phillip Dane, who also founded the Melrose Trading Post, the defunct South Park Flea Market and farmers markets in Eagle Rock and Glendale. Dane, who thinks of his latest creation as more of an event than a market, spoke with L.A. at Home about what to expect on Sunday, why he chose Dodger Stadium and what makes a good flea market.

Question: Why Dodger Stadium?

Answer: If you were to ask yourself what is the premiere location in Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium is the first thing that comes to mind. It has the most incredible views, it is a fantastic space, it has wonderful breezes and it is evenly accessible. And the parking is better than any other location. The Dodgers are a great organization and it has been fantastic working with them. It was a long process to make it happen but a very amicable one.

How will the L.A. Flea Market differ from the region's other outdoor markets? 

I think if we offer something that is a bit different, it benefits everyone. Our whole goal is to give L.A. a more upscale version of the Rose Bowl Flea Market, which has been around for 40 years. My concept is to take the flea market to the next level by offering amenities that no one else has and adding fun things to the mix. Bands aren’t just meant to be background music. Our food court will be unsurpassed with 18 of the most tweeted gourmet food trucks.

What are the criteria for vendors?

I personally look at every single e-mail application that comes in along with photographs. We’ve had more than 1,000 applications and have accepted 400. I’m looking for a good cross of antique and collectibles, vintage and new merchandise. I’m not looking to duplicate things. While something like jewelry is more individual, we will have only one person doing high-end bedding, for example.

With the rising popularity of craft fairs and Etsy, will arts and crafts have a presence?

Quite a few vendors came to us through Etsy. They will have a team block of eight spaces with 22 members.

For more questions and answers, click to the jump ...

Where 'Star Trek' meets 'Golden Girls'

If you were dining at this table, where do you think you would be? 

Hint: This elaborate, pearlized furniture is part of Julien's Auctions summer sale this weekend in Las Vegas. No, it is not from the estate of Anna Nicole Smith. This elaborate ensemble once graced the Beverly Hills home of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry and his wife, Majel.

Described in the auction catalog as a modern Italian dining room set, the table, 14 armchairs, china hutch, two buffet tables and custom rug look more like a mash-up of Hollywood Regency and "Golden Girls" formal. Whatever. I'm totally impressed that they went for it. Minimalists, cringe if you want, but I'll say it anyway: This set will be a steal if someone, be it a Trekkie or interior decorator Kelly Wearstler, snags it for $2,000 to $4,000, which is Julien's estimate for the lot. The Limoges dinnerware for 18 guests on the table is part of a 113-piece set (one coffee cup is missing) valued between $1,000 and $2,000.

Not quite your taste? Roddenberry also collected Asian furnishings and modern designs valued at under $1,000 that I wouldn't hesitate to bid on. See more photos after the jump.

Low stakes, high spirits for Sunday art auctions at Santa Monica Farmers Market

Every Sunday not far from the bandstand at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, a no-reserve live auction benefits the California Heritage Museum. Qart.com launched the weekly event in April, and Chief Executive Eli Weisman says items include original paintings; sculpture; hand-blown glass; animation cels from Disney, Warner Bros., Chuck Jones and Hanna-Barbera; and sports memorabilia.

Serious collectors might not be enthralled, but others might find the action entertaining. Bidding starts at just $1, and for every bid you make, you'll receive tickets for a raffle. Three other raffles, all free, are held during the auction, so you can win prizes without bidding at all.

You can preview items starting at 9 a.m. on the California Heritage Museum lawn. Auctioneer Benjamin Szynal gets started at 11 a.m.

Qart.com operates the fine art and sports memorabilia categories for Bidz.com, among other venues. Tobi Smith, executive director of the museum, said the arrangement with Qart.com nets her organization at least $500 a week. She recently had fun bidding on a home plate signed by Sandy Koufax (though she didn’t win).

Look for it every Sunday at 2612 Main St., Santa Monica.

--Terry Gardner

Photo credit: Terry Gardner

What's happening: Events, sales and more related to home design.

Wright auction results: Nakashima, Nelson, Prouvé

The results are in from the Important Design sale last week at the Chicago auction house Wright. We previewed some of the lots earlier. Here are some of the more notable bids, starting with: 

George Nakashima's 1958 walnut-framed Origins lounge chair and ottoman, above, had been estimated to go for as much as $7,000. It sold for $5,000, the low end of the pre-auction estimate.

Meanwhile the Jean Prouvé desk, right, had been estimated at $40,000 to $50,000. Standard Desk, No. 21, a 1940s design constructed of enameled steel, oak and limestone, ultimately sold for $57,500.

For more results, including eye-popping prices for a Michael Graves tea set and George Nelson clock, keep reading ...