Browsing Category

Spotlight

Antique Edo Period Japanese Toad Netsuke

Antique Edo Period Japanese Toad Netsuke
Photo Credit: matsu-kaze-japan

Antique Edo Period Japanese Toad Netsuke

Buy It Now Price: $999 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This antique wooden Japanese toad netsuke from the Edo period is a compelling objet d’art.  I believe it dates from the 18th century, a time of samurai swordsmen and their daimyo lords.

-The piece measures 43.8 mm (1.72 inches) wide by 21.7 mm (0.85 inches) tall.

-In Edo era Japan, everyone – even samurai – wore kimonos.  Netsuke were functional wardrobe accessories used to secure a traveler’s purse to his kimono sash.

-The subject matter of a toad is absolutely typical of old Japanese art.  Japanese artists delighted in playfully weaving naturalistic themes into their work.

-Everything about this antique Japanese netsuke screams “old”.  The undisturbed patina of the wood has a soft, lustrous glow that can only accumulate naturally over a very long period of time.

-This toad netsuke has no rough areas on its surface and the two cord holes underneath show significant wear.  Both of these factors are powerful indicators of use over an extended period of time and, by extension, authenticity.

-The delicacy and attention to detail on this Japanese toad netsuke are absolutely stunning.  It is a top notch example of traditional Japanese artistic sensibilities.

-The asking price of $999 for this Japanese toad netsuke is fair value for a masterpiece of this caliber.  I have little doubt this work will appreciate briskly in value in the future.

 

Cons:

-Although the piece is signed, the signature is illegible.  A legible signature would have boosted its value slightly.  However, even an unreadable signature still suggests that this Japanese toad netsuke was considered a magnificent work of art by its creator.

-This example is on the small side, even for a netsuke.  I believe this restrains the value of the piece, albeit modestly.

-The seller does not disclose the kind of wood used in this sculpture.  I’m leaning towards boxwood, a slow-growing, very fine carving wood native to Japan that was commonly used for netsuke.  However, the piece would have to be personally inspected by a knowledgeable party to make this determination.  However, this is a small quibble.

Retro 14 Karat Yellow Gold Hamilton Bradford Wristwatch

Retro 14 Karat Yellow Gold Hamilton Bradford Wristwatch
Photo Credit: watchesnew2you

Retro 14 Karat Yellow Gold Hamilton Bradford Wristwatch

Buy It Now Price: $375 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This beautiful vintage mechanical Hamilton Bradford wristwatch is from the late 1950s or early 1960s.  It sports a high-end, 22 jewel, manual-wind 770 movement in a retro-style, solid 14 karat gold case.

-The Hamilton Watch Company’s venerable 770 movement is widely regarded in the collector community as the finest mechanical caliber ever produced by a U.S. watch manufacturer.

-This vintage wristwatch’s movement appears to be in good condition, with no signs of rust or other damage.  In addition, Hamilton’s 770 movement has a reputation for being robust in service.

-This Hamilton Bradford wristwatch simply exudes high-class, mid century style, with simplified cone-shaped markers for the hour indicators and sleek lozenge-motif hands.  These exceptional watches were often purchased as presentation gifts for employees departing a company after many years of faithful service.

-The Hamilton Bradford model was very expensive at the time of issue.  A 14 karat gold Bradford wristwatch set with diamonds on the face retailed for $300 in 1960.  Our particular example would have only been marginally less expensive when new.  It is shocking that this watch’s nearly 60 year old retail price is not far off the current asking price for our specimen!

-Later model vintage American mechanical wristwatches from the1950s and 1960s are often overlooked in today’s Euro-crazed, luxury watch marketplace.  This makes the very finest vintage American wristwatches, like this $375 Hamilton Bradford, investment bargains.

 

Cons:

-No close up photos of the strap buckle are given.  Because of the rather obvious difference in gold color between the watch case and the strap buckle, I suspect the buckle is not original.  This would moderately lower the value of the watch.

-The back of the watch case is engraved with the following message: “Stanely G. Flagg & Co. Inc. To John Kurnal For Faithful Service”.  This indicates the watch was a presentation piece, which is typical for Hamilton Bradford watches.  However, some collectors do not like engraved watch cases, and either avoid them or only buy them at a discount.  Personally, I believe it has a neutral impact on desirability and value.

-This movement of this watch has not been serviced according to the seller.  Any buyer would have to take the watch to a professional to have it cleaned and oiled.  This would add another $100 to $200 to the price, assuming no major mechanical issues are uncovered.

Mid Century Scandinavian Bog Oak Box with Silver Inlay

Mid Century Scandinavian Bog Oak Box with Silver Inlay
Photo Credit: Copenhagen-Silver

Mid Century Scandinavian Bog Oak Box with Silver Inlay

Buy It Now Price: $313.65 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Sleek, Mid Century Scandinavian style is on full display with this bog oak box from Denmark.  The box is skillfully inlaid with three silver swans in flight.

-This bog oak box measures 5.6 inches (14.3 cm) wide by 8.9 inches (22.7 cm) long by 1.8 inches (4.5 cm) tall.  It is a good size and would be perfect for storing jewelry, valuables or as a men’s valet case.

-Bog oak is ancient wood that has begun the initial stage of fossilization.  It originates from oak (or pine or yew) trees that fell into acidic bogs, marshes or swamps anywhere from 1,000 to 8,000 years ago.  The acids in the water gradually leached out some organic matter, replacing it with iron and other minerals.  This dramatically darkens the color of the wood.

-Most bog oak comes from Ireland, England or the Baltic region.  Its rarity makes it a very expensive wood.

-Bog oak is much harder than normal oak, requiring special tools and a lot of experience to work properly.  Only a master woodcrafter can successfully work with bog oak.

-The box is marked “GSA 16/3 69” on the inside of the lid.  This confirms that the construction date is 1969.  It is also important because it is an indicator of build quality.  Master craftsmen often sign their masterpieces like they are works of art.  And this bog oak box is definitely a work of art.

-The craftsmanship of this bog oak box is superb.  The beautifully inlaid geese provide a wonderful contrast to the surrounding dark oak wood.  In addition, it is in good condition, with no apparent damage.

-Considering the box’s good condition and its quintessentially mid-century Scandinavian design, the asking price of $313.65 is fair.  Good hardwood boxes are difficult to find, so I feel that this bog oak box would make a good investment.

 

Cons:

-It is difficult to know with 100% percent certainty that the wood in this box is actually bog oak without a hands on inspection.  It is possible that it is regular oak that has been given a dark stain, although I doubt it.  Regardless of the wood used, the workmanship of the box is absolutely top notch.  While it would be less desirable and, consequently, less valuable if it weren’t bog oak, the box would still be investible.

-The inlaid silver geese on the box are not hallmarked.  We are taking it on faith that they are solid silver inlays and not plated.  However, given the phenomenal craftsmanship and build quality of the piece, I would be shocked if they were not solid silver.

-The maker, “GSA” is not identified.  If we knew who the maker was, the box would be more valuable.

*UPDATE* This is an embarrassing admission, but I now suspect that this box is actually made from rosewood instead of bog oak.  This revelation does not impact the desirability or financial analysis of the item, but it is a reminder that the positive identification and attribution of antiques can be difficult via photos alone.

Antique 14 Karat Gold Art Nouveau Diamond Cufflinks

Antique 14 Karat Gold Art Nouveau Diamond Cufflinks
Photo Credit: Luvmydiamond

Antique 14 Karat Gold Art Nouveau Diamond Cufflinks

Buy It Now Price: $1,799 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is an elegant pair of solid 14 karat yellow gold Art Nouveau diamond cufflinks, circa 1900.  They sport a lovely grape cluster motif that reflects the pinnacle of the naturalistic, fin de siècle style.

-These Art Nouveau diamond cufflinks measure 19 mm (0.75 inches) long by 13.7 mm (0.54 inches) wide and weigh a substantial 16.2 grams (0.5208 troy ounces).  This is very heavy for a pair of solid gold cufflinks, which is a sign of high quality construction.

-They are set with four old European cut diamonds that weigh 6 points each for a total carat weight of 0.24 carats.  The seller claims the diamonds have VS-2 clarity and H color.  Although this cannot be verified with the resolution of photos provided, the diamonds appear to be of good quality.  There is no reason to doubt the seller’s assessment of diamond quality.

-The quality of the goldwork on these Art Nouveau diamond cufflinks is truly outstanding.  The delicate rendering of the plump grapes and sinuous vines combines with the frosted texturing of the gold to extraordinary effect.  It is immediately obvious, even to a casual observer, that a master jeweler made these cufflinks.

-With the sheer volume of gold jewelry available in the world, you might think that good gold work is common.  You would be wrong.  Very fine, superlative gold jewelry is incredibly rare.  But these cufflinks are among the best of the best, helping to justify the premium price of $1,799.

 

Cons:

-These Art Nouveau diamond cufflinks are very expensive relative to their intrinsic value.  The diamonds are worth at most $72 at $300 per carat while the gold melt value is about $344 at the current spot price of $1,132 per troy ounce.  This means the cufflink’s asking price is over four times their total intrinsic value of $416.  This jewelry is definitely selling based on its value as a work of art and not on its intrinsic value.

-The intrinsic value of the piece and, by extension, its desirability would be higher if the diamonds were even modestly larger, say 8 to 10 points each.  Any larger than this and the diamonds would begin to overwhelm the design, however.