High End Materials Matter When Shopping for Art

High End Materials Matter When Shopping for Art

Shopping for art can be an overwhelming experience.  There are a multitude of different styles, mediums and artists to choose from, for starters.  The situation becomes even more complex if you want to buy a work that has the potential to appreciate in value over time.

The old dictum to “buy what you like” is certainly a good rule of thumb for the aspiring art connoisseur.  However, following this art collector’s tenet isn’t sufficient by itself to ensure that you will purchase a piece with appreciation potential.

However, there is one simple trick that can help you to choose artworks with more universal appeal.  You can look for art that is made with high end materials.  I know this might seem like a very basic suggestion – especially if you are a seasoned art collector – but it can be surprisingly powerful.

Let me give you an example.  When I was browsing on Etsy recently, I came across a magnificent contemporary brass and walnut sculpture for under $100.  I immediately fell in love with this sculpture’s unique combination of precise, almost Cubist, angularity and fluid, organic undulations.

But almost just as intriguing to me was the work’s use of high end materials.  This unique contemporary sculpture was handcrafted from a solid piece of Bastogne Walnut that was then placed atop a solid brass base, creating a visually compelling contrast.

Bastogne Walnut is a very interesting hardwood.  It is a hybrid between the Persian (or English) Walnut – a species native to the Balkans and Central Asia – and Claro Walnut – a tree found in California and Oregon.  Bastogne Walnut is also known as Paradox Walnut because it not only grows much faster than either the English or Claro Walnut, but is also denser, stronger and harder than both of them.  This is a very unusual attribute for a hardwood, as there is usually a direct relationship between how slowly a tree grows and the density and strength of its wood.

In addition to having superior physical characteristics to its parent species, Bastogne Walnut is often found with spectacularly figured grain patterns – burl, crotch and curl Bastogne Walnut are all possible.  These can be immensely beautiful pieces of wood when put in the hands of a capable woodworker.

So Bastogne Walnut undoubtedly sits among the pantheon of high end materials.  Perhaps more importantly, the artist who created this contemporary brass and walnut sculpture noted the specific variety of walnut lumber he used for the piece.  I am convinced that this wasn’t by coincidence.

Competent artists do not choose the materials they use haphazardly.  They are very particular about the mediums they work with, often becoming experts at manipulating these materials.  And they consistently choose high end materials because they usually have exceptional physical characteristics or visual effects that can’t be mimicked through less expensive alternatives.

The additional cost of these higher end materials is a secondary consideration for many artists.  Instead, the aesthetics of the artwork come first, which is exactly what we want as art aficionados.

Art collectors would do well to learn from experienced artists.  High end materials matter.

A competent artist will not hesitate to specifically enumerate the different mediums he has used in a work, even if it seems overly technical to the art buying neophyte.  These high end materials can range from premium, 100% acid-free cotton paper to solid 18 karat yellow gold to anything in between.

As a corollary to this rule, I would be reluctant to purchase a work of art where the artist is vague or ambiguous about the materials used.  A real artist will be proud of the mediums he works with, and will take every opportunity to sing their praises.  On the other hand, a less experienced or amateur artist might be tempted to choose lower end materials for a work in order to save money on supplies.

Or worse yet, an inept artist might actually work with materials that he doesn’t know the specifics of.  I believe this is the worst possible outcome, because it is almost a certainty that such an artist will not know the distinct characteristics of the medium he is working with.  This can only lead to a subpar work of art.

So how do we make sure we are buying artwork made from high end materials?  I think the answer is fairly straightforward.  If the artist can’t list the specific types of materials used in a project, it is best to walk the other way.

For instance, the contemporary brass and Bastogne Walnut sculpture I referenced above would be far less intriguing it were nebulously described as a “contemporary metal and wood sculpture”.  A description that lacks material details is a dead giveaway that an artwork is lower quality.

I do think there is a single exception to this maxim of always choosing works made with high end materials.  If an artwork is being sold in the informal secondary market (in other words, not straight from the artist or a knowledgeable art dealer) there is the possibility that the precise mediums used will have been lost or forgotten.  I would exercise great caution in these situations, though.  You would need to successfully analyze a variety of cues to confirm if the piece in question is worthwhile.

 

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French Belle Époque Cherry Amber Cigar Holder

French Belle Époque Cherry Amber Cigar Holder
Photo Credit: CoopsRetroBar

French Belle Époque Cherry Amber Cigar Holder

Asking Price: $47.87 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This amber cigar holder from the French Belle Époque era is a tobacconist’s dream, with its translucent cherry red amber and rich gold trim.

-This antique amber cigar holder measures 3.25 inches (8.3 cm) long by 0.75 inches (1.9 cm) in diameter, which is a typical size for a pre-World War I cigar holder.

-Cigar holders were widely used by discerning gentleman smokers in late 19th century men’s clubs, bars and billiard rooms.  This indispensable smoking paraphernalia fulfilled two main purposes; it prevented nicotine staining of the fingers and kept second hand smoke from wafting into the smoker’s face.

–The Bell Époque refers to the unprecedented period of peace and prosperity in France that ran from 1871 until the outbreak of World War I in 1914.  While it is not possible to date this French cigar holder with complete precision, it is certain that it hails from sometime during the late 19th or early 20th century – solidly during the glorious Bell Époque.

–Amber is fossilized tree resin – or, more accurately, the partially oxidized, polymerized resin of certain species of ancient, extinct trees. This particular cigar holder is a made from scarce and desirable red amber, otherwise known as cherry amber.

-This antique amber cigar holder comes in what is almost certainly its original fitted case made from leather, silk and velvet.  In addition, the case has the French term “Or Contrôlé” printed inside it, which roughly translates as “assayed gold” or “inspected gold “.  This indicates that the item inside was tested for its gold purity by a French assay office.

-This French cherry amber cigar holder has two pieces of gold trim: a gold ring at its tip and a plain, decorative gold cartouche halfway down its length.  According to the seller and the photos, there are two hallmarks on the gold cartouche, although these are indecipherable.  In light of the overall quality of this piece and the fact that the case has the words “Or Contrôlé” printed on it, I find it highly improbably that the trim is anything other than 18K (.750 fine) solid gold.

-Both the case and the cigar holder are in superb condition.  It is quite common for antique cigar holders to have tooth marks or chips near the mouthpiece.  But this specimen appears to be absolutely pristine, indicating that it might be unused – a term called “unsmoked” among tobacconists.

-At only $48, the price of this Belle Époque cherry amber cigar holder is ridiculously low!  If we assume the gold trim is 18K and weighs about 1 gram, then the piece contains around $30 worth of gold (at a spot price of $1,230 an ounce).  This means there is almost no downside risk to buying this investment quality antique!

 

Cons:

-Because this amber cigar holder originates from the United Kingdom, shipping costs might be uncomfortably high for U.S. buyers.  Etsy estimated a cost of $15.25 – nearly 1/3 of the purchase price – to send this treasure across the pond to my little corner of the United States.

-The indistinct hallmarks prevent definitive determination of the gold content in the metal trim.  As I state above, I do believe it is 18K gold, but confirmation from the French hallmarks would have been ideal.

-The asking price is so low on this piece that I am really grasping at straws to come up with any substantive cons.  I would normally expect an amber cigar holder of this caliber to easily sell for $150 or $200.

 

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Brazilian Rosewood – The Extinction of a Legend

Brazilian Rosewood - The Extinction of a Legend
Photo Credit (CC 2.0 license): Ian Burt

Among the pantheon of renowned hardwoods, few have been as desired, loved and craved as Brazilian rosewood.  This eye-catching tropical hardwood has been used for fine cabinetwork, exquisite furniture and celebrated musical instruments for hundreds of years.  And yet, it is almost a ghost today; the precious wood has been so coveted that it has been nearly logged to extinction.

Brazilian rosewood (scientific name: Dalbergia nigra) goes by a number of trade names, including Bahia rosewood, Rio rosewood, Pianowood and Jacaranda.  But regardless of what it’s called in the woodworking industry, this illustrious timber is always immensely beautiful.

The highly-figured timber has a rich, deep chocolate color with reddish or even purplish overtones.  Its distinctive, black-marbled grain pattern can give it a striking, almost variegated, appearance under certain circumstances.  When worked, Brazilian rosewood, like all true rosewoods, gives off the unmistakable scent of roses – hence its name.

As if its tremendous beauty was not enough, Brazilian rosewood has also been endowed with superb physical characteristics.  The wood has considerably greater hardness and crushing strength than either white oak or rock maple – two temperate hardwoods famed for their strength and toughness.  Rosewood is also remarkably dense, with a specific gravity of 0.84 – just less than that of water.

But Brazilian rosewood’s most outstanding attribute is undoubtedly its legendary acoustic qualities.  This highly resonant wood sports rich, warm tones with unparalleled sustain and clarity.  In fact, many musical professionals consider it the finest tonewood in existence.

As a result, the world’s most famous instrument makers have naturally gravitated towards this most perfect of woods.  Classic guitars such as the Martin Dreadnought, Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul were all produced from Brazilian rosewood, as were some of the finest Steinway pianos.

 

East Indian Rosewood Lumber for Sale on eBay

(This is an affiliate link for which I may be compensated)

 

Brazilian rosewood is native to the Atlantic coastal rainforests of Brazil.  And while it does grow in other parts of South America, the eastern Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo, Sao Paulo and Bahia are its preferred environment.  This is where it grows most abundantly and robustly, reaching heights of well over 100 feet (30 meters) with trunk diameters of more than 3 feet (1 meter).  Unfortunately, relentless logging by the timber industry decade after decade has inexorably whittled down its population.

But we can’t lay the blame for the loss of this stately tree exclusively at the feet of conventional loggers.  In addition to its obvious use as a fine cabinetwood, Brazilian rosewood has also been harvested and processed for its essential oils, which were indispensable to the perfume trade.  In fact, when the world’s first designer fragrance, Chanel No5, was launched in 1921, it used Brazilian rosewood oil as one of its primary ingredients.

Loss of habitat has also plagued the ill-fated wonder tree.  Over the course of the 20th century, the rapid growth of the Brazilian megalopolises of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Salvador permanently eliminated much of the coastal rainforest ecosystem it had occupied.  Further inland, slash and burn farming, coupled with industrial-scale cattle ranching, fragmented the rainforest habitat that the tree so loved.  As a result, few of the magnificent rosewood trees that once towered over the Brazilian countryside remain today.

 

Honduran Rosewood Lumber for Sale on eBay

(This is an affiliate link for which I may be compensated)

 

By the 1950s, timber from Brazilian rosewood was becoming increasingly difficult to source in the commercial quantities required by fine furniture and instrument makers.  By the time the 1960s arrived, the supply situation had become critical.  Most U.S. guitar manufacturers stopped using the tropical hardwood in the late 1960s.  U.S. and European furniture makers quickly followed suit as rosewood timber stockpiles collapsed.  Consequently, vintage Brazilian rosewood guitars and furniture are highly desirable today.

Finally, in 1992 Brazilian rosewood was belatedly added to the CITES international treaty on endangered plants and animals.  Dalbergia nigra is registered in Appendix I of CITES, which lists the most critically endangered species.  Consequently, the wood is subjected to extremely strict international trade controls.  This makes exporting Brazilian rosewood across international borders in any form, finished or raw, effectively illegal without an export permit or re-export certificate.

In many ways, Brazilian rosewood is the spiritual twin of that doomed, but marvelous Caribbean hardwood – Cuban mahogany.  They are both tropical hardwoods with exceptional beauty and physical properties that were driven to near extinction by overzealous loggers, craftsmen and consumers.

However, Brazilian rosewood is not the only rosewood species available to woodworkers.  East Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia), Honduran rosewood (Dalbergia stevensonii), Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa) and Amazon rosewood (Dalbergia spruceana) are all commercially available woods belonging to the rosewood genus – true rosewoods.  These true rosewoods share very similar tonal and physical characteristics to Brazilian rosewood and are often used as substitutes for the now unobtainable ideal.

 

Cocobolo Lumber for Sale on eBay

(This is an affiliate link for which I may be compensated)

 

Predictably, after the supply of Brazilian rosewood timber dwindled in the late 1960s, these surrogate rosewood species experienced exceedingly high demand.  Consequently, on January 2, 2017 all rosewood species (other than Dalbergia nigra, which had been added to Appendix I in 1992) were added to Appendix II of the CITES treaty.  Appendix II is less restrictive than Appendix I, but still prevents most international trade in the raw timber of a listed species.

Luckily, any rosewood already inside a country, regardless of whether it is timber or finished product, is perfectly legal to buy, sell and own, provided it is does not cross national borders.  Because East Indian rosewood, Honduran rosewood, Amazon rosewood and Cocobolo were just recently subject to the CITES treaty, there are still considerable stockpiles of these desirable woods available for high end woodworkers.  If you ever wanted a fine rosewood instrument, sculpture or other objet d’art, now is the time to act, before these rare woods disappear forever.

 

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Vermeil S.T. Dupont Classique Ballpoint Pen, Circa 1970s or 1980s

Vermeil S.T. Dupont Classique Ballpoint Pen, Circa 1970s or 1980s
Photo Credit: mlovesvintage

Vermeil S.T. Dupont Classique Ballpoint Pen, Circa 1970s or 1980s

Asking Price: $181.93 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a vintage 1970s or 1980s S.T. Dupont Classique ballpoint pen made from vermeil – gold plate over solid sterling silver – with a red Chinese lacquer clip.

-This pen measures 5.3 inches (13.5 cm) in length.

-S.T. Dupont is a French luxury goods firm that got its start in 1872 as a maker of high-end leather goods, primarily briefcases.  By the mid 20th century, the company had branched out into other personal accessories, but was best known for its superb quality lighters.

-The streamlined appearance and subtly fluted decoration of this sterling silver S.T. Dupont Classique ballpoint pen make it an iconic vintage piece.

-According to legend, in 1973 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (the widow of assassinated President John F. Kennedy) asked S.T. Dupont to manufacture a pen to match her beloved Dupont lighter.  The company obliged and the result was its immensely popular Classique line of pens.

-S.T. Dupont pens have a reputation for being very robust and reliable – a highly desirable attribute when purchasing a vintage item.

-S.T. Dupont is a luxury goods brand that tends to fly under the radar.  It isn’t nearly as well known as some bigger brands, such as Cartier, Louis Vuitton or Burberry.  But I believe this is ultimately a good thing.  It has allowed S.T. Dupont to stick to doing what it does best – producing high quality lighters, pens and other accessories.

-This vermeil S.T. Dupont Classique ballpoint pen is in good condition, with no major visible defects.

-Vintage items from the 1970s and 1980s are rapidly becoming very collectible among antique enthusiasts.  And this elegant S.T. Dupont ballpoint pen, with its solid sterling silver construction and storied history, hits that niche perfectly.

-With an asking price of $182, I believe that this S.T. Dupont ballpoint pen is fairly valued and would make a wonderful addition to any vintage pen collection.  It would also make a unique and unusual gift for that special person in your life.

 

Cons:

-Photos reveal that some interior parts of the pen have a bit of corrosion.  This is not unusual for a pen that is 30 to 40 years old and could undoubtedly be corrected with a judicious cleaning.

-Some pen collecting enthusiasts might shy away from this sterling silver S.T. Dupont Classique ballpoint pen because it is not a fountain pen.  While some people might prefer one kind of pen over the other, I feel that there is no inherent collecting advantage or disadvantage to either ballpoint or fountain pens.

 

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