[Rarebooks] [b] FS: 1886 -THE Most Important Art Auction Catalog of the Century

[Lee Kirk]

Thanks for this very informative post, Forrest! I was unaware of this
catalog and the Peachblow Vase controversy, but there is very definitely
such a thing as peach blow (as an antiques dealer I handled a number of
pieces). It graduates from shades of pink to shades of yellow in a very
gentle flow. A lot of fairy lamps were done in peachblow to show off the
lovely color.

Lee

-----Original Message-----
From: biblio-bounces at bibliophilegroup.com
[mailto:biblio-bounces at bibliophilegroup.com] On Behalf Of Joslin Hall Rare
Books
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2012 3:24 PM
To: abaa-books at abaa.org; biblio at bibliophilegroup.com;
rarebooks at rarebooksmailinglist.com
Subject: [b] FS: 1886 -THE Most Important Art Auction Catalog of the Century

The Landmark Morgan Auction,
Featuring the Famous & Controversial Chinese Peachblow Vase-

TITLE: Catalogue of the Art Collection formed by the late Mrs. Mary J.
Morgan...

The catalog published in New York by the American Art Galleries for an
auction held from March 3rd to March 15th, 1886. Subscriber's Edition,
limited to 500 numbered copies.

DISCUSSION: The very scarce Deluxe, illustrated edition of the catalog to
one of America's earliest blockbuster auctions and what was, for a time, the
most famous art auction in America. The contents of the collection included
modern paintings, Chinese porcelains, jades & crystal objects, "cabinet
objects", Sevres and other European porcelains, Minton porcelains, Webb
cameo glass, other fine glass, silver, wood carvings, bronzes, and etchings.

Mary Morgan was the widow of a shipping tycoon, and collected a vast array
of paintings and other art in her New York mansion. Upon her death Thomas
Kirby of the American Art Association, the forerunner of Parke-Bernet,
decided to make the Morgan sale a "can't-miss" event.

The collection was controversial -Mrs. Morgan had simply walked in and
bought her pictures from leading dealers instead of ingratiating herself
personally with the artists as was the tradition of the day. Further, Lot
341 was an 8-inch Peachblow vase which Mrs. Morgan had bought from the
American Art Association's own retail galleries for $12,000 a few years
previously. A print war broke out between the New York Times, which claimed
Mrs. Morgan had paid a zero or two too much for the vase, and that in any
case, there was no such thing as "Peachblow", and Charles Henry Dana and the
New York Sun, who stoughtly defended the AAA and the vase.

During the 3 week exhibition at the galleries prior to the auction 100,000
people viewed the paintings and Oriental art. The sale itself was
standing-room only, and when they got to the vase, Baltimore connoisseur
William T. Walters won it for $18,000 (which in no way stopped the
controversy over its actual worth). The sale finally totaled $1,205,000
-with the exception of the 1882 Hamilton Palace sale in England, this was
the highest total for any art collection at auction anywhere in the world.

The catalog itself was a groundbreaking achievement- "[Kirby's] most
striking innovation was the Mary Jane Morgan catalogue, a 305-page quarto
volume that so far surpassed any cynosure of art collecting previously
published in the United States that it not only launched the business at
hand but synthesized Kirby's whole new concept of the elite auction.
Printed on heavy rag paper, with twenty-nine etchings, bound in pristine
white boards with rich gold lettering, this weighty tome cost $40,000 to
produce. It was a book to rest in splendor on the tables of the proudest
salons. There was, of course, an ordinary catalog, without illustrations,
for ordinary customers, the deluxe edition being limited to 500 numbered
copies. The price was $10, but if mere money could have bought such a book,
its propaganda value would have been lost. Except for a few copies sent to
other cities, the entire edition was delivered by hand, with the compliments
of the American Art Association, to the front doors of the most exclusive
mansions in New York".

For those wanting a more in-depth account, Wesley Towner devotes an entire
chapter to Mrs. Morgan, her collection, this auction, the catalog, and the
Peachblow vase in his book, "The Elegant Auctioneers", from which we quoted
above.

DESCRIPTION: Limp covers. 9"x12", 305 pages, plus 29 etchings and 24
photogravure plates. A real-photo plate of the peachblow vase. 2,628 lots.
Original limp boards with a parchment-covered cover with gilt lettering.

CONDITION NOTES: Front cover soiled, spine and rear cover perished and
recently replaced with sympathetic limp boards and parchment. Some soil and
offsetting on the endpapers, but else clean internally. Housed in a new
custom, quarter-leather clamshell case, with raised bands and fancy giltwork
on the spine and a black leather title label. The front of the case features
an inset collage made with black, crimson and peach leathers showing the
famous peachblow vase on its stand.

A lovely and elegant case, containing one of American art history's most
important catalogs, one of only 500 copies delivered by hand "to the front
doors of the most exclusive mansions in New York".

PRICE: $1,500-

PICTURES??? YOU BET!! =>

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JOSLIN HALL RARE BOOKS, ABAA
Fine books of the 16th-20th centuries
on the decorative and fine arts & design

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