Date: Fri 10-Apr-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: DONNAM

Quick Words:

Stella

Full Text:

Stella The 60s

w/11 cuts

NEW YORK CITY -- Thousands of people came out to experience the 1960s, again,

at the Gramercy Park Armory, March 6-8. There was a lot of everything 60s at

the show including an abundance of memories and memorabilia along with

shopping, dancing, Jefferson Starship, Beatlemania, numerous TV celebrities,

rock poster artists and more. Booths were filled with designer furniture,

toys, political memorabilia, Italian glass, posters, funky plastic,

Scandinavian ceramics, plus vintage fashions from Pucci and the Jackie O look

to "shagadelic" (as Austin Powers would say).

Alex Tabourin, a participating photography dealer, stated: "The Stella's 60s

show leaped over the cutting edge without a nick or a scrape and is firmly

planted now in the minds of both dealers and collectors as the most focused,

entertaining and rewarding of collectibles shows. This event has deftly

embraced the essence of a fascinating period in our recent history touching on

all of its many intricacies; from design and form to fashion, from its tools

to its toys and from the paper trails of its politics to the revolutionary

soul of rock & roll. The show had it all!"

Tabourin sold "a little, actually a lot, of everything," but highlights were

books on design (both interior and architectural), sheet music from the 60s,

and tons of photography.

Charles Brown of Charles Brown Art & Antiques sold a Charles Eames low lounge

chair for $850, an early Evans Eames molded fiberglass low lounge chair for

$600, and a bird chair with ottoman by Bertoria, $1400. Charles commented that

his customers would like to see more furniture dealers with the type of things

he offered. Leanne Stella, show manager, replied "We expect to see more

furniture dealers joining us next year. As the show is gaining in popularity

and designers, architects and collectors now see the show as an important

source. We will continue to focus on building the market for furnishings

dealers."

David Slaz of Objects of Virtu/The Chosen View was also "very pleased" with

the show and is "definitely coming back" next year. Slaz deals primarily in

photographs and Twentieth Century decorative objects. He sold 11 pieces from

one showcase, mostly Italian glass from the 50s (such as a small Venini

handkerchief for $750) and Scandinavian ceramics.

A customer from Alabama purchased a pair of early 60s fiberglass chairs by

Florence Knoll, Knoll International, for $1,600. Slaz also sold a number of

photographs in the $100 to $200 range. Still available from Slaz is a Richard

Avedon poster of the Beatles that appeared in Look magazine in 1967 in mint

condition at a fair price.

Lots of plastic in shopping bags was carried out by customers from the booth

of Peter and Penny Jones of Penny Toys. Their booth started out filled with

colorful plastic lighting, radios and dishes and many things with smiley faces

and peace signs. The Joneses have been participants in the show from its

inception in 1995 and have sold well every year. Their large display added a

big splash of color to the room.

Dallas Boesendahl said he "was surprised and happy" with the outcome of the

show. He "did well, had fun and will return next year." He sold a number of

Dansk ice buckets in teakwood for between $250 and $600; some may end up in

the Dansk archives. He also sold Scandinavian ceramics in the $200 to $800

range and Italian glass in the $500 to $2,000 range.

One item that brought a lot of attention was a Picasso fabric in perfect

condition that draped the rear of his booth. The price on that piece was

$5,000. Boesendahl also sold five sets of chairs to decorators.

Charles Phalon of Last Century Ltd said his "gut feeling is that in two years

this show will be the premier show in the United States." Phalon has also been

with the show from the beginning and will be back next year.

This year Phalon brought with him and sold mostly in the $20 to $50 range

including lots of jewelry, but he also sold a few pieces in the $300 to $1,000

range including an Ekeby tea set from Sweden for $300 and a teak wall unit for

over $1,000. In the end he did 30 to 50 percent better than last year.

Larry Marion of The Poster Pad totaled sales three times last year's. He sold

mostly concert posters. (Last year most sales were Peter Max items but the Max

market has been weak of late because of Max tax issues). Sales were in the $50

to $2,500 range, including a poster from "The Biggest Show of Stars" in

Montreal for $2,500. Other poster dealers also sold well.

Susan Kosack of Of An Age thought the show was interesting. She sold high end

furniture and lighting on Friday which is typical of the Stella antiques shows

in this building. The decorators like to come to the show during their normal

working hours rather than the weekend. She sold a Saarinen womb chair for

$1,300 and a pair of unusual bubble lamps for $2,400.

Marc Zakarin of It's Only Rock N' Roll sold a Honey West store display for

$700 and a Jerry Mahoney and Paul Winchell store shaving display for $200.

Customers were happy to bring home a little piece of their childhood for $50

or less. There was a lot for them to choose from in the aisles of toys,

collectibles and paper memorabilia.

Stanley Livingston, the actor who appeared as Chip in the popular 60s TV

series My Three Sons, was thrilled to find Combat, a game from his childhood

for which he had been searching for years. And Erin Murphy, Tabitha from

Bewitched, was having a blast shopping the fashion aisle. We know she

purchased at least two dresses and a pair of shoes. Of course, she looked

stunning in them. Other 60s TV stars who were at the show to meet fans and

sign autographs also enjoyed shopping the show.

It seems as though the collectors as well as the decorating crowd were at the

show. Now is the time for Stella Show Management Co to fine tune this show.

Leanne Stella says her plans for the show are to move it to a larger location

to provide some separate rooms to highlight the designer furniture, objects

and art, but still keep the show comprehensive to appeal to a broad market of

customers.

"We're very happy with the show this year," said Stella. "Attendance was up,

most dealers sold well, and we got tremendous press coverage -- over a dozen

national and local TV crews covered us. We're still testing the market with

this innovative new show and we'll keep pushing to make it a successful

opportunity for dealers."

The 1999 Sixties Show will be February 26-28. For information contact Stella

Show Management Co, 212/255-0020.