Interior, Chicago DNC 2024. After nearly 100 rounds of voting, the delegates settle on a single candidate who combines all of the least electable traits of the other current contenders. A cascade of blue balloons falls from the ceiling to a stage with four, broken-seeming wooden chairs, all of which have signs, “NOT FOR SITTING” scrawled in angry letters. The walkout music begins: disconcertingly, it’s Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” The crowd is subdued, confused even. A man takes the stage, ebullient, then angry as he thinks for moment that someone sat in one of his not-for-sitting chairs. He uncoils and begins:
For too long our country has been divided: by the fat cat influencers hawking tone-on-tone from the apartments that their finance bro husbands bought them; by the hot gay designers, chadded out, arms swollen from trenbolone, upcharging you on “wall art”; by the in-house shippers coming in with quotes 4x higher than our friends down at the local UPS store—America! I have heard your pleas. In my America, the tables will be glass and, with God as my witness, heavy. The premiums will be low. And the lamps—babies, [he leans on the lectern] those lamps will be untested, halogen, and easily >$400. [crowd chanting: HAL-O-GEN!!HEA-VY TABLE!! RAN-DOM GAY!!]
A single shot rings out…
Moving on…long suspected now confirmed: it’s hard to run an auction. Normally I look through about 2,000-3,000 lots a day (typing that out, I know it sounds crazy, but like—what exactly are you doing on your phone?). To think about the labor that goes into all of those listings—the photography, the description, the condition reports. It’s a lot. That is probably why we’ve seen so much consolidation in the field (Rago, Wright, LAMA, and Toomey & Co. have all merged—those were once all big, regional players). I don’t know a lot about the economics of the medium to small players, but back of envelope calculations suggest it’s tough out there. Like everything else, it seems like it only makes sense at a large scale, or a very high price point, or both (which is why the big houses seem like obvious winners).
Speaking of which: Phyllis Kao of Sotheby’s got some coverage in the Times for her auction of a stegosaurus fossil. It went for 40 million. I’ve been watching as Sotheby’s has been trying to mint her as a star—she’s photogenic, non-white, and a woman, so she’s ideal as a candidate to play the “new” face of an old (very white) house (she also happens to be good at her job). The more interesting story to me is that the auction houses are realizing that the spectacle they create may be a primary product, rather than a marketing tool to boost sales (though it surely is that too). Auctions are fun to watch, and they provide spectacles of wealth and consumption (as well as sales data) that has always been been on the edge of too public. They are primed for “content.”
We will not be livestreaming the end of the Maiden auction, so come IRL. 21 Orchard St, Wednesday 7/24, 6-9. Email info@maiden-name.com if you want to come. And check out the auction.
For my treasured new subscribers: Landed cost (the final cost you pay) = the hammer price (the highest bid) + the premium (a set percentage added to the hammer price that the auction house takes) + shipping (you’re almost always on the hook for this) + sales tax
To the listings!
These are expensive-ish, but it’s a set of 8. They’re less aggressively chic than other Poul Kjaerholm chairs, more institutional feeling. They’d be great around a round table.
These are really nice. Already bid up but worth it. Kind of forever chairs.
Wong Dowling (1978-2007), new to me. The auction house provided some helpful background: “Dowling was a fixture in the East Village gay club and art scene in the 1990s. He had some early professional success, showing at PS 122 and Leslie Lohman (The Allure Show). He completed murals at: 37 Ave B and East 3rd St, New York City; 999 Blake Avenue at Linwood Street, Brooklyn, amongst others.” He died of AIDS. I like that the sexiness is in the gaze and the expression. There’s also a doodling-in-a-binder quality I like. Similar to Loser Art™️ but more cock-centric.
Couldn’t help myself. What is up with the mirror???? This is the Arcades version of Las Meninas.
Throwing Fits fans, you did a great job with those last two. Here are some trucks. You guys like trucks yeah? Honk honk, or whatever. Anyway, a good painting!
Kind of like the Botta Seconda chairs. These are cool. And yes, I know I’m waffling because I said Italian PoMo was cooked, but this is not a trend report. Grow up !
For example—also fabulous. There was a set in black last week that I think passed (no one bid/met the reserve). This has a very low opening bid. I am strongly recommending someone pull the trigger.
I love these.
This is the kind of piece that might well go for like 500. And the materials and craftsmanship are there; it will last a lifetime. And still, no one will buy and then you will spend more on some contemporary garbage. Maddening! Not when I’m president, I’ll tell you that much!
It’s nice. At Wright, (which is to say Wright, LAMA, Toomey, Rago) so good luck getting a deal, but whatever man.
May the hammer fall ever in your favor!
Ok lol David ❤️🙏