Sticking Their Heads Up

In Chicago in the mid-1950’s, Gertrude Abercrombie (1909-1977) was acknowledged as the “Queen of Bohemian Artists.” She grew up in Hyde Park, home of the University of Chicago, the daughter of itinerant opera singers, but she became a painter, not a musician, though...

Back to School

I got a query through my website the other day, seeking an appraisal of some real estate.  Thanking the sender for his interest, I told him that I am an art appraiser and am not qualified to appraise real property.  I directed him to the professional organizations...

Third Time’s the Charm

There are two kinds of collectors that can make a dealer tear his hair.  The first kind don’t know exactly what they want; they’re just in the mood to buy something.  “I’ll know it when I see it,” they tell you.  You end up pulling out paintings of every conceivable...

Ball and (Block)chain, or Continuing Bull

As we watched the news of the deep freeze in Texas, our horror at the images of people burning furniture to stay warm and lined up for hours trying to buy food was made doubly shocking, whether we realized it or not, because of the unconscious perception most of us...

Ride ‘Em Cowboy

Back during the days of the Reagan Administration, I was participating in the Tri-Delta Antiques Show in Dallas.  Among the artworks on display in my booth was a cast of Frederic Remington’s iconic bronze The Bronco Buster.  An older gentleman visiting the...