AFA Autumn 2018 Preview

Autumn 16 www.afamag.com | www.incollect.com T here were no rules, no minutes were kept, and no amount of disorderliness was ever frowned upon. Fellowship, wit, and a pursuit of pleasure in the arts were the highest priority.” So writes Ann Glasscock in her article about the Tile Club (pages 112– 119). This New York-based club, formed by some of the leading young American artists of the late nineteenth century—William Merritt Chase, Winslow Homer, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, among them— owed its inspiration to the 1876 Exposition and the wave of interest in the decorative arts that it inspired. Members gathered weekly to produce an eight-by-eight-inch ceramic tile or other artwork, in support of the principle of quality art made honestly, as preached by the Arts and Crafts reformers of the day. But, though art was central to the club, members never lost sight of the social components of frivolity, humor, good food, and music. When looking at furniture made by Nathan Lumbard and his circle (pages 102–111), one gets the sense that Lumbard, along with fellow craftsmen Oliver Wright and Ebenezer Howard, combined a sense of playfulness with a drive to create virtuoso objects distinguished by intricate inlays and elegant design. The work of Lumbard and Howard, in particular, pushes the envelope, crafting pieces with a breathtaking display of inlay and patterning. Research conducted by Christie Jackson, Clark Pearce, and Brock Jobe, has brought to light much new information about this talented trio active in early nineteenth- century Sturbridge, Massachusetts, and the surrounding area. Interior designer Anthony Baratta conveys a love of color, form, and scale in his many projects. His keen sense of line and beauty results in exquisitely appointed rooms as seen in Color is Everything! (pages 36–47). Working with clients to achieve the aesthetic they seek, Baratta often blends style periods, frequently interjecting a lighthearted sensibility into the spaces. An underlying takeaway that all three articles share is that a dash of levity, no matter how serious the project, rarely goes amiss. Onward, Johanna johanna@antiquesandfineart.com Photography by Ellen McDermott LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Clive Devenish Antiques, Incline Village, Nevada Member Antiques Dealers' Association of America clivedevenishantiques@comcast.net  www.clivedevenishantiques.com  phone (5 10) 414-4545 Western Motif Established 1976 "Middleton" Circa 1880s "Meriden" Circa 1885 “