Vintage jewelry to go on sale at the Metropolitan
Madeira topaz lies on a brooch and a rare lemon quartz rests on a delicate pendant, while a mid-19th century necklace features an elaborate setting technique from Jaipur, India. These and many more selected items go under the hammer on Monday, at the «Magnificent and Antique Jewels and Old Indian Collectible Jewelry» auction, scheduled to take place at the Metropolitan hotel (formerly known as the Athens Chandris). The sale is part of a series of jewelry auctions organized by the Tsangarakis Gallery. «There is no doubt that Greece is a very difficult antiques market, a small one with a limited art-loving and appreciating public,» George Tsangarakis, owner and managing director of Tsangarakis Galleries, said to Kathimerini English Edition. What’s more, said the auctioneer, «Greeks do not act on impulse, they do not necessarily purchase something on the spot. They would rather examine it first, as they certainly do not want to be the first to wear it. They like to get used to the idea of wearing, even before actually putting it on.» Following the recent suspension of operations of the Greek branch of Christie’s, the local auction field seems more desolate then ever. A very limited number of sales take place these days, though Greek works are sold abroad; Sotheby’s organized a highly successful Greek sale last year, while Bonhams is busily preparing for its own, which will take place in June. One of the last remaining local dealers is Tsangarakis, who besides fine old jewelry deals in 19th and 20 century art, marble and bronze sculptures, furniture, watches, vintage cars, and even old-style horse carriages. It is fine gems and precious metals, though, that regularly go on auction. «The public for jewelry is a small one,» said Tsangarakis. «We offer another way of thinking, we suggest particularly well-priced old pieces, up to the 1950s. This is our signature, our identity, as we are the only ones in Greece catering to this kind of public.» As far as aesthetics go, vintage jewelry enjoys a timeless quality. On the other hand, many customers today with money to spend are looking for pieces with powerful, global brands. «What we are trying to do is offer our art-loving public a challenge. This is about suggesting older, handmade, items, rather than the mass-produced ones that prevail in international markets today,» said Tsangarakis. «I like to travel back in time, always looking for that special item, for which I have to conduct cultural and historical research; in the last 11 years I have constantly been looking for items with a soul, while trying to develop an audience for them.» Tsangarakis faces a constant challenge when looking for items, and while he tends to search for a specific pieces, rare objects occasionally find him. Two private collections which appeared recently, for instance, led Tsangarakis to discover a new world of 19th century Ottoman, Balkan, and Moroccan daggers, swords and jewelry, as well as a wealth of Greek jewelry stemming from the Revolutionary period, made of bronze and other metals. These exciting findings, however, ultimately underline the rarity of coming across something new, yet old. For Tsangarakis, the field remains a problematic area when dealing in antiques and works of art. It is one of the reasons why he has also become a regular fixture on local television with a live auction show. «I appear on television because I have to be present in order to use this exposure as a means of communicating with the public, the way others appear in the press,» said Tsangarakis. Indeed, information and exposure to rare items has long been a problem in this country. «It has to do with history. This does not mean that Greeks lack education; the problem lies in the fact that for many years now the wealth has not really circulated,» said Tsangarakis. Yet for all the inherent difficulties, Tsangarakis seems particularly optimistic these days. He believes that the country is entering a new phase of business opportunities, ultimately leading to a boom in culture. «This is the dawn of a new period, in which in the next 30 years, through technology, we are going to experience a renaissance in the arts, in which the number of collectors will increase as well. And I would like to be part of it.» «Magnificent and Antique Jewels and Old Indian Collectible Jewelry» auction at the Metropolitan hotel, 385 Syngrou, Monday, April 22, at 8 p.m. Viewing from 6.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. The jewelry will also go on display at the Tsangarakis Gallery, 74 Praxitelous, Kallithea,tomorrow and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information tel 010.948.0270. Directed by Marc Foster, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Heath Ledger. A white prison employee falls in love with a black death-row inmate’s wife. Oscar-winning performance by Berry.
