Expert Advice on Southern Accents to the Fine Art of Collecting

Travel and collecting go hand in hand. It begins casually with the acquisition of a porcelain doll, antique map, cloisonne vase, antique fishing lure, old post card or duck decoy.

Soon walls and mantelpiece are covered. The most treasured items are beautiful remembrances that may even increase in value. Other purchases are stuffed in closets and forgotten.

Perhaps the time has come for you to refine your buying skills, to focus efforts and resources and learn how to preserve your most treasured items.

Even if you haven’t deliberately bought one type of thing, chances are you’ve naturally gravitated toward folk art, or antique silver, landscapes, portrait paintings, antique kitchen appliances, political cartoons, 19th-Century glass, quilts, nautical objects, lace, ceramic cats or any other category of collectibles.

Value Enhanced

Individual pieces may or may not have been expensive. Either way, their value is generally enhanced by their position in a good collection. Perhaps you should develop strategies for rounding out your store.

You need expert advice from objective sources. You can take courses on the subject or attend one of the Ritz Carlton Hotel chain’s intensive seminars, “Collectible Weekends,” on how to establish and care for a collection.

The first in this series of seminars is set for the weekend of Sept. 11 to 13 at the Ritz Carlton’s downtown Atlanta Hotel (181 Peachtree St. N. E., Atlanta 30303, phone (404) 659-0400).

At “Collectible Weekends,” experts discuss how to collect on a limited budget, what areas of art and objects show best potential investment value, how to evaluate conditions and authenticity of pieces, how to research the origins of pieces, how to preview items, bid and buy at auction and how to organize, weed out, fill in and preserve collectibles.

The first seminar illustrates basic principles through discussion of American paintings, antique silver and decorative arts. Additional seminars concentrate on other collectibles to exemplify basic collecting strategy.

Fee Includes Appraisal

The seminar fee, $185 a person or $250 a couple, covers Friday night at the Atlanta Ritz Carlton, including a reception and dinner, Saturday luncheon, lectures, tours of Atlanta’s famous High Museum and Ritz Carlton art collections and a verbal appraisal by experts of something you bring from your own collection. An additional $75 is charged for Saturday overnight. Persons preferring other accommodations may attend Saturday events, including luncheon, for $50. A second Atlanta “Collectible Weekends” is set for Feb. 12 to 14, 1988.

A “Collectible Weekends” at the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel on Dec. 11 to 13 will highlight antique costume jewelry and contemporary paintings. The hotel chain plans to hold additional seminars at its properties in Boston and Naples, Fla. For reservations and information, call (800) 241-3333.

The Atlanta seminar features as speakers experts from Christie’s, the auction house, including Christopher Hartop (antique silver), Debra Force (American paintings) and John Hayes (Americana).

Also speaking are Donald Peirce, curator of the Virginia Crawford Carroll Collection of 19th-Century American decorative arts at the High Museum, and Lynne Kortenhaus, curator of the Ritz Carlton’s collection of American and European art and antiques.

The Ritz Carlton collection, valued at more than $8 million and considered one of the finest American corporate collections, is displayed in hotel lobbies and other rooms.

If, in the midst of all the talk about collecting, you feel a sudden urge to buy, both the High Museum and the Ritz Carlton gift shops sell collectibles.

The High sells contemporary silver pieces by architect Richard Meier (who designed the High Museum’s new building), including large circular trays ($280), picture frames ($120 to $360) and desk items ($75 to $125), as well as Elisa Keitzer’s whimsical porcelain sculptures ($75 to $300) and Henry Cavanagh’s dinnerware and jars ($50 to $250).

Pins, Art Books, Prints

Jeweler Jim Ayers designs contemporary pins for wearing or displaying on stands atop desks or dressers. There’s a great selection of fine art books, as well as award-winning illustrated children’s volumes, including Chihiro Iwasaki’s edition of “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” ($13) and the Larousse Book of Fairy Tales, illustrated with hand-painted Royal Doulton, ($15). Unusual museum prints ($3) and posters ($12) are other collection highlights.

The Ritz Carlton’s shop also sells prints of paintings in its collection ($45), as well as cobalt hand-blown Bavarian goblets ($13), one-of-a-kind dyed fabric wall hangings by Phyllis DeJohn ($26), reproduction cloisonne vases ($34) and jewelry boxes ($42), and hand-made wooden duck and penguin pull toys ($15) by local carpenter Olin Clark.

Atlanta is a sophisticated art center, with art galleries and antique dealers selling collectibles of all types, from all periods and schools. American painting and decorative arts are strongly represented.

The “Collectible Weekends” seminar doesn’t feature local gallery owners and antique dealers as speakers. But seminar participants will have special entree to Atlanta’s dealers, who will provide catalogues of current exhibitions and arrange special viewing hours on Sunday.

Among Atlanta’s best galleries are:

Atlanta Art Gallery (262 E. Paces Ferry Road), which features works by 19th- and 20th-Century artists, including Joan Miro, James Montgomery Flass and Elliott Dangerfield.

Architectural Accents (2711 Piedmont Road), which has a 30,000-square-foot showroom filled with antique chandeliers, brass hardware, columns, stained glass, mantelpieces and other interior decorating collectibles.

Deanne Levison American Antiques (2995 Lookout Place), which specializes in 18th- and 19th-Century American furniture. The collection ranges from antique wicker baskets ($250 and up) to finely crafted highboys (about $45,000).

Frances Aronson (56 E. Andrews N. W.), which shows 19th- and 20th-Century European and American paintings, sculpture, and master prints, ranging from $125 into the millions. The gallery handles works by Van Gogh and Milne Ramsey, among others. Aronson is a certified appraiser.

Peachtree Gallery (2277 Peachtree Road), which exhibits late 19th- and early 20th-Century paintings and specializes in works for the beginning collector. Prices from $300 to $4,000.

Red Baron’s Antiques (6320 Roswell Road) sells collectibles from carrousel horses to antique cars, and priced from about $3,000 to $125,000 and up. The shop’s yearly auction is scheduled for Sept. 19 to 20; items slated for the block can be previewed during the seminar weekend.

William Graham Arader III (2970 Peachtree Road) sells fine prints and rare maps. Johanns Kip’s 18th-Century English views of manner houses cost about $250; prices up to $250,000 and above.

Wynfield House (178 Peach Hills Ave., N. E.) has 18th- and 19th-Century Swedish, Danish, English and French furnishings, including Biedermeir pieces. Prices from about $2,500 to $18,000.

Additional listings of Atlanta’s best contemporary galleries and handicraft dealers will be provided at the “Collectible Weekends” seminar.