Heard it through the
Grapevine Club Fulfills its Maine Goal Although this is the inaugural 2020 show, the Mid-Maine Antique Bottle Club (MMABC) was founded back in 2014. We’ve gone from an idea born at a flea market to a super group of seasoned collectors from around the state. We were determined to have a functioning club with a Maine-based bottle show, something we felt the state and its great collectors have been missing for too many years. We’re excited because we developed our entire club from that one simple idea. Now, we’re looking forward to seeing and welcoming all our bottle collecting friends to our show on Nov. 1st! Paul McClure MMABC Show Chairman
Cashing in on Salvador Dalí As everyone knows, Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquis of Dalí de Púbol, (1904-1989), aka Salvador Dalí, was a Spanish surrealist artist. To many, he was a master, best known for the striking and bizarre images in his work. He was highly imaginative, and indulged in unusual and grandiose behavior. And, he was and is worth money. As reported in a recent issue of Kovels Komments, “this is the stuff of dreams: You are browsing through a thrift shop, searching for bargains and you inadvertently hit the mother lode — art by a world-famous artist whose works are bought and sold for thousands, if not millions.” “That’s what happened recently when a shopper at a thrift store in Kitty Hawk, N.C., found a piece by the internationally famous Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dalí. Shopper Wendy Hawkins saw an otherwise ignored piece of art buried with
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
a bunch of other paintings sitting on the floor. It was a 1950s woodcut print by Dalí (partially shown above) that was part of a series of 100 illustrations depicting Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’ called ‘Purgatory Canto 32.’ It shows a woman in blue standing next to a man in red.” “Dalí created a series of 100 watercolor paintings — one for each chapter of Dante’s book — that were reproduced as wood engravings. Each of those required about 35 separate blocks to complete the image. Secondhand art was usually priced between $10 and $50 at the thrift store. The authenticated woodcut sold for $1,200.” I think the Dalai Lama probably is a better painter, but Salvador Dalí makes for better jokes: What does Salvador Dalí eat for breakfast? Usually just a bowl of surreal. I met a girl from El Salvador. I told her she was El SalvAdorable … But she said she’s heard that a Brazilian times. What do you call Salvador Dalí after multiple homicide? A surreal killer. By Ralph Finch
A Bottle Dryer? Cool (or not?) As a new collector, are you a little wet behind the ears? Are your bottles wet? If so, you might consider Lot 1674, a “Bottle Dryer” estimated value at “AUD $400-600 — that’s in Australian money! (In U.S., that’s … oh, who cares?) The item below was offered Feb. 28 by Lawsons, located in Sydney, Australia. Shipping was estimated at … oh, forget it. You’d be crazy to buy this.
