Questions Related Chalet Vintage

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Direct questions about Chalet Vintage here!

[Glassman]

Hello,
I wasn't trying to be critical i just find it interesting to see what collectors will pay.Most of the ones i've bought and sold are from flea markets and auctions.Those gallery's in B.C. you speek of are a joke they have no knowledge of Chalet at all.One place even puts stickers on them that says made in Canada and calls them Sighned.That's no joke my Chalet lady's!It's at waterfront station in Vancouver i can't remember the name.MBlais is just a collector and has the best collection ever 2300 or so.But his gallery is tiny now,he dosn't sell Chalet just art.

[deborah]

Hi Glassman,

I have been to the Ethereal Art Gallery on Burrard Street in the Waterfront Centre many times - I spent quite some time talking to the owner on one visit as he had alot of information regarding his collection and its origins. His pieces are amazing and I wanted to know why they looked so great (I have alot of the same). Well obviously great lighting helps but he bought the collection of a gentleman in Winnipeg who was one of the four persons who bought the bankruptcy stock - 1 guy bought 10,000 pieces! So it's virtually unreleased Chalet! I did not see indiscriminate use of the "Made in Canada" stickers - however, he did have some Lorraine Glass pieces mixed in with his Chalet pieces. As his gallery specializes in Canadian art (not just Chalet), there were no Murano pieces mixed in. Unlike Michel Blais - I have been to his old places - downtown and then on East Hastings and the new one on Dunsmuir. He had alot of glass but there was Murano, Lorraine, Alta, Chalet....... I have also sold pieces to the Circa Art Gallery in Calgary - I have not visited his gallery but have a friend who knows what pieces he purchased from me so she checked it out as she has a business near him and is an acquaintance. She went to the gallery's Christmas party and truffles were served from a massive Chalet bowl he had bought from me - she had quite the chuckle. He sells Italian, Canadian, Swedish glass to name a few but is very clear about separating the lines - Chalet is not a huge item for him. His prices are very high however - but not as high as in Vancouver. I wsh I had seen those bargains you get - we visit there alot and in Victoria too and I nver see Chalet at all in Victoria and Chalet only in galleries in Vancouver.

Anyways - what the Vancouver galleries have in common is a lack of deep concrete knowledge about Chalet - they both know more than some but it is not too deep. They also do not have any other lines than the heavy leaded crystal and there is alot of glass that is misidentified. However, I must again state that I did not see deliberate use of false stickering at any time during my visits to these gentlemen.

What I saw were incredible prices!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Ethereal Art Gallery ([You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] has pieces in the thousands - one piece is marked $13,500 - I left my purse with my daughter out in the mall on my first trip-LOL! I have alot of the same pieces, both in my personal collection and listed on the site here, so I got quite the chuckle but I say "God Bless HIM!" His market is primarily in China and Japan and he gets the prices he asks! The first time I was taken there by a fellow collector from New Zealand who bought an $800 vase - I returned the favour and took him to Blais' studio. Everyone - take a look at their site and play "Find the Piece" - ha! It's there! Anyways, the collector from New Zealand buys as much glass as he can and takes it back with him (he's a flight attendant for Kiwi Airlines) as it's cheaper than the prices he can find in his neck of the world. There is a huge demand for glass in both New Zealand and Australia - both Chalet and Murano. Remember that there was a South African distributor for some time for Chalet so the glass made its way "Down Under"

I agree with the other posters - value and beauty is in the eye of the individual collector. Just because a particular piece doesn't appeal to me doesn't make it "ugly" or without value - I should be pleased to see the value in all pieces high as both a collector and a dealer. It means yes - I pay more now than I used to but I also have a more valuable collection. My personal collection is insured right now at $10,000 and I did not have any argument from the insurance company about the value of the glass. Moreover, I had to list each and every item for the exhibit - they are insured once they cross the museum's door by the City of Cornwall's insurance policy and again I did not have to justify one value I placed re replacement cost (if indeeed I could find some of the pieces as per the other posters most insightful comments)

I'll sign off now (as always - long winded- smiles back at you glasscollector).

Deborah

[Glassman]

Glad you've been there,the last time i went in was over the Olympics and every piece had a little clear sticker on it.The Asain lady told me they all came from the factory and were never bought at flea markets.I know that not true cause some of the ones in there are ones i sold to dealers.I always put thoser green felt things on them from home depot lol.Perhaps i could sell him my collection and retire lol.Victoria is great for glass check out old n gold on Fort street.

[deborah]

Hi Glassman,

I am going to Vancouver for Thanksgiving - I don't know if we are going to be able to get to Victoria but will definitely look it upif we go - I only saw new studios when I was last there - which I love gawking at too!

Do you have any recommendations re places I should check out in Vancouver - like I said I have never been able to find any - checked out the antique area but no luck and a lot of second hand places (Main Street area mostly) but nothing. Share your secrets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deborah

[langhaugh]

First of all: Deborah. Thank you for creating this site. It's badly needed and you have done an excellent job of designing it, imho.

I'm a little late with this, but I just got back from a month's holiday and I'm catching up There is some Chalet around Vancouver, but not an abundance. Michel Blais has the most. He had reopened on Dunsmuir Street and had some really good displays with excellent lighting. However, I went by last week and it was closed. I thought his prices were too high and he had a quite a few misattribitions. I'd estimate at least 15% of what he was showing was Czech. There are some places in the suburbs that sell Chalet. Fort Langley has a few stores that always have some in stock,a s does an antique store in Mission. Also, there's a regular collectors' market organized by 21c Productions six times a year at the Croatian Cultural Centre that always has a few pieces.

Anyhow, I hope your Thanksgiving in Vancouver went well.

David

[deborah]

Hi David,

I appreciate your comments about the site - once the craziness with getting the exihibit setup is over, I have to do some updates - learnt alot during this process!

Thanks too for the info re Vancouver Chalet - I have never seen any affordable there as just seen Chalet at Blais and Ehereal galleries.
Totally agree with you re Blais - he also has alot of Murano and Lorraine that he calls Chalet as well. His site info re Chalet is also incorrect. When went by over Thanksgiving, he was closed and the one side of the gallery was for lease so I think is downsizing even more. Glassman says he is seeing him at fleamarkets and prices lower.

I also went to Ethereal - sigh! Such incredible pieces! I saw the "Made in Canada" stickers Glassman spoke of but as they are clear plastic and match their gallery stickers, I do not feel that they are mislabelling. They are on most of the pieces in the store and as they carry alot of Canadian product that isn't Chalet - I think an attempt to let people know everything in their gallery is Canadian. Since they are located in prime tourist/cruise ship are - makes sense.

I had a question answered for me by Antonio Tedesco (moleria expert at Chalet - joined his brothers in 1963 but not as an owner) who will be attending the exhibit - Chalet bought Lorraine's stock after their bankruptcy and as Ethereal's stock is a purchase from one of the collectors who bought Chalet's bankruptcy stock - now I see how the two got mixed. I had earlier asked the owner why he had Lorraine mixed with the Chalet and he said Lorraine joined Chalet after they went under - I had discounted what he had said as had never heard anything like that but now take his meaning - bit of a language difference so I think his context was not what I interpreted from the words he used. I love that place - like being in Chalet heaven as so well done and although many pieces are familiar so many aren't. He had the most incredible pinks showcased this visit! But alas - his prices not my budget! A girl can dream though - especially over pink!

Will have more after this weekend as setup starts then and sure to learn even more!

Deborah

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