By Susan Braudy
Special to DNAinfo
Gentle Reader, here’s a secret I almost hate to share.
Saturdays, my spirits soar when I enter the best and most reasonable antiques market left in the city. It’s great to be an insider who knows the Antiques Showplace at 40 W. 25th Street, where expert vendors in stalls and galleries sell treasures at virtually wholesale prices. I rub shoulders with fabulously rich collectors, designers (Anna Sui), and buyers from Madison Avenue stores, as well as Angelina Jolie on occasion. Since their rent is inexpensive, the dealers can undersell almost anybody.
I love Vicki Turbeville’s (www.southwesternjewelry.net) gallery filled with her good vibes and incredible Native American silver and turquoise jewelry — the best examples I’ve seen dating from early 20th century to current artists. Vicki has connections all over the Southwest. She and her helper, Pony Howell, a Laguna Pueblo Native from outside Albuquerque, create a hospitable salon with a rich and exotic treasure chest of carefully chosen pieces of art.
Vicki encourages young Native artists and sells their incredible pieces to bikers, visual artists, designers, and other merchants. I get lost discovering antique and newly-crafted Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni rings, the oldest (from about 1910) costs $1,800. I’ve purchased less expensive, but no less show-stopping, rings that start at $50. Vicki keeps her prices low because stock moves fast. Every time I visit, I search Vicki’s lovely neck, arms, and fingers to discover new visual designs from her personal collection.
Indeed Vicki’s beauties are always going to magazine shoots at Elle, Lucky, Marie Claire, W, O and Essence. In 2005, Nina Garcia from "Project Runway" borrowed one of Vicki’s concho belts and a bracelet to decorate Uma Thurman for the cover of Elle. Vicki remembers fondly how spectacular the bracelet looked against pink cashmere — and on Thurman herself.
George Aloi sells used Rolex watches a mile-a-minute at wholesale prices. I frequently see people with credit cards in hand waiting in line at his booth. The organizer of the Antiques Marketplace, he made sure that his stall was the first you see when you walk in. I bought a Rolex made in the 1970’s for $1,600. I rationalized: I wear the watch everyday. It keeps perfect time, but George advises bringing it in for cleaning every three years, because the oil inside breaks down. I get compliments from aficionados who know my watch and band are collectors’ items. George notes that a Rolex increases in value while giving you pleasure.
Mark Eglinton is one of the premier world-wide dealers in antique African tribal arts. Born in Manchester, he was raised in South Africa and returned to England to go to art college. He moved to New York to buy at auctions for an antique dealer, finding himself buying more African art than any other genre. He opened his flourishing tribal arts gallery at the Antique Showplace in 2006, and buys and sells art all over the world. I purchased several wonders from him, including a minimal Lega mask that reminds me of artist Paul Klee’s work and a Bwami society healing figure whose body is smoothed from being rubbed by thousands of hands. My small incredible pieces cost about $1,000 each and occupy pride-of-place in my foyer.
Mark advises beginners in tribal art collecting to gather information: collect books, go to exhibitions and talk to collectors. Most important: find the dealer with whom you have rapport. He promises, “You can buy something very good in the $1,000 range.”
Eglinton’s favorites are made in central Africa, in the Congo. Lega art is from this region. He likes Lega with its simple strong esthetic, not overly carved. Each piece is about form and simplicity.
Just like photography laboratories stores clustered on 17th Street, world-class antique dealer/collectors roost on West 25th Street in the Antique Marketplace. Go. Look. Ask questions. And save money by investing in a treasure.
