The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey • Page 28

COURIER NEWS For Your Home C-6 THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2000 Exhibit gives Russian craftsmanship the royal treatment Leave behind the crap tables and one-armed bandits, and take the escalator to the fourth floor. Here's a rare opportunity to witness history and marvel at unrivaled workmanship an evocative display of elaborate indulgence and one-of-a-kind artifacts that reflects more than a millennium of craftsmanship and political dynasties. ml lt 'The Faberge Collection 1,000 Years of Russian Craftsmanship" at the Resorts Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City is an all-encompassing exhibit of works by Russian craftsmen that begins with a few silver and gold items from the 11th cen- iiA -i Ayr!" is Above, a Faberge paperweight from the 1880s features two silver lizard figurines on a two-level base of lapis lazuli. It was in the Cot Ideal egg for which thousand thanks. The miniature group is a marvel and all portraits excellent." Other paper tage Palace of the items, including Dowager Empress Maria watercolor paint- Feorfnmvna in Peterhof.

ROD HIRSCH ases the ANTIQUES exhibit hall, each filled COLLECTIBLES XJtS of a religious and personal nature everything from jewel-encrusted crosses and elaborate salt cellars to silver-lizard paperweights and monkeys perched on ashtrays, some still displaying their original Faberge price tags. The collection of Faberge and gold and silver masterpieces, most of which were owned by Russia's ruling families, will be open through Oct. 10. Faberge is undeniably the star of the exhibit, but the wide-ranging look at Russian history and craftsmanship takes in the works of other equally talented craftsman whose output influenced the Russian master jeweler. Whereas his predecessors focused more on religious icons, Peter Carl Faberge and the 500 craftsmen who worked for him created a broad range of whimsical items of personal indulgence, including cigarette cases, snuff boxes and the exquisite eggs that most people associate with the name Faberge.

Peter Carl began to work for his father in St. Petersburg in 1864, honing his craft and perfecting various techniques in silver and gold. In 1885, he was appointed purveyor to the Imperial Court. Under his supervision, the House of Faberge created opulent objects of art and whimsy for the Imperial Family, which were often given as gifts to visiting royalty and dignitaries. The exhibit documents the Imperial Family's fixation with Faberge's works of art; a detailed bill from Faberge's studio shows the the Czar Nicholas paid 166,500 rubles for a pearl and diamond-clasp necklace, a wedding gift to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.

A 1916 telegram from Alexandra to Nicholas II reads "Faberge just brought your GANNETT NEWS SERVICE PHOTO This gold and silver mitre, decorated with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, enamel and cloth, was created In the Moscow Kremlin Workshop. It was a gift from Peter the Great and Ivan to the Metropolitan of Kiev. i ings by the czar's Russia, daughters, and a i 1 1 the House of poems to their Faberee created this mother the tha i empress, add an element of intima- 90s- ls in le ,0 cy and innocence of an openwork branch to the bejeweled with light relief, its artifacts in nearby 'eaves coated with gold-glass enclosures. en-green enamel lac- The exhibit quer. A diamond hangs includes pho- at the tips of three tographs 6f the small branches, czar's children playing cards seated at a table in a study at one of the palaces, dressed in crisp linen, their faces framed by corkscrew curls.

The 450-piece exhibit was put together by International Museum Exhibitions, borrowing from the collections of five museums in 1917, Nicholas II was forced to abdicate, ending the reign of the royal family, as well as the House of Faberge. Nicholas, his wife, Alexandra, their son, Alexis, and daughters Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia were killed by Bolshevik soldiers in 1918. Faberge escaped the Revolution and fled to Switzerland. i The exhibit is open 10 a.m.-lO p.m. seven days a week, with last entry at 9 p.m.

Tickets are $15; $7.50 for children 5 to 18. For more information, call (609) 340-6974. Rod Hirsch writes about the local antiques and collectibles market for several publications. His column appears Thursdays. necklace) found in an ancient burial trove.

Ecclesiastical treasures from the 12th to 18th centuries, including several jewel-covered icons, golden chalices and gospels layered with ornate arrangements of precious jewels. A goblet belonging to Peter the Great. Playing chips of precious gold used made for card games that belonged to Catherine the Great. A tea service belonging to the Great Prince Sergei Alexandrovich Romanov, the fourth son of Czar Alexander II. A Faberge ashtray from the czar's personal train coach, in which Nicholas II signed his letter of abdication.

The exhibit's time line ends abruptly around the time of the Russian Revolution. In Russia, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and from private collectors. Highlights include: A mitre presented by Peter the Great and Ivan (co-rulers) to the Metropolitan of Kiev in 1685. Ancient Russian jewelry from the 11th to 12th century, featuring a Grivna (twisted Another 'Flying Dutchman' baseball card hits the market Lawrence Taylor. played for the Louisville Colonels a By ROD HIRSCH Gannett New Jersey which is available on request for serious buyers.

The card that was sold on the eBay Internet site this month for $1,265 million by Robert Edwards Auction of Watchung had been owned by Michael Gidwitz, a Chicago investment adviser who had bought the card from Christie's in 1996 for $640,500. In 1991, Sotheby's had sold the same card for $451,000 to hockey great Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall, the owner of the Los Angeles Kings, Gretzky's team at the time. The cyberspace bidding on that card had started at $500,000, increasing by increments of $50,000. It began July 5 and ended 10 days later. The card owned by New Scoreboard doesn't rival the eBay card, which was rated an 8 on a 10 scale.

New Scoreboard's card has some flaws rounded corners arid a few creases. But the' image is sharp, Fletcher says, and the card is authentic. "We don't want to let it go cheap," she says. The rarity of the card was personally ensured by Wagner, a Hall of Fame shortstop with the Pittsburgh Pirates nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman." Collectors are familiar with the story: Wagner, a nonsmoker, did not want his name associated with tobacco products, and he demanded his card be removed from the Piedmont tobacco trading card series. In recent years, however, that story has been disputed.

A 1930s card pictures Wagner, then a coach with the Cardinals, chewing tobacco, and in recent years, his likeness has cropped up on cigar boxes and trading cards issued by a tobacco company that was based in Kentucky, where Wagner For hockey fans, there's a Gretzky-signed stick, and pucks signed by Hall of Famers Bobbie Orr and Gordie Howe. From basketball: piles of 8-by-10 color and black-and-white photographs autographed by members of the world champion NBA Lakers, including Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. Also available are baseballs autographed by Willie Mays; bats signed by Hank Aaron, Cal Ripken, Alex Rodriguez and Chipper Jones; and uniform jerseys autographed by Frank Thomas, Jose Canseco and David Justice. NASCAR fans can buy autographed photos of driver Dale Earnhardt. The warehouse will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Call (973) 239-6866 for further information. The Cedar Grove company acquired its Honus Wagner card one of only 50 known to exist in 1998, when it purchased the assets of Scoreboard, a Cherry Hill sports telemarketer that sold much of its autographed merchandise on the QVC home-shopping channel. The 1909 Honus Wagner trading card, which the company had used as a marketing tool, according to Allyson Fletcher, vice president of The New Scoreboard, was the most valued piece of merchandise in the bankrupt company's inventory.

And like the plaques, color photographs, autographed jerseys and everything else in the warehouse, the Wagner card is for sale at the right price. Fletcher says offers have come in, but they've fallen short of the price the company would like to receive, year before the Pirates signed mm. One of those cigar boxes is to be sold Aug. 11 at an auction in Pennsylvania. For those with limited finances, New Scoreboard will have thousands of items at more affordable prices.

"This is a true 'I'm tired of looking at my inventory' warehouse sale," Fletcher joked. "Some items, I've got 400 of. Some, I've only got 20." The merchandise includes 4,000 autographed 1993 Derek Jeter rookie cards, and 13 full-size Green Bay Packer helmets autographed by Brett Favre, Reggie White and the rest of the winning team from Super Bowl XXXI. Also on sale are a few NFL footballs signed by newly retired 49ers quarterback Steve Young, and one autographed by former Giants star A New Jersey wholesaler of sports memorabilia hopes to mimic the success of another New Jersey sports auction house that sold the world's most famous baseball card this month for more than $1.2 million. The New Scoreboard, based in Cedar Grove, is holding its first sports-memorabilia warehouse sale this weekend at its Pompton Plains warehouse.

Among the autographed baseball bats, batting helmets, footballs, baseballs, hockey sticks and trading cards, there's a coveted T206 Honus Wagner baseball card that's sure to draw the attention of serious collectors or investors. Modern styles give leeway to free expression Rritrhtlv colored textiles are a HOME A KM mm, great way to liven up a room. You can bring color in with a rug, or with upholstery, pillows or throws. Or you can add color with artwork and mirrors with painted borders. That's a great way to tie a room together.

A lot of people are worried about having everything in a room coordinate exactly. Sometimes that makes people stick to furnishings that all match. But you can combine some pieces that wouldn't normally go together and use accessories to help bring it all together. Even the most functional Modern pieces seem designed to attract attention. Is this a style for people who want to make a statement? Yes.

Modern appeals to people who don't want to fit in with the norm and do what everyone else is doing. They want to express their personality. They work hard and they don't want to go home to a boring apartment or house. So they bring in bright colors and funky shapes to help liven up their living space. Modern pieces offer a lot of opportunity for self-expression.

teen-ager could afford but they really appeal to all ages. They're basically handmade, star-shaped paper shades. There's a cord with a bulb that drops into the star, and you just tie it all together and hang it. There are also rocket-shaped lamps. The very tip of the rocket is metal and the base with the propellers is metal, and the middle part is a glass shape that you can get in different colors.

The rocket itself is mounted on a wavy stand. For a futuristic look, you could get a sculptural Electra Plasma lamp. It's basically a curvy glass tube that resembles a neon You watch the plasma flow inside the glass tube and if you touch the glass, you can control the way it flows. It doesn't give you much light, but it's a great conversation piece. Then there are soft accessories like pillows and throws.

They come in chenille and other soft textures. They're a good way to update an existing sofa. You can get pillows in interesting shapes pyramids, triangles and rounded bolsters and with multiple colors. There are even fruit shapes in bright colors eggplant, pear and apple. to Only Toro mowers are guaranteed to start on the first or fm second pull, year after year, or we' 11 fix it free.

A tribute to gfej Xoro's legendary quality and durability. Isn't it time you ownea peace ui oce yuui iuuumiu FY $318 By CATHERINE MURRELL Gannett News Service Derek Downing is president and owner of Modern Details in Louisville and Lexington, Ky. The stores specialize in Modern furniture and accessories Downing opened his Lexington store three years ago. This June he expanded the business to Louisville. Downing also worked previously as a visual merchandiser for Lazarus department stores and marketed his own handcrafted baskets.

He has a bachelor's degree in business administration. "When people buy a Modern sofa or chair, they don't think of it as buying a piece of furniture. They think of it as an investment in a piece of art." What does Modern have to offer today's homes? Classic Modern furniture has sleek lines. It's a very simple style from the '30s, '40s, '50s and '60s. It doesn't really compete with other furnishings you already have in the home.

Like Shaker style and Mission style. Modern is really clean and uncluttered, Of course, it won't go well with Victorian gingerbread pieces. But for the most part, Modern is easy to mix. Modern pieces are a great way to bring some color into a space. Color and Modern have always gone hand in hand.

I remember back in the '60s, seeing all these funky oranges and hot pinks. The upholstery color palette has changed a bit. When I've been to market recently, there's no one color that really sticks out. Blues and greens are popular, but the colors really run a gamut. There are no real pastels, but there are a lot of muted tones.

And then there are also really intense tones. They're not necessarily jewel tones, just strong colors. Personally, I like purple a lot. When you go to market, you'll see that purple is becoming more and more standard. But some people are afraid of purple.

In terms of wood, a lot of manu- facturers are going from the light blond wood on coffee tables to darker, more traditional colors. There's dark mahogany, and other deep browns such as cappuccino and espresso. Let's talk about the shape of Modern. You'll see a lot of asymmetrical pieces. A sofa or chair might have a high back on one side that slopes down.

There are even armless pieces. You don't see really boxy shapes unless it's a high-tech look. There are a lot of curves, waves and interesting edges. It's appealing because it's really artsy. Any recommendations for fun and funky accessories? Lamps are good.

Modern lamps liven up a space by giving off light, plus they have a lot of character. You might choose a lamp with a bright blue, wavy resin base, a handmade paper shade and a square, resin blue finial on the top. Or there's a Medusa floor lamp. It has six different arms or necks that bend. Each arm ends in a glass shade of a different bright color.

It's very retro-looking with the bendable arms. It's '60s-inspired but it's been updated. Instead of having the metal shades that you would have seen back then, it has colored glass. I like hanging Star lights, too. They're inexpensive something a Toro Recycler Push Mower 6.0 hp Toro GTS engine guaranteed-to-start on the first or second pull for 2 years or Toro fixes it FREE! Patented Recycler cutting system mulches grass for a healthy and beautiful lawn.

Lightweight steel deck Two-year full warranty' WAREHOUSE SALE 1st Time Ever Open To the Public! $10 million of authentic sports memorabilia from original Scoreboard. Rare vintage items including ORIGINAL Honus Wagner T206, autographed photos, cards, balls, supplies and MORE! July 2910am-6pm and Sunday, July 3011am-5pm 240 West Pompton Plains 1 min. off 23 south. CASH ONLY All sales final. Call for directions: Model 20010 I tl Central (9081 359-5757 fJ Exciting Dealers! 7,000 Sq.

Ft. 908-526-7920 W. Somerset St. 'Raritan (1 mile off the Somervillc Circle) Free Approisali on Thursdays Nurseries Hilkhnmiiah. N.I 08876 1 When you want It done right.

EjIStlEinZZl www.toro.com 'Suogwtad flll pric, MJbiect to dMr option. tS dwIBr tor warranty details. 973-239-6866 x307 Open 7 dayi PHW Sat. It Sun. thru Wd.

10-S WMW Tj) Thu. fri. 11-7 fflr.