Journey's End...

...and I inadvertently saved the best for last. Before I travel anywhere, I always spend an evening trawling the web for places to visit. This time I found a new gallery, Gallery 567 on Benczur Utca, which I hadn't come across before and looked right up my street. Open by appointment only, it's well worth waiting for and I really can't recommend a visit enough.
The owner, Peter Langh, is the perfect combination of charm, knowledge and experience. And as we know, collecting is a disease (albeit a nice one!), and Peter has it bad! He started collecting seven years ago and has built what has to be the best collection of postwar Hungarian ceramics, glass and furniture in the country, which is augmented by examples from Czechoslovakia, Poland and other old Eastern Bloc countries. Backing this up is a huge reference library, and Peter sure knows his stuff.
I spent nearly three hours browsing thought his vast basement emporium, even purchasing a piece or two that I need to hit my own library to research. Exciting stuff!
Walking back up into the sun after an enormously enjoyable and educational experience, my stomach began to rumble. The only solution was to take advantage of the special brunch at Hungary's top restaurant Gundl, which was thankfully only mere minutes away on foot. Usually out of my price range, this 'eat as much as you would like to' buffet is both a bargain and entirely delicious, and even comes with a complimentary glass of champagne.
A couple of relaxing hours later, the banker and I decided to pop next door to Budapest's recently re-invigorated zoo. Although the animals are naturally an attraction, design and architecture lovers will love the elephant house and a couple of other truly fabulous Art Nouveau buildings, such as the gatehouse. Cool collectables, fabulous food and amazing animals - what a way to end a long weekend in Budapest.

Back in Budapest

Spurred on by yesterday's success, I went once more into the sun to find more bargains in Budapest. I spent quite some time doing this in Summer last year, and you can read about my experiences by clicking here. One of my first targets today was the chain of state-owned 'BAV' stores that sell secondhand, retro and antique goods. The branch on Frankel Leó Utca in Buda is particularly good and always worth a visit, selling everything from the 1800s onwards. Here's a view of the interior to give you some idea of the variety available.
The cabinets in the middle of the picture made me smile, as they were packed with modern Czech glass. Not a place to barter, I noticed prices had risen markedly since the last time I was here. Still, it was great to browse around and see what others were buying, even if I couldn't find anything I simply had to have. In Pest, the branch on Bécsi Utca is always worth as visit, as is the branch on Falk Miksa Utca, which is Budapest's 'antiques alley'.
Indeed it was there I went next. I noticed the street had become much busier and also that many more shops had opened up sicne last Summer. One that caught my eye was Nàfsa Antik Galéria at no.22. Stocking a wide range of glass, ceramics and metalware from the late 19thC onwards, but specialising in the 20th century, there's plenty to look at. My eye was caught by a range of glass produced by Karcag, named after a town outside Hungary. Known as 'veil' glass, it's characterised by a layer of very brightly coloured 'crackle' glass, covered with a layer of colourless glass. Think vibrant yellows, blues and pinks that sparkle in the light due to the web of sealed cracks. Little is known about the factory or designer, with production peaking in the 1930s, and the factory apparently being closed by the Communists in the 1960s. As such, shapes tend to be modern, clean-lined and simple. This candleholder (above), shaped almost like an electrical insulator was my favourite, but I was also drawn to a cocktail shaker with a handsome Deco chrome top. At around £80 each, my budget didn't stretch that far, so they're still there if you want them!

Hard Trading

This bank holiday weekend, I find myself in Budapest, where it's very warm (32 degrees) and very muggy. A quick lunch after touching down left me ready to hit the shops. First stop was Kiraly Utca, where I had been into a truly superb (and also truly tiny) shop specialising in 20th century ceramics and glass last time I was here. Having chatted with the owner then, he told me he had over 3,000 pieces at home and changed his stock regularly. You can imagine my disappointment when I found his shop had been replaced by a building site! Asking around, it seemed he had gone away late last year, and nobody knew where.

My face didn't stay long for long - wandering back towards my hotel, I spotted this rather sizeable treasure in a shop that sold everything from bicycles to computers and ceramics. The heavily smoking shopkeeper told me the price was 50 euros, or roughly 15,000 Hungarian Forints. Keen not to appear too keen, I browsed some other interesting pieces before asking the price again - 80 euros! Not wanting it to rise any more, I began bartering, offering a grin and a cheeky 9,000 Forints, around 30 euros, to start. I expected some huffiness, of course, but this guy was tough and even enlisted a chap off the street (who I suspect was his business partner) to help him. Backing me into a corner (literally), I felt a little threatened as they countered with 13,000 forints, drawing ever closer to me. Keeping my smile on full beam, and trying not to look intimidated, I clutched my bag and politely offered 11,000 Forints. With a nod, the deal was done amidst much muttering. Asking for a bag was the final straw however, and I think I'm glad I don't understand Hungarian!

Whatever, £35 isn't bad at all for a piece of the Rhapsody range, designed by Frantisek Zemek in 1960, and made by the Mstisov, and then the Moser, glassworks. At over 16in (41cm) high, it's the largest I've handled - even better! I've shown it here next to the other vase I own. Based on my previous experience of Hungarians, this really was most out of character, and I'm sure it was just the unbearably muggy heat that caused any disgruntlement. Speaking of the heat, I think it's time for a celebratory and cooling glass of gin and tonic!

René Roubicek Photograph

Browsing around my favourite hunting ground, Past Caring in Islington, with a TV film crew today, I stumbled upon this incredible photograph.
Although it might not look like much, the rather strange piece of glass the young man is looking at is a postwar Czech masterpiece. Simply titled 'Object', it was designed in 1960 by legendary designer Rene Roubicek, and made by Josef Rozinek at the Borské Sklo factory in Novy Bor. it was first exhibited at the Milan Triennale in 1960, and went on to become an icon of the revolution in Czech glass design that occurred after the war.
Photographs of such items are not at all common, and this looks to have been professionally shot, taking into account the dramatic angle, viewer's expression, and the reflections in the cabinet's glass front. Totally unmarked, its origins are a mystery, although it may have been a press photo for the Milan exhibition. If you can shed any light on it, and who shot it, please let me know.

Fat Lava in Canada

On my many visits to Canada, I've always been delighted by the enormous level of interest in West German ceramics of the 1960s & 70s. The country was a major export market for makers such as Bay, Scheurich and ES Keramik, and Fat Lava has become a firm favourite amongst collectors there.
My good friends Conrad Biernacki and Brian Musselwhite of the Royal Ontario Museum are fans, as is dealer Holly Gnaedinger of the wonderful 'Twice Found' in the trendy Mirvish Village district of Toronto. Although a busy schedule meant I never got to meet him after having spoken a few times, I heard great things about another dealer by the name of Marten Augsten. Naturally I was delighted to see that the Canadian 'National Post' newspaper had recently covered his gallery, aptly named the Rogue Gallery. Click here to read the article, from where this image is used with thanks.
While I'm on the subject of Fat Lava, it's only a few weeks until the 'Fat Lava II' extravaganza launches. Kicking off on 30th May with the opening of a selling exhibition at the Mid20C gallery in Reading, Berkshire there're also a number of exciting web and gallery based events planned across June. With contributions from leading experts from Germany, the US, the UK and Australia, it's not to be missed. Plus there's the launch of the second, revised edition of my bookalogue. Check out www.fat-lava.org to find out more!

World Record Price For Mdina

The Mdina Glass 'Crizzle Stone' signed by Michael Harris - rightly dubbed the Holy Grail for many Mdina collectors - being offered by Artius Glass on behalf of a collector has sold. And it stormed home, selling for a staggering £3,400! Representing the apex of collecting, less than a dozen are currently known to collectors, with only one of those being signed by Michael. This example was in the most desirable green and ochre colourway, with a nice, clear signature on its base. Developed from the iconic 'Fish', this treasure was brought to light after the vendor saw an episode of the BBC Antiques Roadshow, where my colleague Andy McConnell valued an unsiged example in brown and ochre at £1,000-1,500. Whoever the buyer is, they have my sincere congratulations - it's a cracker!