In a cross marketing move, Christie’s and Guyette & Schmidt, Inc, the antique decoy auction firm, recently announced a strategic association, which the firms said “will be aimed at providing the highest level of service to the existent decoy market while further developing and supporting interest in and awareness of this collecting field,” according to a joint prepared release. “Combining the expertise, business acumen and client networks of both companies, this association will be beneficial to the decoy collecting community inside and outside of the United States,” the release stated.
“We are delighted about the association as it represents a natural progression in the longstanding working relationship Christie’s and Guyette & Schmidt have enjoyed for many years now,” said Margot Rosenberg, head of the department of American furniture, decorative arts and folk art at Christie’s. “Ultimately, combining the great resources that have been developed by Christie’s as well as Guyette & Schmidt, Inc throughout both companies’ long involvement with the decoy collecting field will offer collectors worldwide a level of excellence that is virtually second to none. It is an exciting venture we are looking forward to embark upon.”
“We are extremely excited about the potential that this new and ongoing association will create for the decoy collecting community,” said Frank Schmidt, co-owner of Guyette & Schmidt. “It will not only broaden our marketing capabilities for major decoy collections that will eventually come to market, but it stands to generate an even wider level of appreciation of the waterfowl decoy as a major American folk art form.”
The firms said the new affiliation will creates strategic marketing and promotional advantages for the decoy market. “This new association will not change our current auction schedule or polices, but rather, it will expand and create a more dynamic marketing environment for our clientele,” said Guyette & Schmidt. “This exciting new relationship should open up the decoy collecting market for decoys at all levels by creating an increased level of exposure to an even wider audience of new potential collectors.”
The new strategies will include putting some Guyette & Schmidt auction decoys on display at Christie’s Rockefeller Plaza showroom during select Christie’s auctions and previews. In addition, Guyette & Schmidt will have the technology to use its own version of the Christie’s Live online bidding. Guyette & Schmidt’s company page will be in Christie’s auction catalogs and on its website with links to Guyette & Schmidt’s website.
Guyette & Schmidt’s decoy auctions will be advertised on Christie’s website and in its auction catalogs. Christie’s company page will be on Guyette & Schmidt’s website with links to Christie’s website and auction catalogs. Christie’s select auctions will be advertised in Guyette & Schmidt’s auction catalogs and on its website.
The two firms plan to have an annual January decoy auction at Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, with the first one scheduled for January 19.
To help expand the decoy market, the firms agreed to host decoy collection displays in New York City. In addition, Christie’s will conduct American furniture and folk art appraisal days at Guyette & Schmidt, Inc Art Gallery in St Michaels, Md.
Guyette & Schmidt Inc’s policies, regular auction locations, commission rates and buyer’s premium will not be affected by this affiliation.
Christie’s and Guyette & Schmidt have teamed up on several occasions over the past years. Most recently, Christie’s in association with Guyette & Schmidt set a world record for a waterfowl decoy at auction with an exceptional merganser hen by Lothrop Holmes, which fetched $856,000 in the January 2007 sale at Christie’s sale of important American furniture, folk art, silver, prints and decoys. In conjunction with this sale, Christie’s and Guyette & Schmidt offered an exceptional collection of decoys belonging to Dr Alvin Friedman-Kien, which was sold to benefit the Alvin E. Friedman-Kien Foundation. Decoys offered in these two sales realized more than $2.3 million.
In 2003, Christie’s/Guyette & Schmidt offered the Russell B. Aitken collection of wildfowl decoys, which realized $2.8 million and set a new world auction record for a waterfowl decoy at the time when a preening pintail drake by Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Mass., circa 1915, obtained $801,500.
For information, 212-636-2000 or www.christies.com ; www.guyetteandschmidt.com or 410-745-0485.
