Browsing Hayloft with Young Collector Michael Diaz-Griffith
04/13/2020 General
At Hayloft, I always see interesting things, and even if you get into a bidding war online, you’re likely to spend far less than you would on new-bought things.
(And who wants that stuff, anyway? It’s deadly boring.)”
Michael Diaz-Griffith is constantly browsing for his next great auction find. As the Co-founder of the New Antiquarians and Co-Chair of Young Collectors Night at The Winter Show, he can always be counted on to track what's trending in the world of antiques. This week, we asked him to put his sharp eye and creativity to use finding the most inspiring lots in our upcoming April auction. Scroll to see what treasures he uncovered:
“Auctions are one of the best ways for new and young collectors to buy. If you’re interested in honing your connoisseurship skills, an auction allows you to see a vast amount of material and begin distinguishing between ‘good, better, and best.’
Lot 20 - Pair of Louis XVI Style Black Painted CommodeS
STARTING BID $200
“Symmetry elevates every atmosphere. I would flank a bed with these consoles instead of using conventional nightstands, or you could convert them into one-of-a-kind bathroom vanities.”
Lot 52 - Red lacquered low table
STARTING BID $200
“Symmetry elevates every atmosphere. I would flank a bed with these consoles instead of using conventional nightstands, or you could convert them into one-of-a-kind bathroom vanities.”
Lot 174 - Set of Three Regency Style Mahogany Chairs
STARTING BID $75
“Three chairs make for an odd set, but these could be used in an office setting––with the armchair behind a hyper-modern desk, maybe in Lucite. The seats could be reupholstered with something bold––chintz, an animal print––in twenty minutes flat.”
Lot 177 - Napoleon IV style button-back settee
STARTING BID $50
“In a loft-like space, you could leave this un-upholstered and treat it like sculpture. Reupholstered, it could turn a small, boring space into a transportive reading nook, or you could cover it in terry and position it near your bathtub for moments of post-soak recumbency.”
Lot 77 Louis XV Style White Painted Bergere
STARTING BID $40
“I love the 90s vibes of the white frames and pastel upholstery on these bergeres. I’d love to see them in a white room with chintz curtains and a ficus tree nearby, but if 1992 isn’t your cup of tea, you could repaint and reupholster them, amping them up to a maximalist key (lacquer, bold prints) or down to a minimalist one (ex: gray on gray).”
LOT 92 - 5 FRENCH STYLE UPHOLSTERED ARMCHAIRS
STARTING BID $100
“I also love this menagerie of bergeres. Why not forego sofas and throw them all in your living room around an enormous, low ottoman? Or gather them around your dining room table and rechristen the room The Library.”
LOT 95 - PAIR OF HOLLYWOOD REGENCY STYLE SILVER-LEAF LAMPS
STARTING BID $75
LOT 158 - PAIR OF COMPOSITION URN-FORM LAMPS
STARTING BID $25
“I’d pair these lamps with pleated, block-print cotton shades or metallic paper drums. When buying lamps at auction, I don’t worry about whether they work. It’s easy and inexpensive to have a lamp rewired–far less costly than buying new, and the result is always more interesting.”