Material Editor

Fine, Folk & Outsider Art Live Online Auction: Monday, November 23, 2020, 10AM ET Preview: November 21-22, 10am - 3pm, appointment required. Browse the Auction Catalog and Bid Live on these Portals:   Absentee Bid Form | Telephone Bid Form | Terms and Conditions (PDF)

ARTISTS WE HAVE KNOWN Vernacular Artworks from the Home of Norman Girardot & Diane LaBelle Their Story in Seven Beguiling Chapters, by Norman Girardot Norman & Diane Contemplate the Possibilities of Eating Art (Photos: Ron Yoshida & Armen Elliott) OUR ROSTER OF VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE Artists included in the auction: Howard Finster, Michael Finster, Allen Wilson (Finster), Roy Finster, Beverly Finster, Gregory Warmack/Mr. Imagination, Margaret Warmack, Danielle Jacqui, Myrtice West, Mario Mesa, Volis Simpson, R.A. Miller, Rudolph “Rudy” Bostic, Mose Tolliver, Annie Tolliver, Purvis Young, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Nek Chand, William Thomas Thompson, Norbert Kox, Twins Seven Seven, Jonas Dos Santos, Clyde Jones, Tom Every/Dr. Evermore, Willy Jinks, Sam “The Dot Man” McMillan, Teresa Gloster, Rudy Rotter, Eric Legge, Tubby Brown, Annie G. Wellborn, Mary Michaels (daughter of Georgia Blizzard/Micheals), Brian Wilson, Brian Dowdall, Echo/Macallister, Connie English, Carter Wellborn, Michael Wysochansky, Dale Gibbons, James Billie Lemming, face jug makers (Whelchel Meader, Yardbird, Bobby Ferguson, Jamie Ferguson, Kurt Hewell, Gracie Marie Rodgers, Nell Hewell, Michael Purdue, Amedeo Salamoni), unknown southern snake artists, some southern and African carved walking sticks, some ethnic art (Africa, China, South America), gourd art, Elvis art and memorabilia (induding works by Charlie Lucas, Mr. Imagination, [...]

Fine Decorative and Collectible Antique Oriental Rugs Live Online Auction: Wednesday, October 21, 2020, 11AM ET Also Accepting Phone and Absentee Bids Preview: October 19-20, 10am - 4pm, appointment required. Browse the Auction Catalog and Bid Live on these Portals:   Absentee Bid Form | Telephone Bid Form | Terms and Conditions (PDF)

Lee and Vichai Chinalai Welcome to our auction and thank you to Material Culture for making it happen. Why now? First and foremost, this sale reflects our near-historic lack of restraint in buying Southeast Asian and Chinese ethnographic antiques! It is also about our love of learning and for the artifacts and cultures that created them; and for the people who share our passion. We started this business over forty years ago with the philosophy that we only would buy what we would be happy to have ourselves. This removed a certain pressure from us: it meant we didn’t have to study the market or try to forecast its trends when we preferred to devote our time to studying the pieces we were buying. We believed in intrinsic value rather than value dictated by fashion or whim. Not that the market didn’t influence sales but it nearly always was more by coincidence than by design. For example, there was one time at a show when we displayed ten lingam stones of varying sizes, all standing upright on rubber O rings. We thought they were stunning together but O seemed to stand for zero attention. Then Indiana Jones and [...]

Browse the Virtual Print Catalog Asian & Ethnographic Art and Antiques | Chinalai Collection Live Online Auction: Monday, August 17, 10AM ET Please note: Due to covid-19 safety measures, preview viewing is available by appointment only, Saturday and Sunday, August 15-16, 10am – 3pm. Please email a time and the lots you wish to view to expert@materialculture.com Browse the Auction Catalog and Bid Live on these Portals:   Absentee Bid Form | Telephone Bid Form | Terms and Conditions (PDF) ABOUT THE CHINALAI COLLECTION Lee and Vichai Chinalai Welcome to our auction and thank you to Material Culture for making it happen. Why now? First and foremost, this sale reflects our near-historic lack of restraint in buying Southeast Asian and Chinese ethnographic antiques! It is also about our love of learning and for the artifacts and cultures that created them; and for the people who share our passion. We started this business over forty years ago with the philosophy that we only would buy what we would be happy to have ourselves. (continue reading) SOME SELECT AUCTION LOTS  

Our desire is to create bold and meaningful accents for spaces such as bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms, and we naturally tend to design meditation, yoga and dance studios. Our inspiration comes from the bright colors of indian sari fabrics and the tribal dance outfits of gypsy communities that we come across while traveling the world, particularly in india. We developed an immense fascination with old needle work, preservation of old crafts and up-cycling treasures from the past into new creations for adornment and to surround us.