Page 32 - May 2020

A Collector Speaks “That’s why I’m so moved, because as a collector holding [it] in
When hearing Correa do Lago talk about items in his collection, [my] hands, a paper that bears witness to that incredible moment when
you can't help but be caught up in what happened in real-time to he wrote something that millions of people are moved by, is very moving
create each piece, as well as the insight his research and reaction to as well.”
the item brings forth. For example, here are his thoughts revealed in
that same BBC interview on a draft of the opening paragraph of In Find Out More
Search of Lost Time, a 20th century masterpiece. The book The Magic of Handwriting is a series of essays around
the exhibition of the same name held at The Morgan Library and
Museum in 2018. It is flush with descriptions that create the world
within each piece was created. The book Everything So Far is also
available in English, as is Frans Post 1612-1680; Catalogue Raisonne.
And a good search on the Internet will also offer more information
on this fascinating collector and his collection.
At right is what the New York
Times called “a charming relic
of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s
adventures in chirology, or
palm reading. He made this
impression of his hand in
1935 in the presence of Dr.
Charlotte Wolff, who detected
“a rare gift of observation” and
“love of animals.” The analysis
and the print, which Saint-
Exupéry signed, was published
in a Surrealist journal, along
with ones for André Breton,
“This Proust item is particularly significant for me because it’s really
Aldous Huxley and Marcel
the moment of creation – a paper that bears witness to that incredible Duchamp. “That he would
moment when he wrote something that is registered on that little piece — sign an impression of his hand
torn piece—he followed the torn parts and wrote around it. It’s the first is perfect,” Mr. Corrêa do
few sentences of arguable the most important novel of the 20th century, Lago said. This was part of the
In Search of Lost Time. It’s the idea when he’s half asleep and everything, exhibit The Magic of
so it’s a piece of paper that really held an incredible moment of creation, Handwriting at The Morgan
and materialized it.” Library and Museum.

Continued from page 27

Matthew Adams: work released with the Brastoff name on it
naturally had to meet the designer’s stringent
Depicting “The Final Frontier” specifications and be stylistically compatible
with other studio inventory.
Unlike Bellaire and Brastoff, Matthew Giving Adams sole credit for the Alaska line
Adams early on found a single design theme he has several strong points in its favor. When
was comfortable with and stayed with it Adams left Brastoff’s employ after three years
throughout his career: Alaska. Although the and opened his own studio, the all-Alaska
shapes of his vases, bowls, trays, and the like work he produced was almost indistinguish-
favor the same curving lines as his colleagues, able in style from the designs he had earlier
you won’t find any Star Steeds or Jungle created for Brastoff. Additionally, Brastoff
Dancers on an Adams piece. You will, however, never claimed credit for the Alaskan images or
find a plethora of Eskimos, polar bears, walrus, challenged Adams’ continued production of
log cabins, snowy landscapes, and other staples them. The majority of the Alaska pieces bear
of the far north. Although more realistically the signature “Matthew Adams,” with, at
depicted than the figural renditions created by times, the addition of another word that
Brastoff and Bellaire, there’s still a healthy would seem to be self-explanatory: “Alaska.”
dose of the idyllic in Adams’ tributes to the What’s in a name? For this trio of talents,
final frontier. the answer is “plenty”. Thanks to their creative
Born in 1915, Adams began his Alaskan energies, mid-twentieth-century ceramics
adventures in the mid-1950s while employed embarked on new artistic paths. And, thanks
by Brastoff. The studio had received a contract to their impossible-to-miss signatures, buyers
to produce a series of ceramics with Alaska- knew exactly what they were getting. No
related images, for sale as souvenirs at a Juneau second-guessing, then or now.
trading post. Brastoff gave the assignment to
Adams, confident in his ability to fuse the Matthew Adams vase, Donald-Brian Johnson
somewhat rustic images, a first for the designer’s Native Alaskan mother and child, is the co-author of
line, with the more modern “Brastoff style.” 9” h, $50-$75 numerous Schiffer
Although early examples of Adams books on design and
Alaskana are signed “Sascha B.” or “Brastoff,” collectibles, including
this reflects the star power that name held, Postwar Pop, a collection
rather than a true indicator that the designs At right: of his columns. Please
were actually Brastoff’s. Certainly, the Matthew Adams signature address inquiries to:
illustrations bear little resemblance to anything (Photo by Leslie Piña) donaldbrian@msn.com
else in the Brastoff repertoire. However, any Photo Associate:
Hank Kuhlmann
30 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles