Welcome to Cynthia Shaver, Asian Art Appraiser, newsletter, December 2025,
A most memorable cosy afternoon, was spent at the O’Hanlon Center in Mill Valley, for a vocal concert with Maria Moldauer and her young pianist accompanist. She sang for a full 90 minutes and entertained an audience of about 50, most of us over 60 years of age. Initially, she stressed the importance of having a stage presence. We were in a small gallery setting with fiber art for sale on the walls. She nailed that concept of stage presence with her floral shawl, black with red roses, flowers in her hair, a folding fan and the tambourine. An intriguing, winding metal stand was next to her to hold the fan or tambourine when not in use.
Today we have a fun all day appointment, examining the contents of a house “full of decorative Asian Art, from top to bottom”. I enjoy this informal information exchange. I provide nothing in writing but will talk about all that i know regarding a property. Usually I see something I haven’t before, always a learning experience. I ask about provenance, how the family acquired the property, and learn a bit of history frequently.
This was a good year. I learned the most about a short time period, early 1910-1920’s, Japanese skeleton motif kimono; they are rare. One sees on paintings and porcelain, but rarely on clothing. I saw 50 amazing garments, lucky me.
Merry Christmas,
Cynthia