Episode 37
Benjamin Macklowe joined Macklowe Gallery in 1994 and became its president in 2012. Under Ben’s leadership, Macklowe Gallery has become the world’s most respected dealer of antique and estate jewelry, French Art Nouveau decorative arts and the entire oeuvre of Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Ben is a sought-after expert in his field and has served as a lecturer for museum groups and scholarly organizations throughout the United States. Ben has appeared on television to discuss Tiffany lamps with Martha Stewart, lectured on the art glass of Emile Gallé at Taft Museum of Art and has taught about Art Nouveau jewelry at Christie’s Auction House on multiple occasions. He helped expand the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Dallas Museum of Art and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, selling important decorative works of art to each.
In recent years, Ben has sought to shed light on areas of collecting that have never been fully explored, spearheading the publication of two books: Dynamic Beauty: Sculpture of Art Nouveau Paris and Nature Transformed: Art Nouveau Horn Jewelry.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- How the Macklowe family recognized the potential in antique and vintage pieces and came to establish Macklowe Gallery.
- What types of collectors exist and how Macklowe Gallery advises on purchasing antique and estate jewelry.
- The importance of unsigned jewelry and the role collectors play in bringing the pieces justice.
- Why Macklowe Gallery chose to represent designer Neha Dani and the inspiration behind her work.
- How Macklowe Gallery is positioning antique and estate jewelry to potential millennial buyers.
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