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L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur

Opening Hours
Today: 9am–2pm,4–5pm
Fri:
9am–2pm,4–5pm
Sat:
Closed
Sun:
Closed
Mon:
9am–2pm,4–5pm
Tues:
9am–2pm,4–5pm
Wed:
9am–2pm,4–5pm
Location
36 East 73rd Street
Neighborhoods
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 1 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side

The first ground hall we visited at L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur, a gallery that celebrates art from the eighteenth century and earlier, is the only section that features art from the twenty-first century. Helen Fioratti, the owner of the gallery, has put her daughter, Arianna Loreto's work on display. The modern, familial pieces leading to the elevator provided a perfect complement to the gilded and dazzling older antiques that we were about to visit. I was taken by Arianna's whimsical drafts and sketches that decorated the elevator, appreciating that visitors are surrounded by art at every turn.

Upon stepping out onto the second floor landing, I noticed a collection of chandeliers with candle fixtures instead of bulbs. Helen promptly informed me that each one is from the eighteenth century. With a slight smile, she went on to say, "I was told by a chandelier gallery that there are very few eighteenth century chandeliers on the market. I have ten, which I think is more than anybody else." As we wandered around the gallery, Helen pointed out treasures and told us about her life. Along with owning the shop, she is an interior designer who has worked with members of the Kennedy family and the Royal Family of Kuwait. She grew up in the art world, since her mother was Countess Ruth Constantino, the first female fine art dealer in the United States. Her mother started collecting art at a young age. The countess's uncle would pay her money to go to bed on time, which she would then spend on antiques when she went to Europe with her family.

When Ruth grew up, she worked for a German art dealer as an unpaid intern, because her father claimed that well-bred girls did not have jobs. She eventually persuaded her father to let her open a gallery, but soon married an Italian diplomat whom she met at the New York World's Fair in 1939. As Helen paraphrased her father, "Wives of Italian diplomats didn't work." Ruth opened a new gallery, but did not use her name, instead calling it "The Connoisseur Inc." This is the gallery that Helen would merge with her own in 1982. I asked Helen about her earliest memory having to do with art and antiques, and she responded with a story from when she was five years old: she picked the paint off of the antique Venetian commode in her bedroom and colored it back in with crayons. Helen added that when she first got married and opened her gallery, she already had a furniture collection put aside and needed no more to furnish their apartment.

Helen has the magic ability of breathing life into each of her pieces through suggestive storytelling. She showed me a cabinet that had belonged to the King of Portugal. There are twenty-eight secret compartments and a mirror on the top, which Helen said, "is where the king would model his crowns." I could immediately picture the regal purposes of the piece of furniture. Similarly, Helen said that a clock that caught my eye had been made by an Englishman for the se de Medici's in Florence. The clockmaker then decided to stay in Florence. His son became the greatest Scagliola master - meaning he was an expert in a specific form of decorative work. Since she seems to know the story behind all of her inventory, I asked Helen if it is ever difficult for her to have to sell a piece and part with it. "It's like having a marriageable daughter," she responded. "You don't want someone to take her, but it would also be sad if no one wanted her."

Some of the most interesting pieces in the store were the games tables. Helen has written many books in her life, including one on old games and the antiques that teach us how they used to be played. She then brought out a little bag that Louis XV would have given to one of his courtesans. It has carved ivory "fiches" that function as game pieces and have little fortunes wrapped inside. "It's a very rare thing," Helen said with a sparkle in her eye. There was also a collection of inlaid wood game tables, complete with clear outlines showing where to put cards, players, or pieces. Pointing to one that was signed with the artist's name, "RENOLDI," on an arch in the wooden landscape design, Helen told us that she looks for authenticity in her entire collection. "What I care about is that things are real all the way through," she said. "I even want the tips of feet to still be original."

Despite being in her antique business for thirty-five years, Helen is surprisingly spry and still does in-depth appraisals herself. "I may have to turn it over and crawl on the floor, but I can tell you if something is authentic," she stated. "In this gallery, if it's painted, the paint is original and if it's gilded, the gold is real." After exploring more of the multi-floor antique wonderland, with treasures like sixteenth century Italian ceramics, a fourteenth century illuminated manuscript leaf, and rare globes made of wood and paper mache, I returned to the first floor and Arianna's drawings. In a little corner of the room, Helen pointed out a picture of a cat that Arianna had drawn when she was twelve years old.

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L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 1 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 2 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 3 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 4 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 5 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 6 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 7 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 8 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 9 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 10 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 11 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 12 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 13 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 14 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 15 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 16 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 17 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 18 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 19 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 20 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 21 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 22 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 23 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 24 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side
L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur 25 Art and Photography Galleries Upper East Side

More Art and Photography Galleries nearby

Lost Gem
Mnuchin Gallery 1 Art and Photography Galleries undefined

Mnuchin Gallery

“It has the vibe of being lived in, ” Nicole Hudson, the Associate Director of Mnuchin Gallery said as she guided me around the townhouse that houses the gallery. The building dates back to the early 1900s and has been landmarked, thereby retaining its grand yet domestic design. It is not hard to imagine a time when the space was occupied by a well-to-do family who might have decorated their walls and floors with the kind of art that the gallery has on display. As Nicole pointed out, the unique location makes it easier for clients to picture the work in their own homes and see how the pieces could add to their lives. “Art has to enrich the day to day, ” she said with a smile. Nicole expanded on the origins of the gallery, explaining how the founder, Robert Mnuchin, became an art dealer after leaving the world of finance in the mid 1990s. He had been an art collector during his career in economics, and so he smoothly transitioned to owning a gallery. He began by forming partnerships with James Corcoran and Dominique Levy. The resulting galleries, C& M Arts and L& M Arts, both resided in the Upper East Side townhouse in turn. Robert then went solo and changed the name to Mnuchin Gallery in 2013. He deals primarily in the secondary market and uses multiple floors of his magnificent building. Nicole went on to show me the exhibition that was on display, called “Carl Andre in his Time. ” Originally, the gallery wanted to solely feature Carl Andre, a minimalist artist from the 1960s-1970s, but decided to open up the exhibit to his contemporaries as well. I was intrigued by how many sculptures were installed on the ground in geometric square patterns. Nicole noted that in the late 1960s, the pieces were created to be walked on (“It was part of the experience”), but because of their historical significance, Mnuchin preferred that visitors refrain from walking on the sculptures. One corner of the gallery that caught my eye featured two pieces of art juxtaposed - one was a series of stacked shelves by Donald Judd where each shelf had to be nine inches away from its neighbor. On the floor next to it was “32-Part Reciprocal Invention” by Carl Andre, made of found steel rebar, in which the distance between each bar in one row was designated by the length of the bar in the row above it. Both were interesting examples of how the world of math and measurements influences art. Another intriguing piece taking up a full wall was “Wall Drawing #69, ” designed by Sol LeWitt in 1971, which was previously on display in the Guggenheim. I would have missed it if Nicole had not pointed it out, since the swirling colored pencil designs that covered the flat white space were so delicate and light. Nicole explained that if the piece is purchased, the new owner gets a certificate of authenticity and then draftspeople come to their house to recreate it on their wall. Sol DeWitt provided loose, organic instructions, so each iteration of the piece is slightly different. It takes two people about ten days to replicate the design. After it is completed, Mnuchin’s own version will be painted over. Nicole then smiled and said how she loves seeing the faces of visitors who realize that there is a piece of art hidden on Mnuchin’s walls.

More places on 73rd Street

Lost Gem
Ronald McDonald House New York 1 Non Profit Organizations Social Services For Kids undefined

Ronald McDonald House New York

Ronald McDonald House is a very special place that provides a "temporary 'home away from home' for pediatric cancer patients and their families. " Having had an apartment, for a short time, just a few doors down from their 73rd Street location, I was aware of the wonderful work that they do. When I mentioned to Sophie, one of our Manhattan Sideways team members, that I wanted to feature them on 73rd, she lit up and shared her close connection to the organization on the West Coast. Sophie told me that she was honored to visit and help her mother volunteer with her miniature horses at the Los Angeles and Pasadena chapters. "I was immediately won over by their mission, but even more important, by the children themselves. A significant aspect of their programming is to provide children with the opportunity to just be kids, first and foremost. Seeing the kids interact with the miniature horses showed me how much excitement and exuberance these children have. The smiles on the faces of their parents were always equally heart-warming. "Ronald McDonald House New York has been providing care and support to families since 1978. They "coordinate emotional and physical services, psychological care, ministry support, wellness programs, tutors, music, art, transportation, activities for siblings, holiday and birthday parties, and camaraderie for parents struggling with their child's cancer diagnosis. " In addition, this particular location has a Greek Division that provides services for families from Greece and Cyprus, Camp Ronald McDonald in the summer, classes in English as a second language, therapy for dogs (Angels on a Leash), and Weird Science, where the kids conduct intriguing and engaging experiments. Love and care are Ronald McDonald's central tenants. New York has its own set of angels in the way of the volunteers who play a major role in the day to day lives of the children. The Day Team leads afternoon activities and the Evening Team coordinates birthday parties, holidays, and dinners. The volunteer sign up is a major commitment to help provide a sense of normalcy and strength to the children and their families. If interested in volunteering, please visit their website.

Lost Gem
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KRB

Kate Rheinstein Brodsky, the creator of KRB, was immersed in the world of design and retail from a young age. Her mother, Suzanne Rheinstein, is an internationally recognized designer. Ever since Kate was a child, her mom has run Hollyhock, a Los Angeles furniture boutique. "I really loved retail, " Kate shared, telling me how she would go to Hollyhock after school and work there over summer breaks. As a teenager, she wanted to open a bookstore, but realized that this might be difficult in the digital age. As a "homebody" and frequent hostess, Kate knew that she enjoyed creating beautiful homes, both for herself and others. As she described it, "I loved the feeling of home, of having a nice place to live in. " Ultimately, her passion for retail manifested itself in a career in the design world. Upon graduating from New York University with a degree in art history, Kate worked for Jeffrey Bilhuber, the interior designer. "I love interior design... but I'm not an interior designer, " she said. Working for Jeffrey, however, she learned a lot of things that would help her later on in the world of retail. She realized the importance of customer service and doing things "correctly, in a thoughtful manner. " Following her time with Jeffrey, she worked at Elle Decor, which taught her discipline and introduced her to new looks. "I was exposed to so many different styles, " she explains. "Sometimes you don't know you like something until you see it. " Kate has maintained a good relationship with Elle Decor – they recently featured her Upper East Side apartment as part of their "House Tour, " which brought a collection of readers, impressed by her style, to Kate's boutique. When I visited KRB, I was taken by the variety of colors, as opposed to the usual browns and golds that dominate antique shops. The salesperson, Fiona, said that adding bold colors to antique pieces is one of Kate's trademarks. She showed me some traditional chairs with bright olive green seats as an example, saying, "Green's a big color for her, " before pointing out Kate's love for French opaline. Fiona went on to say that Kate could be inspired by anything. She spoke of a box of old cameos that Kate found. When Fiona inquired, "What are you going to do with those? " Kate answered matter of factly, "I don't know, but I'll figure it out. " Kate elaborated, "I like to reinterpret old things. " By this, she means both in the pieces, as with the chairs, and in the way they are used. She told me that there are many beautiful finger bowls out there that are no longer used - or at least not as finger bowls. Kate encourages customers to use them in new ways, by putting votive candles in them or a small scoop of strawberry ice cream. "I like taking things out of their original context, " she admitted. As another example, she told me about the tric trac tables, tables used to play a precursor to backgammon. The board is so similar to backgammon that the tables have been able to be repurposed. "I get very attached to furniture, " Kate admitted, likening different pieces to rescue animals. "I want them to have good homes. " She realizes, however, that people have different styles and that she may have to wait a while for the right person to come along. She added that although her mother heavily influenced her, the two women do not always see eye to eye on design. "We have our own taste, " she said. Despite their differences, the store is still inspired by her mother's extraordinary career. "I always love watching her, how she explains to people how to incorporate beauty into their life. "There is the possibility that a third generation of Rheinstein women might enter the world of design. In 2015, Kate was the proud mom of new daughter number three. "I love that my children comprehend what I do, " she told me. When they ask her where she is going, she can answer "to the store" and they know exactly where she will be. Owning the boutique means she has a flexible work schedule and can easily spend a lot of time with her children. She specifically opened on the Upper East Side to be near her family – and other families. She wanted to be in a place where people could stumble upon her and buy a housewarming present, rather than in a design-industry-heavy neighborhood. "I just hope I'm on people's path. I encourage them to come look.... browsers welcome. " As for her daughters and what they think of her boutique, Kate told me that her five-year-old recently told her teacher that when she grows up, she wants to be "a mommy and a shopkeeper. "

Lost Gem
Ritika RAvi at IVAR  Jewelry undefined

IVAR by Ritika Ravi Fine Jewelry

Nestled between Madison and 5th Avenue on E 73rd Street is a jewelry box of worldly treasures. Ivar Jewelry by Ritika Ravi, opened December 2022, is the first New York outpost for the designer — a graduate of the London College of Fashion who splits her time between India and the United States, sourcing inspiration for her next piece. “My idea was to take traditional Indian craftsmanship and give it a more contemporary aesthetic, ” Ritika told us when, entranced by the store’s gorgeous pod-like display cases, we found ourselves poring over the delicate filigree and vibrant gemstones of several stackable rings. “There’s always this incredible gold Indian jewelry, that’s so beautifully made — it's so intricate, ” said Ritika, “but it can be very large and not really wearable. I took that concept and the jewelry making techniques and gave it more of a contemporary twist. ” After launching the brand in 2018 and a successful store opening in the Maldives, Ritika set her sights on New York. “It took me almost a year to find the right space, ” she said, adding that it took several trips from India and extended stays in the city to settle on the 825-square foot space on the Upper East Side. Ivar, a woman-owned business, employs a mostly female workforce, “from the front office to stores. ” Now, Ritika is happy to bring traditional Indian jewelry-making techniques and materials like polki (the art of using untreated raw, uncut diamonds) and enamel to the city, as well as incorporate sustainable sourcing practices and a commitment to global outreach — employing skilled artisans who have generations of jewelry-making experience and donating to the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering communities in poverty. And after one trip in to meet the talented designer and marvel at each delicate, glittering pod, we’re certain we’ll be back for more than just window shopping.