Founder and owner, Cliff Catania, and his Staff, welcome you to our Internet Art and Antique Gallery! Let us tell you about our company, its history, and its mission. The David Chase Gallery was founded in 1988 in Southeastern Pennsylvania to specialize in the artwork of Louis Icart which was created during the French Art Deco Period. For the most part, these etchings were imported to America to satisfy our fascination with the lively and free spirited atmosphere of France during the "roaring" Twenties. They celebrate the beauty and daring of a newly independent generation of young ladies in a variety situations from sports and high society, to languid sensuality in their boudoir. By a natural process of expansion to similar works, our Gallery soon became the largest art warehouse of Boudoir Style engravings by other French artists from 1910-1940. Our knowledge in this field is therefore foremost! After World War II, the style of Boudoir Art was incorporated into modern Pinup, and thereafter pressed by Illustrators and Photographers in America. We offer some of their more "tame" work as well, when it is clearly artistic rather than overboard. Cliff Catania However, the tastes of our Owner are quite broad and eclectic. It's natural to expand and appreciate so much of what is fine in life! Merchandise offerings have therefore similarly expanded to include many diverse categories of art and antiques, which you'll find by linking down through our scroll patterns. Like Archeologists, you've got to "dig a little" for the good things! These sub-headings now include fine Metalwork, Furniture, Art Pottery, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Modern Collectibles, Vintage Toys, Coins, Early Medical Equipment, Magazines, and Stained Glass, just to mention a few. Fine art is not only represented by French Deco, but encompasses traditional oils, various classic and modern prints, illustrators such as Parrish, vintage works of Nutting, and even a smattering of modern Photography. As mentioned earlier, Pinup and some light "risque" from 1940-1980 find their way here when they are playful or artistic. But rest assured, that now and forever, we are foremost Specialists in Louis Icart and other Boudoir engravers from the early Twentieth Century. The owner, Cliff Catania, has extensively researched and studied the individual etchings and other artwork of Louis Icart. It is not taken as "just a job", but a deeply personal mission, bordering perhaps on obsession. Well, that is good for those who come here to learn, and maybe purchase. For there are things about texture, techniques, color, paper quality, and artists' signatures that just can not be written in a book or described over the phone. They are learned by time and proper temperament. And those abilities definitely reside here. The Owner has Co-Authored the main text, or current "bible", concerning Louis Icart" "The Complete Etchings of Louis Icart", first published by Schiffer in 1990. It was not only rewarding, but highly educational, in allowing him to personally handle and photograph the accumulated wealth of so many fine collections. But there were always a number of equally beautiful works by other French artists that seemed to be mixed in with the Icarts! And believe it or not, in the early 90's, no one seemed to know anything about these artists' lives or their careers. It seemed such a sin! The same names kept popping up: Ablett, Grellet, Felix, Hardy, Milliere. With dogged persistence, and the help of researchers in France, the Owner pieced together what was left of their life stories. In 1994, "Boudoir Art: A Celebration of Life" was published by Schiffer. This hardcover book describes the whole evolution of the Boudoir Movement, of which Louis Icart became the ultimate ruler! The known works of each "major" artist, as well as dozens of lesser players, are illustrated and discussed. In the context of this book, one can finally understand not only the exacting technique involved in engraving, but also the social fabric upon which Icart and other artists took the world by storm in the 1920-1940 period. With such a combination of emotional and scholarly dedication to this kind of art, the Owner of David Chase Gallery can offer not only a high quality of service but impeccable reliability. Our guarantee is 100% in regards to both authenticity and described condition. And though markets and economies are fickle and often unpredictable, we can give some guidance to those wishing to build fine and solid collections. We know the market, the trends, and even those areas and items to avoid. Furthermore, the Collector may require help with proper framing or restoration of his acquisitions. We have associates that are professionals in these specialty areas as well; who themselves maintain a high degree of dedication to historical accuracy. Clearly, we aim to deliver the best, by sharing the best! These are new times.....better times. Through the medium of the Internet, we can deliver fine visual images into your den. We can Email back and forth in a millisecond around the world! Share our knowledge. And leave you the time to contemplate, ask additional questions, decide or ponder further. Here, there is no pressure to "decide now" from some salesman! As such, the Internet is more "Buyer friendly". You use your mind and not your gut impulses! But, so too, it is more friendly to us as retailers! We can show our merchandise to the whole World at once! Why limit ourselves to opening a shop on some "little" street in just one nook or cranny of the world. Why stay in a nest, when the Internet lets you fly all the skies! So, I hope you'll join us in this "celebration" of art and life! There are so many rewards to be had.....if we just choose to seek and enjoy them wisely!!!! WELCOME TO "DAVID CHASE GALLERY"!!!! Clifford Catania, Owner 11/7/99 DavidChaseGallery.com PMB 263, 590 Centerville Road, Lancaster, PA 17601 (610) 308- 1756 clifford@joshuasattic.com