Salander in New York

Coade stone royal armorial lion impressed COADE, LONDON, 1820. [Photo Salander Decorative Arts

New York USA - Christie's auction of the stock of Mike Roberts' Architectural Emporium in Kent, England, in September 2004 raised an unexpectedly large total, buoyed up by enthusiastic bidding from abroad. It now seems that much of it has ended up at the world's newest plush salvage and antique architectural and garden ornament showroom, the newly created Salander Decorative Arts in New York. Lawrence Salander, fourth generation dealer, is a significant figure in the top end of the trade. Salander O'Reilly sells antique and modern flat art and sculpture, representing living artists, estates, and sponsoring museum-quality exhibitions and books.

Artnet quotes the New York Times, 26 October 2006, commenting on plans restore an old gallery and to build a new glass tower block alongside, the gives an idea of Salander's connections:
'As art collector and superdeveloper Aby Rosen brings his plans for a new luxury residential tower at 980 Madison Avenue, designed by star architect Norman Foster and located across the street from the Carlyle Hotel and a few blocks up from the Whitney, before the local community and landmarks panels, the New York Times notes that the art-world A list has stepped up to testify on his behalf. Among them are artists Jeff Koons and dealers Larry Gagosian and Lawrence Salander, according to the paper. Whether that will get the project approved for the notoriously anti-development Upper East Side remains to be seen. In any case, the Times also noted that it was Rosen who paid $2.7 million for Koons’ Buster Keaton sculpture at auction last spring.'

And the New York Times goes further:
'“I believe the project will be a godsend to the neighborhood,” Mr. Salander said. “I would trust your motives and artistic sensibility to do the right thing and without reservation.” But Ward Blum, an East 77th Street resident, said that adding the glass tower to Madison Avenue would be “like the Philharmonic inviting a heavy-metal punk rocker to join the orchestra.” Mr. Rosen said his enthusiasm for architecture dated from his childhood in Frankfurt. “I always loved the prewar,” he said. “I always loved the high ceilings, I always loved the stucco and the moldings.” It isn’t easy to hear people attack him, Mr. Rosen says. But the anti-Semitism he experienced as a Jewish child in Germany helps give him perspective. “I grew up with kids telling me, ‘They forgot to gas your father,’ ” he said. “So I have zero fear. Fear is not something I have.”'