Tavern on Green sold, piece at a time

NEW YORK -- The chandeliers and Tiffany stained glass from New York City's landmark Tavern on the Green were being sold at an auction of just about everything in the bankrupt restaurant.

Items will be purchased on-site, meaning it is the responsibility of the successful bidders to remove from the walls and ceilings (if necessary) mirrors, murals, chandeliers, and other fixtures. Mana Fine Arts is one of small number of professional handling services selected by Guernsey's Auction House to provide removal and shipping services. In addition to professional handlers, Mana Fine Arts representatives will be available to offer quotes to potential buyers for the cost of dismantling, packing, and shipping items of interest at the auction.But an Art Nouveau-style Tiffany glass hanging lamp sold for $16,000, topping the $5,000 to $10,000 estimate. And a vintage Wurlitzer juke box fetched $7,000, against a $4,000 to $10,000 estimate.Other items that bewitched visitors for decades include Baccarat and Waterford chandeliers, a mural depicting Central Park and a century-old chandelier made of green glass, said to have been owned by an Indian maharajah.“Tavern on the Green was a legendary New York City attraction and we are honored to be a selected art and antiques handler for this historic auction,” said Gene Lemay, president of Mana Fine Arts. “We are confident that Mana Fine Arts’ superior service will facilitate a smooth transaction for everyone involved.”Red flower cushion pounds 35 (www.marksandspencer.Mana Fine Arts is proud to be the primary art handling and storage company in the Tri-State Area. We utilize state-of-the-art technology in combination with our expert fine art specialists to ensure your priceless masterpieces are taken care of. This is the foundation which has established us as the fine arts storage facility for New York City’s museums, galleries, auction houses, Fortune 500 companies and private collectors. No collection is too big or small for Mana Fine Arts. We are one of the few professional art companies in the Tri-State Area that has received the prestigious AXA approval rating.Chrome three-ball touch lamp pounds 29.99 (www.argos.co.uk, 0845 640 2020)Proceeds from the 20,000 items auctioned by Guernsey's are going toward the restaurant's $8 million debt.About Mana Fine Arts:Cream patterned curtains from pounds 85 (www.lauraashley.com, 0871 230 2301)

The restaurant's most precious item -- its name -- is not on the block. The moneymaking words Tavern on the Green, valued at about $19 million, are in court. A federal judge is to decide whether Dean Poll, the restaurateur who is taking over the space, can call his new business Tavern on the Green.

Author: Verena Dobnik Associated Press