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July/Aug 2019 edition Issue #6 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine Michael Furman - Cover Photographer Written by Peter Bourassa Creating Speed! Tony Sikorski
An auspicious beginning at Ivy art school in Pittsburg, PA, followed by several jobs with prestigious art studios, led Tony to start his own graphic business in 1976, which by 1982 became a full-fledged studio with 9 employees. In 1992, he retired and closed up shop. At that time, he decided to rekindle his love of work with automotive art. Tony has always loved cars, and he knows about them. His sweet spot is the pre 1950s period, particularly the American and European Art Deco cars of the 1930s. When he finally retired from the business world, he went back to making his sculptures, and taking them to local shows. To his surprise, they sold quite well and that prompted him to expand his horizons and his offerings. Today as an AFAS member his work is displayed at Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, Hershey, and Cavallino. All prestigious motorsports venues.  His first works were done with corrugated cardboard and his finished pieces often looked like highly polished plastic. He has since moved on to wood and stainless steel. Tony says, “I like to make automotive art, that people just ‘gotta have’ when they see it. It immediately speaks to them, and they can’t walk away!  Some of Tony’s sculptures sell for as much as $3,500 and others, which he does for the kids that come to the shows he attends go for as little as $25. All of his work is “one-off” originals. His latest creations use actual license plates within the sculpture, like the one featured on this issue’s cover. He hunts down old license plates with patina and rust for character. If you have old license plates to donate – he’d love to have them.  If you want a customized license plate sculpture with your favorite plates or a particular name, color, phrase, etc., he can do that too, in either racing or touring version. Prices for customized pieces range from $1,500 to $3,500  No matter the cost, all of Tony Sikorski’s work has the weight of quality, and is highly prized by collectors of automobilia. Reach Tony at tonysikorski77@aol.com, 724-884-3782 in Pennsylvania, or go visit AutoArtGallery.com, to view more of his artwork, looking under AFAS Members. Peter Bourassa  To read more great columns like this one from Peter Bourassa and Michael Furman...
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 | Pictured is a 1940 Packard Darrin with the beautiful Lalique Eagle mascot. This Darrin was the featured car at the 2018 Elegance at Hershey, it was displayed prominently on the cover of their event program. It is also a part of Ralph Morano’s renowned American car collection, and he was the honored guest during the event. The Lalique Eagle mascot was quite popular for its commanding design and sturdy build. It was unlike other, more artistically graceful mascots, which suffered the unfortunate malody of being easy to snap off. Found often on stately cars of the time period such as Mercedes-Benz, the majestic Darrin however certainly did it justice! MF |
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Mar/Apr 2019 edition
Issue #4 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Michael Furman - Cover Photographer
Issue #4 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Michael Furman - Cover Photographer
| I went to Bonham’s auction at the Simeone Museum in October 2018 and bid on several different lots of automobilia. My only successful bid was on a lot of 8-10 books which held my interest. I felt very fortuitous to win this particular lot. I thought I had the Schlumpf Obsession already, but I didn’t and was most glad to get it. I also recommend you read Peter Bourassa’s column in this issue of AutoMobilia Resource for good insight into this favorite on pages 14-15. The Packard book was one I had been looking for. All were good treasures to increase my library and my knowledge of classic cars. Finding quick and easy answers on the internet can oftentimes be misleading and rarely explains the details needed for the project at hand. Books on the other hand.... |  AutoMobilia Resource Issue #4 March/April 2019 cover. |
I love books and find having paper bonded together to intelligently educate on any manner of subjects completely empowering to the reader. Most, if not every car guy has a library, which doubles as their office and a quiet place to do research on his or her latest project. There is nothing like a book. Solid and earthy smelling. Something of value you can hold in your hand and absorb, just like this magazine in your hands right now.
Michael Furman
Michael Furman
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Jan/Feb 2019 edition
Issue #3 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Michael Furman - Cover Photographer
Issue #3 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Michael Furman - Cover Photographer
 | As a young kid, I worked for my dad who had a number of delivery trucks kept in an old garage building. This was back in the 1960s, and typical for a situation like that, there were countless old automotive artifacts, from a 1953 girlie calendar to oil cans, rags, broken jacks and plenty of lighting fixtures without working bulbs. |
The thought of this damp, musty space causes memories to flood back – the smell of overflowed gas streaking down the sides of the gas pump, the slick spots on the floor – now is that coolant, oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid or black cherry soda – all reminding me of the wretched Econoline Van with the 3-on-the-tree, on which I learned to drive a manual shift.
There’s a can of Simoniz in some state of disrepair, but I’m sure it was never used on the Econoline. There were a number of 1-quart oil cans, most with their tops cut off – some filled with nuts and bolts, another filled with nails, and a few of them with the tops punctured, and some undetermined amount of undefined liquid in them.
  | It’s this trip down memory lane that drives a lot of collectors, most looking back to the days of their youth when we had less on our minds, and the future was filled with hope. God, I do miss those days! Not that I would swap them for today’s Porsche with the new PDK transmission. Or all of the racing videos I can watch on my phone, while sitting in a hospital waiting room to get another scan or blood test. But this is where Karen Shapiro comes in. Karen is a ceramicist who sees art in details most of us have looked at for years, but never properly acknowledged. Her work forces us to think about the shades of color, and the unique typefaces that an artist/designer 70 years ago labored over for days. All to elevate a message beyond the simple, “this is wax” or “this is oil”, to “this wax and this oil are special, a cut above the others, that will make your engine run better, and your charming MG-TD shine like new”, or whatever tagline the ad guys forced him to use. The client was concerned with selling wax or oil. The designer was concerned with producing a memorable design that made a strong first impression. Who knew that these pieces would be cherished today? LEFT: That small fuse in the bottom right is actual size. The large one is a beautiful ceramic piece of artwork by Karen Shapiro! Her scale is ginormous!!! |
Karen’s work is a poke in the eye. She glorifies the design of the original artist by magnifying it (in some instances by quite a lot) and forcing us to appreciate what was created on a can that sat on a shelf beside countless other cans, all of which silently screamed “look at ME!” The fact that each piece is instantly recognized is a measure of their success. Much of Karen’s work is made to order, if you have something unique and personal, send her a picture, maybe she can help you relive your youth. Prices vary. Many are in the $1,600 range, but most importantly, every piece is wonderful.
Karen Shapiro’s outsized ceramic versions are reminders of the detritus that still litters the aging walls and dirt floors of our memories. Her versions never really rust or leak, but they are reminders of the ones that did. All they require is a gentle dusting from time to time to remind us of old cars and old friends, when everything was simpler.
Thank-you, Karen.
Please visit WinfieldGallery.com to see more of Karen’s work.
Michael Furman
Karen Shapiro’s outsized ceramic versions are reminders of the detritus that still litters the aging walls and dirt floors of our memories. Her versions never really rust or leak, but they are reminders of the ones that did. All they require is a gentle dusting from time to time to remind us of old cars and old friends, when everything was simpler.
Thank-you, Karen.
Please visit WinfieldGallery.com to see more of Karen’s work.
Michael Furman
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Nov/Dec 2018 edition
Issue #2 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Michael Furman - Cover Photographer
Issue #2 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Michael Furman - Cover Photographer
 | Tis the season. Our Nov/Dec 2018 cover is a depiction of just a few of the things we would like to give or get for the Holidays. Whether it is a beauteous pin-up girl tin sign reproduction for your garage walls, or a great classic automotive book. Whether a tie or a scarf for your loved one or yourself. Even a small piece of a Bugatti to satisfy that craving for the king of all classic cars. Each gift is personal, unique and collectible. Enjoy the holiday season, and see you in 2019! |
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Sept/Oct 2018 edition
Issue #1 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Michael Furman - Cover Photographer
Issue #1 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Michael Furman - Cover Photographer
 | The Hispano Suiza Stork is one of the most well-known mascots in the automotive world. Designed by Frederick Bazin to honor France’s renowned WWI flying ace George Guynemere. Hispano was involved in wartime aviation engineering, and the company adopted The Stork as being representative of France’s aerial successes. This example was photographed on one of the beautiful Hispano-Suiza cars within the Mullin Automotive Museum’s famed collection in Oxnard, CA. MF |
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Michael Furman
About the Cover
World-renowned automotive photographer and owner of Coachbuilt Press Publishing - specializing in quality European classic car books.
Michael@michaelfurman.com
CoachbuiltPress.com
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