BY HILLARY VIDERS
SPECIAL TO NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—Looking at Jewel Spiegel, you would never guess that she is in her 80s. Her radiant smile, upbeat personality and her popular framing store have been cornerstones in Englewood for 54 years.
In December 2018, Spiegel officially retired from the framing business, a craft that she had enjoyed since childhood, and now her 4,000-square-foot two-level store at 30 North Dean St. in Englewood is for rent.
But, until that space is fully leased, Spiegel decided to move her 10,000 plus antique prints, drawings, paintings and posters to the first floor and create an art gallery.
“My father, M.G. Hecht, was an avid collector of books and prints,” Spiegel said. “He had two huge homes in White Sulphur Springs, New York, one of which was used just to house his art acquisitions. When he passed away, I moved most of them to Englewood.”
That treasure trove includes antique prints dating from the 18th century, some quite rare. Additions to the collection by Spiegel include dozens of original etchings by Al Hirschfeld. Hirschfeld’s celebrity caricatures were featured in the theater section of The New York Times. Hirschfeld began his work in 1929.
The roster of artists also includes original drawings by Charles Dana Gibson, etchings by Clifford Addams, realist figurative oil paintings by Duffy Sheridan, paintings in the Flemish style, gouaches and fashion prints by Janet Spiegel and hundreds of others.
As Spiegel continues to curate the prints and ready them for sale, her customers have been visiting and making purchases. They are quite taken by the enormity, variety and quality of the collection. It’s like being in an old-time antique print shop.
When asked how this new career came about, Spiegel says, “I always loved antique prints and this is a continuation of playing with them as I did as a child. Although I’ve sold many prints and paintings in the past, now it can take center stage.”
Spiegel expects to be fully operational by March and she is looking forward to having her longtime customers browse the collection as well as welcoming new folks.
Unlike most octogenarians, Spiegel views her late-in-life journey as exciting.
“It is inspiring and so interesting, because as I look at the art, I am viewing history,” she said.
Spiegel welcomes people to stop by and she can be contacted at (201) 871-3577 or jewelspiegelgallery[at]gmail.com.