Dali 40s Tie...."Sonic Web"....How To Research?

[dorotheascloset]

Hey hey! I don't get over here as often as I'd like, but with opening a vintage store here in town I'm getting more mens vintage and may have to ask more questions now & then, if you all don't mind. I am hoping someone can steer me to a good way to research this tie. Its silk, 40s, Dali, marked on back "SONIC WEB". The print has spiders, webs....Dali imagery I can't quite describe, so will show you. No maker label. I looked at closed listings on eBay, don't see this one. Looked on google for this one, nope. Looked at American Vintage (I think...), great tie selection, one Dali but again, not this one. I'd love to research it a bit before doing anything with it....can you all suggest a good place to look, someone to ask, any thoughts? I appreciate it very much, thanks! Ang

 

[Quigley Brown]

One thing I can tell you is that 1940s Dali ties are highly sought after. Dali was quite the salesman and promoter (as well as the world's best surrealist artist). He wanted his name everywhere and make lots of money at the same time. Sorry I don't have much detailed info on this tie only that of all the different designs I've seen (I own two) I never seen this one. It should fetch you a good price.

 

[CharlieH.]

All I can say is..... WOW!

 

[dorotheascloset]

Thanks! It is pretty wonderful. It has a couple very light spots which I will leave up to a collector to deal with, I'm afraid my cleaner won't be able to press this back to the correct width (though I could make a cardboard template to take in with it for him to use....hmmmm...). Anyway, if anyone has ANY specifics on this piece, I'd love to hear it! I'm coming up blank everywhere I look, even for the original piece its based on! Thank you so much. Ang

 

[Orgetorix]

Depending on how much it's worth to you, Tie Crafters in New York may be able to help with the cleaning and pressing.

 

[dorotheascloset]

Thanks, I've bookmarked the site. If I could get a handle on what this could go for I'd be able to determine what I can spend! Just nothing to go by on it, which is par for the course any more w/ vintage. I will contact them, at least, to see. Thank you! Ang

 

[Quigley Brown]

I don't think the ties were based on any of his paintings.

 

[CharlieH.]

I don't think the ties were based on any of his paintings.

Some of them have his recurring elements - crutches and soft watches. And I also saw a tie featuring his Lobsterphone sculpture.

 

[dorotheascloset]

A friend on another board found this for me, from the book "Fit to be Tied"....""A regular Gone With The Wind of the tie business, meaning a runaway seller, was a series of tie designs created by Salvador Dali. There were some problems for tie manufacturer James Lehrer: "Frankly, we had to clean them up a great deal. Bass fiddles with girls crawling out of them, skeletons with pools of blood, may be fine art, but they are not exactly the stuff from which ties are made". Dali did not approve of these revisions."

So at least SOME were based on paintings. Another seller I asked said she sold one a few years ago & managed to find the painting it was taken from, which is a plus I suppose to be able to share with a collector. I would love to see what this one came from........I'm searching an online gallery right now. I just like to get as much background about something as I can....for me, for a buyer, whoever it benefits! Of for nothing else to appease my curiosity about it!

I'll let you guys know if I do find it! Thanks....Ang

 

[scotrace]

This guy should know

About halfway down the page on the right.

 

[dorotheascloset]

Thank you thank you!!!! I will email Richard Arutunian right now. I appreciate that link! Ang

 

[Lee Lynch]

This is SO cool! Dali had his hands into so many different projects, nothing surprises me about him, lol.

Not only did he do a colossal number of paintings, he also did thousands of multi-media art pieces, sculptures, and writings. It is very true to form that the tie-maker was aghast at the imagery, and just as consistent that Dali disapproved of the revisions, lol. I would not be surprised if he disavowed the collection altogether, as he was very particular which elements had to be present in anything he did.

I recall reading about his experience with the World Fair in which he was asked to come up with something. He proposed a giant glass statue of Venus with scuba divers swimming around inside, and they refused it. Dali was enraged at the expense of his time, and ever after demanded a sizable consultation fee...

 

[CharlieH.]

I recall reading about his experience with the World Fair in which he was asked to come up with something. He proposed a giant glass statue of Venus with scuba divers swimming around inside, and they refused it. Dali was enraged at the expense of his time, and ever after demanded a sizable consultation fee...

At least he got away with something:

 

[Quigley Brown]

...as for having his hands in so many projects... I recently found at the Goodwill a Jackie Gleason orchestra LP 'Lonesome Echo' with the cover designed by Dali. I think it was made in 1955. What a collaboration...Gleason and Dali. On the back is a photo of the pair shaking hands.

 

[CharlieH.]

That reminds me of yet another Dali treasure I saw on eBay many moons ago:

I know this is somewhat off-topic, but when you're talking Dali, it's impossible to focus only on the ties!

 

[Lee Lynch]

Very good examples! If you ever get your hands on Les Diners de Gala, his cookbook, you will know you have a real treat. Hundreds of drawings not seen anywhere else, and the recipes look good. It's not that rare, and runs about $200 unsigned, $300 signed first addition from what I've seen.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

"The spider is one of the painter's good fairies,...

...and its Ariadne thread will guide you at every moment in the menace filled labyrinth of your studio."

This is what is depicted on your tie.

From Dali's book entitled "50 Secrets of Magic Craftmanship", in which he gives a lengthy description of the "aranarium", a sort of terrarium to house a spider. He wrote that a great painter must have no less than 5 aranariums to line up and look through,...uhm,to make a long story short, to get a sort of psychedelic vision.
Hmmm,... after reading this I think I'll construct my own 5 aranariums,...

 

[dorotheascloset]

Fantastic!!!!! Thank you SO SO much, I cannot believe someone found that so fast.....you guys are fantastic. I am ever grateful! Ang

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Here we see the aranarium in use.

Looks like it's do-able.

 

[dorotheascloset]

Thanks again, that clarifies what the other object on the tie is! And may inspire nightmares in me, fear of spiders and all. Its still fascinating. Thank you so much! Angela