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 July, 2020 | 51 Items | September, 2020  |
| | EXTREMELY RARE AND IMPORTANT FOUR-GALLON DOUBLE-HANDLED STONEWARE JUG WITH ALKALINE GLAZE, Incised "Lm / August 31. 1852 / Dave," David Drake at Lewis Miles's Stony Bluff Manufactory, Horse Creek Valley, Edgefield District, SC, 1852, highly-ovoid jug with distinctive tooled spout and two applied strap handles, the surface covered in an attractive, light-green alkaline glaze. Front of jug deeply-incised diagonally with the inscription, "Lm / August 31. 1852 / Dave." Reverse shoulder incised with a horseshoe and slash mark above four punctates. Featuring an expressive two-handled form, high-gloss green glaze, and large signature, this work is among the finest Dave stoneware pieces to come to auction in the past decade. The glaze includes heavy runs to the shoulder, suggesting this piece was doubly-dipped or that additional glaze was poured over the top of the jug after it was initially coated. This vessel exudes character, featuring a highly-bulbous shape with an outstanding 42" circumference around the midsection. The double-handled jug form is among the rarest and most desirable Edgefield stoneware forms produced with any regularity. An example of a double-handled jug from any of the Edgefield potteries is a noteworthy object in any collection. Dave's surviving oeuvre indicates he rarely produced this form. At the time of publication of the Ceramics in American 2006 article by Arthur Goldberg and James Witkowski, "Beneath His Magic Touch: The Dated Vessels of the African-American Slave Potter Dave," 169 dated Dave vessels were documented. Only ten of these were double-handled jugs. Additionally, this is a form that is typically found with moderate to significant damage to the spout and/or handle(s). The fact that this work survives with its original spout and both handles intact is noteworthy. Our Summer 2020 auction offers a rare opportunity to acquire an example of signed Dave stoneware in an elusive and highly-sculptural form, surviving in exemplary condition. Literature: Illustrated in Goldberg and Witkowski, "Beneath His Magic Touch: The Dated Vessels of the African-American Enslaved Potter Dave," Ceramics in America 2006, fig. 31. A spider crack to left side of jug's front, with a thin line extending horizontally to the right, across the jug's front and a second line extending onto the reverse and terminating there. Minor spout and base chips. A minuscule nick to one handle. H 16”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $50,000-70,000 Price Realized: $60,000 |
| | IMPORTANT AND VERY RARE THREE-GALLON ALKALINE-GLAZED STONEWARE JUG, Signed "Lm / Aug 17. 1852 / Dave," David Drake at Lewis Mile's Stony Bluff Manufactory, Horse Creek Valley, Edgefield District, SC, 1852, highly-ovoid jug with distinctive tooled spout and applied strap handle, decorated with an opaque, gray-green alkaline glaze, streaked over a reddish-brown ground. Incised diagonally in large letters with the inscription, "Lm / Aug 17. 1852 / Dave." Three punctates and a horseshoe with slash mark appear on the shoulder. This jug features a wonderful, highly-ovoid form characteristic of Dave's best jugs. Its attractive, high-gloss glaze is applied throughout with different levels of concentration, creating variation in color and surface texture. In heavier applied areas, the glaze is raised and drippy, with whitish tones. In its more lightly-applied areas, it appears almost as a clear glaze, with the vessel's base clay revealed. This aesthetic is prized in Dave's work. Several of his fingerprints are visible at the base of the jug, created when the vessel was glazed. Dave stoneware jugs are significantly rarer than his jar forms, and, when found, typically have damage to the spout and/or handle, often significant. With only a spout chip to speak of, the exceptional condition of this jug sets it apart from other Dave examples. This detail, coupled with the jug's large signature and fine glaze, rank it among the best examples of the form by Dave to come to auction in years. Remarkably, it was made exactly two weeks before the Dave double-handled jug in this auction. Provenance: A recently-surfaced example, purchased by the consignor in the 1990s. Previously descended in a family from an old community in the Savannah, Georgia, area known as Sand Fly, where a number of Edgefield pieces have been discovered. Our Summer auction will mark the first time this jug has been offered publicly in 168 years. Rarely-found, excellent condition with a 1" chip to side of spout. H 15.25”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $30,000-50,000 Price Realized: $80,000 |
| | OUTSTANDING SIX-GALLON ALKALINE-GLAZED STONEWARE JAR, with Rutile Decoration, Incised "Lm / Feb 2. 1852," Dave at Lewis Miles' Stony Bluff Manufactory, Horse Creek Valley, Edgefield District, SC, 1852, rotund form with semi-rounded rim and arched lug handles, decorated with an olive-green alkaline glaze featuring streaks of white-and-blue rutile to the shoulder and handles. Reverse includes dramatic whitish alkaline glaze runs to the base area. Incised on the front with the date, "Feb 2. 1852," and on the reverse with the initials, "Lm," beside Dave's distinctive horseshoe and six punctates, denoting six gallons. Dave's fingerprints are visible at the base. Featuring an impressive, spherical form and unusual placement of the date and initials on opposing sides, this jar is one of a small number of Dave pieces known with rutile (titanium dioxide) decoration. Provenance: Previously discovered underneath a house in Georgia. Very nice condition with a 1.5" chip to one handle, a minor chip to opposite handle, and a minor in-the-firing ping to shoulder. H 13.5”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $20,000-30,000 Price Realized: $23,000 |
| FINE ALKALINE-GLAZED STONEWARE JAR, with Iron Slip Decoration, attributed to Thomas Chandler at the Trapp & Chandler Pottery, Edgefield District, SC, circa 1848-1850, highly-ovoid jar with semi-rounded rim and large tab handles, decorated in iron slip with slip-trailed drape and looping line motifs over a light-green ground. Additional looping line decoration under each handle. A beautifully-glazed example, surviving in a remarkable state of preservation, uncommon to Edgefield stoneware. Excellent, essentially as-made condition with a minuscule nick to reverse of one handle, possibly in-the-firing. H 15”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $2,000-3,000 Price Realized: $4,750 | |
| RARE COPPER-GLAZED REDWARE FISH BOTTLE, Salem, NC origin, circa 1801-1829, diminutive flask molded in the form of a detailed fish with large eyes, fins, and elaborate scales, the animal's open mouth forming the vessel's spout. Surface covered in a brilliant green lead-and-copper glaze. Outstanding size and excellent color. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, from a long-term Florida collection. Literature: In her Ceramics in America 2009 article, "Tradition and Adaptation in Moravian Press-Molded Earthenware," Johanna Brown states that fish bottles were produced in Salem in four sizes. This bottle is the second smallest size. A chip to dorsal fin. A minor chip to spout. Other minor wear. L 5”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $6,000-10,000 Price Realized: $16,000 | |
| EXTREMELY RARE MORAVIAN REDWARE BOWL, with Three-Color Glaze, NC origin, Salem, Bethabara, or Mount Shepherd Potteries, late 18th or early 19th century, deep bowl with rounded sides and flattened rim, the interior coated in yellowish slip, decorated in copper and manganese with large sponged crosses, and covered in a clear lead glaze. A band of manganese sponging additionally decorates the interior of the rim. The distinctive glaze treatment on this bowl was modeled after "tortoiseshell ware" popularized by English potter, Thomas Whieldon. While characteristic of redware made in Salem and Bethabara, Forsyth County, NC, this bowl is also closely-related to pieces excavated at the site of Bethabara-trained Philip Jacob Meyer, who had been banished from the Moravian community and established his own pottery at Mount Shepherd in Randolph County, NC. Meyer's Mount Shepherd pottery ran from 1793 to 1800. As the relatively small number of surviving NC redware pieces are found in damaged condition, this bowl's remarkable state of preservation is noteworthy. Provenance: A recently-discovered example. Exceptional, excellent condition with a faint 1.125" line from rim, a 1.5" scratch to interior shoulder, and some extremely minor wear to interior. Diam. 12.25" ; H 3.5”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $2,000-4,000 Price Realized: $9,000 | |
| EXCEEDINGLY RARE AND IMPORTANT STONEWARE FACE HARVEST JUG, Northeastern U.S. or Ohio origin, circa 1830-1860, ovoid form on stepped pedestal base with applied, tubular pouring spout, the front decorated with a hand-modeled and applied clay face including eyes with applied and incised pupils, forehead, nose with carved nostrils, slightly-open mouth with incised teeth, broad chin, realistic ears, and extruded clay "coleslaw" forming the figure's eyebrows, sideburns, and elaborate hair. Featuring a solemn expression with life-like features, this face jug is among the most engaging renderings of an African-American known in utilitarian American ceramics. Possibly made to commemorate a famous figure of the 19th century, this jug may be akin to the Medford, Massachusetts, Toussaint LOuverture portrait pitcher, with similar moral implications, as it runs entirely counter to the caricaturized themes often seen in African-American-themed folk art of the 19th century. The jug's dramatic stepped base, ovoid form, and elongated pouring spout, indicate a master of both modeling and potting. A noticeable smell from the interior indicates it was used to hold molasses. Among the earliest representations of an African-American in American-made ceramics. Restoration to bottom edge of pedestal base. Restoration to tops of ears. Chipping to teeth. Minor nicks to one eye. Some expected chipping to hair. H 11.5". Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $8,000-12,000 Price Realized: $4,250 | |
| IMPORTANT AND POSSIBLY UNIQUE THREE-GALLON STONEWARE JAR, with Exuberant Slip-Trailed Cobalt Floral and Chainlink Decoration, Stamped "B.C. MILBURN / ALEXA," Alexandria, VA origin, circa 1850, exquisitely-potted, ovoid jar with flared collar, heavily-tooled shoulder and rim, and dramatic stepped foot, the shoulder fitted with highly unusual, oversized handles with deep circular impressions at the terminals. Jar is lavishly-decorated on the front with a slip-trailed vine extending from handle to handle, featuring elongated tulip blossoms and graduated, fern-shaped leaf designs. Reverse decorated with three large tulips extending between the handles. Large chainlink decoration around the shoulder on the front and reverse. Collar decorated with additional chainlinks in a draped pattern. Handle terminals surrounded with highly unusual, scalloped slip-trailed circles. Impressed under one handle, "B.C. MILBURN / ALEXA", below a three-gallon capacity mark. Eddie L. Wilder, in his book, Alexandria, Virginia Pottery 1792-1876, states the following about this jar's decoration: "The slip-trailed artwork on this jar is absolutely the finest ever seen by the author on any Alexandria pottery" (Wilder, p. 266). This outstanding jar is exceptional in both form and decoration, featuring exemplary potting, coupled with profuse and deftly-applied slip-trailed decoration. Among the numerous signed B.C. Milburn jars known, this example is believed to be his masterpiece of the form. A tour-de-force of potting and decorating skill from one of Virginia's most celebrated potters. Literature: Pictured and discussed on p. 266 of Eddie L. Wilder, Alexandria, Virginia Pottery 1792-1876. Provenance: A private Southern collector; Crocker Farm, Inc., Nov. 2, 2013. Two chips to very bottom of foot, measuring 1.5" and 1.25". An unobtrusive salt drip to end of one handle. A minor nick to end of opposite handle. H 12.5”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $8,000-10,000 Price Realized: $11,000 | |
| EXTREMELY RARE ONE-GALLON COBALT DECORATED STONEWARE JAR, Stamped "H.R. MARSHALL.," Hugh Robbins Marshall, Baltimore, MD origin, circa 1822, ovoid jar with heavily-footed base, semi-rounded rim, and applied tab handles, decorated with a brushed cobalt stripe below the maker's mark, a cobalt stripe at shoulder on reverse, and cobalt running completely around the handles. Hugh R. Marshall learned the potter's trade in Baltimore from Thomas Morgan and briefly conducted his own pottery on Liberty Street circa 1822. During this time, it is likely that Marshall was operating at the shop of William Amoss, while Amoss was in Richmond, Virginia tending to the estate of his deceased brother, the Baltimore and Richmond potter, Thomas Amoss. Marshall was later associated with Elisha Parr's pottery on Pitt Street. Among the rarest Southern or Mid-Atlantic maker's marks that we are aware of, with roughly five intact pieces bearing this stamp known. Marshall has gained notoriety in recent years with the discovery of a pottery he established in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1831. This site, which was also occupied by the Cornwall, NY-trained potter, Francis Hamilton Bell, yielded sherds bearing the stamp, "H.R. MARSHALL / Fred'g, Va." Additionally, later sherds excavated at the Rockbridge Baths Pottery in Rockbridge County, Virginia bearing the incised inscription, "Hugh Marshall / Factor" and "Hugh Marshall / Manufactor" indicate his involvement in a third operation. An important example of Baltimore stoneware with strong connections to Virginia stoneware schools. Provenance: Illustrated and discussed in Kille, "Distinguishing Marks and Flowering Designs: Baltimore's Utilitarian Stoneware Industry," Ceramics in America 2005, pp. 98, 103, figs. 7-10. A small surface chip to front and reverse. A 1.625" flake to underside. Small base chips. Surface crazing to underside, not visible on underside. A tiny chip to reverse of one handle. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $1,000-2,000 Price Realized: $6,000 | |
| EXCEEDINGLY RARE AND IMPORTANT ANNA POTTERY STONEWARE TEMPERANCE JUG, attributed to Wallace and Cornwall Kirkpatrick, Anna, IL, circa 1862, ovoid jug with tall neck, squared spout, and profuse cross-hatched incising to surface, decorated with hand-modeled and molded figural motifs throughout. Three hand-modeled snakes decorate the vessel, one in the form of the handle, extending through the neck of the jug and attempting to devour a man whose head, arms, and legs protrude through the body of the vessel. A second snake extends through the neck of the jug, coiling itself around the larger snake handle and peering beside the spout of the jug, its gaping mouth bearing incised teeth. A third snake extends through the base of the jug and exits on the jug's opposite side, curving around the bottom of the snake handle. Two small frogs with ball-shaped eyes are seated atop and beside two of the snakes. The tortured figure of a man, also hand-modeled, features life-like sculpting rarely seen in American stoneware, including an open mouth with teeth and protruding tongue. A second tortured man, encased even deeper inside the jug so that only his face is exposed, appears to the right. Two applied figures appear on the opposite side of the jug, one with his head and right arm plunged within the jug and his left arm bracing his body against the wall of the jug. The second figure has ventured further, with his entire torso hidden. Both figures feature fine sculpting, including incised seam lines and wrinkles to the upper figure's coat and pants, and incised seam lines and buttons to the coat of the second figure. Dominating most of one side of the jug is a molded and applied design of a bearded man in classical dress attacked by two rampant lions. This image, known among scholars as the Daniel-in-the-Lion's-Den motif, is one of the more recognizable in American utilitarian pottery. It appears on a cooler designed by English mold maker, Charles Coxon, for the Edwin and William Bennett Pottery of Baltimore, Maryland from the mid 19th century. The design was later used on Bell family redware from Waynesboro, Pennsylvania and Strasburg, Virginia, indicating the molds had been purchased from the Bennetts or copied from an existing piece. It has also been documented on a stoneware water cooler made by Justus Morton in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, during the mid 19th century, an American-trained potter who had previously worked in Baltimore, Maryland, and Lyons, New York. The detail of the molding of this design greatly surpasses that seen on its Bell and Morton counterparts, and even includes hand-incised embellishments. Other molded and applied designs include Diana the huntress with stag, a siren in classical dress with lyre, and the bust of an English Toby smoking a pipe and holding a cup. The latter two motifs are also depicted on the aforementioned Morton cooler, suggesting some connection between Morton and the Kirkpatrick brothers. The jug's rare, original stopper, typically lost on Anna examples, is sculpted in the form of a goateed man's head. Pairing hand-modeled snakes, frogs, and human figures with allegorical, molded designs, this temperance jug teems with vitality and emotion. Its high-relief figural motifs set against a dramatically-incised surface create a highly-tactile and complex work. The Kirkpatricks' preoccupation with detail is evidenced in this tedious cross-hatching, the incised accents added to the molded decoration, the heavily-impressed scales of the snakes, and the lifelike sculpting of the tortured figures. The style of the snakes and frogs relate this jug to two signed Anna Pottery temperance jugs: the famous "Camp DuBois /1862" temperance jug depicting a Civil War saloon brawl as well as a second temperance jug with Civil War soldier and molded designs, sold as lot 19 in Crocker Farm's March 1, 2014 auction. Both are particularly early works, indicating this jug was made during the same period. The temperance jugs of Wallace and Cornwall Kirkpatrick are regarded among the most iconic and visually-striking works in all of American-made ceramics. The idea that such creations were part-utilitarian and made by stoneware potters without academic training is truly remarkable. As with face jugs by various Southern, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwestern potters and the works of the enslaved potter Dave, the Kirkpatricks' temperance jugs truly transcend the medium. The discovery of a previously-undocumented example of this form is noteworthy as most have either been photographed in publications or catalogued in museum collections. Our Summer 2020 auction offers the rare opportunity to acquire a Kirkpatrick temperance jug that has, until now, been unknown to the greater community of Anna Pottery collectors and scholars. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, which surfaced in California in the early 1980s and acquired by the consignor at that time. Strong condition for a form that is often found with significant damage. Loss to snout of one snake. Chips to one sculpted figure's nose. Small spout chips. Loss to coattails and large chip to left foot of one sculpted figure. A chip to right foot of other figure below. Other minor chips. Chips to stopper. H (excluding stopper) 12”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $25,000-35,000 Price Realized: $60,000 | |
| MONUMENTAL COBALT-DECORATED STONEWARE URN, with Chicken Pecking Corn, Bird, and Foliate Motifs, attributed to New York Stoneware Co., Fort Edward, NY, circa 1875, skillfully-potted, ovoid form with flared rim, applied ring handles, and concave molding to midsection, seated atop a narrow pedestal base with flared and tooled foot. Decorated around the belly of the urn with two slip-trailed chicken pecking corn designs and two bird-on-leaf designs, both signature motifs from the New York Stoneware Company of Fort Edward, NY. Top of urn decorated with a brushed foliate spray, also typical of this manufactory, on the front and reverse. The urn's impressive ring handles are flanked by slip-trailed wreath decorations and include additional wreaths on the rings themselves. The cooler's base features dramatic slip-trailed leaves and banding around the foot and a bird-on-leaf and foliate motifs to the midsection. Standing thirty-four inches tall, it ranks among the tallest examples of American stoneware that we have ever offered. The urn itself was thrown in two sections and joined. The base was thrown and fired separately. Four incised slash marks on the bottom of the urn and interior of the pedestal indicate at least four sets of urns with corresponding bases were made at the time. This set is believed to be the only survivor. A masterwork of both form and decoration, it is among the greatest examples of 19th century American stoneware intended for outdoor use. Molding at base of urn itself with large loss and chipping. Heavy chipping around top of pedestal, mostly concealed when the urn is placed on it. A few cracks descending from rim to shoulder of urn. A 2.75" x 2.25" flake to interior of rim, creating a small hole visible above one handle. Other lesser chipping to interior and top of rim. A 2.5" Y-shaped line to belly of urn. Some spots of fry to cobalt. H 34". Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $10,000-15,000 Price Realized: $35,000 | |
| FINE TWO-GALLON STONEWARE JUG, with Cobalt Reclining Deer Scene, Stamped "J. & E. NORTON / BENNINGTON, VT.," circa 1855, cylindrical jug with tapered spout, decorated with a slip-trailed design of a reclining deer with turned head, perched on a hill between two split-rail fences and two pine trees. Cobalt highlights to maker's mark. Featuring one of the most famous designs in all of American stoneware, this jug survives in exceptional condition with a large and crisp rendering of the motif. Excellent condition with minor base and spout chips and a tiny nick to front. H 14.125”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $8,000-12,000 Price Realized: $21,000 | |
| VERY RARE FOUR-GALLON STONEWARE CHURN, with Cobalt Double-Pheasant Decoration, Stamped "J. &. E. NORTON / BENNINGTON, VT.," circa 1855, ovoid churn with tooled shoulder, flared collar, and applied lug handles, decorated with a slip-trailed design of crossed pheasants with turned heads and elaborate tails, perched on the branches of a tree stump. Cobalt highlights to maker's mark and capacity mark. An iconic and highly-artistic design, the Norton double-pheasant motif was possibly the most difficult of this pottery's designs to execute, as it required an almost mirror-image symmetry to create the opposing birds. The decoration on this example covers much of the vessel's front, spanning approximately 11" x 7", and is executed in bold, Bennington cobalt slip against a light clay background. The piece's desirable churn form beautifully presents its striking, vertically-oriented image. Various tight lines to surface. A thin, 2.75" crack from rim on side of churn. A 2" in-the-firing line on interior of rim, not visible on exterior. A .75” in-the-firing iron ping to reverse and a .325” iron ping to left side of churn's front. A small chip and light wear to interior of rim. Three tiny nicks to inner rim for lid. H 17.25”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $4,000-6,000 Price Realized: $17,000 | |
| | EXCEEDINGLY RARE AND IMPORTANT SIX-GALLON STONEWARE PRESENTATION JAR, with Cobalt Floral Decoration and 1874 Dates, Incised on Underside "January th / 1 1874 / Made by Solomon Bell / for Tillie Bell / Waynesboro, Pa," Stamped "JOHN BELL / WAYNESBORO'," 1874, large-sized, ovoid jar with squared rim and extruded lug handles, the surface dipped in a whitish slip and decorated on the front and reverse with an elaborate brushed design of three tulips with long, spotted stamens emanating from a leafy stem. Further decorated above with a sinuous vine with graduated leaves. Dated "1874" below each handle. Cobalt highlights to handle terminals. Incised on underside in fine script, "January the / 1 1874 / Made by Solomon Bell / for Tillie Bell / Waynesboro / Pa." Both sides of the jar include a brushed cobalt "T," one in block script and the other in cursive, for the jar's owner, Tillie Bell. John Bell's maker's mark is impressed under one handle, below a hand-incised "6." The jar includes its original tulip-decorated lid, also impressed with John Bell maker's mark on the underside. Few examples of American stoneware tell a story as this jar does. It was made by Strasburg, Virginia, potter Solomon Bell on New Year's Day 1874 while visiting his brother, John, in Waynesboro. He inscribed the piece as a gift for his niece, Tillie Bell, the youngest daughter of John and Mary Elizabeth Bell to survive into adulthood. As an acknowledgement of the pottery where it was made, Solomon has stamped the jar with his brother's maker's mark. Born on January 14, 1838, Matilda Catharine "Tillie" Bell lived her whole life in the family home on the southwest corner of West Main Street, near her father's shop. Like her father, she taught Sunday school at the local Lutheran church. A published pastel-on-paper portrait of John Bell, now in the collection of the Renfrew Museum in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, was sketched by her. As Tillie’s birthday was less than two weeks after the jar’s date, the piece may have been made as a birthday present from her Uncle Solomon. A comparison of Solomon Bell's signature on his few surviving hand-signed works with that on this jar confirms that this piece was inscribed by him, as opposed to another potter at the shop. Bearing the signature of Solomon Bell and stamp of John Bell, this jar stands as an important collaboration between the Shenandoah Valley region's two most famous potters. It is one of only two examples of pottery known bearing the name of both brothers, the other being a two-gallon jar with simpler decoration, made on the same day by Solomon for a second niece, Annie Bell, currently on display at the Renfrew Museum in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. Potted in an ovoid form with heavy, squared rim, the jar in this auction stylistically relates to those produced by Solomon during his formative years in Winchester and first two decades in Strasburg. The jar's decoration is outstanding, featuring a desirable long-petaled variant of John Bell's classic spotted tulip motif, as well as highly unusual vining above. The contrast of the cobalt against the whitish, slip-coated ground is among the best that we have seen on an example of stoneware produced by any member of the Bell family. Additionally, measuring six gallons in capacity, this jar presents itself as an impressive, standalone object. Circa 1840, as a twenty-three year old, Solomon spent time working with John in Waynesboro, a period when a number of plaster pottery molds were made. Some were brought back with Solomon to the pottery of his father, Peter Bell, in Winchester, where he was employed at the time and mastering his craft. One surviving mold bears the inscription, "Solomon Bell / Waynesboro." This jar, made at his brother's now-thriving shop thirty-four years later, is a testament to the Bell brothers' life-long dedication to the potter's craft. Solomon Bell is regarded as the definitive figure of the Shenandoah Valley style. From his birth in 1817 until his death in 1882, he witnessed and participated in the shift of Valley pottery production from small redware shops in Hagerstown to the larger operations of Strasburg, which supplied the greater area with a wide variety of wheel-thrown and molded stoneware and redware. He is credited with producing one of the great American folk sculptures, the large redware figure of a lion, which has become a symbol of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts and is also displayed on the cover of H.E. Comstock's authoritative book, The Pottery of the Shenandoah Valley Region. Other masterworks include a stoneware water cooler with profuse applied, brushed, and stamped decoration, which has resided in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art since the early 20th century, and a pedestal-based redware water cooler with Daniel-in-the-Lions-Den motif owned by the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, Virginia. Only a very small number of pieces made by or attributed to Solomon Bell include a hand-incised inscription. Among these are a few molded redware whippets and spaniels and a cobalt-decorated stoneware trivet that bear the potter's name and/or date. This jar is noteworthy as one of the most heavily-inscribed pieces made by this legendary Southern potter. Combining rich family history, grand size, and strong decorative appeal, this work is easily regarded as one of the most important examples of Bell family stoneware known. Literature: For more information on this jar, see Kille, "Bell Family Presentation Jar," Ceramics in America 2005. Jar in excellent condition with a 2.5" line from rim and a tiny nick to interior of rim. Lid with chips and two short surface lines from edge, not visible on underside and likely in-the-firing. The jar’s remarkable condition suggests it was a treasured heirloom within the Bell family. H (including lid) 17". Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $20,000-30,000 Price Realized: $30,000 |
| EXTREMELY RARE GLAZED REDWARE PIG FLASK, attributed to Daniel or Joseph Henne, Bern Township, Berks County, PA, circa 1830-1860, wheel-thrown form with hole at rear, elongated snout, and applied lop ears, tail, and legs with carved hooves, the surface profusely-decorated with combed incising. Impressed elliptical eyes and incised details to snout. Surface decorated with manganese and covered in a clear lead glaze. Of the few known Henne pig flasks, it is the only example that we have seen modeled in the form of a sow. The remainder known to us are male. Dating circa 1830 to 1860, it is among the earliest representations of a pig as a drinking vessel in American utilitarian pottery. The visual appeal of this form led a related flask to be chosen as the centerfold in the iconic book, American Radiance, which highlighted American folk art from the collection of Ralph Esmerian donated to the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. Literature: For a closely-related example, see Hollander, American Radiance: The Ralph Esmerian Gift to the American Folk Art Museum, fig. 114, p. 150. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, which surfaced several years ago in Pennsylvania. Excellent condition. A large chip to side of snout. In-the-firing chips to underside of three legs. A glazed-over, in-the-firing line to one leg. Lead-glazed surface survives in immaculate condition with a brilliant, "like-new" luster. L 10.5”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $5,000-8,000 Price Realized: $7,000 | |
| EXTREMELY RARE AND IMPORTANT COBALT-DECORATED STONEWARE OYSTER JAR, Stamped "T. DOWNING / PICKLED OYSTERS / NO*5 BROAD ST / NEW YORK," probably Dennis McLees or Thomas Boone and Sons, Brooklyn, NY, circa 1840, cylindrical jar with tapered shoulder and tall, narrow collar, decorated with a large brushed-cobalt highlight over the advertising, "T. DOWNING / PICKLED OYSTERS / NO*5 BROAD ST / NEW YORK". Albany-slip-glazed interior. Thomas Downing (1791-1866) was a prominent African-American oysterman and owner of the most well-known oyster house in 19th century New York City. Downing had grown up as a free black in Accomack County, VA, where he learned the trade of oysterman. His parents were slaves to a prominent land owner in that county, Captain John Downing, who freed them upon his conversion to Methodism. As a young man, Downing traveled north to serve during the War of 1812, meeting his wife in Philadelphia, and ultimately arrived in New York in 1819. Upon his arrival in New York, he purchased a boat and began oystering, eventually establishing Downing's Oyster House in 1825, a famous restaurant on the corner of Wall and Broad Streets that catered to the local elite. In 1842, Downing was responsible for providing food, including 50,000 oysters, for a well-known ball celebrating the arrival of British author, Charles Dickens. His oysters were shipped as far as London and Paris, presumably in jars of this type, and he was even gifted a gold chronometer from Queen Victoria for oysters he sent to her. Downing was also heavily-involved in the Abolitionist Movement. He used the cellar of his oyster house as a hiding place for runaway slaves in the Underground Railroad, helped found the United Anti-Slavery Society of the City of New York in 1836, and fought for less-restrictive black voting laws in the State of New York. Upon his death in 1866, the New York Chamber of Commerce closed for the day of his funeral. His son, George Thomas Downing (1819-1903), followed in his father's footsteps as a successful restaurateur and civil rights activist. He served in the Underground Railroad and American Anti-Slavery Society, and fought for equal education for blacks. He was an associate of Frederick Douglass, with whom he helped establish the American League of Colored Laborers in 1850. During the Civil War he was asked to support the enlistment of African-Americans in the Union army, receiving a written promise from the Governor of Massachusetts that they would be treated the same as Caucasian troops. His involvement with African-American civil rights causes continued well after the Civil War. Upon his death in 1903, George T. Downing was described in the Boston Globe as "the foremost colored man in the country." A wonderful piece of American ceramic history. One of two Thomas Downing jars that we have ever offered, this example surviving in finer condition and featuring exceptional color. A wonderful piece of American ceramic history Provenance: From a forty-year private collection. Excellent condition with a shallow .625” flake to top of rim. H 6”. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $1,500-2,500 Price Realized: $10,000 | |
| EXCEEDINGLY RARE AND IMPORTANT SLIP-DECORATED REDWARE BOTTLE, New England origin, probably Charlestown, MA, 18th century, highly-ovoid form with footed base, tall neck, and finely-tooled spout, decorated in cream-colored slip on the top and sides of the spout with slip-trailed wavy stripes and S-shaped devices. Further decorated below in cream-colored slip with spots applied with the potter's fingertip along with crossing sinuous trails, all separated by bands of slip. Surface covered in a heavy lead glaze over a mottled orange and olive ground with bright-orange spotting throughout. This bottle is closely-related to the few surviving examples of slip-decorated redware produced during the 18th century in Charlestown, MA, as well as sherds excavated from the city's Great House / Three Cranes Tavern site. Important in its age, origin, and dramatic use of slip decoration, this work is also significant in its stylish and extremely rare form, modeled after imported glass onion bottles of the period. Among the finest examples of New England redware that we have ever offered, combining decorative value with historical significance. The state of preservation of this bottle, a possibly 250-year-old ceramic work, is remarkable. Provenance: Recently discovered in Vermont. Excellent condition with a small chip and tiny flakes to top of spout, as well as an in-the-firing contact mark to shoulder and base. Bottle retains what appears to be its original cork. H 12". Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $2,000-3,000 Price Realized: $5,500 | |
| EXCEPTIONAL FOUR-GALLON STONEWARE JUG, with Cobalt Bird and Grapes Motif, Stamped "COWDEN & WILCOX / HARRISBURG, PA," circa 1865, semi-ovoid jug with tapered spout, decorated with a boldly-brushed design of a bird with raised leg, perched on a grape vine while feeding on a leaf, with cluster of grapes below. Cobalt highlights to maker's mark, capacity mark, and handle terminals. This jug features a desirable large size, outstanding decoration combining two iconic Cowden motifs, and some of the best color that we have seen on a piece of Central Pennsylvania stoneware. Provenance: Ex-collection of Pennsylvania folk artist, Bill Rank. This jug was used as the subject for his theorems. A 1.5" chip to side of spout. Otherwise excellent condition. Sold at Crocker Farm August 7-21, 2020. Estimate: $8,000-12,000 Price Realized: $13,000 | |
| DIPPED FAN SLIP-DECORATED CREAMWARE PITCHER, England, early 19th century, the white and brown fans on a field of rust-colored slip with a band of black slip at the rim, applied strap handle with foliate terminals, ht. 6.25 in. Provenance: Olde Hope Antiques. Condition: Minor roughness to the rim, the underside of the base has a few small chips. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $1,500-2,500 Price Realized: $2,750 | |
| RARE MINIATURE GREEN-PAINTED CHEST OF FIVE DRAWERS, Octorara, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, late 18th/early 19th century, two short over three long dovetailed drawers with turned wood pulls, on a molded base with bracket feet, ht. 10, wd. 7,25, dp. 4 .5 in. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $800-1,200 Price Realized: $1,625 | |
| RED-PAINTED COMPASS ARTIST DECORATED DOME-TOP BOX, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, mid-19th century, the poplar box with dovetailed construction decorated with white compasswork, dots and flowers against a red background, with punched tin hasp, ht. 7.125, wd. 8, dp. 5.25 in. Provenance: Harry Hartman. Condition; Top of lid appears to have been cleaned, but there is no obvious retouch or evidence of repair. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $6,000-8,000 Price Realized: $5,625 | |
| BIRTH AND BAPTISMAL FRAKTUR, for Sarah Opellinger, Ehre Vater Artist, Berks County, Pennsylvania, c. 1802, watercolor and pen and ink on paper, the design incorporating floral sprays, multicolored columns, tulips, and parrots surrounding the German inscriptions, the lower inscription spiraling around a complicated geometric device, (tears, creases, staining), 12.75 x 15.5 in. (sight), in a dark green-painted beaded frame. Exhibitions: Museum of American Folk Art, William Murray and His School, December 6, 1990 to May 27, 1991. Condition: Strip of paper restoration along the top edge and the upper third of the right edge, but with no apparent in-painting. There are several repaired splits in the sheet along portions of the fold lines, the edges have small areas of loss. Scattered stains. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $3,000-5,000 Price Realized: $4,063 | |
| PAINT-DECORATED DOWER CHEST, "Noah Mali," Sugar Creek Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, 1846, the molded lift top above a well with till, overall painted red, the top painted with rectangular reserves, the facade lettered in yellow "Noah Mali" and dated 1846, above a rectangular reserve painted with a scene of a red-roofed two-story house, and flanking floral reserves, on molded and shaped black-painted bracket base, ht. 22.5, wd. 41.25, dp. 19.25 in. Provenance: Bill Candel/Kelly Kinzle. Literature: An image of this chest is used as the frontispiece illustration for Ohio Furniture Makers 1790 to 1860, by Jane Sikes and Edward M. Hageman, 1989. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $15,000-20,000 Price Realized: $33,750 | |
| PAINT-DECORATED DOWER CHEST, "Cadrina Blesle/1824," Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 1824, the molded lift top above a well with till and hidden compartment, on molded cutout bracket base, painted in overall ground of stippled salmon red, the top with blue-painted oval reserves with small red and black star shapes, the facade with three tombstone panels, the central one with name and date below a pair of tulips, the flanking panels with large six-pointed stars, and small star and flower designs similar to those on the top, the corners painted with alternating red and white diamonds on a narrow blue panel, ht. 25, wd. 53, dp. 22 in. Provenance: David Wheatcroft. Condition: No major repairs, replacements, or restorations; chip to back right bracket; two small chunks missing from front left side bracket; minor scratching, losses, and wear to top; lock changed; two glue blocks missing; shrinkage crack to bottom board. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $12,000-16,000 Price Realized: $11,250 | |
| LARGE SLIP-DECORATED REDWARE "Plump" PLATE, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, c. 1840, "plump" in bold yellow slip with multiple slip waves above and below, coggled rim, dia. 12.125 in. Provenance: Don Walters. Condition: There is an in-the-making split in the rim, but no obvious chips, cracks or evidence of repair. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $1,500-2,500 Price Realized: $4,063 | |
| LARGE SIMMONS FOLK ART CARVED AND PAINTED PARROT, Pennsylvania, 19th century, the bird with green body, red head, and red and yellow wings on a red and green conical base, (repair to the beak and a couple minor paint chips), ht. 8,625, wd. 7 in. Provenance: Joanne R. and Richard Flanders Smith. Literature: Just for Nice, Carving and Whittling Magic of Southeastern Pennsylvania, p. 20, no. 16. Exhibitions: Just for Nice, Carving and Whittling Magic of Southeastern Pennsylvania, The Historical Society of Berks County, Pennsylvania, March-September 1991. Condition: Tip of beak has been restored, Few spots of paint loss visible in the photographs. No obvious retouch. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $4,000-5,000 Price Realized: $10,000 | |
| JOSEPH E. GROVER WATERCOLOR BIRTH RECORD, inscribed ”Joseph E. Gove/BORN/April 8th 1835" with heart and hand decoration inside a yellow and blue border, framed, image ht. 2.75, wd. 4 in. Provenance: Christie's, January 17, 2003, Lot 728. Condition: Minor toning/staining. No apparent paper restoration or in-painting. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $500-800 Price Realized: $11,250 | |
| WATERCOLOR ON VELVET THEOREM, with a Compote of Fruit, painted by Mary Carter Duncan, 1824, the back panel and frame inscribed "Painted by Mary Carter Duncan in 1824, at the age of fifteen/Married to Phineas Osgood Sargeant, 1835," in a period mahogany veneer frame, ht. 21.5, wd. 26 in. Note: Genealogical sources document Mary Carter Duncan born October 19, 1809, married Phineas Osgood Sargeant (1792-1876) married in 1835 and died April 11, 1876. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $800-1,200 Price Realized: $6,250 | |
| BLUE-PAINTED CONTINUOUS-ARM BOW-BACK WINDSOR CHAIR, Rhode Island, c. 1785-1800, with beaded crest above bulbous vase- and ring-turned arm supports and legs, old blue over earlier green paint, ht. 37, seat ht. 17 in. Provenance: Lee Hanes. Literature: A very similar chair with the same surface is illustrated and discussed in Charles Santore, The Windsor Style in America, Vol. II, p. 34, plate X. Condition: small minor crack to peak of bow, paint flaking and with spots of loss. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $2,000-4,000 Price Realized: $11,250 | |
| EAGLE PAINTED TIN SERVING TRAY, America, 19th century, the large spreadwing eagle with red ribbon against a black background with yellow and gold scrollwork, ht. 19.25, wd. 26 in. Provenance: Bill Samaha/Jim Johnston. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-12, 2020. Estimate: $100-150 Price Realized: $8,125 | |
| DIMINUTIVE QUEEN ANNE MAPLE AND WALNUT VENEER HIGH CHEST OF DRAWERS, Massachusetts, c. 1730-50, the flat-molded cornice and frieze drawer above a two-part case of ten thumb-molded drawers with matched walnut veneer panels bordered by double herringbone borders, with prominent mid-molding and valanced skirt with turned acorn drops joining cabriole legs ending in pad feet on platforms, original engraved brasses, original surface, (minor imperfections), ht. 69, case wd. 35.5, dp. 19.25 in. Provenance: A Boston area collection. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $6,000-8,000 Price Realized: $18,750 | |
| QUEEN ANNE UPHOLSTERED EASY CHAIR, probably Boston, Massachusetts, c. 1725-35, the arched crest and straight-sided incurving wings continuing to outward-scrolled tapering supports, the seat frame with rounded corners and arched sides on frontal cabriole legs and pad feet joined to splayed rear legs by block-, vase-, and ring-turned stretchers, and vase- and ring-turned medial and rear stretchers, ht. 47, seat ht. 17 in. Provenance: Israel Sack, Inc., 1973, to present owners. Condition: minor repair to small elements to underside of frame; never had returns; feet worn, evidence of previous upholstery. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $4,000-6,000 Price Realized: $50,000 | |
| RED OAK JOINED CHEST, probably Essex County, Massachusetts, c. 1660, the molded lid with pintel hinges above the box with channel-molded rails and stiles centering four recessed panels on the front and two on the ends, old surface, (lacks till), ht. 28, wd. 47, dp. 21 in. Provenance: Estate of Miss Mary Osgood, Danvers, Massachusetts; purchased from Roland Hammond in 1972; a Boston area collection. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $3,000-5,000 Price Realized: $8,125 | |
| MAPLE TABLE WITH MARBLE TOP, made by Captain Samuel Dakin, Concord, Massachusetts, early 18th century, the gray-veined marble slap top set into a molded octagonal frame on four turned tapering legs joined by an apron with eight arches, turned acorn pendants, and canted concave corners, ht. 28.5, wd. 32.5, dp. 19.75 in. Note: "This table was made by Capt. Samuel Dakin for his wife the grandmother Bathsheba Dakin Brooks in the first part of the 18th century./The stone was from the limestone quarry in Lincoln, Mass. Capt. Dakin was killed in action in "the old French and Indian War) July 20, 1756./On the death of Bathsheba (Dakin) Brooks in 1847 it passed by inheritance to her daughter Tryphena (Brooks) Smith wife of Cyrus Smith and/upon his death on Jan. 3, 1882 to their son Lewis P. Smith and upon his death on May 30, 1901 to his son Howard R. Smith." Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $4,000-6,000 Price Realized: $17,500 | |
| CARVED OAK AND PINE "MH" HADLEY CHEST, Hadley, Massachusetts, area, late 17th/early 18th century, the hinged pine top above a fully carved joined case of panels above two drawers, the initials "MH" surrounding by repeating star, foliate, and tulip motifs, and a single heart below, old surface, ht. 38.75, wd. 42.75, dp. 18 .5 in. Provenance: The initials on this chest may relate to Miriam Hovey, the daughter of Lieutenant Thomas and Sarah Cook Hovey, who was born August 27, 1689, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony; Mrs. George C. Bryant, Ansonia, Connecticut; Spencer and Judd, Essex, Connecticut; to a Boston area collection. Literature: In Clair Franklin Luther, The Hadley Chest, 1935, this chest is described as No. 40, p. 137. The Newtown Bee in 1973 ran an article headlined "Rare Hadley Chest to be featured at the Connecticut Show." Condition: Chest is in very nice condition. The top appears to be original. There is wear along the front edge of the lid, some light yellowed residue in some of the decoration on the front, and general wear overall. The height appears to be original, and there are still remnants of early black color. Chip to corner of one back stile - does not affect height. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $30,000-50,000 Price Realized: $62,500 | |
| | RARE PINE AND OAK CARVED BOARD CHEST, probably Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1695, the hinged top with demilune and sawtooth edge, above the nail-constructed box with star-punched initials "SE" and the date "1695" beneath the sheet iron escutcheon, with two panels centering a rosette bordered by demilune, dot, and star-punched designs, the oak sides with cutout ends, old refinish, ht. 27, wd. 45.5, dp. 17.75 in. Provenance: A Boston area collection. Literature: A similar chest with the same cutout ends is illustrated and discussed in Robert Blair, The Wrought Covenant, p. 49, figures 44 and 44a. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $3,000-5,000 Price Realized: $10,000 |
| CHERRY CHEST OF DRAWERS ON FRAME, Deerfield, Massachusetts, area, late 18th century, the overhanging elaborately scalloped top above a case of central fan-carved drawer flanked by two short drawers, and three long drawers below, all set into a molded frame joining four cabriole legs centering a shaped pendant, brasses appear original, old refinish, ht. 37.75, case wd. 30.5, dp. 19 in. Provenance: Possibly made for Abigail Hoyt who married Amos Allen, Jr., in 1783, a farmer and "a leading citizen of Greenfield" Massachusetts. Now in a Boston area collection. Literature: "Scalloped-top Furniture of the Connecticut River Valley," by Michael K. Brown, in The Magazine Antiques, May 1980, illustrated and discussed, pp. 1096-98. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $7,000-9,000 Price Realized: $137,500 | |
| GRAIN-PAINTED CHEST OF DRAWERS, Vermont, early 19th century, in exuberant paint of tan and dark brown swirls on a cutout skirt, original wooden pulls and pressed brass escutcheons, (restoration to left rear foot), ht. 36.75, case wd. 38, dp. 18 in. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $600-800 Price Realized: $9,375 | |
| CHIPPENDALE CARVED MAHOGANY BLOCK-FRONT CHEST OF DRAWERS, Massachusetts, c. 1760-80, the overhanging top above a diminutive cockbeaded case of four graduated drawers on shaped bracket base, original brasses, refinished, ht. 31.25, top wd. 36.5, case wd. 32.25, dp. 21 in. Condition: very thin (1/16 in.) strips of wood added to bottom edge of each drawer, one small 1/2 in square patch near edge of one drawer, pendant missing. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $8,000-12,000 Price Realized: $27,500 | |
| CHIPPENDALE CARVED WALNUT HIGH CHEST OF DRAWERS, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area, c. 1760-80, the upper section with molded cornice above five short and three long thumb-molded drawers, set into a lower section of long over three short drawers, all flanked by fluted quarter-columns, and on cabriole legs ending in carved trifid feet joined by a valanced skirt, brasses appear to be original, old surface, (imperfections), ht. 76.75, mid-molding wd. 41.75, dp. 22.75 in. Condition: old insect damage to upper part of lower section backboard; two small patches to left case side at front, minor thumbmolding patches, duster construction; poplar secondary. No apparent major restoration or repair. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $4,000-6,000 Price Realized: $21,250 | |
| SCHERENSCHNITTE LIBERTY EAGLE, by Isaac Stiehly, Mahantongo Valley, Pennsylvania, c. 1835, cutwork picture of a spreadwing eagle grasping a United States flag in its beak below the word "Liberty," framed, ht. 13, wd. 16 in. Provenance: Sidney Gecker. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $1,200-1,500 Price Realized: $7,500 | |
| NEEDLEWORK SAMPLER, "Betsy Evans," Marblehead, Massachusetts, c. 1790, stitched in worsted wool on a linen background with two lines of alphabet and five lines of verse, above a scene of a man in a brown jacket and a woman in a pink gown flanking a fruit tree, and the inscription "Betsy Evans's Sampler 1790," in a period molded and black-painted frame, ht. 17,875, wd. 14 in. Condition: Areas of loss in the alphabet lines and in the white sky background at the top of the tree. Linen toned overall. No obvious holes or evidence of repair. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $6,000-8,000 Price Realized: $10,625 | |
| FOLK ART PORTRAIT OF A GIRL IN A RED DRESS, Unsigned. Oil on canvas, 36 x 28.75 in., in a modern grain-painted frame. Condition: Relined, scattered retouch especially in the background. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $5,000-7,000 Price Realized: $13,750 | |
| PAINTED AND PAINT-DECORATED POPLAR BLANKET CHEST OVER THREE DRAWERS, attributed to the Long Family Ada, Hardin County, Ohio, c. 1830, the molded hinged lid opens to a well with till, the orange-grained case with molded recessed panels with pots of tulips and stars on a green ground and drawers below with vinegar putty-painted design, the ends with recessed vinegar-grained brown panels, all on turned bulbous feet, ht. 30, wd. 45.75, dp. 21 in. Literature: A related chest was sold at Sotheby's in the American Folk Art Collection of Don and Faye Walters, as Lot 74; another example is illustrated in Monroe Fabian, The Pennsylvania-German Decorated Chest, p. 104, pl. 43. The property of August (Gus) Knapp Condition: retouch to areas of red especially on case sides, minor retouch to grain/putty-painted areas, yellowed varnish in background of panels flouresces under blacklight. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $8,000-12,000 Price Realized: $10,625 | |
| BLUE-GRAY PAINTED CUPBOARD, New England, early 19th century, the upper cupboard section above four projecting drawers below, ht. 84.5, wd. 47.5, dp. 17.5 in. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 3-13, 2020. Estimate: $1,500-2,500 Price Realized: $16,250 | |
| SHAKER BITTERSWEET-PAINTED THREE-FINGER OVAL PANTRY BOX, c. 1840, original surface, ht. 2, wd. 5.25 in. Provenance: Willis Henry, September 21, 1996, Lot 125. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 11-20, 2020. Estimate: $2,000-3,000 Price Realized: $6,875 | |
| SHAKER YELLOW-PAINTED CUPBOARD OVER DRAWERS, Hancock, Massachusetts, or New Lebanon, New York, 1840, two paneled cupboard doors above five thumb-molded drawers, the inside of one drawer bottom inscribed "[N/W]CB March 21, 1840," and the underside of another drawer scratched "March 1840," old varied surfaces of ochre yellow stain, faint red wash over ochre yellow to drawerfronts, gray paint to one end, interior with likely original pumpkin-colored wash, ht. 77.5, wd. 35.25, dp. 19.75 in. Provenance: Ed Clerk, Avis Howells, Belfast, Maine; Strauss Collection, Rochester, New York; The Rathbun Gallery, Wakefield, Rhode Island, September 7, 1994. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 11-20, 2020. Estimate: $6,000-8,000 Price Realized: $9,375 | |
| SHAKER YELLOW-PAINTED PINE SISTER’S PAIL, Enfield or Canterbury, New Hampshire, before 1853, signed on the bottom "M*C." and inscribed in pencil "Martha Crooker 1853," original yellow exterior and light blue interior paint, ht. to top of handle 12, ht. 6.5, dia. 9 in. Provenance: Priscilla Archibald Estate, Powder Point, Duxbury, Massachusetts; Willis Henry Auction, September 6, 2014, Lot 78. Note: Sister Martha Crooker (1825-1895) gathered into the Church Family at Canterbury on June 17, 1886, and was a nurse. She has prior been a Sister at the Enfield community. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 11-20, 2020. Estimate: $2,000-3,000 Price Realized: $5,000 | |
| SHAKER PUTTY WHITE-PAINTED AND CARVED DIPPER, New York or New England, c. 1830-50, lg. 6.5, bowl dia. 4 in. Provenance: Willis Henry Auction, August 7, 1988, Lot 219; Cottone Auctions, March 21, 2009, Lot 204. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 11-20, 2020. Estimate: $4,000-6,000 Price Realized: $5,313 | |
| SHAKER “ADD-ON" CASE OF FOUR DRAWERS, c. 1840, thumb-molded and dovetailed drawers with original pulls, original bittersweet paint, ht. 11, wd. 27,75, dp. 7.25 in. Provenance: Willis Henry Auction, August 6, 1989, Lot 247; Cottone Auctions, March 21, 2009, Lot 237. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 11-20, 2020. Estimate: $3,000-4,000 Price Realized: $5,313 | |
| SHAKER TRUSTEES CHEST OF TEN DRAWERS, Enfield, Connecticut, 19th century, molded top on a case of two narrow dovetailed drawers over eight wide dovetailed drawers with turned walnut pulls, the top seven drawers with ivory diamond keyhole escutcheons, the right side left unfinished as a built-in piece, ht. 71.75, wd. 33, dp. 22.5 in. Provenance: Hazel Hayes, Somers, Connecticut, 1969. Note: The chest was a built-in piece in the trustee's house at the Enfield Shaker community. It was recovered from the house after a fire. Sold at Skinner Auctions August 11-20, 2020. Estimate: $3,000-5,000 Price Realized: $5,938 |
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All material on this website © copyright 2009-25 by Colonial Sense, except where otherwise indicated.
ref:T3-S24-P9116-C-M