Salem, Massachusetts, circa 1765
Walnut, maple, white pine, dark chocolate-brown finish, original cast-brass handles, height 69 ½ inches, width at base 37 inches, depth at base 21 inches
This Queen Anne high chest is delicately proportioned, with a finely carved concave fan, signature Salem scrolled apron with central diamond cut-out, well modeled cabriole legs with sharply spurred knee returns, cushioned pad feet, and handsome original brasses.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa 1765-1780
Hickory, oak, poplar and maple, old brown paint, height 29 inches, width 22 ¾ inches, depth 16 ¾ inches, seat height 17 ½ inches
This is the finest known example of a rare and delicate variant of a Philadelphia low-back armchair having serpentine-shaped arms with finely carved knuckle hand holds, an oval seat, and tapering baluster turned legs. Typical Philadelphia low-back armchairs have weightier proportions, paddle-shaped arms, D-shaped seats, and heavier leg turnings with blunt arrow feet.
Provenance:
Bernard and S. Dean Levy, Inc., New York, 1977;
Collection of William K. du Pont, Newark, Delaware.
Exhibited:
“The Windsor: A Philadelphia Style,” 1982 Antiques Show, a benefit for The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 20-24, 1982, lent by W. K. du Pont.
Published:
Bernard & S. Dean Levy, Inc., Distinguished American and English Antiques-Paintings (New York, 1977), p. 12.
Charles Santore, The Windsor Style in America (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1981), pages 80-81, no. 64.
Charles Santore, “The Windsor: A Philadelphia Style,” catalog of 1982 Antiques Show, a benefit for the University of Pennsylvania, p. 42, no. 17.
Portrait of a Gentleman with Brown Hair
Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Maine, circa 1810-1815
Oil on canvas, height 33 inches, width 28 inches, in a period gilt frame
This is a classic portrait by the acclaimed deaf and mute folk painter, John Brewster, Jr. In its facial modeling and background color it is related to Brewster’s portrait of Moses Quinby of Stroudwater, Maine painted about 1810-1815 illustrated in Paul S. D’Ambrosio, The World of John Brewster, Jr. (Cooperstown, New York, 2006), p. 44, pl. 32.
Massachusetts, circa 1790-1800
Mahogany, old finish, each, height 37 inches, width 21 ½ inches, depth 18 inches
The finely carved shield backs and molded tapered legs make these text book examples of Massachusetts Federal design. The carving features star punched backgrounds, a feature seen in the work of both Samuel McIntyre and his son, Samuel Field McIntyre. These chairs retain a dry, old crystallized finish. The design of the brass headed tacks on the seat rails follow the witness marks of the originals.
Provenance:
Collection of Peter and Barbara Goodman, Rye, New York and Mill River, Massachusetts.
Young Woman in Red Dress, Possibly Ann Eliza Pease Douglas
Connecticut, circa 1840
Watercolor on paper, gold foil, 4 ½ x 3 ½ inches, in the original gilt frame
This newly discovered portrait, possibly depicting Ann Eliza Pease Douglas (1818-1899), is a rarity among the known works by Jane A. Davis in several respects. It has a solidly colored painted background which is a variant from her standard format of depicting subjects posed against a plain paper background. The use of gold foil appliqué for the earring may be unique in a portrait by Jane A. Davis. Gold foil appliqué jewelry is a technique most often associated with the watercolors of Ruth and Samuel Shute.
Massachusetts, probably Salem, circa 1780-1800
Maple, ash, old greenish-black paint with yellow striped decoration, height 35 ¾ inches, width 25 inches, depth 15 ¼ inches, seat height 16 ½ inches
Underside of seat branded “O-B” and inscribed in chalk “I.B”
This armchair is distinguished by the use of maple for its oval saddled seat and fine baluster-ring-and cylindrical leg turnings. It is enhanced by a superb state of preservation, with beautifully worn and patinated surface on the seat and arms, which adds a priceless dimension to this memorable and armchair.
Provenance:
David and Marjorie Schorsch, Inc., Greenwich, Connecticut, 1982;
Collection of Peter and Barbara Goodman, Rye, New York and Mill River, Massachusetts.
Published:
David and Marjorie Schorsch, Inc., Americana Catalogue Number One: Windsor Chairs 1760-1830 (Greenwich, Connecticut, 1981), p. 41.
Probably Essex County, Massachusetts, circa 1760-1785
Mahogany, white pine, original brass hinges, height 28 inches, width of top 28 ½ inches, depth of top 13 inches, width of base 20 ½ inches, depth of base 11 ½ inches
Of a choice diminutive size, this Chippendale card table features a boldly overhanging rectangular top, cyma scalloped aprons, cabriole legs with pointed knees, and finely carved claw-and-ball feet. This treatment of the knees is characteristic of cabriole-legged furniture attributed to Essex County, Massachusetts. A drop-leaf table with related pointed knees is illustrated in Dean A. Fales, Jr., Essex County Furniture, Documented Treasures from Local Collections, 1660-1880 (Salem, Massachusetts, 1965), no. 76.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa 1740-1760
Walnut, old finish, marked “III,” original pine slip seat frame, height 40 inches, width 20 inches, depth 19 ½ inches
This side chair exemplifies the unadorned curvilinear aesthetics of the best mid-eighteenth century Philadelphia seating furniture. It is one of a small number of side chairs of this exact model with flattened serpentine stretchers and slipper feet that may represent a common set, with examples represented in the collections of Winterthur and The Philadelphia Museum of Art. These chairs are illustrated in William MacPherson Horner, The Blue Book of Philadelphia Furniture (Philadelphia, 1935), pl. 302; Joseph Downs, American Furniture, Queen Anne and Chippendale Periods (New York, 1952, no. 112, which bears an inscription indicating ownership in the Shoemaker (Schumacher) family, possibly Benjamin Shoemaker (1704-1757), mayor of Philadelphia in 1753, and Jack L. Lindsay, Worldly Goods The Arts of Early Pennsylvania, 1680-1748 (Philadelphia, 1999), p. 168, no. 123. A matching armchair is illustrated in Richard H. Randall, Jr., American Furniture in the Museum of fine Arts, Boston (Boston, 1965), no. 137.
Possibly northern Virginia or Maryland, circa 1840-1860
Yellow pine, original paint, height 22 ¼ inches, top 24 ½ x 29 inches
This table is unique in our experience in terms of its combination of form, construction and paint scheme of a solidly red top contrasted against the charmingly decorated base. It’s construction, with the legs attached to the inside of the aprons is characteristic of southern vernacular furniture. The delightful original polka dot decoration makes a sensational folk art statement and is an example of “paint for paint’s sake,” with a red background with black polka dots daubed-on in a rhythmic pattern. Examples of American decorated furniture having true polka dot decoration are rare.
Provenance:
Previously sold by us in 1998 and 2015 and reacquired again from a distinguished private collection.
Landscape with Brick Building, Hunter, Dogs and Bird
Union Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, circa 1810-1819
Watercolor and ink on paper, 7 ½ x 10 inches, in a period painted frame
This was part of a well-known set of drawings and fraktur exercises made and kept by Johannes Bard that he bound together as a book in 1819. The distinctive orange-red color of the structure appears to match the hue of a brick church in a watercolor from the same set illustrated and discussed in Lisa Minardi, Drawn with Spirit: Pennsylvania German Fraktur from the Collection of Joan and Victor Johnson (Philadelphia, 2015), cat 175, pages 206, 214 and 239. The fanciful building depicted in this watercolor may represent the Kreutz Kirche (Holy Cross Church) founded in 1747 near Littlestown in what is now Union Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, which Bard attended in his youth.
Provenance:
Johannes Bard to his daughter Mary Ann Bard-Ritasse (1830-1879), then by descent in the Ritasse family, Littlestown, PA, and Tanneytown, MD.
American, circa 1880-1900
Iron, lead, old paint, height 10 ½ inches, length 23 ¾ inches
Of a charmingly small size, this is a delightfully stylized rendition of an Angel Gabriel weathervane fashioned from silhouetted sheet iron with forged upright and original lead donut shaped counterweight. It is a whimsical example made by a blacksmith that survives in a wonderful state of preservation retaining its original historic surface of crusty old green paint, over earlier coatings of black and gold.
A related sheet metal Angel Gabriel Weathervane of similar form is illustrated in Robert Bishop, American Folk Sculpture (New York, 1974), p. 61, fig. 83, and Robert Bishop and Patricia Coblentz, A Gallery of American Weathervanes and Whirligigs (New York, 1981), p. 81, fig. 137.
Provenance:
Hill Gallery, Birmingham, MI; A notable mid-western private collection.
American, circa 1880
Oil on artist board, 12 x 9 ½ inches, in a period painted frame
Partial label on back of board: “Academy Board / F. W. DEVOE &
CO. / MANUFACTURERS OF ARTIST’S TUBE COLORS, CANVAS, OIL
SKETCHING PAPER, MILLBOARDS, / Fine Bristle and Sable, /
PAINTS, VARNISHES, & C. / Cor. Fulton and Williams Sts., New
York.”
Portrayed with accuracy and immense charm, this painting was
likely commissioned by a farmer or breeder to celebrate the
success of his livestock. In the well-established tradition of profile
portraiture, this favorite pig was carefully documented from neck
to snout. The close-up rendering adds to the painting’s overall
appeal and intimacy. The more naturalistic approach to the eye
and jowl and the expressive tufts of hair on the face and ears give
personality to this prized porker.
LILLIAN BARLOW (1876-1942), WILLIAM PERKINS (1861-1934), SARAH COLLINS (1855-1947)
Presentation Five Slat Armchair
Mount Lebanon, New York, circa 1920-1930
Maple, original woven cotton tape seat, overall height 51 ½ inches,
seat height 18 ½ inches, seat width 23 ½ inches
The impressive five slat armchair is the most dramatic and sought after
of all the so called “Barlow-Perkins” chairs. From their inception, the
Shakers produced chairs exclusively for their own usage. At Mount
Lebanon in the 1860s the Shakers began a successful business of chair
production founded by Brother Robert Wagan. These chairs were sold
nationally through printed catalogs and regional furniture companies, such
as Marshall Field. They offered a line of chairs with interchangeable parts
made in sizes for use by small children to adults. The design of the
“production chairs” was a streamlined and modified version of their
earlier community chairs. The last flowering of Shaker chair making at
Mount Lebanon occurred during the first decades of the twentieth
century, when it was reinvigorated by three remarkable individuals:
Sister Lillian Barlow and Brother William Perkins who built the chairs,
and Eldress Sarah Collins who wove the seats. They redesigned chairs for
a new audience by producing them in a larger scale with bold and
elongated applied finials.
PROVENANCE:
Said to have been presented by the Mount Lebanon Shakers to
Charles Dubois, Pittsfield, Massachusetts:
Sold by us in 1989 and reacquired from that same private collection.
Arrow and Shoe Weathervane
New York, circa 1893
Copper, old weathered paint and original gilt,
19 ¾ x 58 x 5 ½ inches
Functioning both as a weathervane and a trade sign, this arrow
and shoe is testament to the imaginative designs produced by the
J.W. Fiske Iron Works. It is the only weathervane of this form
known to us. Although an arrow and shoe vane was included in
the 1893 Fiske catalog, that version included a laced high-top
shoe, suggesting that this example was custom made. That same
catalog stated that “Vanes of any design made to order on short
notice and at reasonable rates.”
PUBLISHED:
Robert Shaw, American Weathervanes: The Art of the Winds
(New York, 2021) p. 183.
Nantucket, Massachusetts, circa 1840
Oak, cherry, maple and rattan, brass tacks and metal buttons,
9 ½ x 8 ½ x 9 inches
This is one of a rare group of early Nantucket baskets having
openwork sides by an unidentified maker. It is the precursor of
Nantucket lightship baskets. Tiny metal buttons stamped with
stars were repurposed as washers in the hinging mechanism of
the handle. The scalloped “lollipops” are a delightful feature
known on just a few exceedingly rare early Nantucket baskets.
Young Gentleman with Brown Hair
Probably New Hampshire or Vermont, circa 1830
Watercolor and pencil on paper, 23 x 18 inches,
in old or original painted frame
PROVENANCE:
Edith Gregor Halpert, New York;
Collection of Stewart E. Gregory, Wilton, Connecticut;
Collection of Thomas G. Rizzo, New York;
David A. Schorsch, Greenwich, Connecticut;
First sold by us in 1984 and reacquired from the same
private collection.
PUBLISHED:
Advertisement for David A. Schorsch, The Magazine Antiques,
May 1984, p. 1068.
The William Snidow Farm
Giles County, Virginia, 1855
Oil on canvas, in a period veneered frame, 20 x 29 inches
A German émigré working in the style of the Dusseldorf Academy, Edward Beyer is recognized as the premier painter of panoramic landscapes of antebellum Virginia. Only a small number of his original oil paintings survive and rarely come to market. In 1855 Beyer also painted the nearby Lewis family homestead “Bellevue” and “A View of Salem,” which like the Snidow Farm, emphasize atmosphere, action, and drama. Beyer adeptly captured the verdant landscape of William Snidow’s farm, the meandering New River, and the Blue Ridge Mountains towering in the distance. According to a Giles County Deed Book, William Henry Snidow (1796-1863) acquired the sprawling property in 1836 after the death of his father, Colonel Christian Snidow (1760-1836). The house was built by William’s maternal grandfather, Captain Thomas Burke (1741-1808), who was the son of one of the earliest settlers west of the Allegheny Mountain Range. Inscribed on back of canvas in black paint: “View of Wm. H. Snidow’s Farm Giles, Co, Va / Painted from Nature by Ed. Beyer / Presented to Wm. H. Snidow by his friends / A. Hopp / Wm. Walten & / Ed. Beyer / Salem Va. Sept. 1855.” Mentioned in the inscription are almost certainly A. Hupp and William Walton who are listed as proprietors of Roanoke Red Sulphur Springs, a popular spa and tourist destination a short distance from the Snidow property and previously owned by William Burke (1769-1852), an uncle of William H. Snidow. In a further connection, Edward Beyer’s Album of Virginia (1858) includes a color lithograph of Roanoke Red Sulphur Springs. Additionally, William H. Snidow was a well-to-do lawyer very active in the affairs of Giles County and oversaw the creation of new roadways to accommodate spa tourism. The company owning Roanoke Red Sulphur Springs to which Hupp and Walton belonged appears to have been based in nearby Salem, Virginia, possibly explaining Salem as the place of the painting’s dedication, noted on the backside.
Queen Anne Flat-Top Chest
Salem, Massachusetts, circa 1765
Queen Anne Flat-Top Chest
Salem, Massachusetts, circa 1765 Walnut, maple, white pine, dark chocolate-brown finish, original cast-brass handles, height 69 ½ inches, width at base 37 inches, depth at base 21 inches This Queen Anne high chest is delicately proportioned, with a finely carved concave fan, signature Salem scrolled apron with central diamond cut-out, well modeled cabriole legs with sharply spurred knee returns, cushioned pad feet, and handsome original brasses.Painted Low-Back Windsor Armchair
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa 1765-1780
Painted Low-Back Windsor Armchair
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa 1765-1780
Hickory, oak, poplar and maple, old brown paint, height 29 inches, width 22 ¾ inches, depth 16 ¾ inches, seat height 17 ½ inches
This is the finest known example of a rare and delicate variant of a Philadelphia low-back armchair having serpentine-shaped arms with finely carved knuckle hand holds, an oval seat, and tapering baluster turned legs. Typical Philadelphia low-back armchairs have weightier proportions, paddle-shaped arms, D-shaped seats, and heavier leg turnings with blunt arrow feet.
Provenance:
Bernard and S. Dean Levy, Inc., New York, 1977;
Collection of William K. du Pont, Newark, Delaware.
Exhibited:
“The Windsor: A Philadelphia Style,” 1982 Antiques Show, a benefit for The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 20-24, 1982, lent by W. K. du Pont.
Published:
Bernard & S. Dean Levy, Inc., Distinguished American and English Antiques-Paintings (New York, 1977), p. 12.
Charles Santore, The Windsor Style in America (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1981), pages 80-81, no. 64.
Charles Santore, “The Windsor: A Philadelphia Style,” catalog of 1982 Antiques Show, a benefit for the University of Pennsylvania, p. 42, no. 17.
JOHN BREWSTER, JR. (1766-1854)
Portrait of a Gentleman with Brown Hair
Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Maine, circa 1810-1815
JOHN BREWSTER, JR. (1766-1854)
Portrait of a Gentleman with Brown Hair
Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Maine, circa 1810-1815
Oil on canvas, height 33 inches, width 28 inches, in a period gilt frame
This is a classic portrait by the acclaimed deaf and mute folk painter, John Brewster, Jr. In its facial modeling and background color it is related to Brewster’s portrait of Moses Quinby of Stroudwater, Maine painted about 1810-1815 illustrated in Paul S. D’Ambrosio, The World of John Brewster, Jr. (Cooperstown, New York, 2006), p. 44, pl. 32.
Pair of Federal Shield-Back Side Chairs
Massachusetts, circa 1790-1800
Pair of Federal Shield-Back Side Chairs
Massachusetts, circa 1790-1800
Mahogany, old finish, each, height 37 inches, width 21 ½ inches, depth 18 inches
The finely carved shield backs and molded tapered legs make these text book examples of Massachusetts Federal design. The carving features star punched backgrounds, a feature seen in the work of both Samuel McIntyre and his son, Samuel Field McIntyre. These chairs retain a dry, old crystallized finish. The design of the brass headed tacks on the seat rails follow the witness marks of the originals.
Provenance:
Collection of Peter and Barbara Goodman, Rye, New York and Mill River, Massachusetts.
JANE A. DAVIS (1821-1855)
Young Woman in Red Dress, Possibly Ann Eliza Pease Douglas
Connecticut, circa 1840
JANE A. DAVIS (1821-1855)
Young Woman in Red Dress, Possibly Ann Eliza Pease Douglas
Connecticut, circa 1840
Watercolor on paper, gold foil, 4 ½ x 3 ½ inches, in the original gilt frame
This newly discovered portrait, possibly depicting Ann Eliza Pease Douglas (1818-1899), is a rarity among the known works by Jane A. Davis in several respects. It has a solidly colored painted background which is a variant from her standard format of depicting subjects posed against a plain paper background. The use of gold foil appliqué for the earring may be unique in a portrait by Jane A. Davis. Gold foil appliqué jewelry is a technique most often associated with the watercolors of Ruth and Samuel Shute.
Provenance:
By family descent to 2022.
Painted Sack-Back Windsor Armchair
Massachusetts, probably Salem, circa 1780-1800
Painted Sack-Back Windsor Armchair
Massachusetts, probably Salem, circa 1780-1800
Maple, ash, old greenish-black paint with yellow striped decoration, height 35 ¾ inches, width 25 inches, depth 15 ¼ inches, seat height 16 ½ inches
Underside of seat branded “O-B” and inscribed in chalk “I.B”
This armchair is distinguished by the use of maple for its oval saddled seat and fine baluster-ring-and cylindrical leg turnings. It is enhanced by a superb state of preservation, with beautifully worn and patinated surface on the seat and arms, which adds a priceless dimension to this memorable and armchair.
Provenance:
David and Marjorie Schorsch, Inc., Greenwich, Connecticut, 1982;
Collection of Peter and Barbara Goodman, Rye, New York and Mill River, Massachusetts.
Published:
David and Marjorie Schorsch, Inc., Americana Catalogue Number One: Windsor Chairs 1760-1830 (Greenwich, Connecticut, 1981), p. 41.
Small Chippendale Card Table
Probably Essex County, Massachusetts, circa 1760-1785
Small Chippendale Card Table
Probably Essex County, Massachusetts, circa 1760-1785
Mahogany, white pine, original brass hinges, height 28 inches, width of top 28 ½ inches, depth of top 13 inches, width of base 20 ½ inches, depth of base 11 ½ inches
Of a choice diminutive size, this Chippendale card table features a boldly overhanging rectangular top, cyma scalloped aprons, cabriole legs with pointed knees, and finely carved claw-and-ball feet. This treatment of the knees is characteristic of cabriole-legged furniture attributed to Essex County, Massachusetts. A drop-leaf table with related pointed knees is illustrated in Dean A. Fales, Jr., Essex County Furniture, Documented Treasures from Local Collections, 1660-1880 (Salem, Massachusetts, 1965), no. 76.
Queen Anne Compass Seat Side Chair
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa 1740-1760
Queen Anne Compass Seat Side Chair
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa 1740-1760
Walnut, old finish, marked “III,” original pine slip seat frame, height 40 inches, width 20 inches, depth 19 ½ inches
This side chair exemplifies the unadorned curvilinear aesthetics of the best mid-eighteenth century Philadelphia seating furniture. It is one of a small number of side chairs of this exact model with flattened serpentine stretchers and slipper feet that may represent a common set, with examples represented in the collections of Winterthur and The Philadelphia Museum of Art. These chairs are illustrated in William MacPherson Horner, The Blue Book of Philadelphia Furniture (Philadelphia, 1935), pl. 302; Joseph Downs, American Furniture, Queen Anne and Chippendale Periods (New York, 1952, no. 112, which bears an inscription indicating ownership in the Shoemaker (Schumacher) family, possibly Benjamin Shoemaker (1704-1757), mayor of Philadelphia in 1753, and Jack L. Lindsay, Worldly Goods The Arts of Early Pennsylvania, 1680-1748 (Philadelphia, 1999), p. 168, no. 123. A matching armchair is illustrated in Richard H. Randall, Jr., American Furniture in the Museum of fine Arts, Boston (Boston, 1965), no. 137.
Paint-Decorated Side Table
Possibly northern Virginia or Maryland, circa 1840-1860
Paint-Decorated Side Table
Possibly northern Virginia or Maryland, circa 1840-1860
Yellow pine, original paint, height 22 ¼ inches, top 24 ½ x 29 inches
This table is unique in our experience in terms of its combination of form, construction and paint scheme of a solidly red top contrasted against the charmingly decorated base. It’s construction, with the legs attached to the inside of the aprons is characteristic of southern vernacular furniture. The delightful original polka dot decoration makes a sensational folk art statement and is an example of “paint for paint’s sake,” with a red background with black polka dots daubed-on in a rhythmic pattern. Examples of American decorated furniture having true polka dot decoration are rare.
Provenance:
Previously sold by us in 1998 and 2015 and reacquired again from a distinguished private collection.
JOHANNES BARD (1797-1861)
Landscape with Brick Building, Hunter, Dogs and Bird
Union Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, circa 1810-1819
JOHANNES BARD (1797-1861)
Landscape with Brick Building, Hunter, Dogs and Bird
Union Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, circa 1810-1819
Watercolor and ink on paper, 7 ½ x 10 inches, in a period painted frame
This was part of a well-known set of drawings and fraktur exercises made and kept by Johannes Bard that he bound together as a book in 1819. The distinctive orange-red color of the structure appears to match the hue of a brick church in a watercolor from the same set illustrated and discussed in Lisa Minardi, Drawn with Spirit: Pennsylvania German Fraktur from the Collection of Joan and Victor Johnson (Philadelphia, 2015), cat 175, pages 206, 214 and 239. The fanciful building depicted in this watercolor may represent the Kreutz Kirche (Holy Cross Church) founded in 1747 near Littlestown in what is now Union Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, which Bard attended in his youth.
Provenance:
Johannes Bard to his daughter Mary Ann Bard-Ritasse (1830-1879), then by descent in the Ritasse family, Littlestown, PA, and Tanneytown, MD.
Angel Gabriel Weathervane
American, circa 1880-1900
Angel Gabriel Weathervane
American, circa 1880-1900
Iron, lead, old paint, height 10 ½ inches, length 23 ¾ inches
Of a charmingly small size, this is a delightfully stylized rendition of an Angel Gabriel weathervane fashioned from silhouetted sheet iron with forged upright and original lead donut shaped counterweight. It is a whimsical example made by a blacksmith that survives in a wonderful state of preservation retaining its original historic surface of crusty old green paint, over earlier coatings of black and gold.
A related sheet metal Angel Gabriel Weathervane of similar form is illustrated in Robert Bishop, American Folk Sculpture (New York, 1974), p. 61, fig. 83, and Robert Bishop and Patricia Coblentz, A Gallery of American Weathervanes and Whirligigs (New York, 1981), p. 81, fig. 137.
Provenance:
Hill Gallery, Birmingham, MI; A notable mid-western private collection.
PIG, A PROFILE PORTRAIT
American, circa 1880
PIG, A PROFILE PORTRAIT
American, circa 1880
Oil on artist board, 12 x 9 ½ inches, in a period painted frame
Partial label on back of board: “Academy Board / F. W. DEVOE &
CO. / MANUFACTURERS OF ARTIST’S TUBE COLORS, CANVAS, OIL
SKETCHING PAPER, MILLBOARDS, / Fine Bristle and Sable, /
PAINTS, VARNISHES, & C. / Cor. Fulton and Williams Sts., New
York.”
Portrayed with accuracy and immense charm, this painting was
likely commissioned by a farmer or breeder to celebrate the
success of his livestock. In the well-established tradition of profile
portraiture, this favorite pig was carefully documented from neck
to snout. The close-up rendering adds to the painting’s overall
appeal and intimacy. The more naturalistic approach to the eye
and jowl and the expressive tufts of hair on the face and ears give
personality to this prized porker.
LILLIAN BARLOW (1876-1942), WILLIAM PERKINS (1861-1934), SARAH COLLINS (1855-1947)
Presentation Five Slat Armchair
Mount Lebanon, New York, circa 1920-1930
LILLIAN BARLOW (1876-1942), WILLIAM PERKINS (1861-1934), SARAH COLLINS (1855-1947)
Presentation Five Slat Armchair
Mount Lebanon, New York, circa 1920-1930
Maple, original woven cotton tape seat, overall height 51 ½ inches,
seat height 18 ½ inches, seat width 23 ½ inches
The impressive five slat armchair is the most dramatic and sought after
of all the so called “Barlow-Perkins” chairs. From their inception, the
Shakers produced chairs exclusively for their own usage. At Mount
Lebanon in the 1860s the Shakers began a successful business of chair
production founded by Brother Robert Wagan. These chairs were sold
nationally through printed catalogs and regional furniture companies, such
as Marshall Field. They offered a line of chairs with interchangeable parts
made in sizes for use by small children to adults. The design of the
“production chairs” was a streamlined and modified version of their
earlier community chairs. The last flowering of Shaker chair making at
Mount Lebanon occurred during the first decades of the twentieth
century, when it was reinvigorated by three remarkable individuals:
Sister Lillian Barlow and Brother William Perkins who built the chairs,
and Eldress Sarah Collins who wove the seats. They redesigned chairs for
a new audience by producing them in a larger scale with bold and
elongated applied finials.
PROVENANCE:
Said to have been presented by the Mount Lebanon Shakers to
Charles Dubois, Pittsfield, Massachusetts:
Sold by us in 1989 and reacquired from that same private collection.
J. W. FISKE IRON WORKS
Arrow and Shoe Weathervane
New York, circa 1893
J. W. FISKE IRON WORKS
Arrow and Shoe Weathervane
New York, circa 1893
Copper, old weathered paint and original gilt,
19 ¾ x 58 x 5 ½ inches
Functioning both as a weathervane and a trade sign, this arrow
and shoe is testament to the imaginative designs produced by the
J.W. Fiske Iron Works. It is the only weathervane of this form
known to us. Although an arrow and shoe vane was included in
the 1893 Fiske catalog, that version included a laced high-top
shoe, suggesting that this example was custom made. That same
catalog stated that “Vanes of any design made to order on short
notice and at reasonable rates.”
PUBLISHED:
Robert Shaw, American Weathervanes: The Art of the Winds
(New York, 2021) p. 183.
OPENWORK LIGHTSHIP BASKET WITH LOLLIPOPS
Nantucket, Massachusetts, circa 1840
OPENWORK LIGHTSHIP BASKET WITH LOLLIPOPS
Nantucket, Massachusetts, circa 1840
Oak, cherry, maple and rattan, brass tacks and metal buttons,
9 ½ x 8 ½ x 9 inches
This is one of a rare group of early Nantucket baskets having
openwork sides by an unidentified maker. It is the precursor of
Nantucket lightship baskets. Tiny metal buttons stamped with
stars were repurposed as washers in the hinging mechanism of
the handle. The scalloped “lollipops” are a delightful feature
known on just a few exceedingly rare early Nantucket baskets.
HORSE AND RIDER WEATHERVANE
Midwestern, circa 1880-1900
HORSE AND RIDER WEATHERVANE
Midwestern, circa 1880-1900
Iron, wood, original weathered surface, 19 ½ x 24 x 1 inches
PROVENANCE:
Collection of Clark Garrett, Fairhaven, Ohio.
SAMUEL ADDISON SHUTE (1803-1836)
Young Gentleman with Brown Hair
Probably New Hampshire or Vermont, circa 1830
SAMUEL ADDISON SHUTE (1803-1836)
Young Gentleman with Brown Hair
Probably New Hampshire or Vermont, circa 1830
Watercolor and pencil on paper, 23 x 18 inches,
in old or original painted frame
PROVENANCE:
Edith Gregor Halpert, New York;
Collection of Stewart E. Gregory, Wilton, Connecticut;
Collection of Thomas G. Rizzo, New York;
David A. Schorsch, Greenwich, Connecticut;
First sold by us in 1984 and reacquired from the same
private collection.
PUBLISHED:
Advertisement for David A. Schorsch, The Magazine Antiques,
May 1984, p. 1068.
EDWARD BEYER (1810-1865)
The William Snidow Farm
Giles County, Virginia, 1855
EDWARD BEYER (1810-1865)
The William Snidow Farm
Giles County, Virginia, 1855
Oil on canvas, in a period veneered frame, 20 x 29 inches
A German émigré working in the style of the Dusseldorf Academy, Edward Beyer is recognized as the premier painter of panoramic landscapes of antebellum Virginia. Only a small number of his original oil paintings survive and rarely come to market. In 1855 Beyer also painted the nearby Lewis family homestead “Bellevue” and “A View of Salem,” which like the Snidow Farm, emphasize atmosphere, action, and drama. Beyer adeptly captured the verdant landscape of William Snidow’s farm, the meandering New River, and the Blue Ridge Mountains towering in the distance. According to a Giles County Deed Book, William Henry Snidow (1796-1863) acquired the sprawling property in 1836 after the death of his father, Colonel Christian Snidow (1760-1836). The house was built by William’s maternal grandfather, Captain Thomas Burke (1741-1808), who was the son of one of the earliest settlers west of the Allegheny Mountain Range. Inscribed on back of canvas in black paint: “View of Wm. H. Snidow’s Farm Giles, Co, Va / Painted from Nature by Ed. Beyer / Presented to Wm. H. Snidow by his friends / A. Hopp / Wm. Walten & / Ed. Beyer / Salem Va. Sept. 1855.” Mentioned in the inscription are almost certainly A. Hupp and William Walton who are listed as proprietors of Roanoke Red Sulphur Springs, a popular spa and tourist destination a short distance from the Snidow property and previously owned by William Burke (1769-1852), an uncle of William H. Snidow. In a further connection, Edward Beyer’s Album of Virginia (1858) includes a color lithograph of Roanoke Red Sulphur Springs. Additionally, William H. Snidow was a well-to-do lawyer very active in the affairs of Giles County and oversaw the creation of new roadways to accommodate spa tourism. The company owning Roanoke Red Sulphur Springs to which Hupp and Walton belonged appears to have been based in nearby Salem, Virginia, possibly explaining Salem as the place of the painting’s dedication, noted on the backside.