David A. Schorsch and Eileen M. Smiles American Antiques is one of the world’s leading dealers and authorities in the field of American antiques and folk art, specializing in weathervanes, folk paintings, folk sculpture, formal and country furniture and Shaker design. Since 1995, David A. Schorsch has worked with Eileen M. Smiles, located in Woodbury, Connecticut, where they maintain a gallery in a restored early 19th century building in the heart of the town’s historic district. We seek to acquire the finest quality works and consistently offer a select inventory of hand-picked curated objects that are guaranteed. In addition to our gallery, we exhibit at major antique fairs including The Winter Show, and The Philadelphia Antiques and Art Show.
David and Eileen share a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Based on decades of combined experience with discerning taste and a well-honed eye, our standards of evaluation are unique and set us apart from every other dealer in decorative arts. We understand the importance of research, and through the lens of the most current scholarship, we evaluate the artistic merit, quality of workmanship, condition, rarity, and provenance of every antique that we buy and sell. We work closely with collectors of all levels providing professional advice on building and refining collections.
As one of the country’s pre-eminent dealers in American antiques, David A. Schorsch and Eileen M. Smiles have formed some of the most celebrated private and corporate collections of American furniture and folk art in the world including the Jane Katcher Collection of Americana. In addition we have established numerous auction and private sales records and have sold and continue to sell to major museums including : The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, Williamsburg, VA; The American Folk Art Museum, New York; Historic Deerfield, Deerfield, MA; The Maine State Museum, Augusta, ME; The High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA; The Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE; The Terra Foundation for American Art, Chicago, IL; The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY; The Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI; Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT; The Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT and The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
David and Eileen place a particular emphasis on scholarship through research, lecturing and publishing which have expanded the core of reference information available in the field. One of their most significant achievements came with the publication of Expressions of Innocence and Eloquence, Selections from the Jane Katcher Collection of Americana, Volume I and II, published by Yale University Press, in which David and Eileen were involved with all phases of its development.