A patent dated March 2, 1852 begins with the following declaration: Be it known that I, George O. Donnell, of Shaker Village, in the town of New Lebanon, in the county of Columbia and State of New York, have invented a new and improved mode of preventing the wear and […]
Shaker Design, Revisited Our Shaker journey began in 1979 when at age fifteen, David acquired a charmingly small red painted Shaker box that he sold to collector Ralph Esmerian the following year (Fig. 1). This was also Esmerian’s first Shaker purchase. Fig. 1. Rare painted maple and pine Shaker red oval box New York or […]
Winter is a time for reflection for many. We are taking a moment to relive the excitement and success of the past year and carry it with us into 2022 as we prepare for our upcoming exhibit and sale, “Parallel Visions: Shaker Design and American Folk Art.” We hope you’ll join us in celebrating the […]
Over Forty Years of Experience The Philadelphia Show Virtually is now open, through April 30th! Visit our booth, here. One of the questions David is frequently asked is “how did you get started as a dealer?”. Coming from a family of collectors, in David’s case it’s less about how and more about when he began […]
Hidden in a Closet Arguably the single most important piece of American painted furniture that we ever had the pleasure to have handled is this country Chippendale style hanging wall cupboard. Constructed of yellow pine, it was made near present day Luray, Virginia about 1800 for the Reverend Jacob Strickler by an unidentified cabinetmaker […]
A Winter Show Q &A with David Schorsch Each year, we curate a special grouping of objects to exhibit for sale at The Winter Show in January. Although the Show is taking place virtually this year, the uniqueness and exceptional nature of each piece in our “booth” remain unchanged. We are hopeful that you’ll find […]
Home for the Holidays: Samuel Robb’s Santa Claus Figure This jolly Santa Claus figure made in 1923 by New York City carver Samuel Robb achieved a record auction price of $875,000 in 2014 when we acquired it for a private collector. Although many will recognize it as an icon of American folk art, less well […]
The art and craft that passes through our hands is always worthy of sharing. We are introducing this blog with the hope that it will allow you to connect with something special too. A SCHOOLGIRL PAINTED BOX Currently for sale ~ a slide-lid box with schoolgirl painted decoration. Produced in Western Massachusetts and dated […]
In six decades of business, we have had the pleasure of working with the most serious collectors of American art and antiques. However, one of our greatest joys is educating newcomers on the material that we have built our business and lives around. If you come across one of our ads, social media posts, or […]
Laura Beach, Antique and the Arts Weekly, August 14, 2026Read full story
This spring, we had the pleasure of exhibiting at the inaugural Pennsylvania Antiques Show at Valley Forge. The show was a tremendous success, with strong attendance and activity, including several notable sales. This new annual antiques show celebrated America’s 250th anniversary and benefits nearby Historic Trappe. The experience was an encouraging reminder of the vitality […]
We are taking the opportunity to look back on our notable moments from 2025 while anticipating exciting things to come in 2026. We mark our success in the relationships we build and the wonderful objects we have the pleasure of handling. We began 2025 taking part in the “Focus Americana” booth at the Winter Show […]
Few may know that our business began as a bandbox collection when a six-year-old David Schorsch was gifted a Hannah Davis (1784-1863) example by his mother, Majorie “Peggy” Schorsch, a prominent dealer and collector throughout her life. A few years later, he acquired another example from his neighbor, and his collection—and later business—would grow from […]
The packet Telegraph was constructed by Calvin Turner (circa 1776–1849) in Medford, Massachusetts in 1816. The Telegraph was a 391-ton merchant vessel owned by Boston merchants William and Nathan Appleton, who were cousins. This portrait of the Telegraph was likely commissioned by the Appleton cousins to commemorate its launch. The impressive qualities of the ship, […]
Possessing a dramatic and hard-edged style, Sheldon Peck is regarded as one of the greatest American portrait painters in the folk tradition. These early portraits of James Miner (1805-1891) and Alma Wilmarth Miner (1809-1847) by Sheldon Peck are standout examples that we sold in 2011. In his portraits of the Miners, Peck uniquely incorporates the […]
We recently had the pleasure of visiting with some old friends—both human and inanimate—for the exhibition opening of “Valley Culture: Constructing Identity Along the Great Wagon Road” at Historic Trappe. Curated by our friend and colleague, the Pennsylvania-German scholar Lisa Minardi, whose titles include Director of Historic Trappe and Editor of Americana Insights, “Valley Culture” […]
Brian T. Allen, National Review, May 18, 2024. Read article here.
by David Schorsch Rick and Terry Cicotelli came into my life in January 2003, when Rick visited our booth at the Winter Antiques Show, where he admired a paint-decorated signboard inscribed “HUDSON THE TAILOR.” Rick and I spent the better part of the afternoon discussing the merits and history of the sign, while simultaneously taking […]