What is Americana
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 spot us at a show, we hope you will approach us with your questions or to share with us something you appreciate or find interesting. We welcome conversation with anyone, including those not in a position to buy or who may lack background knowledge in the material we handle.
In this new series, we will explain some basic categories within our little corner of the art world in an effort to open the door to new enthusiasts.
What is Americana?
In the field of art and antiques, Americana typically refers to objects, furniture, artwork, and other decorative items displayed in the American home, dating from English/European arrival to the turn of the 20th century, as well as indigenous objects of this same time period. These items may have been made by artists who gained recognition in their lifetimes, produced art to make a living, as a hobby, or as part of their educational upbringing; these works may be attributed to known artists and individuals, or they may be anonymous works made by everyday people whose identities have been lost to time. What draws so many to Americana and American folk art is its democratic nature—these objects and works of art are valued for their artistic expression and workmanship, as well as their ability to represent the American experience; being attached to a famous name or school of art is of lesser consequence. American folk art is the art of the common man.
Additionally, the genres of Americana and American folk art represent a melting pot of different influences and cultures. Eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American artists borrowed from long-established styles and distilled them into uniquely American expressions and reinventions of those traditions. This included “country” takes on English designs as well as ethnic traditions that immigrant groups brought with them, as with the Pennsylvania Germans. Our nation’s promise of religious freedom birthed entirely new principles for craftsmanship, such as the Shaker movement’s belief that religious and moral integrity and craftsmanship/aesthetics are inseparable.
Why speak with us?
David’s passion for American antiques began in his childhood, and he first entered the business as a teenager under the mentorship of his mother, Marjorie “Peggy” Schorsch, a leading collector and dealer. David Schorsch and Eileen Smiles are nationally recognized experts with over eighty years of combined experience in the field, and both routinely publish scholarly material in specialty areas such as weathervanes, folk paintings and sculpture, formal and country furniture, and Shaker design.
In addition to their unparalleled expertise, both David and Eileen are educators at heart who love nothing more than to share their passion with other enthusiasts and those curious about the field. We hope you’ll send us a message or pay us a visit at an upcoming show.
Left to right, clockwise: David at the Philadelphia Antiques Show as a teenager; David and Eileen about 2008; a triumphant David with Samuel Shute’s masterpiece “Woman with Two Canaries” in 2022.
Inquiries
In addition to selling to collectors at the highest level of buying, our inventory includes exceptional examples of Americana at more accessible price points. Follow us on social media to be on the lookout for items advertised as having friendly price points, sign up for our monthly emails to learn about new items for sale, our show schedule and more. And don’t hesitate to message, call, or email with an inquiry.