7
44,
•Oip
4*
'J. .'• \‘14P
Ammi Phillips Circa 1855 41 x 321 / 4 inches
ciL - LAN L. DANIEL American Folk Art and Country Furniture In New York City By appointment (212) 799-0825
ISRAEL SACK INC.
Sheraton painted side chair retaining original drapery andfloral decoration. Attributed toJohn Seymour & Son, Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1800. Height 351/2"
Our latest brochure #30, is now mailable at $4.00 per copy. Established 1905 速
Co-publishers THE AMERICAN ART JOURNAL
15 EAST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10022
(212) PL3-6562 1
POLYCHROME ROOSTER Carved wood Pennsylvania 19th century
I
BERNARD & S. DEAN
IN(
Formerly of Ginsburg &Levy.INC 981 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10021 TELEPHONE (212) 628-7088 TUESDAY thru SATURDAY, 10 to 5:30
RARE FIGURE OF A MAN ON HORSEBACK Glazed red earthenware Pennsylvania 19th century
PIE PLATE Glazed red earthenware Sgraffito decoration, tulip motif in urn Possibly made by John E. Mondau Bucks County, Pennsylvania 19th century
1022 LEXINGTON
AVENUE, NEW YORK, N.Y.10021 PH0NE:(212)YU PROPRIETORS: BLANCHE GREENSTEIN, TOM WOODARD
8-2906
Album quilt top. Mid nineteenth-century. Found in Pennsylvania. From our extensive collection offine quilts and Americana. We are open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. -6 p.m. We wish to purchase rare and exceptionalfolk art quilts, crib quilts and textiles. Photographs returned promptly. 3
SothebyParke Bernet Founded 1744
The leading firm of art auctioneers & appraisers in the world
AUCTIONS OF AMERICANA to be held February 2, 3 and 4 and in March, April and June
The Peaceable Kingdom by Edward Hicks, painted in 1847, 24 x 32 inches. Sold by The Vineland Historical Society, Vineland, New Jersey at Sotheby Parke Bernet on October 27, 1977 for $125,000. An annual subscription to Americana catalogues costs only $70 (U.S.A., Canada & Mexico). The catalogues include furniture, paintings and prints, folk art, decoys, weathervanes, frakturs, needlework, quilts & coverlets, silver, glass, Chinese Export porcelain, Staffordshire pottery, maps, and other material of American historical interest. The subscription includes pre-sale estimates, post-sale prices and our bi-monthly 8 page Newsletter with information about upcoming sales in New York, Los Angeles, London, and other world-wide galleries. Please enclose your check to Department CF SOTHEBY PARKE BERNET INC 4
If you would like further information about the acquisition or sale of American art and antiques, please write or call: Paintings / Mr. Peter Rathbone 212/472-3551 Furniture / Mr. Wm.Stahl 212/472-3511 Folk Art / Mrs. Nancy Druckman 212/472-3512 Ceramics / Miss Letitia Roberts 212/472-3517 in Los Angeles Mr. John E. Parkerson 213/937-5130 7660 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, Ca. 90036
980 MADISON AVENUE
NEW YORK 10021
212/472-3400
Gary C.Cole AMERICAN DECORATIVE ARTS 45 East 80th Street, New York, N.Y.10021 (212)879-9432 I am always interested in purchasing American weathervanes, paintings, furniture
and related decorative arts, single pieces or entire collections.
5
edmund I. fuller woodstock, n.y. 12498
by appt.
(914) 679-8696
„LL_ Aiiirranimma
A selection ofourfinefolk art now on hand in the gallery.
GEORGE E. SCHOELLKOPF 1065 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10028
(212) 879-3672
Tuesday through Saturday, 10-5
. mow
8
GEORGE E. SCHOELLKOPF
9
By Lyman Emerson Cole 1855 30" x 25" signed and dated
ANNE N. FISHER 160 McKinley Avenue New Haven, Connecticut (203) 397-2902
10
Superb 19th-century folk painting, related to examples by Bradley. New England, circa 1840. 34 inches x 38 inches, including frame.
FINE AMERICAN ANTIQUES 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY FURNITURE • PAINTINGS • FOLK ART VILLAGE SQUARE • 115 MASON STREET • GREENWICH • CONNECTICUT 06830 (203)869-9650
11
SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER FOR NEW SUBSCRIBERS TO 17lie9agazifie
ANTMJES The authoritative magazine for perceptive collectors
FREE BOOK
Every issue contains: Articles by authorities in the fields of American decorative and fine arts, including furniture, silver, pewter, porcelain and earthenware, textiles, paintings, and sculpture. Also in every issue: news of current and coming exhibitions, recent museum accessions, calendar of antiques shows, and reviews and a list of the latest books on antiques and paintings. '74-11agazor
Offer expires 2/28/78
AN T I QjU ES Dept. CL8
551 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017
Yes,enter my subscription for 12 months at $24.00* Regular rate: and send me a free copy of AMERICAN ANTIQUES 12 single issues are $36. by Cynthia & Julian Rockmore My payment of $24 is enclosed. *Add $3.50 for mailing outside the U.S.A. Check must accompany order.
when you enter your subscription now 12
Name
(please print) Address City
State
Zip
k x14060401016:16,1%.111011:%0110110b.11011016,140b,,lk, vik" a1 or irIv, 00 6 161,011k N.N,11,,AANi16,1 0 .41:016711.%#,A, 0 l ::0il l aa ill Oni I:ra 0 Ill II film OE
1"41.1\1116.N.1
Op
NOM
0 0 0 0
0
00 0 0 r
r
07 . 11 IMO 11111 Al r 111 III
0 0
SIM
NMI
b• Adik10116.101110k1L"1...1011\111.10116,116:1\1016.111.11.111,111\11,
107211:7*.w....7.7.7.,...7.7.74.74.7W2F47.22r4
ilill F
44141444AL444444441414444114141
'4 11
, , Mr VZ2111.711MW;i7,7,74X6.7,4, ,
. 4I
4
•
4 .• 04 . 1 °I 0. .4 ,1 &4 N r4 1
Pi
0,4 '4 10
N
i •
• • l' • •
.
4
0 1
01 11. 4
0 r4 t :4 A ih,.4 04 all bt . Ir4 ,..
These extraordinary patchwork quilts were all made by the same rural Virginia woman around the turn of the century. They have the vitality and visual impact associated with the best of both 19th century folk art and 20th century graphics. Sold as a collection. JOEL and KATE KOPP
r
A . \•• NI 0"
&4 k OA
• ' • kit N it 0 kill .• :4 N F.111111.111M.4‘..u.a7LvA7Ai: b. 4
N `rrrrryvvrrrrovrvrrrrrrb" ;4 0 i
r7 . .:, 40171 4,1 4. 7rAzird,...4lizrz1.10.7 P 10 : .i...45.72 )10 4r,in04
IlUl 316 East t-'70th St. New York, N.Y 10021 212 535-1930 We specialize in American folk art with an emphasis on patchwork quilts. We buy individual pieces and complete collections. Please write, photographs promptly returned.
13
Steven Straw Company, inc. 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY AMERICAN ART
Thirty Green Street, Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950 Tel.(617)462-3171 Telex 94-744 Hours: Tuesday窶認riday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Saturday by appointment. Our new color catalog it available at $3.00, postage paid.
14
Two 19th century painted whirligigs carved by the same hand, each beautifully weathered. The tin necktie and carved hands are nice details. 16" height
STEPHEN SCORE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS PHONE (617) 261-3379
Joseph H. Davis. Two Girls in a Landscape with Birds and Butterfly. Formerly in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and exhibited at The Art Institute of Chicago and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Collection. Reproduced in color in the Savage and Sparks catalogue, "Three New England Watercolor Painters." 73/4"X10 1/8" Photos Barney Burstein
15
The twenty-fourth annual
EAST SIDE HOUSE SETTLEMENT
WINTER
.
ues g W SHO Saturday,January 28th
EXHIBITORS LANTIQUAIRE,INC. A LA VIEILLE AUSSIE,INC. LINLO HOUSE INC. DIDIER AARON,INC. THE LION MARK W.GRAHAM ARADER III ELLEN FALES LOMASNEY BEDFORD GREEN ANTIQUES MARINE ARTS GALLERY DORIS LESLIE BLAU ELINOR MERRELL RONALD BOURGEAULT MILL RUN ANTIQUES ALFRED BULLARD,INC.— NIGEL MORRISON,LTD. HELEN MCGEHEE RALPH M.CHAIT GALLERIES, I NC. MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ANTIQUE AND ART DEALERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA,INC. CHILDS GALLERY NEWHOUSE GALLERIES,INC. ED CLERK NIMMO AND HART LILLIAN BLANKLEY COGAN THE OLD PRINT SHOP,INC. AUDFtEY R. CONNIFF (KENNETH M. NEWMAN) M.DARLING ANTIQUES JACK PARTRIDGE DILDARIAN,INC. DAVID POITINGER WILLIAM FERftELL ANTIQUES MARGUERITE RIORDAN MALCOLM FRANKLIN,INC. GEORGE E. SCHOELLKOPF GEORGIAN MANOR ANTIQUES MATTHEW SCHUTZ,LTD. JAMES & NANCY GLAZER ROBERT SPENCER ELINOR GORDON STAIR AND CO.,INC. JOHN GORDON GALLERY GARRICK C. STEPHENSON GUTHMAN AMERICANA SYLVIA TEARSTON ANTIQUES HASTINGS HOUSE ANTIQUES ROBERT THOMAS-ROBERT SEIFERT HAYESTOCK HOUSE HIRSCHL & ADLER GALLERIES,INC.J.J. THOMPSON DANA TILLOU HOBART HOUSE JOHN C. R.TOMPKINS (MALCOLM STEARNS,JR.) TIMOTHY TRACE RUTH HUBBELL 222 IMPORTS INCURABLE COLLECTOR,INC. VERNAY & JUSSEL,INC. LAWRENCE E. KING THE VILLAGE GREEN ANTIQUES RAYMOND B. KNIGHT THE VIRGINIANS GERALD KORNBIAU GALLERY THOMAS D. AND CONSTANCE R. WILLIAMS H.J. KRATZER,INC. THOMAS K. WOODARD LANDRIGAN & STAIR,INC. Yoruc HOUSE HERBERT LANNING,LTD.
For the Benefit of EAST SIDE HOUSE SETTLEMENT 337
through
Sunday, February 5th Hours: Weekdays, noon-nine p.m. Sundays, one-six p.m.
Seventh Regiment Armory Park Avenue at 67th Street New York City Daily Admission: $4.00 Catalog by Mail, $4.00 ppd. LOAN EXHIBIT ...from Great Private Collections
PREVIEW PARTY Friday,January 27th,6:30-9:00 p.m. Tickets, $35.00 each Special Patrons and Collectors Showing 5 p.m. Tickets, $120.00 per couple
Alexander Avenue Bronx, New York 10454 (212)CY 2-7392
New Hampshire 19th Century weathervane figure
GWare pleased to announce our move to the River Oaks Center at 2002 Peden Street Houston, Texas 77019
Robert E.Kinnaman Brian A.Ramaekers
Monday, -Saturday,10-5 Telephone (713) 526-0095
John Hoberts residence New York Grisaille drawing in graphite and ink on paper. Mid-19th century.
0#440-
'U
oda III
IIUI• pp
Li IIliii
17
New York City'sFull-Service Auction Gallery Auctions on Alternate Wednesdays,at 10 a.m. American, English & Continental Antiques, Works of Art
Please refer to our ads on Sunday in The New York Times Auction section, for exact dates and comprehensive listing.
18
Collection of
Phyllis Haders
Mennonite "Log Cabin" Cradle Quilt, Pennsylvania,circa 1860. Wool challis in lovely muted colors with orange centers,42" x 42".
By Appointment (212)832-8181 Mail address: 136 East 64 Street, New York, N.Y. 10021
I am always interested in acquiring exceptional quilts.
19
t.5411evsee4.4 ()knee /766 502s Park Avenue. New York. N.Y. 10022
Telephone(212)826-2888
LONDON • NEW YORK • PARIS•GENEVA • ROME• AMSTERDAM • BRUSSELS• DUSSELDORF • MADRID STOCKHOLM • BUENOS AIRES• MEXICO C ITY •SYDNEY • MELBOURNE
Whirligig 12 inches long 10 inches high
H.& G.Diamant By Appointment 115 West 73 Street• New York, N.Y.10023 (212)362-2552 21
The first book for penny bank collectors
PENNY BANKS .N.ND A Iiiiiv.7.345. 4q by Carole G.Rogers v
Photographs by Terry Clough
4-14
Penny banks are in much demand as collectors' items today, and at last there is a beautifully illustrated, lively book on the subject. More than 100 halftones and over 30 color subjects concentrate on the famous cast-iron mechanical banks that were developed in the United States in the nineteenth century. Carole Rogers also gives a general history of penny banks, discusses the many varieties of cast-iron still banks, and talks about the several famous collectors in this field and how some of their banks were acquired. Bibliography. Index. 102 pages. 81/2"x 8 7/8". $8.95, paperbound At booksellers or use coupon to order: os INN 111.11115111. Dept. C, E.P. Dutton . 2 Park Avenue •010.1111.1111°111. York 10016 York, New New Please send me copy(ies) PENNY BANKS (#474684) at $8.95 per copy. Payment is enclosed plus appropriate sales tax and 50c postage and handling per copy. Name Address State ZIP City 22
GUIDE PICTORIAL PRICE ANTIQUES AMERICAN TO Object. Mode for the Americo/I/Rorke/ CATEGORIES ,,nct osocrs IN 300
PRICED OVER 5000 ILLUSTRATED AND Dorothy
Enjoying.„
Buying... expertise in over 300 categories of American antiques is yours—with more than 5000 objects illustrated and keyed to dealer price, year sold, and location. "Very simply the best guide yet." —Maine Antique Digest pp. index. 83 / 4"x 11" $8.95, paperbound
L224
COLONIAL FaNITUR:F.
folk painting, sculpture, quilts, pottery, furniture, early New England gravestones, wildfowl decoys, and much more will be easier with this beautifully illustrated basic guide. 37 color plates. 121 halftones. 224 pp. index. $6.95, paperbound
MLA ND OF FW
lilt' Qt II I Nt,q,1 NV N., ki I "s1)111 107r)
Enduri
ng••• since 1891, when it was first published, this is still the bible for all serious students and collectors in the field of New England Colonial furniture. Newly reprinted in a handsome paperbound edition and with an introduction by Dean A. Fales, Jr., it remains the best general book written on the subject. 113 photographs. 285 pp. appendix. index. $6.95, paperbound
Keeping track... of weekly appointments is all the more pleasurable for those who love and appreciate American quilts with this stunning engagement calendar that features a diverse and magnificent selection of 58 American quilts dating from 1740 to 1976. 114 pp. Boxed. $5.95, spiral-bound
CDUTT°N ) 201 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y. 10003
125 YEARS 23
Par& vattue cAntiques Pair March 8-12 Hours: Wednesday through Saturday 12:30-9:30 Sunday 12-6
7th Regiment Armory Park Avenue at 67th Street,
New York City • 90 personally selected exhibitors • Lectures daily on investing in antiques • Special exhibit of tennis memorabilia from the National Tennis Foundation/ International Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport, R.I. For Preview Ticket Information Call: (212)682-6300 Mrs. Frederick Guest, Preview Night Chairperson tall-Bostick-Wendy Manage
24
20th century tin policeman whirligig 4' high Said to have been removed from atop a building at a small airport in the Whitewater, Wisconsin area. Perhaps used as a wind directional as he swirls on his base with arms that turn in whirligig fashion.
GAIL SAVAGE AMERICAN ANTIQUES & FOLK ART West Exeter Road, Kildeer, Illinois (312)438-8425
25
COUNTRY ARTS including unusually fine primitive portrait of lady with a fan.
COUNTRY ANTIQUES Fred and Jo Ann Cadarette 26
Tel. 603-435-6615 Mail Address: Route 2, Pittsfield, N.H. 03263
Rare Revolutionary period Americanflag, having 13 stars and 13 stripes. Thisflag was undoubtedly made between June 14,1777, the date Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the official United Statesflag, and May 1, 1795, the date on which the 14th and 15th states were added to the Union. Size: 31 inches x 50 inches.
THOMAS & KAREN SCHWENKE 19 Purchase Street, Rye, New York 10580
Telephone (914) 967-4990 Closed Wednesdays
27
We want to tell you something about....
ANTIQUES And The Arts Week.ly
We are not a magazine, a review, a monthly, a digest or a shopper.
We are a newspaper, a weekly newspaper devoted to the field of antiques . . . and we function as a newspaper.
We tell you about shows, auctions, markets, lectures, gallery displays and museum exhibitions before they happen; and we cover and report on many of them as well. Our pages carry advertising for shows, markets, shops, and sales. Countless items are bought and sold through our paper every week. Our auction advertising is known far and wide; some weeks we have over twenty pages listing fifty or more individual sales. Besides all that,
We come to you every week, and for only $8 per year; two years for $15.
Our distribution is now over 28,000 weekly and we invite you to help us increase this number. We think you will completely enjoy "Antiques And The Arts Weekly."
Please start sending me "Antiques And The Arts Weekly" only $8.00 per year or $15.00 for two years (payment must accompany form) Name Street
A handy coupon is furnished for your convenience. Mail it to: The Bee Publishing Co., Church Hill Road, Newtown, Conn. 06470.
28
City/Town State Please send 17 Sample Copy
Zip Please send E Rate Card
TIMOTHY & PAMELA HILL
AMERICAN ANTIQUES 56000 TEN MILE ROAD,SOUTH LYON, MICHIGAN,48178 013/437 1538
Masters of Naive Art Bombois, Bauchant, Vivian Ellis, Hyppolite, Gertrude O'Brady, Shalom of Safed and others
WORTHINGTON GALLERY 233 East Ontario Street, Chicago
Waldimiro de Deus—Brazil "Apocalypse od London" 20X26 inches-1973 Oil/Canvas
266-2424
EMILY LUNDE
GENERAL STORE BY EMILY LUNDE OIL ON CANVAS 1977 Emily Lunde, the contemporary folk artist from Minnesota, reveals through her paintings much about the early 20th century immigrants living in northern Minnesota where she spent most of her childhood with Swedish grandparents. She frequently depicts scenes from the isolated northern woodlands where telephones and radios were non-existent and peddlers and tramps or traveling evangelists were the only contacts with the outside world. Her work is handled exclusively through America's Folk Heritage Gallery.
JAY JOHNSON AMERICA'S FOLK HERITAGE GALLERY 30
37 West 20th Street, Room 706 New York, N.Y. 10011 (212)243-4336 By Appointment Only
JOHN &JACQUELINESIDELI AMERICAN DECORATIVE ARTS
ROUTE 66 MALDEN BRIDGE, N.Y. 11215 PHONE 518-766-3547 APPOINTMENT ADVISED
J. & J. BARD PICTURE PAINTERS
By A. J. Peluso, Jr.
The first comprehensive and fullyillustrated book on these most important 19th-century American marine painters. Includes a checklist of Bard paintings, a listing of known but lost Bards, and additional source reference material. 33 color plates, over 140 illustrations, hardbound $27.50.
SIOason Rive Pres5
HUDSON RIVER PRESS 152 Second Ave., New York, N.Y. 10003 Send me
copies oft. & J. BARD PICTURE PAINTERS @ $27.50.
(N.Y. residents please add applicable sales tax.) My check for $ is enclosed. Name Address City
State Zip Please include ;1.25 per copy for shipping and handling. New York State residents, add appropriate sales tax.
31 —1
Sanford & Patricia Smith AMERICAN ANTIQUES 19 East 76 Street, New York, New York 10021•(212)929-3121
An exceptional American ship's figurehead in original condition and paint. Illustrated in The Treasury of American Design by Clarence P. Hornung (fig.#28)
32
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 11 to 4 Saturday, 11 to 5
"'CLARION
Winter 1978
America's Folk Art Magazine
Contents Cover: Stencil spread. 1825-1835. New England. 91" x 84". This very rare bedcover is a gift to the Collections of the Museum of American Folk Art from George E. Schoellkopf.
Letter from the Director Robert Bishop, Ph.D.
35
The Museum Shop-Talk Elizabeth Tobin
67
Andy Warhol's Folk & Funk, One Viewer's View Julia Weissman
37
Classes for Crafty Folk Phillida Mirk
69
The Warhol Show: First Tryout for the Docent Program Catherine Calvert
39
Harry Lieberman Patricia L. Coblentz
71
Special Benefit Dinner-Dance
40
The All-American Dog—Man's Best Friend in Folk Art Robert Bishop, Ph.D.
73
Di6s de Mas, Dias de Menos Christine R. Mather
76
A Folk Art Calendar Across the Country
78
43
Collector's Choice II, Folk Art
80
Charley Schoenheider's Canada Goose Decoys Merle H. Glick
48
American Folk Painting, Selections from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wiltshire, Ill
81
Flashes of the Soul, Photography vs. Painting Roderic H. Blackburn
It's Time to loin!
84
50 Invest in the Future
84
Index to Advertisers
96
Report on the Friends Committee Karen S. Schuster Schedule of Museum Exhibitions and Lecture Series A Midwest Sampler: The Braman Collection David Revere McFadden
42 42
Shaker Stereo Views Cynthia Elyce Rubin
54
Williamsburg's Folk Art Center Beatrix T. Rumford
57
Change of Address Please send both old and new addresses and allow five weeks for change
The Clarion, America's Folk Art Magazine, Winter 1978, No. 8. Published quarterly and copyright 1978 by The Museum of American Folk Art, 49 West 53rd Street, New York, New York 10019. The cover and contents of The Clarion are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner without written consent. Unsolicited manuscripts or photographs should be accompanied by return postage. The Clarion assumes no responsibility for the loss or damage of such material.
Advertising The Clarion accepts advertisements only from advertisers whose reputation is recognized in the trade, but despite the care with which the advertising department screens photographs and texts submitted by its advertisers, it cannot guarantee the unquestionable authenticity of objects or quality of services advertised in its pages or offered for sale by its advertisers, nor can it accept responsibility for misunderstandings that may arise from the purchase or sale of objects or services advertised in its pages.
33
Museum of American Folk Art
Board of Trustees: Mr. Ralph Esmerian, Chairman Mrs. Barbara Johnson, President Mrs. Ronald Lauder, Vice-President Mrs. Richard Taylor, Vice-President Mr. Lewis Cabot, Treasurer Kenneth Page, Esquire, Secretary Miss Mary Allis Mrs. James Burke Mrs. Phyllis D. Collins Mrs. Frederick M. Danziger Dr. Louis C. Jones Mrs. Alice M. Kaplan Mrs. Norman LassaIle Mr. William Leffler Frances Martinson, Esquire Mr. Basil Mavroleon The Honorable Helen S. Meyner Mr. Cyril I. Nelson Mrs. Derek Schuster Mrs. Richard Taylor Mr. Andy Warhol Mr. William Wiltshire Ill Mrs. Dan R. Johnson, Trustee Emeritus Mrs. Howard Lipman, Trustee Emeritus Museum Staff: Robert Bishop, Ph.D., Director Patricia L. Coblentz, Assistant Director Kathleen Ouwel, Exhibition Coordinator Dia Stolnitz, Secretary Lucy Danziger and Susan Klein, Co-chairmen, Docent Committee Cynthia Schaffner, Weekend Coordinator, Docent Committee Karen Schuster, Chairman, Friends Committee Roberta Gaal, Chairman, Education Committee Phillida Mirk, Craft Class Coordinator Deborah Yellin, Membership Secretary Corinne Farkouh, Museum Intern The Museum Shop Staff: Elizabeth Tobin, Manager Sylvia Bloch Kevin Bueche Joan Falkins Sally Gerbrick Phillida Mirk Hazel Osburne Albert Villedrouin Meryl Weiss The Clarion Staff: Patricia Coblentz, Editor Denis Johnston, Assistant Editor Ellen Blissman, Designer Helaine Fendel man, Advertising Manager Carol Weitz, Typesetter Topp Litho, Printers
34
Dear Members and Friends: Since the last issue of The Clarion, the Museum of American Folk Art has been a beehive of activity. "Andy Warhol's Folk & Funk," a special benefit dinner at The Four Seasons following the opening of that exhibition, the Bernard & S. Dean Levy pottery benefit, the trip to the Brandywine Museum, the Manhattan House Tour, the opening of "The All American Dog—Man's Best Friend in Folk Art," the Fall Craft Classes, and the 1977-1978 Lecture Series have generated new friends for the Museum and, because of the wide coverage by the press, introduced more people to our institution and its far-reaching programs. One of my great hopes as Director is that we will be able to establish an educational program with far-reaching implications in the academic community. During the fall semester an undergraduate class held in conjunction with Marymount College was the initial step. During the winter semester a second class, again in conjunction with Marymount College, titled "A General Survey of American Furniture" and taught by Assistant Director Patricia Coblentz, will be offered. We are also currently investigating the possibility of establishing a graduate program and hope that it will become a reality by the fall of 1978. Several of the Museum's collection items have been chosen for reproduction; the Amish bookends produced by American Heritage Publishing Company and the handsome Peaceable Kingdom calendar for 1978 are available through The Museum Shop.
Letter from the Director
Andy Warhol at the opening of "Andy Warhol's Folk & Funk."
Louise Nevelson, Merce Cunningham, and Geoffrey Holder at the benefit dinner-dance at The Four Seasons.
The Museum of American Folk Art was intimately involved with the exhibition, "New York: The State of Art," which opened at the New York State Museum on the Albany Mall on October 8. This show featured Folk Arts in New York State, which I curated; the Hudson River School, curated by Dr. William H. Gerdts; and the New York School, curated by Thomas B. Hess. When the exhibition closes, many pieces loaned from our Museum's permanent collection will be on display in our own spring show, "Selections from the Permanent Collection." New accessions continue to arrive at the Museum on a regular basis and in the last several months major donors of works of art include George Arden, Herbert Bayer, Robert Bishop, Eva Boicourt, Ralph Bower, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Dumas,
35
Gift from Alice M. Kaplan: Portrait of an Old Woman, pastel on cardboard, 1800-1810.
William Fagaly, Burton and Helaine Fendelman, Stephen Gemberling, Phyllis Haders, Michael and Julie Hall, Janet Howell, Barbara Johnson, Jay Johnson, Alice M. Kaplan, Mr. and Mrs. Day Krolik, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Lipman, Eunice McCloskey, Lillian Malcove, Cyril Nelson, and George Schoellkopf. We are at the moment investigating the possibility of several film projects. One would focus upon six exhibitions previously mounted at the Museum of American Folk Art, studying in detail the contribution made by the folk artists in New York State. Three additional films, one dealing with folk art at the Museum of American Folk Art, another with quilts, and a third with decoys, would showcase significant works of art from the Museum's permanent collection. The exhibition schedule for 1978 is included elsewhere in this issue and we are currently projecting shows for 1979 concerning Religion in American Folk Art, Transportation in America, the Heart Motif in American Folk Art, The Peaceable Kingdom, and the Shakers. As our Museum continues to grow in a substantial way, it is important that everyone participate to their very utmost. Please join me in making the Museum of American Folk Art your museum. Robert Bishop, Ph.D. Director
Blanche Greenstein and Tom Woodard display a Contained Crazy Quilt from New England, prominently dated 1882, during their lecture on textiles to the Marymount College class in the Museum galleries.
Pine blanket chest from upper Berks County, Pennsylvania, 1765 — 1810, one of the 225 folk art objects from the Winterthur Museum which members of the Museum saw on the September tour to view the exhibition,"Beyond Necessity, Art in the Folk Tradition," mounted at the Brandywine River Museum at Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.
Katharine and Charles Hagler will speak on "A Personal Experience with Historic Preservation" at the May lecture.
36
Andy Warhol's Folk & Funk, One Viewer's View Julia Weissman Most of what there is to say or has been said about "Andy Warhol's Folk & Funk"—the Museum of American Folk Art's show featuring objects from his collection—has been more or less captured in the text of the catalogue. Nonetheless, it is no secret that both the content and installation of that show have puzzled if not confused many viewers —faithful members, regular partrons, and curiosity seekers alike. But the title of the exhibition is an apt one and, for the thoughtful museum visitor, can prove an exercise in judgment. What is folk and which is the funk? This article isn't intended to arbitrate or adjudicate question but rather is meant to suggest the possible raison the d'etre of the Warhol collection, which, considering his background and activities, is not necessarily indicative of his personal artistic taste, although it well may be of his philosophy. Given Warhol's present stature among the demi-mondes and taste buyers of our society, Warhol's early personal life is interesting and should be noted. It has in it something of the typical American success dream: the rise from rags to
riches. Andy Warhol's real name is Andrew Warhola. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, August 6, 1928, he was one of three sons. His working class parents were born in Czechoslovakia and Andy's father, originally a farmer in Europe, became a mine worker in this country. Andy's brothers, Paul and John, became manual workers. During the depression, the father worked in the coal mines of West Virginia, and was able to spend only weekends with his family in Pennsylvania. He died in 1942. As was common to the generation and the times, Andy did odd jobs after school and in his spare hours. One biographer mentions that he sold vegetables. He seems to have shown an early artistic drive, and was for a time window display director for a department store. He left high school at the age of 16 and in September of 1945 entered the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, where he studied pictorial design, painting, art history, sociology, and psychology. He received his B.A. in June 1949 and shortly thereafter went to New York, where he succeeded in getting commissions
to illustrate short stories for Glamour Magazine. Legend has it that Tina Fredericks, the art director there, was so impressed by his work that she gave him an assignment to do some shoe designs which she showed to I. Miller. "This was," wrote biographer Rainer Crone, "his entrance into the fashionable field of commercial art, which brought him important contacts, experience, and certain realizations about the supremely capitalistic power-hungry world" which was to influence his later work. "He saw that people are used as products, their character and values bought and sold as objects." This may be ascribing more political character to Warhol's art than actually pertained, but it does indicate that Warhol's earlier work was already showing evidence of his later noncommittal realism—not to say cynicism. As the show's catalogue points out, Warhol capitalizes on his eccentricities, some of which, in the beginning, may have been assumed but now seem to have become part and parcel of his carefully cultivated image. A highly skilled designer and an artist of genuine ability and merit and quite able to produce "conventionally" beautiful art, he has over the years and according to his own statements evolved a philosophy which seems intended to depersonalize art (at least his own art), that is, remove from it the personality cult prevalent in today's publicity conscious professions. The result, of course, has made Warhol as much of a cult as he is an artist. Part of his wanting to depersonalize art seems to come from Warhol's feeling, according to Gregory Battcock, that painting in our time is finished, that since the day that Duchamp elevated the ceramic toilet to the level of art, no subject or influence can be proscribed. Thus, Warhol assimilated "common" art—the famous Campbell Soup cans, for instance—into the painting of our era. In order to depersonalize art, he also practiced various methods of reproduction which would eliminate the concept of "original." According to one biographer, Warhol tried to change the strictly formalistic, traditionally accepted idea of "original artwork" in favor of a "creativity" that can be learned and shared by everyone. Warhol, contends Battcock, now seems determined to discover a way of bestowing significance upon the utterly insignificant, a statement which may help in analyzing his folk art collection. I, for one, as a faithful member of the Museum, feel no self-consciousness in acknowledging this aspect of the show, because Warhol's collection seems to incorporate some of that concept of "bestowing significance" on otherwise artistically unremarkable or esthetically-wanting objects on display. There is a certain magpie element in Warhol's collecting that goes well beyond simply eclectic taste or interest. A good portion of what Warhol "collects" is what Herbert Read categorized as "popular" art, the commercially produced art aimed at the populace. This can in-
38
clude gas station signs, hubcap statuary, package and container decorations, doorknobs, light-switch plates, etc.— machine-made art accessories, carousel figures, and on and on—the "art" that more or less blurs into our daily landscape and environment as a subliminal visual background much as Muzak seeps into the blank air spaces of elevators, diners, building lobbies, waiting rooms, etc. Most people don't necessarily detach such art from its usage, just as they don't really hear and therefore analyze the homogenized melodies of Muzak. Much of this "art" is in bad taste, if one applies high critical standards; much of it banal; some good; but most of the time, good, bad or indifferent, its existence is not recognized until individual pieces are plucked out of their setting, as Warhol has done. What it amounts to is that our environment is jumbled with objects that come under the heading of art of one kind or another. And this seems to be the way Warhol collects, and how he keeps his collection: jumbled. It is not carefully arranged on shelves, placed on pedestals, organized in any classified way. It is put into a room and left there. The Museum's installation, created by David Whitney, is an effort to mirror Warhol's own method of handling what he has collected. It is best then to exercise personal judgment or opinion as to the artistic merit of each piece and thereby understand the gamut of talent and tastes that make possible, and possibly even necessary, the kinds of works one sees in this show. That an object is in a famous collection or appears in a museum show does not ipso facto accord it the accolade of beauty or entitle it to the niceties of esthetic appreciation. But chances are it will be where it is for a reason, although the reason isn't always instantly obvious. A few years ago the Metropolitan Museum of Art mounted an exhibition of Victorian art, furniture, accessories and decor. A good many visitors to it had problems with it, not understanding that they were not to take it that all the objects on display were in good taste, but that the show represented, instead, the taste of certain privileged people living in a certain time. In similar fashion, the Warhol assemblage seems to deal with what is around and with us, but not necessarily with what should be. It contains art made by folk and art aimed at folk and very likely art liked by folk. As such, we can by rights view it as a mixed bag and sort out the folk from the funk as we see or recognize it. There is, too, perhaps something of an archaeological aura to the collection. It is in some ways more or less a compilation of the kind of midden objects that future archaeologists might conceivably find 3000 years hence and from them attempt to reconstruct our century, or this particular segment of it. It could very possibly tell them as much as or more than the works of latter day abstractionists, constructionists, and minimalists.
THE WARHOL SHOW: FIRST TRYOUT FOR THE DOCENT PROGRAM
.,/
00 ----\--;-,
On one rainy fall afternoon the docent at the Warhol show found herself talking carousel horses with a 10-year-old, discussing how many pies went into a piesafe, and arguing the process of museum-going with two architecture students disturbed at the mounting of the show. This, the first Museum exhibit at which the docents had participated, was a challenging start after a summer of research and a pre-show runthrough by guest curators Elissa Cullman and Sandra Brant. "This was a controversial show, and the docents have helped to explain its goals to the public—and were instrumental in making new friends for the Museum," says Director Dr. Robert Bishop. "I think we were extremely successful," agrees Lucy Danziger, head of the docent program, "Almost a record number of visitors came to see the collection, and the docents were important in handling the flow. At first I thought having docents was a very small concept, that it would just be someone to answer questions, which is all very nice. But they seem to offer much more than that; they really involve people. We've seen it reflected in the number of catalogues sold for this show, as the docents referred visitors to the catalogue for special information." The docents have been working behind the scenes as well. Some spent hours perusing old exhibition catalogues and books and periodicals for mention of particular pieces that might be included in the upcoming dog show. Dr. Bishop applauded their efforts, "Over half the exhibit will be there as a direct result of their work." And more library hours were spent researching and writing special reports for their own use at an afternoon of presentations about everything from weathervanes to early fabrics that was organized by coordinator of education, Susan Klein. Dr. Bishop feels, "They did a wonderful job, and many of the presentations will be the basis for more research, and for our outreach program." Photography of the permanent collection is going on now, so
that a slide show can be put together for the docents to use in a community outreach program for schoolchildren and adults. A recent article in Museum News by Ellen Straus cited the Museum for its docent program and the innovative use of a formal contract for the Museum and its docents, involving training, continuing education, and a commitment for regular work, a move that is part of the growing tendency to professionalize volunteering. Part of the training came during classes at Marymount College where the docents as well as the public had "a chance to listen to a director who's also a scholar, as well as other experts in the field like Thomas Woodard and Blanche Greenstein," remarked Lucy Danziger. One evening's highlight was a chance to ramble through Dr. Bishop's Chelsea house for a look at his Shaker collection and his school of fish decoys. Volunteer Adrienne Kopjanski expressed the opinion that for her "to hear about something and then go and talk about it to visitors at the Museum means I really take hold of what I learn, solidifying what my eyes have seen." There's room for more volunteers (leave a message for Sue Klein or Lucy Danziger at the Museum). They come from everywhere—Cynthia Schaffner has brought along four fellow members of the Mademoiselle magazine staff, "I talk about it to everyone, and now most of my friends have become either members of the Museum or docents." "When a friend arrived from Minneapolis, she said she'd been so impressed with the docent attending the Museum that day. I am, too—so impressed. I don't know how the Museum survived without them," contends Dr. Bishop. "People have been so responsible and dedicated—even slogging in after a 2/ 1 4 hour L.I.R.R. tie-up—I'm in awe," states Lucy Danziger, "Most of all, though, I've been impressed by the great camaraderie among us all." Catherine Calvert, Docent
39
Special Benefit Dinner-Dance After the special preview of Andy Warhol's Folk & Funk at the Museum galleries on Monday, September 79, over 400 people attended a dinner-dance held for the benefit of the Museum at The Four Seasons. While most of the party go-ers preferred a leisurely walk to the restaurant, Barbara Johnson, president of the Board of Trustees, arranged a unique method of transportation —a hayride! Peter Duchin and his orchestra provided music to dine by and then stepped up the beat for after-dinner dancing. This thoroughly enjoyable evening, celebrating an innovative show and supporting the growth of the Museum, is certain to become an eagerly-anticipated annual event.
40
q-
Report on the Friends Committee
The Friends Committee has elected the following officers for the upcoming year: Karen Schuster, Chairman; Jana Klauer, Vice-Chairman; Dianne Butt, Treasurer; and Cynthia Schaffner, Secretary. A sincere thank-you is extended to Helaine Fendelman and the past administration for their inspiring support during the Committee's brief two years of existence. They have created a smooth-running organization and brought the Museum and the Committee to the community's attention. Their success can best be measured by the increasing membership of both the Committee and the Museum and by the financial rewards of the house tours, lecture series, and special benefits. We plan to continue with the already established committees, adding new ones as seems necessary. The Museum is joining the festivities planned in the art community for the week of the East Side Settlement House Winter Antiques Show by hosting a special party on Thursday,
January 26, following the lecture by Sister Mildred Barker on The Shakers. The party will be open only to those people attending the Museum's lecture. Saturday, April 15, 1978, has been set as the date for the Annual Philadelphia Bus Tour and tentative consideration is being given to a one-day film seminar scheduled for the late spring. Additional information on these two events will be arriving in your mail shortly. One last note—the success of the Museum and the Friends Committee rests heavily on the financial support of our membership. From time to time during the year we will be calling upon you for your time, money, and sponsorship. Your generosity at these times will help insure the continued success of the Museum. Karen S. Schuster Chairman, Friends Committee
MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FOLK ART Schedule of Exhibitions
TITLE
MEMBERS PRIVATE PREVIEW
THE ALL AMERICAN DOG— MAN'S BEST FRIEND IN FOLK ART
Currently on exhibition
SELECTIONS FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION
April 17,1978
April 18,1978
June 11, 1978
FOLK ART: THE HEART OF AMERICA
June 26,1978
June 27, 1978
October 15, 1978
GREAT AMERICAN SAMPLERS FROM THE COLLECTION OF THEODORE KAPNEK,SR.
October 30, 1978
October 31, 1978
January 7, 1979
PUBLIC OPENING
CLOSING April 2, 1978
Lecture Series DATE
TITLE
SPEAKER
January 9, 1978
"Collecting American Folk Art"
Barbara and Edwin Braman
January 26, 1978
"The Shaker Ethic"
Sister Mildred Barker
March 13, 1978
"The American Fraktur" "The Life and Work of Morris Hirshfield"
Dr. Donald A. Shelley Sidney Janis
A Personal Experience with Historic Preservation
Katharine B. and Charles V. Hagler
April 24, 1978 May 8, 1978
42
All lectures commence at 5:30 P.M. Non-subscription tickets, $7 per lecture
A Midwest Sampler The Braman Collection David Revere McFadden Associate Curator, Decorative Arts & Sculpture, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Man With a Flail weathervane. Pennsylvania. Early 19th century. Hammered and painted tin. H. 25-3/4".
It is undeniable that the major collectors of American folk art have tended to congregate along the eastern coast of the United States. The renowned collections which present themselves to an eager student or scholar—those gathered by Stewart Gregory, Jean and Howard Lipman, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and Samuel Schwartz, to name only a few— remain closely tied to the flourishing folk-art collecting and serious study on the east coast. Just as many preconceptions and misconceptions about folk art have undergone revision during recent decades, so too must our ideas of the geographic and cultural ties which bind folk art collectors together. A more apt example of the growing divergence among collectors throughout the United States could not be found than the superb and conscientious collection of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Braman of Minnesota. Only a small part of the Braman collection can be surveyed in this article; however, even a sample will provide an enticing and delightful overview of a collection nurtured in a midwestern setting. Edwin and Barbara Braman began gathering their collection approximately 15 years ago. They shared an interest in design which guided their choice of each object—those "timeless qualities of good design" which have been the foundation of their lifestyle and collection. Mrs. Braman, a graphic designer, believes that the collection revitalizes her visual sensitivity.
The folk artists' response to the problem -solving aspects of design and content intrigues the collectors. To the Bramans, folk art is capable of transcending the culture and the time in which is was created. This sincere faith in the visual and intellectual vitality of folk art has led the Bramans into multifaceted areas of collecting, resulting in a richness and variety which delights the visitor to their home. The Braman's initiation into the delights of collecting was the acquisition of the Man With a Flail, an early 19th century Pennsylvania work. Discipline of outline, the skillful solution of the geometric and abstract relationships of parts to the whole, and the suppression of extraneous information give the figure a commanding presence which belies its modest size. The Bramans soon succumbed to other tantalizing objects, but the Man With a Flail holds pride of place in their home. Weathervanes have been important additions to the collection. Along with fine examples of classic weathervane forms such as a rooster, a cow, or the popular horse and sulky, one is delighted to encounter forms of grace and wit such as the Angel, a 19th-century herald of worship. The angel is enhanced by a faceted glass eye which frequently provided a tangible vision of the Divine spark as it whirled in the sun. The most stunning of the weathervanes, however, is the brilliant Peacock, an extremely early (circa 1800)
43
William Matthew Prior (1806-1873) is remembered for his prolific portraits of George and Martha Washington and a long list of eastern families such as Mr. and Mrs. Nat Todd and Captain and Mrs. Eli Hamblen. Prior's Mary Brown can be dated between 1830 and 1840. Of particular interest is the inscription on the reverse of the painting: "Mary Brown W. [?] Dalton Rustic Price $1.25," indicating the fee structure used by Prior for his "flat" portraits.
Angel weathervane. 19th century. Copper and glass. H. 10".
Landscape and House With Yellow Doors overmantel painting. Roxbury, Connecticut. Circa 1820. Oil on wood. 35/ 1 4"x 491 / 4".
Peacock weathervane. Circa 1800. Sheet and wrought iron. L. 34".
survival from the hands of a genius of design. Rarely is such integrity of design wedded perfectly to a seemingly simple concept. The peacock, since ancient times, has been the symbol of pride; the artist, with proud economy of means, has given it a timeless grandeur. Paintings have been acquired after careful scrutiny according to the guidelines of quality maintained by the Bramans. A fine and original overmantel, Landscape and House with Yellow Doors, which dates circa 1820, illustrates a tradition of landscape painting of which there are few extant examples. Itinerant artists were frequently called upon to paint popular scenes of landscapes or exotic countries directly on the plaster or paneled walls of the house; this painting, fortuitously alive for over 150 years, allows one to imagine the possible appearance of a comfortable New England interior.
44
Mary Brown by William Matthew Prior (1806-1873). Boston, Mass. 1830-1840. Oil on board. 13" x 10".
Another equally prolific and renowned portraitist represented in the Braman collection is Joseph Davis, known from his own inscription as the "left-handed painter," who was active in southern Maine and New Hampshire in the 1830s. Asa and Susanna Caverly, painted in 1836, is typical of Davis's double portraits. The Caverly portrait joins those of the Batchelders and the Averys as first-quality Davis works. It contains many familiar Davis touches, such as the lively and
witty animals who compete with the sitters for the viewer's attention, the elegant scroll-back chairs and the hypnotic patterned floorcovering. The inscription on this painting is wonderfully complete: "Asa Caverly, Aged 24. October 5th 1836./PAINTED AT STRAFFORD/BOW POND/AUGUST 9th/1836 Susanna Caverly. Aged 29. August 14th 1835" thus recording both the date of the sitting and the birth dates of the Caverlys. Women folk artists have rarely received the attention which has been given to the male portraitists and landscapists. However, in the 19th century, a determined group of women turned their talents to theorem paintings and the ever-popular "mourning" picture. The death of the great hero of the 18th century, George Washington, stimulated the production of memorial images in both needlework and watercolor. A delicately drawn and colored version of this ubiquitous image
Asa and Susanna Caverly by Joseph Davis. New England. 1836. Watercolor. 11" x 14".
Goose decoy. 1875-1900. Wood. L. 16".
Eagle. Possibly New Jersey. 19th century. Carved wood. H. 2114", W.22".
Memorial to George Washington by Deborah Read. 1836. Watercolor. 21½"x 16-3/4".
Ship Chandler's Sign. Circa 1870. Wood relief. H. 28", W. 28".
St. John the Baptist by John Perates (1899-1970). Maine. Circa 1940. Carved and painted wood. H.49". Quilt in the "Trilobe Flower" pattern. 19th century. Applique and flowered ticking. L. 73", W. 77".
was produced about 1836 by Deborah Read. The original tomb of Washington was replaced five years after the execution of this painting. In addition to the documentary interest, the painting reveals the sensitivity of the artist to her subject in her modulation of textures of foliage, water, clothing, and sky. Sculpted and carved works are another important group in the Braman collection. A truly timeless goose decoy,
46
circa 1880, transforms a necessary hunting implement into a meditative study in graceful form and proportion. The Bramans feel that this form—disciplined and rhythmic—crosses not only the barrier of time, but also of culture. This anonymous work blends the poise of the finest Chinese porcelains with the vigor of the 19th -century American folk artist. In contrast to the quiet elegance of the goose decoy is the fierce and impressive eagle which possibly originated
in New Jersey in the 19th century. The deliciously tactile carving of the feathers of the bird, the dynamic pose of the body and contrasting sweep of the wings rank this work as a masterpiece of design and execution. A curiously contemporary feel for constructivist sculpture is to be found in the ship chandler's sign, circa 1870. The stark geometry of the relief, combined with the delicate greys and browns to which the originally painted surface has aged, imbue this humble object with a sophisticated calm. Textiles and needlework in the Braman collection include a fine group of quilts, of which only one is illustrated here. It is made up of extremely delicate printed fabrics, cut and pieced in a "Trilobe Flower" pattern. The Bramans' love of folk art has naturally led to the collecting of works by contemporary folk artists who link the old traditions with modern life. A most important acquisition was the icon, St. John the Baptist, carved circa 1940 by John Perates (1899-1970). A Greek immigrant, Perates began carving as an extension of his cabinetmaking work in Portland, Maine. Perates produced a series of images of the saints which hark back directly to their Byzantine prototypes. Each severe
and open-eyed saint is accompanied by his attribute (here the eagle of St. John) and surrounded by brilliantly colored grapevines. The church for which they were intended rejected Perates's labor of love, and the collection of carvings was dispersed. It is only fitting that one of his carvings has found a permanent home with such distinguished companions. Born in 1904, Edgar Tolson carved the poignant Expulsion in 1970. Tolson still resides in Kentucky where he has been a preacher, farmer, cobbler, chairmaker, and philosopher, as well as a renowned sculptor. The Expulsion is part of an important eight-part series entitled "The Fall of Man." Tolson recounts the Biblical story in a simple and highly individualized fashion. The Expulsion, in its motionless drama and mannered poses, elucidates the common thread which connects modern folk artists with their cultural predecessors— the translation of private emotion into a tangible and communicative form. The Braman collection, in its diversity and consistency, reiterates the unity of folk art in time and place and the Bramans are to be commended for their scholarship and their attention to detail in assembling this outstanding collection.
Interior of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin C. Braman.
Expulsion from the Garden of Eden by Edgar Tolson (1904— ). Kentucky. 1970. Carved and painted wood. H. 15", L. 16".
47
Charley Schoenheider's Canada Goose Decoys Merle H. Glick
Charles Schoenheider, Sr.,(d. 1944), of Peoria, Illinois.
48
Two grey geese with heads alert seemed to peer at 53rd Street pedestrians last summer from the second -story window of the Museum of American Folk Art. Appearing lifelike and standing on just one foot, this pair of Canada geese decoys belong to Adele Earnest, author of The Art of the Decoy: American Bird Carvings and member of the board of trustees of the Museum of American Folk Art. She had loaned the carvings to the members' exhibition mounted in memory of Bruce Johnson, who had been director of the Museum prior to his death. It would be difficult to find two better specimens of the decoy carver's artistry. Charles Schoenheider, Sr., of Peoria, Illinois, made only 12 of these large decoys and the story of their origin and preservation is somewhat at variance with the notes published in the Museum exhibition catalogue. The son of the carver, Charles Schoenheider, Jr., now 84years-old and an accomplished carver in his own right, is a personal friend of the writer and has often repeated the following tale about his father's goose decoys. The exhibition catalogue stated that the decoys were ordered in 1910 by Harvey Firestone, who later refused to pay the minimal $125 asked by the carver for the whole dozen. Schoenheider, Jr., says that the decoys were ordered by a local hunter, and that his father never knew or dealt with the well-known industrialist. "Firestone probably wouldn't have quibbled at a thousand dollars," he theorized. According to the younger Schoenheider, in 1918 his father was asked by Dan Voorhees, Jr., a Peoria implement dealer and avid hunter, to make a dozen goose decoys. Voorhees and his friends had found a fine goose-hunting spot in some grainfields near Peoria, but they had no decoys. Charley Schoenheider's duck decoys were well known in the area and Voorhees wanted his geese to be similar to the unique onefooted standing-duck decoys that Schoenheider had carved to use when hunting ducks after the ponds had frozen. A single cast-iron web-footed leg supported the decoys, enabling them to remain upright on ice. Apparently this
Canada Goose Decoys carved by Charley Schoenheider. Photograph taken in 1919.
sight was irresistible to incoming flights. Some have speculated decided that the time and effort to make these geese were that the foot was heated so that the ice melted when the worth $125. Dan Voorhees disagreed and refused to honor decoy was set down and the ice would then freeze solid his order, contending that the decoys just weren't worth around the foot. This wasn't done, according to Schoenheider, that much. This made Charley, Sr., so angry that he shoved Jr.; in fact, the sun sometimes warmed the iron foot, melting them into his attic and never used them himself. They rethe ice underneath and causing the decoy to tilt or topple. mained in the attic until after Schoenheider's death in 1944 When it was windy, the one-legged decoys were wired to a when his son found them. In 1969, the well-known collector, Joseph French of long board and placed on the ice. Schoenheider was an experienced carver of duck decoys, St. Louis, convinced Charley, Jr., to part with two of them. but Voorhees' order would be his fltst rig of geese. More than Eventually all twelve were sold to collectors, including Mrs. a year of spare-time work was required to make the dozen Earnest. There were ten standing decoys and two "swimmers," geese. White pine was salvaged from old building timbers, split into layers, hollowed out to reduce weight, and slowly and the carver was sufficiently proud of his work to line them carved, following patterns that the carver made from geese up for a snapshot in 1919. Few carvers of that era could match he had killed. The cast iron legs were made in a Peoria foun- the delicate graceful lines of these birds. Although this same dry, and the birds were painted by Jack Franks, a local deco- beauty is reflected in Schoenheider's duck decoys, the standing geese were his best work. They regularly appear in decoy rator who had painted many of Charley's earlier decoys. his father books and folk art exhibitions because Dan Voorhees thought Charley Schoenheider, Jr., remembers that normally charged $24 per dozen for his duck decoys, but they were priced too high.
49
Flashes of the Soul Photography vs. Painting Roderic H. Blackburn Assistant Director, Albany Institute of History and Art
50
Edwin Chandler Beals (1829-1909) and his wife Clarinda Williams (Johnson) Beals (dates unknown). They were married September 11, 1850. The backboard of Mr. Beals' portrait is inscribed in pencil: "Painted in Southbridge/by Gamont 1850 (fall)." Both are oil on canvas, 15" x 12-3/4"; each canvas is glued to a white pine panel of approximately contemporary date. Family photograph of the Bealses taken by an unknown photographer in August 1853. The existing photograph is a later 19th -century copy made by A. J. Dresser of Worcester, Massachusetts. A contemporary inscription on the back of the copy reads: "Edwin Chandler Beals, married Sept. 11, 1850/Clarinda Williams (Johnson) Beals./With son Francis Herbert Beals: 3 mos. old in/picture./He was born May 15, 1853."
The Edwin Beals family portraits and photographs are of interest for two reasons. First and foremost, they constitute a rare glimpse of the role and relationship of portrait paintings and portrait photographs in the mid-nineteenth century. Secondly, they clearly fall within the wide-ranging group of portraits done mostly in eastern Massachusetts by a number of painters of which the names William Matthew Prior, Sturtevant J. Hamblen, Jacob Bailey Moore, George G. Hartwell, and G. Alden are known. The portrait of Edwin Beals is inscribed on the backboard: "Painted in Southbridge/by "Edwin Chandler Beals/grandfather of Cora B. Squier" is inscribed on Gamont 1850 (fall)." the reverse of this photograph taken by Mr. Oliver of Worcester, MassaFrom the bits and pieces of family information written chusetts, about 1900. on these paintings and photographs we can fairly envision the story of Edwin Beals and his wife Clarinda. Born in 1829, perhaps in Southbridge, Massachusetts, Edwin grew up to be Almost three years later the Beak family increased a pleasantly handsome-looking young man with a budding sense of his masculine self-image. At 21 he was well along in and they clearly felt that this event, like their marriage, growing what was to become a remarkable full beard in his should be documented. They visited the nearby photographic maturity. That sense of self-image may have been rather high, studio to have their likenesses recorded with three-monthfor he courted and, in September 1850, married the pleasantly old Francis. The choice between a photograph or a painting wholesome-looking Clarinda Johnson who greatly resembled must have been the subject of some discussion between him. Indeed, if we were told that Clarinda and Edwin were Edwin and Clarinda. Indeed it may have been a point of siblings, it would be easily believable. Both have rounded consideration three years earlier as well, for in 1850 both features, thick dark hair and eyebrows, large brown eyes, options were also available. Actually daguerreotypes were light complexions (in the paintings they have slightly rosy available in rural Massachusetts by mid-1841, just two years cheeks), and similar lips. If it were not for the 1853 photo- after the process had been demonstrated before the French graph, some of these similarities could be ascribed to the Academy of Science by Jacque Louis Mande Daguerre in mannered style of the country limner. Perhaps in an effort January 1839. For example, Anson Clark of West Stockbridge, to strengthen the natural resemblance, the Bealses chose to Massachusetts, advertised in a broadside dated June 12, 1841, dress in the same colors. His black coat is set off with a blue for customers to sit for his "Daguerrotype apparatus" pointing vest while her blue dress is trimmed in black. The backgrounds out that "... The value of a portrait depends upon its acof the portraits are also matching in color: olive with mauve curacy, and when taken by this process ... human judgement and skill have no connection with the perfection of the picture curtains. 51
"That, Golden Wedding—Sept.-11 —1900" of Edwin and Clarinda Beals. A 20th-century inscription on the reverse identifies their daughter, Mrs. Jane Plimpton, as "back of Dad." The photographer is not known, but is probably from Worcester.
,,......
DAGU 311 EOTYPE Pett illi t i tAIT18 4 A. & ;11117[1.4' CLARK.
ik,
This invention of a c ebratml French Cheinist,
moms.'to pro.,;t picture v rior in every ;Bort ofgen.+. pally einvalered one 4 the mast extraordinary dio over.. 14 he nay The result MII•1 obtained eller mney '11114 ilivestigntion and onv 11,11.111. by a reao;ler iritin of inductive reeloning — I. iv italt. therefore. an interesting .....ma; e appliennot; itr tla I pl.o of limiest woes, I le•due .1 • portrait depends 11p011 10.0Or, uml when Mom by this poorest; A Ilia. IPC oaninnon of plays.A..LI room motorway. ie. I. in fOryi• . pea...ohm •1 110 picture.• any more on with at end skill have rot runiireiaia with Mot It meat mom the retina a 1111' 1.y1., and 11 likeness prodoted tv41 exert POlOgo ol o; the Skims. from 111 00,0 lollVI" perfect eye. ter. precise tkpressian of the...went the time oloming I It+ mien.. doles will be al once an I forever Iiiiett engens• WI n• were by III!' sunbeams. 411.1111,ho woo. sidilons iiseeids mint., and oliih finished Caw 'W./1116,1N 011411111{ Il001 III. I•tpre.st the thee may be fixed th the plefirr utorti ay too lI,o '0_I he , ho hy the jnnlIrBy SI11.11 111.11LT of the soul we oinuanber our lomat, mai dime eitanot appear 011 thr voti,tow
a ,ho
Tim
The DE.CITTEIREt
II fixes alike the enile.
II,.' frown. 0 nny of the most 0,,mesemit (.11/11C1,11011 pato 01 er the fere. our fru almost mega work rernatn 1.10,.' O- in the po.t, r0.4 they urre ;si the moment 01 111.' Taw embwrilwr. prepiired I. also larstructlowis whir ,,able any on, suceessfidly ill.1.,
16a1TIDOVAIEM 7.11E
by its non will
a. a 703°2184111211$
ggygga. DAGUERROTYPE APPAR.ITIIS oob jegg.ygg, ig,pg, Dffire war the RI/1/.1torsel lepoe i11 West Stockbridge,
A. CLARK, E. H. CLARK. allardiMark•RID418, JUNIN SW, loll C.'",4 Pr. ....
."..
Nialmna N. Y. .............
.
Broadside printed by P. D. Carriques, Print Gazette Office, Hudson, New York, for A. Clark and E. H. Clark, West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, June 12,1841.
52
...the expression of the face may be fixed in the picture which are too fleeting to be caught by the painter. By such flashes of the soul we remember our friends, and these cannot appear on the canvass." By such persuasion Anson Clark hoped to steal the business of the local portrait painter, who in this case happened to be Ammi Phillips. One of Phillips' descendants recalls that in his later years the artist carried around a camera himself, though in what manner he used it, is not known. It is interesting to speculate why Edwin and Clarinda decided to have paintings done once and photographs next, but certainly they weighed the pros and cons. The painted portrait was, most importantly, decorative. It was large and visible, it was colorful, and it complemented and enhanced the decorative scheme of a room, all important considerations of the homeowner in a period more given than ours to harmonious aesthetics. By contrast, the daguerreotype, as Anson Clark pointed out, caught the very "flashes of the soul" which country limners were, at best, hard put to do. Photographs were also quick and cheap; the sitter was relieved of hours of stiff sitting and of even stiffer fees for oil paintings and gilt frames. Whatever the reasons, the Bealses opted for the photograph the second time around. Despite the change of medium, however, they felt no desire to change the format. In fact, there seems to be a certain self-consciousness in
Funeral of Edwin Chandler Beals. According to an obituary in the Worcester Daily Telegram, he died September 22, 1909, in his 80th year and his funeral took place two days later at the home of his daughter Mrs. C. E. Squier, 243 Lincoln Street, Worcester, Massachusetts. The flag suggests that he was a Veteran of the Civil War. The circa 1900 photograph of Beals is propped on the casket and gazing down from the wall is his 1850 portrait.
the similarity between the photograph and the previous paintings. If the portraits are hung together with Edwin on the left as clearly intended, the parents are in the same relative position. Edwin wears what appear to be the same clothes, though perhaps a new watch chain. His beard has expanded from his chin up to his ears. Clarinda, though she has changed to a less formal dress, has put on her favorite pin and gold chain again, but not her wedding ring. Even the hands are posed in approximately the same position. All that has changed is that little Francis has been wedged into position in what is otherwise a replay of the 1850 portraits. It is almost 50 years before Mr. and Mrs. Beals pop up again in a "let's get everyone in it" family portrait at their "Golden Wedding." Again, he is on the left and she on the right, but surrounded by children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, nephews, and nieces. Clarinda, if not Edwin, is still posed the same way, hands in the same position but this time holding flowers instead of Francis. Francis, by now, is 47-years-old and the circulation manager of the Worcester Telegram. He may be the gentleman at Mrs. Beak' right. Though Clarinda looks a little haggard, Edwin doesn't appear to have flagged a bit, indeed there seems to be a twinkle in his eyes. Between his grand beard and his many offspring he might feel quite proud of his 50 years of marriage. Just to make sure he will be well remembered as the patriarch that he has become, Edwin sat for a Mr. Oliver, a Worcester photographer, about the time of his 50th wedding anniversary. The thick dark hair has thinned and grayed but the eyes are still bright and large and that beard too is celebrating a half century of growth. Then in 1909, just 59 years after his marriage and in his 80th year, Edwin died. Flowers from friends and relatives filled the corner of his daughter's parlor on Lincoln Street in Worcester. Mindful to the last of their father's predilection for pictures documenting the great events of his life, the children called in the local photographer to record the final happening. For this occasion they brought out two previous pictures: Edwin the newlywed beginning his long life's journey and Edwin, the aged pater familias. Other paintings which relate to the Gamont portraits include Man and Woman of Sturbridge (which is near Southbridge), Fireman, and One-eyed Man, the last appearing to be closer to the style of Gamont, if not his own work. As for Gamont, the painter, nothing could be discovered about him. First interpreting the name as Lamont, fruitless days were spent in search of information that resulted only in a D. G. Lamont from Franklin, New Hampshire. As yet, no one by the name of Gamont has been found. Perhaps a reader in the Worcester area will come up with more information on Gamont and the Bealses. 53
Shaker Stereo Views Shaker Stereo Views Cynthia Elyce Rubin
The stereograph or stereo view was conceived in the early 1840s, the infant years of photography, when Sir David Brewster combined the techniques of photography with stereoscopy. This form of early photography combines two photographs or printed images in such a way that, when viewed through a stereoscope, the observer sees a single image in three dimensions. In 1850 the Langenheim brothers introduced stereographs into America; these early images enjoyed an immense popularity after the invention of the hand stereoscope by Oliver Wendell Holmes in 1859. Within a single decade, there were hundreds of photographers in Europe and America selling thousands upon thousands of travel, history, religious, humorous, and sentimental views to an eager public. In the Victorian family's very own parlor, the observer could look into the stereoscope's
t".-4
hood—whether it be iron, tin, cardboard, or a more elegant exotic wood —and be transported to faraway cultures and lands. The small but intriguing collection of stereo views illustrating these pages, representing the period of photography from 1868 to 1878, is a tiny fraction of the printed images of the Shakers. To some, it may be surprising to find the Shakers taking part in this new vogue, but history indicates that the Shakers, once they approved, eagerly accepted this new science. When the popularity of the stereo view reached a peak, the Shakers, changing with the times, admitted commercial photographers to the villages and permitted them, for the first time, to photograph interiors and individuals. Brother Nelson Chase of Enfield, New Hampshire, even
!mg, gill cull , c•
'H,
54
Shaker sisters from Enfield, New Hampshire, going for a ride in the Family's four-seat platform wagon. The sister standing on the carriage platform is ready to step into the wagon. The Dwelling House is in the background.(E. T. Brigham, Photographer; Lebanon, New Hampshire)
Mount Lebanon, Columbia Cc., V, Y. The schoolroom at Mt. Lebanon, New York, the largest and main Shaker community. From left to right are three teachers, Brother James Calver, Sister Amelia Calver, and Sister Emma J. Neale. In the rear is school superintendent Elder Calvin Reed.(James Irving, Photographer; Troy, New York)
The great 5-story stone barn of the North Family, Mt. Lebanon, New York, circa 1858. Its dimensions were 196 feet long by 50 feet wide with 5 floors. The first, second, and fourth floors were entered by doors level with the topography, eliminating the need for bridges. The barn burned to the ground in 1974.(James Irving, Photographer, Troy, New York)
Church Family buildings, Canterbury, New Hampshire.(H. A. Kimball, Photographer; Concord, New Hampshire)
55
Coeducational summer school lessons at Canterbury, New Hampshire.(W. G. C. Kimball, Photographer; Concord, New Hampshire)
W. G.C. Kimball, photographer from Concord, New Hampshire, published a number of Shaker views, among them this group of 58. Each view usually had this label pasted on the reverse.
1
Pio) tiGitAlittlti, V ILA% Shaker Village, Canterbury, N. H.
invented a space-saving folding stereoscope, and in July 1872 was granted a United States Patent for "Chase's Folding Stereoscope Improved." Unfortunately, his invention was never widely distributed because its price of $15 could not compete with less expensive commercial models. Elder Henry Blinn of Canterbury, New Hampshire, recorded in the diary of his trip to Kentucky in 1873 that he "took the stereoscope made by Br. Nelson Chase and made an exhibition of it in several stores. Its neatness, compactness-and general appearance was highly commended by all, but the price was thought to exceed all propriety." Although basic tenets of the Shaker religion advocated communal property, celibacy, and "separation from the world," the brothers and sisters understood the practical realities of economic life. The Shakers maintained a distinct culture and form of religious worship, while engaging in trade with non-Shakers, or what they called, "the outside world." The Shaker peddler's wagon was a welcome sight both in rural areas and busy city markets and the village store, which offered Shaker-made products, such as chairs, tinware, basketry, candies, jams, packaged seeds, brushes, and oval boxes, did a thriving business. One of the chief diversions of visitors to fashionable vacation retreats, such as Lebanon Springs, New York, near the Mt. Lebanon Shaker community, and Poland Springs, Maine, near the Sabbathday Lake village, was to visit Shaker stores and purchase mementos of their trip. Recognizing the need for items that tourists Continued on page 70 56
Shaker Vill..ge, N. H. is tier!,,' mitre tf.g. from the City of Concord In the canteen part of the town of Canterbury. The Community was established in 179.2, and iota 150 niembere. The Shakers neither vote our hear arms-They Leach the doctrine of deans as written in Ibe New TeStititteltr, No. 1. General View of Village, from muth.westo 3. Church Family,from the North. 4. Char' h Family,from the went. 5. Chosen Family. from the ()Mee. 0. Flower Garden, tv.itli Mary and two little bora 8. Trustees'()flier. 7. Printing()Mee. 9. Great Barn. Sire 244 feet long by 42, feet wide. tt ohelters 100 lu-ad of eattle,..-.36 ankh cows, 12 yoke of oxen and some younger otock. It has a etilar the entire sire of the bans. 10. (ix Team, 12 yoke. 11. [lives NIA hmiey bees. 13. Hitting Mill. 11. School Itomo, with Teacher Stid 10. The Little Stone-Cum r. 14. Srre ,tpt Family, looking month. 2t1.Nortt, Fatally. 21, Wm. Briggs ori Ts bhit's Zt. Millet the Pond. 'ht. Island awl Pmel. 21, clothing Mill and Pond. VI. Herd of Cahn, Hill. 2.5. Lily Pundorad t lunch,-built 1792. 27. The Fox" at watering trough. 2.4. flea. Clark soiti, :At (:riling a drink-- Don't pump too Ileede-de,d 03. (Irwin of shakers. Group of little boys. IIITJC11,4aR C.A.1141. VXWS The Maple Grove and Camp me oitn*t,',i about tun mhlen B. limn ?lusher Village. At this pi .es. ars goo tree.. The., hare heel,mord et ery year with from ti. o to six lodes for wore than 411 stigar-ittaksts has r 45,. Itertil an many to. 30 barrels• y ears. day-Hise lawn I of n.sp will snake ow, gallon of syrup, or 7 lbs, of odor. St. South View of the ('atop. U. Tapping tress, awl eirrying huekets. p trees are tapp. 41 hi:II a fiss bit awl usually 3 Mehes seasttp in this PI 1,100 begins about the drat of Mare's and he 14th..or 12t1,. of April. 30. Maple Candy Makers, 33. Interim of the Camp. 37. E•hilsi:1011 of maple sugar, NIA eatuly. 39, fiatisesing map. hot nor tin. woods. A111.11K the trees. 41. hi mune+ of Maiden. 42. t'hopping wood. 43. The Proprietor sing tour of inapeetion, ..TutE V IPIA/TS tsE.k.t.-ri 4.0. lee Formations. 44. 11'ioter Set mere. 47. Farewell of Winter. 46. tinier the Ledge. 311113sEit IS. Church Family trout the Ogler. 49. (rhumb Pastille from S.W. 00. t'booth Family from the liant. Cl. Cluireli Fatally ?rain Nmth• 53. W..rkshtion of Brethren. 52. Laundry S041 Engine 1{041111. 54. /natant view of the Second 53. The Chmeh. The Shaker, hold one palate menage on the bah h emotneneing at 103:. tha tile right is seen the road lead g to the Village from ConsOrd,N. It. • 30. View, Sunday A. II. 37. Congregation of Strfi agent after lettrillyr Church,de. 30, 137e. 56. tiartl,m-Inland and Lily Pond. 71. G. C. II1L3 LI, PROTOGBILYRER, CONCORD, N. R.
The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center building, completed in 1957, is located on the edge of Williamsburg's historic area between the Williamsburg Lodge and the Craft House.
Williamsburg's Folk Art Center An Illustrated Summary ofIts Growth Beatrix T. Rumford Director, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Collection 57
Alaking l'aces Aspects of American Portraiture
The year 1977 marks the twentieth anniversary of the opening of the modern museum located on the edge of historic Williamsburg which was designed to house the folk art collected by Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Mrs. Rockefeller's discovery of American folk art, her pioneering efforts to focus attention on this unappreciated aspect of our cultural heritage, and the long association of her collection with Colonial Williamsburg are widely recognized. However, surprisingly few people realize that Mrs. Rockefeller's gift of folk art is not a static collection but the nucleus of an ever-expanding holding of related objects and research materials. To help clarify this situation and to emphasize that Williamburg's concern with folk art is indeed continually developing, the
"Making Faces, Aspects of American Portraiture" was organized by curator Don Walters and exhibited in the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center lobby through December 4,1977. The central painting in the photograph is a Self-Portrait by Jonathan Adams Bartlett (1817 —1902), probably 1841, Rumford, Maine, oil on canvas, 33" x 27". The arresting, well-designed likeness of a recently discovered Maine folk artist and the companion portrait of his fiancee are imaginatively conceived and incorporate a wealth of interesting detail. There are few self-portraits of folk artists; none document the tools of the trade with the flair and self-confidence Bartlett displays in this painting.
View of a section of the Craft Gallery recently installed on the second floor of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center.
58
museum is now in the process of changing its title to the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center. This change in designation was approved by the trustees of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation at their May '77 meeting. Abby Aldrich Rockefeller began collecting folk art in the late 1920s, at about the same time that her husband, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., became actively involved with the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg. Intensely interested in many kinds of artistic expression and a founder of New York's Museum of Modern Art, Mrs. Rockefeller pioneered in the discovery of this unappreciated art form. Within ten years, she had collected over 400 pieces of folk art which dated from colonial times to the present and included portraits, landscapes, genre scenes, so-called "fancy pieces," fraktur certificates, shop signs, weathervanes, garden figures, and toys. All reflect aspects of everyday American life and were produced by craftsmen, amateurs, or students who had little or no exposure to the formulas of academic art but were motivated by a desire for artistic expression. Some of the paintings and a number of the sculptures were shown anonymously at the Newark Museum in 1930 and 1931. The following year, the Museum of Modern Art featured Mrs. Rockefeller's growing collection, again anonymously, in a comprehensive exhibition entitled "American Gallery of folk sculpture, all from the Williamsburg collection, as exhibited in 1976.
A view of the interior of the Ludwell-Paradise House on Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg, where Mrs. Rockefeller's folk art collection was shown from 1935 to 1955.
59
The Merchant, inscribed across open ledger "August 16th, 1836/R.B. Crafft Dr for cas[h] pain[t]," oil on canvas,25-1/8" x 30". Acquired in Atlanta by Holger Cahill while on a Southern collecting trip for Mrs. Rockefeller with a history of coming from Tennessee by way of Zebulon, Georgia. Crafft was painting portraits at least until 1865, and while he is known to have worked in Indiana and Kentucky, this artist's career warrants more research.
Deborah Glen, artist unidentified, about 1739, probably the Albany, New York area, oil on canvas, 57'/2" x 35-3/8". Probably painted in the Albany area about 1739, the date of her marriage to John Sanders whose Scottish ancestors had emigrated to New York via Holland in 1658 and obtained a land grant on the Mohawk River near what is now Schenectady. The restoration of this large, wonderfully decorative portrait is the subject of a Colonial Williamsburg film entitled The Art of the Conservator.
The laiJ pa:Li Yritit thti lam:1atzlit1 Li Ari4 •11,e32 aca 'Ii vatz zzala '• 7-1 The Peaceable Kingdom, signed by Edward Hicks, 1830-1835, Pennsylvania, oil on canvas, 29%" x 351A". (From Mrs. Rockefeller's collection) One of the great strengths of Williamsburg's Folk Art Center is the group of fourteen paintings by Edward Hicks (1780 —1849). These include several farmscapes, a diverse selection of historical paintings derived from printed sources, and four Peaceable Kingdom compositions. In addition, there is a small collection of Hicks manuscripts and memorabilia and a portrait of the artist by his cousin Thomas Hicks (1823-1890).
rt71 sr-4.
Of
A 2-1
••-5
_, , M.111.9.11
5
; 60
iv 1411 111'3 31-,D4j,
-11,141-11,11 6i6,3B
, "Tajly„.j,L'j taatj ;(112141,1,
1,,ta,e•3
Montgomery Castle fireboard, artist unidentified, 1830-1840, made for fireplace at "Fredonia," Moore, South Carolina, linen on yellow pine stretchers,54%" x 36".(Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Moore) Well-documented examples of Southern fireboards are scarce. This is one of two versions of the same scene made for use in different homes, located about seven miles apart, in northwest South Carolina, near Spartanburg. Whether the unknown artist was an area resident or an itinerant painter is undetermined, and the source of the composition is unidentified.
Fruit in Yellow Bowl (theorem still life), inscribed on wooden backing of frame "Painted by Mary R. Wilson," circa 1820, watercolor and gilt paper (bands on bowl) on paper, 11" x 18".(From Mrs. Rockefeller's collection)
Folk Art—The Art of the Common Man in America, 1750 — 1800." After closing in New York, this enormously popular show traveled to six cities. It was organized by Holger Cahill with the assistance of Edith Gregor Halpert, who together had nurtured and encouraged Mrs. Rockefeller's expanding appreciation of folk art. In 1935, Mrs. Rockefeller loaned a portion of her folk art collection for public exhibition in Williamsburg where, for twenty years, a number of paintings and carvings were shown in the Ludwell-Paradise House, a former exhibition building of Colonial Williamsburg. In 1939, the principal part of the collection was presented to Colonial Williamsburg. At the same time, she gave the balance of the collection to the Museum of Modern Art and that museum later shared the gift with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Through
the cooperation of these two museums, and the generosity of Mr. David Rockefeller, most of Mrs. Rockefeller's original folk art collection was subsequently reassembled in Williamsburg to be housed in a special building, the gift of Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., which opened in March 1957. During the past twenty years Williamsburg's folk art collection has continued to develop along the lines established by Mrs. Rockefeller. Thanks to a purchase fund provided by Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and contributions from interested friends, many objects of great rarity and quality have been added, and weaker areas of the collection have been enhanced. There has been a continuing effort to fill gaps and to achieve a better geographical and historical balance. In all, there are currently nearly 1,800 objects ranging in date from a group of patroon portraits (e.g., Deborah Glen) 61
The Old Plantation, artist unidentified, about 1800, watercolor on paper, 11-3/4" x 17-7/8".(From Mrs. Rockefeller's collection) While this unique document is one of Mrs. Rockefeller's most important acquisitions, it is also puzzling. The provenance is obscure and students of Afro-American culture continue to debate the function of the baton and scarves and the significance of the ritual dance.
The Talcott Family, signed on reverse of paper: "Painted by D Goldsmith March 16th 1832/Mary Talcott age 70 Sam Talcott 38 Betsey Talcott 30 C Talcott 3 Emily 3 months," New York, watercolor on paper, 18" x 21-1/8". For several years before her marriage, Deborah Goldsmith (1808 — 36) supported aging parents by traveling to towns and villages in rural New York seeking commissions for watercolor portraits. This charming record of three generations of Talcotts, all dressed up and seated in a well-furnished parlor, is one of Miss Goldsmith's most successful compositions.
62
painted near Albany about 1730 to a fruit-stand sign made some sixty miles from Williamsburg in 1963 (the Carpenter watermelon). The more widely recognized folk artists such as Zedekiah Belknap, Edward Hicks, Joseph Hidley, Erastus Salisbury Field, Jacob Maentel, and William Matthew Prior are now each represented by several very good paintings; while works by Rufus Hathaway, Joshua Johnston, Ammi Phillips, Eunice Pinney, Asahel Powers, and other less-familiar hands have been added. A comprehensive sampling of unusual fraktur writings by Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Virginia Germans has been acquired. The two Wilhelm Schimmel carvings collected by Mrs. Rockefeller are now complemented by thirteen additional Schimmel figures, including a remarkable Adam and Eve, and the area of eighteenth -century folk art has been strengthened considerably with the addition of thirty paintings. A permanent maritime display has been mounted, complete with scrimshaw, an illustrated log book, and paintings by the Bard brothers. And, in 1971, the museum's scope was broadened to include decorated furniture, pottery, iron, bedcovers, and other highly original products
Album quilt, maker unidentified, about 1850, probably Baltimore, Maryland, appliqued cottons with supplementary inked detail,92" x 91%".(Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Foster McCarl, Jr.) This exceedingly well-designed Baltimore album quilt has been assembled with unusual care and skill. Each of the quilt's central squares depicts a Baltimore landmark. These are surrounded by twelve blocks appliqued with intricate, subtly colored arrangements of flowers and birds—motifs which reappear in the swag border. The identity of the maker(s) of this quilt and a number of related examples with Baltimore histories is now being researched.
of traditional craftsmanship which are distinguished by the superior artistry of their form and decoration. Moreover, the museum's staff has always taken a leadership role in folk art research with the result that many onceanonymous folk artists are now identified and much more is known today about unschooled American artists, their sources of inspiration, their methods, and their work. Whenever an object takes on new meaning, its gallery label and publication copy are revised accordingly. Quite naturally, the museum has a special interest in documenting and recording Southern folk art forms. The accompanying photographs feature some of the more remarkable objects added to Williamsburg's Folk Art Center during the past twenty years and indicate how the more recent acquisitions complement and enrich the material contributed by Mrs. Rockefeller in 1939. All of these pieces are currently on view in the museum galleries which are open daily, without charge, from noon to 6:00 P.M., except during periodic exhibition changes. The building is located on South England Street, across from the Williamsburg Lodge. For schedule information, phone 804-229-1000, ext. 2423.
[re stutters emit aa ...Ira Laski. paw man la year theaa Y•flor7?Issas...ads:eta s1;11. atayatr. iwireules•J •• wits isms/ so ass g year,asafa I saaa re a•Iskassai taloa 14 errs P1.60 Ctretr Ssa bifarass sta. sKil• tLe cisab Sal aims 4sna'Jar siste , -' Awl las kis Fara' haa row riot 104 max siso saas roaA sd1,g sox ra - a Sao Ilea saw lob.el••
Barnyard scene, embroidered by Mary Rees, 1827, probably Pennsylvania, silk and wool threads on linen, 21 / 1 2"x 23%". An unusually imaginative and well-executed product of schoolgirl stitchery, the design for this sprightly farm scene was probably provided by Mary Rees's teacher, F. Robinson.
/nals17, yptmel pk0 .xt`,, mrt 0". sirld .1.10M • Mir wig ariaboNaR0,......h.oarree • olowe eke • kt oda40.10. 4iter rsiersou.1614 powaq 7 y7-••
euelleltorg{sfe,4 adfrfd. r.er Arolyer NA/ no an,bey. $46,(100 , 44, 1* , a,'4 IA , -r•IVIc
6,, 14 0pf f 14_'"ft-4/.f .6
4 it
— Fraktur Birth Certificate of Alexander Danner, attributed to the "C. M." artist, about 1804, Pennsylvania, watercolor on paper, 12%" x 15.5/8".(From Mrs. Rockefeller's collection)
63
Watermelon trade sign, inscribed at bottom "M. B./Carpenter/Waverly/ Va/1960," painted elm with grapevine stem and metal -wheeled handcart, 39%2" x 21%2"(including cart). Wooden watermelon carved by Miles Carpenter and used to advertise his roadside fruit stand and ice house in Waverly, Virginia.
Abraham Lincoln, carved by William Norris, 1938-39, Jacksonville, Illinois, carved, plastered, and painted wood with actual buttons nailed on, 711 / 4"x 19". This haunting, lifesize figure of "The Great Emancipator" was acquired with a tradition of having been carved by a slave from Lexington, Kentucky, in 1865. Subsequent research established that the likeness was, in fact, the work of an Illinois native, one William Norris (1861 — 1946) who enjoyed carving in his spare time. According to his granddaughter, Norris fashioned the piece with a pocketknife when he was 78 years old; earlier he had worked as a handyman for a doctor.
64
1 " x 17%".(From Mrs. Rockefeller's collection) Gull decoy, maker unidentified, last half nineteenth century, carved and painted white pine, 11 A
Liquor jug, Kirkpatrick Pottery, circa 1870, Anna, Illinois, inscribed around lip of jug "in side out. Kirkpatrick, Anna Ills.," unglazed stoneware body with applied snakes, frogs, bugs, and bodies decorated with paint, monkey stopper colored with cobalt blue and salt glazed, 13" x 9-3/4" x 91 / 4". This bizarre snake jug is one of the Kirkpatrick Pottery's most ambitious sculptural pieces. Some of the protruding heads and feet are moveable and can be rotated in different positions. The stopper is a monkeylike figure simultaneously patting head and stomach to prove his sobriety.
The Stone Cross, carved by William Edmondson, 1930-1940, Nashville, Tennessee, limestone,471/2"x 17". Edmondson (probably 1883-1951), a Negro, was a lifetime resident of Nashville where he performed various jobs first as a railroad hand and later as a hospital employee. At about age 50 with no previous experience as a stonecutter, Will Edmondson had a vision in which God told him to make tombstones and to cut figures. Using a hammer and chisels and discarded limestone building blocks, he produced some remarkable abstract carvings of birds, beasts, and people. This crucifix is a particularly expressive example of his creativity.
65
Indian on Horseback weathervane, maker unidentified, third quarter nineteenth century, gilded sheet-iron Indian affixed to carved and gilded pine horse, 27-3/8"x 39" x 1-3/4".(From Mrs. Rockefeller's collection) / 4"x 46%2" x 1". Horse and Jockey weathervane, maker unidentified, third quarter nineteenth century, poplar (horse) sandwiched in sheet iron. 311 Two handmade weathervanes illustrating strikingly different but equally original approaches to the horse and rider motif.
Wall cupboard, maker unidentified, about 1830, family history indicates that the piece was made in Maryland or Ohio, painted walnut, poplar, and oak, fitted with reverse-painted glass side lights and rolling glazed doors, 93/ 1 4" x 79-3/4" x 21 / 1 2". (Purchased with the assistance of Mr. and Mrs. William H. Murdoch) The carved and gilded eagle in the upper panel grasps a pitcher and flask, suggesting that this mammoth dresser may well have been made for use in a tavern.
66
"The All-American Dog—Man's Best Friend in Folk Art" is on exhibition at the Museum of American Folk Art from November 30, 1977 to April 2, 1978. Dr. Robert Bishop, Director of the Museum, is the curator for the exhibition and author of its accompanying book-catalogue, The AllAmerican Dog (Avon, 5.95). The 28 color and 121 black and white photographs fully illustrate dogs of either recognizable or happenchance breed as they appear in paintings, sculpture, pottery, and textiles. This exhibition presents folk art in its many aspects and the dog, "man's best friend," in ways to surprise and delight you. For those who missed the exhibition, "Andy Warhol's Folk & Funk," September 19, 1977, to November 19, 1977, an exhibition catalogue, Andy Warhol's Folk & Funk (M.A.F.A. 2.00) is available. Guest curators Sandra Brant and Elissa Cullman wrote this catalogue, describing in detail Andy's art-collecting habits and the philosophy behind them. The installation, designed by David Whitney for Andy Warhol, provoked more comment than usual from those who attended the exhibit. Barn -red walls, dim interior, and the seemingly haphazard arrangement of objects along just one side wall and the end of each gallery caused the following comments: "Is this (exhibition) in the process of being moved out—oh no, I see it's typical Andy Warhol;" "Are you leaving those walls blank or are you waiting for more?"; "There's a horse flat on the floor over there;" "To my orderly mind this exhibition is disorderly;" "Great—makes me work—gets me involved;" "I can see why someone like Andy Warhol would have liked an exhibition staged in this way. The objects have a randomness. The idea of a 'junk shop' atmosphere, however, is a good one—but it takes a moment to get into it;" "Don't quote me." Does anyone have a quote from Andy Warhol? Marshall Rumbaugh, whose family has lived in Pennsylvania since the 18th century, has designed for The Museum Shop four handsome, miniature, hand-painted dower chests. In keeping with the Pennsylvania-German tradition, Mr. Rumbaugh has authentically decorated the front, top, and both sides of these chests with the highly ornamental and traditional motifs of hearts, tulips, unicorns, and urns of flowers in reds, blues, greens, and mustard yellows so favored in the originals. In discussing his interest in "any art form which reveals a kind of magic and purity—usually folk art of various sources," Mr. Rumbaugh wrote, "I rediscovered this feeling of magic in the folk art of my own heritage—Pennsylvania-German. My main concern in my work is to create and recreate this feeling of magic and purity, predominantly in wooden boxes, chests, carvings, paintings, engraving on wood." Each chest as pictured on these pages is $50. Please allow $5 for postage and handling and four weeks delivery. Ernest Quick, Vice-President and Director of Catalogue Sales at American Heritage, has chosen the Museum of Amen -
The Museum Shop-Talk Elizabeth Tobin, Manager
67
can Folk Art as one of the participating museums in the recent American Heritage Museum Collection of quality reproductions. After studying our collection, Mr. Quick selected a pair of cast-iron bookends-figures of an Amish man and woman-which were made in the 1870s in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Molded directly from the Museum's original figures and hand-finished in colors matching them, the bookends, as pictured on these pages, are $30 for the pair. Please allow $4.50 for postage and handling and three weeks delivery. In response to the many requests for catalogues and book/catalogues of Museum exhibitions, the following bibliography lists all available titles. Also included are books that feature many pieces exhibited in Museum exhibitions. When ordering from The Museum Shop please note the following: 1. List individual items and add total. 2. Members of the Museum of American Folk Art may subtract 10% from the total. 3. Add 8% tax if order is mailed to New York City. Add 7% if order is mailed elsewhere in New York State. 4. Add postage and handling charges as follows: 1.00 for a single item .50 for each additional item BOOKS AND CATALOGUES RELATING TO MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS Anderson, Mama Brill. Selected Masterpieces of New York State Folk Painting. New York: Museum of American Folk Art, 1977. 2.00 (Exhibition dates: February 16May 22,1977) Andrews, Ruth. The Metal of the State. New York: Museum of American Folk Art, 1973. 2.00 (Exhibition dates: May 1 -July 1, 1973)
1976. 4.95 (Exhibition dates: January 12-March 26, 1976) with Connor, Susan S.; Rogers, Josephine; and Sidford, Holly. A Child's Comfort. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1977. 12.95 hard cover; 6.95 soft cover (Exhibition dates: October 6, 1976-February 4, 1977)
Karlins, N. F. The Paper of the State. New York: Museum of American Folk Art, 1976. 2.00 (Exhibition dates: Bishop, Robert. The All-American Dog. New York: Avon April 8-September 24, 1976) November 30, dates: Books, 1977. 5.95 (Exhibition Ketchum, William C., Jr. The Pottery of the State. New York: 1977-April 2, 1978) Museum of American Folk Art, 1974. 2.00 (Exhibition Folk & Brant, Sandra and Cullman, Elissa. Andy Warhol's dates: April 18-June 2, 1974) Funk. New York: Museum of American Folk Art,
1977. 2.00 (Exhibition dates: September 20-November 19, 1977) Brill, Mama. Wood Sculpture of New York State. New York: Museum of American Folk Art, 1975. 2.00 (Exhibition dates: April 2-J une 1,1975) Fendelman, Helaine. Tramp Art. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1975. 6.95 Johnson, Bruce A. Calligraphy: Why Not Learn to Write? New York: Museum of American Folk Art, 1975. 2.00 (Exhibition dates: January 29-March 28, 1975)
Kopp, Joel and Kate. Hooked Rugs in the Folk Art Tradition. New York: Museum of American Folk Art, 1974. 4.00 (Exhibition dates: September 18-January 19, 1975) . American Hooked and Sewn Rugs. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1975. 5.98 Lipman, Jean. An Eye on America. New York: Museum of American Folk Art, 1972. 2.00 (Exhibition dates: March 13-May 14,1972)
Smith, H. R. Bradley. Best of Friends-To Bruce Johnson. New York: Museum of American Folk Art, 1977. . American Cat-Alogue. New York: Avon Books, 2.00 (Exhibition dates: June 7-September 3, 1977)
68
Classes for Crafty Folk Phillida Mirk, Class Administrator
The Museum of American Folk Art began offering classes for people interested in the arts and crafts of early America in the fall of 1973, during "The Fabric of the State," an exhibit devoted to New York State textiles in the folk art tradition. During that show demonstrations were given in the Museum by Micki McCabe, our present quilting instructor; there were so many requests for instruction in the art of quilting that Elizabeth Tobin, manager of The Museum Shop, recognized the need and arranged the first series. The response was so enthusiastic that Micki was soon teaching four classes a week; quilting continues to be the most popular craft we offer. When "Hooked Rugs in the Folk Art Tradition" opened in the fall of 1974 classes in rug hooking were added, again in response to the interest in the traditional technique of hooking. From that small beginning, the class program has grown to the present curriculum, which offers seven different crafts: quilting, rug hooking, early needlepoint, rug braiding, basketry, off-loom weaving, and whittling. The classes are held in the Museum, usually during regular Museum hours, thus becoming part of the current exhibit. Museum patrons are encouraged to look over shoulders and watch the work of the students. The 2-hour classes meet once a week for 5 weeks, a total of 10 hours of instruction. Quilting is a 4-week, 8-hour class. There are at present 3 class sessions a year, in fall, winter, and spring. Men and women of all ages, from high school to senior citizens are enrolled. The teachers are expert in instilling the necessary confidence for students to realize their own capabilities and once that is clear, there is no limit to the amount of enjoyment a class brings. Many students have never attempted making anything by hand, and the discovery that even someone who claims to be "all thumbs" can produce a beautiful piece of handcraft is one of the greatest benefits of our class program. Several students have become so enthusiastic that they have gone far beyond the work done in class and created projects that will become family heirlooms. In most cases, with the limited time available, a project is begun in class and finished at home, but each student, regardless of his degree of expertise, always learns enough in the class sessions to continue independently. Many students repeat a class, in order to
Micki McCabe, quilting instructor, demonstrating the craft of quilting.
learn more advanced techniques, and some have taken every craft we offer. Interest in the crafts was heightened by the excitement of celebrating the bicentennial and in 1976 there were over 200 registered students. At that time there was a resurgence of concern for the traditions passed down over the years, and people wanted to try their own hands at making the quilts, rugs, etc., that had become so popular as collectors' items. We are limited at present by the realities of space and are able to offer only two classes during Museum hours and three in the evening when the Museum is closed. There are classes on Saturday for those who are not free during the work week but many people are able to stretch a lunch "hour" to include the two hours of class work. We are eager to expand the program and would welcome suggestions for crafts not now covered as long as they are within the "folk" tradition. Consideration is being given to the addition of an "enrichment" program to the present handcraft classes. A 5-week lecture series, taught by experts, would cover several of the areas in which folk art is visible: pottery, textiles, furniture, metalwork, etc. The next series of classes will begin in late February (see schedule below) and finish just before Easter with another series planned for later in the spring. If you would like further information, or if you are not a Museum member and would like to have your name added to our class mailing list, please call and let us know. 69
SHAKER VIEWS(Continued from page 56) would find both interesting and informative, the Shakers in these areas sold sets of stereo views of the Shaker community. They also offered them to other Shaker villages at wholesale prices. Shaker villages were models of order and success and the standards of living of the brothers and sisters were above those of the average citizen. The Shakers hoped to gain understanding and perhaps even converts to their singular way of life. What better way than through this pictorial medium that seemed to have caught the imagination and fancy of the nation! Today, more than 300 different stereo views from some 11 Shaker communities are known to be in the collections of
many museums and libraries. The importance of these views as a visual record of Shaker life should not be underestimated. The Shakers, as an example of a particular social order and religious sect, are unique. Their "heaven on earth," the most successful and longest-surviving American utopia, is without equal. The vitality of the Shaker tradition has left a legacy of fine design, architectural simplicity, product innovation, and excellence. These Shaker stereo views document a world and a lifestyle which, with all its contrasts and idiosyncrasies, remains difficult for many to understand and imagine. But the quiet love of these people, along with their creativity and industry, are certainly ideals that can be emulated by all of us today.
3
returnir.g from Church.
South Family Shakers returning from church, Mt. Lebanon, New York. The large 4-story building in the center is the Dwelling House. (James Irving, Photographer; Troy, New York)
r Church, Mt. Lebanon, N. Y. Church Family Meeting House, Mt. Lebanon, New York, built in 1824. The barrel roof, designed to shed snow, covered a meeting room that had no interior supports.(James Irving, Photographer; Troy, New York)
70
Harry Lieberman "It is never too late to start painting" Patricia L. Coblentz, Assistant Director, Museum of American Folk Art
71
The Jewish Folk Art Calendar with designs by Harry Lieberman.
Harry Lieberman, the centenarian who did not start painting until he was 78, relates, "These days I go to bed at night hoping to wake up the next morning to make another painting or sculpture." Mr. Lieberman's bright, vital canvases are full of joy and, although they are almost childlike in their simplicity, possess great sophistication and depth of concern. Harry Lieberman was born on November 15, 1877, near Warsaw, Poland, in the town of Gnieveshev. His uncle was the Hasidic rabbi of the village and the youth, educated in the Yishevat of Eastern Europe, became a student of the Talmud, a follower of the Hasidic sect of Judaism, and was steeped in Chassidic lore. The pogroms of the Tzar greatly changed the life of the Hasidic Jews who believed in dancing and in the joy and shouting of their contact with the godhead. In 1906 Lieberman immigrated to the United States and two years later his wife and daughter followed him. The family settled in New York where the young father worked as a clothing cutter on the lower east side. Later he and his wife Sophie started a confectionery business in the Gramercy Park section —a business which soon flourished. After retiring in 1950, the Liebermans moved to Great Neck, New York, where boredom caused the energetic man to join the Great Neck Golden Age Club and develop an avid interest in chess. When his favorite partner suffered an illness and was unable to play, Lieberman wandered into an art class in the recreation center and was encouraged by the teacher to experiment with the materials at hand. He first began to draw and then to paint. The scenes he recalled of the wild Polish plains, the color and forms of his youth, and the heroes of Talmudic-Midrashic legendry emerged on his canvases. The opportunity to chronicle his life fascinated him.
72
Lieberman's charming wit and vigorous personality are evident in his marvelous depictions of scenes from the Old Country and of Biblical stories. A sense of worldliness mingles with his religious convictions. Visitors to his group and one-man exhibitions were captivated by Mr. Lieberman's work and his paintings are now part of international and national public and private collections: the Boymans-van Benuningen, Rotterdam, Holland; the Houston (Texas) Museum of Art; the American Jewish Society; the Seattle (Washington) Museum of Art; the Immaculate Heart College Museum, Los Angeles; the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, D.C.; and in the private collections of numerous notable artists, entertainers, and religious leaders. At 100 years of age, Harry Lieberman is still active as a painter and has also become interested in sculpture and ceramics. He looks forward to the full flowering of his career in his second century and firmly believes that "The most important work of my lifetime is my art." Amcal, Inc., of Danville, California, realizing the vast appeal of Harry Lieberman's paintings, has produced "The Jewish Folk Art Calendar" for 1978. The full-color illustrations, 12-7/8" x 10-5/8" on fine quality paper, are ideal for framing. The daily date section for each month is artistically decorated by charming Lieberman drawings. Each painting in this calendar is accompanied by a short, provocative essay on the meaning of the painting. The featured subjects are: Adam and Eve and The Snake, The Most Orthodox Rabbi, Deliver This to Heaven, Whosoever Reports a Thing, Ezra the Scribe, Two Dreamers, In the Presence of the Sages, Be Strong as a Leopard, The Peaceable Kingdom, The Blessing and the Curse—The Twelve Stones, The Blessing of the Moon, A Song of the Degrees—Psalms 727. My Time, Lieberman's philosophy of life, is also included with appropriate renderings. Copies of this remarkable calendar are available from The Museum Shop, individually packed in decorative corrugated mailing cartons, for $7.50 plus $1.50 postage and handling.
The All-American Dog Man's Best Friend in Folk Art Robert Bishop, Ph.D., Director, Museum of American Folk Art
Crib Quilt. Pennsylvania. Circa 1910. Cotton, appliqued and pieced. 28" x 35". (Gloria List)
Thl;AM Doe THE IN, \n/fiir Bow vroW- Wov . TNE CALiCOCAT eRtPLIED ME— "
"The All-American Dog— Man's Best Friend in Folk Art" promises to be the most talked about exhibition ever mounted by the Museum of American Folk Art. Nearly two hundred works of art featuring the dog in their design have been assembled from across the United States for this highly entertaining and educational show. The exhibition was conceived as an overview of the American folk artist's use of the image of the dog. Naive painters, carvers, sculptors, rughookers, weavers, quiltmakers, needleworkers, and metalworkers are responsible for the richness and variety of material included in this exhibition. For the most part, these self-taught artists were from small towns and farming
communities where the dogs they chose to depict were not purebred. So, this exhibition is about folk dogs, generally of the "Heinz 57" variety. Early American Colonists treasured dogs that could hunt and often went to great effort to recover a lost or stolen animal. In fact, a standard part of the brassfounder's business in Colonial America was based on dog-oriented products that helped to identify wandering animals. John Stowe, a brassfounder on Second-street, Philadelphia, advertised in the April 30, 1752, edition of the Pennsylvania Gazette: "All sorts of brasses...brass furniture of every sort for coaches, chaises...best quality shoebuckles, house spring-bells, ditto for horses...dog-collars, with a variety of other brass work, at the most reasonable rates." Furthermore, early newspapers contained many advertisements placed by dog owners whose prized pets had strayed. The Newport Mercury, Newport, Rhode Island, for February 24—March 3, 1766, announced: "LOST, stolen, or
strayed, a white and liver coloured Bitch, spotted in the Face somewhat remarkable, with a black Leather Garter about its Neck, known by the Name of Phebe, and belonging to an Officer on board his Majesty's Ship Maidstone. Whoever secures the same, and brings her to the right Owner, or to Mr. Cahoon's Coffee-House, shall receive a Dollar Reward, and no Questions asked." In 1791 the Independent Gazeteer, (and Agricultural Repository), a Philadelphia newspaper, ran the following advertisement on Saturday, November 12: "A Spaniel Dog, LOST,on Friday the 28th ult. A White and Brown spotted SPANIEL DOG, about 4 months old: has remarkable long ears, and his tail cut short. Whoever has found said dog, and will deliver him to the Printer hereof, shall be rewarded for their trouble." There are many incidents in American history where dogs have played an important role. For instance, during the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777, George Washington's army, in a surprise maneuver, devastated the enemy outposts of the Philadelphia suburb. Puppet. U.S. Circa 1910. Wood. Washington's attack ultimately L., 7". (Kelter-Malce Antiques) 73
Hooked Rug. Found in California. Early 20th century. 71" x 35". (Suzanne Paterson)
proved unsuccessful and his army was repulsed. The retreating soldiers inadvertently secured a strategic advantage when a dog belonging to General William Howe, the British Commander, attached himself to them. Alexander Hamilton, the youthful aidede-camp to Washington, wrote to General Howe explaining the situation. The note and the dog were delivered to Howe, thus giving Washington's men the opportunity of spying upon the British in their official headquarters. Dogs occur most frequently in American folk sculpture. For some reason, three-dimensional portraits of favorite pets far outnumber paintings. In part, this might be the result of the ease with which an untrained artist could obtain his materials—a block of wood and a knife were sufficient. The dog is also shown in a wide variety of textiles. Hooked rugs, quilts, samplers, and stuffed toys record its beloved image. Rughookers, like painters, frequently patterned their designs after popular lithographs of the time. Two separate collectors, from different parts of the country,
74
Portrait of Five Puppies signed JWH. U.S. Dated 1910. Oil on tin. 16" x 24".(Kookie Johnson)
have submitted objects bearing the same picture, a hooked rug and an oil painting on tin. One of the artists reversed the layout, otherwise they are identical.
Potters, of course, frequently created dogs. Their representations range all the way from an elegant blue slip-decorated stoneware jug fashioned by J. and E. Norton of Ben-
Carved Wooden Pattern for a Metal Weathervane. Henry Leach(?). U.S. 1871. Wood, carved and painted. L., approx. 36".(Courtesy of Museum of International Folk Art; Collection of Herbert W. Hemphill, Jr.)
Weathervane. Cushing and White. Waltham, Massachusetts. Circa 1871. Metal. L., approx. 36".(David Davies)
nington, Vermont, to the humorous "Fidos" shaped by Samuel and Solomon Bell working in the Shenandoah Valley during the nineteenth century. The number and variety of weathervanes in the shape of dogs seem endless and it is especially interesting to be able to include in this exhibition both a carved wooden pattern for a weathervane and the metal vane cast from the molds made from the pattern. The enthusiasm for the dog as a companion has never wavered. Both the mongrel and the purebred have increased in staggering numbers. The American Kennel Club has grown from eight employees in 1919 to an organization requiring over five hundred today. Dog food companies
have proliferated. Firms specializing in the manufacture of dog-related products have mushroomed and fashionable canine beauty parlors are a common sight on city streets and in country byways. With such meticulous planning for and care of the canine population, it is easy to believe that the dog is indeed man's best friend. The All-American Dog— Man's Best Friend in Folk Art" shows beautifully the many wonderful ways in which the dog has been recorded by the naive artist from America's earliest beginnings to today. This exhibition has been made possible in part by a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts. Seated Minstrel with Dog. Attributed to Samuel Bell. Strasburg, Virginia. Mid-19th century. Redware. H.,6'/2". (Private Collection)
Two Girls with a Dog. William Matthew Prior. New England. 1840-1845. Oil on canvas. 28" x 32".(Old Sturbridge Village)
75
Dias de His, Dias de Menos An Exhibition ofSpanish New Mexican Folklife at The Museum ofInternational Folk Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico Christine R. Mather, Curator of Spanish Colonial Art, Museum of International Folk Art
"Dias de Mas, Dias de Menos" (Days of Plenty, Days of Want) is the title of an exhibition of Spanish New Mexican folklife and art currently mounted at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. The show comprises over 600 examples of objects made or used by the Spanish in New Mexico. From the museum's permanent holdings are displayed sontos (religious images), textiles, furniture, documents, silver, clothing, and other items used in the daily life of the Spanish settlers of New Mexico, along with contemporary folk arts derived from this tradition.
76
The exhibit's title is borrowed from a dicho or proverb expressing the philosophy of a people confronting the uncertainties of frontier life. Other dichos are used throughout the exhibit to reflect the life and the values of a vigorously creative culture that emerged from the fusion of Spanish Renaissance and Baroque traditions, the generations of selfreliance fostered in New Mexico, and the gradual flowering of the region as a center of trade on the route connecting the eastern United States with Mexico and the Far West. The purpose of the exhibition is to explore this society
as a whole. In the dichos is sensed the same vitality of expression as seen in the religious art, the santos. Such common, everyday items as woodworking tools, household goods or furniture serve to characterize the resourcefulness of their creators as well as their creativity in all phases of life. By combining expressions of everyday life with objects both utilitarian and artistic, a picture of the total culture begins to emerge—a culture in which life and art were integrated. The first dicho encountered in the exhibition is "When God dawns He dawns for all men." It emphasizes that the first colonizing impulse in New Mexico in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was based upon the missionary zeal of the Spanish in the New World. Religious imagery was used as a teaching aid by the missionaries and marks the beginning of the folk art tradition in New Mexico. By the nineteenth century there was a well-developed and unique folk art style in New Mexico derived from these early efforts. The retablos (paintings on panel) and bultos (sculpture) depicting popular saints are now recognized as a regional artistic expression which has no equal in American folk art traditions. The introductory dicho for the display of the museum's outstanding collection of New Mexican santos is "Every saint has his day" and the santos are arranged according to their feast day in the Catholic religious calendar. In addition, the dicho, "You can't ring the bell and take part in the procession," underlines the functional role which religious imagery played in the calendar of events in communities where religion was vital. Textiles were an important trade item in New Mexico. Thousands of handspun, handwoven blankets were produced in New Mexico as trade items with Mexico, the Indians, and later with the eastern United States. Accompanied by the dicho, "Some card the wool and others get the fame," examples of woven and embroidered textiles are on display. Other categories for the exhibition include furniture, "Give me a place to sit down and I'll find a place to lie down;" household goods, "My house is your house;" clothing, precious metals, transportation, woodworking tools, agricultural tools, entertainment. Of special note is a section devoted to contemporary folk art, "When there are new saints, the old ones do not perform any miracles." The continuity and strength of folk art traditions of this state can be seen in the woodcarvings done by some of New Mexico's well-known carvers such as Jose Dolores, George and Gloria Lopez, and other singularly talented folk artists like Ben Ortega, Luis Tapia, and Felipe Archuleta. Along with the dichos and the objects are early photographs of New Mexicans involved in the various phases represented in the exhibition. The use of vintage photographs and
late nineteenth-century Spanish script is meant to capture the spirit of the exhibition—a look to a past generation. One of the strongest and most enduring values of the Spanish of New Mexico, that of language, is respected. The exhibition is bilingual. "Dias de Ws,Dias de Menos" was installed with funding provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. It will be open until the spring of 1978. For further information contact: Christine Mather, Curator of Spanish Colonial Art, Museum of International Folk Art, P.O. Box 2087, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501. 77
A Folk Art Calendar Across the Country
Currently—February 4,1978 THE DOWNTOWN DOG SHOW. The art history of dogs traced through artifacts, historical pieces, and contemporary works from Pre-Columbian ceramic pieces to the works of contemporary Bay Area artists. Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Downtown Art Center, 651 Howard Street, San Francisco, California 94105. Currently—Spring 1978 DIAS DE MAS, DIAS DE MENOS (DAYS OF PLENTY, DAYS OF WANT). An exhibition of Spanish New Mexican folklife and art. Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Child With a Guitar. Oil on canvas mounted on panel. 19th century. 36%" x 281/2". Gift to the collections of the Museum of American Folk Art from Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wiltshire III
78
Currently—April 2,1978 THE ALL-AMERICAN DOG—MAN'S BEST FRIEND IN FOLK ART. A major multimedia show containing over 170 representations of dogs in all forms of folk art—furniture, needlework, textiles, paintings, pottery, and sculpture. Museum of American Folk Art, New York City. Currently—April 16,1978 AMERICAN CIRCUS POSTERS. Museum of Our National Heritage, Lexington, Massachusetts. Currently—April 30,1978 CAST IRON TOYS. An exhibition of turn-ofthe-century autos, trains, and doll furniture from the Smithsonian Institution's Sears Roebuck Collection. Museum of Our National Heritage, Lexington, Massachusetts. Currently—June 4,1978 FRENCH FOLK ART. Eighteenth- and nineteenth-century objects from the French National Museum of Folk Arts and Traditions in Paris, including tools and equipment, the accoutrements of festivals and religious ceremonies, objects from daily life, costumes and wearing apparel. Renwick Gallery of the National Collection of Fine Arts, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
January 21—February 19,1978 Evie Lances, 1790 Fernside, Woodside, CaliforDIVINE FAVORS, HUMAN VOWS: MILAnia 94062. GROS FROM PUERTO RICO. A special exhibi- April 11—April 15,j978 tion of ex votos (gifts to the gods accompanying SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL UNIVERSITY HOSrequests for favors). The Newark Museum, PITAL ANTIQUES SHOW, a benefit for the Newark, New Jersey. Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. January 23—February 10,1978 The 1978 Loan Exhibit, "Magnificent MenagAMISH QUILTS (1870-1930): A GRAPHIC erie," will be a rare collection of antique animal STATEMENT FROM A PLAIN PEOPLE. figures. 103rd Engineers Armory, Philadelphia, Twenty exceptional quilts from the collection Pennsylvania. of Barbara S. Janos and Barbara Ross. ManhatApril 15,1978 tan Savings Bank, 385 Madison Avenue, New ANNUAL PHILADELPHIA ANTIQUES SHOW York City. AND HOUSE TOUR sponsored by Museum of January 27,1978,8 P.M. American Folk Art, New York City. CONCERT by the Wretched Refuse String April 18—June 11,1978 Band. Museum of American Folk Art, New SELECTIONS FROM THE PERMANENT COLYork City. LECTION. An exhibition of the objects in the February—April 1977 Museum of American Folk Art's permanent AMERICAN FOLK PAINTING. Selections from collection. Museum of American Folk Art, the collection of Mr. and Mrs. William E. WiltNew York City. shire III. Traveling exhibition under the auspices April 21-23,1978 of The American Federation of Arts. The NATIONAL QUILT CONTEST AND EXHIBIT Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C. presented by the Santa Rosa Quilt Guild, first February 1—April 2,1978 national contest ever held on the West Coast. MISSING PIECES, GEORGIA FOLK ART, For information, send self-addressed, stamped 1770-1976. Traveling exhibition sponsored by envelope to Santa Rosa Quilt Guild, P.O. Box the Georgia Council for the Arts and Humani1901,Santa Rosa, California 95402. ties, Atlanta, Georgia. The exhibition is augmented by photographs taken between July 11 and August 21, 1977, of sketches of South Georgia folk art. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. February 24,1978,8 P.M. CONCERT by the Mostly Mozart Trio (violin, cello, viola). Museum of American Folk Art, New York City. February 26,1978 A QUI LTER'S AFFAIR presented by Evie Lances' Quilting Classes, Canada College, Redwood City, California. For information write 79
Collectors Choice II, Folk Art This distinguished woman traveled extensively to gather the canteens, cigar-store Indians, coverlets, decoys, drums, fireboards, frakturs, hooked rugs, inn and trade signs, landscapes, overmantels, pastels, penmanship drawings, portraits, powderhorns, sculpture, weathervanes, whirligigs, and wood carvings which dazzled visitors to the exhibition. The show was installed by Richard Baronio, Chief Exhibit Designer, Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Connecticut. Mrs. A. D. Dunn served as Show Chairman. Collectors Choice II offered a unique opportunity to view superb works of folk art. Though the show has come and gone, it was of such significant quality that Clarion readers might wish to obtain a checklist of the pieces in the exhibition.
Canteen with eagle decoration, circa 1810; two drums decorated with eagles, circa 1810.(Both, private collections)
Collectors Choice II, Folk Art, assembled by newlyelected Museum of American Folk Art trustee, Mary Allis, opened on September 23 at Pequot Library, Southport, Connecticut and ran through October 9. This stunning display of American folk art from private collections in Connecticut featured an extraordinary sampling of superior quality, much of which had never before been on public exhibition. Paintings by Prior, Stock, Davis, Bard, Belknap, Phillips, Brewster, and Peck were included. In 1962 Miss Allis was on the committee that assembled the first loan exhibition of the Museum of American Folk Art shown at the Time-Life Building in New York City. Fifteen years later, she served as honorary chairman for Collectors Choice II.
80
Eagle, carved and poly chromed wood. (Collection of Mr. and Mrs. William H. Guthman)
American Folk Painting Selectionsfrom the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wiltshire, III
Between 1640 and 1840 scores of mostly self-taught painters attempted to record the faces and appearances of rural and suburban America, before the common use of the camera. A selection of these paintings from one of the newest and most comprehensive collections of American folk art will be on display at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, through January 8. The exhibition, "American Folk Painting, Selections from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wiltshire, III," was organized with the cooperation of The American Federation of Arts under whose auspices it will travel to The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C. (February/April); The Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts, Ohio (July/August); The Denver Art Museum, Colorado (September/October) and the Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego, California (November/December). It will also be on view at the Seattle Art Museum and the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, Fort Worth, Texas, in 1979. Mr. Wiltshire, a Trustee of the Museum of American Folk Art, and his wife, the former Barbara Gottchalk, began their collection after their marriage in 1967. The collection spans 100 years of folk art, and includes fine American furniture, decorative arts, and folk pottery among its holdings. A devotion to American pottery was responsible for stimulating the Wiltshire's growing interest in American folk art. The exhibition contains 51 paintings of landscapes, family scenes, religious, and genre scenes and several illuminated texts. But it is in the 18th century portraits dating from 1785 to 1840 that the collection finds its greatest strength. The preeminent
William E. Wiltshire, III
81
Still Life, Newark, New Jersey, 1865-1868, 4"x 60", inscribed on reverse: 1 oil on canvas, 40/ "I. W. Nuttman, Painter/8 Coes Place," from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wiltshire, Ill
Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. David Crane by Sheldon Peck, Illinois, circa 1845, oil on canvas, 35-3/4" x 43-3/4", from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wiltshire, III
Portrait of Mr. John Marvin, Connecticut, circa 1820, oil on canvas, 37Y2" x 30-3/4", from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wiltshire, Ill
82
Portrait of Mary Hill Nichols, Fairfield, Connecticut, 1795, oil on canvas, 38" x 301/4", signed and dated on windowsill: "R. Earl. Pinxt. 1795,"from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wiltshire, Ill
wish of rural art patrons was that a lasting record of family faces be created by the itinerant Colonial painters. Portraits then became the major production of folk artists during these years. Today, these same pictures expand our view of life in America as it was seen by artists such as Ammi Phillips, Joseph Stock, John Rasmussen, Susan C. Waters, and the Payne Limner, all of whom are represented in the exhibition. Mary Black, Curator of Painting and Sculpture at The New-York Historical Society, discussed the various factors that influenced these artists at a slide lecture, "Inspiration in American Folk Painting," presented in November to members of both The American Federation of Arts and The Museum of American Folk Art in New York City. Ms. Black, author of the introduction to the catalogue that accompanies the exhibition, explained that American folk painting as an art form has had a renaissance of interest due to its rediscovery by artists, collectors, and dealers in the 1920s. They found in these paintings a directness, vigor, strength, and realism directly related to the modern art that was being shown at
the time. The lecture was followed by a reception at the AFA building where Mr. Wiltshire was the special guest. In conjunction with the exhibition, AFA also sponsored a weekend trip for members in early December and visited museums in Richmond, Williamsburg, and Norfolk, Virginia. Founded in 1909, The American Federation of Arts is a nonprofit, cultural service organization that originates and circulates exhibitions to museums, universities and art galleries across the country. Under the direction of Wilder Green since 1971, AFA has vigorously expanded its exhibition and film programs. Based in New York, AFA's program includes exhibitions of paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography, film, and the decorative arts for communities throughout the United States. Further information on "American Folk Painting, Selections from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wiltshire, Ill," and copies of the exhibition catalogue (available at $6.95 plus $1 postage and handling) may be obtained by writing The Museum Shop, Museum of American Folk Art,49W. 53rd St., NYC, NY 10019.
83
It's Time to Join!
Invest in the Future
The Museum of American Folk Art is the foremost institution in the United States devoted solely to the collection, exhibition, and interpretation of American folk art. You are cordially invited to become a member of the Museum. Your membership will support the Museum in its continuing effort to fulfill its role as one of America's leading cultural institutions. Membership entitles you to the following benefits: • Free admission to all exhibitions at all times. • Private previews of all exhibitions. • Advance notice of all exhibitions, classes, lectures, concerts, tours and special events. • Annual subscription to The Clarion, America's Folk Art Magazine, published quarterly by the Museum of American Folk Art. • A 10% discount on all items purchased from The Museum Shop. • Reduced fee for classes, including quilting, needlepoint, rug hooking and rug braiding. • Reduced fee for lectures and concerts. • Reduced fee for folk concerts. MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES $20 1:1 INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP All membership benefits,for one year,as described above.
El FAMILY MEMBERSHIP
$30 All Individual Membership benefits for the entire immediate family.
$50 ID CONTRIBUTING MEMBERSHIP All Family Membership benefits, plus two free guest admissions to exhibitions when accompanied by member.
El BENEFACTOR MEMBERSHIP
$100 All Contributing Membership benefits, plus one free exhibition catalogue.
$250 ID SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIP All Benefactor Membership benefits, plus two free exhibition catalogues.
El PATRON
$500 All Sustaining Membership benefits, plus free enrollment in special lecture series.
Painted and decorated box. New England. 1820-1840. W. 23-3/4". Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Lipman.
During the last several years, support from members and friends has been of vital importance to the growth of the Museum of American Folk Art. One of the ways in which you can insure perpetuation of our continuing programs is through a gift or bequest, a timeless expression of your concern for the Museum and its future. Gifts and bequests to the Museum may be made through endowment for general purposes or for a program of specific interest to you or to your family. The Museum of American Folk Art is a nonprofit educational institution. Gifts are deductible for the donor, subject to legal limitations concerning gifts to tax-exempt organizations. In order to provide for your continuing support to the Museum of American Folk Art, we recommend that you seek the assistance of your legal counsel or other advisers. The .ample form below may aid you in further discussions with your attorney.
El SPONSOR
$1,000 All Patron benefits, plus all exhibition catalogues.
1:1 LIFE MEMBERSHIP All benefits for life.
$5,000
El STUDENT MEMBERSHIP
$5
Free admission to all exhibitions. I am enclosing payment for Museum membership for one year in the category checked above. Name Address Telephone Many corporations match their employees' membership fees and contributions to nonprofit educational institutions. Please take a few extra minutes to ask your employer to consider participating in such a plan.
84
All Memberships are Tax Deductible
day of
On this
19_,
of hereby give and bequeath to The Museum of American Folk Art, a New York nonprofit corporation, having its principal office at 49 West 53rd Street, New York, New York, all my to right, title, and interest in and to general its for Art Folk American of Museum be used by The corporate purposes (for other specified purposes). I further agree to provide The Museum of American Folk Art with documents of title, interest, or assignment as The Museum of American Folk Art may reasonably request. Name Address
ennedy American Naive Art ofthe 19th Century in our Gallery 19
galleries Unknown "Indian with Bow and Arrow" copper, height: 32% inches
JANUARY 11-MARCH 4 A major exhibition of primitive paintings,sculpture, weathervanes, whirligigs, and cigar store Indians is illustrated in the Kennedy Quarterly, Volume XVI, No. 1, available for $3.00
knnedy Galleries 40 West 57th Street, 5th Floor New York 10019 (212)541-9600 Co-Publishers of The American Art Journal Tuesday-Saturday 9:30-5:30
Four thousand landmarks have been knocked down. Since 1930,four thousand of America's buildings of architectural and historical significance have been demolished. It's time to stop destroying—time to start finding adaptive uses for our historic structures. Let's put new life into our neighborhoods and cities; let's restore the landmarks we have left to imaginative modern uses. Join The National Trust for Historic Preservation; help preserve America's heritage for today and the future. Please send me more information on membership in The National Trust for Historic Preservation. Name Address City State Zip Mail to: Membership Dept.,Office of Public Affairs, The National Trust for Historic Preservation.740 Jackson Place, NW, Washington, DC 20006.
85
Galle 2130 P St , NW Washington DC 20037 (202)223-3880
becca ooper
20th Century American folk art featuring a collection of SISTER GERTRUDE MORGAN
'We colorful black and white paper is now a color magazine... But we still care more about what we say than how we look. So we use professional antiques writers that bring you original, informative articles on American antiques twelve months a year. The emphasis is on your collecting, with each issue loaded with photographs, how-to-illustrations and prices shown at shows and auctions. Regular articles appear on furniture, glass, pottery, folk art, textiles, metals, books, home restoration, show & auction reports. And there are probing features on what to look for and where, trends in collecting, fakes, great collectors, antiques for investment, the business of antiques, and much more.
c_AretilTOLLECTING I
I
BOX 327 • EPHRATA. PENNSYLVANIA 17522 please send me ANTIQUE COLLECTING EONE YEAR $10.00 E TWO YEARS $18.00
recent issues included:
special QUILT issue coming in January
The Making Of A Museum • What Do You See In Glass • Coverlets • Interview With Henry Kauffman • Sheraton Furniture • Recognizing Original Paint • Tools Of Our Forefathers • Bennington Ware • American Coin Silver • Fraktur Tin, Copper & Brass • How To Attend An Antiques Show • Redware For Pretty • Recognizing "Doctored" Furniture • Folk Art • Three Pottery Collectors • Brownstone Home Restoration • Stoneware • Shaker-Or Is It? • Charcoal Iron • Contemporary Folk Potter • Hooked Rugs • Antique Collecting In Antiques Areas
please bill me payment enclosed it is not necessary to cut this page, just drop us a line with your nameandchoice,quoting,"Clarion"
NAME ADDRESS _ CITY STATE ZIP
From the collection of outstanding crib quilts
"Oak Leaf, Heart, and Basket" applique crib quilt. Size 321/2"x 341/2"; Maine; circa 1870. Excellent condition. Framed. Red and gray on white ground.
GLORIA LIST By appointment only.
"Ocean Waves" pieced crib quilt. Size 42" x 42"; cotton; Pennsylvania; circa 1870. Excellent condition.
ART
612 S. Barrington Avenue Los Angeles, California 90049
Phone (213)472-8629
304-535-6902 1141 WASHINGTON STREET HARPERS I' ERRY, W VA 25425
JOKN
C. NEWCOMER 18th & 19th CENTURY AMERICANA Saturday 11 00 am to 500 p m Sunday 100 pm to 5:00 pm Or By Appointment
David & Nan Gurley Rte. 160 N. Parsonfield, Maine (207)625-3577 Country Arts Address mail inquiries to Kezar Falls, Maine 04047
Wonderful combination stitchery and watercolor farm scene. Yellow house with greens, blues and a pink sunset. First quarter of the 19th century.
Hooked Rug—Vermont circa 1920
Best Wishes from a friend of the Museum of American Folk Art
99110
The Midwest/Mideast Meeting Place for Americana
Kelter-Make 361 Bleecicer Street New York City in historic Greenwich Village (212) 989-6760 Tues-Sat 12-8
20th Century Japanese primitive painting of native girls bathing. Signed KITAGAWA.
90c
Published monthly except January in Worthington, Ohio
Ohio Antique Review
Subscriptions $8.00 per year
Volume 3. Number 10
No,ember 1977
A major piece of
Pennsylvania furniture at auction ....page 33.
Country Antiques FRED AND JO ANN CADARETTE
Send for free copy: 0.A.R., P.O. Box 538, Worthington, Ohio 43085
Mail address: Route 2, Pittsfield, N.H. 03263 Tel.(603) 435-6615
WHITE CROW Antiques, Folk Art, Primitives, Painting, and Artifacts. Offering for sale six great pieces of Americana. I. Rare 8'4" wood barber pole (obelisk) with turned acorn finial in old red, white and black paint. 2. Wonderful 7'11" Uncle Sam "silhouette" in old red, white and blue paint. 3. Unusual hand-carved baseball bat in old red paint. 30" long. 4. Late 19th or early 20th century sheet metal horse and rider weathervane in red. 5. Anonymous primitve painting on board of Indian encampment. 6. Folk cane with carved man's head. Subject to prior sale. For information or appointment: 914-679-2753 7 to 10 A.M. or 9 to 11 P.M. or write: Chester Dentan, White Crow Speare Road, Woodstock, New York 12498
0A) \.6 0`
IntiQue Quill Restoration - also Cotom Made Nretthers for displaying Quilts 0,A ow/6 110ed Rugs Rag Carpets sevn together for area nous
• 4111 b' " 11W.111BA6 , 11
Po 1Z.
90
rir
Pie Gatinat 41 Perry t. 10014 212- 744 - 5259
Kathy Schoemer COUNTRY ANTIQUES Please Call(203)966-0841
New Canaan, Conn.
Folk Art,Period, Contemporary Frames Edward Finnegan (212)966-6483 By appointment
Andrewjackson, 7th President ofthe United States. Attributed to R. E. W. Earle, ca. 1835 oil on canvas, approx. 26"x22"
V .1ff, 61
%KW
"Air..L.2es
Mary Strickler's Quilt
rl 15936Minutes B. Street, San Rafael, California 94901 North of San Francisco
(415)456-7394
JAMES ABBE,JR. Fine Arts and Appraisals 45 West Main Street Oyster Bay, N.Y. 11771 Tel: (516) 922-3325 or 921-2379
AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF FINE ANTIQUE QUILTS, INCLUDING EARLY AMISH QUILTS, AMERICAN FOLK ART, BASKETS AND HOOKED RUGS. SEE POSTCARDS OF OUR QUILTS IN THE MUSEUM BOOKSHOP " III kli r
N W-
111111t
Jim and Jane Apuzzo West Hook Road Hopewell Junction, N.Y. (914) 896-9351 By appointment or chance. 3 miles from Rte.9 and 1-84, Fishkill, N.Y.
COME UP AND SEE US SOMETIME!
A new concept in decorative and fine arts.
cqiff of cS'tc) ctfilf 760 .../14aclison &Lance:25 Ecat 65g ,Sizzet
< 92
094f1ADIS011 AVrIlt •ITW TORN 10028 •(212)51Z1 Open Monday-Saturday, 11-6
./VE(47(-Yozk 10021 212-988-4756 ,qiff 5 Ed czArgmafianzs
AMERICAN FOLK ART COMPANY 310 DUKE SA., TAPPAHANNOCK,VA. 22560
Commercial and Industrial Products and Services for Safety, Security and Protection SHIELDS LJONES
SILENT WATCHMAN® THE SILENT WATCHMAN CORPORATION 4861 McGAW ROAD, COLUMBUS, OHIO 43207 (614) 491-5200
REPRESENTING: S.L. JONES, REV. HOWARD FINSTER, MILES B. CARPENTER • OTHER WORKS OFFERED BY APPOINTMENT (804) 443-2655
American Primitive and Country Furniture and Accessories for the Collector and Dealer
The Marketplace for Americana
MANE
LYE Box 358, Waldoboro, Maine 04572
UNDERGROUND ANTIQUES 159 Prince Street Soho New York, New York By Appointment (212) 777-8309 or (212) 260-6964 (evenings)
On sale each month at the Museum of American Folk Art 49 West 53rd Street New York, NY (All Proceeds Donated to the Museum)
93
Rufus Foshee Antiques Belfast Road(Route One),Camden,Maine 04843 (207) 236-2838
Carved wood head, polychromed. Circa 1930, Vermont. History available.
American appliqued quilt Poinsettia 88 x 88 Circa 1840
Rare painted chalkware form. Orange on cream, blue ball. 9" high.
Side Door Antiques ELIZABETH S. MANKIN KENT, CONNECTICUT 06757
(203) 927-3288
Monday - Saturday, 11 -5
Photography of Fine Arts and Antiques LUIGI PELLETTIERI 752 Broadway, Room 403, New York, N.Y 10003 Telephone: (212)533-5140 or(212)222-3975
94
See our country furniture including painted and grained American pieces; English and American earthenware; antique and new Oriental rugs.
Sheila Rideout, Helen Schwindt and Anne Vartabedian at
200 Danbury Road (Rte 7) Wilton, Ct.
From September 7, Tuesday - Saturday 11:00-5:00.
QI \ LI I 1
SHAKff?
FOR Sit SEEMS F. COLLECTORS
Rare and charming 18th century Dummy board figure in orig canvas on wood, ca. 36 inches high.
JANOS AND ROSS LnkklIaLli.
OLIOIt •A:. • 4 4 1 :41 :111:
111Dealers In Rare Shaker for Museums •and Collectors.• Appraisers.
"L J
LID.
u'""""
R.D. Box 226, Chatham, New York 12037 518-392-9654
'
BOTCH HANDLE, Amish, Ohio, c. 1900, 67" x 80". Illustrated in Gallery of Amish Quilts, plate no. 128. SPECIALIZING IN MUSEUM QUALITY ANTIQUE AMISH/MENNONITE QUILTS. Exclusive selection always in stock.
For the best in Shaker, plan a visit to our Shaker Gallery.
BARBARA S.JANOS BARBARA ROSS By Appointment Only
Appointment necessary.
An Exhibition of Amish quilts from our collection will be on display at The Manhattan Savings Bank, 385 Madison Avenue at 47th Street, New York City from January 23 through February 10, 1978. Hours from 9:00 am. to 3:00 p.m.
110 East End Avenue(5E) New York, New York 10028 (212)988-0407
95
Angela Palladino Jan. 28-Feb. 18 Opening Reception: Sat., Jan. 28, 5-8 p.m.
Stephen Gemberling 24 East 81 Street, New York, N.Y. 10028 Monday-Saturday 10-5:30 737-2972
Index to Advertisers Abbe, James, Jr. America Hurrah Anderson, Marna Antique Collecting Antiques,The Magazine Antiques and The Arts Weekly Apuzzo, James, Round Mountain Antiques Cadarette, Fred & JoAnn,Country Antiques Christie's Cole, Gary C. Cooper Gallery, Rebecca Daniel, Allan L. Dentan, Chester, White Crow Diamant, H. & G. Doyle Galleries, William Dutton, E. P. East Side House Settlement Winter Antiques Show Finnegan, Edward Fisher, Anne N. Foshee, Rufus, Antiques Fuller, Edmund I. Galinat, Pie Gemberling, Stephen Gurley, David & Nan Greenwillow Farm, Ltd. Haders, Phyllis Hill, Timothy & Pamela Hudson River Press Janos and Ross Jill -of Story Hill Johnson, Jay, America's Folk Heritage Gallery Jones, Shields, American Folk Art Company
96
91 13 91 87 12 28 92 26,89 20 5 86 Inside front cover 90 21 18 22,23 16 91 10 94 6,7 90 96 88 95 19 29 31 95 92 30 93
Karasik, Muriel 92 Kelter-Malce 89 Kennedy Galleries 85 Kinnaman, Robert E. and Ramaekers, Brian, American Antiques 17 Levy, Bernard & S. Dean 2 List, Gloria 87 Maine Antique Digest 93 Mary Strickler's Quilt 91 National Trust for Historic Preservation 85 Newcomer, John C. 88 Ohio Antiques Review 89 Park Avenue Antiques Fair 24 Pellettieri, Luigi 94 95 Rideout, Sheila; Schwindt, Helen; and Vartabedian, Anne Sack, Israel 1 Savage, Gail 25 Schoellkopf, George E. 8,9 Schoemer, Kathy 90 11 Schorsch, M. Schwenke,Thomas & Karen 27 15 Score, Stephen Side Door Antiques 94 31 Sideli, John & Jacqueline 93 Silent Watchman,The 32 Smith,Sanford & Patricia 4 Sotheby Parke Bernet Inside back cover Sterling, Betty 86 Stern, Nell Gifford 14 Straw,Steven & Company, Inc. 93 Underground Antiques 3 Woodard,Thos. K., American Antiques & Quilts 29 Worthington Gallery, Inc.
BETTY STERLING BRAINSTORM
FARM
ANTIQUES
Fine American Country Furniture and Folk Art
0 , â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;
Painted wooden giraffe from Maine. 5' over all length. See American Folk Sculpture, Bishop,frontispiece. Showing in New York January 14 thru February 6. Call(212)369-8431 for appointment
MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FOLK ART 49 WEST 53RD STREET NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10019
DATED MATERIAL
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID New York, N.Y. Permit No. 3504