Tiles Made At The Moravian Tile Works In Doylestown, Pa., That Adorn Fireplace Surrounds In York, Maine
By Justin W. Thomas
Henry Chapman Mercer (18561930) was born in 1856 to a wealthy Doylestown, Bucks County, Pa., family. One of Mercer’s greatest influences was his Aunt Lela, otherwise known as Elizabeth Chapman Lawrence (1829-1905), as she exposed Henry to her life in society and instilled in him a great sense of self-awareness and independence.
Born in Doylestown, Elizabeth attended one of Philadelphia’s female academies, where
collecting objects that he felt told the story of human achievement. He believed that studying the tools that people used in everyday life painted a picture of their progression. Among his studies were examining stone artifacts in the Delaware Valley and exploring the hill caves on the Yucatan Peninsula.
While building his collection, Mercer developed a special interest in the Pennsylvania German and Moravian settlers. He was particularly attracted to German pottery and Moravian tile work. By
her social contacts included members of the city’s society, and in 1854, she married Timothy Bigelow Lawrence (1826-69), a wealthy son of a New England textile family. She paid for Mercer’s education at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, as well as his trips abroad. She also contributed the money to build what became the Mercer Museum, and when she died in 1905, she left the bulk of her estate to Henry, who used it to build his home at Fonthill.
After graduating from Harvard in 1879, Henry Mercer studied law at the University of Pennsylvania, but he never pursued a career in the field. Instead, Mercer’s interests turned to archaeology. He became the curator of American and Prehistoric Archaeology at the University of Pennsylvania’s museum from 1894-97. His site excavations as an archaeologist led to his interest in unearthing what drove America before the Industrial Age. Mercer began
1889, he was producing his own architectural tiles, for which he became famous.
Mercer was an advocate of the American Arts and Crafts Movement, and this passion was certainly an influential factor in how he manufactured his tiles in Doylestown. Chapman oversaw the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works from 1898 until his death in 1930. The tile works was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was included with the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle as a National Historic Landmark District in 1985.
Fonthill Castle was the concrete home of Mercer, in which he lavished and embellished with his tile work creations and other decorative objects that filled each room, some of which were embedded for display into the concrete walls.
According to the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle, “Built between 1908-1912, Fonthill was the home of Henry Chapman
Mercer. Archaeologist, anthropologist, ceramist, scholar and antiquarian, Mercer built Fonthill both as his home and as a showplace for his collection of tiles and prints. The building served as a showplace for Mercer’s famed Moravian tiles that were produced during the American Arts and Crafts Movement. Designed by Mercer, the building is an eclectic mix of Medieval, Gothic, and
Laura and Frank Swain. In accordance with Mercer’s will, Mrs. Swain resided in the house and conducted occasional tours until her death in 1975.”
Afterwards, the Trustees of the Mercer Fonthill Museum contracted with the Bucks County Historical Society in order to upkeep, landscape and manage the building and its grounds.
However, this was not the only
Byzantine architectural styles and is significant as an early example of poured reinforced concrete.
Upon his death in 1930, Mercer left his concrete “Castle for the New World” in trust as a museum of decorative tiles and prints. He gave life rights to Fonthill to his housekeeper and her husband,
property owned by Mercer; Mercer also owned a summer mansion in York, Maine. Furthermore, in the summer of 1891, he conducted some archaeology along the York River, finding 38 different heaps of clam shells (or middens), fabric-marked pieces of aboriginal
Continued on page 6
Hess Auction Group To Feature The Collection Of The Late Michael E. Ford On Aug. 30
Spatterware And Leeds China To Lead Quality Sale
Conestoga Auctions, a division of the Hess Auction Group in Manheim, Pa., is excited to feature items from the estate of Michael E.Ford, of Coopersburg, Pa., on Friday, Aug. 30. Ford had a love for early 19th century china, particularly spatterware and Leeds soft paste china, but he also collected quality examples of stoneware, country furniture, and functional woodenware material.
The stoneware category includes a rare A.J. Buttler three-gallon jug decorated with a standing deer design and stamped “A.J. Buttler, Manufacturer New Brunswick, N.J.” It stands 15 inches high and is in very good condition.
Doylestown Arts Festival Returns Sept. 7 And 8
Bucks County’s Biggest Weekend Will Bring Art, Music, And Culture To The Streets Of Doylestown, Pa.
The Doylestown Arts Festival will return for its 33rd anniversary on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 7 and 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The festival remains free to attend and is designed to illuminate the region’s ongoing commitment to arts and culture. For two days the historic downtown Doylestown streets will be transformed into a lively outdoor marketplace full of art and music from local and regionally recognized creators.
Founded in 1991, the
Another view of Mercer’s Pottery and Tile Works in Doylestown, Pa.
This is the second fireplace surrounded with tiles in the mansion that Henry Mercer owned in York, Maine. Tiles on the floor were also made at the tile works.
Chapman Cottage in York, Maine, is located next to the summer mansion, both owned by Henry Mercer. Built in 1899, today both properties are part of the York Harbor Inn.
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D-Day
Flag
Declares Victory As Top Lot Of Milestone’s Premier Military Auction
48-Star American Flag Flown On U.S. Navy “First Wave” Landing Craft During Invasion Of Normandy Flies High At $73,800
June 29 was an exciting day for war historians who attended or bid remotely in Milestone Auctions’ Premier Military Auction. Collectors boldly stepped up to claim their unique prizes from a widely-varied 700-lot selection that represented conflicts from the Civil War through Vietnam era. The auction closed the books at $900,000, and, as predicted, the top-lot position was claimed by a U.S. Navy D-Day archive whose centerpiece was a 48-star Ensign #10 American Battle Flag.
The iconic red, white and blue textile was flying on LCI-538 as the “first wave” of naval craft landed at Omaha Beach during the Invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. A symbol of the coordinated effort in which the Allied Armies’ land, air and sea forces united to achieve the largest military invasion in history, the flag was retrieved as a souvenir by Motor Machinist’s Mate First Class Frank R. Maratea, who
was aboard LCI-538 as it made landfall on that fateful day. The archive also included a WWII U.S. Navy Commission streamer flag, Maratea’s own Honorable Discharge and military papers, original photographs taken on Omaha Beach and on the deck of LCI-538, ephemera from the D-Day Landings 50th Anniversary Reunion (including a photo with then-President Bill Clinton), and more. A unique grouping with impeccable documentation, it sold for $73,800 against a pre-sale estimate of $40,000-$60,000.
Another highly important D-Day memento was a map critical to the Omaha Beach West a ssault phase of “Operation Neptune,” the code name for the Battle of Normandy. Showing the area in and around the community of Vierville-sur-Mer, the map also included landing and associated airborne plans for the D-Day invasion. It was marked “TOP SECRET BIGOT”, BIGOT being an acronym for “British Invasion of German Occupied Territory.” Carefully preserved for 80 years, the map came to auction in mint condition and found its way to $23,370 against an estimate of $4,000-$5,000.
The auction included many items from the now-closed American Armored Foundation Inc. Tank and Ordnance Memorial Museum in Danville, Va. With a mission to display and preserve as many tank and cavalry artifacts as possible, the 333,000-square-foot museum’s core holding was the private collection donated by high-tech entrepreneur and military history expert William Gasser. Among the museum’s artillery holdings was a 1940s 20mm Orlikon MK II “cutaway” cannon of a type that was used for instruction by both sides during WWII. Mounted on a four-legged stand, the teaching device became a staple on U.S. Navy warships. The auction example displayed ship/anchor proofs throughout and was marked GM for its manufacturer, General Motors. It sold within
This WWII U.S. Army 1st Division
in the collection of the American Armored Foundation Inc. Tank and Ordnance Memorial Museum, realized $2,398.
Formerly in the collection of the American Armored Foundation Inc. Tank and Ordnance Memorial Museum was this WWII Nazi German Luftwaffe general’s Panzer M43 cap, second pattern, with Luftwaffe eagle in gold bullion threads, which realized $6,457.
A WWII U.S. Army Air Corps pilot grouping identified to Hiram E. Mann of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, including leather Type B-3 flight jacket, officer’s uniform
and dress shirt, silk flight scarf, two flight suits, officer’s
officer’s overseas cap with captain’s insignia, and several items of ephemera, sold together for $6,150.
estimate for $11,070.
The museum selections also included several remarkable uniforms and other military apparel. A uniform grouping of U.S. Army Three-Star General Bruce C. Clarke (later promoted to Four-Star General) consisted of doeskin riding breeches, an officer’s shirt, and an “Ike” jacket with bullion Lt. General’s Stars to the epaulets and a 12-place ribbon bar that included a Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and many additional awards. A 4th Armored walking cane and selection of ephemera accompanied the uniform lot, which sold above high estimate for $3,393.
Helmets inspired bidding
Continued on page 5
A WWII U.S. M3 fighting knife made by PAL, marked on the blade and dated “1943” with original M6 leather sheath made by MILSCO, sold for $2,460.
This WWII D-Day “Operation Neptune” Omaha Beach West (Vierville-sur-Mer) map showing landing operations and associated airborne operations for the June 6, 1944 Allied Invasion of Normandy, Operation Overlord, mint condition, sold for $23,370.
The U.S. Navy D-Day grouping including D-Day Ensign #10 American Battle Flag (48 stars) flown on LCI-538 during the first wave to land at Omaha Beach, the Invasion of Normandy, June 6, 1944, sold for $73,800. It came from Motor Machinist’s Mate First Class Frank R. Maratea, who was aboard the ship during the invasion. Archive includes a WWII U.S. Navy Commission streamer flag, Maratea’s Honorable Discharge and other military papers, original photographs, D-Day Landings 50th Anniversary Reunion ephemera and more.
jacket
wool visor hat,
swivel-bail painted helmet with liner, retaining most of its finish including the 1st Division Unit Insignia painted to its front, formerly
Collector Chats with Peter S. Seibert
This Week: Premiums At Auctions
By Peter Seibert
Recently, I was discussing with a dealer colleague the challenges of bidding through online auctions. Our concern was not necessarily the software for bidding but rather the add-ons that can drive up the final hammer price considerably. Let me offer an example. Suppose you buy that famed left-handed backscratcher that you know you can resell for $200 easily. You paid $100 for it at a public sale run by the Acme Auction Company. But then they tack on a 35-percent buyer’s premium. You are now up to $135. Then the outsider shipper tacks
$50 onto the tag to pick up and ship the item to you. Your little $100 back scratcher is now costing you $185, which considerably narrows how much profit you can make if the back-scratcher is to be resold for $200.
Before venturing down this dangerous rabbit hole, let me say that I do agree with the old adage that auctioneers earn every cent of their money. They meet with clients, transport the merch to their warehouse, sort it and clean it and catalog and sell it. I do understand that. But, with auctions becoming totally virtual, the overhead of having a sales room, multiple runners, and other staff has disappeared. So is the high premium justifiable for those houses that are totally online?
The shipping issue is another personal bugaboo. To me, the best houses are the ones that directly ship merchandise to the buyer. In those cases, one is at least dealing with a single entity based on one price from start to finish rather than outside and unknown shippers and transport companies. Postage
Friends Meeting
SATURDAY, SEPT. 7 from 8 A.M.-2 P.M.
As see on HGTV Flea Market Flip
has gone up, and frankly we all want our stuff yesterday. The latter comes from both a desire for instant gratification and that most of us do not trust the shippers. Recently, I had a dispute with a shipper affiliated with one of the large online auction platforms. A month of complaints were ignored until I filed a claim with the New York Better Business Bureau and put a stop payment on my credit card. Then it got shipped. I stray from my point, however. The question is that the packing and shipping fees can add a huge amount to a purchase price.
I have no answer to the conundrum that I have just expounded upon. A pure capitalist would argue that the public will price shop and auctioneers with excessive commissions and fees will lose out. Yet, ironically, there are auctioneers who do not charge a buyer’s premium, and they have not succeeded in putting the “other guys” out of business.
Overall, the antiques market has become very tight over the last two decades. The adage has been that the top and the bottom of the markets take care of themselves, but the middle has been stagnant. I would argue that at this point all levels of the market have stalled, so the narrowed gap between the cost of buying and the ability to resell is now gripping the entire market.
There is no solution. Can auctions afford to drop the percent of their premiums? Can shipping costs be reduced? Or will we be returning to a time when auctions only cater to a local market who can attend and then pick up their items.
Some would argue that prices just need to drop and so the shipping is a tool in keeping things cheaper. But that still does not solve the issue of whether the antiques marketplace can truly be part of a larger and more sustainable global economy.
A heck-of-a predicament for the antiques trade.
“Born to collect” should be the motto of Peter Seibert’s family. Raised in Central Pennsylvania, Seibert has been collecting and
writing about antiques for more than three decades. By day, he is a museum director and has worked in Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Virginia and New Mexico. In addition, he advises and consults with auction houses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly about American furniture and decorative arts. Seibert’s writings include books on photography, American fraternal societies and paintings. He and his family are restoring a 1905 arts and crafts house filled with years’ worth of antique treasures found in shops, co-ops and at auctions.
Dog Days Of Summer Still Wagging Their
Tails
The dog days of summer are winding down, but not at the Haddon Heights Antiques Center. There, the August special sales display will be devoted not only to dogs, but to cats as well.
However, there won’t be any barking or hissing. Most of these pets sport smiles and will get along just fine when they share space in the display case or cupboard.
Shopgoers will find any number of vintage and antique canines and felines in all styles and sizes crafted in ceramic and glass. There will also be books about cats and dogs, prints and postcards featuring cats and dogs, banks and cookie jars and salt and pepper shakers of cats and dogs.
This fun sales display is always a favorite with customers. Shoppers at the Haddon Heights Antiques Center are also big fans of Continued on page 5
Mon- Sat. 10-5, Sun 12-5. 2 floors. Antiques, collectibles, vintage, primitives, much more! www.auntmargaretsantiquemall.com
19711 Newark 302-733-7677
MAIN STREET ANTIQUES, 23 Possum
Park Mall. Summer Hrs.: Mon.-Sat. 108, Sun. 11:30-5:30. Over 45 Showcase/ Room Dealers selling qty. antqs. & collectibles. mainstreetantiques.com
19977 SMYRNA 302-399-9777
STONE SCULPTURES GALLERY 90 Smyrna Landings Road. 2000 Sculptures. Open by appointment only. 302-653-4810. To view inventory www.richardhbailey.com
21901 North East 410-287-8318
5 & 10 ANTIQUE MARKET, 115 S. Main St. Daily 10am-6pm. Cecil County’s largest! Approx. 65 dealers, variety & nostalgia. Buying/selling antiques & collectibles.
08005 Barnegat 609-698-3020
BAY AVENUE ANTIQUES, 349 S. Main.
Open Thurs.- Sun., 1-5 pm or by appt. Book seller, pottery, glass, furniture, holiday, decoys, antiques & uniquesplus chalkpaint & iron orchid design.
08016 Burlington 609-747-8333
HISTORIC BURLINGTON ANTIQUES & ART EMPORIUM, 424 High Street. Open 6 Days, Tues.-Sun.: T, W, F, Sat., Sun: 11A-5P; Th.&F.: 11A-7P; Closed on Monday. www.antiquesnj.com
08037 Hammonton 609-561-1110
BERNIE’S ANTIQUES & ARTIFACTS, 18 Central Ave. Tues.-Sat. 11-6 & Sun. 11-5. Trains, Pottery, Lenox, Breweriana, Fenton, Petroliana, Van Briggle, Albums + Neon Signs. Qty.Dlrs. Invited.
08062 Mullica Hill 856-478-9810
OLD MILL ANTIQUE MALL, 1 S. Main Street. Open Daily, 11-5; Sat. 10-5. Antiques, glassware, records, coins, stamps, military items, collectible toys, trains, linens, books & ephemera.
17350 New Oxford 717-624-3800
ZELMA’S EMPORIUM 11 N. Water Street. Antiques, Primitives, Americana, European, Asian, Art, Home Decor. Hours: Tues.-Sat.10-5; Sun. 12-5 or by appt. Closed Mon. ZELMASANTIQUES.COM
18944 Perkasie 215-257-3564
TREASURE TROVE, 6 S. 7th Street. Estate jewelry, furniture, linens,
TOMATO FACTORY ANTIQUE & DESIGN CENTER, 2 Somerset St. We Have It All! Open Mon. thru Sat. 10-5, Sun. 11-5. We have 38 Dealers. www.tomatofactoryantiques.com
Antiques Fair Canceled
Morris Ave. 2 floors, 50+ dealers. Antiques, collectibles. Smalls to furniture. Open 7 days 11-5. Free Parking. www.thesummitantiquescenter.com
43
The Hunterdon Antiques Fair in Ringoes, N.J., has canceled their show scheduled for Sept. 22. The 4H club that runs the semiannual event has also announced the Hunterdon Antiques Fair will return on May 18, 2025, under new management and be managed by Gallery On Main. For additional information, call 908-722-4234.
DELAWARE
08/28/2024, Selbyville, Wed Ending starts at 5PM, Online only. Primitives, antiques, tools, household & more! A & M Auctioneers & Appraisers GEORGIA
08/23-24/2024, Hartwel,Fri & Sat, Karlocks Kars & Pop Culture Museum Auction. Over 1000 collectibles. Rockabilly Auction Company ILLINOIS
08/21/2024, ParsonsburgWed Ending starts at 5PM, Online only. Large quantity of musical instruments. A & M Auctioneers & Appraisers
09/11/2024, Belle Haven, Sun Ending starts at 5PM, Online only. Estate vehicle, tractor implements, primitives, furniture & more! A & M Auctioneers & Appraisers
11/06/2024, Parsonsburg, Wed Ending starts at 5PM, Online only. Civil War memorabilia auction. A & M Auctioneers & Appraisers
Milestone
Continued from page 2
competition, with one of the highlights being a WWII U.S. Army 1st Division swivel-bail helmet with the distinctive 1st Division Unit Insignia painted to its front. Formerly part of the museum’s collection, it was bid to $2,398 against an estimate of $800-$1,200.
There is no way to overstate the wartime contributions of the fabled Tuskegee Airmen, the African American military
Haddon Heights
Continued from page 3
the wide variety offered by dozens of different dealers, not to mention the generous discount policy. Summer is a great time to leisurely peruse the many booths and cases spread over multiple levels.
The Haddon Heights Antiques Center is located at 531 Clements Bridge Road in Barrington, N.J. It is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours on Fridays. For directions or more information, call 856-546-0555.
CALENDAR S A UCTIONS
OHIO
08/24/2024, Willoughby, Sat 10 AM, Online. Premier Schuco toy sale & more! Milestone Auctions PENNSYLVANIA
08/22/2024, Ephrata, Thu 12 PM. 36 Lots of Coin & Currency Horst Auction Center
08/22/2024, Kinzers, Thu 10 AM. Flash Sale - Box lot bonanza. Embassy Auctions International
08/23/2024, Chambersburg - Fri 1:30 PM. Furniture, miscellaneous household items, wildlife artwork by Gerald Futt (many signed & original ink signed drawings) & Ned Smith, push mower & more! Kenny’s Auction
08/12-25/2024, Stroudsburg - Through Sun 8/25, Online only. Lambert typewriter in case, Edison portable cylinder player, slag glass lamp w/ shade. Jack Hamlin Auctions
08/26/2024, New Holland, closes Monday 6 PM. Estate automobiles & motorcycles. Patrick Morgan Auction Services
pilots who skillfully escorted WWII Allied bombers into enemy territory and were in constant demand due to their record of low losses. At the auction, Milestone took particular pride in presenting a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot grouping identified to Tuskegee Airman Hiram E. Mann. The grouping included a leather Type B-3 flight jacket, officer’s uniform jacket and dress shirt, silk flight scarf, two flight suits, the officer’s wool visor hat and overseas cap with captain’s insignia, and several items of
08/28/2024, Manheim, Wed 4 PM - 8 PM. Appraisal Fair. Appraisers will be available to give you a general idea of the value of your item(s). 1-3 items. Hess Auction Group
09/07-11/2024, Lititz, Sat 8:30 AM & Wed 8 AM. 2 day public auction. 851 cataloged wood working tools, cars, rare & antique tools of all kinds, antiques. Martin & Rutt Auctioneers
07/11-12/31/2024, Lehighton, Wed through Sun 10 AM - 6 PM. Antiques & Collectibles. 30 Dealers. Anthracite Vintage Mercantile & Auctions
ephemera. This outstanding and especially-complete archive associated with a member of a legendary air unit realized $6,150 against an estimate of $3,500-$4,500.
All prices quoted in this report are inclusive of buyer’s premium as stated on Milestone’s website.
For more information, call Miles King at 440-527-8060 or email info@milestoneauctions. com.
All images courtesy of Milestone Auctions.
SHO W & FLEA MARKET CALEND AR
GEORGIA
09/12-15/24, Atlanta, ThuSun Antique Market, 3650 Jonesboro Rd SE, Atlanta Expo Center, North Bldg
10/10-13/24, Atlanta, Thurs.Sun. Antique Market, 3650 Jonesboro Rd. SE, Atlanta Expo Center, North Bldg.
MASSACHUSETTS
09/28/24, Brookfield, Sat 10 AM - 3 PM Antiques & Primitive Goods Show, 19 Martin Road, Walker’s Homestead NEW JERSEY
09/22/24, Hammonton, Sunday 9AM - 3 PM Fall Antique & Bottle Show, Historic Batsto VIllage, Historic Batsto Village
08/04/24 to 09/15/24, Barnegat Light, Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Antique & Collectible Show, 19th & Bayview Ave, Historic Viking Village
09/07/24, Ocean Grove, Sat
9 AM - 4 PM Fall Flea Market, From the Great Auditorium to the Ocean
NEW YORK
08/31/24 to 09/01/24, Stormville, Saturday & Sunday
09/29/24, Denver, Sun Antique Show Special Sunday, 2500 N Reading Rd, Renninger’s Vintage Antiques
09/25-29/24, Adamstown, Wed - Sun September Extravaganza, 7 mile stretch
11/03/24, Lancaster, Sun 9 AM - 2 PM Lancaster Doll, Toy & Teddy Bear Show, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster Farm & Home Center
08/31/24, Lancaster, Sat 9 AM -3 PM Fall Coin Show, 1383 Arcadia Rd, Lancaster Farm & Home Center
09/20-21/24, York, Fri 10 AM6 PM, Sat 10 AM - 5 PM 183rd Semi-Annual Antiques Show & Sale, 334 Carlisle Avenue, York Fairgrounds Convention & Expo Center
08/24-25/24, Reinholds, Fri & Sat Paper Show, 607 Willow Street, Shupp’s Grove Antique Market
08/31/24 to 09/01/24, Reinholds, Sat & Sun Music & Lighting, 607 Willow Street, Shupp’s Grove Antique Market
09/07-08/24, Reinholds, Sat & Sun 7AM - 2PM. Apparel & Pop Culture, Walk your dog benefit, 607 Willow Street, Shupp’s Grove Antique Market
10/05/24, Fairfield, Sat 9 AM - 3PM Gathering on the Farm at Gettysburg, 1042 Bullfrog Road, The Farm at Gettysburg
08/17-18/24, Reinholds, Sat & Sun 7AM - 4PM Paper Show, 607 Willow Street, Shupp’s Grove Antique Market
09/07/24, Yardley, Sat 8 AM - 2 PM Flea Market, 65 North Main Street
09/07-08/24, Reinholds, Sat & Sun 9AM - 2PM. Mid century modern furnishings, Apparel & pop art culture, 607 Wilow Street, Shupp’s Grove Antique Market
09/14-15/24, Reinholds, Sat & Sun 9AM - 2PM Breweriana, 607 Willow St, Shupp’s Grove Antique Market
09/20-22/24, Reinholds, Fri 11 AM - 5 PM, Sat & Sun 7AM4PM Fall bottle fest, hunting & fishing show, nautical items, 607 Willow Street, Shupp’s Grove Antique Market VIRGINIA
09/21-22/24, Chantilly, Sat 9 AM - 6 PM & Sun 11 AM - 5 PM DC Big Flea Antiques Event, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Dulles Expo Center
10/11-12/24, Fisherville, Fri 9 AM-5 PM, Sat 9 AM-4 PM 73rd Antiques Expo, 277 Expo Road, Augusta Expo Center
11/02-03/24, Chantilly, Sat 9AM - 6PM, Sun 11AM - 5PM DC Big Flea Antiques Flea Event, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Dulles Expo Center
Doylestown Arts Festival has supported independent artists and musicians for over 30 years, while drawing attention and tourism to the local community. This year’s festival will offer familiar favorites to long-time attendees and a vibrant experience for those new to the area and visiting from afar. The two-day street festival will showcase a curated lineup of over 160 artists, 30 performances across five stages of live music, art demonstrations from plein air painting to pottery wheel turning, and activities for all ages to enjoy.
“The Doylestown Arts Festival gathers so many talented artisans together in the heart of downtown. We love the celebratory atmosphere, meeting the artists, and chatting with them about their work. The Doylestown Arts Festival is one of the first things on our calendars each year, and we enjoy walking in with our neighbors to explore the scene: art, food, and music all highlight the best parts of our town. It’s a seamless addition to Doylestown’s vibrant shops and permanent cultural keystones. I appreciate that the Doylestown Arts Festival is an integral part of our town’s character,” said Elizabeth Wyckoff,
Doylestown Borough resident. Home to over 8,000 residents as well as the Michener Art Museum, Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle, TileWorks, the County Theater, and a robust downtown of galleries, restaurants, and locally-owned shops and boutiques, Doylestown is nationally recognized as a destination town. The Doylestown Arts Festival is made possible by a small volunteer committee of Discover Doylestown and is presented by the Thompson Organization. For more information about this year’s festival, visit www.dtownartsfestival. com.
pottery and some human and deer bones. The bones were then brought to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia for analysis, and Mercer followed-up with the results with an 1897 report of his findings, he titled, “An Exploration of Aboriginal Shell Heaps revealing Traces of Cannibalism on the York River in Maine.”
Among the families that Mercer was friendly with in Maine were the Cadwaladers of Philadelphia, who vacationed in York, and the Perkins family from New York City, who bought a large estate along the York River in York in 1898. The building was originally home to ferrymen and sea captains, becoming the summer getaway for Mary Perkins and her daughter, Elizabeth.
A related family estate of Mercer’s was also built next door to his York mansion in 1899, known as Chapman Cottage; the Chapman family descended from Judge Henry Chapman (1804-91) and Nancy Shunk of Doylestown.
Interestingly, while recently visiting the Old York Historical Society’s Research Center, I learned about a late 19th or 20th century tiled red earthenware inkwell with a silver lid that the museum owns, which was made at Mercer’s factory in Doylestown. This was an object that the Perkins family acquired directly from Mercer, which then descended through the family for much of the 1900s, until it was eventually acquired by the museum, along with the family’s estate.
I also learned that two of the fireplaces in Mercer’s mansion in York are surrounded with tiles that were made at the Tile Works in Doylestown. Additionally, one of the fireplaces in the neighboring Chapman Cottage is also surrounded with tiles made in Doylestown, although the tiles have since been painted white. This led
to a discussion with the executive director and chief curator of the Old York Historical Society, Joelle Lefever, who suggested that there could be more fireplaces surrounded with Mercer tiles in York, although that is currently not known, seeing that nothing else has been identified. Nevertheless, the Mercer Mansion and Chapman Cottage are now owned today as part of the York Harbor Inn.
Sources Freudenthal, Nancy.
“Henry Chapman Mercer: Brief life of an innovative ceramicist: 1856-1930.” Harvard Magazine, January-February 2018.
Mercer, Henry Chapman.
“An Exploration of Aboriginal Shell Heaps revealing Traces of Cannibalism on York, River Maine.” Boston: Ginn and Company, 1897.
Rollo, Jean. “History Lives: Elizabeth Lawrence / Women’s History Month.” Bucks County Herald, March 9, 2023.
A UCTIONEER DIRECTOR
Appraisers
Sign in upon arrival; first come, first served basis.
Light Refreshments Provided
Light Refreshments Provided
This is Henry Mercer (18561930) and his dog, Rollo. Image courtesy The Mercer Museum & Library.
This is Henry Mercer’s Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, next to Fonthill, which operated under Mercer from 1898-1930. Today, there is a retail shop inside for tiles made at the pottery.
This is Henry Mercer’s Fonthill Castle.
The late 19th or early 20th century tiled red earthenware inkwell with a silver lid was made at the Moravian Tile Works and owned by the Perkins family of York, Maine. Image courtesy Old York Historical Society.
Mary Perkins and her daughter, Elizabeth, lived in York, Maine, and owned the inkwell that was made in Doylestown, which the acquired from Mercer in York.
Henry Mercer owned a summer mansion in York, Maine, and two of the fireplaces on the first floor are surrounded with tiles made at his tile works.
Here is one of the fireplaces surrounded with tiles in the mansion that Henry Mercer owned in York, Maine.
A closer look at some of the tiles, which includes script along top.
A closer look at some of the tiles.
One of the fireplaces in Chapman Cottage is surrounded with Mercer tiles, although they have recently been painted white. The tiles on the floor were also made at the tile works.
Highlights among the over 100 lots of spatterware is a yellow thistle pattern covered, footed sugar bowl, p aneled form with open handles and double-sided decoration with red flower and green leaves. There are also two three-color festoon pattern child’s-size cups and saucers, one set having green drape with yellow and red swags and the other having red drape with yellow and green swags. A third cup and saucer set of the three-color festoon pattern is full-size having the red drape with yellow and green swags. Another is a rare yellow and blue rainbow spatter tulip pattern waste bowl with a red and blue flower with green leaves. Ford’s ceramic collection includes 66 lots of Leeds soft paste china, several footstools and other woodenwares, an 1841 Berks County jacquard coverlet, three Northampton County watercolor and ink frakturs, and furniture including several one-drawer stands
and tables.
Rounding out the auction are numerous iron garden statues from another consignment and artwork from others. One lot of note is a Cowden & Wilcox three-gallon crock with prancing deer dec oration, an E.W. Redfield oil-on-canvas p ainting, a Ben Austrian landscape painting, and a Benjamin Witman tall case clock. The C&W crock is stamped “Cowden & Wilcox, Harrisburg, PA,” bulbous form with lug handles, and cobalt decoration of an eight-point buck. It has one upper rim chip and came from a local consignor. The Benjamin Witman tall case clock is marked on the dial
“Made in Reading 1795” and is pictured in “Berks County Tall-Case Clocks 1750 to 1850,” by Richard and Rosemarie Machmer, #29. The E. W. Redfield’s (1869-1965) signed
p ainting of a farmstead scene along a meandering brook, mostly likely a Bucks County farm, is an oil-oncanvas mounted on a board in a modern frame. Redfield was a popular American impressionist landscape painter and belonged to the art colony in New Hope, Pa. The Ben Austrian (1870-1921) painting depicts an ethereal summer landscape with a view into an open vista. Signed lower right “Ben Austrian 1919” and titled on the reverse “A Glimpse into Another World,” it is pictured in the biography “Ben Austrian, Artist” by Geoffrey D. Austrian, pg. 105. It is in a later frame and is ex. Lester Breininger collection.
The live auction will be held on Friday, Aug. 30, beggining at 9 a.m. A preview will be on Thursday, Aug. 29, from 1 to 5 p.m. Live bidding will be available through Live Auctioneers and HiBid.
To learn more, visit www. hessauctiongroup.com.
WITH ESTATES, CLEANOUTS & CONSIGNMENTS OF A MULTIPLE VARIETY, SO, IN ORDER TO CLEAR SOME SPACE, WE ARE DOING IT AGAIN! QUALITY COINS AND CURRENCY AUCTION THURSDAY, AUG. 29 - 10 AM
a fine array of valuable and collectible coins: 2
-
$8 (5
Lunar Series, Year of the Dragon, First Release, PF70 Ultra Cameo with Certificates of Authenticity. Numbered 1407 & 1408 of 5000 struck. 2 lots - 2013 Australian $8 (5 oz) silver coin, Lunar Series, Year of the Snake, PF70 Ultra Cameo, with Box and Certificates of Authenticity. Numbered 80 and 81 of the first 1000 struck. 2 lots - 2012 Australian $8 (5 oz) silver
Cameo,
and Certificate of
Numbered 416 of the
1
- 2012 1 Kilo Chinese Panda, Gem Proof, Box and Certificate of Authenticity, 20,000 minted. 1 lot - Australian Red Kangaroo 3-coin set, $50 (1/2 oz), $15 (1/10 oz), and $5 (1/25 oz) gold coins, PR69 DCAM. Box and Certificates of Authenticity. Numbered 286. 500 (1/2 oz), 1000 (1/10 oz) and 2500 (1/25 oz) struck. 1 lot - 2012 Australian 1 oz silver Koala, MS69, one of the first 7500 struck. 1 lot - 2012 S 1 oz U.S. Silver Eagle, First Release, PF69 Ultra Cameo. 1 lot - 2012 S 1 oz U.S. Silver Eagle, Reverse PF, First Release, PF69. 19 lots - 2012 1 oz U.S. Silver Eagle, First Release, MS70. 1 lot - 2012 First Strike South Africa 1.85 oz Krugerrand Proof Set, Gold, NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo. Numbered 93 of the first 300 struck. With Certificate of Authenticity and information
ANTIQUE CENTER
(Clay & Brickerville Area)
2-DAY PUBLIC AUCTION
851-CATALOGED WOOD WORKING TOOLS * CARS RARE ANTIQUE TOOLS OF ALL KINDS * ANTIQUES SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 • 8:30 A.M. & WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 • 8:00 A.M.
LOCATED AT: 439 E. 28th Division Hwy., Lititz, PA 17543
This is a live on-site auction, the catalog is both live & online Please visit our website www.martinandrutt.com
GENERAL LISTING: 1969 Buick Skylark convertible, 1-owner; 2002 Chevy Monte Carlo, 1-owner; 1-OWNER LIFETIME COLLECTION, 851-CATALOGED LOTS, 400+ rare wood planes, including 250+ antique Stanley including org. #1 plane (some BED-ROCK) & others from Keen Kutter, Millers Falls, Bailey, Winchester, Sandusky, Sargent, Siegley, Thos Ibbotson, plus more. Also, salesman sample box w/ mini brass tools in cabinet; Stanley tool display; Stanley 9-pc tool display, Stanley 150-year anniv. tool kit; 40+ lots of Winchester; Carroll R. Tiffany grafting knife; Fairbanks 200-lb counter top scales; WW-II cross-cut saw; Nail/hardware swivel stand; Oakleaf draw knife; Westline 14” Jack plane; Thos Ibbotson & Company wood plane (J. Mathison); Winchester hatchets; Plumb hatchets; many rare handbraces; ice axe; wing axe, post axe, Brady post axe; Gauge Tool #AS wood plane; Shelton #4 wood plane; rare Winsor bead planes; Winchester baseball bat; #66 ½ & 72 ½ Stanley bone folding rulers; dozens of bone Stanley folding rulers; #12 H. Chapin glass-cutter ruler; Reissman’s pattern perfect ruler gauge; many brand name axes; many brand name large chisels; many rare levels; Starrett tools; WW-II crash axe; Stevens & Co. planes; dozens of antique wooden/brass levels; rare stove-pipe shears; many H. Disston items including adv. sign; Lufkin items; Chaplin items; Stanley #45 folding plane w/ fencing; assorted plane parts, handles and blades; hand-made wooden canes; quilts & braided rugs; old work benches w/ vise; tools; furniture; antiques & collectibles; dozens of toy trucks; artwork.
