COMPLIMENTARY COPY TM
The Most Widely Read Collector's Newspaper In The East Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
VOL. 45, NO. 40 FRIDAY OCTOBER 3, 2014
A Diverse Array Of Fine Art And Folk Art Among Strengths At Pook & Pook Inc.’s Upcoming Sale n Saturday, Oct. 4 Pook & Pook Inc. will hold a 700+ lot sale of period furniture, fine art, and accessories. The sale will feature items from the collection of Ralph Esmerian; property formerly in the collection of Titus Geesey, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the estate of Esther Shelley; and more. Once again, Pook & Pook Inc. is hosting the entire sale on their new online bidding platform, Bidsquare (www.bidsquare.com). The sale will begin at 9 a.m. with a selection of fine art. The first lot is a landscape by Fern Coppedge done in her usual array of bright colors and signed by the artist. A large river scene by Titian Peale, titled “The Upper Missouri” and depicting fur traders, is estimated at $10,000$15,000. The work of still life artist Severin Roesen, known for his wonderful floral portraits, is represented with a large 30-by25-inch oil-on-canvas painting depicting a myriad of blooms (est. $30,000-$40,000). Other paintings include a mountain landscape by Hermann Herzog, four landscapes by bird artist Richard Bishop, several street scenes by Antonio Martino, two Hudson River scenes by Thomas Chambers, and many others. Also included in the fine art section is a group of letters by Frederic Remington to Bartelli at his foundry. Additional autographs and letters presented later in the sale will include a grouping of military correspondence regarding the Revo-lutionary War, consigned by an educational institution. These include presidential appointments, governor appointments, judgments, autograph cards, and letters signed by various notable figures, including Samuel Adams, Samuel Osgood, George McClellan, John Jay, Samuel Parsons, and others. The
O
highlights include a Thomas Jefferson-signed letter from Monticello, dated March 11, 1813, to Mr. Jeremiah A. Goodman discussing the British blockade of the Chesapeake ( e s t . $8,000-$12,000), as well as a certificate of membership signed by G e o r g e Washington for Richard Humpton, as a member of the Society of Cincinnati (est. $5,000-$8,000). The sale will continue with items from the estate of Esther Shelley. Much of the Shelley collection, amassed by Dr. Donald Shelley during his time as director of the Henry Ford Museum, was sold by Pook & Pook Inc. in April of 2007. Esther continued to live in their Oley, Pa., residence with the remaining items until her passing this year at the age of 100. The first lot is an early Pennsylvania walnut wall cupboard with an open top (est. $4,000$6,000). A variety of accessory pieces include pewter, brass, early lighting, woodenware, and textiles, etc. A southeastern Pennsylvania walnut and oak wainscot armchair, ca. 1720, retains an old historic surface and is estimated at $4,000$8,000. Two
Pennsylvania hanging cupboards, including a Lancaster County walnut example, are also being offered. Other furniture items include Windsor chairs, Queen Anne mirrors, side tables, and a William & Mary high chest with a scalloped apron. Aside from furniture, an Ephrata Martyr’s Mirror with a 1753 fraktur bookplate is sure to attract interest.
Pook & Pook is again pleased to offer select pieces formerly in the collection of the legendary Titus Geesey, the majority of whose collection resides at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A rare New York Wi l l i a m & Mary o a k armchair, ca. 1700, has boldly turned stiles and four shaped slats. It was originally purchased by Geesey from Cox & Snyder of Kinzer, Pa., in 1952. Another important chair is from the Mancius family of Boston, Mass. This William & Mary chair is branded “W. Mancius” on the lower back rail and was purchased from Joe Kindig Jr. in 1935. A Chester County, Pa., walnut hanging cupboard will be a sought after piece by collectors and dealers due to its small desirable size and architectural features (est. $15,000-$25,000). Other interesting items include a large Woodlands Indian oblong bowl with pierced handles (est. $4,000$7,000) and a rare Winchester, Va., redware frame stamped by the potter “Anthony W. Baecher” (est. $3,000-$5,000). Several fine pieces of blown and pattern glass with a provenance of dealer Robert Burkhardt will also be offered. These include a New York type I lily pad blue blown glass pitcher, ca. 1850 (est. $5,000-$10,000); an important Stiegel type pattern molded cobalt glass sugar and cover attributed to the American Flint Glass Manufacturer in Manheim, Pa., (est. $7,000$10,000); and a pair of cobalt witch balls and holders. Porcelains from the Philadelphia Museum of Art to benefit the acquisition fund will be the next items to cross the block. Comprising this group are Staffordshire figurals, spatterware, Gaudy Dutch, and Gaudy Welsh pieces. Folk art pieces from the collection of Ralph Esmerian of New
painted poplar slant front desk is sure to attract the attention of collectors with its tulip, figural, bird, and potato stamp decoration (est. $ 3 0 , 0 0 0 $50,000). Another popular lot is a carved and painted kangaroo, probably from Pennsylvania, with original red and black spotted decoration (est. $ 3 0 , 0 0 0 $50,000). Two pieces of important Portsmouth, N.H., furniture will be sold as well. The Federal mahogany and birch bowfront chest of drawers, ca. 1810, has four drawers adorned with bold flame birch panels and mahogany veneer cockbeading and surrounds (est. $15,000-$25,000). A related example is illustrated in Brock Jobe, “Portsmouth Furniture,” figure 11. The other piece is a Sheraton cherry desk with dramatic flame birch panels (est. $2,000-$4,000). Another significant New England piece is a rare Massachusetts Simon Willard & Son mahogany banjo regulator clock, ca. 1820 (est. $15,000$25,000). A pair of oil-on-canvas portraits, purportedly Mr. & Mrs. Vail, were painted by Ammi Phillips, probably in Chenango County, N.Y., ca. 1826 (est. $8,000-$12,000). According to family tradition, the Wilhelm Schimmel spread-winged eagle in lot 727 was carved for William Byers while Schimmel was staying watercolor by Friedrich at William’s father’s Krebs depicting the farm around 1875. It has story of the prodigal son descended directly in (est. $8,000-$12,000). the family since and Originally from the was exhibited at Lorimer collection in 1944 is a Colonial Williamsburg’s colorful Lancaster, Pa., religious Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk text dated 1824 (est. $6,000- Art Museum in 1965. A $8,000). The Mahantongo Valley (Continued on page 2)
York City are a highlight of the auction. The first, a southeastern Pennsylvania painted pine apple box, retains its original red and white floral decoration of a blue green ground (est. $ 8 , 0 0 0 $12,000). A group of Pennsylvania redware figures include a standing dog with a jug, originally from the George Horace Lorimer collection (est.$ 5,000-$10,000); a figure of a monkey with a pipe and riding a dog, originally from the Helen Janzel Wentzel collection; and a figure of a standing lion from the S a l l i e Spears collection (est. $ 5 , 0 0 0 $10,000). An ink and watercolor fraktur metamorphosis, dated 1794, probably from New England, is an interesting item with its folding pages depicting the life of man (est. $ 10,000-$15,000). Another fraktur is a two-part