A Deeper Dive - American Paintings, Furniture & Decorative Arts - Spring 2020 by Doyle

A DEEPER DIVE AMERICAN PAINTINGS & PRINTS FURNITURE & DECORATIVE ARTS

BILL FIDDLER EXPLORES

WILLIAM TROST RICHARDS’ KING ARTHUR’S CASTLE

20 William Trost Richards American, 1833-1905 King Arthurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Castle, Tintagel, Cornwall, England, 1889 Signed Wm T Richards and dated 89 (ll); inscribed as titled on a paper label affixed to the stretcher Oil on canvas 18 x 30 1/8 inches C Property of the Estate of Arthur Gross $20,000-30,000

In this work Richards revisits a subject he treated many times, each one a study in the differing atmospheric conditions of the locale. Here the light breaks through the clouds, illuminating the ruins of Tintagel castle with a warm glow. Even though a few waves are lapping at the cliffs, the sea is rather calm. The whole of the composition expresses a serene magnificence. In contrast, a version of the same scene owned by the Brooklyn Museum, The League Long Breakers Thundering the Reef, portrays the castle illuminated in a more dramatic light shadowed by dark clouds above a rough sea which creates a more tumultuous scene.

In the collection of the Brooklyn Museum William Trost Richards (American, 1833-1905). The League Long Breakers Thundering on the Reef, 1887. Oil on canvas, 28 3/16 x 44 1/8in. (71.6 x 112.1cm). Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of Alice C. Crowell, 32.140 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 32.140_SL1.jpg)

DOYLE THROWBACK

Rockaway Beach

William Trost Richardsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

In October 2014, Doyle sold this oil painting by William Trost Richards depicting the popular NYC summer spot for $62,500.

William Trost Richards, American, 1833-1905, Rockaway Beach, 1894, Signed Wm. T. Richards. and dated 94. (lr), Oil on canvas, 19 x 32 inches. Sold for $62,500.

During his lifetime William Trost Richards traveled widely, painting not only the verdant countryside of his native Pennsylvania but also the dramatic vistas of the Atlantic coastline for which he became renowned. While the majority of these were painted outside of New York, he exhibited a few works depicting the Rockaways, a peninsula on the south shore of Long Island now part of Queens, and a popular summer resort as early as the 1830s. In 1903 Richards showed a painting entitled Morning at Rockaway Beach at the Rochester Art Club; a contemporary review of the exhibition noted that “it is very doubtful if he has ever surpassed the example now on view...” The same year the Worcester Art Museum exhibited a painting by Richards entitled Far Rockaway. In 1895, his submission to the annual exhibition at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, A Long Island Beach, could conceivably have been inspired by the resort area. The Rockaway subjects by Richards that have surfaced span the years 1889-1904. One example, Rockaway Beach, is dated 1891 and titled on the stretcher. Executed in both oils and watercolor, these are characteristic of his coastal scenes from New York to New England. In the present work, the translucent surf washes onto a stretch of beach littered with seaweed

and shells, the receding waves and tidal pools affording the opportunity for Richards to display his virtuoso handling of light and water. What eventually became the Rockaway Beach branch of the Long Island Railroad was initially a project of the New York, Woodhaven and Rockaway Railroad Company; construction began in 1880 and the branch linked to the Long Island Railroad’s Atlantic Avenue branch in 1881. The popularity of the resort area boomed with its greater accessibility by rail. It is uncertain whether Richards ever resided in the area or simply made day trips to the Rockaways to paint. An August 1897 newspaper reference to a “W. T. Richards of Brooklyn” staying on the Rockaway Peninsula in the hamlet of Arverne may in fact not refer to the celebrated marine painter – who never resided in Brooklyn – but it gives rise to further speculation about this little-known aspect of the artist’s career. We thank Geoffrey K. Fleming, director of the Southold Historical Society, for his kind assistance in documenting Richards’s Long Island subjects.

ALBERT BIER STADT As the best-known early painter of the American West, Albert Bierstadt was largely responsible for introducing eastern audiences to the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada ranges. The artist was a skilled promoter of his own work, resulting in financial and critical success during his life-time. There was a resurgence of interest in the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy in the 20th century due to the re-examination of his intimate oil studies.

Lot 57

Albert Bierstadt was born in Solingen, Germany in 1830 and emigrated with his family to New Bedford, Massachusetts as a young child. Largely self-taught, he began to advertise himself to the community as a drawing instructor. In the 1850s, Bierstadt traveled back to Germany to study painting in Dusseldorf. Though he was not a student at the Dusseldorf Academy, he developed friendships with Emanuel Leutze and Worthington Whittredge, both of whom became informal mentors to him. After three years in Dusseldorf, Bierstadt and Whittredge went on an extended tour of Europe, creating sketches along the way. By 1857, Bierstadt had returned to New Bedford. The following year, he exhibited a large painting of Lake Lucerne in the Swiss Alps at the National Academy of Design in New York. The work’s warm reception was the young artist’s first taste of success and showcased his potential as a painter of romantic mountainous landscapes. In 1859, Bierstadt joined a surveying expedition to the Rocky Mountains led by Colonel Frederick W. Lander. This would be the first of many trips west for the artist. On these sojourns he produced copious sketches, often in oil, which he would later use to compose large, panoramic canvases. Upon his return from the expedition, Bierstadt established himself in a studio on 10th Street in New York and began work on the first of these monumental vistas. When exhibited in the early 1860s, the panoramas were praised for their romantic portrayal of the American West as a new Eden.

Bierstadt continued to travel out west for the rest of his life, earning enormous financial and critical success from his labors. He was elected a full Academician of the National Academy of Design, earned an audience with Queen Victoria to present two of his paintings, and won commissions from the US Congress to create two murals for the Capitol Building. As tastes changed, Bierstadt’s large canvases began to fall out of favor. The rise in popularity of the Barbizon School and later the Impressionists made his paintings look oldfashioned to contemporary audiences. Except among collectors such as Thomas Gilcrease, who had a particular interest in American art of the west, Bierstadt’s work was not reconsidered until the latter half of the 20th century. A series of exhibitions in the 1960s focused on Bierstadt’s oil sketches once again captivated audiences. These works uniquely highlight the artist’s attention to color, and exhibit his confident brushwork, which appealed to modern sensibilities. Bierstadt’s studies were executed with a directness not unlike the art being created by contemporary figures. Indeed, the palette of high-key salmon tones against the neutral greys and silhouetted horizon of Sunset over the Trees could easily be compared to the Rothko works being lauded around that time. These intimate sketches document Bierstadt’s observations of nature and were an integral part of the process he used to compose his vast theatrical landscapes.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Truly all is remarkable and a wellspring of amazement and wonder. Man is so fortunate to dwell in this American Garden of Eden."

- ALBERT BIERSTADT

57 Albert Bierstadt American, 1830-1902 Sunset over the Trees Signed ABierstadt with conjoined initials (ll) Oil on paper laid to canvas 14 x 19 1/2 inches Provenance: Kennedy Galleries, New York Private Collection in the late 1970s We would like to thank Melissa Webster Speidel, President of the Bierstadt Foundation and Director of the Albert Bierstadt catalogue raisonnĂŠ project, for her assistance in the cataloguing of this lot. C $30,000-50,000 See Illustration

CYNTHIA KLEIN EXPLORES

An engraving after Albert Bierstadt’s The Rocky Mountains (Lander’s Peak) This grand view is based on Albert Bierstadt’s monumental painting, The Rocky Mountains, Lander’s Peak, which the artist created in 1863, following his first trip to the American West in 1859 to accompany the government survey exhibition led by Colonel Frederick W. Lander. Saddened by the Colonel’s death in the Civil War, Bierstadt named the central mountain in the Wyoming landscape Lander’s Peak. The painting was widely celebrated at the time by eastern United States audiences eager for images of the American West, and before sending the painting on tour, Bierstadt commissioned American painter and printmaker James D. Smillie (1833-1909) to reproduce it as an engraving, the impressions of which both promoted his work as well as generated funds. Prints such as these, through their wide distribution, were also instrumental in convincing the government to enact measures to help conserve the wildlife in Yellowstone Park. Bierstadt sold the painting in 1865 for a record sum, and then bought it back and sold or gave it to his brother Edward. It now resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art where it continues to awe and inspire. And impressions of the engraving, Smillie’s most celebrated work, such as this early artist’s proof, continue to be sought after and enjoyed by collectors.

104 After Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902) THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS (LANDER’S PEAK) Engraving by James Smillie, 1866, an early artist’s proof before the title published by Edward Bierstadt, New York, with good margins, framed. Image 16 5/8 x 28 1/8 inches Sheet 23 3/8 x 33 7/8 inches C $600-800

On view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Albert Bierstadt, (American, Solingen 1830–1902 New York), The Rocky Mountains, Landers Peak, 1863, Oil on canvas, 73 1/2 x 120 3/4 in. (186.7 x 306.7 cm), Rogers Fund, 1907 (Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

DOYLE THROWBACK

THO MAS MOR AN 12

Thomas Moran, American, 1837-1926, Venice (The Splendor of Venice), 1899, Signed with initials in monogram T Moran and dated 1899 (ll), Oil on canvas, 20 x 30 1/8 inches. Sold for $193,750

Thomas Moran was born in 1837 in Bolton, England, the fifth son of parents from a long line of textile workers. By the time of his birth the Industrial Revolution had been disrupting the livelihoods of skilled laborers such as his parents for years. The economic violence of Bolton became too much to bear for the Moran’s large family and after attending a lecture by the American artist George Catlin in the early 1840s Thomas’s father decided to try his luck in America. He settled his family in Philadelphia and found work in a local textile mill. Thomas’s older brother, Edward, joined the elder Moran at the looms for some time before striking out on his own to pursue a career as an artist. He soon fell in with two artists who were establishing themselves in the city at that time, Paul Weber and James Hamilton.

After finishing grammar school, Thomas Moran began an apprenticeship with a local engraving firm, and though he must have found the industry interesting and enlightening, he cut short the apprenticeship to join his older brother in the pursuit of a career as a painter. Edward was already becoming known as a marine artist and he, Weber, and Hamilton introduced the younger Moran to the ideas of Ruskin, the Pre-Raphaelites, and Turner. In the 1860’s the brothers traveled together back to England to see Turner’s works firsthand. This trip and the paintings that they encountered would influence them for the rest of their working lives. Upon Moran’s return to the States he continued painting the landscape around Philadelphia, refining the ideas he had absorbed from the works of Turner and others. It was during this time that Albert Bierstadt had begun to make a name for himself with his lavish pictures of the American west and in particular scenes of Yosemite.

So when, in the early 1870s, he was offered an opportunity to join Dr. Ferdinand Hayden on an expedition to Yellowstone, Moran knew that this was a chance he should not miss. When he arrived in Green River, Wyoming he found a landscape that was quite alien to him and he recognized the artistic and professional opportunities that it offered. This landscape in Wyoming was certainly grander than anything he had encountered up until that time but it was also not the American Garden of Eden that Moran depicted. Green River was a railroad town and western expansion had left its mark. But the paintings that Moran composed when he returned east show none of this. Rather, we are presented with scenes that are peopled with bands of Native Americans in unspoiled landscapes. The rock formations are accurate depictions of the landscape, but the vision of life in it is a fiction.

In the 1880s Moran made his way back to Europe, this time visiting the continent. He was particularly entranced by Venice and its artistic history. He would paint views of Venice for the rest of his life and regularly present Venetian scenes to exhibitions. In fact The Splendor of Venice was exhibited at the Century Association in 1899. The view presents Venice with shimmering clarity. The Doges Palace, the bell tower of St. Marks, the Dogana, and the other landmarks of the city are depicted in a careful and realistic manner. The influences of Turner can be seen in the cirrus clouds above the harbor. But like the Green River pictures, Moran adds a bit of romantic fiction to the scene. The figural group to the left in their finery enjoying an impromptu song are certainly the work of the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imagination. The composition as a whole evokes the city of Venice as it actually existed, but it is also a view of the city steeped in nostalgia and fantasy.

A CHROMOLITHOGRAPH OF

THOMAS MORAN’S HEAD OF YELLOWSTONE RIVER

This grand view from the banks of Yellowstone National Park is from Thomas Moran’s most important published work, based on watercolors resulting from his time spent on Ferdinand V. Hayden’s 1871 groundbreaking expedition to northwestern Wyoming. Louis Prang, considered the greatest color printer of his time, translated Moran’s fine watercolor into print form using the chromolithograph technique, utilizing multiple lithographic stones to achieve the great depth of color of the original. A masterpiece of American chromolithography, the series catapulted Prang to the pinnacle of American printmaking toward the end of the 19th century.

105 After Thomas Moran (1837-1926) HEAD OF YELLOWSTONE RIVER Chromolithograph by L. Prang & Co., Boston, 1875, from the Yellowstone National Park portfolio, framed. Sheet 9 3/4 x 14 inches C Estate of David C. Sawyer $1,500-2,500 See Illustration

“It seems to me that Chromo-Lithography has, in your hands, attained perfection so skillfully have you reproduced every shade and tone of color of the originals.” - Moran in a letter to Prang in 1876 15

DR. ROBERT THORNTONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

TEMPLE OF FLORA 16

Dr. Robert Thorntonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Temple of Flora is the most ambitious British flower book of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century. The Temple of Flora is the third and final volume of the New illustration of the Sexual System of Carolus von Linnaeus, published in London from 1799 through 1807. It showcases the discoveries of Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, who had developed and published a new system of plant classification. Thornton commissioned notable artists, including Philip Reinagle and Peter Henderson, and engravers such as Richard Earlom, James Caldwall, and Thomas Sutherland to create innovative floral studies. The volume featured approximately 32 hand-colored floral engravings executed using various printmaking techniques including stipple engraving, mezzotint, and aquatint. These dramatic floral prints were depicted with vibrant colors and sumptuous textures within unusual settings that were based on their natural habitats.

92 Dr. Robert Thorton, publisher TULIPS; A GROUP OF CARNATIONS Two hand-colored color mezzotints, the first after Philip Reinagle, the second after Henderson, from The Temple of Flora, London, 1798 and 1803, respectively, with good margins, framed. Largest plate 20 3/4 x 15 7/8 inches C $800-1,200 See Illustration

The New York lithographers Currier & Ives were the leading publishers of the 19th century. Established by Nathaniel Currier in 1835 and expanded to include James Merritt Ives in 1857, the firm went on to produce over 7,500 prints over the next 50 years. The prints created by Currier & Ives depict iconic themes such as farm life, the home, children, sports and leisure, and historical events that are uniquely American. The firm employed several artists to make their prints come to life, including Louis Maurer, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait, George Henry Durrie, Charles Parsons, and Frances Flora Palmer. Of these artists, Frances Flora Palmer, who frequently went by the name Fanny, would become the most notable.

As did many in the 19th century, Frances Fanny Palmer immigrated to New York from England. Once settled in Manhattan, Fanny and her husband, Edmund Seymour Palmer, operated a small print shop for several years. Fanny began working with Nathaniel Currier after closing her family business around 1849. Their collaboration thrived for almost 25 years and resulted in the creation of over 200 prints, impressions of which continue to educate and delight since they first adorned the walls of American homes almost two centuries ago.

97 Nathaniel Currier, publisher AMERICAN COUNTRY LIFE: MAY MORNING; SUMMER EVENING; PLEASURES OF WINTER; OCTOBER AFTERNOON (P. 2301-2304; C. 121-124; G. 134-137) Four hand-colored lithographs after Frances Flora Palmer, 1855, with good margins, framed. Images approximately 16 3/4 x 23 3/4 inches C Property of a Distinguished New York Collector $700-1,000 See Illustration of Part

98 Currier & Ives, publishers LANDSCAPE, FRUIT AND FLOWERS (P. 776; C. 3440; G. 3710) Hand-colored lithograph after Frances Flora Palmer, 1862, with good margins, framed. Image 19 7/8 x 27 5/8 inches Sheet 22 7/8 x 30 5/8 inches C Estate of David C. Sawyer $600-800 See Illustration

99 Currier & Ives, publishers GRAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ELEGY, IN A COUNTRY CHURCH YARD (P. 1095; C. 2562; G. 2780) Hand-colored lithograph after Frances Flora Palmer, 1864, with full margins, framed. Image 16 x 23 1/4 inches Sheet 24 3/4 x 31 inches C Property of a Distinguished New York Collector $600-800 See Illustration

100 Currier & Ives, publishers THE FOUR SEASONS OF LIFE: CHILDHOOD; YOUTH; MIDDLE AGE; OLD AGE (P.1076, 1077, 1079, 1080; C. 2096, 2100, 2098, 2099; G. 2274, 2278, 2275, 2277) Four hand-colored lithographs after Frances Flora Palmer and Charles Richard Parsons, 1868, with good or full margins, framed. Largest two images 15 5/8 x 33 3/4 inches C Property of a Distinguished New York Collector $800-1,200 See Illustration

101 Currier & Ives, publishers THE FALL OF RICHMOND VA; THE GREAT WEST; THE OLD FARM HOUSE; MIDNIGHT RACE (P. 871, 2099, 2438, 1358; C. 1821, 2658, 4557, 4117; G. 1980, 2879, 4944, 4477) Four hand-colored lithographs, 1865, 1870, 1872 and 1875, respectively, with good margins, framed. Largest image 9 x 13 1/8 inches C Estate of David C. Sawyer $600-800 See Illustration of Part

102 Currier & Ives, publishers AMERICAN HOMESTEAD: SPRING; AUTUMN; WINTER; SUMMER (P. 2313-2316; C. 168, 170-172; G. 181, 183-185) Four hand-colored lithographs, 1868-69, with good margins, framed. Image of each approximately 8 x 12 1/2 inches C Property of a Distinguished New York Collector $800-1,200 See Illustration

103 Currier & Ives, publishers AMERICAN CHOICE FRUITS (P. 731; C. 111; G. 123) Hand-colored lithograph, 1869, with good margins, laid on Japan, framed. Image 17 x 23 7/8 inches Sheet 21 3/4 x 27 3/4 inches C Property of a Distinguished New York Collector $600-800 See Illustration

PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF

ARTHUR GROSS Doyle is pleased to auction property from the Estate of Arthur Gross. A true gentleman, Artie was highly regarded and much-loved by his peers in the American furniture and decorative arts trade. In the 1960s Artie owned Kaye & Gross, an antiques shop in Manhattanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s East 70s, when he met a young Bill Doyle, who had opened his own antiques store in the East 80s, which became Doyle Auctioneers & Appraisers. Artie and Bill established a friendship through their shared passion for Americana. Artie had a deep, scholarly knowledge of American furniture, which he generously shared with collectors, curators and others in the trade. An avid angler, Artie spent winters fishing in the Florida Keys and summers in the waters off Long Island. In retirement he moved with his wife, Maryjane, to Northport on Long Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s North Shore, where he surrounded himself with his beloved collection. Property from the Estate of Arthur Gross comprises lots 13, 17, 20, 27, 29, 182, 188, 195, 202, 233, 235, 241, 252, 274, 277, 281, 283, 287, 315.

29 Alfred Thompson Bricher American, 1837-1908 Grand Manan Island Signed ATBricher with conjoined initials (lr) Oil on canvas 17 x 30 1/8 inches C Property of the Estate of Arthur Gross $30,000-50,000 26

TODD SELL EXPLORES

The Chrysanthemum Pattern ByTiffany & Co. The year 1880 saw the introduction of one of Tiffany & Co.’s most important and desired flatware patterns Indian Chrysanthemum (Indian was soon dropped from the name). The man responsible was Charles T. Grosjean, Tiffany’s head of silverware and one of the most talented silver designers of the late 19th century. Grosjean helped Tiffany & Co. to become known for world class silver that rivaled anything being made in England and Europe. His innovative designs include the Lap Over Edge, English King and Wave Edge patterns, some of Tiffany’s most popular flatware patterns of all time. 28

Chrysanthemum pattern is richly decorated with chrysanthemum flowers and buds enveloped in a rich foliate background. It was likely inspired by the craze for all things Japanese that swept America after the opening of Japan to the West and the Japanese exhibit at the Centennial Exposition held in Philadelphia in 1876. The incorporation of natural elements into design was long a tradition in Japanese art and the chrysanthemum holds a special place in their culture as the flower associated with the Imperial family. The designs for Chrysanthemum flatware and hollow ware perfectly reflect the Victorian taste for the new and exotic. In an interesting twist, the reverse of the handle is as complex and elaborate as the front side which added to the luxuriousness (and cost!) of Chrysanthemum pattern flatware. In keeping with the extravagant modes of Gilded Age entertaining, Chrysanthemum pattern was one of the most extensive flatware patterns that Tiffany & Co. ever made. There was a place piece designed specifically for any and every type of food one could imagine with fantastical serving pieces to match. Full services of flatware could run into the many hundreds of pieces with dozens of individual pieces for use at each table setting. Many pieces leave modern diners puzzled: exactly when would you use a terrapin fork – and what is terrapin anyway? Today there is debate over whether Tiffany & Co. designed flatware pieces to supply customer demand, or if they produced these specialized pieces thereby creating a whole new market? Nevertheless sardine forks,

strawberry forks, game forks and knives, chowder spoons, chocolate spoons, citrus spoons, and sorbet spoons (certainly not to be confused with ice cream spoons or ice cream forks) formed parts of these large services that swelled to as many as 146 different pieces. It wasn’t until 1926 when the US Department of Commerce put an end to this folly by passing regulations to limit flatware services to only fifty-seven different pieces in an attempt to reduce silver production in a time of a severe silver shortage in America. Indeed Emily Post even weighed in on the order commenting “no rule of etiquette is of less importance than which fork we use”. 29

125 part

In the late 19th century, Tiffany & Co. also began to design full lines of hollowware to match their flatware patterns. Again Chrysanthemum pattern lent perfectly to this trend with swirls of chrysanthemum flowers and foliage clinging to tea and coffee services, candlesticks and centerpieces. Tiffany’s creative engravers also went above and beyond with the monograms they designed for customers incorporating the chrysanthemum flowers and buds into foliate letters that form part of the decoration. And in a time when all flatware could be monogramed for free, this elaborate monogramming was attractive enough that Tiffany & Co. charged extra for this privilege. And the Chrysanthemum pattern was already among Tiffany & Co.’s most expensive

“no rule of etiquette is of less importance than which fork we use”. lines. In this period flatware was largely sold by weight and Chrysanthemum pattern was the highest priced of any of Tiffany’s flatware patterns selling at $1.35 per ounce as compared to the more plain patterns that sold for $1 per ounce. And there was up to three times more silver per piece in Chrysanthemum flatware than in those other patterns putting this pattern at the very top of the expense scale. The weight and feel of Chrysanthemum pattern flatware still strikes 30

modern diners. The hollowware also sold at a premium due to the immense labour and finishing required for each piece: in 1891 a seven piece Chrysanthemum pattern tea and coffee service retailed for $1,800, or the equivalent of over $50,000 today. A complete flatware and table service would have been a lifetime’s wages for the ordinary working American, but Chrysanthemum pattern was clearly designed for the very top of American Gilded Age Society. Charles Grosjean died at only 47 years of age, leaving Chrysanthemum pattern as one of his most beloved and desired designs. With production having begun in 1880, Chrysanthemum pattern remained a top seller with Tiffany & Co. until it was discontinued in 1934 in the midst of the Great Depression. But its luster and appeal have never faded and it was reintroduced less than a generation later and remains in production today. A table set with Tiffany’s exquisite Chrysanthemum pattern flatware and hollowware still manages to look as elegant and timeless today as it did over a century ago. 125 Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Chrysanthemum Pattern Flatware Service Comprising twelve dinner forks, twelve salad forks, twelve cocktail forks, twelve dessert forks (gilt), twelve dinner knives, twelve butter knives, twelve round soup spoons, twelve dessert spoons (gilt), twenty-four teaspoons, twelve demitasse spoons (gilt). Total approximately 193 ounces, weighable. C $5,000-7,000 See Illustration of Part

126 Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Chrysanthemum Pattern Centerpiece 1891-1902 Shaped circular with floral border, raised on floral ring foot. Diameter 14 3/4 inches, approximately 61 ounces. C $5,000-7,000 See Illustration

126

127 Pair of Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Chrysanthemum Pattern Candlesticks Late 20th century Each with baluster stem on spreading circular foot. Height 9 1/4 inches, total approximately 29 ounces, all in. C $1,500-2,500 See Illustration

127 31

TODD SELL EXPLORES

The Audubon Pattern ByTiffany & Co.

With the opening of Japan to the West by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1854, America and the West was suddenly struck by the “Japan Craze.” Japanese art and design was novel and different to Americans who quickly learned to appreciate the simple beauty and elegance of the works and sought ways to incorporate them into their lives. At the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1867, Japan displayed works by Meiji craftsmen further captivating the Western audience which included Edward C. Moore of New York’s Tiffany & Co. Edward C. Moore was Tiffany’s head of silver from 1868 to his death in 1891 and the company’s creativity flourished under his direction. Clearly enchanted by what he encountered at the exposition in Paris, Moore would go on to ensemble a notable collection of Asian art, paintings and books from which he drew inspirations for Tiffany’s Japanesque silver (pieces from Moore’s personal collection are planned to be on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibit Collecting Inspiration: Edward C. Moore at Tiffany & Co.).

Shen Quan (Chinese, 1682–after 1762), 1750, Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk. From The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Created in 1871, Tiffany’s Japanese pattern was the first American flatware pattern to incorporate any Asian design. The race was close however with rival Gorham’s similar flatware pattern appearing only months later. Japanese pattern depicts Asian birds drawn from scroll paintings. Moore thought the paintings were Japanese, but in fact most of the birds depicted are actually native to China. One of the most unusual characteristics of the pattern was that it was perhaps one of the first flatware patterns in the world to have multiple motifs in the same service. When diners sat down to the table, their place setting would include different birds on each of the forks, knives and spoons they would use at the meal.

Japanese pattern was created at huge expense by Tiffany’s skilled craftsmen. It was offered in a vast array of place pieces with a wealth of various servers to compliment them. Decoration of pieces was taken to a new level of refinement with “one-of-a-kind” decoration added to many of the knife blades, spoon bowls and serving pieces. Fantastical geometric patterns inspired by Asian art grace pieces which were then gilded in various shades of yellow and rose gold. A variety of finishes were also applied so that matte grounds contrast with frosted and shiny finishes to dazzle in candlelit dining rooms. Japanese pattern pieces that retain their original decoration in crisp fresh condition are especially coveted by collectors today. In another example of Tiffany & Co.’s great artistic talent, monograms used in the pattern sometimes were done in pseudoJapanese characters to highlight the exoticism of the pattern. In 1904 Japanese pattern was dropped from Tiffany’s flatware line as a victim of changing tastes, but it was revived in 1956 and renamed Audubon pattern after the great American naturalist

John James Audubon who in reality had nothing to do with the design of the pattern. Audubon pattern continues to be made and is Tiffany’s most popular active pattern today. Today with a relaxation in the rules of formal dining, mixing and matching of flatware is certainly a delightful way to enliven a dining table. Beautiful Japanese or Audubon pattern serving pieces and flatware can add contrast and are perfect for rounding out a well-set dining table.

168 Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Audubon Pattern Flatware Service 20th Century Comprising five dinner forks, six lunch forks, six fish forks, five dessert forks, six cocktail forks, four dinner knives, four lunch knives, six fish knives, six butter knives, six dessert knives, ten round soup spoons, six dessert spoons, five teaspoons, six demitasse spoons, cake knife, soup ladle and a berry spoon. Total approximately 116 ounces, weighable. C $4,000-6,000 See Illustration of Part

DOYLE THROWBACK

American Silver Two-Handled Cup John Coney, Boston, circa 1687. Sold for $16,250.

Silver has played a role in marking important milestone events in the history of our society since the colonial era. Records kept by early churches in America have proven to be a valuable gift to scholars looking to trace the history of early silver and presentation inscriptions. Protestant churches in the colonies used communion plate in domestic forms, which was more in keeping with the restrained traditions of their faith and the lifestyles of their congregations. One such example is a rare two-handle cup dating to 1687 that was auctioned on Oct 4, 2019. It was 34

made for the First Church of Salem, Massachusetts, by John Coney of Boston, who is today recognized as one of colonial America’s best silversmiths. The cup is engraved Ex Dono Wm Browne, senr Esque and thus has preserved for posterity the origins of this piece. William Browne had emigrated to the colony from England in 1635 and had prospered in the colonies. At the time of his death in 1687, he left the church the princely sum of £10, which was used to make a pair of beakers, including this example. Generations of the Browne family continued William’s example of philanthropy and continued leaving silver and money to the church through the 18th century.

BALTI MORE SILVER 19th century American silversmiths were among the most creative and prolific in history. The nation’s

vast wealth, generated by its rising industrial might and entrepreneurial ingenuity, saw the burgeoning of a society consumed with finding new ways to showcase their growing prosperity. Silversmiths across

the country rose to the challenge with fresh ideas for objects meant to demonstrate their clients’ wealth and appreciation of the latest fashions. As these firms jostled for attention, they each developed new

patterns and models meant to catch the consumer’s eye from across a crowded shop floor. No one did

this better than the talented silversmiths of Baltimore, whose distinctive floral repousse pattern is still known as “Baltimore Silver”.

Lot 88

One of America’s great early silversmiths, Samuel Kirk (1793-1872) was descended from a long line of English silversmiths on both sides of his family. After apprenticing with silversmiths in Philadelphia, he moved to Baltimore and set up shop in the bustling port city in 1815. The opening of Kirk’s first store marks the founding of America’s oldest operating silversmith and the beginning of a silver empire. His finely-crafted wares would go on to grace the dining tables and sideboards of many of America’s most distinguished families. Early in his career, Kirk introduced a chased floral repoussé pattern that has since become synonymous with American silver. Chasing silver (a method of decoration where the silversmith uses hammers and punches to work a sheet of silver without removing any of the metal) was an ancient technique used by European silversmiths throughout history. Kirk’s richly chased pattern, still known generically as “Baltimore Silver”, was perfect for large tea services, soup tureens, punch sets and flatware and has remained in constant production since its creation. When examining silver that preceded Kirk’s, one is struck by the restraint of the styles produced by noted 18th century American silversmiths. Works by Paul Revere, for example, are often devoid of any decoration. The Classical period (first quarter 19th century) certainly saw the introduction of bands of scrolls and foliage to newly exaggerated silver forms, but Samuel Kirk’s floral repoussé (the technique by which silver is worked from the reverse to push out a design, again without the loss of metal) goes beyond Classical decoration to envelop pieces entirely in a rich carpet of flowers and foliage.

133 Baltimore Sterling Silver Punch Set Hennegan Bates Co., Baltimore, circa 1900 Comprising a punch bowl, ladle and twelve cups, each chased overall with floral repousse. Diameter of punch bowl 16 1/4 inches, total approximately 194 ounces. Another punch set by Hennegan Bates Co. sold Doyle New York, February 18, 2015, lot 221. C Property of a Tudor City Lady $7,000-10,000 See Illustration

The inspiration for “Baltimore Silver” appears to be something of a mystery. One reference may have been the silver of British India’s native craftsmen, who certainly loved to decorate their works with foliate scrolls that often incorporated figures and native animals like elephants and tigers. In the early 19th century, Baltimore’s harbor was one of the busiest in the country. Ships returning from the subcontinent may have brought pieces back for the wealthy merchant class, giving Kirk the opportunity to examine silver from British India firsthand. Regency England’s silversmiths also used a more restrained version of this style, but Kirk’s clients clearly demanded something new and entirely original. Garner & Winchester Coin Silver Monteith Lexington, Kentucky circa 1845. Sold at Doyle for $22,500.

Like any popular fashion, Kirk’s local competitors were quick to copy the style. Firms such as the Stieff Company, the Schofield Company, and Hennegan Bates Co. all began to churn out slight variations to the pattern. Rare and desirable pieces by these makers include architectural and figural scenes incorporated amongst the foliage. “Baltimore Silver” proved so popular across the country that Northern firms such as Tiffany & Co. and Gorham Mfg. Co. created similar patterns to compete with this distinctly Southern style. Doyle has sold pieces of mid 19th century silver that were clearly made in Baltimore and yet carry retailers marks from Kentucky, showing how widely pieces were sold. For almost two hundred years, Americans have been crazy for “Baltimore Silver”. While the 20th century started off well for America’s silversmiths, two world wars, a depression, and changing fashions leading to less formal entertaining each took their toll on Baltimore’s great silver firms. Stieff bought Schofield in 1967 and then their old rival Kirk in 1979. Consolidation in 1999 saw the closing of the last silver factory in Baltimore as the renamed Kirk-Stieff Company moved all their silver production to New Jersey, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico. The Kirk hallmark lives on, however, and patterns of floral repousse flatware and holloware are still made for people who love and appreciate this great American style.

Early Samuel Kirk Silver Ewer Baltimore, 1830-46. Sold at Doyle for $5,000. 38

COULD THE COCKTAIL BE AS AMERICAN AS APPLE PIE? The world is blessed with a sterling silver object for every occasion. Birth of a child? Silver spoons, mugs and rattles provide cherished gifts. Lunch or dinner? At one count there were over 1400 different flatware patterns made in America over the last century. Tea time? Of course we have teapots, cream jugs, sugar bowls and tongs. Cocktail hour? Oh yes, the most important tool of the trade, the cocktail shaker! Americans have always been drinkers – the average American imbibed five shots of rum per day in the late 18th century. This was not a sign of a decaying, decadent society. Benjamin Franklin probably spoke for most Americans of the time when he said “in wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria”! For much of America’s past, alcohol was actually a safer option to quench a thirst – certainly healthier than the water in America’s crowded and unsanitary cities. Wine was imported from abroad and thus expensive and reserved for the rich; beer was the drink of the masses; punch was drunk at taverns where people gathered together around the communal punch bowl; but mixed cocktails slowly began to carve a niche in American society.

Jerry, Thomas, How to mix drinks: or, The bon-vivant’s companion, presumed first edition. Sold for $2,500.

The first reference to a cocktail is in passing in 1806. A cocktail is alcohol mixed with either fruit juices, milk or cream. By the1860s, bartenders were becoming real celebrities as they dazzled the crowds with their delicious concoctions and theatrical presentation. The first bartenders’ guidebook appeared in 1862, written by Jerry Thomas. Thomas was part barman and part entertainer whose signature Blue Blazer was lit on fire and poured between two glasses creating an arc of fire. Our modern notion of a long bar with mirrored backing began to come into fashion in the 1870s to showcase these. Thomas and other American bartenders traveled Europe bringing the rage for cocktails across the ocean where the cocktail was heralded as modern and very American. The spectacle of the cocktail scene may be the reason why it is only in 1917 that we have news of the first “cocktail party” hosted by Mrs. Julius Walsh Jr. of St. Louis who held this novel event for fifty friends at her home, one hour before Sunday lunch.

But as the trend for drinking martinis, daiquiris and Manhattans advanced, so did the voices of critics who saw alcohol as a vice hindering the country in its relentless march to progress. Rampant overdrinking by Americans of every social class saw the introduction of Prohibition across the country in 1920. It is amazing that a government order enacted to “protect” society should instead have given rise to organized crime on a scale not seen before. It also failed to quench America’s thirst for alcohol but instead drove it underground and back into the home. Interestingly, the private ownership and consumption of alcohol was never illegal during this period. Cocktail culture suffered however, as the quality of available spirits declined and professional bartenders went abroad to continue their trade.

174

Prohibition did not kill the cocktail. Mixing poor quality alcohol with sweet fruit juices made for a quick delicious drink that could be downed in multiples and in haste lest your favourite speakeasy be raided by the cops. Home bars sprung up in the corner of every living room or library as Americans took up a “do-it-yourself” attitude with keeping the spirits flowing. The cocktail shaker as we know it had been patented in 1872 and by the Roaring Twenties, American silversmiths like Tiffany & Co. were creating some of the shakers that have since become great collectors pieces. Novelty shakers took the form of golf sets, lighthouses, zeppelins, airplanes and even penguins. A whole collecting field was thus born! 1933 saw the repeal of Prohibition, but whereas the ban on alcohol had been rolled out countrywide in one fell swoop, the repeal was passed by Washington to the States who then often passed the responsibility to their counties resulting in a patchwork of wet and dry counties which lingers today. The late 1930s and 1940s saw

cocktails regain their place in culture with frequent appearances in the most glamourous of Hollywood movies and hitting the airwaves in songs like “Rum and Coca-Cola”. GIs coming back from the Pacific War brought the Hawaiian Tiki Bar with them and the 1950s saw a resurgence in the home mixologist. Flash forward another fifty years and cocktails have seen a renaissance with popular TV shows like Mad Men giving a new generation an appetite for cocktails, and ensuring that silver cocktail shakers are still a necessity in every wellappointed home. 174 Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Cocktail Shaker 1947-1956 Tapering cylindrical form with angular handle. Height 9 1/2 inches, approximately 25 ounces. C $700-1,000 See Illustration

BRING

R I C C E U S H T HOME The excitement, color, characters, and action of the circus have long inspired artists, particularly in the twentieth century. Pablo Picasso was known to have frequented the Cirque Medrano in Montmartre and his early career included several images of circus figures, including the Family of Saltimbanques at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Alexander Calderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grand Cirque was created from 1926-1931 and is part of the permanent collection at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Doyle has been fortunate to sell various circus-themed works, whether it be folk art from the 20th century; a cast iron mechanical bank; a lithograph by Chagall; or a painting by Bernard Buffet. Works on this theme in the upcoming sale include a group of circus figures from Tiffany & Co.

Acrobat Cast Iron Mechanical Bank J & E Stevens Co. Sold at Doyle for $2,125

Marc Chagall, The Traveling Circus, Color lithograph, 1969. Sold at Doyle for $11,250.

Gene Moore arrived in New York from Birmingham, Alabama. He longed to create in a town known for its art and theater. For over forty years, Moore used his talents to create rotating three-dimensional artwork for Tiffany’s windows. He used radical and witty designs to draw in potenial customers who strolled past. Moore contrasted everyday objects with the precious and refined jewelry in the windows. During his long-standing relationship with Tiffany & Co., he eventually designed jewelry and silver for the firm. In 1997, he created a three-piece child’s tableware set adorned with clowns, circus figures, horses and elephants. Enameling is the process of fusing glass particles onto metal with heat. The colored particles, or powder, melt at the right temperature and harden to a smooth vitreous coating when cool. While there are many different variations of enameling producing different affects, these figures were probably done by enamel painting. This takes skill and precision to place the colors in the exact spot and create minute details. The silver circus figures created in the 1990s incorporate the circus’ childlike spirit and comical imagery such as the clown mother pushing the baby clown in the stroller or the bear wearing a party hat on roller skates. It is curious to think about what inspired Moore to create these fun figures. Was it a love for the circus like Charles Lewis Tiffany? The founder of Tiffany & Co. once created a jeweled silver horse carriage as a wedding gift from circus legend P.T. Barnum to the performer General Tom Thumb and his wife.

Tiffany has always been on the cusp of current trends. Perhaps Moore was influenced by the 1988 Big Apple Circus that participated in the first U.S circus collaboration with China in history, at Lincoln Center. Or maybe it was just a love of the whimsy that came from the circus. An advertisement in Orange Coast Magazine, December 1998 stated these “sterling silver and enamel circus figurines will be so cute in the baby’s room. Not appropriate for teething purposes”.

181 Group of Nine Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver and Enamel Circus Figures Designed by Gene Moore, 1990s Comprising Ring Master, rearing horse, juggling clown, roller skating bear, seal balancing ball, lion, tiger balancing on a ball, elephant and clown with baby stroller. Height of largest 4 1/2 inches, total approximately 65 ounces, all in. Gene Moore (1910-1998) was Artistic Director and Vice President of Tiffany & Co. known for over 5000 imaginative windows he created for their Fifth Avenue flagship store. C Estate of Julia Acton Forrest $4,000-6,000 See Illustration

CAROUSEL FIGURE OF A PIG When thinking of a carousel or merry-go-round, most recall brightly-colored fiberglass horses, twinkling lights and cheerful music in the parks or fairs of present day; however, decades and centuries prior, carousels included a variety of different types of animals – hand-carved, hand-painted, with expressions and glass eyes that sparkled. The earliest carousels appeared at European carnivals and fairs and included animals hanging from chains or poles from a canopy top, held by a single central pole, but no bottom platform. Our carousel pig was probably inspired by pigs made by a French carver, Gustave Bayol (1859-1931). Decades ago it would have dazzled with a multicolored saddle and carved ribbons to adorn it. The glass eyes would have caught the light as the carousel went around. Maybe our pig once hung from chains on a carousel where “pigs fly.” In the late eighteenth century, an English inventor named John Joseph Merlin created a Mechanical Museum in London. One of the attractions was a device with wooden horses supported by pillars for ladies and gentleman to ride, an early form of carousel. In the United States, the carousel developed as an amusement ride with a rotating platform with seats for riders, commonly in the shapes of horses or other animals. American carousels also travelled with the carnival and could be found in parks at the ends of trolley lines. The “Golden Age of Carousels” in the United States was from the 1890s-1920s, when European carvers emigrated to the United States. These classicallytrained cabinet makers and wood carvers for interior and architectural ornament came from France, Germany, and Russia. These men often took inspiration from live animal in zoos and travelling circuses. French and German carousels often included classic jumpers or those standing or prancing in formal poses.

There are several American workshops that were also creating distinctive styles of horses, all different in decoration and form: Philadelphia, Coney Island, and County Fair style. Animals from the different workshops are part of a niche market of collecting. American carvers also included different animals in carousels such as giraffes, bears, and hippos. Gustave Bayol apprenticed with his father who was a woodcarver and cabinetmaker in Avignon, France and founded the Angers School of Carving. He began to make ornamental woodwork probably for architecture, then started carving carousel horses. His specialty in farm animals was influenced by the rural clientele in France. He often created a carousel with a single type of animal, so there would be several different forms and sizes of pigs for example, and started his own school for carousel carving. Bayol created carousel animals for government facilities and carousels on the grounds of private chateaux. He was considered the premier carousel maker in France and was known for his fanciful carvings of farm animals such as cows, cats, rabbits, donkeys and pigs. His animals were characterized by animated expressions, ribbons and bows, bells, and sometimes voice mechanisms. His pigs often had long ears and a dangling tongue. Bayol’s farm animals were wildly popular and copies were done by his contemporaries and beyond. During the World Wars, carnivals worldwide shut down and amusement parks were bulldozed; many of the original carousels were lost. Today the animals are often made of fiberglass or aluminum, and original carved wood examples are collected as folk art. The wooden carousel figures, including this charming beribboned pig, evoke a nostalgia for childhood fun, and seemingly simpler times.

317 Carved and Painted Wood Carousel Figure of a Pig Manner of Gustave Bayol circa 1900 Height 30 inches, length 68 inches. C Estate of Laura M. Mako $1,000-2,000 See Illustration

POWDER O S HORN LEIGH KENDRICK EXPLORES

Eighteenth century engraved powder horns reveal a great deal of information about early life in America. These prized possessions were carried by farmers, hunters in the unexplored wilderness, and then onto battlefields. The horns from oxen or cows were scraped and polished to carry gunpowder for their musket, fowler, flintlock rifle, or pistol. The horn proved to be a lightweight, waterproof, and fireproof option to carry powder that was both plentiful and affordable. It could also serve as a canteen for water or a container for salt. The curve of the horn, attached to a hunting rifle by a long strap or slung across the shoulder, fit to the natural form of the body. While a practical necessity, an engraved horn also reflected the life of the man carrying it, documenting his interests and serving as a souvenir of his travels. The prime of engraved powder horns was during the French and Indian War (1754 to 1763) and the American Revolutionary War (1775 to 1783). European and English powder horns from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries were made out of bovine horn, stag horn or tortoiseshell.

In the early 1700s, American horns were unadorned. Decorating them helped pass the time and distinguish one soldierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s horn from another. With a pocket knife or engraverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tool, letters, dates, names, locations, animals, etc., were scratched into the horn. Brown paint was rubbed into the decoration to highlight the designs. By the time of the French and Indian War, the nature of battles had changed in America. The expeditions and sieges were longer, so there was downtime in forts or around campfires. Men personalized their horns to commemorate battles, sometimes including maps of the terrain on which they had fought. This was also a time where soldiers travelled on uncharted land, previously known only to fur traders. Few printed paper maps existed, so adding maps to horns was a way to guide the frontiersmen. An example of a powder horn in this sale includes several forts, bodies of water and towns. John Kane inscribed his name on the horn along with the Royal arms of the United Kingdom. British coats of arms were common on horns owned by British officers and American colonists.

The map carved on this example includes markings of various forts including Edward, George, Miller, Still Water, Half Moon, and Hunter in the Hudson and Mohawk River Valleys that run through New York state and over to Canada. Not all the soldiers were literate, so spelling mistakes are common. In this example we see â&#x20AC;&#x153;F. Bruintonâ&#x20AC;? for Fort Brewerton, which was established in 1759, North of Syracuse. With the proliferation of new gun technologies by the mid-19th century, powder horns fell out of fashion as guns required more powder than a horn could hold. Soldiers instead used metal powder flasks or cartridges and the horns became commodity items sold in general stores. As such, the engraved powder horn offered is a true early American relic carried by one John Kane through the forests, fields and towns of New York two hundred and sixty years ago.

235 Engraved Powder Horn French and Indian War, mid-18th century Engraved with a map depicting forts and towns including Albany, Schenectady, Niagra; figures, and the royal arms, inscribed John Kane, etc. Length 13 1/4 inches. C Property of the Estate of Arthur Gross $5,000-8,000 See Illustration

Novelty Pipes Towards the end of the eighteenth century, Staffordshire potters began to create playful puzzle and novelty pipes. These fanciful pipes were much more than a smoking essential; they were more imaginative and artistic than they were practical. They could be elaborately scrolled showpieces or modeled well-known figures. These intricate and colorful pipes served to highlight the potter’s skill in handling clay, and were highly decorative ornaments on a chimney piece.

This group of Three Staffordshire Pearlware Novelty Pipes includes a coiled snake seen consuming a bowl with the mouthpiece as the tail end of the snake. In Old English Pipes, printed in the 1906 September issue of The Connoisseur, M.H.H. Macartney comments that “looking at examples from this period it is hard to believe that these pipes were made for actual use”. While it was possible to smoke through these forms, the pipes were fragile and would have proved difficult to clean after use.

The figural pipe showing a seated woman, with a fish handle, is of the famous Regency period “dipper” Martha Gunn. Hailed as “the Venerable Priestess of the Bath”, Gunn would take bathers in and out of the waters in Brighton in small wooden crates pulled by horses. Gunn kept bathers afloat, pushed them through the waves, and assisted them back to the bathing machines to pull them ashore. As sea bathing became more popular, so did Gunn, with her dipping career spanning over sixty years. She was an early 19th century celebrity and a favorite of George IV.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;looking at examples from this period it is hard to believe that these pipes were made for actual useâ&#x20AC;?

These pipes have had long lives because they were meant to be showpieces, rarely if ever smoked, and kept on display, waiting to be the center of conversation. While smoking from a three-coiled snake, a seahorse, or a Martha Gunn may prove to be difficult, what is undeniable is their appealing style and form. Whether placed on your mantle or laid on a coffee table, these pipes are sure to capture the attention of many. With their lively colors and recognizable subjects these novelty pipes make a great addition to a current collection or the start of a new one.

313 Two Staffordshire Pearlware Novelty Pipes Circa 1800 Length of longest 13 inches; Together with a Staffordshire Pearlware Martha Gunn Pipe. Height 4 5/8 inches. C $600-900 See Illustration

LEIGH KENDRICK EXPLORES

JOSÃ&#x2030; FORMOSA REYES BASKETS

Nantucket lightship baskets weave a story of the area’s culture and history. In the mid-19th century, using imported rattan, sailors began making baskets while in isolation on the South Shoal lightship. Lightships acted as floating lighthouses equipped with a foghorn to alert ships passing south of Nantucket. With idle hands and the right materials on the ships, the crew began crafting “lightship” baskets to give as gifts to wives and girlfriends or to sell. The early baskets were utilitarian in shape, either round or oval with a single handle. Three signature elements of the early baskets were the use of rattan, a mold for a precise shape, and a solid wooden base. Most weavers knew each other, teaching each other the tricks of the trade and passing the culture down to future generations. Perhaps one of the most well-known basket makers, José Formosa Reyes, came to Nantucket from the Philippines with a knowledge of basket weaving and made over 5,000 baskets from 1948-1978. Reyes popularized the friendship basket pocketbook form well known today, with added carved decoration to the top and fastened lids to make them more versatile. Reyes began calling the purses friendship baskets, and it was even a tradition for young girls to receive a basket when they graduated high school. Another prominent maker was Harry A. Hilbert. He started making Nantucket style baskets in 1970 in Wilton, Connecticut. He used intricate inlays and turnings as well as rare and exotic woods. They were, however, sold on Main Street in Nantucket. Today, Nantucket baskets are still made and collected, with some collectors amassing a variety of makers and forms. Others have their single basket purse, which goes along with them to outings and shopping expeditions in the warmer months. 193 Jose Formosa Reyes Lidded Lightship Basket Nantucket, MA, 1960s-70s Depicting a whale. Height 7 inches, width 8 inches. C Collection of Frank and Claire Tracy Glaser $1,000-1,500

193 53

215 Jose Formosa Reyes Lidded Lightship Basket Nantucket, MA, 1960s-70s Depicting a whale. Height 7 inches, width 8 inches. C Collection of Frank and Claire Tracy Glaser $1,000-1,500 See Illustration

221 Jose Formosa Reyes Lidded Lightship Basket Purse Nantucket, MA, 1965 Depicting a whale, signed and dated. Height 6 3/4 inches, width 8 1/2 inches. C Collection of Frank and Claire Tracy Glaser $1,000-1,500 See Illustration

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200 Jose Formosa Reyes Lidded Lightship Basket Nantucket, MA, 1966 Depicting a whale. Height 6 1/2 inches, width 8 1/2 inches. C Collection of Frank and Claire Tracy Glaser $1,000-1,500 See Illustration

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304 279 279 Two Jose Formosa Reyes Lidded Lightship Basket Purses Nantucket, MA, circa 1960s-70s Height of largest 6 inches, width 6 3/4 inches. C Collection of Frank and Claire Tracy Glaser $800-1,200 See Illustration

304 Jose Formosa Reyes Lidded Lightship Basket Nantucket, MA, 1960s-70s Depicting a bird. Height 6 1/2 inches, width 8 1/2 inches. C Collection of Frank and Claire Tracy Glaser $1,000-1,500 See Illustration 55