SKINNER AMERICANA WEEKEND NOVEMBER 1st and 2nd IN BOSTON Skinner, one of the nation’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art, will host a two day Americana auction on November 1st and 2nd in its Boston gallery. On Saturday, November 1st at 3 p.m.
Ship Emily Farnum Off Dover (lot 220, est. $20/30,000); William Howard York’s Portrait of the American Ship Cyrus Wakefield (lot 221, est. $15/20,000); and Portrait of the Schooner Elmer E. Gray off Cape Ann (Thatcher Island) Light Station, Massachusetts (lot 225, est. $4/6,000) by Solon Francis Montecello Badger.
Furniture
The sale features wonderfully diverse styles of chairs including a set of four Queen Anne chairs (lot 315, est. $15/20,000), distinctly local with an understated elegance; a pair of Chippendale side chairs (lot 308, est. $8/12,000) representing a good example of fine city furniture; and a Federal “Campeachy” armchair (lot 346, est. $6/8,000) deaccessioned from a historical society and clearly one of the most elaborate examples in existence.
Tables of note include a Federal inlaid card table (lot 342, est. $8/12,000) beautiful in form depicting an eagle in a tiger maple oval, and a Porringer-top table (lot 494, est. $10/15,000), the antithesis of Boston furniture – likely produced in Southeastern Massachusetts – featuring an extreme overhang that makes it quite dramatic. Two significant chests will also be offered: a Chippendale serpentine bureau (lot 307, est. $8/12,000) with original brass and quite small in size, and a rare Chippendale chest-on-chest (lot 337, est. $75/125,000) fresh to the market and in exceptionally well-preserved condition.
Shaker Offerings
A fine collection of Shaker offerings begin the session on Sunday, numbering lots 201-219. Of note are a Shaker tiger maple and cherry armed rocking chair (lot 201, est. $7/9,000); a Shaker maple tripod stand (lot 202, est. $6/8,000); and a very fine example, a Shaker pine and birch sewing desk, possibly the work of Henry Green, Alfred Maine (lot 204, est. $15/20,000). Other Shaker items include storage boxes, carriers, a Shaker pine counter, sewing box, table swift, and several side chairs.
Other Decorative Arts
Aside from the Nilson collection, several impressive timepieces will be offered throughout the sale including an Elnathan Taber shelf clock (lot 343, est. $12/18,000) from Boston’s Federal period, and a very rare Lemuel Curtis “Banjo” clock (lot 344, est. $30/50,000), Concord, Massachusetts, c. 1815. Two basket weavings that are expected to draw interest include a Nantucket Lollipop Basket (lot 238, est. $40/60,000) of incredibly rare form, and a nesting set of ten Nantucket baskets (lot 237, est. $20/25,000) by Jose Formoso Reyes, well-known as the designer of the Nantucket pocket-book.
A beautifully drawn, easy-to-read engraved whale’s tooth, attributed to Edward Brudett (lot 224, est. $20/40,000) will also be offered as will a pig weather vane (lot 490, est. $35/40,000) of great sculptural form from the late 19th century. Collections of pottery, mochaware, needlework, silver, and folk art round out the offerings.
Previews and Special Event
Previews for the auction will be held Wednesday, October 29th from 12 p.m.-7 p.m., Thursday, October 30th from 12 p.m.- 5 p.m., Friday, October 31st from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday, November 1st from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and Sunday, November 2nd from 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
On Wednesday evening, Skinner Americana director, Stephen Fletcher and specialist Martha Hamilton will
