Travelers to Garth’s November 25-26 Thanksgiving Weekend Auction Are Treated to the Scenic Route Garth’s 51st Annual Thanksgiving Americana Auction will give bidders a chance to travel home, not only with rare, beautiful and interesting pieces - but, bits of history from the Widder collection.
37 1/4", it is in its original gilt frame (retaining its original Albert Miller, New York label) and is expected to achieve $10,000-20,000. A selection of other paintings which will attract competitive bidding include a portrait of a child dressed in blue with flowers and a nearby silver cup. Seated under a tree with an extensive landscape in the background, the painting measures 36"h. x 22 3/4"w. and it estimated at $4,000-6,000. A folk portrait of a blonde child dressed in blue by William Matthew Prior(Massachusetts, 1806-1873) is unsigned with some minor edge loss, but is still expected to reach $3,000-6,000.
Items from the Late Dan Dennis of Coshocton, Ohio will be featured throughout the day. Another passionate collector (focused on Ohio decorative arts, especially examples from his home county of Coshocton), Dan was a longtime dealer and friend of many in the antiques community. Three Coshocton cupboards will be sold including a mid 19th century corner cupboard and two decorated stepback cupboards, each estimated at $1,000-2,000. The grouping from the estate also features approximately two dozen decorated bellows sold in lots of two, each estimated in the $100-200 to $300-500 range. Many silhouettes will be sold, both bust and full length, including some marked with the Peale’s Museum mark. A particularly nice pair is estimated at $400-600.
Some of the most colorful artwork may be found in the whimsical designs of the fraktur to be sold. Examples by Friederich Krebs and Martin Brechall are estimated in the $900-1,500 range. The finest is a watercolor birth and baptismal certificate dated 1835 by Reverend Henry Young(Pennsylvania, active. 1817-1861). The format is the "anchor ladies" style 12, in blue, yellow and red and it carries an estimate of $3,000-4,000. Another birth certificate dated 1828 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania was likely decorated by Samuel Bentz(Pennsylvania, active 1810-1848) and filled in by another hand (estimate $1,000-1,500).
A good collection of over 35 pieces of stoneware will be sold throughout the Saturday session. Of the many pieces from Western Pennsylvania, a five-gallon jug with applied double handles is adorned with brushed and stenciled cobalt label "5, Ka-Ton-Ka, Mineral Spring Water, Absolutely Pure, Corry, Pa." At 18 1/2"h. and carrying an estimate of $2,000-3,000, this piece was once on display at the Westmoreland Museum in Greensburg, Pennsylvania during their exhibit "Made In Pennsylvania: A Folk Art Tradition". See pg. 57 of the exhibition catalogue. It was also included in United States Decorated Stoneware - Book II by Dr. Carmen A. Guappone. Embodying all the spirit of the weekend is a large churn with brushed cobalt "5" and the design of a turkey perched on a branch. With applied handles and terrific decoration, the churn should fetch $1,000-1,500 despite a hairline.
Rounding out the sale with style, there is a large group of early glass from the collection of Thomas Crawford of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania comprising over 40 lots including flint, amethyst, cut glass, and blown glass bottles, decanters, pitchers, and more. Two examples of quirky circus sideshow
