Two Federal Dressing Chests made by John and Thomas Seymour of Boston, an Extraordinary Pictoral Nee Sale Features The Patriotic Americana Collection of Marilyn and Michael Gould; Selections from the Collection of Robert Skinner; Fine Federal Furniture from the Property of a New York Collector
News-Antique.com - Oct 19,2012 - BOSTON, Mass – October 19, 2012 – Skinner, Inc. will host an auction of American Furniture and Decorative Arts on Sunday, October 28th at its Boston gallery. The Patriotic Americana Collection of Marilyn and Michael Gould will be offered, along with selected items from the Collection of Robert Skinner, a fine assortment of Federal furniture from a prominent New York collector, and two impressive Seymour dressing chests.
Selections from the Collection of Robert Skinner
The auction begins with more than 100 lots from the collection of Nancy Skinner, co-owner of Skinner, Inc., and her late husband Robert Skinner. The Skinners’ private collection was built over 60 years and demonstrates Bob Skinner’s impeccable taste in country furniture with old paint and surface, early American wrought iron, folk art, wooden ware, painted tin, silhouettes, and children’s objects. Among the highlights of this grouping are a charming candle sconce with a petal-and geometric-embossed tin reflective pan (lot 52, estimated between $300 and $500), a make-do red-painted pine-framed mirror (lot 16, $400 to $600), and a well-formed inlaid cherry candlestand, which features traditional quarterfans on the top, geometric patterns on the turned post, and whimsical hearts on the knees (lot 21, $1,500 to $2,500). This endearing selection offers a glimpse into Bob Skinner’s prodigious understanding and love of Americana.
The Patriotic Americana Collection of Marilyn and Michael Gould
Over 200 lots are dedicated to the Patriotic Americana Collection of Marilyn and Michael Gould. This large, single-owner collection is focused on items associated with American politics, and decorated with patriotic symbols such as the American flag, shields and eagles. Within this specific focus, the Gould collection offers items of great diversity, including a flag-painted turned maple juggling pin (lot 632, $600 to $800), a pair of hand knit Civil War-era wool socks with flag motifs (lot 569, $800 to $1,200), and cast-iron eagles ranging in form from small doorstops to large architectural ornaments. The cover lot, a sheet-metal union shield (lot 542, $3,000 to $5,000) captures the essence of this collection: it is painted with the stars and stripes and is surmounted with a copper eagle figure.
American Furniture
An impressive selection of Federal furniture from a New York collector will be offered alongside high-style Queen Anne and Chippendale pieces crafted by both urban and rural cabinetmakers. Highlights include a Chippendale carved mahogany scroll-top chest-on-chest from Boston (lot 293, $8,000 to $12,000), and a satinwood-inlaid mahogany Federal card table from Baltimore, Maryland (lot 338, $4,000 to $6,000). Exquisite examples of inlaid American furniture include a Federal mahogany tambour desk (lot 317, $6,000 to $8,000), and a Federal mahogany inlaid and parcel-gilt eglomise mirror (lot 329, $8,000 to $12,000). Taken together, these examples demonstrate the range of variation found from the early eighteenth century to the early nineteenth century.
Two rare and extraordinary Seymour Federal dressing chests will be featured in the sale. English immigrants John Seymour and his son Thomas were innovative cabinetmakers who introduced new styles and forms to Boston with their arrival. A
