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Skinner to Host Auction of American Furniture & Decorative Arts

BOSTON, Mass. – Oct 28, 2010 – Skinner, Inc. one of the world’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art, will host an auction of American Furniture and Decorative Arts on Sunday, November 7th at 11 a.m. in its Boston gallery. The sale features the extraordinary collection of Arthur E. Beane, Jr., which includes early 18th century painted Massachusetts furniture, Queen Anne and Chippendale furniture from Boston, an assemblage of clocks, and 18th century Rococo mirrors.

Of note in the sale is a rare black walnut carved corner cupboard from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, c. 1790. The consignor's father-in-law, Dr. Louis H. Mutschler, Sr. of Philadelphia, acquired the cupboard when he was married to Lucy Brooks Price. The couple married on December 7, 1907, in Media, Pennsylvania but resided in Philadelphia. Lucy Brooks Price was the daughter of Lucy Adele Brooks and Edward Augustus Price, whose ancestors were among Pennsylvania's earliest settlers, including Samuel Price, who served on the Committee of Safety and with Chester County Associators during the Revolution. The piece is estimated at $100,000 to $150,000.

Another piece of furniture that’s likely to draw significant interest is a mahogany carved dressing table, possibly by Benjamin Frothingham of Charlestown, Massachusetts. The table was made between 1760-1780 and is estimated at $15,000 to $25,000.

Decorative arts featured included a carved and painted wood box, probably from New England, 1862, estimated at $4,000 to $6,000; an Edward Winslow Silver Mug estimated at $8,000 to $12,000; and a needlework "Family Tree" family record sampler from Waltham, Massachusetts, early 19th century, depicting the vital statistics of Joseph Garfield, b. August 17, 1761, his wife Susanna Hagar Garfield, b. August 20, 1769, married April 4, 1787, and their twelve children, their names and birthdates stitched on the fruit issuing from the tree, estimated at $4,000-6,000.

Also of note is a private collection built by Jim and Bernice Miller of Appleton, Wisconsin. The Millers began collecting early Americana in the mid-60s, traveling first from Ohio and Pennsylvania and later to New England to find fine examples of eighteenth and early nineteenth century American high country furniture and accessories. In 1970, they designed and built the perfect showcase for their collection, a reproduction Connecticut River Valley saltbox. In the mid-1970s they established their own antique dealership, Miller Antiques, which flourished until Bernice’s death in 1999. The collection up for bid includes more than a hundred pieces of fine Americana.

Finally, an unsigned 19th century American school painting, The Great Fire of Utica New York of the Year 1837 will be up for bid as well. The great fire of Utica broke out about 2 o'clock in the morning on March 31, 1837 on the second floor of a frame building on the corner of Genesee and Broad streets. The building housed a grocery store, a silversmith, and a jeweler. According to the Utica Observer of April 4, 1837: "...the wind was high from the east and most of the buildings, being of wood (a few have brick fronts), the flames spread with great rapidity, and before the engines could be brought into play, had obtained a mastery that was almost impossible to overcome..." The fire consumed a total of thirty-four buildings, most of them merchants, and a handful of private dwellings. The painting is estimated at $40,000 to $60,000.
 

Previews and Special Event
Previews for the auction will be held Wednesday, Nov 3rd from 12-5 p.m., Thursday, Nov 4th from 12-8 p.m., Friday, Nov 5th from 12-8 p.m., Saturday, Nov 6th from 12 p.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, Nov 7th from 8-10 a.m. In conjunction with Friday’s November 5th preview, Skinner will host an Americana gallery walk. The reception will be held at 5:30 p.m., with the Gallery Walk commencing at 6:30 p.m. R.S.V.P. 617-350-5400.

 

Catalogs and Bidding
Illustrated catalog #2524B is available by mail for $35 ($42 for foreign requests) from the subscription department at 508-970-3240. It is also available at the gallery for $32. Prices realized will be available at www.skinnerinc.com during and after the sale. Skinner's site also allows users to view all lots in the auctions, leave bids, order catalogs, and bid live in real-time through Skinner-Live. Click here to register for real-time bidding or call 508-970-3000.

 

About Skinner
Skinner, Inc. is one of the world’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art. With expertise in over 20 specialty collecting areas, Skinner draws the interest of buyers from all over the world and its auctions regularly achieve world record prices. Skinner provides a broad range of auction and appraisal services, and it is widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in the auction business. Skinner’s appraisal experts regularly appear on the PBS-TV series, Antiques Roadshow, and its specialty departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, American & European Paintings & Prints, European Furniture & Decorative Arts, 20th Century Design, Fine Ceramics, Fine Jewelry, Couture, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Works of Art, Fine Wines, Rare Books & Manuscripts, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographic Art, Fine Judaica, Antique Motor Vehicles, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Discovery and Science, Technology & Clocks. Skinner galleries are located in Boston and Marlborough, Mass. For more information on upcoming auctions and events, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com.

 

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