|
17th Century Chest Tops Americana Auction at Skinner
Bolton, MA - June 15, 2001 Skinner, Inc., a leading full-service
auctioneer and appraiser of antiques and fine art, held an auction of American
Furniture and Decorative Arts at its Bolton gallery on June 10, 2001. A 17th
century oak and white pine paneled and joined chest from Salem, Massachusetts
topped the auction, consigned by a New England museum and purchased on the telephone
by a private buyer for an impressive $189,500. The auction was highly successful
overall, grossing in excess of $1.8 million for the day. Said department director
and executive vice president, Stephen Fletcher, "We’re extremely pleased with
today’s results, which demonstrate that the Americana market is alive and very
well." Added CEO Karen Keane, "The sale’s success demonstrated Skinner’s ongoing
ability to offer fine examples of American furniture and decorative arts."
The auction offered a number of pieces of furniture bearing construction and
form similarities to well-known cabinetmakers making attributions to their work
possible. These included a cherry and pine oxbow chest of drawers from the East
Windsor/Hartford, Connecticut area attributed to George Belden, William Flagg,
or Erastus Grant of the Chapin School, 1790-1810. This piece, with old surface
and original pulls, attracted significant attention, ultimately selling to a
telephone bidder for $90,500. A Chippendale carved tiger maple slant-lid desk
made in Massachusetts, 1760-80 sold for $76,200, a painted and grained chest
over drawers made in Tyringham Massachusetts signed "Solomon Garfield 1840,"
sold for $43,700, and a Queen Anne cherry carved dressing table made in the
Wethersfield County, Connecticut area, 1750-80, sold for $43,125.
Other furniture included a Federal mahogany veneer desk/bookcase and a Queen
Anne maple and tiger maple high chest of drawers that sold for $29,900 each,
a Queen Anne tiger maple, white pine, and beech chest on frame that sold for
$25,300, and a Chippendale cherry upholstered open armchair and a Queen Anne
cherry carved high chest that sold for $20,700 each. A Queen Anne maple slat
back armchair with the arched slats, square faced cabriole legs and "crook t"
feet known to be the work of Solomon Fussell, a Philadelphia chair maker from
1738-1751, sold high for $20,700, and a Federal cherry and bird’s-eye maple
inlaid chest of drawers attributed to Spooner and Fitts of Athol, Massachusetts
reached $17,250.
The sizable offering of mirrors was highlighted by a Federal oval giltwood
and wire looking glass with gilded foliate and floral elements that cascaded
from the finial. It appeared to be American and to be in original condition;
and it drew intense competition from several telephone bidders, finally selling
for $24,150. Clock offerings were led by a Federal mahogany inlaid tall case
clock by Simon Willard of Roxbury, Massachusetts that brought $36,800, and a
mahogany lighthouse alarm timepiece attributed to Simon Willard that sold for
$37,375.
Additional highlights in the auction included a miniature grain painted pine
chest over drawer that soared above expectations, selling for $32,200. A wool
needlework sewing pocket brought $20,700, a Lincoln Johnson presidential campaign
flag, c. 1864, sold for $13,800, and two Antonio Jacobsen portraits of the screw
steamers "Arizona" and "Cape Breton," dated 1880 and 1894 respectively sold
for $10,350 and $11,500 respectively. A painted copper leaping horse weather
vane attributed to A.L. Jewell & Co., Waltham, Massachusetts realized $21,850,
a 19th century painted copper pig weather vane $10,925, and a pair
of mid-19th century bronze smooth bore muzzle-loading cannon $10,350.
A list of all prices realized at the auction can be viewed at www.skinnerinc.com.
Skinner’s next auction of American furniture and decorative arts will be held
in Bolton on August 12. For more information, call 978-779-6241, or fax 978-779-5144.
Back to list of Press Releases
|
