MOUNT CRAWFORD, Va. – On Saturday, June 26, 2010 Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates conducted its semiannual catalogued auction of Americana, Fine Antiques & Decorative Arts. Internet live bidding was provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.
The 567-lot auction included material formerly in the collection of Dr. E. R. Eller (curator, Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, from 1949-1969), deaccessioned material from a Virginia institution, as well as fresh offerings from the Hilda Fried estate of New York City, and numerous Shenandoah Valley estates and several private Virginia collections.
The sale’s star lot was a two-piece Pennsylvania paint-decorated poplar Dutch cupboard from the Eller collection that retained its original two-tone grain painted surface. In excellent condition with no replacements or major repairs, the cupboard sold to a telephone bidder for $17,250. All prices quoted in this report include a 15% buyer’s premium.
Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates is one of the few auction houses that offer an in-house packing and shipping service, carefully preparing all but excessively large objects for transport across the country and around the world, but the packing crew undoubtedly breathed a collective sigh of relief when a floor bidder won lot 409, a pair of French palace urns marked for manufacturer Samson Porcelain Works. Each Chinese-style covered urn, with extensive chinoiserie polychrome decoration and gilt highlights, measured 19 inches in diameter and 30 inches high. Despite a rim chip and light hairline to one urn, this monumental pair achieved an astounding $13,800.
Wasting no time in climbing to $10,925 was a circa 1825, signed “Jacob Eby/Manheim” Pennsylvania mahogany and cherry tall-case clock that stood 102 inches high. It had its original weights, pendulum and winding key and was adorned by an American sailing ship on its moon phase dial.
An 89-inch-tall Shenandoah Valley of Virginia Federal inlaid cherry tall-case clock, which was in “very good as-found condition,” brought $7,475; and a 91-inch Pennsylvania Queen Anne walnut tall-case clock sans weights and in unknown working order, realized $5,750.
Two Maryland pieces each achieved $6,900: an oil-on-canvas portrait painting and a cast-iron stove plate. In its original frame, the colorful circa 1840 painting was attributed to John Beale Bordley II, who beautifully captured the innocence of four Burroughs children and a family kitten. According to the provenance note, the portrait had been purchased from a descendant of the Burroughs family of Croom, Maryland (Prince George’s County). The extremely rare Rock Forge Furnace (Washington County, Maryland) stove plate decorated with columned arches, tulips, stars and hearts, was inscribed “D:S Hughes,” “Fornace,” and “1771.” Recently discovered in Charlottesville, Va., the stove plate was in outstanding condition.
Four folk art watercolors on paper from the Eller consignment resulted in impressive prices. All were colorful, primitive-style depictions of rural life by Hattie Klapp Brunner (1889-1982), an artist commonly referred to as “The Pennsylvania Grandma Moses.” A winter scene featured a covered bridge in snow, $1,265; while the other three were richly hued autumn views with subjects that included a train traveling through a small town ($1,725), a red covered bridge ($2,875) and a quaint country auction ($3,220). Other notable artwork included an oil on canvas titled Herder with Sheep by William J. Hyett (Pittsburgh, 1876-1952) that was signed by the artist and dated 1910 ($2,415), and an unframed oil on board titled Valley Falls, Alleghany Co., VA on verso and signed “G. Emmolt / 1877” ($1,955).
Two 19th-century silk on linen needlework samplers were excellent buys at $2,070 – one wrought by Mary W. Moon of Albemarle County, Va., (lot 246) and the other by Annie E. Giles who was possibly from Maryland.
A tiny, 3-inch x 2¼-inch brightly colored Pennsylvania watercolor and ink on paper fraktur drawing of a bird perched on a tulip realized $1,380; a tall price for a piece that was about the size of a credit card. While examining the bible of Henry Erb (1808-1885) of Manheim, Pa., that had been consigned for the auction by Erb family descendants, Jeff Evans discovered the circa 1830 unframed watercolor tucked away within the pages; the period pencil inscription on the back explains that it had been received as a nineteenth birthday gift.
Other items of note included an 8½-inch x 6¾-inch Italian micromosaic Grand Tour plaque from the Fried estate ($1,725), a Merrick’s Six Cord oak revolving spool cabinet, patented July 20, 1897 ($1,610), a Swiss Vacheron & Constantin 18K gold case pocket watch in excellent running condition ($1,495), and an 8-gallon, two-handled stoneware jar stamped “W. H. Lehew & Co. / Strasburg, VA – the largest Lehew jar recorded to date ($3,335).
Upcoming 2010 sales at Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates include Antique Sewing (Aug. 28 and Dec. 4), Early American Pattern Glass (Sept. 25 and 26) and Early American Glass and Lighting (Oct. 23). LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding for all of these sales. For additional information, call 540-434-3939 or e-mail info@jeffreysevans.com.
Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.
ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
