DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. – On Oct. 2, Pook & Pook will host the second day of its fall catalog auction. The auction will encompass a myriad of objects to include fine art, American and Continental furniture, carpets, jewelry, American Indian artifacts and decorative accessories. Items from five educational institutions together with estates including H. Richard Dietrich Jr. of Chester Springs, Pa., Naomi David of York, Pa., Anna Deisher of Bowers, Pa., The Stottlemyer Homestead of Frederick, Md., and others will be sold. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.
The sale will begin at 9 a.m. Eastern on Saturday with 50 lots of fine art. On the cover of the catalog is a scene of three waifs by artist John George Brown (American 1831-1913). The painting, titled The Monopolist, depicts the boy seated in the middle with a cookie and pastry, the other two looking longingly on. It has a $35,000-$55,000 estimate. Four oil on canvas paintings by Yarnall Abbott (American 1870-1938) are from the William L. Clements Library at the University of Michigan. All are scenes from the New England shore, one titled Dry Dock Rockport and another Stone Cutting Halibut Point. From the Stottlemeyer Homestead comes a grouping of Impressionist landscapes and cityscapes by Edgar Hewitt Nye (District of Columbia, 1879-1943). A preliminary pencil sketch for work done at East Point Lighthouse, New Jersey, by Andrew Newell Wyeth is estimated at $5,000-$10,000. Several other examples of American art include an oil on board by William Aiken Walker, a coastal scene by Arthur Quartley, an interior scene depicting a Revolutionary War soldier bidding farewell to his wife by Jennie Augusta Brownscombe and a scene titled Little Nell and her Grandfather by Eugene Meeks. An oil and mixed media on board by Guatemalan artist Elmar Rojas (est. $4,000-$6,000) will attract attention. Other works include a landscape depicting Emperor Franz Joseph by Wilhelm Gause, an oil on panel of children playing by Giovanni Constantini, a still life by Hugo Charlemont and an interior scene attributed to Enoch Wood Petry.
Two 18th-century chairs will draw the attention of collectors, museums and dealers. An important Chester County, Pa., walnut wainscot armchair descended in the Lewis family and has a provenance of Titus Geesey, who purchased it in 1932. This chair has a boldly scroll-cut crest rail, arched panel back, exquisitely shaped and incised arms and turned front legs. Two similar chairs are in the collection at Winterthur and pictured in Forman’s American Seating Furniture 1630-1730. The chair in the Pook & Pook Inc. auction is expected to bring $75,000-$150,000). The other outstanding chair is a rare Chippendale carved mahogany hairy paw foot easy chair attributed to Charlestown, S.C., circa 1755. The front legs have extensive foliate c-scroll and bellflower carving with boldly carved hairy paw feet (est. $150,000-$350,000). Both of these chairs are considered important pieces of American furniture.
Thirteen tall-case clocks will cross the block during the session. A Philadelphia Federal mahogany example inscribed “Johnston & Lewis” has a broken arch bonnet and ebonized columns. A Chippendale walnut clock with a scalloped door and ogee bracket feet by John Michael of Hanover, Pa., and a Fredericktown, Md., clock inscribed “John Fesler” with a moon phase and French feet are two of the other examples.
Other interesting furniture items include a Philadelphia Federal mahogany canopy bed (est. $8,000-$12,000), a salmon grained Pennsylvania semi-tall chest (est. $6,000-$9,000), a Connecticut Queen Anne cherry highboy, circa 1765 (est. $5,000-$10,000), a pair of satinwood card tables (est. $4,000-$8,000) and a rare Baltimore Hepplewhite mahogany hunt board with paterae inlays (est. $4,000-$8,000).
Included in the sale are many fine objects from the estate of Aline B. Klussman of York, Pa. One of the highlights is a Lancaster County, Pa., dower chest dated 1794 attributed to the Compass Artist. The lid and façade are decorated with ivory tombstone panels featuring pinwheels and tulips on a red ground. This chest represents one of five known by this artist and is presently the only red example. It originally came from the collection of George E. von Nieda of Womelsdorf, Pa.
Much of the jewelry in the sale also comes from this estate. Sure to bring out the bidders is a platinum, diamond and emerald bracelet (est. $6,000-$8,000), a platinum and diamond engagement ring, Cartier rings and brooch, and several heavy gold charm bracelets. Other items from the Klussman estate are a pair of Isphahan carpets with wild animals and central sun medallions, a set of four China trade gouache on paper scenes of porcelain manufacturing, a Federal walnut tall chest and a Pennsylvania walnut slant-front desk.
A large group of American Indian artifacts from a Pennsylvania educational institution will be offered. This is the second collection of this material that Pook & Pook Inc. is selling, the first being a successful offering in June. These items include flint spades and spearheads, banner stones, ax heads, discoidals, plummets, pendants, catlinite pipes, slate bird stones and chert blades.
Contributions from nine estates represent a wide variety of goods. A group of silver from the estate of Diana Lucas, New England furniture and accessories from the estate of Gail Knapp, Dentzel carousel figures from the estate of Naomi David, wrought iron from the Dietrich American Foundation and furniture and accessories from the estate of H. Richard Dietrich Jr. are in the lineup.
Outstanding pen wipes from the well-known collection of Edwa Wise are worth noting. These ornate, whimsical pieces of folk art vary from a large pig to a mother and her pups to heart in hands and peacocks. A Hickory Dickory Dock mouse leather and felt wipe and a large turtle with penholder are great examples, together with an elaborate pen wipe with five birds perched atop heart petals.
A California textile collector is offering her fine group of chintz, Mennonite and appliqué quilts, and a Maine collector is offering a group of Worcester porcelain.
The accessory category is loaded with an assortment of diverse lots including Georgian knife boxes, painted folk art boxes, mirrors, Chinese export, Gaudy Dutch, weather vanes, Oriental rugs, redware, miniature stoneware and weaponry.
For details on this second catalog sale go to www.pookandpook.com or call (610) 269-4040.
ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
