PITTSFIELD, Mass. – On Monday, October 12, Willis Henry Auctions will hold their much-anticipated 35th Shaker Auction on the grounds of Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
Willis Henry holds the record for obtaining the highest price for Shaker furniture at auction – a Shaker desk made by Orren Haskins, ex Ed Clerk collection, which they sold for $491,400. This year’s auction will include a wonderful array of Shaker furniture from various consignors, including the Estate of Ed Clerk.
One interesting showpiece is a blue double cupboard over drawers (shown at top), which was a built-in from a community building. Ed’s estate had several other varieties of antique cupboards, such as a rare step-back cupboard, a tall double-door top and bottom cupboard, and a cupboard over drawers with a wonderful provenance and handsome apron on the bottom.
Another estate represented in the sale is that of Charles Sheeler, a well-known Philadelphia art curator and founder of the Fabric Workshop and Museum. He also ran Kamp Kippy in Maine for up-and-coming and established contemporary artists.
Charles Sheeler influenced Marion “Kippy” Bolton Stroud with his paintings showing the architectural graphic lines of Shaker furniture. A few of her pieces include: a stunning 9-foot-long trestle table in cherry and figured maple from one of the earlier communities (possibly Hancock), a rare Enfield, NH meeting house bench, and another longer bench. The auction also includes a rare pair of Shaker beds with iron fitted “boots” holding rotating wheels, which ensured easy floor-cleaning.
Joanne Wombalt, and her late husband Jonathan Wadleigh, discovered Shaker around 1983. They had many adventures in their search around New England and as far south as New Jersey. Jonathan wanted one of everything. Joanne liked form and things that were unique, such as drawers on different sides. Joanne explained that she and her husband were very impressed with the Shaker craftsmanship. As they advanced their collection they leaned toward picking woods they loved, with matched drawers and panels. Some wonderful pieces being offered include a magnificent Sister’s sewing desk in butternut with original porcelain knobs, and a tiger maple Sister’s sewing stand with a pair of flanking under-hung dovetailed drawers with yellow/red wash.
An interesting use of wood is displayed in a tailoring counter with doors and drawers using light and dark woods to offset each other. This piece is from Groveland, New York and is from a longtime collector. Shakers were also masters of finishing wood with beautiful colors of paint and used stains of color to transcend the wood into an entirely different look. Usually this was done on plainer woods such as pine. A good example is a three-drawer blanket chest with a simple curved arched base in red stain on pine. Another unusual piece from Sabbathday Lake, Maine, is a pine Sister’s sewing stand with an unusual reddish orange finish, circa 1830.
This auction features some wonderful oval boxes, and an unusual amount of rare Shaker carriers. Also, a rare round red box that belonged to the late Don Emerich – head of the NY State Transportation Commission and an avid scholar of Shaker who helped Faith Andrews with her Smithsonian exhibit. Almost all of these boxes and carriers – which come from several different collections – have beautiful painted finishes in the Shaker color palette.
An interesting part of the auction is a collection of Shaker spiritual writings. One is in the form of a leaf done by Polly Ann Reed, to Eliza Sharp on June 12th, 1844. Another is a card of love from blessed Mother Ann to Eliza Sharp, January, 25, 1843, done by Sarah Bates. A very small and delicate spiritual booklet was given to Eliza Sharp on January 7, 1842, from the words of Father James, Mother Ann, Father William, Elder Sister Olive, and Mother Lucy, and presented to “Eliza Mother’s dutiful child” with love and blessings of Father Joseph.
Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers. For additional information on any item in the auction, call 781-834-7774 and speak with Willis or Karel Henry.