Mirror with great provenance reflects well on McInnis Dec. 18 sale

AMESBURY, Mass. – John McInnis Auctioneers will present an on-site estate auction under a heated tent at the Round Plain Farm in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts, a long time Loring family home, on Saturday, December 18. The sale will feature early American period antiques, paintings, Oriental rugs and Chinese porcelain. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

“It was such an honor to work with the distinguished Family and be able to handle their treasures going back generations,” said Dan Meader, Gallery Director.

“For instance, I was pleasantly shocked to see Lot 1, an extraordinarily grand Federal mirror that graced the landing of the grand staircase, only to find out that it had descended from Salem Massachusetts’s Nathaniel Bowditch, who was often credited as the founder of modern maritime navigation at the beginning of the 19th century.” The monumental and impressive convex mirror carries an estimate of $20,000-$40,000.

The auction features a selection of family portraits, most notably a 19th-century work credited to Spiridione Gambardella. The portrait, which depicts Elizabeth Peabody, is not only grand in size but grand in style down to the flowers sitting on the table. It is estimated at $8,000-$12,000.

Furniture offerings include a Federal style mahogany breakfront crowned by a beautifully carved American eagle. Its estimate is $6,000-$12,000.

Lots steeped in history are led by a 1796 ship’s passport signed by George Washington as president, and Secretary of State Timothy Pickering, who is an ancestor of the consignor. The 18th-century passport is estimated at $7,500-$15,000.

The auction also features pieces from the Arts and Crafts Era, such as a potting stand with 24 Grueby tiles decorating its top surface. It has an estimate of $2,000-$4,000.

 

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