NHADA Americana & Folk Art auction slated for Oct. 15

Mercedes and James Hutchinson hooked motto rug, circa 1940s, wool and cotton, estimate $1,500-$2,000

NEW YORK – The New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association will conduct an online auction of Americana and folk art consigned by members of the prestigious organization on Thursday, October 15 through Jasper52. In total, 368 lots will be offered, including early textiles (quilts, samplers, table covers), gameboards, ceramics, rugs, advertising signs, tramp art, baskets, primitives and much more. Bid absentee or live online exclusively through LiveAuctioneers.

High-quality hooked rugs are among the most sought-after items in the Americana-collecting hobby. Lot 155, a Hutchinson motto rug (shown at top of page), was created around the 1940s by the well-documented collectors and hooked rug designers Mercedes and James Hutchinson. Their works always contain some sort of wry wording about male/female or family relationships. This particular rug was crafted from wool and cotton and bears the message: “Dreams that sustain me again & again doth 4 wonderful man seek my hand & my heart and then I wake & he will depart, will it ever be thus?”

The Hutchinsons wrote many reference books about historical hooked rugs, and their designs are held in many museum collections. The rug offered by Jasper52 comes with excellent provenance, having been pictured in one of their books books. Each Hutchinson rug is a unique creation.

Kicking mule shooting gallery target attributed to A.J. Smith Co., which was sold to Evans Co., Chicago, in 1923. Iron, 23.5 x 23in., mounted on metal base for display. Estimate $2,500-$3,000

Shooting gallery targets, which were once a staple at late 19th- and early 20th-century arcades, carnivals and midways across America, have been “knocking down” incredible prices lately. The October 15 NHADA sale includes an excellent example attributed to A.J. Smith Co., which was purchased by Evans Co., of Chicago in 1923. The target is in the form of a mule that measures 23.5 by 23 inches, with free-moving rear legs that would kick up if the target was hit. This large and rare item is expected to sell for $2,500-$3,000.

An excellent, all-original circa-1880 American painted Parcheesi game board measures 18 inches square and boasts excellent paint and an appealing folk art motif. The board is ex Kolar collection and is illustrated in the book The Art of the Game, by Tim Chambers. Estimate: $2,000-$2,500.

American painted Parcheesi game board, circa 1880, 18in square. Estimate $2,000-$2,500

The New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association auction of Americana and folk art will be conducted by Jasper52 on Thursday, October 15, beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern time. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.