DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. – Pook & Pook Inc. will sell the outstanding lifelong collection of Richard and Joane Smith on Saturday, Oct. 30, beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern. As veteran collectors, Richard and Joane amassed exceptional pieces of painted furniture and accessories, carvings, fraktur, textiles, baskets and pottery. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.

The Smiths were known for their scholarship, historic community involvement and impeccable taste. Richard Smith passed away in 2001 and Joane in the summer of this year.

Painted furniture still retains the unwavering attention of many collectors. One object that many bidders will be excited to see is the famous “Detuk” schrank. This highly important Berks County, Pa., painted schrank is inscribed “17 Philip Detuk 75”. The exceptional small size and vibrant blue, red, green, yellow and salmon original painted surface make it one of if not the finest example. Another Berks County piece that will attract many bidders is a decorated hanging cupboard. The raised panel door has tulip corners and a central stylized tulip tree, flanked by dark blue and red half columns and the single drawer has bold stylized flowers and salmon half columns. It is estimated at $50,000-$80,000.

A Pennsylvania walnut Dutch cupboard, circa 1780 makes a bold statement with its fluted pilasters, brass H hinges, ogee bracket feet and very pleasing small size (Est. $30,000-$50,000). A Lancaster County, Pa., Queen Anne walnut tall-case clock attributed to Mollinger is an outstanding piece. The flattop bonnet encloses a works with a painted iron dial, pewter chapter ring and spandrels over a case with a door inlaid “Anno 1755” above a marquetry bird perched on a flowering tree (est. $25,000-$35,000). Many other interesting furniture items are included in the sale from tavern tables to painted chests of drawers to Windsor chairs.

A variety of local carvings primarily from the 19th and 20th centuries will be offered. Richard Smith worked with the Machmers on the source book “Just for Nice” with documented Pennsylvania German folk art woodcarving and carvers. Parrots by “Schtockschnitzler” Simmons, roosters by John Reber, horses by Peter Brubaker, a Virginville Carver bird and two Deco-Tex birds are examples of some of these carvings.

The Smiths had a wonderful eye for those little small “gems” in many categories of Pennsylvania decorative arts including redware, stoneware, painted boxes, fraktur and baskets. The sale begins with one of three painted boxes by the “compass artist”. The first retains an unusual variation of tulip petals and pinwheels on a brilliant blue background. Another decorated box made by Jacob Weber for his great granddaughter Elisabeth Mosser is an important piece with stylized flowers and landscape with house and trees on a dark blue ground. A myriad of small vivid wallpaper boxes in fine condition will be offered. An unusual, possibly unique chalkware figural group of a fireman and his wife with original red, yellow and black decoration is estimated at $5,000-$10,000. Joane was known as the “basket lady” and many fine rye straw and split oak baskets with be offered. Figural redware was central to their collection. Highlights in this group will include a Pennsylvania redware recumbent dog clutching a whiskey jug, another with a basket in its mouth, a Pennsylvania sander in the form of a seated man with a dog at his feet and a Pennsylvania figure of an elephant with orange and yellow glazing.

Several pieces of bright cobalt decorated stoneware will attract attention. An impressive John Bell harvest jug inscribed “Waynesboro PA May 12th 1860” and stamped “John Bell” is an important piece to come on the market together with a presentation pitcher incised “Steve Simmons” and inscribed “Made by P.H. Groody April 16th 1877” with cobalt bird decoration.

Other little “gems” include betty lamps by Peter Derr, bold slipware, a charming Pennsylvania watch hutch, a small mermaid fraktur, Lehn boxes and many other objects.

For further information contact Pook & Pook by e-mail at info@pookandpook.com or call 610-269-4040.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE