CINCINNATI, OH — Freeman’s Hindman has launched its latest catalog, titled Collect: American Furniture and Decorative Arts. Scheduled for Wednesday, October 9, the sale includes 284 lots of classic decor from the 18th and 19th centuries, documenting American history through how its inhabitants lived. Early bidding is now open at LiveAuctioneers.

Described by the auction house as ‘Four Fancy Chairs of Political Interest,’ the quartet are believed to be from the Ohio Valley and date to the third quarter of the 19th century. Each cane-bottomed chair is painted yellow with gilt highlights and the crest rails feature a portrait of a political figure. They include Isaac Shelby (1750-1826), George Wythe (1726-1806), and presidents William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) and James K. Polk (1795-1849).

Freeman’s Hindman believes the four chairs are from a larger set, though they note such a grouping has yet to be recorded. The set is estimated at $8,000-$12,000.

Three of the four — Shelby, Harrison, and Polk — rose to prominence in Kentucky, Indiana Territory, and Tennessee, respectively, serving as governors of each state. Harrison and Polk would go on to serve as the ninth and eleventh Presidents of the United States. Wythe, a lawyer and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, lived his entire life in Virginia and mentored Thomas Jefferson, Henry Clay, and other notables from US history.

Also of interest is the occupational shaving mug once belonging to Vito Strammello, an oyster shucker. On the custom-decorated mug, Strammello is depicted standing at a counter removing oysters from their shells, surrounded by mignonette sauce and other vinaigrettes. Dating to the late 19th or early 20th century, the 3.75in tall mug is estimated at $600-$800.