PRINCETON, N.J. – A pre-auction exhibition of important china and porcelain pieces created by Trenton, New Jersey ceramics manufacturers of the 19th century is being held Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 22 and 23 in Princeton. The items are on display both days from 11 am. to 5 p.m. at Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart, 1128 Great Road, Princeton, NJ 08540. A “farewell to Princeton” reception is planned from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday evening. Refreshments will be served.
The antique ceramic wares were made by such fabled Trenton companies as Lenox, Ceramic Art Co. (CAC), and Willets Belleek. All are part of a larger selection of antique decorative art, silver, jewelry and watches from the private collections and remaining inventory of The Silver Shop. The prestigious retail establishment closed in July after 77 years of continuous operation on Princeton’s Palmer Square. All goods will be auctioned on Sept. 27-28 and Oct. 11-12 at the Material Culture gallery in Philadelphia.
Among the special highlights on display are pieces with a Princeton theme, including a large, circa-1893 Princeton Tigers Football Team tankard hand-painted by W.H. Clayton for Ceramic Art company Lenox of Trenton. Other auction lots of Trenton manufacture include full sets of china, a set of plates with an orchid motif, a CAC candleholder, and a large porcelain vase on which the artist Hans Nosek painted an elegant portrait of his wife.
Also having a Princeton connection are two very rare sets of Wedgwood (England) plates painted with images of all the major buildings on the Princeton University campus. These particular sets will be sold during the October 11-12 auction sessions.
A Princeton “institution,” The Silver Shop was frequented by three generations of Princetonians, virtually every New Jersey governor since 1937, and scores of celebrities – from Einstein to Springsteen.
The public is cordially invited to view the exhibition and attend the reception.
For additional information about the exhibition, reception or any item in the auction, call Nic Holland at 215-438-4700.
View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.LiveAuctioneers.com .
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