Sideboard and Punch Bowl Lead New England Holiday Sales

A winning bidder gave thanks for this Federal sideboard, which fetched $17,600 at William Smith.

PLAINFIELD, N.H. - On November 25, a Federal sideboard sold for $17,600 at the annual Thanksgiving auction conducted by William Smith Auctions. The sideboard had an overall "D" shape form with recessed ends sometimes referred to bookends.

"We believe this sideboard is from New England since the form was often used in that area," said William G. Smith. "The inlay is extensive and varied, but also consistent with variations that are found in New England."

And in Lynnfield, Mass., on November 26, a monumental Rose Mandarin punch bowl sold for $9,900 to a phone bidder at Kaminski Auctioneers and Appraisers' annual Thanksgiving weekend auction. "Our Chinese porcelain consultant stated that this bowl was First Period and of the finest quality. It came from a great estate of a Wellesley woman," Kaminski commented.

Kaminski's unusual Rose Mandarin punch bowl reached $9,900.

The bowl was exceptional in size, form, and decoration. It had a diameter of some 23 inches, and was almost nine inches deep. The upper body had a slight outward curve that gave way to steep, almost vertical sides before curving inward toward the foot. That large vertical space provided a huge surface for decoration.

The bowl was decorated with four panels rather than the six or eight panels more commonly seen on Mandarin porcelain. Two of the panels were decorated with scenes from Chinese life. The other two panels were decorated with central medallions surrounded with fine decorative motifs drawn from nature.

Bob Jackman will provide full reports of both sales in an upcoming issue of Antiques and The Arts Weekly.