Overflowing with neat and colorful things, the personal collection of the late Sally Schell Whittemore was warmly received by collectors and dealers alike at Skinner’s August 9 Americana auction, the first sale of country material to be conducted at the auction house’s new auction facility. Active bidding and strong prices were achieved throughout the day for the 750-plus lots offered in the various owners auction; it was especially noted, however, during the first 213 lots that comprised the Whittemore collection.
Whittemore’s collection was a mirror image of the Americana dealer as it was filled to the brim with attractive, fanciful and fun items. Each spoke boldly, and Sally’s tastes were plainly displayed with wonderfully painted cupboards, chests, pantry boxes and baskets prevalent, a good collection of blue decorated stoneware and, naturally, her prized Skookum dolls.
“Sally was known in the business as a top dealer in vintage holiday and early American antiques; her reputation for integrity on paint, surface and form was unquestioned. Extremely knowledgeable and forthright in her opinions, Sally helped many collectors appreciate the nuances of the market and the material,” stated the foreword in the auction’s catalog.
Collections within her collection also rewarded buyers, such as her group of 28 delightful miniature shoe-form pin cushions, $5,629; large groups of homespun linens, $119 to $3,081; a group of ten graduated redware jugs, $2,015; and the previously mentioned 56 Skookum Indian dolls, $2,607.
The auction opened with a red painted pine three-tier wall shelf that would set the tone for the day, with it selling well above the $600/800 presale estimate, bringing $1,304. Two small framed samplers did well, selling at $2,015, yet the top needlework lot from the collection came moments later when an example dated 1799 and executed in silk was offered. The small piece, 8 by 11 inches, had a floral border and scene below with flowers and a grazing goat. Bidding quickly surpassed the $2,5/3,500 presale estimate, with the lot hammering down at $5,333.
Painted furniture included an apple-green painted cupboard with a single drawer above two blind doors. A bold cutout base gave the diminutive case piece an attractive look, and it brought $4,444.
A painted wall shelf with boldly scrolled sides carried a presale estimate of $600/800, yet when the dust had settled, the lot realized $7,703.
Several cupboards in paint attracted attention, with a diminutive red-stained pine corner cupboard leading the way at $7,100. A large step back cupboard in red paint went out at $5,925, while a blue-green painted step back cupboard with upper and lower blind doors fetched $2,370.
A country slant front desk in red paint sold at $3,318, while an early dry sink, also in red, brought $2,726.
Smalls did quite well, with a small light blue painted turned wooden bowl measuring less than 8 inches across selling at $3,437; a larger bowl in blue, 13 inches in diameter, brought $3,318; and a similar sized bowl in red realized $1,067.
The top lot of the stoneware offered was a small Cowden and Wilcox 1-gallon covered jar with cobalt decoration of a swimming duck that sold for $1,896. A small stoneware handled jug, 7 inches tall, with large cobalt floral decoration was also well received, bringing $1,778.
Sally’s collection of homespun contained a couple of sleepers as the first lot of 12 articles, estimated at $300/500, sold at $178, another lot with the same estimate brought $119, and yet another, containing 12 blankets, realized $533. Eyebrows were raised when one lot of 13 pieces of fabric sold at $1,659, and even more so when a lot of 11 handkerchiefs and dishcloths blew away the estimates as one bidder wiped up the competition with a final bid of $3,081.
The marquee lot of Sally’s collection, also the cover lot, was a rare redware plate boldly decorated in slip with “Sally.” The coggle-rim plate handily exceeded estimate on its way to a selling price of $5,925.
Items of interest from the various owners portion of the auction included another good selection of furniture; however, the top lot of the sale was unusual in sorts. A benchmade Chippendale Dunlap-style tiger and bird’s-eye maple secretary desk made by Donald Dunlap, co-author with Phillip Zea of The Dunlap Cabinetmakers, was an attractive piece with all of the bells and whistles that one would expect from a stellar period Dunlap form. Estimated at $5/7,000, the late Twentieth Century piece hammered down at $21,330.
Other furniture included a William and Mary gate leg table in a pleasing old finish that sold for $7,100, while a Queen Anne tiger maple table with a shaped top and pad feet brought $5,333.
A handsome tiger maple five-drawer chest on a bracket base sold for $3,437, and a good-looking painted washstand hammered down at $2,963.
A Joshua Wilder, Hingham, Mass., tall case clock with inlaid case and painted dial did well, selling between estimate at $17,775.
Several weathervanes were offered, with a molded copper and zinc cow vane leading the way at $9,480. A large gilded rooster Fiske weathervane did well at $8,295; the same price was paid for an unusual gilded copper schooner vane that was flying an American flag.
Other items of interest included a redware grotesque face jug that measured only 6½ inches tall. The rare jug, estimated at $100/150, took off as bidders chased the lot to $10,665. Another lot, containing five items, including another grotesque face jug, shot past the $250/350 estimates to bring $8,295.
A lot that surprised many in the crowd was an early heart-shaped valentine on cardboard that depicted a bust of a woman with roses. Estimated at $150/250, the piece had some condition problems, listed with toning and foxing, yet when it finally left the auction block, it achieved $4,148.
A scratch-built wooden train with three cars was another of the lots to tempt the crowd. In wonderful original paint with scrolled decoration, the train sold at $4,740.
Two hooked rugs caught the attention of the crowd, with a large example measuring 4 feet in length and decorated with a basket of flowers selling at $5,333, while another rug measuring just over 3 feet in length and decorated with two cats brought $5,036.Prices include the buyer’s premium. For further information, www.skinnerinc.com or 508-970-3000.
