American silver took top billing at Pook & Pook Inc’s two-day auction of Americana over the weekend of April 24. Items consigned from two Pennsylvania educational institutions, the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., and numerous estates, including Dr John William Boor, Meredith Schuibbeo and Myrtle Queer, attracted a great deal of attention from a national audience of bidders.
A selection of paintings, silver and Russian enameled works were among the offerings during the Friday evening portion of the sale, followed by country Americana on Saturday.
The sale got off to a quick start on Friday evening with the opening lot of the auction, a George Webster oil on canvas depicting the HMS Victory entering Portsmouth Harbor, selling above estimates at $11,115.
A short while later, an amusing oil on paper painting depicting a small dog keeping a leery and watchful eye on a small chick was sold, with it tripling the presale estimate. By Ben Austrian, the painting left the block at $9,360. Another Austrian painting, this one depicting the more traditional hen and chicks for which the artist is so well known, brought $11,700.
Several pieces of Disney art found their way into the auction, with a cel from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , depicting Snow White trimming the crust of a pie while various birds await the crumbs selling at $3,042.
Other art included a Johann Berthelsen oil on board titled “Broad Street †Winter Morgan Bank †Stock Exchange” that went out at the high estimate at $7,200. A Thomas Craig oil on canvas of cows crossing a country path realized $4,212, while a Ralph Dunkelberger oil of a covered bridge with boys riding their bikes brought $5,148.
A cache of Russian silver and enameled pieces found its way into the sale and interest came from near and far. The top lot of the 50-plus pieces was a covered chalice bearing the mark of Fedor Ruckert, circa 1900. The lid of the chalice was topped with a double-headed Russian Imperial eagle finial. Bidding on the lot was brisk, with it selling at $9,945.
A large Russian silver and enamel tankard marked M. Ovchinnikov also attracted a good deal of interest, with it hammering down at $5,850. A silver and enamel kovsh with applied cabochons sold at $4,680, as did a silver and enameled perfume bottle with cabochon inlaid finial.
Also sold was an addenda lot, a set of 12 Russian Imperial porcelain plates with cobalt borders and floral decorated centers that realized $8,775.
The selection of American and European silver was hotly contested, resulting in the top lot of the auction coming from the category. “It came from an estate that had been put in storage,” commented James Pook, who, along with his father Ron Pook, is the American and European furniture specialist at the auction gallery. “It was absolutely black when we found it and we came back from storage with an incomplete set, with just three pieces from the tea service.” Feeling that something was missing, Pook reported going back and, after a lengthy search, the fourth piece was unearthed.
The rare tea service was by Carlisle, Penn., maker George Hendel. “Hollowware pieces by Hendel are exceedingly rare,” commented Pook. Only one other intact tea service is known, which now resides at the Cumberland County Historical Society. The set offered included a coffee pot, tea pot, covered sugar urn and a creamer. Estimated at $40/60,000, bids came from all over the gallery, with it selling at $93,600.
A rare pair of silver sauce boats with arching handles ending in drooping tulips were by Philadelphia maker Thomas Fletcher, circa 1820. Another of the silver lots to handily exceed estimate, the lot was hammered down at $14,040. A rare silver lighthouse-form teapot by New York City maker Jacob Marius Groen, circa 1730, also did well, selling at $11,115.
Furniture has yet to find its footing, as exemplified by numerous examples that either failed to find buyers or sold quite reasonably. An exception was a massive French oak refectory table that measured more than 15 feet in length. Consigned from the Bethlehem Steel collection, the Seventeenth Century table sold above estimate at $35,100.
A central Pennsylvania painted dower chest thought to have been made in either York or Dauphin County with paint decorated arched panels and crescent moons was one of the American furniture highlights of the auction, although it failed to meet the $15/25,000 presale estimate.
A Chester County “Octorara” tall chest with three arched short drawers, over two, over a graduated set of four drawers was supported by a nicely shaped pierced ogee bracket base. Consigned from the estate of Dr. John William Boor, the rare tall chest went out reasonably at $4,320.
A Philadelphia Classical Empire mahogany center table resting on paw feet sold above estimates at $4,914, while a set of six Chippendale dining chairs thought to have been made in Virginia sold at $3,744.
Paint decorated furniture included a Berks County dower with elaborate tombstone panels decorated with a horse and rider and stylized tulips that went for $7,020, while a Mahantongo Valley chest of drawers with green drawer fronts on a salmon case realized $5,850.
Numerous tall case clocks were offered with a Chester County example by Isaac Chandlee Nottingham leading the way. The Chippendale cherry clock, with a provenance of Phillip Bradley, sold for $23,400. A Philadelphia Federal walnut tall case clock signed “Daniel Oyster, Reading” sold at $11,115, while a Queen Anne tall case clock with a face inscribed “John Barr, Glasgow” sold at $7,020.
Pottery did well, with a rare five-color spatterware platter soaring past the $8/12,000 presale estimate as it brought an impressive $39,780. A rare stoneware watercolor in the shape of a flower pot and marked “Wells and Richards, Reading” sold at $11,115, while an early and large redware plate with sgraffito decoration brought $8,190.
Other interesting accessories included a pair of Philadelphia Federal andirons attributed to Daniel King, circa 1790, that sold for $25,740. A similarly styled pair of andirons, also with the rope twist shaft and ball and claw feet, were by an unknown maker, New York or Philadelphia, circa 1790, and they sold at $10,530.
Somewhat out of place in the auction, although recognized by several in the crowd, a pale celadon green jade Eighteenth Century Qing dynasty Mughal bowl was actively bid. The rare thin-walled bowl was carved with scrolling tendrils on the exterior and a central carved decoration of blossom motif surrounded by panels on the interior. Provenance listed the collection of John Jacob Raskob, the New York financier who founded GMAC and was the builder of the Empire State Building. Bidding on the lot was brisk, with it selling at $39,780.
Prices include the buyer’s premium charged. For further information 610-269-4040, or www.pookandpook.com .
