“Don’t the people out there in the gallery know that the country is in a recession?” Ron Pook was asked during his auction of the Americana Collection of Richard and Rosemarie Machmer. “Not on this side of the river,” was his reply, and it seemed to be more than true. This well-known collection, long the envy of collectors and dealers alike, comprised 816 lots of strong Pennsylvania furniture, folk art and works of art, as well as a scattering of New England pieces and a good selection of Native American material.
Dick Machmer, in addition to his career in antiques, was also a lecturer, carver and appraiser. When speaking about his collection, he indicated that most of it came from families of the original owners and within a 50-mile radius of Berks County. He and his wife originally collected Victorian furniture for their first home, later collecting pieces from the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries for their new home in Hamburg, Penn. Dick, age 80, a native of Kutztown, Penn., died May 4, 2006, and Rosemarie, 80, a Hamburg native, died May 20, 2008.
“No question we were concerned for a couple of months before the sale, with the economy taking a bad turn almost every day, but we knew the sale was a strong one and we were very happy with the end results,” Ron said. The high estimate was $3.3 million, and the final number came in at $4,364,509, including the 17 percent buyer’s premium. All of the prices in the review include the buyer’s premium, as do the figures with the illustrations.
In the early part of the sale, a Pennsylvania one-drawer stand in walnut, turned splay legs, circa 1825, went for $7,020 against a high estimate of $1,200. Ron Pook indicated that this was his favorite piece in the sale, and, as in every other auction, it was just one of the many favorite pieces he seems to have. A few lots later, a Pennsylvania Chippendale tea table in walnut, circa 1770, 28½ inches high and 33½ inches in diameter, cabriole legs ending in ball and claw feet, sold for $18,720, well over the $8,000 high estimate.
A Pennsylvania tin reindeer cookie cutter, late Nineteenth Century, 8 inches high, brought $2,106; a carved and painted stallion with ivory-color mane and tail, stippled decorated body, by John Reber (Lehigh County, Penn., 1857‱938), sold within estimate for $16,380 to David Good/Sam Forsyth; a Philadelphia painted Friendship Fire Co. parade hat, Nineteenth Century, bearing the label James Remick, the front with a young woman grasping a tree trunk, 13½ inches in diameter, was estimated at $3/5,000 and sold for $15,210; and one of the Hattie Klapp Brunner (American, 1889‱982) paintings in the sale, a gouache farm scene, signed lower left and dated ’68, 18 by 26 inches, sold for $7,605, slightly over the high estimate, to a phone bidder.
Among the dower chests in the sale was lot 119, painted pine dated 1788 and inscribed “Diese Kist Gehert Mir Abraham Brubacher 1788/J.F. April den 22,” with center pinwheel flanked by parrots and horses on dark green ground. It measures 22¼ inches high, 48¼ inches wide, and is attributed to the workshop of Johann Flory of Lancaster County. It sold for $25,740, right in the middle of the estimate.
A Lancaster County miniature blanket chest in walnut, sulphur inlaid cartouche inscribed “17hh81” and measuring 8¾ inches high and 17¼ inches wide, sold to Harry Hartman for $9,945 against a high estimate of $5,000. A Pennsylvania stoneware pitcher, attributed to D.P. Shenfelder, Reading, Penn., cobalt floral decoration, 8¾ inches high, went for $3,510; an Amish center diamond quilt, early Twentieth Century, probably Lancaster County, 79 inches square, sold for $5,616; an Amish pineapple pattern quilt, early Twentieth Century, with red, blue, brown and green borders, 80 inches square, brought $5,850; and a Northampton County, Penn., ink and watercolor fraktur dated 1816, the central script flanked by eagles and potted tulips, 12 by 15¼ inches, went over the high $6,000 estimate, selling for $9,360.
A carved and painted Indian maiden cigar store figure, attributed to Samuel Robb, New York, circa 1900, with feathered headdress, her right arm raised with a bundle of cigars, 69 inches high, carried a high estimate of $20,000, and sold for $25,740. A painted dresser box by Jonas Weber (1810‱876), Lancaster County, Penn., the lid and sides with stylized flowers, the front with a house and lawn, all on a yellow ground, 3¼ inches high, 5 inches wide, sold at the high estimate for $12,870.
Lots of interest was shown in a rare Pennsylvania wrought iron eagle-form thread puller, early Nineteenth Century, 3¾ inches long, that carried an estimate of $500․1,000, and sold for $4,680. A set of five Pennsylvania wrought iron and brass utensils, mid-Nineteenth Century, stamped “J. Schmidt,” including a ladle, skimmer, two tasters and a flesh fork, also sold for $4,680, well over the high estimate of $1,500. Interest continued with the sale of a Pennsylvania wrought iron ladle dated 1835, initialed “WBKP,” with punched pinwheel decoration and split heart terminal, 18¾ inches long, that was estimated at $1,2/1,800, and sold for $8,190.
A Pennsylvania miniature painted balloon back chair, Nineteenth Century, retaining a vibrant red surface with floral decoration and yellow and black striping, 12½ inches high, sold for $4,914, over the $2,500 high estimate. An oil on canvas of 15 chicks in a basket surrounded by daisies, signed lower right “Ben Austrian 1909,” 15 by 20 inches, went for $32,760, and a carved and painted cane with the grip in the form of a hand holding a bird, 38¼ inches long, “Schtockschnitzler” Simmons, Berks County, Penn., sold for $8,775, just over estimate.
A phone bidder took a Pennsylvania red stained two-part corner cupboard, circa 1830, molded cornice over a glazed door, resting on a lower section with a single drawer and two reeded cupboard doors supported by bracket feet. The high estimate was $10,000, and it sold for $15,210. The following lot was a Pennsylvania silk and paint on silk embroidery, attributed to Folwell, circa 1805, depicting a young lady and child in a pastoral setting with a cottage and monument inscribed “Friendship.” It measures 17 by 20 inches and sold for $11,700.
Three bird trees were in the sale, including lot 495, “Schtockschnitzler” Simmons, Berks County, Penn., carved and painted with five polychrome decorated birds, 15½ inches high, that sold to Greg Kramer for $35,100, just topping the high estimate. A Lebanon County watercolor and ink on paper birth certificate for Anmaria Webberr, 1822, with central panel enclosing script, flanked by tulip trees with grape clusters, potted flowers, angels and colorful leaf spray, 13 by 16 inches, by Abraham Huth (Pennsylvania, active 1807‱830), sold to Harry Hartman for $6,435.
One of the Pennsylvania painted dower chests in the sale was dated 1780, the front decorated with birds, fish and tulips on a green ground flanked by sides with facing birds and tulips. It was supported on bracket feet, 22 inches high, 46 inches wide and estimated at $30;50,000. It sold for 76,050. A delicate Pennsylvania Queen Anne walnut candlestand, circa 1760, small round dished top, tripod base with pad feet, old dry surface., measured 30½ inches high and 17 inches in diameter. It sold for $8,190, just over estimate.
A bid of $5,616 by Greg Kramer took a sgraffito decorated redware bowl, inscribed “Agness King May the 25th 1821” with bird and tulip decoration. It was 3¾ inches high and 9 inches in diameter, with a high estimate of $4,000. Kramer was also the successful bidder on a painted poplar dresser box by Joseph Lehn (1798‱892), Clay Township, Lancaster County, Penn., dated 1852 with strawberry on a green ground with vine borders. It measures 5½ inches high, 12 inches wide, and sold for $11,115, with a high estimate of $3,000.
The highest priced cane in the sale, at $35,100, was a carved and painted patriotic example, circa 1895, with foliate decorated handle above two American flags, flanking inset figures of a soldier standing at attention and one on horseback, above 22 busts of US presidents from Washington to Cleveland. It measured 37 inches high and had a presale estimate of $15/25,000. A Montgomery County, Penn., two-part painted corner cupboard, circa 1815, three green finials flanking a broken arch, glazed door flanked by half-round columns, base with two cupboard door supported on turned feet, original vibrant red and yellow decorated surface, 86¼ inches high, sold for $76,050, just under the high estimate.
A pair of tinned sheet iron sconces with oak leaf crests, early Nineteenth Century, went over the $3,000 high estimate, selling for $9,944; a miniature painted dower chest, probably Lehigh County, Penn., circa 1800, the lid and front decorated with ivory panels and large floral sprays within a red border on a green ground, supported by ochre sponge decorated bracket feet, 15 inches high and 23 inches wide, sold for $87,750, over the $60,000 high estimate; and the second painted dresser box by the Compass Artist, Lancaster County, Penn., sold to David Good/Sam Forsyth for $17,550, just under the high estimate. This box, circa 1800, had stylized pinwheels and tulips on a blue ground and measured 5 inches high and 7 inches wide.
A bid of $18,720, above the high estimate of $12,000, took a painted pine hanging wall box by Jonas Weber, with the original yellow and salmon floral decoration on a green painted ground., 6 inches high and 8¾ inches wide. An album quilt with nine floral sprays within a red striped border, 86 inches square, appliquéd, brought $5,850 against a high estimate of $1,200.
“I was surprised at the price of the Georg Jensen service,” Ron Pook said after the sale, referring to the five-piece sterling silver tea service, circa 1925, comprising a coffee pot 10½ inches high, creamer, sugar and tray that was estimated at $7/9,000. It sold for $28,080.
Greg Kramer was the successful bidder for lot 694, a John Drissel painted candle box dated 1795 and inscribed “W. Funck” with tulips on a vibrant salmon ground. It measures 3¾ by 5½ inches and brought within $1,000 of the high estimate. The last Simmons carved and painted bird tree in the sale, with seven polychromed birds and measuring 15 inches high, sold for $20,000 over the high estimate, bringing $70,200.
A collection of American Indian objects concluded the sale, with a Hopi polychrome wood Kachina doll wearing a feather headdress with pronounced beak, decorated in black, yellow and red, 10 inches tall, that sold for $3,600, while a Eskimo carved ivory walrus tusk, Twentieth Century, with relief and open carved animals and cribbage board, highlighted with red and black pigments, 11 inches long, sold for $3,042. A plains tomahawk with turned wooden handle and metal head with leaf shaped finial, 11½ inches long, sold for $4,212, and a fine California Yokuts polychrome pictorial coiled basketry bowl, circa 1900, with human figures and stacked triangle pattern with small birds at the rim, 6 inches high and 10½ inches in diameter, went for $7,020, at high estimate.
The week following this important sale, many of the Pook & Pook bidders were at the York Fairgrounds either taking part or visiting The Greater York Antiques Show. Kelly Kinzle of New Oxford, Penn., was “pleased with my purchases,” which included the John Rasmussen oil on canvas “View of the Berks County Almshouse” for $339,300.
“I guess we got about a dozen lots, including the two Compass Artist boxes and the Reber carved and painted horse,” Sam Forsyth said. His partner David Good added, “All in all we felt the sale held up very well and we are pleased with what we bought.”
Harry Hartman of Marietta, Penn., was very positive about the sale, saying, “There were lots of great things, very clean, fresh to the market, and the sale was well conducted with a wonderful catalog.” Harry’s bidding number seemed to be in the air more than tucked away, for “we ended up with 43 lots and are very happy with them,” he said.
Pat Bell of Olde Hope Antiques, New Hope, Penn., was visiting the York Show and when asked how he did at the auction, he replied, “I liked too many of the things Harry wanted.”
For more information, www.pookandpook.com or 610-269-4040.
