A large group of objects from Willowbrook Village, a museum in Newfield, Maine, founded by Donald King and reflective of daily life of Nineteenth Century Newfield, attracted interest at Hap Moore’s January 9 auction.
Newfield was a center of carriage and sleigh making, with ancillary businesses of carpentry, blacksmithing, shoemaking, ice cutting and logging supplementing the business of farming. King made it his mission to collect the artifacts of daily life in rural Maine, ultimately establishing Willowbrook Village to house his collection. He bought from dealers and pickers alike and his collection was far ranging. As the museum is refining its collection, some objects came to market.
The wide array of material from area collections and estates served to fill the house pretty much throughout the sale. Auctioneer Hap Moore has a solid relationship with his bidders, cautioning prospective buyers from the podium that if something they have not viewed seems to be selling very low, there is probably a reason for that and they should not bid.
In the face of toothsome antiques, the highlight of the event was a contemporary watercolor painting. The 1956 watercolor “Eruption” by contemporary Chinese artist Zao Wou-Ki brought $40,250. His untitled lithograph fetched $1,150. The paintings came from a New York City collection that had relocated to Maine and they both went to the Continental trade. The Rufino Tamayo lithograph, “Two Women,” brought $1,150 from the same dealer who also paid $1,150 for an untitled Tamayo lithograph. Both came from the same New York City collection.
A sketch book of 53 images by Rhode Island and Maine artist George Milton Hathaway elicited $1,725. An unsigned watercolor that was initialed “C.N.P.” and dated 1971 drew $1,495.
A portrait of a naval officer by New Hampshire artist Ulysses Dow Tenney sold for $1,035, and a pair of portraits of the Reverend David Ives and his wife Polly, founders of the Congregational Church near Westfield, Mass., was $1,150.
A scene of fishing boats by American artist Kate W. Newhall realized $1,035, and a still life with fruit, wine and a newspaper by Italian artist Ugo Casanuova fetched $1,150.
Furniture drew some strong bids. A Federal mahogany card table with acanthus carving and robust reeded legs was thought to be a North Shore Massachusetts work and it drew $1,840, a Sheraton chest that was found at the end of a driveway with a “Free” sign attached brought $805 and a Portsmouth or vicinity mahogany bowfront chest realized $1,725 from an absentee bidder.
A Victorian three-piece walnut secretary bookcase with extensive ornamentation sold for $1,783, while a burl walnut cylinder secretary brought $805, and a two-door country cupboard in old red paint from the Chase family of Hanover, N.H., had a very nice form †it may have been the deal of the day when it brought $2,473 from a retail bidder.
A large box lot of framed coffin plates sold for $1,035, and a Nineteenth Century painted document box with a subtle decoration went for $460.
Several Shaker items crossed the block, such as an apple peeler that fetched $230 and a seed box that was $115. A Century No. 6 studio camera, that may have been accompanied by some daguerreotypes, went for $403, while a lot of glass plates and film negatives was $12. A half plate ambrotype of a mill brought $695. The mill may have been that of the Ames Shovel Works in North Easton, Mass., as the ambrotype came from an Easton house.
A bisque doll that was dressed stylishly and attributed to Paris maker Jules-Nicholas Steiner brought $5,750, while a Simon and Halbig doll with a chic fur coat fetched $345. A lot of doll wardrobes filled with fine clothing drew $1,093.
Other objects of childhood included a child’s paint decorated wagon advertising “St Claus, Dealer in Good Things,” that brought $863. A Nineteenth Century dappled gray primitive rocking horse realized $690, and a child’s size German sewing machine drew $351.
A silk and lace confection of wedding clothes made in 1902 by Manleaur Modeles of Paris attracted $1,495, and two vintage lady’s suits fetched $460. Hannah Harding’s 1826 needlework image of Mary, Joseph and child sold for $1,150. A late Nineteenth Century Navajo wearing blanket opened at $2,500 and ended at $3,435, while an Inuit doll was $763.
General store and advertising material from Willowbrook revealed some gems: a Victorian burl walnut spool case realized $1,380, and a Victorian spool case (with thread) advertising Ayer’s sarsaparilla went for $1,295. A revolving octagonal cabinet from a hardware store had 80 triangular dovetailed drawers with porcelain pulls and sat on a nine drawer rectangular base. It sold for $690.
Other advertising highlights were a tin advertising tray promoting the Robert Burns ten cent cigar that went for $1,035; a folding sign advertising “Thro’ the Rye” five cent Havana cigars realized $604; a Hires barrel form root beer dispenser sold for $173; a red painted coffee grinder sold for $690; and a spit jack and oven, in working order, went for $460.
The auction included an array of marine objects. Four phones and some room bidders chased a 40-inch model of a sloop until a phone bidder prevailed at $1,150. A model of the cutter-rigged sloop Mischief drew $575. A lot of whaling harpoons and other implements from Willowbrook Village had been cleaned up and sold for $230.
Other marine items included a 40-inch mahogany mounted ship’s wheel at $575; a lot comprising a whalebone spike and a metal fid fetched $518; a sextant by Samuel Thaxter and Son of Boston was $633; two ship’s compasses by F.W. Lincoln, Jr, and Co., of Boston sold for $259; a cased schooner fog horn was demonstrated to be in fine working order and sold for $173; and a taffrail log by John Bliss and Co., came from Willowbrook and fetched $142.
A hanging shipboard library cabinet marked U.S.L.H. sold for $3,335, while a small Eighteenth Century sea chest that was canted on all four sides brought $460.
A Victorian framed puzzle cut from a print of the side-wheeler City of Worcester was accompanied by the original box and sold for $356.
An 1866 silver plated fire trumpet presented to the Auburn, Maine, Excelsior Company No. 2, by the City of Lewiston sold for $1,035. Three late Nineteenth Century fire fighting helmets from Topsfield, Mass., brought $547, while an engine driver’s helmet marked “EFD” realized $144. A lot of four fire buckets from the museum was $414.
A grinning frog atop a mushroom was the top lot of a large group of cast iron doorstops when it sold for $373. A large white rabbit doorstop, among a large group of same, sold for $288, while a folky articulated wood snake was also $288.
A pair of green ceramic foo dogs, one with some damage to the base, sold for $1,380.
Estate silver held its own nicely: A lot of miscellaneous sterling flatware went for $1,610, while a Gorham sterling tea service with four side plates was $1,495, and a sterling oval compote from a Maine consignor was $920. A Gorham sterling tray together with a sterling bowl and an English creamer was $1,093. A pair of repousse silver dishes initialed “W.B.” was $1,150.
All prices reported include the 15 percent buyer’s premium. For information, www.hapmoore.com or 207-363-6373.
