Pook & Pook, Inc., in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, began its 2009 fall catalogue auction schedule with an outstanding two-day sale featuring items from six non-profit institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region, eleven estates, and over one hundred private collections. The 822-lot sale totaled $1,568,882, and boasted over 90 percent of the lots sold.
Six educational institutions, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Woodmere Art Museum, the Washington County Maryland Historical Society and others offered deaccessioned items for sale. Some of the highlights from these organizations include a Delaware Valley Queen Anne walnut armchair, circa 1755 for $8,775, a portrait of Custer by Lloyd Branson for $1,287, a Pennsylvania Chippendale slant front desk for $6,435, a rare Pennsylvania Windsor bench with an old black painted surface for $9,360, a set of eight Victorian mahogany dining chairs for $16,380, and several tall case clocks for $7,020, and $9,945.
The Friday night session began with over 40 room-size oriental carpets and throw rugs. The first lot, a Heriz with a brick red field and ivory border brought $15,210. A large Agra with a floral pattern did well at $5,382, as well as a Persian carpet with mother and child design for $10,530, and a Turkish Anatolian silk carpet for $5,616.
Presented next was the estate of Walter Bott Loucks Jr. of York, Pennsylvania. A rare, New Brunswick, New Jersey, Chippendale walnut linen press, with the label of Matthew Edgerton Junior, soared to $44,460. An exceptional Philadelphia Federal satinwood veneered mahogany games table, circa 1795 was added to a wonderful collection for $76,050. A pair of oil-on-canvas overmantel landscapes by James Ross brought $11,700. Primarily from the estate of Myrtle Quier of Reading, Pennsylvania, were pieces of fine jewelry. A 6-carat marquise cut diamond and platinum ring did well over double the high estimate at $32,760; a pink sapphire and diamond ring sold for $4,212; and a diamond and platinum bracelet brought $25,740.
Ninety lots of weaponry concluded the Friday evening sale, with highlights including a Civil War Confederate saber by the Nashville Plow Works for $5,616; a pair of English flintlock dueling pistols stamped Sutherland for $11,700; an L.C. Smith Crown Grade double barrel shotgun for $4,914; and a Parker Brothers 12-gauge double barrel shotgun with Damascus barrels that brought $7,020.
There was plenty of interest in the numerous tall case clocks that were offered throughout the sale. The first two lots on Saturday morning were a York, Pennsylvania, clock by Jacob Spangler, and a Philadelphia Chippendale walnut clock by George Miller of Germantown, bringing $15,210 and $18,720 respectively. A New Jersey Federal highly figured mahogany clock by Joakim Hill did very well at $12,870, as well as a Massachusetts Federal clock selling at $5,148. A Chester County, Pennsylvania, clock by Abraham Corl fetched $7,605.
Also offered throughout the sale were many lots of historical blue Staffordshire porcelain, many with American scenes. Highlights included a Boston State House creamer that fared well at $1,521; a platter with a Pennsylvania Hospital scene, $2,223; an Erie Canal pitcher for $1,170; and a Winter View of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, that brought $2,808. Other ceramics included spatterware, mochaware and Gaudy Dutch. A mocha bowl with earthworm decoration brought $3,510, and a pepperpot sold for $1,755.
Some important silver pieces garnered plenty of interest from collectors and dealers alike. With all phone lines taken, a pair of Georgian silver candlesticks, circa 1716-1717 with the touch of Paul DeLamerie, finally sold for $28,080. A Philadelphia coffeepot by Joseph and Nathaniel Richardson brought $17,550, and a Boston silver tankard, circa 1710, bearing the touch of John Coney soared to $15,210. A Tiffany & Company flatware service with an estimate of $2,000 to $4,000, brought $7,605.
An interesting array of early 20th-century jack-o-lanterns and candy containers, just in time for the Halloween festivities, crossed the block on Saturday. They ranged in price from $350 to $1,755. An exceptional pair of carved and painted female nudes, circa 1875, sold for $22,230, and a vibrantly painted carousel giraffe attributed to Looff brought $23,400. An unusual zebra carousel figure, circa 1900 and retaining an old surface, did well at $8,775. There was much interest centered around a large Pennsylvania carved and painted trick box depicting two couples in erotic embraces. The total achieved was $8,190 after competitive bidding.
Other sought-after small items included a German porcelain dresser box for $6,435, an American Indian burl bowl with cutout handles for $9,360, a Berks County, Pennsylvania, trinket box attributed to Heinrich Bucher for $5,616, a Prior Hamblen School oil on board folk portrait of a young girl for $7,020, and a portrait of a young boy holding a kite, also selling for $7,020. Another popular specialty item was an unusual handcrafted copper weathervane of a Baldwin American type locomotive. This 20th century piece brought $8,190.
Other prominent furniture pieces included: a Pennsylvania Chippendale walnut secretary desk and bookcase, circa 1765, selling for $12,870, a fine Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, painted dower chest with hearts and philphlot decoration for $22,230; an Italian burr veneer serpentine chest of drawers soaring to $11,115, and a Chester County, Pennsylvania, cherry candlestand, also selling for $11,115. All phone lines were taken on an Old Hickory five piece rustic patio set. Made in Martinsville, Indiana, this set included a settee, two armchairs, a rocker and a circular table, and brought over double the high estimate at $8,190.
On January 15 and 16, 2010, Pook & Pook, Inc. will be selling the personal collection of internationally-known porcelain dealer, Elinor Gordon, including a landscape by N.C. Wyeth of his own home on the Brandywine. Also included as part of this estate are Philadelphia Chippendale chairs, oriental rugs, original Bishop oil paintings, export lamps, and other American and Continental furniture, art, and decorative accessories. Pook & Pook will also feature a massive collection of porcelain from a Pennsylvania historical site, including historical blue, an Arms of Pennsylvania platter, Gaudy Dutch, and Creamware.
Of tremendous interest is the upcoming collection of the well-known Philadelphian H. Richard Dietrich, as well as an unusual child-size locomotive set from The Henry Ford Museum of Michigan, and a fascinating collection of ephemera from the Colonel William Church, including letters from Mark Twain, Roosevelt (discussing the Rough Riders), Custer, and others.
For more information on past or upcoming sales at Pook & Pook, or additional information about the firm, visit their Web site at www.pookandpook.com, or call them at (610) 269-4040.
