BOSTON, Mass. – www.skinnerinc.com – Skinner, Inc. one of the nation’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art, will host an auction of European Furniture and Decorative Arts, featuring Fine Silver, on Saturday, Oct 3rd at 10 a.m. in the Boston gallery located at 63 Park Plaza. More than 750 lots of material will be offered, including 350 lots of fine silver.
Fine Silver
British and European silver includes a fine Victorian silver three-part mirrored table plateau by noted silversmith Robert Garrard (lot 37, est. $4/6,000), nicely detailed, which would beautifully adorn a mahogany dining table, reflecting candlelight and décor; an interesting and highly decorated silver, enamel and stone-set casket, full of detail work (lot 63, est. $4/6,000); a carved agate bowl, very elegant, and a good example of the combined crafts of silversmithing and lapidary work (lot 70, est. $3/5,000); and for lovers of whimsy, nature, and the work of Georg Jensen, a serving spoon with an owl terminal set with green stone eyes (lot 84, est. $1,5/2,000).
American silver offerings are highlighted by a colonial silver cann (lot 118, est. $2/3,000), c. 1760s by Boston silversmith Samuel Minott; a beautiful, elaborate tea set (lot 136, est. 8/10,000) presented to Civil War Union Brig. Gen. Egbert L. Viele, who oversaw Central Park’s build out; a bold stag-head handled soup tureen (lot 139, est. $3/5,000) monogrammed for Ellen Amelia Frost, daughter of Rufus S. Frost, the fifth Mayor of Chelsea, MA, a MA Senator and a member of the 45th Congress; and a Tiffany mixed metal pitcher (lot 158, est. $7/9,000) – the sale’s cover lot – the combination of mixed metals and Tiffany would make this a gem of any silver lover’s collection. Also of local interest, particularly to Harvard alumni, a Rand & Crane sterling Harvard Owl Club loving cup (lot 250, est. $300/500) and a Gebelein sterling Harvard Owl Club punch bowl (lot 298, est. $400/500).
Decorative Arts & Furniture
The sale features a nice group of bronzes, particularly works by Les Animalier artists such as Mene, Pautrot, and Barye. Works of note include a lion with a dead antelope (lot 435, est. $200/300); a tiger (lot 482, est. $1,2/1,800); a Tiffany Studios lioness (lot 484, est. $1,5/2,000); a lion crushing a serpent (lot 661, est. $250/350); and an American Indian Tracker/White Man’s Tracks (lot 701, est. $700/900).
Other decorative arts of interest include a rather unusual melon-shaped Georgian tea caddy (lot 360, $5/7,000); a delicate bronze, ivory and rock crystal figure (lot 571, est. $500/700); a three-piece Louis XV style clock garniture (lot 616, est. $2/5,000); and a charming and beautifully crafted miniature gate-leg table (lot 704, est. $1/1,500). Several fine porcelain plates will also be up for bid including a set of eight Mintons Pate-sur-pate plates (lot 569, est. $3/5,000) and twelve Royal Doulton service plates (lot 633, est. $3/5,000) featuring painted castle landscapes.
The furniture portion of the sale is highlighted by a very decorative Louis XV/XVI style commode (lot 454, est. $4/5,000); an ornately carved “Master of the Hunt” parlor chair (lot 515, est. $2/3,000); an unusual game table of a nice scale and size (lot 516, est. $400/600); a big, bold American Renaissance Revival cabinet (lot 522, est. $2,5/3,500); a Renaissance Revival refectory table with nice painted details to the ends of the trestle supports (lot 560, est. $3/5,000); and a sweet Regency writing desk (lot 731, est. $1,8/2,200).
Previews, Catalog and Bidding
Previews for the auction will be held on Thursday, Oct 1st from 12 to 5 p.m. and on Friday, Oct 2nd from 12 to 8 p.m. Illustrated catalog #2475 is available by mail for $35 ($42 for foreign requests) from the subscription department at 508-970-3240. It is also available at the gallery for $32. Prices realized will be available at www.skinnerinc.com during and after the sale. Skinner’s site also allows users to view all lots in the auctions, leave bids, order catalogs, and bid live in real-time through Skinner-Live. To register for real-time bidding go to http://www.skinnerinc.com/buy-sell/skinner-live.php. Or, for more information call 508-970-3000.
