Auction offerings include early Americana marine paintings, weathervanes, naïve portraiture, Federal furniture and clocks
BOSTON, Mass. – www.skinnerinc.com – Skinner, Inc. one of the world’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art, will host an auction of American Furniture and Decorative Arts on Sunday, Nov 8h at 11 a.m. in its Boston gallery, located at 63 Park Plaza. The sale features the estate of N. David (Nino) Scotti, founder of Associated Appraisers, Inc. of Providence, RI. His estate of more than 200 lots is representative of his discerning eye and spans 45 years of collecting. In total, nearly 700 lots of Americana material will be offered.
The Estate N. David Scotti
Scotti was self-taught in the areas of China trade and maritime paintings and his appreciation of such work is highlighted by Portrait of a Sea Captain James Breath of New York City, attributed to Spolium (lot 135, est. $1,5/2,500) and Macao, a port scene by Sunqua (lot 136, est. $1,5/2,500). Also featured in Scotti’s estate is a Newport, Rhode Island Needlework Sampler by Rebeca Wilbor, 1773 (lot 39, est. $7/9,000); Portrait of a Boy Holding a Book and a Pen Holder by Robert Deacon Peckham (lot 383, est. $4/6,000); and a pair of classical rosewood gilt decorated pier tables (lot 348, est. $12/18,000) noteworthy in that they are in impeccable condition.
Ship Portraits
Aside from those in the Scotti estate, the sale offers an excellent collection of ship portraits including The Bund at Canton, attributed to George Chinnery (lot 131, est. $15/25,000); Bark “Andrew Carney” Capt. John Brand, Entering Smyrna Bay 1859 by Turkish artist Raffael Corsini (lot 274, est. $6/8,000); and William Bradford’s Arctic Sunset with Ice-Bound Panther (lot 254, est. $80/100,000), which was discovered at a local Skinner appraisal day and was previously unknown to collectors. Bradford began his career painting ship portraits in New Bedford, MA, but his claim to fame came from his chartering a vessel, which, with the help of two photographers, captured the essence of the Arctic in both paint and film. The aforementioned piece is a wonderful example of this American luminist artist. Rounding out the marine art offerings is a good selection of scrimshaw decorated whales’ teeth and an Andrew Clemens’ signed sand picture in a glass bottle showing a paddlewheeler (lot 206, est. $8/12,000).
Furniture
The sale offers a number of pieces of furniture with rich family histories including a Chippendale carved mahogany oxbow chest-on-chest from the home of Sarah Orne Jewett of South Berwick, Maine (lot 72, est. $20/30,000), which was likely made in Boston and epitomizes stylish urban design, and a cherry Chippendale chest-on-chest (lot 82, est. $30/50,000) from the Connecticut Valley, which came by descent from the family of Catherine Wells Hoyt to the present owners. Catherine Wells Hoyt was owner of the Old Indian House in Deerfield, Mass., which had been previously ravaged during the Indian massacre of 1704, and was dismantled in 1848. Also of interest for furnishings is a set of six Federal carved cherry dining chairs (lot 315, est. $15/25,000) with original surface and very well maintained; a Federal mahogany sideboard (lot 288, est. $20/30,000), which may well be one of the earliest known sideboards by John and Thomas Seymour; a Federal mahogany tall clock by Joshua Wilder (lot 297, est. $15/25,000), who was the subject of considerable study; and a Southern NH maple carved chest-on-chest (lot 80, est. $30/50,000) in the style of the Dunlap family of cabinet makers and extremely well-preserved.
Portraits and Miniatures
Other works of note include a Portrait of “Doct. Lloyd Hixon, Lowell, Mass.” attributed to John Brewster, Jr. (lot 395, est. $1,5/2,500); Portrait of Mary Brandeis of Chester, Pennsylvania by William Matthew Prior (lot 407, est. $6/8,000); and a William Russell Birch Portrait Miniature of George Washington on enamel copper (lot 49, est. $4/6,000). This portrait was one of sixty miniature portraits of George Washington, after a portrait done of Washington by Gilbert Stuart for John Vaughan, for Birch is best known.
Other Highlights
Among other items of interest, an engraved Powder Horn, showing Fort No. 4 (lot 468, est. $8/1,200) associated with Charlestown, NH from the time of the French and Indian war will be offered, as will an illustrated album of poetic sentiments by Selinda Hill, of Peterborough, NH (lot 394, est. $8/12,000) with illustrations by her sister, Caroline Hill.
According to Stephen Fletcher, director of Furniture and Decorative Arts at Skinner, Inc., “This sale offers consistently good quality throughout, from the first lot to the last. Much of the material is fresh to the market, and many lots have never been offered at a public auction before.”
Previews and Special Event
Previews for the auction will be held Wednesday, November 4th from 12-5 p.m., Thursday, November 5th from 12-8 p.m., Friday, November 6th from 12 -8 p.m., Saturday, November 7th from 12- 5 p.m. and Sunday, November 8th from 8-10 a.m. In conjunction with Friday’s preview, Skinner will host an Americana gallery walk. The reception will be held at 5:30 p.m., with the Gallery Walk commencing at 6:30 p.m. R.S.V.P. 617-350-5400.
Catalogs and Bidding
Illustrated catalog #2482 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.
About Skinner
Skinner, Inc. is one of the world’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art. With expertise in over 20 specialty collecting areas, Skinner draws the interest of buyers from all over the world and its auctions regularly achieve world record prices. Skinner provides a broad range of auction and appraisal services, and it is widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in the auction business. Skinner’s appraisal experts regularly appear on the PBS-TV series, Antiques Roadshow, and its specialty departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, American & European Paintings & Prints, European Furniture & Decorative Arts, 20th Century Design, Fine Ceramics, Fine Jewelry, Couture, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Works of Art, Fine Wines, Rare Books & Manuscripts, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographic Art, Fine Judaica, Antique Motor Vehicles, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Discovery and Science, Technology & Clocks. Skinner galleries are located in Boston and Bolton, Mass. For more information on upcoming auctions and events, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com
Image: William Bradford (1823-1892), Panther in Icebergs at Sunset est, $80,000-100,000
