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THE COMPASS ARTIST
Paint Decorated Box
Important Provenance
....SOLD
Lancaster County, PA, ca. 1800-1840. One of just three dozen boxes known by this celebrated artist, held in private collections or museums including Winterthur (which has 8) and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The name “Compass Artist” is an attribution coined by collectors and scholars based on the use of a draftsman’s compass to lay out decorative motifs. The identity of the Compass Artist remains unknown, though analysis suggests he may have been trained as a joiner or cabinetmaker within the Pennsylvania German tradition, which emphasized both functionality and ornamentation. Comparisons have been made between the Compass Artist's work and those found in frakturs and dower chests, noting that the designs likely held symbolic meaning tied to protection, fertility, and prosperity.
As seen on this box, works by the Compass Artist are identified by a recognizable visual vocabulary: sharp scribed compass-work outlines; polychrome paint, especially Prussian-blue, Vermilion red, and white lead (the top white-field on this box is a rarity); tin hinges inserted through horizontal slits; dovetails bisected, sawn after making basic box shape; dimpled hasp and escutcheons; bottom attached with square wooden pegs.
Very good condition, overall minor wear. Unobtrusive shrinkage crack on domed lid. No inpainting or repairs. Large enough create an impact yet small enough that it can be placed almost anywhere. About 11 ¼ inches wide x 6 ¼ tall x 7 ½ deep.
REFERENCE: THE COMPASS ARTIST OF LANCASTER COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA, Wendy Cooper et al., American Furniture, Beckerdite, 2009, pp 62-87.
IMPORTANT PROVENANCE: Martha Bartlett, Washington, DC.
Notable
Paint Decorated Box
with Pennsylvania-German Symbolism
.....sale pending
Pennsylvania, possibly Lancaster area, ca. 1820–1840. A distinctive folk art box featuring original dry polychrome paint on poplar, with symbols rooted in Pennsylvania-German tradition.
The construction includes tin hinges set through slits in the back wall, a method similar to that of the Compass Artist, possibly indicating a direct influence or shared regional technique.
The slightly domed lid, hand-hewn rather than sawn, is adorned with stylized tulips and hex symbols. The prominent tulip, known as the Double Trinity Tulip, with its three petals, symbolizes both the Holy Trinity and the virtues of faith, hope, and charity, hallmarks of Pennsylvania German symbolism intended to bring good fortune and to ward off evil. The hex symbol was a folk expressions of hope, belief, and beauty, with occasional protective overtones.
Joinery by dovetails and wooden pegs. Excellent condition with just minor loss of a clasp, and a long-ago sliver at the bottom of the back. Just 5 ¼ inches long x 4 deep x 2 ½ tall.
Sensational
Red White and Blue Painted Stool
Likely Celebrating the American Centennial
.....SOLD
Northeast, possibly Maine, dated 1876. Pine. A sensational folk art paint decorated stool in red, white, and blue, the incised 8-pointed star enclosed within a chip-carved roundel, centered by corner stars. The deep-blue top bordered by carved scallops, all supported by a shaped apron and boot-jack ends; joinery by square nails.
Graphically painted “E. A. Lufkin”. Pencil inscription under the base: “Presented to EA Lufkin/by WJ Bowden/Feb 5 1876”.
The patriotic fervor surrounding the Centennial inspired a wave of commemorative art and objects, this stool beautifully reflects that spirit. Its bold color palette and careful craftsmanship reflect pride in the young nation.
The stool remains in excellent, undamaged condition, with a surface once darkened by fireplace/hearth soot, now gently, partially cleaned to reveal its vivid colors. About 16 ½ inches long x 8 ½ deep x 8 ¼ tall. Acquired from a Pennsylvania collection
Visually Striking
Folk Art
Mill Gameboard
Featured in "the
ART OF THE GAME"
American, dated 1919. High-character, dry original paint on pine. This captivating gameboard is an exceptional example of early 20th-century American
folk art.
Created for the classic strategy game Nine Men's Morris (also known as “Mill”), it is distinguished by its bold yet uncomplicated design. Concentric red and green squares draw the eye inward to a central white diamond with the gold-painted date “1919.”
The reverse is also richly painted in the game draughts/checkers in gold, blue, and green with incised dividers.
Made in a manner that is a carryover from the 19th century, this unique example was so compelling that it was selected to be included in the “Art of the Game”. Dimensions about 18 ¾ inches square. From a fine, long time Southern collection.
Rare Folk Art
SUNBURST
Paint Decorated
Spice or Valuables Box
.....sale pending
Southeastern Pennsylvania, ca. 1820-1840.
Original folk art paint decoration on a very precisely made pine sliding-lid box with inner divider. With the sunburst being the principal decoration, the box has bittersweet/red and yellow-green pigments on what was originally a robin’s egg blue ground, now mellowed to a blue-gray with a hint of green, depending on lighting.
In 19th-century Pennsylvania German traditions, sunbursts weren’t just decorative elements, they were believed to symbolize vitality, energy, and the sustaining power of the sun to ward off evil and to bring blessings and good fortune to the homes or farms where they were displayed. The gifting of this box had special meaning to the maker and to the recipient.
Joinery by tiny wooden pegs and cut nails. Superb original condition. Fine dry surface. Just 6 ¾ inches long x 3 5/8 wide x 2 1/8 tall. Scratch inscribed underneath “JOHN H HOLT”, probably an early owner.
Country Chippendale
Tea Table:
Bold Curly Maple Top
and Striking Marlborough Legs
.....sale pending
New England, circa 1750–1780.
A rare and especially fine example of 18th-century New England country craftsmanship, this compact tea table showcases the refined simplicity of rural Chippendale furniture.
The highly figured octagonal tiger maple top—crafted from a single board—has a rich patina with a soft, complex, varnish surface. The top overhangs in just the right proportion, joined to the apron with a mix of large wooden pegs and iron nails, and a hand-cut screw.
The table stands confidently on four long, deeply molded Marlborough legs—some of the best you’ll encounter—joined to the pit-sawn apron with classic mortise and tenon construction, secured by large, hand-carved wooden pegs. The legs and apron retain remnants of bittersweet paint over black, all well-worn and patinated, and mellowed by time.
Diminutive--can be placed almost anywhere--top measuring about 20 ½ inches by 30 ½; 28 inches tall. Fine condition; minor expected imperfections. Stands tall, straight, and full of character. A label underneath reads “Olivia Preston”.
I seldom acquire furniture—yet this table was so good it called my name.
Stitched in 1765.
"Still speaking to us today"
“Mary Langdon her Sampler
Wrought In the year 1765.”
This notable sampler, sewn by a young girl in Boston a decade before the American Revolution, offers a rare glimpse into the lives and learning of colonial-era youth. It is not just a textile—it’s a moment in time.
Mary Langdon (born April 21, 1751; baptized in July 1760) was the daughter of Samuel Langdon, an ardent patriot. A Harvard graduate (Class of 1740) and classmate of Samuel Adams, he rose to prominence through support from Harvard treasurer John Hancock. From 1774 to 1780, during the American Revolution, he served as President of Harvard.
Mary’s sampler contains an extraordinary inscription for its time: “If Women will not be inclined to Seek/the improvement of The mind believe/ Me Polly for it’s True Parrots Will talk /As Well as You.” A bold statement in the 18th century, this verse encourages women to pursue education and independent thought rather than merely repeating the opinions of others.
Stitched with silk thread on linen. It does not include the letters ‘J’ and ‘U,’ which were not used in the early alphabet. The design features a "Garden of Eden"-like scene, a popular motif in Boston samplers at the time, along with crowns—symbols reflecting their status as British subjects in 1765.The sampler remains in fine condition with only minor staining and a small hole. Frame size about 23 ¾ inches x 13 ¾ inches.
Exhibited: Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Embroideries of Colonial Boston (November 2010 - March 2011). From a distinguished New England collection.
Bold Parcheesi Gameboard
with Written Provenance
.....SOLD
Ohio, ca. 1875.
This elaborate Parcheesi gameboard has an integrated design that wraps seamlessly around a vibrant central field. The striking bright-green half-rounds are complemented by a rich palette of black, mustard, cream, red, and orange, creating a captivating visual.
A seldom found feature of this gameboard is a provenance on the reverse, revealing that it was originally made as a first-anniversary gift, which explains the uncommon effort the folk artist made to design and to render such a special and enduring gift.
From a single thin board, this piece has been well-preserved, with an old stabilized split reinforced by battens on the back. The aged surface carries a yellowed patina. The edges are painted black emulating a frame.
About 21 ½ inches square.
First acquired in 2007 from the original owner’s family in Xenia, Ohio; private collection since then.
ZEDIKIAH BELNAP
Portrait of
Sarah Dodge
Massachusetts, 1824
Oil on wooden panel, painted in Sutton, Massachusetts, with strong attribution to Zedikiah Belknap (1781–1858).
On the reverse, inscribed in red paint-likely in Belknap’s own hand: "Mifs Sarah Dodge, age 23, AD 1824." The use of the long ‘S’ in Miss carries over from 18th century conventions.
Sarah Dodge (born 1801) came from a prominent Massachusetts family and was related to Edward Rawson, the first Secretary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Born in Auburn, Massachusetts, Zedikiah Belknap graduated from Dartmouth College in 1807. Despite having no formal art training, he became an itinerant portrait painter, working in Vermont, New Hampshire, New York City, and Massachusetts. He depicts Sarah in a half-length pose, slightly turned, wearing an elaborate sheer lace collar, a flowing shawl, and a fashionable hairstyle with striking curls. The quality (and then expense) of a portrait like this suggests it may have been commissioned for Sarah’s engagement or wedding.
The portrait shows beautifully. It has been professionally cleaned, with some touchup, primarily the blush on her right cheek. Housed in a fine period molded gilt frame about 33 5/8 inches tall × 28 ¼ inches wide. From a fine Northeast collection.
Rare Woodlands
Highly-Abstracted
Owl Effigy Ladle
Northeast/Midwest, ca. 1800.
Carved from figured maple. Skilled Native American woodworkers drew on generations of tradition and sought to capture JUST THE ESSENCE of an animal by subtracting detail. This owl ladle was at one time in the greatest collection of effigy ladles ever assembled (Peter Brams). Peter had four owl ladles, this one being the most “reductive” of all, the context of the progression of the four clearly identifying this effigy as an owl. Not only is it over two centuries old, the highly reductive form gives it a timeless contemporary presence as well.
Only a handful of owl effigy ladles are known. In Woodlands culture they symbolized, depending on context, that a being that can travel between worlds and be a protector, and can also be a symbol of passing.
Excellent condition with a warm honey-colored patina. Overall length about 6 ½ inches.
Important provenance includes: Trotta-Bono American Indian Art; Peter Brams (NYC); Keno Auctions - The Peter Brams Collection of Important Woodlands Indian Art; Steve Powers, Private Florida and Santa Fe Collections.
Ash Burl Bowl
With Exceedingly Rare
Signature of the Maker
.....sale pending
Boston, ca. late 18th century. Signed underneath “I HOWE”, the ‘I’ likely representing ‘J’ (as was then the norm). John Howe father and son were “turners and cabinet makers” working on Back Street in Boston’s North End from 1796-1800—they surely turned this bowl. Back Street was a bustling center where master craftsmen worked wood into objects of beauty and function.
During the Revolution John Howe Sr (1738-1823) and his wife fled to Sudbury, remaining at the Howe Tavern (now known as Longfellow’s Wayside Inn) until the British evacuated Boston. John was a Revolutionary War officer and member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, which served to provide well-trained militia officers to fight in the Revolution. He also may have been a juror at the inquest of Crispus Attucks, a victim of the Boston Massacre.
Beautiful classic form with crisply stepped base and rim. Stoutly turned with subtle beehive tooling. Mint condition with warm nut-brown patina. About 6 3/8 inch diameter x 2 5/8 tall. Having been in a collection for some 40 years, now a new prize for the collector of colonial America.
I have not previously seen a burl bowl signed by the maker!