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Striking Rare Inlaid Cherry Candlestand
Attributed to
NATHAN LUMBARD Worcester County, MA
ca. 1800.
Cherrywood, with serpentine-shaped top of figured cherrywood, with striped-inlaid hearts at the corners and centered by an inlaid pinwheel. The column features a deeply carved spiral fluted urn, supported by a tripod base with distinctive spurred knees.....
Confident Arresting Man in Striking Attire.
Can go anywhere small
Folk Art Portrait
Possibly by Ira Chaffee Goodell
The colors and subject unusual and appealing.
Early 19thc. Gouache on paper.
The blue eyed man is posed before a light bluish-gray ground that perfectly complements his light slate gray jacket; the black collar, buttons and other detail such as his blue and red patterned vest are made all the more dramatic by the artist’s successful use of a monochrome background.
The 1820’s find Goodell working in the Hudson River Valley and Western New England. Despite stylistic development and changes that appear throughout his career, his work is identifiable. The use of heavy, soft shadows around the noses, chins and eyes are traditions that Goodell used. His bust and waist-length portraits are all stiff with sitters being slightly turned and often one shoulder is lower than the other.
Period molded frame painted blue, black and cream, fronted by wavy glass. Site area is 7 1/2 by 9 ½ inches; overall 9 7/8 by 11 ¾. In very good condition with toning and a couple of small paper losses and touchup outside the image area (in the background).
Provenance: Just reacquired from a private NYS collector to whom I sold the portrait 15-20 years ago.
Simply Elegant Country Table.
Sensational Original Red Paint
Of a rare form I have not previously seen.
.....sale pending
New England, ca. 1820
Soft totally dry dark red paint on pine with complex, patinated surface. The form is quiet, elegant, simple, yet with a design sophistication such that it could not be improved upon......MORE
JOHN BREWSTER, JR
(1766-1854)
Rarely found Brewster miniature in watercolor on paper
.....sale pending
New England, ca. 1820.
Attributed to John Brewster Jr. (1766-1854) the celebrated deaf-mute artist raised in a highly cultured family with seven brothers and sisters. He worked as an itinerant portrait painter along the New England coast. As a result of his extraordinary concentration, exemplary artistic skills, and especially his ability to “see” (given that he could not communicate verbally with his subjects), he was able to capture unique portraits that revealed the sitters’ nuanced personalities.
A note attached to the back reads:.....
Exceptional Burl Mortar
New York State, ca. 1740
....sale pending
Pictured and discussed,
NORTH AMERICAN BURL TREEN
Quoting: “Great character to this piece. The species of burl is undetermined. It exhibits traits of maple burl, but not fully. The wood is naturally waxy and maintains a fine silky smooth patina. The grain is marked by large sweeping figure with strong veining throughout. The character and choice of burl specimen relates to the fine covered bowl in the collection of Old Sturbridge Village, page 69, plate 317”.
Impressive and robust in-hand, standing 7 ½ inches tall; 6 1/8 diameter.
Exuberant
Folk Art Painting
America
ca. 1840-1860.
Oil on canvas.
Discover a captivating still life that bridges time and imagination. Painted during the period of American Fancy, this painting is a window into a realm where art bursts forth in vivid hues and playful patterns, igniting the senses.
I see luscious fruits floating in warm tropical waters (note the bubbles). At the heart of this artistic journey stands a then scarce symbol of luxury and hospitality: the pineapple. In a departure from conventional still life compositions, this painting embraces innovation, placing its fruity subjects floating on the water, rather than confining them to traditional urns or baskets.
The intrigue deepens......
Soulful Fragment-Size Carved Looking Glass
.....sale pending
Probably New England, ca. 18th century, inscribed 'MN/1790'
on the reverse.
White pine, in a very high state of originality, untouched, with very thin silvered glass, the silvering now well worn, and rich patina over the entire. The patina may be a combination of Spanish brown paint and natural patination, hard to determine for sure. The high points beautifully worn. Carved crest and base elevate it further. About 8 inches tall x 4 ½ wide. Provenance includes Ron and Penny Dionne, Elliott and Grace Snyder, and distinguished private collections. .
Painted Profile Portrait Miniature of a Young Lady
Probably Northeast, ca. 1830.
Watercolor, opaque watercolor, and ink on paper. Her curly hair pulled up with an elaborate comb or ribbon. A beaded double-necklace about her neck, which is intriguingly separated from her body/dress. Faint signature at right edge. Presented in a patinated brass frame, frame size about 5 1/8 inches x 4 3/8.
Provenance includes Joan Brownstein, private Northeast collection..
EXCEPTIONAL Early Fish Weathervane.
Likely J. W. Fiske New York City, ca. 1870. Form. Surface.
Copper, with a complex weathered surface that has taken on a beautiful verdigris color while retaining a good amount of gilding and sizing. As weathervanes were of critical importance for centuries to foretell changes in weather, they also become an important American sculptural art form. The best examples, like this scarce full-bodied fish, have appealing sculptural design AND retain an authentic surface that reflects the environmental conditions that led to the aesthetic.
Note the balance of top and bottom fins, the graceful flowing lines of the body into the flared and corrugated tail, the repousse eyes, and that dramatic mouth, rimmed with copper molding, that is downswept against the flat bottom jaw. The presence is strong and confident.
About 31 1/2 inches long x 13 tall (including stand) x 5 deep. Superb condition; just a few filled or open bullet holes and minor imperfections. See: The Art of the Weathervane, Steve Miller, page 79 for a similar example.