Americana Week in New York

 Once again it is that wonderful week in New York when the two premiere auction houses present for auction the best of the best in American decorative arts and legendary dealers bring their treasures to the Winter Antique Shows at the Armory.  Featured is a wonderful selection of American fine and decorative arts including silver, carpets, Audubon prints, Chinese export porcelain, furniture and folk art.

Road Trip!

I was lucky enough to join the guides from Winterthur Museum to preview the sales at Christies and Sotheby's.  The collective knowledge of American decorative arts on this busload of ladies is staggering and their love of sharing it is truly a gift.  Thank you ladies.

First stop Christies

We were met by Andrew Holter, Vice President, Special Head of Department of American Furniture and Decorative Arts and given a most engaging tour of the the sale's highlights.

A rare and important Queen Anne walnut compass-seat arm chair - Philadelphia, circa 1755 - Price Realized $545,000

A Chippendale mahogany turret-top table - Boston, circa 1750-1760 - Price Realized $485,000

Extraordinary joined oak and pine polychrome "Hadley" chest with drawers - Price Realized - $1,025,000

Next stop Sotheby's

 Erik Gronning,  Head of the   American Furniture and Decorative Arts Department , showed us more wonderful pieces.  
 

The Voodoo Clock - elaborately carved cottonwood tall case clock, probably New Orleans, LA -
​Circa 1928 - estimate - $150,000 — 250,000

An American silver marine-theme soup tureen, Gorham Mfg. Co., Providence, RI, 1883 - Estimate $15,000 — $25,000 - Realized Price - $27,500

Rare pieced linsey-woolsey "Variable Star" Revolutionary quilt from the family of William Pennsylvania or Ohio Circa 1792 Estimate $30,000 —$ 50,000

Bronze-painted cast zinc and cast iron American Elk, j.W. Fiske, New York Circa 1892-1920 Estimate $50,000 — 100,000 - Realized Price - $225,000

But more than the impressive price tags and their intrinsic beauty, I find the stories behind these pieces the most engaging.  A great example is the quilt.  It is made with the cloak of an English officer killed in the Revolution.  I find the more you know, the more you love these pieces.