Catalog: Antiques (578)

A naïve portrait of a young man holding a book, done in watercolor, ink, and pencil. Although unsigned, every characteristic of J.A. Davis' work is present, from the materials used to the composition, to the painting technique. Similar to lot 834 at the Sotheby's 1/25/15 auction and to lots 119 and 120 at the Skinner 11/2/18 sale. .

Excellent condition with no tears, folds, or restoration...

A simple but elegant brandy warmer with beaded lid and base rims, the thumb rest on the lid molded as a scallop shell, the angled handle of aged wood with a nice patina.

The piece is 3 3/8" tall, and 2 7/8" wide, 5 1/8" wide including the handle. Excellent condition.

A beautiful covered Bohemian goblet, with blue enameling, cutting, and engraved with roses and foliage, a true exhibition of decorative exuberance; 7 1/2" tall with cover, 5 5/8" tall without cover, 2 5/8" diameter bowl, 2 5/8" diameter foot

This banneret weather vane, found in upstate New York, is constructed of sheet and wrought iron, and has an incredible presence and visual impact. Featuring a flag with a central cut-out, scrollwork on either side of the flag, and an ornate three dimensional flower blossom at the end, it exemplifies the whimsy that one looks for in great items of folk art.

The vane has a wonderful weathered and rough brown surface, and is in overall excellent condition...

A vibrant and charming American folk art tinsel painting showing a variety of fruit and foliage in a white compote set upon a slab of marble. Wonderful condition, with a sight size of 12 inches by 15 1/4 inches, and a beautiful, non-period frame of 16 3/4 inches by 20 inches.

A walnut bracket and shelf intricately carved with a panoply of Masonic symbols. The shelf portion itself folds flat against the back bracket, and is supported by a swing-out brace.

Pencilled writing on the back of this item says that it was purchased in 1938 and was believed to be over 100 years old then, which is probably about 25 years on the optimistic side. The shelf has been shellaced or varnished; 19" high, 10 1/2" wide, 6" deep.

A wonderful double sided smalt trade sign for D.M. Woodward, Doctor of Chiropractic. The gilded letters and the black smalt background are virtually intact and vibrant. The frame is original, and measures 28 3/4 inches by 14 inches by 2 inches deep. There is a small sliver out of the frame at one upper edge, and a small gap in the frame at the corner. Aside from these very minor flaws, the piece is in excellent condition.

A sweet tinsel (foil) painting of a large bouquet of flowers. The painting itself is in very good condition, with no chips, breaks, or image loss. The period or earlier gilded wood frame has normal expected wear. Period wood backboard. The sight size is 11 1/4" by 9 5/8", and the overall size is 12 3/4" by 11".

NOTE: Between September 12, 2012 and January 13, 2013 the American Folk Art Museum held an exhibit on this art form...

A beautiful and striking pair of American folk art pastel still life paintings. The fruit is laid out on a green table, and wonderfully executed. The black background provides superb contrast and highlights the radiance of the apples, pears, grapes, peaches, etc.

The gilded over gesso frames are period and probably original. Sight size of each is 16 3/4" by 12 7/8", while the framed size is 21 1/4" by 17 3/4"...

A nicely decorated document box featuring red and black grain painting, the edges with yellow and green striping.

The box is 13 1/4 inches in length, 7 1/4 inches in depth, and 6 1/2 inches tall. Overall condition is excellent, with no cracks or breaks, and virtually all of the original, unrestored paint is present. The lock and hinges are original and in fine shape. There is the normal amount of wear along some of the box edges.

A fine tinsel, or foil, painting. The relatively uncommon subject matter is a basket of fruit, nicely reverse painted on glass with tinsel backing. What unfortunately doesn't show well in the photo, because of the lighting, is the bunch of grapes directly under the basket.

The painting is in very good condition, with what is probably its original gilded frame and wood backing. The overall size is 16" by 14".

A wonderful and strong American freehand watercolor on paper folk art theorem. Strawberries, apples, cherries, and pears, with their foliage, are depicted in bold colors with a whimsical style. They rest in a large bowl with a light brown tint (not stained).

In contrast to the creasing, heavy foxing and flaws that many examples of this type art have, the overall condition is excellent, with no tears and only a spot or two or discoloration...

A playing card game box of coromandel wood, with mother-of-pearl plaque on the top and keyhole escutcheon. The interior has a silk lined lid, and is divided into 5 sections, three of which contain 5 or 6 old decks of playing cards made by the Goodall Company, one section containing 4 Bezique registers made by Goodall, 4 whist markers made by De La Rue & Co., and a small booklet on how to play Bezique...

A fine example of early American folk art. Generally classed as fraktur type, paintings such as these were done by children, and were often, as this one was, painted on a page from a ledger or notebook. This particular piece is a charming depiction of a horse, and is housed in a period frame with a wonder crusty surface.

The painting is in very good condition, with good color, and no tears or creases...

An absolutely charming group of small schoolgirl paintings of animals, soldiers, plants, etc., mounted together and presented in three period gilt frames. The back of each framed group indicates that these were all done around 1840 by Miss E. Green of Pennsylvania.

The condition is generally very good, with some rippling to the paper. The frames have expected wear but display well...

A beautifully worked quilt with the "Star of Bethlehem" design, surrounded by stuffed-work flowers and vines; 87" by 81". Excellent condition.

From the latter half of the 19th century, this beautifully proportioned iron vane graced the spire of the United Baptist Church in Ellsworth, Maine. In 1933, a major fire swept through the town, burning many of the buildings, including the church. When the church was finally rebuilt, the council wanted a more modern look, and stored the vane in the basement, where it remained for the next 70 years or so...

This is an unusual, wonderful, and beautifully done folk art example of a tinsel or foil painting. The vast majority of tinsel paintings are of flowers. This rarity depicts a bluebird hovering over a basket filled with pears, a melon, and apples. A cluster of cherries, and bunches of grapes and foliage surround the basket. Colors are deep and very vibrant, and include blues, purple, brown, various shades of yellow and green, white, reds, and others...