Anne Haley's Art and Antique Appraisal by Anne Weston and Associates

The Expert Eye – Knowledge Is Key

2012-02-07T11:49:00.000-08:00

Click image to enlarge

Auction catalogues are a very useful resource, but it is always important to remember that many catalogue entries are written under a time constraint. There is often a limited amount of time between when an item is consigned and when the auction catalogue text is written and the catalogue goes to press. Having time to research is a luxury not always accorded to auction cataloguers. In this particular case, an unsigned landscape painting appeared in a West Coast, US, auction catalogue with the description “European Mountain Scene.”

To an American landscape painting specialist such as Jamie LeFleur of the Banks Gallery, it was obvious that the scene was not a European landscape, but rather the painting depicted the entrance to the Mount Washington Auto Road in the Presidential range of New Hampshire’s White Mountains (circa 1873). Originally called the Mount Washington Carriage Road, the route opened in 1861 to great fanfare and was a major tourist attraction. The Banks Gallery acquired the painting with the knowledge of the location, but the artist remained unidentified as the painting was unsigned.

Research is one of the most important elements of an appraisal and knowledge of specialists is part of that process. Jamie LeFleur contacted a pre-eminent White Mountain Historian, Charlie Vogel, and showed him the painting in bright sunlight. Mr. Vogel’s connoisseurship immediately identified the artist as the Boston painter, Sylvester Phelps Hodgdon (1830-1906). Hodgdon was one of a number of landscape painters that Jamie had been considering as the artist, but Mr. Vogel’s confirmation was extremely important. The next step was a comparison of signed and authenticated works by Hodgdon to this painting in order to further cement the artist identification.

Click image to enlarge

Artists often painted more than one example of a particular scene, and Hodgdon was no exception. He had painted a similar landscape featuring Mount Adams in 1873. Mount Adams, the neighbor of Mount Washington, is located in the northern Presidential Range in New Hampshire. One of Hodgdon’s paintings of Mount Adams had recently been exhibited at the New Hampshire Historical Society’s exhibition, “Consuming Views” during 2006 -2007. Utilizing the wonders of Photo Shop, Jamie compared the two paintings -- they lined up almost perfectly. It is believed that Hodgdon could have painted both landscapes during a visit to the Glen House in 1873.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Sylvester Phelps Hodgdon (1830-1906) was a prolific American painter who lived and studied in the Boston area. He worked as a lithographer for L.H. Bradford in the early 1850s, but during that decade he also painted views of New Hampshire scenes such the Flume and the Old Man of the Mountain. By 1864 he was painting and exhibiting landscapes at The National Academy of Design. Hodgdon’s work was also exhibited at the Boston Athenaeum and the Boston Art Club. Hodgdon traveled throughout New England painting coastal scenes and landscapes, but the coast of Maine and the White Mountains of New Hampshire were two of his favorite subjects.

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE BANKS GALLERY, PORTSMOUTH, NH

The Conundrum of the Chair

2011-12-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

Photograph Courtesy Devin Moisan Auctions

My newsletter topic this month is a bit unusual and perhaps not what the typical appraiser would consider important when determining value. However, research is a crucial part of an appraiser’s job. Although the topic An Introductory Review of London Customs Records from 1768 – 1773: Furniture Imports and Exports of Major North-East American Ports may seem a bit dry, I believed it was important to publish my earlier research on the web, which can be seen by clicking here, where perhaps it will inspire others.

One of my chief interests both as a researcher and an appraiser is the transmission of design and ornament. Although primarily reflected in the decorative arts, the elements of design present in an item often enable an
appraiser to determine where something has been made, when it might have been made and perhaps determine a maker, etc. My article is concerned with a short period of time and a particular place – the North-East harbors of
America. The statistics derived from the London Customs Records (remember that
in 1768-1773, the Colonies were still subjects of King George III) illustrate
how it is possible for a piece of furniture made in one port city to arrive via
water voyage in another port. Trade was one of the conduits for the
transmission of the designs or fashions of one place to travel to another
place. Interpretation of that design is another story.

Perhaps a case in point with the re-release of this article is a corner chair that recently sold at a New
England auction. From initial photographs, it was easy to dismiss this chair as a reproduction or perhaps a Centennial revival. Upon closer inspection it was obviously an 18th century corner chair, but was it made in the Colonies, in England or perhaps Ireland? The design of the corner chair is obviously English but as a fashion it was also a popular furniture item in America, particularly in New England.

Typically the proportions of a chair assist in determining where it was made, but not with this example. The woods did not help either, for the entire chair is made of mahogany; a wood easily available and used on both sides of the pond during this period. So we turn to the chair frame with the incredibly detailed leather top. From a visual inspection, the frame appeared to be Southern yellow pine. This wood is known to have been used in New York furniture. The provenance suggested a New Jersey or Mid-Atlantic States origin, but visually some elements of the chair were more similar with Massachusetts or New York. Newport, Rhode Island, was also suggested as an origin. An English furniture scholar suggested that the twirls at the end of the arms are often associated with Irish furniture.

The nail pattern on the chair frame suggests that the leather top may have been a replacement, but the leather top itself is 18th century and probably made in Portugal. The tooling is hand-done and not made by blocking which is typical of 19th century work. And did I mention that the chair retains its original
brass rollers? Again, typical of English work but not unknown in the States. A complete conundrum.

So although my article about Imports and Exports may seem to be dry, the subject is still pertinent as discussions continue as to where something has been made – and how its origin affects value. Given all the questions about the chair, it sold for a price nearer to what an English example would fetch, rather than an American corner chair.

Happy Holidays From Anne Rogers Haley

2011-12-21T10:39:00.000-08:00

An Introductory Review of London Customs Records from 1768-1773: Furniture Imports and Exports of Major North-east American Ports by Anne Rogers Haley

2011-12-12T07:45:00.000-08:00

The "Northeastern Provinces" of America

N.B. -- This article was published in 1996 and is based on a lecture at Oxford University given by Ms. Haley

Economic historians have long recognized the importance of customs ledgers and shipping registers, but the concentration of their publications tends to be on commodities such as rice, indigo, grains, tobacco and similar staple items. Various economists have utilized a customs house ledger book entitled Imports and Exports (America) 1768 to 1773, located in the Public Records Office at Kew, Surry, in their work. Although cited in economic histories, I ‘discovered’ the London Customs Records during a chance encounter whilst completing other research. The ledgers contain a formidable amount of material relevant to an analysis of the furniture trade. They list the imports and exports at the various ports of North America noting the countries from which commodities were exported and imported, together with accounts of the ships entering inwards or clearing outwards at the ports, with their tonnage and type. Due to a series of fires at the London Customs House, this is one of the few surviving ledgers for the colonies during the eighteenth century. This particular study reviews only the documentation for furniture, described as “House Furniture”.

Although the statistical data, which you can see by clicking here requires further analysis and additional documentation from social, economic and art historical sources, the ledger alone is an extremely important source for the study of furniture, particularly in relation to the questions of transmission of design. The statistical analysis presented here is an overview of the entire five years and is not broken down by year. This study, therefore, does not definitely analyze trends over the entire time period, but rather suggests possible scenarios. A transcription of the ledger with its various accounts, noted in chronological order, is located here and followed by a summary of statistics for imports and exports. It should be noted, however, that without reviewing all the coastal port entry and clearance records for these years, some items may be double-counted. It is sometimes possible to see the intercoastal shipments, for instance, two billiard tables are imported into Nova Scotia and later shipped into Philadelphia via Boston. However, with chair statistics it is very difficult to know how many chairs originating from the port of Boston may have been exported to Savannah, for example, and then subsequently shipped on to the West Indies. Without reviewing each years’ statistics and checking the entries into and clearances out of the individual ports, double-counting is a particular problem with the analysis. It is a question that will need to be addressed as more documentation is accumulated and assimilated.

View of Salem, MA 1797

In American furniture studies, it is accepted that the transmission of designs utilized for furniture, i.e., the introduction of such elements as the claw-and ball foot, the pierced splat back, the bombe shape, etc., came from three primary sources: craftsmen who immigrated to the colonies; design and pattern books; and, imported furniture. Although scattered documents and references survive to document the shipping trade, this customs house ledger notes the specific types of furniture both imported into colonial ports from London and exported coastwise to east coast colonial ports, the West Indies, the Wine Islands, Ireland, Great Britain and Africa. While we still remain uncertain as to exactly what these items of furniture looked like, the percentage of types of articles imported and exported documents trade and production patterns from 1768 to 1773. Additional research will of necessity look for items of furniture that may have survived their travels intact, and, with a reliable provenance. The Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum owns a secretary labeled by the Sandersons of Salem, Massachusetts, that was discovered in South Africa earlier in the century. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, owns an English mahogany bombe chest-on-chest with mirrored doors that is purported to have been imported to Boston by the merchant, Charles Apthorp (1698-1758).

In reviewing the ledger (266 pages), I have concerned my analysis so far to four major ports: Boston, Rhode Island, New York and Philadelphia. These eastern seaboard port communities were the busiest and most populated at the time. This study will key into a major research project on the colonial exportation of chairs made in Boston, Rhode Island or new York and their exportation to other colonies currently being funded by The Chipstone Foundation of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Independence Hall

Philadelphia was a major trend setter (by American standards) of fashionable furniture during this period and was also a major port of importation from London. One of the most surprising trends noted in these ledgers are the number of chairs and case furniture (relative to the statistics from other ports) that were exported from Philadelphia. Boston has always been regarded as the center of furniture exportation, with Newport, Rhode Island producing more mid-century and eclipsing the Boston trade by the Revolution. The southern ports have only temporarily been ignored, pending time and study. However, I have noted in the end notes any significant quantities or types of furniture going through those ports.

These ledgers are an important initial step in the study of the exports and imports of furniture from both a colonial and European viewpoint. The statistics derived so far indicate a number of questions that remain to be answered; in particular, the importance of actual furniture ‘designs’ being transported and their impact on style transmission.

Sundries exported to the British and Foreign West Indies included some interesting notes. A total of 4 billiard tables were exported from the ports of New Foundland and Quebec. Billiard tables appear to be somewhat common in the list of exports from these ports, but whether they were produced in local shops has not yet been ascertained. From the port of Bahama, probably Elutheria, 172 Mahogany Bedposts were shipped as part of a large cargo that included 27 tons of Lignumvite and 19 tons of Logwood. Given the number of bedposts it is conceivable that they were made in the Bahamas and not simply shipped from an east coast port, i.e., Savannah.

CONCLUSION

It was frustrating to have most furniture imports from Great Britain described in general terms. Some possible reasons for this practice could have been that the amount of furniture being shipped in packages and bales was so great that it was too time consuming to describe individually, or, the customs officer on duty simply took the easiest method and described the imports in bulk. In all the data supplied by these ledgers, furniture is not dutiable. Therefore, it was presumably not as necessary to describe the contents individually. However, another conclusion can also be drawn, one that I like to believe has great promise. The ledgers reviewed are for the Port of London. Perhaps the greatest number of imports from London was earlier in the eighteenth century, and that as the century progressed, other ports, such as Liverpool, Bristol, and Exeter took precedence. One of the most intriguing assumptions yet to be proven is whether there is a link between the regional craftsmen who ultimately immigrated to the colonies, for instance the Seymours of Devon, and the trade of the southwestern British ports.

Certainly a tenuous assumption, but one that bears some thought as the furniture market in the colonies was not a luxury market such as that supplies by Chippendale shop or Mayhew & Ince on London, but neither was a market of furnishings for the ‘middle class’ supplies by a pyramidal tier of artisans. It must always be kept in mind that the colonial market was dominated at the top by merchants: there was no royal or aristocratic class. The demands for furnishings were different than in London. Further research into British cabinetmakers’ export trade, such as Gillows of Lancaster, and surviving documented import or export furniture, coupled with the statistical analysis of customs records is necessary before any many of the questions posed by this initial study can be answered more comepletly.

William Randolph Hearst, Giovanni Battista Piranesi and the Roman god Jupiter: How Provenance Affects Value

2011-10-10T17:36:00.000-07:00

Provenance is defined as “the history of ownership of a valued object or work of art.” For an appraiser, provenance is of utmost importance in the determination of a value for an object or a work of art. An extreme, and incredibly interesting, provenance of an object is detailed below.

This marble altar and associated vase have a celebrated history and is an amazing survival encompassing the history of Imperial Rome, the innovation and craftsmanship of Giovanni Battista Piranesi, and the grasp of William Randolph Hearst, collector extraordinaire.

Marble Altar and Marble Vase

Photograph Courtesy of Summers Place Auctions Ltd.

This object is described in the auction catalogue as A marble altar dedicated to Jupiter, Roman Imperial, circa 1st century A.D., surmounted by a marble vase recarved in the 18th century from a Roman column capital Augustan period, circa 27 B.C. - A.D. 14 the combination, restorations, and alterations by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Rome, 1770s restorations

the urn is 99cm; 39ins high; overall height 224cm; 88ins

Click here to see the auction listing.

JUPITER

In two pieces, the lower section is made of carved marble and was originally created in Imperial Rome (1^st century A.D.) as an altar dedicated to Jupiter. It is difficult to understate the importance of Jupiter in the Roman pantheon of Gods. Jupiter was the King of the gods, and the god of sky and thunder in ancient Roman religion and myth. In mythology, Jupiter was the brother of Neptune and Pluto and these three gods presided over the three realms of the universe, The Sky, The Land and The Underworld.

As the personification of the divine authority of Rome’s highest offices, Jupiter’s images in the Republican and Imperial Capital bore his regalia, or emblems: a scepter, an eagle and the figure of Victory. When the Roman consuls swore their oath of office, it was done so in Jupiter’s name. His altar would be the site of the sacrificial offering of a white, castrated ox with gilded horns. Other sacrifices were offered at his altar, depending upon the nature of the ritual.

At some point, presumably in the mid-18^th century, the altar was combined with a Roman column capital dating to circa 27 B.C. to A.D. 14, the Augustan period. This architectural fragment was adapted and a vase was created. The intellectual craze revolving around the classical world of Greece and Rome was a predominant theme in the mid to late 18^th century, largely precipitated by the rediscovery of Herculaneum (1738) and Pompeii (1749) and the subsequent publications – typically with engraved illustrations – of these ruins.

GIOVANNI BATTISTA PIRANESI

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720- 1778) was an Italian etcher, engraver, designer, architect, archaeologist and theorist. His lifelong fascination with architecture was fundamental to his art as was his ability to create objects that were sought after by the men engaged in the Grand Tour. Best known for his fantastical engraved architectural views of ancient and modern Rome, Piranesi was also employed in the restoration and sale of antiquities along with his British partner, Gavin Hamilton (1723-1798). Piranesi had acquired in 1769 a collection of ancient fragments from Pantanello, a site near the villa of the Roman Emperor Hadrian at Tivoli near Rome. He restored many of these fragments into marketable antiquities, many intended as Grand Tour souvenirs for British aristocrats.

Piranesi published illustrated descriptions of many of his antiquities in 1778. This vase/capital is noted in Vasi, Candelabri, Cippi, sarcophagi, tripod, lucerne, ed ornamenti antichi (vol. I, Rome, pl. 46) “Vaso antico alto palmi 4 onc. 7 che si vede nel Museo dell’ autore.” [Vase of tall palms, in the museum of the author]. See John Wilton-Ely, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, The Complete Etchings, Vol. II, San Francisco, 1994, no. 931. A more elaborate vase acquired in Rome from Piranesi by John Boyd, a Scottish merchant, on his Grand Tour from 1775 to 1776, is now in the collection of the British Museum in London and is described as “The Piranesi Vase.”

LORD YARBOROUGH

When Charles Anderson Pelham, 1^st Lord Yarborough (1749-1823) acquired the altar and vase is unknown. Presumably this antique sculptural work was purchased during his Italian Grand Tour and perhaps graced the interior Appuldurcombe, his baroque country house on the Isle of Wight. The second Baron Yarborough (later the first Earl of Yarborough) sold Appuldurcombe House in 1855.

Appuldurcombe House, Isle of Wight

Another potential location for this antiquity may have been Brocklesby Hall, the Lincolnshire seat of the Yarborough family.

WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST

In the 1920’s, the altar and vase was owned by the Irish journalist, James Young McPeake , who was recruited by William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) to manage the British edition of Good Housekeeping Magazine. Established in 1922, this edition was based on the original American edition and its success greatly enhanced Hearst’s coffers.

William Randolph Hearst was a legendary collector. In 1925, after seeing photographs of St. Donat’s Castle in Country Life magazine, he purchased this Welsh Vale of Glamorgan property, purportedly for his long-term mistress, the American actress, Marion Davies. Hearst spent a fortune furnishing his multiple residences purchasing entire rooms from castles and palaces throughout Europe. McPeake was one of a number of people who acted as an agent on Hearst’s behalf. In 1929, the altar and vase were offered at auction in London, when it was sold for 357 pounds. (Christie’s, London, July 11, 1929, no. 142).

William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951)

Whether this architectural creation was intended to grace one of Hearst’s American residences – most probably Hearst Castle at San Simeon, California is not known. In October 1929, the Great Depression hit and shortly thereafter, William Randolph Hearst lost much of his personal fortune. For the best part of 90 years, this majestic sculptural creation languished in a garden in London. Along with a Roman carved 1^st century A.D. white marble Janus term figure, Lot 17 of the same auction (see below), these objects all have a McPeake family provenance.

The provenance of this sculptural creation is similar to a tapestry with many interwoven historical strands creating its story. The estimated sales prices of £ 50,000 – 80,000 pounds (approximately $ 78,000 - $ 125,000 US) takes into account the history of the piece as well as its condition. Both the altar and the vase have been restored.

Lot 17

Roman Carved White Marble Janus term figure

1^st century A.D.

92 cm; 36 ins high overall

Restorations

Photograph Courtesy of Summers Place Auctions Ltd.

The estimate also takes into account comparable objects – of which there are only a few – and the current economic markets. Estimating, appraising or valuing of objects is not an exact science: one must look at a variety of factors to arrive at a fair market value.

It will be very interesting to see where they end up next – and what price they will achieve at auction when they are sold on October 18, 2011.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

For the Vase/capital:

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Vasi, Candelabri, Cippi, sarcofagi, tripodi, lucerne, ed ornamenti antichi, vol. I, Rome, 1778, pl. 46: "Vaso antico alto palmi 4 onc. 7 che si vede nel Museo dell' autore" (John Wilton-Ely, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, The Complete Etchings, vol. II, San Francisco, 1994, no. 931)

Christie's Season 1929, London, 1929, p. 346 (under the heading "A Selection of Notable Prices obtained for Objects of Art, etc.")

The ancient Roman altar dedicated to Jupiter is attested in an 1876 publication of the inscription ("Iovi sancto - Iovi sereno") as having once been with Piranesi. The side scenes (including one preserved, with

charioteer) were restored.

Archäologischer Anzeiger, vol. 42, 1927, p. 276, fig. 7

Eugen von Mercklin, Antike Figuralkapitelle, Berlin, 1962, p. 258

Taylor Coffman, Hearst as Collector: the First Fifty Years, Summerland CA, 2003, p. 73.

Geoffrey B. Waywell, The Lever and Hope Sculptures, Berlin, 1986, cat. no. 29, p. 87.

DETERMINING FAIR MARKET VALUE, AUCTION PARTNERS AND SPECIALIST AFFILIATIONS

2011-08-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

One of the primary principles of my business is that I am not affiliated with a particular auction house and do not have to “steer” objects to sale in-house. I am very proud that Anne Weston & Associates is an impartial appraisal services consultancy. However, without an auction house affiliation and without constantly being exposed to items coming up for sale, it can be difficult to value items.

Education and exposure are vital in staying on top of current values. Accordingly, I have developed a web of auction houses with which I work, offering telephone, absentee bidding and organizational skills on a short-term basis both before and during an auction. Not only does this service, on-site at an auction, allow me to see and touch the objects, but I also watch them sell (or not), and develop a view on the market with insight from the auctioneers and audience. My market analysis is enhanced by meeting experts who are active in a specific marketplace and who can share their insight. In addition, this affiliation introduces me to specialists across many fields, so when I am asked to value a particular object, a wider avenue is available for consultation.

In the future, I shall be writing about some of the more intriguing objects that have been sold at some of these auctions, concentrating on those elements that most impact value. I hope you will find these articles interesting and perceptive.

Wyeth Sketch Book Appraisal by Anne Haley

2011-07-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

It was a chance call that culminated in the marvelous appearance (outside of the owners of course) of Andrew Wyeth’s sketchbook from 1939-1940. A cardinal rule for appraisers is never to dismiss a call, no matter how far-fetched the initial conversation might appear to be. If someone calls and tells you that they have a Renoir hanging in their garage – chances are that it is probably be a print – but it might be an original. In the case of the Wyeth sketch book, the conversation mentioned Picassos and Wyeths, an unlikely coupling, but in this particular case, both artists were represented in the household contents.

The appraisal needs were relatively straightforward – health care expenses had escalated and something had to be sold that would meet these costs and also provide a buffer against any further expenditure in the future. We proceeded with the typical scenario of a fair market value appraisal by inspecting the furnishings and fine arts, taking photographs, noting dimensions and condition and ascertaining provenance. After the initial visit, the research commenced at the office to determine value and also what the best scenario – time frame was an incredibly important consideration since the health situation was deteriorating – would be taking into account a variety of options.

We met with the family members subsequently and outlined several scenarios, finally deciding, after the rest of the sketch book had been reunited with the individual sketches that had been framed back in the 1960s, that this would be the object that would be sold. (See History below for the full story). We selected a New York auction house, Keno Auctions [insert link], for a number of reasons.

HISTORY OF THE SKETCHBOOK

The sketchbook dates to circa 1939-1940. Only one sketch is dated – towards the end of the sketch book: it is titled “Betsy” and dated 1940. The sketches of the second Baptist “Ridge” Church, in Martinsville (actually Glenmere) Maine were done during the renovation project which dates to 1939. It is also in 1939 that Andrew Wyeth ventured to Cushing, Maine whereupon he sketched at Broad Cove.

This sketchbook has survived in the family of Forrest Lee Davis (1899-1987). The Davis family are long-term residents of Port Clyde and interrelated amongst many Port Clyde and St. George families. The Davis family home is visible in N.C. Wyeth’s painting “The Morris House, ca. 1935” (Collection of the Farnsworth Art Museum, Bequest of Mrs. Eleizabeth B. Noyce, 1997). Forrest Davis and his son Chester Marshall Davis (1929-1996) built a dory that Andrew Wyeth purchased.

Forrest Davis’s cousin, Levi Hupper, was a close companion of Andrew Wyeth. The triumvirate of Hupper, Wyeth and Walter Anderson were fishing, sailing and hunting friends – and Anderson and Hupper were subjects for Wyeth’s work. The trio often went “cooting,” an occupation of shooting coots that is a subject of Wyeth’s earlier works.

According to the memories of family members, the sketchbook was housed in the Davis house on the bookshelf. It obviously held great fascination to the children of the household, as the amateur sketches – often imitative of Wyeth’s preceding work – attest. The sketchbook was cut up in the 1950s when a member of the family returning from serving in World War II decided that some of the works could be framed and hung upon the walls in his first apartment. Several of the sketches have the framer’s pencil inscriptions on the reverse denoting “Davis.” Because money was tight, the framer did not cut the sketches, but instead framed the sketches with the spiral bound edge intact.

Using these edges and matching ink spots and smudges, it was possible to plausibly determine the order of the sketches. Although there are a few gaps and further research is necessary, the current order of sketches is believed to be quite accurate.

Pewter Dessert Dish Appraisal

2011-05-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

A very memorable project was working with Rose Rich, a spritely woman who, alongside her husband, Stanley, had collected Americana - particularly pewter - from the 1950s. After Stanley’s death, Rose asked my assistance with selling portions of the collection as she was thinking of moving to a smaller residence. The star lot of the collection (there were over 600 pieces of pewter) was a pewter dessert dish. Not only is this a very rare form, but the provenance, publication history, and time off the market, contributed to a very substantial value. The auction price realized at Freeman’s in Philadelphia attested to all of these attributes – it sold for $ 85,000 (price includes the buyer’s premium) and is now in the collection of the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum.

Although the touchmark on this dish is not legible (it is almost erased), there is a similar pewter dessert dish in the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The Smithsonian example is distinctly marked: it bears the touchmark of Francis Bassett I (1690 – 1758), a pewterer active in New York City. These two dessert dishes are currently the only two known American examples of the form. The design is extremely rare – a key component of determining value – and works by Francis Bassett I typically command high prices. The Bassett family made pewter in New York City from 1707 to 1800 and the elder Bassett’s works are very sought after by collectors and institutions.

The dish bears the bright-cut initials “IZ” and “CZ” as well as the date “1728”. Probably commissioned to celebrate the marriage of Christine and Joost Zabriskie of Bergen County, New Jersey, the interior is further embellished with a pattern of flowers and vines; the rim surround is scalloped. Information about the original owners needs research, but the inclusion of the dessert dish in publications in the 1960s and 70s by renowned pewter historians Carl Jacobs, Ledlie Laughlin and Charles Montgomery, clearly recognized its importance in the lexicon of pewter forms.

Stanley and Rose Rich purchased the dessert dish in April 1968 from the Connecticut dealer, Celia Jacobs. It remained in their collection until its sale at Freeman’s Auction in 2009. Forty-one years off the market also added to the value. Items that are frequently traded lose some of their lustre.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY - PEWTER:
Montgomery, Charles. A History of American Pewter. A Winterthur Book. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1973.
Laughlin, Ledlie Irwin. Pewter in America: Its Makers and Their Mark. 2 Volumes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1940; Volume 3. Barre, Massachusetts: Barre Publishers, 1971.
Jacobs, Carl Guide to American Pewter. New York: The McBride Company, Inc., 1957.
Fennimore, Donald L. The Knopf Collectors’ Guide to American Antiques: Silver & Pewter. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984.

DEFINITIONS:
Bright-cut engraving: Typically associated with metal articles in the late 18th century, bright-cut engraving is a method that involved using an engraving instrument that has a double edge. The graver removes slivers of metal with the front part of the tool, which the back of the instrument burnishes these cuts.
Touchmark: A small stamp impressed on metal, (the term is typically associated with pewter), that identifies the maker, and sometimes also includes a location.

Sweermeat: Any sweet delicacy of the confectionary or candy kind. as candied fruits, sugar-covered nuts, sugarplums, bonbons, etc.

Charlecote Park Visit

2011-03-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

Published in the Furniture History Society Newsletter, December 2010

29 September 2010

Upon our arrival at Charlecote, the current owner greeted us in the private apartments. He imparted the basic history of the house and remarked upon the fact that essentially the furnishings of the private rooms remain largely as they were in the 1880s. It was after George Hammond Lucy married in 1823 that major refurbishment of the house was undertaken, mostly in the Elizabethan Revival style. Although Benjamin Wyatt supplied some designs for the additions – of which we were fortunate enough to see three architectural elevation proposals dated to 1825 - it appears that Lucy acted as his own architect. It was after 1825 that the central block of the house was extended by adding a new Library and Dining Room on the West Front. George and his wife travelled to the continent at least two times in the 18th century “Grand Tour” tradition, the second during 1840-1842 and made numerous purchases, many of which remain in the house. Although some changes were made to the main house after George’s death in 1845 – his widow rebuilt the North Wing and created the Drawing Room and the Billiard Room – financial difficulties and ownership changes resulted in the furnishing of the private apartments remaining virtually static. The last inventory was completed in the 1890s; electricity was not introduced to the house until 1922. Very little was done to the house as it was not used during both World Wars and Sir Edmund’s mother did not move into Charlecote until after World War II. The last sale of paintings was in 1946, the year that ownership of the house was transferred to the National Trust.

In the private apartments we noted a striking furniture commission of two card tables and two sofa tables attributed to the cabinetmaker George Oakly. These burl inlaid Regency pieces were ornamented with anthemion and star brass inlay with thin brass line inlay on their frames. A remarkable survival of Victorian taste is the complete suite of furniture supplied by the London firm of Maples in June 1865 for the new rooms added to the south block for George’s widow, Mary Elizabeth Williams. Her boudoir also reflects her decorative taste of the 1860s. Several Chinese lacquer work pieces with a William Beckford provenance were also noted during our visit to the private apartments.

Our group was very fortunate to be accompanied by the William Beckford scholar, Bet McLeod, FSA. The Beckford connection at Charlecote is extremely important. Several items from the Charlecote Park archives were retrieved, including George Hammond Lucy’s annotated catalogue from the Fonthill sale. George attended the auction and noted prices, including those for items he did not acquire. It is known that he was also buying for his brother so there is some confusion as to ultimate ownership. George Hammond purchased furniture, ceramics and metalwork from the auction, much of which remains at Charlecote Park. The pietra dura table from Fonthill dominates the Great Room (which was modernized in the Elizabethan taste in 1836 and retains the Venetian marble floor acquired during the “Grand Tour” travels and laid in 1844). The top is reputedly from the Borghese Palace, but the base was made for Beckford and features one of his armorial emblems, the Latimer cross. It was noted that this symbol very similar to the cross crosslet of the Lucy arms.

The Drawing Room houses several other pieces with a Beckford provenance. There is a pair of cabinets from Fonthill with Boulle work side panels. Considerable discussion ensued regarding construction differences and it is now believed that these cabinets were made for Beckford.

The Boulle work is attributed to Robert Hume’s (Sr.) workshop. A pietra dura cabinet, also with a Fonthill provenance, is thought to have been commissioned by Beckford from Robert Hume, Sr. The panels appear to be period and are now incorporated into a commissioned cabinet. These panels with their Callow dwarf figures are related to those on a similar piece now in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum. These figures are extremely rare and were compared with those on the Belanger piece at Windsor Castle and a cabinet from the Gilbert Collection, now at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Bet McLeod’s painstaking research on these Beckford furniture commissions is to be published in the near future. A circular table with a top made from a veneer of malachite chips is also from Fonthill – the superb quality of the mounts was much discussed.

Further exploration of the main rooms at Charlecote Park revealed other fascinating furnishings. In the library is an inlaid side table perhaps by Bullock as well as another pietra dura table with no Beckford connection. It was mentioned that the suite of ivory inlaid furniture may have come from Kenwood. The dining room is dominated by a remarkable tour de force of Victorian taste - the carved “Charlecote buffet” purchased by Mary Elizabeth in 1858 for the sum of £1,600. Similar to the Warwickshire Sideboard displayed at the Great Exhibition, the piece was created and carved by J. M. Willcox and his assistants over a period of five years. A fleeting visit to the Ebony Bedroom allowed a brief discussion of George Hammond Lucy’s penchant for Indo-Colonial furniture, many pieces of which are displayed throughout Charlecote Park. An Indo-Colonial ebony bed dominates the room. Long associated with Fonthill, the bed is now believed to have been purchased from the Bath-based dealers, English and Farsano, in 1832. The pelmet for the bed was made when it arrived at Charlecote Park.

We enjoyed a most illuminating day at Charlecote Park and are very appreciative of the time and knowledge shared by our host and hostess. It was very fitting that the day of our visit was the anniversary of William Beckford’s birthday.

Anne Rogers Haley

2011-03-21T08:15:00.000-07:00