Two-Day Americana Sale Brings In Nearly

$2 Million

Marklin New York Paddle Wheel River Boat, From Museum Deaccession, Sells For $252,000

Pook & Pook held its second successful Americana sale of 2023 on May 4 and 5, achieving a 97.84 percent sellthrough rate and a final total of $1,991,077 for 510 lots. The auction was strong in the categories of Pennsylvania German furniture and decorative arts, Philadelphia Chippendale furniture, Philadelphia pewter, Pennsylvania quilts, a collection of Indian Peace medals, and a variety of fine art. Marquee items from big collections, museums, and institutions brought worldwide bidders and top-drawer prices.

The first lot in the sale, the Marklin New York paddle wheel river boat, was also the top lot, crossing the block at $252,000. In the weeks prior to the auction, the item garnered considerable attention. In exceptional condition, it had been in institutional storage and hit a marketplace hungry for rare Marklin boats. Auctioneer and vice president Jamie Shearer summarized, “Pook & Pook realized premium value for this toy, more than equal to the largest auction platforms. Our work with museums and noted collectors is proving

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Doing Our Part that we can deliver big city results, while maintaining our personal, small town touch.” held by Pook & Pook in 2007 and was ex. Olde Hope Antiques.

From the same New Jersey institution, an important English Staffordshire slipware doll cradle dated 1698 brought in worldwide collectors of important English pottery, realizing $22,680.

The collection of Jeffrey Gorrin and Susan Fetterolf of the Oley Valley in Berks County, Pa., was rich with colorful, vibrant pieces and hooked rugs of nearly abstract design, with many of the works retaining both original paint and extensive provenance. An exceptional Berks or Montgomery County painted poplar schrank, one of very few examples of 18thcentury furniture of German design, realized $81,250. A Berks County pine hanging corner cupboard exhibited at Winterthur realized $25,200.

Selling for $27,720 was this Philadelphia pewter footed teapot, ca. 1770, bearing the touch of William Will, ex. Mallory collection, ex. collection of The Herrs.

An old Central Pennsylvania collection caused excitement with two salt boxes. A vibrant red painted mid-19th century box sold for $20,160, but the bidding grew even saltier over an important Mifflin County Samuel Plank painted box, which attained $45,360.

Amongst the fine lots offered by a Delaware collector was a Chester County William

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The English Staffordshire slipware decorated doll cradle, dated 1698 and initialed “MC,” decorated in brown, cream, and russet with dotted tulips and pinwheel flowers, sold for $22,680. An early tag accompanying reads, “This pottery cradle was made in England in 1698. It belonged to Mary Logan Smith who lived 1838 to 1889.”

Inscribed on inside of door was “Eshelman family, Oley Valley, PA.” The early piece brought $39,100 in 1997 at Sotheby’s sale for James Keene and also $52,140 in 2013 at Pook & Pook’s sale for Pastor Fred Weiser.

A very rare Lancaster County pine drysink that had a storied provenance beginning with the Ephrata Cloister realized $45,360. It went for $64,350 at the landmark Shelley sale and Mary walnut desk on frame, ca. 1755, probably made by James Milhaus of New Garden Township (also ancestor uncle to a certain U.S. president), which sold for $22,500. A rare pair of Chester County William and Mary banister back side chairs, ca. 1720, realized $16,380, and a set of six Delaware Valley ladderback dining chairs sold for $17,500. A historic pastel portrait of Philotesia Owen, wife of early Philadelphia mayor Robert Strettell, went for $4,032, and a rare pair of early English needlework panels, ca. 1700, for $6,000.

A Massachusetts oil-on-canvas folk art landscape of the Sycamore Tree at the Moses Rice Farm, Charlemont, 19th century, 24-by-34 inches, sold for $32,760. Moses Rice (16941755) opened a “public home” in Worcester County, Mass., and was the founder of Charlemont, Mass. The painting was being deaccessioned by the Fenimore Art Museum to benefit the acquisitions fund. There was minor scattered touchup to sky and small repaired punctures to the middle left edge.

Items sold to benefit the acquisitions fund of the Fenimore Art Museum saw several highlights, with an American oil on canvas folk art New England harbor scene bringing $35,280 and a large American painted 18thcentury fireboard going for $10,000. A Massachusetts oilon-canvas folk art landscape, the Sycamore Tree at the

Moses Rice Farm, Charlemont, achieved $32,760.

This Lancaster County, Pa., painted Conestoga wagon box, 18th century, retains its original blue painted surface, with elaborate wrought-iron hardware, the lid with tulip-form strapping. Illustrated in Don Plummer’s “Colonial Wrought Iron: The Sorber Collection,” pg. 216, fig. 5-3, ex. Olde Hope Antiques, 2005, from the collection of Jeffrey Gorrin and Susan Fetterolf, it sold for $7,560

Concluding day one was the last installment of the famed pewter collection of the late Drs. Donald and Patricia Herr. Heavily featuring the works of John, Henry, and William Will, America’s illustrious family of pewterers, the collection had bidders flocking for their last chance to obtain an object. A New York pewter tank-ard, ca. 1760, attributed to family patriarch John Will, is one of his few tankards known, and sold for $25,200. A New York flagon, ca. 1770, by brother Henry Will, sold for $17,500. Bidders chased works by William Will. Recognized as the most talented of American pewterers, his highlights included a rare Philadelphia pewter flagon, ca. 1780, selling together with an unmarked chalice for $20,000. A rare Philadelphia porringer bearing his touch crossed the block for $15,000, and a tankard for $16,250. A William Will Philadelphia footed teapot attained the highest bid at $27,500.

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) of Capeville, Va., is a present day woodcarver. His work is very collectible. This folk art bird tree, 2023, with eleven songbirds on branches, the tree set into an ornately carved base with sprouting yucca leaves, realized $10,710.

Day two kicked off with a variety of strong results. An exuberant contemporary Frank Finney carved and painted wooden bird tree realized $10,710, and a

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