BLOOMFIELD, NJ.- Nye & Company Auctioneers is gearing up for a three-day, online-only sales extravaganza Wednesday through Friday, January 25th-27th, featuring American furniture, folk art and Native American art, starting each day at 10 am Eastern time.
The Chic and Antique Estate Treasures auction will feature nearly 1,000 lots – a curated mix of fine and decorative arts spanning from the 18th century to the present day, including an exceptional selection of property from the Stanley Weiss collection, folk art from the Maggie Cohen collection and superb early American furniture from a private Connecticut collection.
Headlining the auction is property from the well-known and highly regarded Rhode Island collector, Stanley Weiss. For over 30 years, Stanley developed an eye for the early American aesthetic, with an emphasis on the Queen Anne through the Neoclassical periods. His passion and enthusiasm for quality craftsmanship and figured wood are evident in each piece he owned.
Highlights include a superb, late Federal carved mahogany card table from Salem, Mass. The table exhibits classic design elements that are often associated with Samuel McIntire and his son. Another eye-catcher is a Federal mahogany bowfront clothes press dated April 24th, 1802 and likely made in Boston. Estimated at $2,500-$5,000, the piece offers a lot of bang for the buck.
Another fine piece from New York is a brass-inlaid dolphin base card table. This spectacularly carved table is conservatively priced at $1,500-$2,500. Back up the coast, there is a Federal card table from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with delicate long slender reeded legs, rich brown color and an inlaid frieze.
Other furniture highlights include a nice selection of Queen Anne and Chippendale furniture from a private Connecticut collection. One standout is the Chippendale carved walnut dressing table from Philadelphia, circa 1765. This was once owned by the famous collectors, Abraham and Blanche Harpending. The piece was subsequently sold at Sotheby’s two times over. The rich, warm color and bold, fluid carving help to elevate this piece of colonial craftsmanship.
There is also a rare birchwood blockfront kneehole bureau formerly owned by Walter and Kay Jeffords, proprietors of Faraway Farm in conjunction with Samuel Riddle. The farm was the permanent home of the renowned racing horse, Man O’ War. This collection also includes the Chippendale bowfront chest-of-drawers, signed on the underside, “Lord Stirling, Wm Alexander”. William Alexander, also known as Lord Stirling, served as a Major General in the American Revolutionary War. General Washington ultimately appointed him to Commander of the elements of the Northern Army branch of the American troops.
Not to be overshadowed is the rare Coles-Tomlinson set of six Queen Anne dining chairs attributed to the celebrated cabinetmaker, William Savery of Philadelphia. Made around 1750, these chairs have directly descended through the New Jersey families of Coles and Tomlinson. They are conservatively estimated to sell for between $20,000 and $40,000.
There is also a nice selection of Native American objects, including a rare Navajo 4th phase Chief’s wearing blanket circa 1870-1875. There is also a Navajo 3rd phase chief’s wearing blanket from the 1880s. The earlier blanket is conservatively estimated at $25,000-$35,000; the later piece is estimated at $6,000-$8,000. Also sold will be beaded moccasins and knife sheaths.
The sale has quite a lot of folk art, which is headlined by the collection of Maggie Cohen, from New York City. Included in her collection are a number of potato-stamped Northeast Coast Native American baskets, several whirligigs, one of which includes a splendid Lancaster County, Pennsylvania example with a heart-form tail and two figures.
A large selection cobalt-decorated stoneware, decoys and ships’ models come from a private Pompton Lakes, New Jersey estate. The collector also had a keen eye for some exceptionally folky paintings, which include an early view of Patterson Falls, NJ, a pair of house portraits depicting the recto and verso of a Connecticut River home, a depiction of Washington’s headquarters in Newburgh, New York and a splendid still fruit still life in the manner of the Peale family of painters. Coming from another consignor is a whimsical and folky whaling scene by Edward C. “Pa” Hunt (1870-1934).
For those who want something to truly brighten up their life, there is a fine selection of sterling silver dating from the 17th century through the 20th century. Highlighting this section are a circa 1680 caudle cup, of English origin; an 18th century tankard by Chawner; and the Ludlow-Fulton-Philips-Livingston family en suite George III plated silver hot water urns illustrated in Donald Fenimore’s Knopf Collector’s Guide.
Finally, there is an exceptionally rare Edison electric pen with its original box and sharpening tool. It is currently listed in the registry of the 52 known pens. Of the 52, only two are known to have a complete box.
People can bid in absentia and online and should note that in 2023, participants using the Nye and Company’s proprietary platform are subject to a 25% buyer’s premium. An online preview is being held from January 16th thru January 24-26th at www.nyeandcompany.com, www.liveauctioneers.com, www.bidsquare.com and www.invaluable.com.
Monday, January 16th, the galleries will be open for extended viewing hours, 5-7pm, for a reception, refreshments and live entertainment. Be sure to stop in. Anyone looking for additional images, condition reports or info about an object is invited to visit the Nye & Company website or email to info@nyeandcompany.com.
John Nye had a long and fruitful career at Sotheby’s before he and his wife, Kathleen, acquired Dawson’s in 2003 and started Dawson & Nye. With the move to Bloomfield seven years later, they renamed the business to Nye & Company (Auctioneers, Appraisers, Antiques). The firm is nationwide, but the vast bulk of the business comes from trusts and estates in the tri-state area.
