Northeast Auctions Announces Sale Of Kellogg Collection

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Ron Bourgeault of Northeast Auctions has announced that the sale of the American folk art collection of Helen and Steven Kellogg will be conducted on August 6.

The single-owner sale will be the highlight of Northeast’s three-day auction, the kickoff event of Antiques Week in New Hampshire. The Kellogg collection, assembled over a 40-year period, includes extraordinary examples of folk portraits, painted furniture hooked rugs and accessories, as well as one-of-a-kind objects.

The Kelloggs began their collecting while living in Sandy Hook and visiting the shops of dealers such as Roger Bacon and Mary Allis and attending regional shows, as well as the Winter Antiques Show in New York City and the Philadelphia Antiques Show.

Mr Kellogg pursued an accomplished career as an illustrator (including a few of the Christmas covers for The Newtown Bee) and author, with more than 100 children’s books to his name. Many of those books featured a Great Dane named Pinkerton, while others were retellings of the stories of American folk heroes including Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed, and many others were their own creations, including Is Your Mama A Llama, The Baby Beebee Bird and The Missing Mitten Mystery.

He was celebrated and revered by the world, picking up awards including The David McCord Citation, The Regina Award (for distinguished contributions to children’s literature) and The Jo Osborne Award (for humor in children’s literature), but he was also a good friend and neighbor. Long a supporter of children’s programs in Newtown, Mr Kellogg did at least one book signing each year for C.H. Booth Library’s children’s department. Proceeds from sales of autographed copies of Mr Kellogg’s books were donated to the library, and in February 1984 he was the guest of honor when the library celebrated the grand opening of a new children’s room.

Mrs Kellogg, meanwhile, turned her energies to research and writing on American folk artists, most notably R.W. and S.A. Shute and the “Beardsley Limner,” who Helen identified as Sarah Perkins.

The Kelloggs were familiar faces at many antiques shows and auctions. Bee Publisher R. Scudder Smith occasionally mentioned the couple in The Bee’s Top of the Mountain column after having bumped into the fellow residents while covering antiques shows, whether encountering them at Antiques Week in New York or at the Philadelphia Antiques Show (including once when they were spotted with friend and actor Helen Hunt). The Kelloggs have always been generous and enthusiastic in sharing their extraordinary collection and knowledge with fellow antiquarians.

About ten years ago, the Kelloggs sold their 18th Century home in Sandy Hook and moved to Steven’s boyhood town of Essex, N.Y., settling into a beautifully restored 1836 Greek Revival house with magnificent views of Lake Champlain. The original barn was restored for use as Steven’s studio, as well as additional space for the couple’s ever-expanding collection.

“We always knew the time would come when we would have to sell the collection and that time is now,” said Steven.

Call 603-433-8400 or visit www.NortheastAuctions.com for information.