Date: Fri 14-May-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: LIZAM

Quick Words:

Freeman-Philadelphia-Easton

Full Text:

Freeman/Fine Arts Auction Breaks $3 Million

(with 4 cuts)

By Rita Easton

PHILADELPHIA, PA. -- Freeman/Fine Arts, solidly established since 1805, has

outdone itself with a three-day spring gallery auction grossing over $3

million, breaking their previous records.

The April 15, 16, and 17 event featured 916 lots from ten estates, with the

most sought-after pieces from main line Philadelphia resident George Vaux,

whose furnishings have been listed in Horner's Blue Book of Philadelphia

Furniture , and are distinguished by important provenance and relationships;

and those of Letitia Martin Pittman of Phoenixville, Pa.

Enthusiastic buyers numbered 200, twice the gallery capacity, competing for

treasures passed down for generations, some not having seen the light of day

for two centuries outside the walls of the owners' estates.

Mrs Pittman's Delaware Valley Chippendale 97-inch high tall case clock by

Beard and Janvier crowned the heady atmosphere, with escalating bidding

climbing to a hammer price of $452,000.

The walnut piece, which went to the trade, featured carved rosettes, a brass

face above which was a half round moon painted with a ship which rocked with

each tick, and inside the case behind a panel was an inscription in chalk,

"Made at Cantwell's Bridge, Delaware, 1779."

A Philadelphia Queen Anne lowboy, 30 inches high by 35 inches wide,

highlighted the Vaux estate, with a two-piece curly maple top on a maple case.

Having chamfered fluted corners, lambrequin carved knees and trifid feet, and

attributed to William Savery, the piece had possibly been owned by Benjamin

Franklin. It garnered $386,000 from a private buyer.

A rare Philadelphia transitional Queen Anne walnut side chair, circa 1750, was

purchased at $331,000. The piece purportedly came from a set belonging to

Captain Samuel Morris (1734-1812), and bore the script initials "SM" in white

chalk on the inside of the rear seat rail. Two from the set are known to be on

loan at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, two are in the Metropolitan Museum of

Art collection in New York City, and two are owned privately. The last one at

auction was offered 12 years ago at Sotheby's, according to Lynn Lehocky of

Freeman.

A hand-colored, engraved book, Birch's Views of Philadelphia , by William

Birch, fetched $86,000. Published in 1880, the volume featured 29 hand-colored

prints, measured 15‹ by 19Ö inches, and was the first edition, the original

scriber's copy.

An unsigned Italian oil on canvas from the school of Stanvione (1585-1656),

"Adoration of the Shepherds," which formerly hung in the courtyard of the

Philadelphia John Wanamaker store, brought $91,000; and, for those buyers with

shallower pockets, a Pennsylvania Chippendale cherry linen press, circa

1770-1780, went out at $10,000.

Silver held its own in this remarkable auction, with an important American tea

and coffee service by R. & W. Wilson, six pieces in all, realizing $67,200;

and a pair of German silver shell form serving trays, 15‹ by 15 inches,

reaching $4,300.

A Serapi rug reached $21,000, despite having a stain. The 15' by 11'4" lot,

purchased by the trade, featured bold colors of red, ivory and blue, with

geometric center medallion, having a red field, with conforming corner

pockets, and stylized floral geometric ivory band borders.

A Philadelphia Chippendale slant front desk in walnut, circa 1770-1780, from

the Vaux estate, having a fitted interior with eight serpentine drawers and

secret drawers, reached $22,000. Also from the Vaux estate, an oval oil on

canvas laid down on masonite portrait of Joseph Sanson, an ancestor of Vaux,

painted by Charles Wilson Peale (American, 1741-1827), brought $34,000.

Prices quoted reflect a 12 percent buyer's premium.