Thomaston Place Auction Galleries

Cornucopia of decorative arts to be auctioned

Sun, 10/25/2015 - 7:15am

Story Location:
51 Atlantic Highway
Thomaston, ME 04861
United States

An outstanding selection of fine art and antiques has been harvested from homes throughout Maine and New England for Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ fall sale on Nov. 14 and 15. The auction will feature fine paintings, important documents and books, jewelry, silver, and decorative antiques.

Featured artwork will include a watercolor and tempera painting by Andrew Wyeth (ME/PA, 1917-2009) titled “The Mall,” Thomaston (ME), 1942, depicting a Greek Revival home located on that street; and a Howard Pyle School oil on canvas work titled “Custer’s Last Stand,” that is almost identical to an N.C. Wyeth illustration that was commissioned in 1932. Also on offer will be an oil on canvas painting by Frederick Judd Waugh, “Along the City Line, Gloucester Harbor,” 1910, accompanied by an authentication letter from Waugh.

The sale will also present a variety of Old Master paintings and works by Imero Gobbato (ME, 1923-2010), Eric Hopkins (ME, 1951- ), Franklin Dullin Briscoe (PA/MD, 1844-1903), Harry P. Sutton, Jr. (MA, 1897-1984), Marguerite Zorach (NY/ME/CA, 1887-1968), Aiden Lassell Ripley (MA/NY, 1896-1969), and many others.

Fine marine paintings will figure strongly, with works such as: a portrait of the ship “Roger Stewart” leading a storm by Samuel Walters (UK, 1811-1882); a portrait of the American sailing ship “Servia” passing the cliffs of Dover by John Frederick Loos (Belgium, c. 1861-1895); and a portrait of the American steamer “Lampasas” by Antonio Gasparo Jacobsen (NY/NJ, 1850-1921). And, there will be an exceptional selection of marine items, including: a pair of 19th Century scrimshaw decorated whales’ teeth on stand, a collection of circa 1895 glass negatives depicting the lighthouses of Maine, and a 19th Century cased ship model of the barque “Elcie” made by a Maine sailor.

Among the group of folk art and early advertising items will be a 19th Century gilded tin weather vane in the form of a writing quill, plus a black painted tin “Telegram-News” trade sign, both from the Lynn, Mass. building that housed “The Daily Item” and “Telegram-News” newspapers. There will also be a 19th Century advertising sign, for the “Camden Woolen Co.” of Camden, Maine.

The auction will feature four table lamps by Tiffany Studios, including one with an Acorn pattern leaded glass shade and model 531 bronze base, one with a geometric leaded green slag glass shade with pearly inserts and patinated model 181 bronze base, and two boudoir lamps with green Favrile glass shades.

The estate jewelry and watch collection will be led by a men’s 18K gold Breguet Transatlantic Type II chronograph wristwatch in original box, a ladies 18K gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust diamond wristwatch in original box, and a vintage 18K gold dragonfly brooch with plique-a-jour wings and set with diamonds, emeralds and sapphire.

An 18th Century Sevres porcelain gilt and cobalt blue tea cup and saucer with enameled decoration by Jean-Louis Morin (active 1754-87) will be featured in the ceramics and glass categories. There will art pottery pieces by Grueby, Weller, Rookwood, Brother Thomas and Moorcroft, plus glass by Galle, Steuben, Lalique, and others. A large group of Chinese snuff bottles consigned by a Connecticut collector will be featured among the selection of Asian antiques.

The selection of estate silver will include an important American coin silver tankard by Boston silversmith Joseph Loring (1763-1815), an eight-piece circa 1925 Tiffany & Co. tea and coffee service, and a mid-19th Century coin silver mug made by Bangor silversmiths Jeremiah Fenno & Charles Hale.

A handwritten letter from author William Faulkner responding to a University of Indiana student in 1950 on the subject of love will be featured among the auction’s rare book and document collection. There will also be a rare 3-volume book, the “History of the Indian Tribes of North America,” by Thomas L. McKenney and James Hall, 1848-50, the Fist Octavo Edition, with 120 hand colored plates.

Early American furniture highlights will include: a Federal Period eight-day cherry tall case clock made by Solomon Parke & Co. of Philadelphia (active 1797-1801); a pair of very fine Salem, MA Sheraton period mahogany card tables; and a Maine-made Chippendale period (circa 1770s) chest with boldly figured wavy birch drawer fronts. There will be a selection of custom and Danish modern design furniture by Thomas Moser, George Mulhauser, Jr., J.L. Moller, and Weatherend.

From the music category will be a 1928 Steinway & Sons Model M baby grand piano with mahogany case with recent professional restoration, and a fine group of antique music boxes from a Massachusetts collection, featuring a rare, circa 1898 Symphonian “Mikado” vertical 24 ½” disk box.

The auction will begin at 11 a.m. on both sale days. A complete, full color catalog, with detailed descriptions and photographs, is available, and all lots can be viewed at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ website, www.thomastonauction.com.

In addition to live bidding in the auction hall, Thomaston Place accepts bids via absentee, telephone, and on the internet (via www.invaluable.com, www.liveauctioneers.com and www.auctionzip.com). The buyer’s premium is 15 percent. Please call 1-207-354-8141 for more information, or to reserve seats in the auction hall.

The gallery will be open for previews Monday, Nov. 9 through Friday, Nov. 13 (between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day) and from 9 and 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday before the sale.

Thomaston Place Auction Galleries is Maine’s premier auction and appraisal company located at 51 Atlantic Highway/U.S. Route 1 in Thomaston.