Online Only Decorative Arts Auction - Pook & Pook - Downingtown, PA

On Thursday November 8th & Friday November 9th Pook & Pook, Inc. is pleased to host another one of their ever-popular Online Only Decorative Arts Auction, with bidding available exclusively on Bidsquare.com. The auction will begin at 9am on Thursday November 8th with 800 lots selling throughout the day. On Friday, November 9th the bidding will again open at 9am with over 700 more lots to be sold. With nearly 1,600 lots crossing the block over two days this sale is sure to suit a variety of tastes and budgets. From folksy Americana to elegant International decorative arts, Pook & Pook’s two-day November sale aims to please.

Lot 2352, Pennsylvania Hepplewhite cherry chest of drawers; Estimate $300-$400

A large variety of furniture will comprise the bulk of the sale. Many pieces of primitive painted Pennsylvania furniture, including dry sinks, corner cupboards, jelly cupboards, and tavern tables will be on offer. Chippendale and Hepplewhite style furniture will also be available including a selection of tall chests, elegant dining chairs, and slant front desks. Early furniture is represented and includes a Jacobean oak settle bench, 18th c. ($500-800), a William and Mary fruitwood child's chair, early 17th c. ($300-$500), a the George III mahogany wing chair, late 18th c. ($400-$800). The furniture selection on offer spans centuries as Mid-Century Modern furniture will also be offered in the sale. Examples include the Stickley Arts and Crafts oak dining table, together with eight chairs ($800-$1,200), a large walnut free-form dining table in the manner of Nakashima ($1,000-$1,500), and an Art Deco dressing table ($200-$300). International furniture on offer includes four stunning Korean mother of pearl and lacquer stands with strikingly intricate inlay ($400-$600), a Scandanavian painted pine cupboard, ca. 1800 ($300-$500), and a French marble-top bureau ($300-$400).

Lot 2427, Scandinavian painted pine cupboard, ca. 1800; Estimate $300-$500

Early in the sale is a handsome grouping of German Jungendstil, also known as German Art Nouveau, pottery and includes four pieces by early 20th century German architect and artist Albin Muller. Other similar items include Austrian, German, French and Italian early 20th century art glass, pottery and metalwork, in Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts styles. Some oddities are scattered throughout the sale, for example the Stirn’s concealed vest camera, an invention patented in 1886 and intended to be worn under a coat as a “spy camera” ($300-$500). Other surprises include a colorfully painted carousel pig ($200-$400), a cast iron and brass salesman sample fireplace mantel and hearth ($100-$200), and a “Human Atlas” book with fourteen plates, by Dr. Stephen Laskowski, published 1894 ($200-$300). An item worth a special mention is the Regina music box, with forty-five discs ($800-$1200), an item famous for its use of flat metal discs and beautifully rich tone.

This sale includes many single-owner collections of interesting smalls, for example a charming group of figural paperclips. These include a cold-painted bronze woodcock paper clip ($300-$400), a rooster head with rabbit fur comb paper clip ($200-$300), and an amusing monkey riding a dog paper clip ($200-$300). Another lovely single-owner collection is of papier-mâché hand fans, with elegant mother of pearl inlay and bone handles.  A late addition to the sale is a large grouping of match safes. On offer will be a variety of advertising match safes, figural match safes, and even a few fine sterling silver examples.

Lot 2306, Painted sheet iron angel weathervane, 20th c; Estimate $300-$500

As is usual with Pook & Pook’s Decorative Arts sales, all manner of prints and oil paintings will be on offer, with a number of examples still in their original giltwood frames. Mirrors are abundant in the sale and include Chippendale, Sheraton, Federal, and tramp art examples. Wall clocks, weathervanes and framed samplers all serve to add interest in any home. Of special note is the Frederick Dehaven costal scene ($200-$400) and the Dolya Goutman portrait of a woman ($300-$500).

All of these items and more will be available exclusively on the online bidding platform Bidsquare (www.bidsquare.com). Interested bidders are encouraged to contact Pook & Pook Inc. at info@pookandpook.com or (610) 269-4040 with questions regarding condition reports, bidder registration, or online bidding. Catalogs can be viewed online at www.pookandpook.com or www.bidsquare.com. Gallery exhibitions are scheduled for Monday, November 5th and Tuesday November 6th from 10am – 4pm at Pook & Pook’s Downingtown gallery. Live bidding will commence at 9 am on November 8th on bidsquare.com. Pook & Pook is located at 463 E. Lancaster Avenue, Downingtown, PA 19335.