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THBIMPORTANT JOHN SHEARER (VIRGINIA / WEST VIRGINIA, ACTIVE 1790-1820) ATTRIBUTED, CARVED AND INLAID WALNUT DESK AND BOOKCASE
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About Auction
LiveJun 22, 2024
Jeffrey S. Evans & Assoc., Inc. info@jeffreysevans.com
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- Lot Description
IMPORTANT JOHN SHEARER (VIRGINIA / WEST VIRGINIA, ACTIVE 1790-1820) ATTRIBUTED, CARVED AND INLAID WALNUT DESK AND BOOKCASE, two-piece construction, the upper case featuring bold broken-arch pediment, inlaid swag to tympanum with characteristic "Federal bow knot", and egg-and-dart carving to frieze, over two hinged cabinet doors bearing complex geometric fenestration, flanked by fluted quarter columns, the lower case having hinged fallboard bearing complex inlaid swag pattern, concealing complex interior with prospect door, document drawers, serpentine small drawers, and arcaded cubbies, above two hinged fielded-panel doors flanked by fluted quarter columns, the whole raised on bold applied ogee bracket feet. Yellow pine and white pine secondary woods. Old surface with rich color. Circa 1800. 101" HOA, 48 1/2" WOA, 27 1/4" DOA.
Literature: See Davison - The Furniture of John Shearer, 1790-1820, p. 127, fig. 13.1 for the only other known Shearer-attributed desk and bookcase, currently in the collection of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), which bears nearly identical fenestration, characteristic inlay motifs, and similar carving to the pediment.
Catalogue Note: The present desk and bookcase is an important new identified masterwork in Southern decorative arts. Attributed to the enigmatic cabinetmaker, John Shearer (active 1790-1820), who worked in and around Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), this newly identified case piece is only the second full desk and bookcase assigned to the hand of Shearer. Scholar Elizabeth Davison has examined the piece carefully and drawn the following conclusion: "This desk and bookcase is attributed to John Shearer based on many similarities found on other documented pieces. It is the second desk and bookcase to survive, the other example being in the collection of The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA). The inlay on the bold pediment and on the fallboard of this desk is very similar to Shearer's earlier, more delicate inlay style found on the fallboard of the MESDA desk and bookcase (made 1801 and 1806, respectively) and on the fallboard and writing interior of a desk (1790-1805) in the collection of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation."
While little is known about the personal details of John Shearer's life, he left an extensive body of cabinetry work as his legacy. What's more, Shearer often signed and inscribed his pieces, establishing important documentary evidence for date of manufacture, business matters and clientele, even political beliefs. With respect to the latter, Shearer perhaps stands alone, given his colorful and idiosyncratic inscriptions on case pieces, often physically concealed and derogatory in nature towards the very customer in whose hands the object had been placed. While no signature has been discovered on the present piece, it clearly bears the stylistic fingerprints of Shearer's early work.
Shearer referred to himself as a "True North Britain", and while it is not entirely clear where the artisan was born, he definitely appears to have had formal training, likely in England and Scotland, where he was exposed to the latest trends and fashions, including the work and designs of Thomas Chippendale. What results in the New World of western Virginia around the turn of the 19th century is a wonderful amalgamation of styles, techniques, and decorative motifs on display in Shearer-made furniture. The present desk and bookcase is no exception, and its appearance on the open market represents a rare opportunity to acquire an important piece of Southern backcountry furniture, crafted by an iconic Southern cabinetmaker.
Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates is grateful to scholar Elizabeth Davison for her keen insight on this lot and her generous contribution to the catalogue.Condition
Very good overall visual condition. Areas of possible restoration to cornice. Hinged fielded-panel doors to desk probably an old (possibly 19th century) replacement for original drawers. Minor repairs to blocking and foot facings. Repairs to case and fallboard at hinges. Brasses replaced. Lacking bookcase shelves. Finial probably an old replacement.
- Provenance
Sotheby's, 6/17/1999, lot 206.
Sotheby's, Sale 5056, 7/1/1983, lot 480. - Shipping Info
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