Pook & Pook Inc. will present its Spring Americana Auction in conjunction with an international sale on Saturday, April 29. Four hundred eighty-six lots are set to cross the auction block, including collections from Missouri, Kansas, Ohio, and, of course, Pennsylvania.
The auction will kick off with international items, including British furniture, silver, and assorted artwork. In this section, as with the later Americana portion, artwork sets the tone, particularly with two Marc Chagall lithographs, a colorful abstract by Marcel Mouly, and a Marcel Dyf floral still-life.
After a grouping of Oriental carpets, Pook & Pook will present classic artists such as Andrew Wyeth, Barclay Rubincam, Bela DeTirefort, Harry Leith-Ross, and Ben Austrian. A watercolor and gouache depiction of Josephine Baker by Erté, the artist synonymous with Art Deco, adds interest, as does a stunning realist still-life by John F. Francis and a powerful coastal scene by Thomas Birch.
From fine to folk art, this sale is a powerhouse for all things Pennsylvania German. A Jacob Botz scherenschnitte fraktur in pristine condition is one prime example. A comparable Botz is in the Philadelphia Free Library’s collection. This intricate cutwork piece maintains vibrant colors and detailed watercolor styling with very minor losses.
Another highlight will be an impressive Charles Munch of Union County, Pa., ink-and-watercolor fraktur, with two elaborate vignettes of a farmer plowing his field and a ship at sea. Pook & Pook Inc. will also present a work by the renowned Quaker artist, Edward Hicks, of The Peaceable Kingdom fame. Hicks’ oil-on-poplar panel depicts a portrait of Andrew Jackson backed by two flags above a banner reading “The Old Democrat.” This treasure of American folk art, featuring the founder of the modern Democratic Party, has been exhibited by the Princeton Art Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Mercer Museum and purportedly descended through the consignor’s family from one of Hicks’ relatives.
Halfway through the sale, the political trend continues with a collection from Kenton Broyles. The esteemed political collector enjoyed Historical Blue Staffordshire, and this segment is the last of his collection to reach the market. Over 60 lots will cross the block. “We are pleased to have been given the honor of selling this important part of the Broyles’ collection,” stated vice president Deirdre Pook Magarelli. Also of note are two life-sized Wood and Perot of Philadelphia cast-iron Newfoundland dog statues, which grace the cover of the sale catalog, along with a group of Tiffany and Handel lamps.
A variety of other decorative items will appear in a two-day Decorative Arts online-only auction on Monday and Tuesday, May 1 and 2. This sale will include jewelry, toys, furniture, folk art, silver, and decorative items in a wide array of prices. The sale will feature part one of the Jim and Patricia Doherty paperweight collection, as well as the James Cotton collection of British commemorative Staffordshire.
Interested bidders for either auction are encouraged to contact Pook & Pook Inc. at info@pookandpook.com or 610-269-4040 with questions regarding preview dates and times, condition reports, and online, in-house, phone or absentee bidder registration. Catalogs can also be viewed online at www.pookandpook.com or www.Bidsquare.com.
The catalog auction on April 29 will begin at 9 a.m. EST. The online Decorative Arts Sale will begin at 9 a.m. EST on May 1 and 2, with registration exclusively through Bidsquare.com.