Cordier Sells Unique Slant-Lid Chest/Desk On Legs For $263,250

February 16, 2018

After a long and extended bidding war between two phone bidders, an early-19th-century folk art painted chest/desk sold for $263,250 (including a 17 percent buyer’s premium) at Cordier’s Winter Antique and Fine Art Auction, held at the company’s Harrisburg, Pa., auction house on Feb. 11.
“Obviously, I’m super happy,” stated the winning bidder, New Oxford, Pa., dealer Kelly Kinzle, following the auction. “Just blown away, honestly. I knew it was going to be tough to get.” Kinzle stated he purchased the chest for resale. The underbidder was a private collector who wishes to remain anonymous.
If Kinzle was enthusiastic about his purchase, the consignors were ecstatic. “We’re just very, very happy. My grandmother used it as a toy box. She lived in southern Indiana,” said the consignor in the salesroom, who was visibly moved as the marathon bidding escalated in thousand-dollar increments.
The consignor says he is working with Kinzle on uncovering more about the history of the chest, including trying to put together a family tree to shed more light on its possible place of origin. It was cataloged as possibly being from Kentucky, but Kinzle suspects it may ultimately trace back to Pennsylvania. “It is yet to be determined,” said Kinzle.
The unique find sparked interest from various institutions, according to Cordier. Appraisers at the auction house, based in the capital city, ultimately cataloged it as a southern sugar chest. Whether or not it should be termed southern or a sugar chest is not known. Typically, sugar chests had interior dividers and locks. This piece has neither. It is poplar, which grows in many regions of the country, and it dates to the first quarter of the 19th century. The odd large lollipop cut-out back board/splash and dot pattern stamp decoration led some to falsely believe it was of Scandinavian origin. The 17-inch-wide and 36-inch-high paint-decorated chest has a slant-lid and two drawers and rests on thin, delicate, tall legs. The pre-sale estimate was $1,000 to $1,500. A report on this two-day catalog sale will appear in a future issue.
To contact Cordier Auctions and Appraisals, call 717-731-8662.

 

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