I first met Jim Tshudy in 2010. The two of us were on a committee putting together a retrospective exhibit and catalog on the life of antiques dealer and folk painter Hattie Brunner at the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley in Ephrata, Pa. He looked familiar, and I’m sure I had seem him at various sales or at the markets. We had fun, and for opening night of the exhibit made sure not to offer any wine or champagne, given Brunner (1889-1982) was a teetotaler and wouldn’t have approved.
Jim and Nan of Ephrata were fixtures at nearby Black Angus during a time when you could attend a farm sale or multiple ones on any Saturday, buy at least something, and sell it the next day at the markets. That era is long over. After giving up their booth, Jim enjoyed selling on eBay and still attended the occasional pulic sale. The couple were regional collectors and over the decades put together a nice, honest group of material. The strengths were Ephrata imprints and Pennsylvania German textiles. The Tshudys bought the 18th-century Mohler homestead in 1971, a beautiful stone farmhouse, and given the proximity to Horst, were longtime fixtures at sales. (Horst held an on-site sale selling contents of the Tshudy barn on June 27).
Originally scheduled for March 20 and 21, the catalog sale wound up taking place June 12 and 13. Internet bidding was strong throughout. The salesroom had limited seating, by reservation, with seats spaced apart. The 659 lots of assorted country material, much of it local, was well received. Cabin fever is a real thing for antiquers, and although some members of the trade said they were holding back investing in inventory due to not having shows in the near future, just as many were buying. Horst continues not to charge a buyer’s premium and waived the regular 10-percent charged for absentee bids. That fact shouldn’t be glanced over. The latter was a smart business decision that incentivized leaving higher bids. Online bidders were charged 10 percent.
Joseph Moyer (1883-1962) of Reading, Pa., was a woodcarver known for his small realistic birds. Moyer carved in his basement and gave his work to family and friends. Moyer belonged to Swamp Church outside of Reinholds and is buried in the church’s cemetery. Dick Machmer did his part in popularizing his work by including Moyer in the book “Just For Nice” published in 1991. Many of the birds are dated between 1944-54. Among the first time the work was recognized on the open market occured at a public sale in 1986 where a group of Moyer birds belonging to the carver’s sister-in-law were sold in Denver, Lancaster County.
The Tshudys had a few nice examples, and they sold well. The market is alive and well for Moyer’s carvings. A goldfinch realized $1,250; a sparrow, $1,050; a red-capped finch, $900; and a small hummingbird sold for $1,100. A group of three very similar hummingbirds along with another Moyer bird sold as one lot for $4,148 at Pook & Pook on June 20.
Attributed to Peter Brubacher (1816-98) of Clay Township, Lancaster County, Pa., a folk art wooden carved and painted horse sold for $9,100. With one-piece body construction and mounted or pinned legs, pin eyes, leather ears, horse hair tail, and brown paint, it was originally given to Emma Burkholder Frantz, sold at her sale in 1969 to her nephew, Enos Hershey, and sold at his sale in 1994 to Jim Tshudy. Some Brubacher horses have small tin ears. A pair of dappled or almost sponge painted examples sold for $20,145 and $26,070 on Oct. 30, 2010, at the Richard and Joanne Smith sale at Pook & Pook. A black Brubacher horse sold at Clarke Hess’s sale at Horst on April 27, 2019, for $26,500.
A rare fraktur which depicted two large facing parrots believed to have been done nearby, ca. 1795-1815, in the Groffdale Church area (northern Lancaster County) sold for $6,400. By an unknown maker, it is attributed to yet-to-be identified North Central Lancaster County Artist, likely Mennonite, likely a presentation piece, possibly for a wedding. The Tshudys bought it at a public sale in Smoketown in 1986. Some of the areas of black (iron gall ink) on tails and beaks ate away the paper over time, and the piece was professionally restored.
A large grouping of blue feather edge china was soft, as was the Late Adams china. These are two categories that show little sign of regaining popularity in the market.
An arched top cut date sandstone, ca. 1840, with bird design reading “S. FRY,” is believed to be for Samuel “Shaking Forks” Fry (1803-1900), who was known for making wooden shaking forks. It sold for $2,100. A decorated goose egg attributed to Haydn Bomberger, dated “May 15 1890” with a tree, rooster, pig, and flying blue bird holding an envelope, realized $1,400. It is illustrated on page 50 of Clarke Hess’s 2002 “Mennonite Arts.” A number of things from the Tshudy collection are in the book. A block pattern privy bag on red and white print illustrated in Clarke Hess’s “Lancaster County Privy Bags” brought $350, and an appliqued pillow case on white ground with red cross stitch, “Fanny Frey 1845,” illustrated in “Mennonite Arts,” sold for $270.
A brown and natural plaid homespun linen feather bed case with hand loomed ties in good condition went for $825, and an early, ca. 1810, brown and natural homespun coverlet, the bottom with fringe, plain weave tow, also in good condition, sold for $1,500.
The photos and captions tell more of the story.
For additional information, visit www.horstauction.com.