Earlier today, a collection of red earthenware sold at Freeman's in Philadelphia, which had been consigned by Leah Gordon, the wife of the late John Gordon (1921-2003); the best object in the sale was perhaps a colorfully glazed nineteenth century sgraffito decorated red earthenware plate made by Solomon Grimm (1787-1847) in Rockland Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, circa 1815-1825. There was some restoration to the center of the plate, although certainly an incredible object to own. The back of the plate was inscribed "Grimm."
Prior to the Gordon's ownership of this object, it was deaccessioned from the collection of the New York Historical Society in Manhattan when it sold at Christies in New York City in 1995 for more than $30,000. Furthermore, Mrs. J. Insley Blair, Jr. donated the plate to the historical society in 1952, who also gifted a very important collection of furniture to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan.
Interestingly, Christies sold a number of objects that were from the collection of Mrs. J. Insley Blair, Jr. in January 2006, where the auction totaled more than $32,000,000. Additionally, J. Insley Blair was a banker from Tuxedo Park, New York. He was the son of John Insley Blair (1802-1899), once ranked as the 52nd wealthiest person ever. The elder Blair was postmaster of Gravel Hill, New Jersey from 1825-1851. He was also president of sixteen railroad companies, and was the largest owner of rail mileage in the world. Upon his death in 1899, Blair left his direct heirs $70 million.
Nevertheless, the plate sold today for $30,000 plus the buyer's premium. For other examples of Grimm's work, see the collections of Winterthur Museum in Delaware, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Grimm's work was also displayed as part of a past exhibit at the Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, titled, Thrown, Fired and Glazed: The Redware Tradition From Pennsylvania and Beyond.
Note: Posted below are some of the other noteworthy nineteenth century red earthenware objects from the Gordon Collection that sold today in Philadelphia with the auction results.
1) Nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware plate attributed to Benjamin Bergey (1797-1854) in Franconia Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania -- https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/164355836_a-rare-glazed-and-slip-decorated-redware-plate-attributed-to-benjamin-bergey-1797-1854-franconia
Sold for $19,000 plus the buyer's premium
2) Nineteenth century slip-decorated red earthenware plate dated "1885," perhaps from North Carolina -- https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/164355838_a-glazed-and-slip-decorated-and-dated-pie-plate-north-carolina-dated-1885
Sold for $1,500 plus the buyer's premium
3) Nineteenth century slip decorated rectangular red earthenware plate from Pennsylvania -- https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/164355840_a-glazed-and-slip-decorated-rectangular-redware-bread-plate-pennsylvania-19th-century
Sold for $950 plus the buyer's premium
4) Nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware plate possibly made in Berks County, Pennsylvania -- https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/164355839_a-glazed-slip-decorated-redware-small-plate-probably-berks-county-pa
Sold for $750 plus the buyer's premium
Sgraffito Decorated Plate Made by Solomon Grimm in Berks County, PA
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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