Among the forthcoming feature stories that I have coming out in print publication is one that covers the career and production of David Spinner (1758-1811) in Milford Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which will be published in a future issue of Antiques & Auction News. The objects illustrated in the article include at least one sgraffito decorated red earthenware dish that was previously owned by noted Pennsylvania antiques dealer Joe Kindig Jr.
Interestingly, this family's antiques collection is also being sold this week in a two-part sale by Pook & Pook in Downington, Pennsylvania, which the auction house is calling "100-Years: The Kindig Collection. According to Pook & Pook, "Joseph Kindig, Jr. opened his first shop in 1925, coinciding with the antique craze that swept America in the 1920s. Over his career, he guided Colonial Williamsburg, Winterthur, Bayou Bend, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and others in the acquisition of masterpieces. In 1947 Joe Kindig III joined his father’s business. In 1994, Joe III was joined by his own daughter, Jenifer, and the family business flourished into the 21st century, whereas this personal family collection honors the Kindig Legacy and its century of scholarship, stewardship and masterpieces."
The Kindigs handled some remarkable examples of American red earthenware, although today's sale featured both European and American examples from the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Nevertheless, there are condition issues with some of the pieces that are in today's and tomorrow's sales, but the most interesting object may have been an early nineteenth century sgraffito decorated red earthenware plate made by Johannes Neesz (1775-1867) in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The plate was dated "1812" and decorated with a swan swimming in a pond surrounded by circular script in the border.
Neesz's production will also be discussed in my forthcoming feature story, seeing that it is believed that Neesz learned his trade at an old pottery near Spinnerstown, not far from Tyler's Port. This was in all probability the David Spinner establishment, as there is no other pottery that is known to have existed in that neighborhood.
According to an article published in the December 1940 issue of American Collector Magazine, "Near Tylersport, Montgomery County, John Neesz and his father Johannes Neesz, applied leaping stags, sprays of conventional flowers, festoons, to plates and vegetable dishes, platters, sugar bowls and pitchers. They made sets of dishes and sets of sugar bowls and creamer pitchers covered with dark glaze like some of the English ware, having ornate handles and festoons of slip. Humor crept in - crude, inelegant, timely - pointing obvious morals. In the possession of the Pennsylvania Museum is a piece of Neesz pottery in black-and-white, traced on the red body and forming the figure of a bird standing amongst heavy foliage. In German script are the words: "I cook what I can, Is my pig neat, so is my man."
Nevertheless, this plate sold for $4,000 including the buyer's premium.
Furthermore, the sale also included a third example of sgraffito decorated red earthenware from Pennsylvania, whereas this plate was suggested to have been made in Montgomery County in the late eighteenth century. Although, the skill is certainly indicative of sgraffito manufactured throughout southeastern Pennsylvania in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century. This plate sold for $3,500 including the buyer's premium.
This nineteenth century reticulated and sgraffito decorated red earthenware urn or vase was also a sought after object, although it is a style that I have never seen before with this type of decoration. An impressive object, nonetheless, which sold for $6,250 including the buyer's premium.
This late eighteenth or early nineteenth century sgraffito decorated red earthenware wall pocked was also an object of interest, although I have never seen anything like it before. But it was suggested to have been made in Pennsylvania and dated "January 15, 1745" with the initials "S.C." But the object was probably from a later date of manufacture, although interestingly, it descended through the Mifflin Wheeler (1848-1928) family of Philadelphia; the Mifflin family has a long history of occupancy in Philadelphia, dating back to the late 1600s or early 1700s, whereas the family migrated from England. This piece sold for $1,000 including the buyer's premium.
This reticulated cut-out nineteenth century red earthenware lidded bowl was also in the sale, whereas it was attributed to the workshop of David Haring (1801-1871) in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The lid features a dog finial with a cutout inscription that reads "Ester Gilbertan 1854." Related bowls attributed to Haring are displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as well as other objects related to Haring that are also displayed in Philadelphia. The bowl sold for $5,250 including the buyer's premium.
And lastly, this pair of late eighteenth or early nineteenth century sgraffito decorated red earthenware dishes sold together in a single lot and they were likely made in southeastern Pennsylvania. The lot sold for $2,750 including the buyer's premium.
Note: For the rest of the pottery in today's sale - here is a link to the auction catalog: https://live.pookandpook.com/auctions/pook/100-years-the-kindig-collection---session-one-14049.
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
No comments:
Post a Comment