Author Topic: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered  (Read 10175 times)

jacon4

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A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« on: January 19, 2016, 07:40:57 am »
OK, this chest has created quite a BUZZ in the Americana world this year. It's being sold by Christies in a few days, i have no clue what it's value is but, it would not surprise me if this chest sells in the million dollar range.

jacon4

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2016, 07:43:50 am »
There is a video on this chest, hopefully i can load it here.
http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.html?ec=xvOGYxMDE6aHo2rqsVNU_B6yB_JF1pGo&pbid=ccded04939c4010a47d948d2e3232a7&&options[autoplay]=true#ooid=xvOGYxMDE6aHo2rqsVNU_B6yB_JF1pGo

Rauville

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2016, 09:58:11 am »
I was looking at the Memorial Hall Museum page on Facebook the other day and admiring the Sarah Hawks Hadley Chest they showed there. What fantastic work went into those pieces.

jacon4

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2016, 11:27:48 am »
This chest was previously unknown which is why it has created a lot of interest. It was a unique time in American furniture when paint started a new decorating style, rather than carving which was, up until then the way these chests were decorated for centuries.

jacon4

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2016, 12:00:22 pm »
Alrighty then, VALUE! just got a call from someone interested in the above chest, knowed it was comin! Wants me to call Christies and get their estimate because it's not published and "James, you are brazen that way". While i wait on Christies, lets look at the record holder for a single piece of paint decorated american furniture. This chest sold for 3 million (2,928,000) in 2006, it was in Mrs Insley Blair's furniture collection.It was in her bathroom used as a shelf holding toothbrushes & stuff! Check out the video below
http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.html?ec=9jeWhhczqX4XwCTcmabBp9Vcf05j6n8k&pbid=ccded04939c4010a47d948d2e3232a7&&options[autoplay]=true#ooid=9jeWhhczqX4XwCTcmabBp9Vcf05j6n8k
« Last Edit: January 19, 2016, 12:02:40 pm by jacon4 »

Jlsherf

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2016, 01:37:47 pm »
Wow!!!  These are both awesome pieces but my preference, if I had a choice, lol, would be the newly discovered one.  I love it.  It amazes me that pieces made so long ago still exist. 
I should have been born in another era!

jacon4

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2016, 02:14:00 pm »
Yeah, well, if I had a choice, I'd go with Mrs Blair's toothbrush holder, the Robert Crosman chest because, it really was/is the rosetta stone for all the Crosman pieces, it is the ONLY piece that Crosman signed and dated on the back. It tied together all the other 20 something Crosman chests that exist today. Crosman was a drum maker who lived in Taunton Mass who built and painted these chests in his spare time i guess to make some extra money. The fact that Mrs Blair used it in her bathroom is neat, it tells me she had no idea what it really was and could care less most likely, she liked it, she bought it, she saw it in her bath everyday and, that's THAT! Pic below is the back of the Crosman chest

Jlsherf

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2016, 04:17:58 pm »
Oh I see!!!  I get it from a collectors stand point but from a decorative stand point, the new found one is more my taste.  I too found the use of this in her bathroom interesting.  Was she a wealthy woman with more items of value?
I should have been born in another era!

jacon4

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2016, 04:24:21 pm »
OKEY DOKEY, Christies is still thinking about the auction estimate, as of now "it will likely be set in the range of $300,000-$600,000. " That sounds about right to me too, i really doubt it will approach the Crosman chest record though for a couple reasons. First off it's signed and dated and two, the Crosman chest sold in 2006, before the housing crash in 2008 that really put a dent in antique furniture prices. Naturally, you never know, i can see where every museum in the nation that has an early furniture collection would be calling their donors/patrons to beg them to PLEASE! underwrite this Hadley chest acquisition, it's not like they will get another shot at one any time soon.

jacon4

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2016, 04:37:19 pm »
Yes, very wealthy and she donated many objects as well. Here is a piece about her in 2006 in the NYT, Mrs Blair played with the BIG BOYS when it came to acquiring early americana in the first half 20th century
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/06/arts/design/06anti.html?ref=furniture

Oh Yeah, don't get me wrong, I'd gladly take the Hadley chest, it's a gem no doubt but, if i had a choice........
« Last Edit: January 19, 2016, 04:49:15 pm by jacon4 »

Jlsherf

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2016, 06:01:33 pm »
Loved the article!  It sounds like she was a very interesting woman!  This is where I have to watch my envy.  Lol! Wish I had a rich relative leaving me a treasure trove!  Just one piece of that furniture would be more than enough!  Lol!  I live simply so it wouldn't take much!  Shoot...I got excited yesterday over my $1.99 authentic Dooney & Bourke vintage wallet from the Goodwill!  Like I said, it would take just a little to make me happy!  😁
I should have been born in another era!

mart

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2016, 07:11:43 pm »
Loved the article!  It sounds like she was a very interesting woman!  This is where I have to watch my envy.  Lol! Wish I had a rich relative leaving me a treasure trove!  Just one piece of that furniture would be more than enough!  Lol!  I live simply so it wouldn't take much!  Shoot...I got excited yesterday over my $1.99 authentic Dooney & Bourke vintage wallet from the Goodwill!  Like I said, it would take just a little to make me happy!  😁

I am with you on that !!  But I have to admit,, my toothbrush would look pretty good sitting on that chest !!

Jlsherf

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2016, 07:24:18 pm »
Mart you are so right!  😉
I should have been born in another era!

Pelady

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #13 on: January 19, 2016, 09:12:50 pm »
Why are they called Hadley chests when they were made by a guy named Crosman in Taunton MA?
PeLady
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Rauville

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Re: A "New" Hadley Chest is Discovered
« Reply #14 on: January 19, 2016, 10:33:15 pm »
Why are they called Hadley chests when they were made by a guy named Crosman in Taunton MA?
PeLady

Here's a short history on the origin of the name: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-02-28/features/1993059231_1_hadley-chests-american-art