William & Mary table

[mart]

LOL !!  Think I will go brush out my pigtails !! 

[ghopper1924]

OK, 

Anyway....tulips=Dutch. You know, windmills, wooden shoes, dikes, tulips. We know this.

I'd like to find out more about Fraktur myself. Sounds interesting.

[jacon4]

If you notice, that pie safe has tulip, philphlot, and star designs punched on it's tins and, although the only attribution in catalog is "southern" probably because it's yellow or hard pine, I'd say it was probably Virginia, somewhere in the Shenandoah valley because there was/is a large german speaking immigrant community there. Naturally, this is all pure speculation on my part, ditto on that table but there is no doubt that those decorations played a large role with german speaking people.

I'd also note that having these objects, particularly that table, at a Pook & Pook sale is an interesting choice, Pook is the most well known auction house in the nation when it comes to german american objects. I am not so sure that consigning to Christie's or Sotheby's in new york  would have been a better choice at least for that table but in any event, congrats to Pook on that "get", it's a really wonderful piece of americana. We will soon know if consigners made the right choice, sale is Oct 7th.

[KC]

You know I only bet on a sure thing !! And that table is not it !!

Yes it is! You could buy a whole house full of kick ass pie/food safes for what that table will bring.

Mart is much more conservative, like myself, in that she doesn't want a "a whole house full of kick ass pie/food safes" and that she would only want one!  I'm sure she is out of the BIG buying/turning over multiple items, like myself.

I think the table is gorgeous - really love the bell detail.  However, I REALLY LIKE the pie safe.

I think the really dark wood is my negative on the table (However I know it is what adds to the age/value.)  I have very little painted wood in my home  - just a few accent pieces.  Majority are medium to medium/dark tones.   However, if I did come across one for a "reasonable price" and could turn it to a collector who would love/cherish it...I would!

[jacon4]

 However, I REALLY LIKE the pie safe.

LOL, yeah, i figured you and the old woman would like that safe, it's a very nice one no doubt. I have a strong feeling that the estimate (2-4k) is way to low, more of a tease really. It would not surprise me if it goes into the 5 figures, it's a great example of that form.

The table is much more formal furniture and those walnut legs are ebonised (stained black) which was popular in the W&M period, it's kinda weird today to think about staining walnut black but hey, it was the fashion of the day.

[jacon4]

she doesn't want a "a whole house full of kick ass pie/food safes" and that she would only want one!

OK, i'll bite, the thing is, they were discussing if they had a choice, which one would you pick. If she chose the table, she could sell it and buy just one kick ass safe and put 50k or more in her bank account!

[mart]

Quite conservative !!  I have not seen a piece of furniture yet that I would pay $50 or $60 grand for !!

[jacon4]

Mart, that kinda misses the point, just because you wouldn't, doesn't mean no one will! And that table could go for 100k or there about, they just put 50-60k as a starting point. Bottom line is, if you had a CHOICE! and could pick the table or the safe, it would be nuts to pick the safe! You are not buying it, you are getting it for free and, you have a choice between the 2, PICK THE TABLE! Someone go over to the old woman and tap her with a hammer, i think she's having a catatonic fit or something!

[ghopper1924]

 

[mart]

Yeah !!  And you are just now telling me it free ??  That changes the situation a bit !!   But remember the last one that you said would bring $100,000. ??  The Museum quality 17th century one ?? 
I listened to you and way over priced what I thought it would sell for originally when we were all guessing the final price !!
LOL  !!  So I am not taking any chances !!   

[KC]

You go girl! 

[jacon4]

 But remember the last one that you said would bring $100,000. ??

Oh lord, this is getting worse than ghopper's dutchman/holland fantasy! I never said that pilgrim table would bring 100k, i said it COULD! Another thing that jumps out at me in regards to this W&M table is, the auction house. If the goal is to get the most money for an object, almost as important as the object itself is, WHERE! you sell it. If this W&M table were mine, there is little doubt where i would market it, in new york city at christies or sothebys, at their annual Jan sale of americana , which happens at the same time as the americana show that brings in some of the most well heeled dealers & collectors in the nation. In the space of a single week in Jan. you have 2 americana sales and the americana show in NYC, it doesn't get any better than that!

No offence to Pook in this case or Skinner in that pilgrim table case but, do you remember that pilgrim blanket chest this past Jan. at christies? It sold for over a million dollars as i recall, CASE CLOSED!

[ghopper1924]

But remember the last one that you said would bring $100,000. ??

Oh lord, this is getting worse than ghopper's dutchman/holland fantasy!

Fantasy? Sucka please! Funny how often you're misunderstood.

[ssf2]

I have been looking into "Fraktur" recently, which means fractured or broken letters. It's a germanic folk art form that used to be cheap but now is hideously expensive for good examples and it has tulips, birds, stars, hearts, etc as a central theme.

Jacon4, people are still doing fraktur. I am proudly Pennsylvania Dutch and my 1986 marriage license from Berks County is fraktur (printed, but they still honored the tradition) and my husband's aunt made us one herself.
I had to take the photo from off to the side because of glare on the glass, but you get the idea.

[jacon4]

ssf2, yeah, i know they do, you can buy new fraktur online very reasonably. Neat that you even know what it is, it's a somewhat obscure art form that is not widely known. Dear ol aunty did pretty well with that fraktur! did she do the art work as well? which i am guessing is watercolor? or is that the printed one?
I have been reading the Donald Shelly book on fraktur which, according to many if you only read one book on it, that's THE ONE! I have also been bidding on antique examples sometimes but with not a lot of success.
For those not familiar with the form, here is a pinterest page that gives examples
https://www.pinterest.com/redwheel/fraktur/